Citation: in text; for works cited

Citation Formats

A documented paper requires that you identify the sources you have used to write your paper. This list of "works cited," comes at the end of the paper. Formatting this list is difficult. Fortunately, there are some marvelous online tools that will do this for you. Consider using  http://webapps.calvin.edu/knightcite. Use it to save time, to make your writing error-free, and to avoid the maddening detail of citation formats.


Key fact: the "Works Cited" is a list of works that you have actually cited in the paper.  If something appears in the works cited, it must also be cited in the text of the paper.  The citations in the paper are called "in-text citations."  There's a one-to-one correspondence between in-text citations and the items on the works cited page.


For many sources about in-text citations and the works cited page, you will see the following list.The list is from the MLA, and it summarizes information that may be required for a paper with proper citations.  You might wish to refer to this list as you watch the YouTube videos listed below. NOTE THE PUNCTUATION MARK AFTER EACH TERM.

     1. Author.

     2. Title of source.     

     3. Title of container,

     4. Other contributors,

     5. Version,

     6. Number,

     7. Publisher,

     8. Publication date,

     9. Location.


Several YouTube videos can help you learn MLA format:

1. For an overview of citations, see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDGDUOi_92A


2.     For an introduction to in-text citation, view  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTaUHS1mnvw


3.     For an introduction to the works cited page, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Vo8_Jw71JI


4.     For information on how to set up your works cited page, see minutes 4:30 - 7:35 of the following:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Uudj03g5MY


Formatting citations within the text of your paper is also difficult, but the Purdue OWL provides excellent examples at: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/02/ . This link leads to detailed information about MLA formats and about APA formats.  Follow the link that meets the demands of the assignment you are completing.