How do I cite a demonstration?

A demonstration, or protest, is an event rather than a work, so it does not require a works-cited-list entry. You can simply refer to the demonstration… Read More

How do I cite a name like Queen Elizabeth I, John of Gaunt, and Catherine of Aragon?

Use the first name. Some categories of personal names lack a last name–for example, some rulers and members of the nobility and many premodern people, whose name… Read More

How do I cite an excerpt from an anthology?

To cite an excerpt from an anthology, follow the MLA format template. You will likely list a description in place of a title: De Quincey, Thomas. Read More

If I cite from a book that has an introduction, but I do not cite the introduction, should I include the introduction’s author in my works-cited-list entry?

Authors of introductions, prefaces, afterwords, and the like—collectively called front and back matter—are not usually essential to identifying a work and can be omitted from… Read More

Do you have to provide the author’s name in a parenthetical citation for a work of common literature such as The Iliad?

Yes, unless you have already mentioned the author’s name in your prose. Just because a work is famous doesn’t mean you can omit the name of its… Read More

How do I cite information about a movie from a website like IMDb?

Basic publication facts about a movie (e.g., the title, director, year of release) should be taken from the version of the movie you watch, when… Read More

How do I alphabetize tweets in my works-cited-list?

Ignore symbols when alphabetizing. Thus, to alphabetize tweets in a works-cited list, ignore the @ and start with the first letter of the username: Works Cited @humcommons. Read More

How do I cite a patent?

To cite a patent, follow the MLA format template. List the owner of the patent in the “Author” slot, the title of the patent or… Read More

When an endnote refers to a source that provides more information on a topic, should I also include the source in the works-cited-list?

Yes, you should provide a works-cited-list entry if you refer the reader to a source for more information on a topic. Do not provide the full… Read More

What You Can Omit When Quoting Sources

by Angela Gibson

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