Writing@CSU

Writing Guides

MLA - Modern Language Association


Related Resources View Related Resources
Print-Friendly Page Print Page
Authors & Contributors

 

Examples of MLA In-Text Formatting Rules

Select an example to view from the following menu:



1. Author's Name Not Included in the Sentence

Format:
When the author's name is not included in the sentence, both the last name of the author and the page number should be cited in parentheses.

Example:

By taking on such an "unladylike" project as the representation of black life, Peterkin managed to offend, in one way or another, quite a few Southerners, including all of the men in her family: her father, her husband, and her brother (Thompson 16).

  • up to Menu


  • 2. Author's Name Included in the Sentence

    Format:
    When the author's name is included in the sentence, you may omit this name from the parentheses to avoid redundancy, using only the page numbers.

    Example:

    James Henry Rice, Jr., a South Carolina naturalist and author, claimed that Gonzales had "rescued the 'Gullah' of the sea islands and the rice plantations from oblivion, into which it was fast descending" (241).

  • up to Menu
  • Copyright © 1993-2009 Colorado State University and/or this site's authors, developers, and contributors. Some material displayed on this site is used with permission.