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MLA Style Guide

MLA Handbook

What is MLA Style?

Modern Language Association (MLA) style is commonly used by writers in the liberal arts and humanities fields.  This guide is based on the 9th edition of the MLA Handbook.

Learning how to cite may seem like a daunting task. However, it is well worth it in the end for several reasons:

  1. To avoid plagiarism 
  2. To show academic honesty 
  3. To allow others to learn more about your topic.
  4. To allow the reader to conduct their own research from your work
  5. Not "common knowledge"

Whether you choose to add a direct quotation to your paper or merely paraphrase someone else's idea, you must cite any work that did not come from you.  That includes but is not limited to text, images, computer code and charts.

Remember when in doubt, cite it!

MLA Help

Refer to the MLA Handbook and the MLA Style Center for further explanation.  Copies are available at the service desk, in the Reference collection, and on the 3rd floor for check out.

MLA Library Handout

The Purdue OWL MLA Formatting and Style Guide is another good source to refer to.

Always check with your instructor for specific directions pertaining to your assignment.