5. Cite Your Sources - ENG 202 - 1945 to the Present - SCC Research Guides at Spartanburg Community College

5. Cite Your Sources in MLA Format

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

How to Cite a Short Story From Your Textbook

Format: Author(s). "Title of Short Story." The Norton Introduction to Literature, edited by Kelly J. Mays, shorter 14th ed., W. W. Norton, 2022, pp. 123-45.

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.

How to Cite Part of a Book, Ebook, or Encyclopedia

Format: Author(s). "Title of Part." Title of Book, edited by Editor, edition, vol. #, Publisher, Year, page number(s). Database Name (if electronic), URL.

Additional MLA Examples

Citing a Poem

Like other sources, poem citations begin with the poet's last name. However, there are some different MLA rules when it comes to citing lines of poetry.

Citing a Poem: Works Cited

Poem in a Book

Format: Author(s). "Title of Part." Title of Book in Italics, edited by Editor, edition, vol. #, Publisher, Year, page number(s). Database Name in Italics (if electronic), URL.

Example: Lazarus, Emma. "The New Colossus." The Norton Introduction to Literature, edited by Kelly J. Mays, shorter 14th ed., W.W. Norton, 2022, p. 752.

Poem from a Website

Format: Author(s). “Poem Title.” Original publication year. Title of Website in Italics, Website Publisher (if different than title), Date of publication, URL. Access Date.

Example: Angelou, Maya. "Still I Rise." 1978. Poetry Foundation, 2024, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46446/still-i-rise. Accessed 21 Sept. 2024.

*Title Note: See when to Italicize Titles and when to put "Titles in Quotation Marks" here.

Use "line" or "lines" in your in-text if the source lists line numbers rather than page numbers.
For the first citation include the word "line" or "lines" before the numbers
After the first in-text citation establishing that you will be using lines for that partacular source, you no longer need to use the word line or lines.
There should be a comma between the author or title and word "line" or "lines"
- (Frost, lines 145-48)
There is no comma when you just list the line numbers.
- (Frost 145-48).
Note: If you are citing only one source for your entire paper/project, then you do not need to repeat the author's last name/title in the in-text citations as long as it's clear that you're referencing the outside source. This means your first in-text citation could look like (Frost, lines 145-48), but later in that paragraph if your next citation could just be the line number, like this (152).

Quoting a single line of poetry

In-Text Format: (Poet Last Name, line number)

Example: "So better by far for me if you were stone" (Duffy, line 17).

Note: Only include the line numbers if they are already included in the poem you are citing. You do not need to count line numbers if they are not already included. If you find the poem in a book, you can use the page number(s) for the poem. If you found the poem online and there are no page numbers or line numbers, you only need to include the poet's last name.

Quoting 2-3 lines of poetry

When quoting 2-3 lines of poetry, use a forward slash ( / ) to mark the line breaks. If there is a stanza break between the lines you are quoting, use a double slash ( // ). Be sure to put a space before and after the slash.

Use the exact punctuation, capitalization, and styling as used in the original text.

Format: (Poet Last Name, line number(s))

Example: "Wasn't I beautiful? / Wasn't I fragrant and young? // Look at me now" (Duffy, lines 40-42).

Quoting 4+ lines of poetry

When quoting 4 or more lines of poetry, use a block quote. Be sure to keep the spacing, punctuation, and capitalization the same as it is in the poem.

Example: In the poem "Medusa," Medusa discusses why she wants to turn the man she loves into stone:
Be terrified.
It's you I love,
perfect man, Greek God, my own;
but I know you'll go, betray me, stray
from home.
So better by far for me if you were stone. (Duffy, lines 12-17)

Citing Images

In MLA , you will cite an image in a presentation/project or paper depending on how it is being used.

Image for Decoration Only

If the image is just for illustration or decoration (a stand-alone image) and it is not part of the presentation or discussed in the project or paper, list the entire citation information in the caption of the image. Do not list it on your Works Cited page at the end.

Example of Image for Illustration or Decoration only (not going to talk directly about the image during your presentation or include a mention in your paper or project).

Image is Part of the Presentation/Project/Paper

If you are planning on talking about the image in your presentation or paper, you'll still include a caption for the image, but the caption will only include an in-text citation, and the entire citation information will go on the Works Cited page like you with a regular source.

Example of Image is Part of the Presentation (going to talk about the image specifically during your presentation or mention in your paper or project)

If when you're displaying this image of the laser welding, you are planning on talking about this image and what it shows, then you would include the citation information in your Works Cited, and the caption would just include an in-text citation. The entire citation information will go on the Works Cited page like you with any regular source.