Understanding MLA Citation Basics

Why is it important to cite sources in research writing?

• To make the paper longer

• To give credit to the original author and avoid plagiarism

• To make the paper more interesting

• To use as many quotes as possible

What is the correct MLA format for citing a book?

• Last Name, First Name. Title of the Book. Year of Publication, Publisher.

• First Name Last Name. Title of the Book. Publisher, Year of Publication.

• Last Name, First Name. Title of the Book. Publisher, Year of Publication.

• Last Name, First Name. "Title of the Book." Publisher, Year of Publication.

Which of the following correctly cites a book in MLA format?

• J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Scholastic, 1998.

• Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Scholastic, 1998.

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Rowling, J.K. Scholastic, 1998.

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling, Scholastic, 1998.

What is the purpose of an in-text (parenthetical) citation?

• To list all sources used in the paper

• To give credit to the source within the body of the paper

• To provide a summary of the source

• To list books in alphabetical order

How do you correctly cite a website in MLA format when an author is available?

• Last Name, First Name. "Title of Webpage." Name of Website, Publisher, Date of Publication, URL.

• "Title of Webpage." Name of Website, Publisher, Date of Publication, URL.

• Last Name, First Name. "Title of Webpage." Date of Publication, URL.

• "Title of Webpage." Name of Website, URL, Date of Publication.

When an author's name is not available for a website citation, what should you use instead?

• The first word in the URL

• The name of the website or the article title in quotation marks

• The publication date only

• The name of the website's owner

Which of the following in-text citations is correct for a book quote?

• "Magic is important in our world" (Rowling 42).

• "Magic is important in our world." (Rowling, 42).

• "Magic is important in our world" (Rowling, J.K., 42).

• Rowling, J.K. "Magic is important in our world" (42).

How should you introduce evidence when using a direct quote from a source?

• Just drop the quote in the paragraph

• Use a signal phrase like "According to [author's name], '...'"

• Put the quote in italics

• Use only the author's last name before the quote

What does the following in-text citation indicate? "The future of space travel relies on new technologies" (Smith).

• The quote is from a book by Smith

• The quote is from a website with Smith as the author

• Smith is a fictional character in the text

• The quote is from an anonymous source

Which of the following statements is true about citing sources in MLA format?

• Only books need to be cited in MLA format

• Websites do not require citations if the information is general knowledge

• MLA format requires in-text citations and a Works Cited page

• Paraphrasing does not require a citation