How do I make in-text citations for MLA?
Answer
In-text citations for MLA normally consist of the author’s name and page number. There are two ways to incorporate in-text citations into your text for MLA:
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Start of the sentence
Paraphrasing/Quoting: Smith writes……(2)
Summarizing: Smith shows…….
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End of the sentence
Paraphrasing/Quoting: A study….(Smith 2).
Summarizing: A study…(Smith).
For sources with 1-2 authors include both authors’ last names: Smith or Smith and Jones.
For sources with 3 or more authors include just the first author’s last name followed by et al.: Smith et al.
For variations, check out Purdue Owl’s page “MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics” and the Library’s In-text Citation Decision Tree on the Citation Help page.
If you need further help, contact a librarian.