How to Cite an Author in MLA Format
Insert the author's last name in parentheses after the clause or quote being cited.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Insert the author's last name in parentheses after the clause or quote being cited.
Include the relevant page numbers too.
No comma necessary, punctuation goes outside the parentheses.
Example: (Dickens 25).
If you can work the author's name into the text, you don't need to repeat it in the parenthetical citation; just include the page number.
Example:
As Dickens famously wrote, ... (25).
If the work in question has multiple authors, list them all in the parenthetical citation or in the text.
Use a terminal comma if you're listing more than three authors.
Example: (Jones, Barney, and Statham 89).
If you're citing multiple works by the same author, dispel any ambiguity by including an abbreviated version of the appropriate title in the parenthetical citation.
State the author's name, followed by a comma, then the abbreviated title, then the page number.
Example: (Ward, "One Hundred Poems" 42).
If you can work the author or work's name into the text, there's no need to repeat that information in the parenthetical citation.;
Detailed Guide
Include the relevant page numbers too.
No comma necessary, punctuation goes outside the parentheses.
Example: (Dickens 25).
If you can work the author's name into the text, you don't need to repeat it in the parenthetical citation; just include the page number.
Example:
As Dickens famously wrote, ... (25).
If the work in question has multiple authors, list them all in the parenthetical citation or in the text.
Use a terminal comma if you're listing more than three authors.
Example: (Jones, Barney, and Statham 89).
If you're citing multiple works by the same author, dispel any ambiguity by including an abbreviated version of the appropriate title in the parenthetical citation.
State the author's name, followed by a comma, then the abbreviated title, then the page number.
Example: (Ward, "One Hundred Poems" 42).
If you can work the author or work's name into the text, there's no need to repeat that information in the parenthetical citation.;
About the Author
Natalie Gutierrez
Specializes in breaking down complex home improvement topics into simple steps.
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