Citing Quotes in MLA Format: Quick & Easy Guide

What is MLA Format?

MLA stands for Modern Language Association, and it is a style used for formatting essays, reports, and other written works. This style is the accepted standard for most academic writing and is used in a variety of disciplines in the humanities, including English, foreign languages, and literature. The MLA style includes guidelines for formatting manuscripts and using the English language in writing. It also provides standards for citing sources, including quotes, so that other writers can easily find the material you consulted.

When Should You Cite a Quote?

Anytime you are writing a paper or essay and use another person’s words or ideas, it is important to cite the source. Even if the words or ideas are not exact, it is still important to cite your source. This shows that you have done your research and are giving credit to the original author. It is also important to cite quotes to avoid plagiarism.

How to Cite a Quote in MLA

When citing quotes in MLA, you need to include the author’s last name and page number in parentheses. For example, if you are citing a quote from a book by John Smith, you would write (Smith, 56). If you are citing a quote from a website, you would include the author’s name and the URL. For example, (Smith, http://www.example.com).

How to Format a Quote in MLA

When formatting a quote in MLA, the first step is to introduce the quote. You can do this by introducing the author, the source material, and the context. For example, you could write, “John Smith, in his book The Art of Writing, argues that...” and then include the quote. You should also include a signal phrase to introduce the quote and make sure to use the correct verb tense. After introducing the quote, you should include the quote in quotation marks.

How to Cite Long Quotes in MLA

When citing a long quote in MLA, the quote should be set apart from the rest of the text. You should start the quote on a new line and indent it from the rest of the paragraph. You should also italicize the title of the book, article, etc. that the quote is from. Finally, you should include the author’s name and page number in parentheses after the quote.

Examples of Citing Quotes in MLA

Here are a few examples of how to cite quotes in MLA:

• John Smith argues that “writing is an art” (56).
• According to John Smith, “writing is an art” (The Art of Writing 56).
• John Smith writes,
• "Writing is an art that requires practice and dedication" (56).

Conclusion

Citing quotes in MLA is an important part of academic writing. It is important to cite quotes to avoid plagiarism and to give credit to the original sources. When citing quotes in MLA, you should include the author’s name, the page number, and sometimes the source material. Additionally, when citing long quotes, you should set the quote apart from the rest of the text by starting it on a new line and indenting it.