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CPT 118 - Research an Organization

This guide will help you research an organization.

Cite Your Sources in MLA Format

Here are a few examples to help you cite your sources in MLA format:

How to Cite a Website

Format: Author(s). “Title of Article/Page.” Title of Website in Italics, Website Publisher (if different than title), Date of publication, URL.

Example 1:  “Apple Overview.” Glassdoor, 2008-2023, www.glassdoor.com/Overview/Working-at-Apple-EI_IE1138.11,16.htm. Accessed 21 Sept. 2023.

Example 2: “Our Company.” Microsoft, 2022, www.microsoft.com/en-us/about/company.

Example 3: “Delta Air Lines, Inc." Google Finance, 6 Apr. 2023, www.google.com/finance/quote/DAL:NYSE. 

*Note:  Exclude publisher if title of website and publisher are the same.
*Note: If website does not have a date or the information changes frequently for example stock quote, rating, or job listing, add an access date at the end. Use abbreviations for months with names longer than four letters.  URL. Accessed 7 May 2016.
*Note: Do not include the http:// or https:// in the URL.

How to Cite Company Info from Mergent Intellect

Format: "Title of Company Report." Database Name, Publisher, Date, URL.

Example: “05-195-7769. Walmart Inc.” Mergent Intellect, Mergent, July 2022, www.mergentintellect.com/index.php/search/companyDetails/51957769.

How to Cite Report Info from Business Insights

Format (Company Profile): Title of Company Profile. Year, Database, URL.

Example (Company Profile): Apple Inc. Company Profile. 2022, Gale Business Insights, go.gale.com/ps/profileDocumentdocId=Gale%7CWXAHBA886749614&userGroupName=spartechcl.

Format (Financial Info): Title of Financial Statement. Publisher, Year(s). Database, URL.

Example (Financial Info) Apple Inc. Income Statement. Thomson-Reuters, 2020-2022. Gale Business Insights, go.gale.com/ps/bi?view=financialPerformance&userGroupName=spartechcl&prodId=GBIB&tab=incomeStatement.

Example (In-depth Article)

"Apple Inc." International Directory of Company Histories, edited by Drew D. Johnson, vol. 238, St. James Press, 2021. Gale Business: Insights, link.gale.com/apps/doc/I2501326353/GBIB?u=spartechcl&sid=bookmark-GBIB&xid=2b663bc6.

How to Cite MarketLine Report from EBSCO (Company Profiles)

Format: Title of Report. Publisher, Date. Series Title. Database Name, URL.

Example: H&R Block Inc. Marketline, 15 Apr. 2020. Company Profile. Business Source Premier, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=sso&db=dmhco&AN=A3AFE615-7D03-4D12-83B9-FF6451E6A59B&site=ehost-live&custid=s9007306.

Example: CBRE Group, Inc SWOT Analysis. Marketline, 19 Mar. 2020. Business Source Premier, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=sso&db=buh&AN=141336902&site=ehost-live&scope=site&custid=s9007306.

How to Cite a Journal Article from a Database

Format: Author(s). "Title of Article." Title of Journal, vol. #, no. #, Date of Publication, page number(s). Database Name (if electronic), URL.

Example: Eadicicco, Lisa. "What a Former Iphone Engineer Learned from Working at Apple." Time, 21 Dec. 2015. Business Source Premier, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=sso&db=buh&AN=111881171&site=ehost-live&scope=site&custid=s9007306.  

Citing Multiple Works with Same Title

Works Cited 1: “Apple Inc." Business Insights: Essentials, Gale, 26 Sept. 2021, bi.gale.com/essentials/company/300559?u=spartechcl.

Works Cited 2: Apple Inc. Marketline, 24 Sep. 2021. Company Report. Business Source Premier, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=sso&db=buh&AN=153660544&site=ehost-live&scope=site&custid=s9007306.

In-Text 1: ("Apple Inc.," Business Insights)

In-Text 2: (Apple Inc., Marketline)

Additional MLA Examples

Citing an Image, Graph, or Chart

There are several ways to cite images in a project in MLA format. This will depend on if you are including an image that you found in another source or if you created the image yourself, using information from another source

When you include an image directly into your paper, it should be labeled as "Fig." with a number, followed by a period. (Example: Fig. 1.).

Under the image, place a caption that will start with the Figure label and number. Then you have options for how to finish the caption.

Scenario 1 - Image Found in Another Source

Give the full MLA citation for your source. Do not invert the creator's name (if you have one listed). 

If you include the full MLA citation in your caption and you do not cite the source again in your project, you do not need to include the source in your Works Cited.

Fig 1. "Microsoft Corp." Google Finance, 1 Apr. 2024, www.google.com/finance/quote/MSFT:NASDAQ?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwikycLv_aCFAxXxEkQIHYvoBaQQ3ecFegQIKhAX&window=1Y.

*Note: If you are citing a source from website or a library database and the URL goes on for multiple lines, you can shorten the URL to end at the end of the first line if you want.

Scenario 2 - Chart or Graph You Created with Information from Outside Source

Give the full MLA citation for the source that you found your information in. Since you are creating this chart or graph based on outside information, also list "Adapted from" to show your reader that you created this chart or graph based on outside information. 

Line chart showing total revenue for ADBE in millions

Fig. 1. Adapted from: "Adobe Inc." Business Insights: Essentials, Gale: Cengage Learning, 2017-2021, bi.gale.com/essentials/remoteLink?id=321995&.

Scenario 3 - Chart or Graph You Created with Information from Multiple Sources

Sometimes you might create an image that has information from multiple sources. Since you are creating this chart or graph based on outside information, also list "Adapted from" to show your reader that you created this chart or graph based on outside information. 

Bar graph comparing total revenue in millions for ADBE and MSFT

Fig. 1. Adapted from: "Adobe Inc." Business Insights: Essentials and "08-146-6849. Microsoft Corporation." Mergent Intellect 

Works Cited

"Adobe Inc." Business Insights: Essentials, Gale: Cengage Learning, 2017-2021, bi.gale.com/essentials/remoteLink?id=321995&.

"08-146-6849. Microsoft Corporation." Mergent Intellect, Mergent, 2017-2021,  www.mergentintellect.com/index.php/search/companyFinancials/81466849.

In-Text Citations

This in-text citation information will get you started, but see our full In-text Citation Guide for more information and additional examples.

Basic Format: 1 Author and Page Numbers

Place the author’s last name and page number in parenthesis. If the in-text citation is at the end of a sentence, place the period outside the parenthesis.

Example 1: (Hennessy 81).

Example 2: (Hennessy 81-82).

No Page Numbers

If a source has no page numbers, omit the page number. Keep in mind, most electronic sources do not include pages.

Example 1: ("Everyday Victims")

Example 2: (Jones)

No Author

If the source has no author, your in-text citation will use the title of the source that starts your works cited entry. The title may appear in the sentence itself or, abbreviated, before the page number in parenthesis.

Example 1: (“Noon” 508).

Example 2: (Faulkner’s Novels 25).

Example 3: (“Climate Model Simulations").

2 Authors

If the entry on the Works Cited page begins with the names of two authors, include both last names in the in-text citation, connected by and.

Example: (Dorris and Erdrich 23).

3+ Authors

If the source has three or more authors, include the first author’s last name followed by et al.

Example: (Burdick et al. 42).

MLA Handouts

Subjects: Computer