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SPAN 222: Two Voices: Gabriel García Márquez and Laura Restrepo

How to cite sources within your writing

In text-citations are an important part of writing a research paper. They help place your sources in conversation with your own ideas, and help you expand on your thesis statement and overall argument. In-text citations appear in the form of parenthetical citations.

For more information about how to generate an in-text citation, refer to pages 54-58 of the MLA Handbook Eighth Edition.

Below are examples of how to write in-text citations:

Author's name within your writing According to Peuget, "America is still suffering from economic collapse" (85).
Citing a quotation within your writing without using the author's name in your sentence "America is still suffering from economic collapse." (Peuget 85).
When using block quotes (remember that the quote will need to be set off from the text) See page 55 of MLA Handbook ...from economic collapse. (Peuget 85). Or (85) if using author's name preceding the block quote.
Citing works with more than one author with the same last name Add author's first initial (N. Peuget 85)
Citing more than one work by the same author Add title of work (Peuget, "America's Economy" 85).
When paraphrasing

Page number in parenthesis if mentioning author in your sentence. (85)

Author and page number when paraphrasing his or her idea. (Peuget 85) 

If a single paraphrased idea is attributable to more than one source, list all sources. (Peuget 85; Thomson 76). Only exception to this would be common knowledge ideas. 

If author is the organization that published a certain work

If your in-text citation contains the title, then page number is needed. (85)

If your in-text citation does not contain the title, then author/organization title is needed. (Peuget 85)

If your source uses paragraph numbers rather than page numbers  (Miller, par. 35). Note: if a source has no paragraph number or page number, then that information cannot be included and should not be made up.

When using different editions of a text (i.e One Hundred years of Solitude)

 

For time based media works, cite the relevant time range. 

Page number, edition or volumes, and chapter (250; ed. 2, ch 5)

 

(The X-Files 00:05:15-16).