Academic citation is a formal way to acknowledge the use of an idea, direct quotation, or piece of data that is not original to you. Proper citation is crucial for academic integrity, avoiding plagiarism, and demonstrating thorough research. It also gives your readers a “pathway” to easily find the sources you used, so that they can do further research on a specific topic.
Citation Styles: MLA, APA, and Chicago
There are three common citation styles in academic writing: MLA (Modern Language Association) format is often used in English and other humanities fields; APA (American Psychological Association) is generally used in the social sciences and in psychology; Chicago is used in many disciplines. The only way to know for sure which style to use is to ask your professor. Choose one and stick with one; don’t mix two different styles.
Citing Your Sources
Here is a general overview of the steps you’ll need to follow to create an in-text citation and a Works Cited entry in MLA format:
You can think of properly citing your paper as a two-part process. First, create in-text citations.
1. In-Text Citations
An in-text citation is contained within parentheses and placed within the body of your paper. When you quote, paraphrase, or summarize any material from another author, you need to place an in-text citation at the end of the sentence where you included that material, but before the period.
- Example (MLA): The study revealed significant shifts in consumer behavior (Smith 42).
- → “Smith” is the author’s last name and “42” is the page number where the information can be found in the source
- Example (APA): The study revealed significant shifts in consumer behavior (Smith, 2008).
- → “Smith” is the author’s last name, and “2008” is the year of publication
- Example (Chicago): The study revealed significant shifts in consumer behavior (Smith 2008, 42).
- → “Smith” is the author’s last name, “2008” is the year of publication, and “42” is the page number where the information can be found in the source
Here are some more examples (Google doc) of how to format in-text citations in each of the three major citation styles.
2. Works Cited / Reference Page Entry
The second step is to create a separate page at the end of your paper that lists all your sources in alphabetical order by author last name. In MLA format this is called a “Works Cited” page. In APA and Chicago it is labeled as “References.”
All the sources listed in this document will correspond to the sources that you included in your in-text citations. The purpose of this page is to provide your reader with more information about the source, so that they can locate it if they choose. The reader should be able to look up each of the sources in your in-text citations and find them in your works cited.
A key resource for you as you create works cited entries is the BRCC’s Houff Library page on Writing and Citing. Click on the appropriate tab for MLA, APA, or Chicago style, for many examples of how to create works cited entries for various types of sources.
You may also want to experiment with using one of these citation generator tools. But always make sure that you double check the citations you build with such tools, since they will sometimes contain errors.
If you’re unsure about how to cite a source, you can always Ask a Librarian!
In-text Citation Examples: MLA, APA, and Chicago (Author-Date System)
All in-text citations will be placed before the period in the sentence that is being cited. Example in MLA: The study revealed significant shifts in consumer behavior (Smith 42).
| MLA | APA | Chicago (Author-Date System) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source with one author | (Moore 8-9) Last name of author plus page range where information was found | (Moore, 2008) Last name of author, date of publication | (Moore 2008, 64) Last name of author, date of publication, page number |
| Source with 2 authors | (Moore and Ford 23) Last names of authors plus page number | (Moore & Ford, 2025) Last names of authors, date of publication | (Moore and Ford 2025, 23) Last names of authors, date, page number |
| Source with 3+ authors | (Thacker et al. 81) Last name of the first author, “et al.,” and page number | (Thacker et al., 2012) Last name of the first author, “et al.,” and date of publication | (Thacker et al. 2012, 81) Last name of first author, et al, date, page number |
| Source with corporate or institutional author | (Department of Labor 225) Name of organization plus page number | (Department of Labor, 2021) Name of organization plus date of publication | (Department of Labor, 2021, 225) Name of organization, date, page number |
| Source with no author | (“Leave No Trace” 51) Shortened form of title plus page number | (“Leave No Trace,” 1994) Shortened form of title plus date | |
| No page number available (ex: an article on a website) | (Jordan) Author last name only (or shortened title if no author is available) | (Jordan, 2001) | (Jordan 2001) Author last name and year of publication |
| If you include the author’s name in the sentence | According to writer Toni Morrison, the process of writing involves embracing revision (12). Only include page number | According to writer Toni Morrison, the process of writing involves embracing revision (2005). Only include date | According to the writer Toni Morrison, the process of writing involves embracing revision (2005, 12). Only include date |
| When citing a direct quote | According to at least one well-known author, revision is “the best part” of the writing process (Morrison 12). | (Glenn, 2004, p. 10) (Glenn, 2004, pp. 10-11) Include author, year, and page number or page range | (Glenn, 2004, 10) Include author, year, page number |