MLA Formatting

If you mention the author in the signal phrase, you only need to put the page number in parentheses at the end. 

• True

• False

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

Every time you mention an author, you must write his/her first and last name every time. 

• True

• False

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

If the author is not mentioned in the signal phrase, then the author's first and last name must be put in parentheses, along with any page number(s). 

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Only the author's LAST name needs to be included in the parenthetical citation.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

If your writing contains work by authors with the same last name, you should include the his/her first and last names in any signal phrase or add the author's first initial in the parenthetical reference. 

• True

• False

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

If a work you are citing has two or more authors, it's only necessary to cite the author with the last name that is alphabetically first. 

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Only if a work has THREE or more authors can you then use "et al." in the parenthetical citation, or in the narrative citation: "Bertrand and colleagues write in their seminal work..."

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

When citing an organization or government as author, in the signal phrase you should cite the full name of the organization. 

• True

• False

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

If an author is unknown, use the work's title in a signal phrase or a parenthetical reference. 

• True

• False

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

If a work does not contain page numbers (such as many online sources), then you should cite the paragraph number in the parenthetical reference. 

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Only cite the paragraph numbers if the source has them and emphasizes them.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

If you cite an entire work rather than part of it, just give the last name of the author in the parenthetical reference. 

• True

• False

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

For the Works Cited page, the last name is listed first, followed by a comma and then the first name. 

• True

• False

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.9