English Research Process: Citing in MLA
Citation Styles galore
There are thousands of different citation styles. You may have used a few in the past. For assignments in this course, you'll be using the MLA citation style. You can use the VT Libraries' MLA Style Manual for help and examples. The Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab) guide to MLA is the most comprehensive guide currently available, so it's a favorite resource.
Although you're required to use the MLA citation style for this class, you may need to use other styles for different classes. Virginia Tech Libraries has a special webpage dedicated to helping you figure out how to cite in different styles: Citation and Style Guides. Here, you'll find information about APA, Chicago, and other frequently used citation styles. If you have questions after viewing these guides, don't hesitate to contact your librarian!
What needs to be cited
As you’ve probably figured out by this point, erring on the side of caution and citing your sources is usually the best path to follow, especially when you’re quoting directly, paraphrasing someone else’s ideas, or aren’t sure if the information that you’re using should be considered “common knowledge.” Just as a quick refresher, watch this brief (1:05 minutes) video about what should be cited.
Why Cite?
Aside from avoiding plagiarism, why should you cite? What's important about creating good citations, especially in the academic world? Watch the video below, produced by the NC State University Libraries, for more information.
Same information, several styles
