What percent of a source may I directly quote in my paper?

Writers, including student writers, should quote only what is necessary to make their point. Relying on a percentage to determine what’s necessary is unlikely to… Read More

If I repeatedly use a quotation from the same source, do I need to use quotation marks each time?

You should generally use quotation marks if you repeat a quotation from the same source, but you may omit quotation marks when referring back to a… Read More

Should I create an entry for an e-mail conversation?

How you cite e-mail messages depends on how you are using them in your work.  If you refer generally to a series of e-mail exchanges… Read More

How do I quote bulleted or numbered points from a source?

If you need to quote from a bulleted or numbered list, you can reproduce the list in your essay, as in the example below: Parvini… Read More

When I am quoting, do I need to indicate if italics are in the original?

No. In MLA style, italics in a quotation are assumed to be in the original unless otherwise indicated. See the MLA Handbook for more details on quoting… Read More

How do I cite a paraphrase and a quotation that occur in the same sentence?

If you need to cite a paraphrase and a quotation that occur in the same sentence, you may provide the page numbers at the end… Read More

How do I cite dialogue spoken by a character in a video game?

To cite dialogue spoken by a character in a video game, transcribe the words you hear or copy the quote from the text box displaying… Read More

If I am citing a song whose lyrics are derived from a poem, do I need to credit the poem in my citation?

No, but you could indicate in a note that the song was originally a poem. … Read More

When should I capitalize the first letter of the first word of a quotation?

Whether to capitalize or lowercase the first letter of the first word of a quotation depends on how the quotation is integrated into your prose… Read More

Should I use “sic” to indicate that a quotation has text in all capital letters in the original?

No. “Sic” is only used to indicate an error in the original, not unusual styling. Read More