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MLA style
 
Using MLA documentation style, sources are acknowledged with brief citations in the text that refer to an alphabetical list of works that appear at the end of your paper. 

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The Brief Citation:

 
The brief citation in the text looks like this:
On the shelves and table of Poe's room were many books, some classics (Allen 106).
 
Or, if you mention the author's name in the sentence, cite like this:
Allen contends that the shelves and table of Poe's room held many books, some classics (109).
 
If the author has more than one item on the works cited page, use (Name, Short title, page number):
On the shelves and table of Poe's room were many books, some classics (Allen, Israfel, 106).

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How to format the Works Cited page:
  • Start your Works Cited page on a new sheet following your paper.
  • Number it consecutively with the rest of your pages, top right corner half an inch from the top and flush with the right margin. (go to "view header" in MS Word to do this)
  • Your list is alphabetical by the first character in the line.
  • Center the title Works Cited, an inch from the top of the page, centered.
  • Double space between the title and the first entry.
  • The font style and size is the same as the rest of your paper.
  • Begin each new entry flush with the left margin. If the entry is longer than one line, indent the next lines (five spaces).
  • Double-space the whole list. Go to "format" then "paragraph" then "select 'double' for line spacing" in MS Word.

    

Works Cited Page - Examples

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Books 
 
Author's last name, First name. Title of book. City of Publication: Publisher, year.
 
Senge, Peter. The Dance of Change. New York: Doubleday, 1999.
 
Hunter, Alan and John Sexton. Contemporary China. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1999.

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Articles - Journal, magazine and newspaper 
 
Author's last name, First name. "Title of Article." Name of Journal volume.issue
(Year): page numbers.
 
  Ide, William. "For Taiwan, an Improved Defense Against China." Christian Science Monitor (4 Apr. 
  2001): 105-112.
 
  O'Hanlon, Michael. "Why China Cannot Conquer Taiwan." International Security 25 (Fall 2000): 
  51-87.

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Non-print sources - Radio Programs
 
"Title of Episode." Narrator, if any. Title of Program. Title of Series, if any. Name of Network.
Call letters, city of station. Broadcast date.
 
  "US Team to Inspect Plane Held by China." Narr. Vicki O'Hara. Top Stories. Natl. Public Radio. 
  WYOO, Panama City, FL. 30 Apr. 2001.

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Electronic Publications - ebooks
 
Author's last name, First name.  Title of Work. City of publication: Publisher. Year. Name of 
subscription service. Place of Access. Date of Access <URL of source>.
  
  Deng, Yong. In the Eyes of the Dragon. New York: Rowman & Littlefield. 1999. netLibrary. 30 
  Apr. 2003 <https://www.linccweb.org/eresources.asp>

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Electronic databases
 
Author's last name, First name (if given). "Title of Article." Title of Magazine Day Month
 year: page(s). Title of database. Name of subscription service. Place of
Access. Date of access <URL of the page>.

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Issues and Controversies
format
"Schools for the Homeless." Issues and Controversies on File. 11 May, 2003. Facts.com.  
  GCCC Lib. 2 Apr. 2003 <https://www.linccweb.org/eresources.asp>.
 
Literature Resource Center
format
Astro, Richard. "John (Ernst) Steinbeck." in Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 9: American   
  Novelists, 1910-1945. Ed. James J. Martine. Gale, 1981: 43-68. Literature Resource
  Center. Gale. GCCC Lib. 2 Apr. 2003  
  <https://www.linccweb.org/eresources.asp>.

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Biography Resource Center
format
"Emmylou Harris." Contemporary Musicians, Vol. 4. Gale, 1990. Biography Resource Center. Gale.
  GCCC Lib. 25 Nov. 2003 <https://www.linccweb.org/eresources.asp> .
 
Electronic Articles
 
Author's last name, First name. "Title of Article." Periodical, Journal, or Magazine Name 
Date of Article: Page numbers. Database Name. Name of subscription  service. 
Place of Access. Date of Access <URL of source>.

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Academic Search Premier:
format
  Chang, Johannes Han-Yin. "China-US Relations." American Studies International June 2000:
   62-80. Academic Search Premier. Ebsco. GCCC Lib. 1 May 2003 
   <https://www.linccweb.org/eresources.asp>.
 
Business Source Elite
format
Titunik, Vera. "Plenty of Power; Not a Man in Sight." Fortune 1 Apr. 2002: 40. Business Source
  Elite. Ebsco. GCCC Lib. 3 Apr. 2003 <https://www.linccweb.org/eresources.asp>.

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Business Wire News
format
"Gardenburger Welcomes Fast Food Giant to the Garden Party." PR Newswire 15 Mar. 2002.
  Business Wire News. Ebsco. GCCC Lib. 3 Apr. 2003
  <https://www.linccweb.org/eresources.asp>.
 
Criminal Justice Periodicals Index
format
Jones, Peter B. "Identifying Chronic Juvenile Offenders." Justice Quarterly: JQ 18 Sept. 2001: 
  479-508. Criminal Justice Periodicals Index. Proquest. GCCC Lib. 10  Jan. 2002
   <https://www.linccweb.org/eresources.asp>.

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Custom Newspapers
format
James, George. "What To Do When the Novelty of a Tattoo Wears Off." New York Times 29 July 
  2001: 7. Custom Newspapers. InfoTrac. GCCC Lib. 3 Apr. 2003
  <https://www.linccweb.org/eresources.asp>.

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Health and Wellness Resource Center
format
  Yuexin, Yang. "The Prevalence of Lactase Deficiency and Lactose Intolerance in Chinese 
  Children Different Ages." JAMA 2001: 1134. Health and Wellness Resource Center. 
  Gale. GCCC Lib. 5 May 2003 <https://www.linccweb.org/eresources.asp>.
 
Literature Resource Center
format
Schiff, James A. "Contemporary Retellings: 'A Thousand Acres' As the Latest 'Lear.'" CRITIQUE: 
  Studies in Contemporary Fiction 39, 1998: 367. Literature Resource Center. Gale. GCCC 
  Lib. 2 Apr. 2003 <https://www.linccweb.org/eresources.asp>.

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OmniFile Full Text Mega:
format
  Whitelaw, K."Deal Maker, Deal Breaker." U.S. News & World Report January 26 2004:
   26-7. OmniFile. Wilson. GCCC Lib. 3 Feb 2004. <https://www.linccweb.org/eresources.asp>.
 
Electronic Publications - Web Site 
 
Author's last name, First name. Title of Site or description if no title i.e.: Home Page no 
quotes or brackets. Name of any institution associated with site. Date on site. Date of 
Access <URL or network address>.

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  Wortzel, Larry. China: Enough Is Enough. The Heritage Foundation. 25 Apr. 2003. 1 May 2003 
  <http://www.heritage.org/ views/2001/ed042501b.html>.
 
  Shire, Timothy. Chinese Down US Intelligence Aircraft. 5 Apr. 2003. North Central Internet News.  
  [Tisdale, SK, Canada.] 1 May 2003
  <http://ensign.ftlcomm.com/currentEvents/ChineseDownEP4/downing.html>.
 
Electronic Communication
 
Author's last name, First name. "Title of Document in subject line." Online posting. Date 
when material was posted. Name of Forum. Date of Access <URL of site> or Path to 
site.
 
  Grunder, Mike "A Question on the US/ China Plane Incident" Online posting. 6 Apr. 2003.  
  alt.politics. 5 May 2003. Path: DejaNews. <http://www.deja.com> keywords: Plane, China.

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The above information came from:
Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 6th ed. New York: MLA, 2003
 
This book contains further information on MLA style and citation.
Call number: REF LB2369 .G53. If you need help, ask at the help desk, third floor. You can also ask for help on the Ask-a-Librarian live help page here. MLA also has a web page with additional current methods of citations at http://www.mla.org.
 
This page was updated June 21, 2004

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