What do you know about in-text citation?

What do you want to know or what are you concerned about?

MLA Style In-Text Citation

Using Evidence-Based Claims in Your Writing

What is in-text citation?

Referring to or referencing the work of other people in our writing is called “in-text citation.”

• In-text citation can include information used as evidence, counter-evidence, exigence, background, and/or definition.
• MLA Style requires a uniform way to include these references in our writing.
• This uniformity helps readers make informed decisions about the sources being referenced and how to access those sources in the future.

Why do we require in-text citation?

Academic writing relies on evidence-based claims. We reference outside sources to act as evidence, proof, or support of our argument (main thesis) or a portion of our argument (paragraph/sub-point claim).

• Referencing outside sources creates the “evidence” in our “evidence-based claims.”
• Even if you’re presenting something new to the academic world (a new scientific discovery, sociological theory, or environmental trend), the basis of your claim is expected to be rooted in evidence.
• The reader is then expected to scrutinize the evidence before changing their mind.

The Unspoken Academic Dance

This back and forth exchange between writer and reader (or creator and viewer) is like a dance. The dance is expected to go as such:

• First, the writer/creator makes a source-based claim, of which the claim and the evidence carry a specific bias. The writer is expected to provide a logical and credible claim that…
• properly references the evidence and its bias
• properly references their own bias
• Then, the reader/viewer scrutinizes the claim by
• considering the evidence provided
• considering their own previous knowledge and their assumptions/bias about the sources used as evidence.
• The reader will change their views (or become more curious) based on how well they determine the writer to have proven their claim.

This Isn’t Just an Academic Thing….

This back and forth exchange between writer and reader (or creator and viewer) is found in everyday life all the time.

• Marketing and advertising: companies tell a story that tries to convince you to purchase a product.�
• Social media platforms: companies try to get you to keep scrolling so they can convince advertisers to pay them for ad space.�
• Interviewing for a job: you try to provide evidence that you’re the best fit.�
• Movies and episodic drama: the storytellers/actors try to convince you the story and events are real; you participate via suspension of disbelief. �
• Face-to-face interactions: you try to win an argument; try to convince a friend to go to lunch; try to convince a stranger you’re a good person, have impeccable style, are funny, or compelling…

Part 2: �Types of Citation

There are 2 types of citation.

1. Direct quote: word-for-word language taken from a source and included within quotation marks. �
2. Paraphrase: expresses an idea from a source, but uses your original wording.�
3. Summary: summarizes the main thesis or a sub-point from a source as an extended citation and in your original wording.

There are 2 types of citation.

• Direct quote: word-for-word language taken from a source and included within quotation marks.
• ** use only direct quotes in essay 2 **�
• Paraphrase (or summary): expresses an idea from a source, but uses your original wording.
• ** do not use paraphrase citation in essay 2 body paragraphs **

Direct Quote vs. Paraphrase

DIRECT QUOTE:

• You incorporate direct word-for-word language from a source.

For example:

A Buzzfeed article describes Millennials as “ ... working more hours and more jobs for less pay and less security, struggling to achieve the same standards of living as our parents, operating in psychological and physical precariousness, all while being told that if we just work harder, meritocracy will prevail, and we’ll begin thriving” (Petersen).

PARAPHRASE/SUMMARY CITATION:

• You paraphrase a portion of a source or a few paragraphs of a source.
• You summarize a source’s main idea.

For example:

The article “How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation” illustrates the unique ways Millennials have faced economic and political instability, leaving most of them professionally and economically far behind their parents and grandparents’ generations (Petersen).

There are 3 parts to EVERY citation.

1. Signal phrase: starts the citation by mentioning the source’s title, container location, the author name, and/or framing the upcoming information. �
2. Citation: the direct quote from or paraphrase of your source information. �
3. Parenthetical documentation: includes info from the first section of the source’s Works Cited Page entry (usually author last name OR article title + page number of quote, if/when there are page numbers).

For Example, using a direct quote this internet article.

1. Signal phrase
2. Direct quote
3. Parenthetical documentation

​

The article “What Happens When Fashion Becomes Fast, Disposable, and Cheap?” from NPR points out that “Fashion is big business. Estimates vary, but one report puts the global industry at $1.2 trillion, with more than $250 billion spent in the U.S. alone” (Tan).

3 parts of citation = 3 functions

1. Signal phrases tell your audience the source’s relevance to your topic and the source’s credibility as a piece of evidence.
• often also used to frame the information for your readers.�
2. Direct quote or paraphrase provides evidence to support or prove your overall claim or your paragraph claim.�
3. The parenthetical documentation directs your audience to that source’s Works Cited entry so they can read or scrutinize the source, if they so desire.

More Instructional Information About Each Part of Citation

• MLA PP #4: Using Signal Phrases �
• MLA PP #5: Spotlight on Parenthetical Documentation�
• MLA #6: Citation Tools�

Don’t forget that parenthetical documentation is connected to Works Cited page entries.

Additional Resources

• Purdue’s OWL Writing Lab
• note the menu to the left with more options about the different types of citation and citation scenarios�
• UW-Madison’s The Writing Handbook�
• IVCC Stylebook�
• Example document with citation

Citation Overview

In-text citation is the act of referring to or referencing the work of other people in our writing.

​

There are two types of citation:

1. a direct quote that uses word-for-word language from an outside source.
2. a paraphrase that expresses the idea from a source in your own language.

​

All citations include 3 parts:

1. signal phrase.
2. citation.
3. parenthetical documentation (optional based on signal phrase).

Parenthetical documentation leads back to Works Cited Page entry of source.