Citing sources in your writing is a necessary–and often challenging–aspect of academic writing. The way academic writers cite sources is also pretty unique. You’re unlikely to encounter it in the kinds of reading you do on a daily basis–newspaper articles, social media posts, text messages from friends, etc., are unlikely to include academic-style citations (unless your friends who text you are really weird). So, it can take some getting used to. This page attempts to offer you a basic introduction to, with a particular focus on MLA citation.
Welcome to the annoying but important world of academic citation!
Introduction to academic citation & citation rules
Watch the videos below for an introduction to academic citation, why it’s important, and some of the basic rules for citing sources in MLA style.
Citation is way more complex than I can describe on this one silly page on this one silly website. You can check out links to other resources that go into much more detail at the bottom of the page.
start learning about How to cite sources
Citation videos
I created the following videos to explain citation in a general way and also to offer specific guidance for MLA style citation
01
What is citation? Why use it?
A general introduction to academic citation, meant for use in a college writing class.
03
Citation systems
An overview of citation systems, with a focus on MLA and APA.
04
The two parts of MLA citation
An introduction to the two parts of MLA citation: in-text citations and works-cited list entries.
05
Weird MLA citations
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06
Reading MLA
Demonstration of how to read texts that use MLA style.
More resources related to citation
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UNC Writing Center
The University of North Carolina Writing Center offers a ton of helpful advice on a wide range of topics, including citation, commas, procrastination, film analysis, and résumés, to name just a few.
Purdue OWL
Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) is my go-to website for my basic MLA questions. They offer an excellent MLA Formatting & Style Guide that can be extremely helpful, as well as guides to other citation systems, grammar reviews, and more.
College resources
Colleges often have writing or tutoring centers where you can get help with citation. Librarians can also sometimes help with citation, and many colleges have an “Ask a Librarian” feature on their websites. Plus, you can almost certainly find the official guides to different kinds of citation in college libraries.
MLA
The Modern Language Association (MLA) offers tips on its website, and you can buy access to the official MLA citation guide.