Citing Sources: The MLA Way
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Through out your college career, instructors and professors are going to expect you to be able to cite sources correctly.  There are many different styles, so it is important that you know which format (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.) your instructor wants you to use.

The keys to each of these formats are the following:

  1. consistency
  2. accuracy
  3. detail
  4. a good handbook
Nothing beats a quick reference book or handbook, and if you haven't already purchased one, go get one.  Don't sell it back unless you really really have to.  It will come in handy.  Remember the reason to provide a works cited page is not just to make sure you don't get accused of plagiarism but also to help your readers learn how you came to your conclusion, who your influences were, and how they can explore your topic more fully.  For this reason it is important to give as much information as you can and to present it in a manner that is logical, organized, and comprehensible.

Because the Department of English here at NIU uses the MLA style, we'll start with that format.  The following should be used as a quick reference to help guide you through the creation of your works cited page, not as a comprehensive list of MLA format.  Keep in mind that the format is updated every now and then by the MLA, so always refer to the latest edition of the MLA guide, as the information on this page may, in a few years or less, become outdated. But for now, it is current.

No one memorizes all the details of how to cite sources.  We all need to look it up ever so often. But the more you do it, the more you learn the pattern, and the less difficult it seems.

To get started, choose one of the following options or page through.

Citing in Your Text
Citing Types of Works
Works Cited Page
Quick & Useful Hints

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