Apparently, not every student understands the essential role of in-text citation. In most cases, learners fall, victim to plagiarism, because they borrow information and ideas from other sources without giving credit to the author. Students should never forget that in-text citations play an essential role since they are used to show where the author obtained or borrowed the information. It performs an important role since it adds credibility to the research paper and aids in protecting the information from plagiarism. All research papers must contain well-written sources or else there will be no way that could be used to verify the resources that were used to write a particular paper.
The following are some of the reasons why in-text citations are important:
- They give credibility to your research and hence, people can rely on the information contained in it.
- The readers will know where to obtain the source you used in writing your research paper.
- In-text citations offer credit to the authors of the original sources of information.
- Proper in-text citation aids in avoiding incidents of plagiarism.
An in-text citation is a brief form of a reference that is included in the body of the research paper. It would be best to use it every time you borrow information or ideas and when using direct quotations. It aids the reader in relating a particular piece of information with a specific reference. When writing in-text citations in MLA, the two essential elements that should never be left out are the author’s surname and the page where information was obtained.
Once in a while, you might find yourself wondering about what type of information should be cited when writing an academic paper.
There are a variety of things that should be cited every time you are writing a research paper. You should ensure you cite in-text when using the following information:
- Direct quotes from another person
- Other person`s ideas
- Percentages and statistics
- Facts that are not considered as common knowledge
Generally, as a rule of thumb, you need to cite anything that is not considered your own idea. It is essential for every research to give credit where it is due and especially when writing an academic paper or conducting research on a particular topic. An individual may be punished because of incidents of plagiarism, which is one of the reasons why you should cite every borrowed idea and especially direct quotes.
Elements of In-Text Citations
Anytime you are writing your in-text citation, it is essential that you always strive to do it in the correct way. In most learning institutions, the researcher must use the last name of the author that is followed by the page number when writing an in-text citation in MLA. The format is totally different when writing in APA format since it entails the author`s last name, which is followed by the source`s year of publication. When writing in MLA, different instructors will tend to have varying requirements. For instance, whereas some will require the students to include a page number or the year of publication, others will instruct the scholar to include the paragraph number of the source in the citation.
Here is everything You Need to Know About Citations in Prose and Parenthetical Citations
This paper concentrates on how to include an in-text citation using the MLA writing format. It will also discuss parenthetical citations as well as citations in prose using the MLA style. Anytime an individual writes a research paper, they tend to add information or direct quotes from journals, websites, books, and other sources of information into their assignments as well as projects. The writer borrows information from other sources so as to do the following:
- Provide additional information or evidence that can be used in opposing or defending a claim or an argument.
- Include the eloquence or essence of the work performed by another author.
- Provide the background knowledge that will aid in the understanding of a particular topic.
It is very essential to note that borrowing information and ideas from other sources and using them in your research paper is recommended and very acceptable. This is due to the fact that it enhances the paper`s credibility. However, students should always remember that the only ethical way any individual can use borrowed information is by giving credit to the researcher. The writer should cite properly where the borrowed information was obtained. An in-text citation could either be in parenthetical or prose form.
What is the difference between parenthetical and prose citation?
First and foremost, it is essential to note that an in-text citation is a reference that is written in response to a source that is found within a particular paper. It is essential to remember that the primary objective of an in-text citation is informing the reader about a quote, idea, or a particular paraphrase that is originated from a source. As a researcher, it is vital to remember that an in-text citation can be written in two different ways, which are: in prose form or parenthetical citation. Although the two citation formats are somehow similar, they have slight differences.
Citation in prose
When an MLA in-text citation is written in prose form, the author`s name is usually used in the text of a particular sentence. When you come to the end of the sentence, in parenthesis, there is the page number where particular information was obtained.
Here is one of the examples
When it comes to the internet, Arnold states that “we need to be careful with the freedom we give to our children, especially when it comes to using the internet. It could be either harmful or beneficial to them” (10).
It is essential to note that the page number is where the information was obtained and the citation also includes the author`s name, which is Arnold.
Parenthetical citation
When it comes to MLA parenthetical citation, it is used when the names of the authors are not included in the sentence. Instead, the author`s name is on the parentheses and it is along with the page number.
The following is an example of an MLA parenthetical citation:
When it comes to the internet, we “need to acknowledge the fact that the internet can either be beneficial or harmful to our children” (Arnold 10).
It is essential to note that in the example above, the author`s name is not included in the sentence. Therefore, the author`s name is included in parentheses after the sentence with the page number, which is 10. The 10 indicates that the quote was obtained from page 10 in the book, journal, or academic article.
The full reference
Writers should never forget that for every source, there should be an in-text citation, which is followed by a full reference. Also, in the reference section, there should be the full names of the authors, the titles of the article, book, or journal, the volume and issue number, the date the source was published, and the URL where the information was obtained.
Writing Sources Without an Author
Once in a while, you might encounter a situation where a source does not have the author`s name. This mostly occurs when a person is dealing with web pages, videos, films, and digital images. If you find yourself in such a situation where your source does not have the author`s name listed, you should just write the title. However, if your title is too long, it is acceptable to shorten it. If you decide to shorten the title, you should ensure that the first word contained in the full citation is also the first word that is being used in parenthetical and in prose citation. You should perform this so as to allow the ready to have an easy time in locating the full citation that corresponds with the reference that is in the text. It is also important to note that if the title in the Works Cited list is written in italics in the main reference, you should also write it in italics when writing the in-text citation.
Citing the Same Source Multiple Times
Apparently, it is indeed true that it may seem redundant to repetitively include an author’s name in your research paper`s body. Evidence shows that if you cite the names of the authors after borrowing information in one section of your project, and borrow information in next piece written by the same individual(s), then it is not compulsory to repeat the in-text, whether in prose or in parentheses form. However, it is acceptable to include the author`s last name in the first use, and in the second time, you may include only the page number.
Sources with Two Authors
When you perform in-depth research for your research papers, you might come across magazine reports and articles, journal articles, and books as well as other sources that are written by two authors. When you find yourself in such a situation, you should include the last names of both authors in your in-text citation. When writing in MLA, the two author`s names should be separated by the work “and” and the page number where the information was obtained.
Here is a good example in prose form
Arnold and Anthony further discussed that “it is not good to allow children to surf the internet without monitoring what they are doing” (10).
Here is another example in parenthetical form
“It is not good to allow children surf the internet without monitoring what they are doing (Arnold and Anthony, 10)”
Citing sources with more than three authors
It is essential to note that there are many sources that are written with more than three authors. Apparently, if you included the last names of all the three authors in your academic paper, it might be too distracting to the reader. On the same note, it might make the reader lose sight of your paper`s primary objective. Instead of including all the last names of the three authors, you should include the last name of the first author and include an “et al.” in place of the other author`s names. Finally, you should include the page number after the et al.
Here’s an example of an MLA parenthetical citation for multiple authors:
“Some students have the wrong perception that studying for long hours will enable them to understand various concepts in better ways. Well, the truth is that the more hours you spend on your studies without taking breaks, the less productive you will become. Although it may seem counterintuitive, the truth is that you will enhance your productivity when you take regular breaks. We all have different concentration spans during which we can concentrate and remain productive. Therefore, you should develop the habit of taking short breaks between your study sessions. Most importantly, you should not spend your break times watching movies, on the phone, or playing video games. Suppose you have never tried taking short breaks in between your study sessions. In that case, you may consider incorporating them into your schedule and see whether there will be any improvements in your performance.” (Arnold et al. 299).
In conclusion, different essays have unique requirements. Therefore, students should be cautious enough to read through the instructions before they begin writing their essays, research papers, dissertations, or any other academic paper. While completing your paper using the MLA format, there are a couple of things you need to put into consideration. First and foremost, all MLA citations should contain the applicable core elements: the author, title, other contributors, version, number, publisher, date, and location. Therefore, if you are missing any of the core elements, your citations are of lower quality. When writing your in-text citation using the MLA writing format, there are two elements, which have to be present, and they include the author`s surname and the page number where the information was obtained. A well-written MLA citation should do four essential things: Be able to retrace your research steps, build credibility, give credit, and avoid the use of plagiarism.
