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Guidelines and tips
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MLA Citation Style: Parenthetical Citations for Poetry and Prose, Study notes of Poetry

Guidelines for using parenthetical citations in mla format for poetry and prose. It covers quotation rules for single lines, multiple lines, and long quotations, as well as the creation of a works cited page. It also includes notes on special situations and reminders.

What you will learn

  • How should long quotations from prose be cited parenthetically in MLA format?
  • What information is required for a complete Works Cited entry in MLA format?
  • What are the rules for using parenthetical citations for poetry in MLA format?

Typology: Study notes

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Parenthetical Citations – Poetry MLA style
When using part or all of a single line of poetry, put it in quotation marks within your
text. Two or three lines may be incorporated this way with a (/) to separate them.
Bradstreet frames the poem with a sense of mortality: “All things within this fading world
hat end” (1).
Poetry quotations of more than three lines should begin a new line. Indent each line one
inch from the left margin and double-space between lines. Do not use quotation marks
unless they’re in the original.
Eg. Elizabeth Bishop’s “In the Waiting Room” is rich in evocative detail:
It was winter. It got dark
early. The waiting room
was full of grown-up people,
arctics and overcoats,
lamps and magazines. (6-10) When quoting poetry these numbers refer to
line numbers.
Parenthetical Citations – Prose MLA style
If a prose quotation runs no more than four lines and requires no special emphasis, put it
in quotation marks and incorporate it into the text.
The eighteenth century was both “the best of times” and “the worst of times” (Dickens
35).
If the quotation runs more than four lines in your paper, set it off from your text by
beginning a new line, indenting one inch from the left margin, and typing it double-
spaced, without adding quotation marks. A colon generally introduces a quotation
displayed in this way.
Eg. At the conclusion of Lord of the Flies, Ralph and the other boys realize the horror of
their actions:
The tears began to flow and sobs shook him. He gave himself up to
them now for the first time on the island; great, shuddering spasms of
grief that seemed to wrench his whole body. His voice rose under the
island; and infected by that emotion, the other little boys began to
shake and sob too. ( Golding 186)
When quoting prose, the numbers refer to page numbers
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Parenthetical Citations – Poetry MLA style

  • When using part or all of a single line of poetry, put it in quotation marks within your text. Two or three lines may be incorporated this way with a (/) to separate them. Bradstreet frames the poem with a sense of mortality: “All things within this fading world hat end” (1).
  • Poetry quotations of more than three lines should begin a new line. Indent each line one inch from the left margin and double-space between lines. Do not use quotation marks unless they’re in the original. Eg. Elizabeth Bishop’s “In the Waiting Room” is rich in evocative detail: It was winter. It got dark early. The waiting room was full of grown-up people, arctics and overcoats, lamps and magazines. (6-10) When quoting poetry these numbers refer to line numbers.

Parenthetical Citations – Prose MLA style

  • If a prose quotation runs no more than four lines and requires no special emphasis, put it in quotation marks and incorporate it into the text. The eighteenth century was both “the best of times” and “the worst of times” (Dickens 35).
  • If the quotation runs more than four lines in your paper, set it off from your text by beginning a new line, indenting one inch from the left margin, and typing it double- spaced, without adding quotation marks. A colon generally introduces a quotation displayed in this way. Eg. At the conclusion of Lord of the Flies, Ralph and the other boys realize the horror of their actions: The tears began to flow and sobs shook him. He gave himself up to them now for the first time on the island; great, shuddering spasms of grief that seemed to wrench his whole body. His voice rose under the island; and infected by that emotion, the other little boys began to shake and sob too. ( Golding 186) When quoting prose, the numbers refer to page numbers

Notes on Parenthetical Citations

Use a single quote within a double quote when the line from your poet was quoted by the critic you’re quoting. Eg. In “Memories of West Street and Lepke,” Robert Lowell, a conscientious objector, recounts meeting a Jehovah’s Witness in prison: ‘I was so out of things, I’d never heard/of the Jehovah’s Witnesses’”(36).

Creating a Works Cited Page

  • Arrangement of Entries: Alphabetize all entries by the author’s last name. If no author is provided, alphabetize by title, ignoring a, an, the.
  • Two or more books by the same author First entry, identify author, last name first. Subsequent entries, use three lines (_ _ __ ) rather than the author’s name. Then follow with the title of work, etc.
  • Electronic Information 5 divisions: Author’s Name Title of document Information about electronic publication Access Information URL
  • Citing two or more works by the same author o Put a comma after the author’s last name and add the title of the work. If you state the author’s name in the text, include title and page reference. It’s always safest to download or print all online information in case it’s not accessible later.

Random Reminders…

Use an ellipsis When you omit a word, a phrase, a sentence or more Use brackets to add information that’s necessary to clarify meaning Quoted material is usually preceded by a colon. From MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (2003)