What You Can Omit When Quoting Sources

by Angela Gibson

There is an entire category of material that you do not reproduce . . . Read More

How do you cite a famous saying?

All well-known quotations that are attributable to an individual or to a text require citations. You should quote a famous saying as it appears in… Read More

In-text citations in MLA style involve authors, titles, and page numbers. Can I also include the date of a work?

In MLA style, you must key works you discuss to the works-cited list. You may do so by mentioning the author in the text or in a… Read More

Supplemental Elements

by Modern Language Association

All you need to know about the optional-element slot on the MLA style template . . . Read More

Do Like I Say, Not Like I Do

by Jennifer Rappaport

Some writers incorrectly use like in sentences, such as the title of this blog post, that require as. Other writers, wary of like, avoid the term even in sentences that require it . . . Read More

Liberate Those Verbs!

by Barney Latimer

Some phrases in English lengthen a sentence while adding nothing to its meaning . . . Read More

How do I cite an abstract?

Very few circumstances call for citing an abstract. Never cite an abstract as a short-cut, a way of avoiding reading and citing the full published… Read More

How do I punctuate quoted dialogue from a novel?

How you punctuate quoted dialogue from a novel will depend on what you are quoting and how you are quoting it. See the three most… Read More

In a quotation from a play, how do I show that material has been omitted?

The answer depends on the nature of the quotation. If you quote dialogue from more than one speaker in a play, set the material as… Read More

Distinguishing Tropes, Figures, Themes, and Motifs

by Michael Simon

Learn how to use the terms trope, figure, theme, and motif. Read More