How to Cite Articles in Standard American English
Citing articles is an important part of academic writing. It allows you to give credit to the authors of the work you are using, and it helps your readers to find the original sources. The most common style for citing articles in Standard American English is the Modern Language Association (MLA) style.
MLA Style
MLA style is used in the humanities, including English, history, and art history. It is also used in some social sciences, such as sociology and psychology. MLA style has two main components:
- In-text citations: These are short references that appear in the text of your paper. They tell your readers where to find the full citation for the source.
- Works Cited page: This is a list of all the sources that you have cited in your paper. It appears at the end of your paper.
In-Text Citations
In-text citations consist of the author’s last name and the page number of the source. For example, if you are citing a book by the author John Smith, and the information you are using is on page 123, your in-text citation would look like this:
(Smith 123)
If you are citing an article from a journal, you will also need to include the year of publication. For example, if you are citing an article by the author Jane Doe that was published in 2020, your in-text citation would look like this:
(Doe 2020)
Works Cited Page
The Works Cited page is a list of all the sources that you have cited in your paper. It should be double-spaced and should appear at the end of your paper. The entries on the Works Cited page should be listed alphabetically by the author’s last name.
Each entry on the Works Cited page should include the following information:
- Author’s name: The author’s last name should be listed first, followed by a comma and the author’s first name.
- Title of the source: The title of the source should be italicized.
- Publication information: The publication information will vary depending on the type of source. For a book, you will need to include the publisher, the city of publication, and the year of publication. For an article from a journal, you will need to include the name of the journal, the volume and issue number, and the year of publication.
- Page numbers: If you are citing a specific page or pages from the source, you should include the page numbers at the end of the entry.
Example Works Cited Page
Here is an example of a Works Cited page:
- Doe, Jane. "The Importance of Citing Sources." Journal of Academic Writing, vol. 10, no. 2, 2020, pp. 123-135.
- Smith, John. Writing with Sources. New York: Oxford University Press, 2019.
Other Citation Styles
MLA style is the most common style for citing articles in Standard American English, but there are other styles that are used in different disciplines. Some of the other most common citation styles include:
- American Psychological Association (APA) style: APA style is used in the social sciences, including psychology, sociology, and education.
- Chicago Manual of Style: Chicago style is used in the humanities, including history, literature, and art history.
- Turabian style: Turabian style is a variation of Chicago style that is used in the humanities and social sciences.
If you are not sure which citation style to use, you should consult with your instructor or a librarian.
FAQ
- What is the purpose of citing sources?
Citing sources serves several purposes. First, it gives credit to the authors of the work you are using. Second, it helps your readers to find the original sources. Third, it helps to prevent plagiarism.
- What are the different types of sources that I can cite?
You can cite a variety of sources, including books, articles, websites, and films.
- How do I cite a book?
To cite a book, you will need to include the following information:
* Author's name
* Title of the book
* Publisher
* City of publication
* Year of publication- How do I cite an article from a journal?
To cite an article from a journal, you will need to include the following information:
* Author's name
* Title of the article
* Name of the journal
* Volume and issue number
* Year of publication- How do I cite a website?
To cite a website, you will need to include the following information:
* Author's name (if known)
* Title of the website
* URL
* Date accessed- How do I cite a film?
To cite a film, you will need to include the following information:
* Title of the film
* Director's name
* Year of release- What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism is the act of using someone else’s work without giving them credit. This includes copying text, images, or ideas from another source. Plagiarism is a serious academic offense, and it can have serious consequences.
- How can I avoid plagiarism?
You can avoid plagiarism by citing all of the sources that you use in your paper. You should also make sure to put quotation marks around any text that you copy directly from another source.
- What are some good resources for learning more about citation?
There are a number of good resources available for learning more about citation. Some of the most helpful resources include:
* The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL): https://owl.purdue.edu/
* The MLA Style Center: https://www.mla.org/
* The Chicago Manual of Style Online: https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/By following the guidelines in this article, you can ensure that you are citing your sources correctly. This will help you to avoid plagiarism and it will make your paper more credible.
