When to Cite
A citation is the formal acknowledgement that the ideas of another individual were borrowed.  Citations are required in each of the following cases:

1. Direct quotations – when you take information word for word from a source
2. Paraphrasing – when you borrow a distinctive interpretation, idea, or words, even if rephrased
3. Specific statistical information – tables, charts, graphs, number-based data
4. Images – illustrations, pictures, cartoons, portraits, art, etc.
5. Controversial or unusual details – controversial information that stands out sharply from the rest of the narrative and could potentially cause the reader to question the reliability of the argument must be backed up to prove its validity

You DO NOT have to use citation in the following situations:
        1.    Your original material – the writer’s thoughts, reflections, observations, or ideas
        2.    Common knowledge – standard and non-controversial information.  For example, undisputed facts of history, well known literature and popular culture references (Ex: # of innings in a baseball game), and commonsense observations (Ex: members of the middle class have more possessions than people living below the poverty line).

*Any time you are unsure, ask the librarians for help or consult with your teacher*

How to Cite
The MLA method for in-text citations calls for them to be placed at the end of the sentence that contains information that needs to be cited.  The general rule is to list the author’s last name and page number in parentheses.

                                                (Author’s Last Name Page #)

                                Examples:   (Grigg 47)  or  (Littel 15)

There are a few exceptions to this simple system of citation.  Please consider:

1. If your source has no author, use the first word of the title, ignoring “The,” “A,” or “An,” followed by the page #.  Put quotes around the title if it’s an article.  Italicize the title if it’s a book. Just as it appears in your works cited list is how it should look in your in-text citation.
   

           (“1st Word in Title of Article” Page #) or (1st Word in Title of Book Page #)
   
                             Examples:  (“Learning” 153) or (Library 14)   
   

2. If your source has no page numbers (i.e. a web site) or the information you are citing comes from the entire work, cite as you normally would (with the author, if there is one), but leave out the page numbers.
   
            Examples: (Grigg)  or if no author (“Learning”) or (Library)
   
   
3. If you have 2 sources written by the same author or two authors with the same last name, you should also include the first word of the title of the work (excluding "The," "A," or "An") to identify which source was used. If you have 2 sources, both without authors but the first words of the article titles are the same, you should also include the name of the source the article came from (name of book, website, database, etc.). Remember to use quote and italics where necessary.
   

   (Author’s Last Name, 1st Word in Title of Book Page #) or (Author's Last Name, “1st Word in Title of Article” Page #)
            or if no author but 1st word of articles are the same: ("1st Word Title of Article," 1st Word Title of Source Page #)

               Examples:    (Grigg, Library 162)  or    (Grigg, “Learning” 10) or if no author: ("Library," Learning 5)

4. Sources with multiple authors:
   • 2 authors: (Grigg and Littel 29)
   • 3 authors: (Grigg, Littel, and Rogna 24-25)
   • 4 or more authors: (Grigg et al. 55)
     

Where do you put the period? : How it will look in your Paper

Here’s how an in-text citation should look in your paper with paraphrased information:

Example: At the age of thirty-five, Martin Luther King, Jr., was the youngest man to have received the Nobel Peace Prize (Jones 42).

Here’s how an in-text citation should look in your paper with a direct quote:

Example: “I have a dream” (King  1).