What is MLA Format?
MLA style was created by the Modern Language Association of America. It is a set of rules for publications, including research papers. It is used for publishing in the humanities and some sciences.
There are two parts to citing in MLA: In-text citations and the Works Cited list.
In MLA, you must "cite" sources that you have paraphrased, quoted or otherwise used to write your research paper.
Cite your sources in two places:
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In the body of your paper where you add a brief in-text citation.
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In the Works Cited list at the end of your paper where you give more complete information for the source.
Key MLA Resources
MLA Handbook by
Also on reserve (as for it at the circulation desk).
Call Number: Manchester Damato Library Library STACKS LB2369 .M52 2021ISBN: 9781603293518Publication Date: 2021-04-22
- MLA Handbook Plus This link opens in a new window Access the new ninth edition of the MLA Handbook online through the library. Browse or search the book online, get citation examples, view sample papers. This resource also includes the MLA Style 101 tutorial, MLA Guide to Digital Literacy and MLA Guide to Undergraduate Research in Literature.
- MLA Citation Style (Quick Guide)A quick start guide to MLA format created by your CT State Manchester Librarians.
- MLA Formatting & Style Guide (Purdue OWL)Detailed information on how to format papers and cite sources using MLA format.
Writing Resources
EasyWriter (8th edition) by
EasyWriter gives friendly, reliable writing help in formats that are easy to use and easy to afford. What's more, this little book offers big ideas from Andrea Lunsford: that reading critically and writing well empower us, that language helps writers face challenges and meet opportunities, and that engaging with others and in our own learning is transformative. Inspiring and trusted advice plus powerful digital tools means the choice is Easy.
Call Number: Manchester Library RESERVE DESK ENG 1010ISBN: 9781319244224Publication Date: 2021-11-02
EasyWriter (6th Edition) by
Get timely advice while you're writing and researching content that's applicable for today's increasingly digital and multimodal environment with EasyWriter.
Call Number: Manchester Damato Library Library RESERVE DESK ENG 1010ISBN: 9781319050764Publication Date: 2016-10-20
Additional Resources
General Resources
- Purdue OWLPurdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) has thorough information on writing and citing sources using different citation styles, avoiding plagiarism, and guidelines on writing for different purposes.
- Excelsior OWLThe Excelsior Online Writing Lab (OWL) has information on the writing and research process, and frequently used citation styles, among other resources.
- WorldCatWorldCat is a global, online library catalog you can use to locate resources and find bibliographic information for citations.
Citation Generators
*Be cautious when using a citation generator! Citation generators are machines that take the available information and format it into a citation using the indictated style (i.e. MLA, APA, etc.). Since they are automated, they can be prone to error including missing information or mistakes in formatting like missing punctuation or italicis. As such, you should ALWAYS double check the citation generated by a machine and make sure it's accurate yourself. Use the resources available in our citation guides to check the correctness of a citation or ask a librarian for help.
For more information, see Purdue OWL's guide on Using Citation Generators Responsibly.
- Citation MachineCitation Machine is an online citation generator you can use to create citations in MLA, APA, and other formats. It also has a tool that will check your paper for plagiarism.
- KnightCiteAn online citation generator maintained by Hekman Library of Calvin University in Michigan.
- ZoteroBibZoteroBib is a free, open-sourced tool that helps you build a bibliography and create in-text citations from any computer or device, without creating an account or installing any software.
Tutorials
- How to Recognize Plagiarism tutorial (Indiana University)A comprehensive tutorial on identifying plagiarism and how to avoid it with the option to take a test and receive a certification.
- Acknowledging Sources tutorial (University of Texas at Arlington Libraries)A brief tutorial on how to acknowledge your sources and avoid plagiarism.
General Resources
- APA Style Avoiding Plagiarism GuideA PDF handout outlining common forms of plagiarism with tips on how to avoid it.
- Best Practices to Avoid Plagiarism (Purdue OWL)Tips and strategies to help you avoid plagiarism in your writing or course projects.
- Avoiding Plagiarism (MIT Writing & Communication Center)A guide from the MIT Writing and Communication Center on plagiarism and tips for how to avoid it.
- Plagiarism.orgA website with useful resources for educators on plagiarism and how to teach students what it is and how to avoid it.
Plagiarism Detectors
- PlagiarismDetector.netA free online plagiarism detection tool you can use to check if you accidentally plagiarized, or professors can use to verify the work you submitted is your own.