In addition to the amount quoted and line breaks, other factors that matter include stanza breaks, and unusual layouts.
Special Issues: Stanza Breaks, Unusual Layouts
Stanza Breaks: Mark stanza breaks that occur in a quotation with two forward slashes, with a space before and after them ( / / ) (78).
William Carlos Williams depicts a vivid image in “The Red Wheelbarrow”: “so much depends / / upon / / a red wheel / / barrow / / glazed with rain / / water / / beside the white / / chickens” (“Williams”).
Unusual Layouts: If the layout of the lines in the original text is unusual, reproduce it as accurately as you can (79).
The English metaphysical John Donne uses indentation in some of his poems to create unusual layouts, as the first stanza of including “A Valediction: of Weeping” demonstrates:
Let me pour forth My tears before they face, whilst I stay here, For thy face coins them, and thy stamp they bear, And by this mintage they are something worth, For thus they be Pregnant of thee; Fruits of much grief they are, emblems of more, When a tear falls, that thou falls which it bore, So thou and I are nothing then, when on a divers shore. (lines 1-9)
When you must quote dialogue from a play, adhere to these rules:
Example: One of the flashbacks in Margaret Edson’s Wit suggests Vivian Bearing’s illness causes her to question some of her previous interactions with students:
STUDENT 1. Professor Bearing? Can I talk to you for a minute?
VIVIAN: You may.
STUDENT 1: I need to ask for an extension on my paper. I’m really sorry, and I know your policy, but see—
VIVIAN: Don’t tell me. Your grandmother died.
STUDENT 1: You knew.
VIVIAN: It was a guess.
STUDENT 1: I have to go home.
VIVIAN: Do what you will, but the paper is due when it is due. (63)
Omissions: Follow the rules for omissions in quotations of prose (83).
Although some of the rules for quoting plays and poetry in MLA differ than those for quoting prose, understanding the guidelines will help you apply them in any scenario.
Donne, John. “The Bait.” The Complete English Poems . Penguin Books, 1971, pp. 43-4.
—. “The Break of Day.” The Complete English Poems . Penguin Books, 1971, pp. 45-6. Edson, Margaret. Wit. Faber and Faber, 1993.
Shakespeare, William. Sonnet 39. The Pelican Shakespeare: The Sonnets . Penguin Books, 1970, p. 59.
Williams, William Carlos: “The Red Wheelbarrow.” Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/resources/learning/core-poems/detail/45502 .
Yeats, William. “A Prayer for My Daughter.” The Collected Poems . Ed. Richard Finneran. Scribner, 1983, pp. 188-190.
Suggested edits.
Explore the different ways to cite sources in academic and professional writing, including in-text (Parenthetical), numerical, and note citations.
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This article was co-authored by Michelle Golden, PhD . Michelle Golden is an English teacher in Athens, Georgia. She received her MA in Language Arts Teacher Education in 2008 and received her PhD in English from Georgia State University in 2015. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 164,711 times.
The American Psychological Association (APA) style guide is very popular, especially in the social sciences. If you need to write a paper in APA style, there are a lot of different formatting rules to consider. Citing sources, such as poems, can be one of the most confusing things, but if you follow a few simple rules, you'll have perfectly formatted citations.
If you want to cite a poem using the APA style, include your quote from a poem in quotation marks if it's less than 40 words, and use forward slashes to indicate line breaks. To cite a longer passage, begin the quote on a new line and indent it to create a block quotation. For your in-text citation, include the author's name, year of publication, and page number, preceded by the letter "p." When it comes to the title, capitalize all major words, place short titles in quotes, and italicize longer titles. To learn how to include your citation in the works cited section of your essay, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No
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You are in the right place if you have been struggling online trying to discover how to quote and cite a poem in an MLA essay. You might have heard your professor say that quoting a poem in MLA means introducing the quote and using quotation marks, as you would for any other source. But how do you do that correctly when the quote includes line breaks? Let us look at this comprehensive guide to citing a poem in an MLA paper.
In this post, you will discover all the information you need to know to quote and cite poems correctly as per the MLA stylebook.
Before you learn how to quote and cite a poem, it is vital to learn when it is necessary to do so. You should only quote a poem in your essay:
You should only quote a poem in your essay when it is necessary. Quoting lines upon lines of a poem in your essay to boost the word count will not do you much good.
Most professors will be annoyed when they notice you have done this in your essay. And this usually leads only to an average or lower grade. Therefore, quote a poem only when absolutely necessary.
You will know it is necessary to quote a poem when quoting a poem adds value to your paper. If you genuinely believe quoting a poem enhances your paper in one way or another, you should do it.
It would help if you quoted a poem to support your arguments. There are situations where you cannot write your essay correctly without quoting a poem.
For example, when you analyze a poem in your essay, you must quote it several times. This will help show the reader what you are talking about. In other words, it will help you to support your arguments.
Related Reading:
Now that you know when to quote a poem in an essay, it is time to discover how exactly to do so. The information we share below will show you how to quote a poem in MLA.
There are different rules for quoting just a single line of poetry, two or three lines, and for quoting four or more lines.
Quoting a single line of poetry in an MLA essay is easy. You need to put it in double quotes. This is how you would quote a single line of anything else in your MLA essay. So nothing is challenging about it.
Putting a single line of poetry in your MLA essay without enclosing it with double quotation marks will make it difficult for your professor to know you are quoting something.
And do not for a moment think that italicizing a line of poetry can work in lieu of the double quotation marks. It cannot work since it is not how the MLA stylebook requires you to quote a single line of poetry.
Examples of how to quote a single line of poetry:
Quoting two or three lines of poetry is a bit more complex than quoting just one. This is because two or three lines of poetry will need something to tell the reader they are moving to the next line.
So how do you do it? Write two or three lines of poetry and enclose them with double quotation marks. Then use the forward slash symbol "/" to show the transition from one line to the next. The symbol should be preceded and followed by space.
If the lines you are quoting are from two different stanzas, use the double forward slash symbol "//" to show the transition from one stanza to the next.
One important thing to remember when quoting a chunk of poetry in your essay is that you should always retain the same styling, capitalization, and punctuation as in the original poem. Do not adjust or rewrite anything to make it sound better or more correct.
Examples of how to quote two to three lines of poetry:
How you quote four or more lines of poetry differs from how you quote three or fewer lines of poetry. It is different because when you quote four or more lines of poetry, you must quote them as a block.
Here is how exactly to quote four or more lines of poetry. First, introduce the quote or provide the reader with some context on the quote you will unleash to them. Second, put a colon at the end of the sentence to show a quote is coming.
Third, create a line break (a new line) and press the "Tab" this will indent your quote (0.5-inch from the left margin) and distinguish it from the rest of your writing. Lastly, quote the poem you wanted to quote without adding any quotation marks.
Example 1 of how to quote four or more lines of poetry:
Langston Hughes' poem opens with a couple of rhetorical questions:
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore-
And then run?
Example 2 of how to quote four or more lines of poetry
Maya Angelou's inspiring poem offers words of encouragement to the downtrodden:
You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.
Example 3 of how to quote four or more lines of poetry
The poet John Donne, in his thought-inspiring poem, reveals the deep connection we have to humanity:
Any man's death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in mankind,
And therefore, never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.
You now know how exactly to quote a poem in an MLA essay. It is now to discover how to cite a poem in MLA. Citing is not the same thing as quoting. It is more complex. Check the section below to understand.
When you name, discuss, mention, or refer to a poem, it is best to cite it so that your reader can read more about it if they want to. Failure to properly cite a poem or any other work you use or discuss in your essay is wrong and is considered academic dishonesty. It will make your essay look like it is missing something and reduce your chances of getting an excellent grade (professors do not like poorly cited essays).
When citing a poem in your essay, you must cite it in-text and on the reference page.
Citing a poem in-text has a few rules that you need to follow. The most important rule is clearly stating the author's last name. The purpose of doing this is to enable the reader to quickly locate the author of the work and the associated source on your references page.
Follow the rules below to cite any poem in-text in your MLA essay properly.
You can find a poem on a website or a published text without any lines or page numbers. The correct way to cite it is only by the author's last name. Do not count the lines or the pages manually for your in-text citation.
Example of how to cite a poem with no line numbers or page numbers
"Every man is a piece of the continent, / A part of the main." (Donne)
Sometimes poems are published with line numbers on the side. This is often true in official poem collections. When you quote or talk about a poem with line numbers in your essay, your in-text citation must show the exact lines you have quoted or are talking about.
Your citation should begin with the author's last name followed by a comma and the exact lines you have quoted or are discussing. Once you cite a poem with line numbers in this manner, put line numbers only in parentheses in subsequent references to the same poem.
Example of how to cite a poem with line numbers
"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, / And sorry I could travel both" (Frost, lines 1-2).
A poem can be published over several pages. If a poem is published over several pages but without line numbers, you should provide an in-text citation referencing the exact page number you have quoted or are talking about.
Your citation should begin with the author's last name and the page number. Unlike in the case of line numbers, you are not supposed to put a comma between the poet's last name and the page number.
Example of how to cite a poem with page numbers
"For they sweet love remembered such wealth brings, / That, then I scorn to change my state with kings." (Shakespeare 38).
When you cite a poem severally in the same paragraph, you don't need to repeat the entire in-text citation over and over again. You need to put only the line number or page number you are referring to in parentheses.
Example of how to cite a poem consecutively in the same paragraph
"And be one traveler, long I stood / And looked down one as far as I could"
Every poem you cite in-text should have the full citation on your references page. How you reference a poem on the references page depends on the source.
Poems can be found in many places (e.g., online, in a book, or in an anthology). The way you cite a poem you've found online is not the same you cite a poem you've found in a book.
When you find a poem online or on a website, there is a way you need to cite it. You must begin with the author's last name and then their first name. You need to follow the poet's name with the poem's name in parentheses. Check out the format below.
Online citation format:
Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title." Year of publication. Title of the website, Website Publisher, Link. Accessed day month year.
Online citation example:
Shakespeare, William. "Sonnet 29." 1609. Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45090/sonnet-29-when-in-disgrace-with-fortune-and-mens-eyes. Accessed 19 Feb. 2023.
When you find a poem in a book, there are rules you need to follow in citing it. The first two elements of the citation (the name and the title of the poem, will be formatted the same way as when citing a poem from an online source. The other elements are different, so the formatting is a bit different. Check out the format below.
Book citation format
Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title." Book Title, Publisher. Year of publication, Page number/range.
Book citation example
Shakespeare, William. "Sonnet 29." William Shakespeare Poem Collection, Oxford University Press, 2009, p. 32.
An anthology is a collection of poems from different authors. How you cite a poem from an anthology is not the same way you cite a poem from a book with poems from solely one author. Use the format below to cite a poem from an anthology.
Anthology citation format
Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Work." Anthology Collection, edited by (first name and last name), edition (if applicable), volume (if applicable), Publisher, year of anthology publication, page number or page range.
Anthology citation example:
Hughes, William. "Dark Oceans." Collection of Modern South African Poems , edited by John Moore, Cape Town University Press, 2009, p. 77.
If you made it this far, you are now conversant with how to quote poems in an MLA paper. You can now comfortably cite poems from different sources. We hope that the information we have shared with you should make it easy for you to quote and cite poems easily in your MLA essays.
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Writing, and all of its connected skills, are essential to succeed in studying — especially humanities. One such skill is the proper use of quotations. To make a quotation means to place the exact words of another author in your essay — these words could be lines from a poem as well.
When is it appropriate to cite a poem? Most often, quotes from poems are used by liberal art students, literature students, and language students. It is hard to imagine writing an essay about a poet without including some pieces of his works, or describing some poetry trend without providing examples. Also, you may find poem lines used in descriptive, reflective, argumentative, and compare and contrast essays.
Nevertheless, even if you are not a humanities student, you are not limited to use poem citations in your works if the meaning of the line(s) you have chosen is relevant. While there are no rules on where you may cite a poem, there are a lot on how you should do it in different formatting styles. Continue reading to find out more about how to cite a poem correctly or simply use professional help. Need help? You can buy custom essay at EssayPro.
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The most popular formatting style is MLA (Modern Language Association). Despite it possibly being the easiest style to use, you will need some time to learn all of the rules, and time to train to apply them.
You might also be interested in how to style an essay using MLA FORMAT
The rules of citing a poem in MLA style depend on the citation’s length. Quotes up to three lines are considered to be short, and quotes longer than three lines – long.
Element | Format | Example |
---|---|---|
In-text citation | (Poet's Last Name Line(s)) | (Frost lines 1-2) |
Works Cited | Poet's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Poem." Title of Book or Anthology, Editor's First Name and Last Name, Edition, Publisher, Year of Publication, Page Numbers. | Frost, Robert. "The Road Not Taken." Mountain Interval, Henry Holt and Company, 1916, pp. 1-2. |
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Citing a Short Quote | Citing a Long Quote |
---|---|
There is no need to start a short quote on a new line; you may write it just between the text. | If you choose a long quote, some rules are just the opposite of how you would properly write a small quote — and you should be really careful not to mix them up. |
Though, it is obligatory to put it in quotation marks. | Start your quotation from a new line, with a half-inch indent from the left margin. |
If question or exclamation marks are part of the poem, put them inside the quotation marks; leave them outside if they are a part of your text. | Put it in a block quote. Include line breaks in the quote as they are in the original. |
Use a slash to mark line breaks, or a double slash if there is a stanza break; put a space before and after the slash. | Keep the original formatting and punctuation as part of the author’s style. |
Start each line of the poem with a capital letter (at the beginning and after the slash marks). | Use double-space spacing inside the quote. |
There is no need for quotation marks or slashes, just skip them. |
Short Quote Example:
In “Song of Myself”, Walt Whitman wrote, “I exist as I am, that is enough, / If no other in the world be aware I sit content, / And if each and all be aware I sit content.”
Long Quote Example:
Emily Dickinson wrote: Because I could not stop for Death, He kindly stopped for me; The carriage held but just ourselves And Immortality.
Regardless of the length of a quote, you should clearly indicate the poet’s last name. You should also include the title of the poem if you cite more than one poem by the same author in your work. You may do it in two ways: mention it before the quotation in the main text, or include it in a parenthetical citation at the end of the lines. If you mentioned the name and the title before the quote, but you’re not sure if it will be obvious for the reader, you may repeat it in a parenthetical citation — it won’t be considered as a mistake.
Besides the poet’s last name and the title of the poem, a parenthetical citation should include a line or page number. Here are some brief rules for parenthetical citations:
Example: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— / I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference.” (Frost, lines 18-20)
Example: “Your head so much concerned with outer, / Mine with inner, weather.” (Frost 126)
Example: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do / with your one wild and precious life?” (Mary Oliver)
Example: Here is what Pablo Neruda wrote about this feeling, “I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, / in secret, between the shadow and the soul.”
Examples: “A Book”, “Fire and Ice”, or “Nothing Gold can’t Stay”
Example: Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, Because I could not Stop for Death.
Examples: Dickinson, Emily. “A Book.” Emily Dickinson: Selected Poems , edited by Anthony Eyre, Mount Orleans Press, 2019, pp. 55-56.
Example: Frost, Robert. “Fire and Ice”. Poetry Foundation , https://poetryfoundation.org/poems/44263/fire-and-ice. Accessed 28 Nov. 2019.
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APA is the abbreviation for American Psychological Association, and is the second most popular formatting style — used mainly in social studies. Here are some APA rules for poem citations that you need to know from our service:
Element | Format | Example |
---|---|---|
In-text citation | (Poet's Last Name, Year) | (Frost, 1923) |
Works Cited | Poet's Last Name, First Initial. (Year of Publication). Title of the Poem. Title of the Book (if applicable). Publisher. DOI or URL (if available). | Frost, R. (1923). Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. Poetry Foundation. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/42891/stopping-by-woods-on-a-snowy-evening |
If your quote is taken from a book, a full reference to the source in the Works Cited page (in APA style) should be made according to the following template: Poet’s Last Name, First Initial. (Year). Poem title. In Editor Initial. Last Name (Ed.), Book title (pp. xx-xx). Location: Publisher.
Example: Dickinson, E. (2019). A book. A. Eyre (Ed.), Emily Dickinson: Selected Poems (pp.55-56). Cricklade, U.K.: Mount Orleans Press.
If a quotation was taken from a website, the following template should be used: Poet’s Last Name, First Initial. (Year, Month Day). Poem title. Retrieved from http://WebAddress.
Example: Dickinson, E. (2019, November 28). I'm Nobody! Who are you? Retrieved from https://poets.org/poem/im-nobody-who-are-you-260.
In Harvard style, citing a poem follows a similar format to citing other sources. Here's how you can cite a poem using Harvard style:
In-text citation:
For in-text citations, include the poet's last name, the year of publication (if available), and the page number if you are quoting directly. If the poem is online, you can include the title, stanza, or line number instead of the page number.
According to Frost (1916), "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— / I took the one less traveled by" (p. 1).
As Frost (1916) famously wrote, "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— / I took the one less traveled by" (p. 1).
If the poem has no page numbers, you can use line numbers instead:
(Brathwaite, 2007, lines 5-8)
If you're paraphrasing or referring to the poem generally, you can just mention the poet's name and the year:
According to Dickinson (1896), life is often portrayed as a journey.
Dickinson's (1896) poetry often explores themes of mortality and nature.
Reference list entry:
In the reference list, include the full bibliographic details of the poem, including the poet's name, the title of the poem (in italics), the publication year, the title of the book or anthology (if applicable), the editor's name (if applicable), the publisher, and the page numbers (if applicable).
Frost, R. (1916). The Road Not Taken. In Mountain Interval. Henry Holt and Company.
Brathwaite, E. K. (2007). Barabajan Poems 1492-1992. Wesleyan University Press.
Make sure to italicize the poem's title and the book or anthology title. If you're citing a poem from an online source, include the URL and the access date. Always check your institution's guidelines for citation formatting, as variations in citation style requirements may exist.
Here are a few recommendations on how to format poem quotations properly. They will be useful whether or not you are a beginner or advanced user of poem citations, regardless of what formatting style you are using.
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How to cite a poem in mla, how to properly cite a poem, how to cite a poem in harvard style.
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When you're dealing with poems in an essay or any other academic paper, you might find yourself needing to reference or quote them. Knowing how to cite a poem properly will not only help you adhere to academic standards but also enhance your writing by highlighting the relevance of a particular line of the poem. This comprehensive guide will shed light on how to cite a poem in various formats, include both short and long quotes, and ensure that your citations align with the MLA style guidelines. You'll find it handy whether you are a student, writer, or literature enthusiast. Get ready to explore the essentials of citing a poem.
Citing a poem is crucial when you include specific words, lines, or ideas from a poem in your writing. There are instances when you need to cite a poem, and understanding these scenarios will guide you in applying correct citation. Whether you're using a short poem or a specific emilyspoetryblog.com line from a longer poem, proper citation will not only help your readers trace the original source but also maintain the integrity of your work. You should cite a poem when quoting it directly, paraphrasing a particular section, or even when referring to its title or author. Citing a poem ensures that you give credit where credit is due, adhering to academic honesty and avoiding plagiarism.
When it comes to citing a poem, the format you use might differ based on the style guide you are following. The most common method is MLA formatting, but others like APA and Chicago styles might apply. When citing a poem in MLA, you'll need to include the author's name, poem title, and page number if applicable. For short quotes from the poem, you'll use quotation marks, while for long quotes, you'll apply block quotes formatting. If you are using online sources, don't forget to include the URL. This section will dive deeper into the various ways to cite a poem, ensuring that you do it correctly and efficiently.
When you want to quote a poem in your essay, and it's up to three lines long, you'll use the regular in-text citation method. You should cite the author's last name and the line number in parentheses right after the quote. Here's how to do it: "This is the quote" (Author's Last Name Line Number). For short quotes like these, you'll need to use quotation marks and properly format the citation according to the MLA guidelines. This method is suitable for integrating brief, impactful lines from a poem that can emphasize a point or illustrate a theme in your writing. Make sure to cite the lines correctly to maintain the authenticity of your work.
When quoting more than four lines from a poem, you should use the block quotes method. This formatting allows you to include longer sections of a poem without crowding your text. To correctly quote a long poem section, start the quote on a new line, indenting one inch from the left margin, and do not use quotation marks. Here's how to format it in your essay: This is the quote This is the continuation of the quote. (Author's Last Name Line Numbers). By following this method, you can include longer quotes from a poem in a visually appealing way, allowing your readers to fully grasp the context and meaning of the quoted section.
The title of a poem is more than just a name; it often provides insights into the poem's theme or subject matter. When citing a poem, you must include the title in italics or enclosed in quotation marks, depending on the citation style. In MLA format, for example, the title should be enclosed in quotation marks. Including the poem title in your citation ensures that your readers can easily locate the original source and perhaps explore it further. This is an essential aspect of citing a poem and one that contributes to the clarity and accuracy of your writing.
When dealing with short quotes from a poem, you must apply specific formatting rules. These quotes, usually up to three lines long, need to be enclosed in quotation marks and followed by a citation in parentheses. The citation should include the author's last name and the line numbers. Short quotes can be an effective way to emphasize a point or illustrate a theme in your writing. By using them correctly, you'll ensure that your work is both engaging and academically sound. Always remember to cite these short quotes correctly to maintain the integrity of your work.
Long quotes from a poem, typically more than four lines, require special formatting known as block quotes. These quotes should start on a new line, be indented one inch from the left margin, and should not be enclosed in quotation marks. Including long quotes in your writing allows you to present more substantial portions of a poem, providing your readers with a richer context or a more profound understanding of the subject matter. Long quotes must be cited properly, including the author's last name and the line numbers, following the MLA guidelines. By applying this method correctly, you'll add depth and nuance to your writing while adhering to academic standards.
Quoting a poem in an essay is not merely about inserting lines from the poem. It involves understanding the context, choosing the appropriate quote that fits your argument, and then formatting it according to the required citation style, such as MLA. When you quote a poem in an essay, you should be thoughtful in selecting the lines that resonate with your topic and contribute to your argument. Don't forget to include both short and long quotes, depending on the need, and always ensure that you cite them correctly. This practice adds credibility to your essay and helps your readers understand the relevance of the quoted poem.
Citing a poem comes with specific rules and guidelines that you must adhere to. Here are some essential dos and don'ts to keep in mind:
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Working with a poem as a source? Here’s a guide to citing and quoting a poem in MLA format.
Citing a poem in MLA involves using parenthetical citations and ensuring the in-text information matches the corresponding entry on the Works Cited page.
Following the author-page format, you can seamlessly integrate quotes and paraphrases into your writing while properly crediting the source. Works by multiple authors, unknown authors, and those with multiple editions require specific citation guidelines that we’ll explore in detail.
Remember, accuracy and proper formatting matter when citing and quoting a poem in MLA format.
Consult the MLA Handbook and Style Manual for further guidance or specific reference questions. And don’t forget, if you need writing help, our expert writers can assist you within 2-3 hours.
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The basic format for an i n-text citation of a poem in MLA is to include the author’s last name and the page number(s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken. The author’s name can be mentioned in the sentence or enclosed in parentheses, while the page number(s) should always appear in parentheses.
Here are a few examples to illustrate how to cite poems in various scenarios:
In his poem “The Road Not Taken,” Robert Frost reflects on the choices we make in life (19). (Frost 19)
If you are citing multiple poems by the same author, you can include the title of the poem in your citation:
Emily Dickinson’s poem “Hope is the Thing with Feathers” emphasizes the power of optimism (4). (Dickinson, “Hope is the Thing with Feathers” 4)
If you are citing a poem from a collection or anthology, you should include the page range of the specific poem:
In “The Waste Land,” T.S. Eliot explores themes of disillusionment and despair (Eliot 25-30). (Eliot 25-30)
Remember, these are just a few examples of how to cite poems in MLA format. The specific rules may vary depending on your source and edition. It’s always a good idea to consult the MLA Handbook for more detailed guidelines.
Poet’s Last Name | Page Number(s) |
---|---|
Frost | 19 |
Eliot | 25-30 |
Dickinson | 4 |
It is important to follow the MLA guidelines to ensure accurate and proper citation for print sources such as a book, magazines, scholarly journal articles, or newspapers.
Here is an example of a properly formatted in-text citation for a poem from a print source:
“Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility” (Wordsworth 26).
In this example, the poem is from a book by Wordsworth, and the quote can be found on page 26.
Source Type | Format |
---|---|
Book | Last Name, First Name. . Publisher, Year. |
Article | Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” , vol. X, no. X, Year, pp. XX-XX. |
Newspaper | Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” , Day Month Year, p. X. |
Corporate Author | Corporate Author. . Publisher, Year. |
Working on a Literature Paper?
When citing and quoting a poem in MLA format, citing online sources is essential. This is especially important in today’s digital age, where information can be found online.
The basic format for an online poem citation includes the author’s last name, the poem’s title in quotation marks, the title of the database or website in italics, the publication date, and the URL or DOI (Digital Object Identifier).
Example: Eliot, T.S. “The Waste Land.” The Waste Land and Other Poems . Poetry Foundation, 1922, www.poetryfoundation.org.
For poems from online newspapers or magazines, the citation follows a similar format but also includes the name of the publication and the section or page number where the poem is located.
Author | Title of Poem | Publication | Date | URL |
---|---|---|---|---|
Eliot, T.S. | The Waste Land | Poetry Foundation | 1922 | www.poetryfoundation.org |
As you complete your research paper or essay, creating a Works Cited page is important to document all the sources you used
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you create a well-organized Works Cited page in MLA format.
After the last page of your paper, begin a new page and center the title “Works Cited” at the top. Make sure the page is double-spaced throughout, including the title.
List your sources in alphabetical order by the author’s last name. If there is no author, use the title of the work instead. Each entry should be flush with the left margin, with subsequent lines indented by 0.5 inches.
For books, include the author’s name, book title in italics, publisher, year of publication, and medium of publication. For articles, include the author’s name, article title in quotation marks, journal or website title in italics, volume and issue numbers, publication date, and medium of publication.
Remember to follow the specific formatting guidelines for different types of sources. For example, books are formatted differently from online articles. Double-check your entries for accuracy and consistency.
“The Works Cited page is your opportunity to give credit to the authors and creators of the works you referenced in your paper. By following the MLA guidelines for creating a Works Cited page, you are ensuring the integrity of your research and providing your readers with the necessary information to locate and evaluate the sources you used.”
Book | Article |
---|---|
Dickens, Charles. . Penguin Classics, 2012. | Smith, John. “The Impact of Climate Change on Biodiversity.” , vol. 465, no. 7299, 2009, pp. 1026-1028. |
When citing and quoting a poem in MLA format, it’s not just about the in-text citations and Works Cited page. The formatting of your entire paper also needs to follow MLA guidelines. Let’s take a look at some key formatting rules that you need to keep in mind.
Remember to;
To cite a poem in MLA format, you need to include the poet’s last name and the line numbers in the text (e.g., Logan 5-7). If you are citing multiple poems from the same poet, you can include the poem’s title after the poet’s name (e.g., Wordsworth, “Gregory” 5-7). The basic format for an i n-text citation of a poem in MLA is to include the author’s last name and the page number(s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken. The author’s name can be mentioned in the sentence or enclosed in parentheses, while the page number(s) should always appear in parentheses.
If the poem does not have line numbers, you can use the page number instead (e.g., Wordsworth 25). Alternatively, you can use the poem’s title, but be sure to enclose it in quotation marks (e.g., Wordsworth, “Daffodils”).
For the Works Cited page, the citation for a poem should follow this format: Last name, First name. “Title of Poem.” Title of Book or Anthology (in italics or underlined), edited by Editor’s First Name Last Name, Publisher, Year of publication, page range of poem.
Yes, poem is long, you can use a shortened version in the in-text citation. Just make sure it is clear which poem you are referring to. You can use the first few words of the poem’s title or a keyword.
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You've mastered the art of citing books in your essays -- but now you have to cite a poem, which uses lines instead of page numbers in MLA format. To make matters even more complicated, if you are citing an epic poem, you will need to cite the book or canto, as well as the line number. However, the rules for citing poetry in both MLA and APA formats are as codified as the rules for citing other works, and once you have learned them, you can cite lines of poetry with ease.
Cite the poem in-text by writing the poet's last name in parentheses. After the author's name, write the line number that you are citing. If you name the poet in the body of the paragraph, do not name him again in parentheses.
For example:
In "Loveliest of Trees," Housman predicts he will only have fifty more springs to see the cherry blossoms (8).
"Thanatopsis" notes that death will not be a lonely state, as all have died (Bryant 31-56).
Cite an anonymous poem as you would a poem with an author, but write the poem's title, in quotes, in place of the poet's last name.
"Beowulf" states that Grendel is related to "monsters and elves and the walking dead, / And also those giants who fought against God" (112-113).
As a descendant of Cain, Grendel is related to "monsters and elves and the walking dead, / And also those giants who fought against God" ("Beowulf" 112-113).
Cite a line from an epic or other long poem by writing the canto or book before the line number, followed by a period. Use Arabic numerals even if your book uses Roman numerals for cantos and books.
Astyanax does not recognize Hector when he wears his helmet (Homer 6.556-562).
Cite the entire poem in your bibliography, not just the line or lines you cite in the text of your paper. Write the poet's last name, a comma and his first name. Write the title of the poem in quotation marks if it is short, or in italics if it is longer than a short story. Write the title of the anthology, if any, in italics. If the anthology has an editor, write "Ed." followed by the editor's name. Write the place of publication, a colon, the publishing company, a comma, the year of publication and a period. Write the page or pages on which the poem is located in the anthology followed by a period and the word "Print." If the poem is anonymous, begin with the title of the poem instead of the author.
Bryant, William Cullen. "Thanatopsis." Treasury of Favorite Poems. Ed. Louis Untermyer. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1996. 434-436. Print.
Beowulf. Ed. and trans. Howell D. Chickering, Jr. New York: Doubleday, 1977. Print.
Eliot, T.S. "Growltiger's Last Stand." Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. Orlando: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publishers, 1982. 9-11. Print.
Cite the poem in-text by writing the poet's last name in parentheses, followed by a comma, the year of the anthology or edition's publication and the page number you are quoting. Do not cite the specific line in APA. If you name the poet in-text, write the year of publication in parentheses after the poet's name and write the page number in parentheses at the end of the sentence.
In "Loveliest of Trees," Housman (1996) predicts he will only have fifty more springs to see the cherry blossoms (p. 485).
"Thanatopsis" notes that death will not be a lonely state, as all have died (Bryant, 1996, p. 434).
"Beowulf" (1977) states that Grendel is related to "monsters and elves and the walking dead, / And also those giants who fought against God" (p. 55).
As a descendant of Cain, Grendel is related to "monsters and elves and the walking dead, / And also those giants who fought against God" ("Beowulf," 1977, p. 55).
Cite the poem in your bibliography by writing the poet's last name, a comma and the first initial. Write the publication date of the anthology or edition in parentheses. Write the title of the poem, capitalizing only the first letter and any proper nouns, followed by a period. If the poem is in an anthology, write "In" followed by the editor's name and (Ed.), then the title of the anthology in italics. Conclude by writing the page numbers in parentheses, the place of publication, a colon and the publisher name. If the poem is anonymous, write the title in place of the author's name.
Eliot, T.S. (1982). Growltiger's last stand. In Old Possum's book of practical cats (pp. 9-11). Orlando: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publishers.
Bryant, W.C. (1996). Thanatopsis. In L. Untermeyer (Ed.), Treasury of favorite poems (pp. 434-436). New York: Barnes & Noble Books.
Beowulf. (1977). (H.D. Chickering, Ed. and Trans.). New York: Doubleday.
Need help with a citation? Try our citation generator .
A resident of the Baltimore area, Rachel Kolar has been writing since 2001. Her educational research was featured at the Maryland State Department of Education Professional Schools Development Conference in 2008. Kolar holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Kenyon College and a Master of Arts in teaching from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland.
Many students wonder how to quote poems in academic paper . Making a reference page and quoting poetry or prose is one of the most complicated steps in essay writing. To do it in a right way, a student has to know the next several academic writing styles :
These are the most frequently met paper formats used to quote poems and novels properly. In this guide, we will provide the readers with the main tips on how to quote poems using MLA style.
The next step is to select quotations that would best contribute to the entire work. It is better to go through a perfect example of a paper dedicated to some poem once written by an expert and follow its structure. Keep in mind that your final draft must contain at least 95-97% original text. Otherwise, students risk losing points instead of earning high grades.
It's not difficult to understand how to quote a poem correctly but the hardest thing is to know exactly when you have to quote. Sometimes writers start to use quotes without thinking if it's useful for their essay.
There is no direct answer on how to quote a poem because it depends on many things, including the author's style, a thesis statement, the length of the poem and essay, and some other issues.
Of course, it doesn't mean you have to give up and start thinking it's so difficult to quote a poem. Follow two great tips below to understand when you need to use a quote:
When you're going to use a quote in your writing, stop before doing this and ask if it adds something useful to your paper. Your quote may provide supportive evidence to the whole essay, and this is a perfect way to use quotes. You may also quote a poem in your work to simplify your writing and explain something to readers more clearly.
Sometimes authors try to avoid quoting but it's not the best way because it can make your essay too long, difficult to read and hard to understand to people. If you want to say something behind the words, at the start try to explain your words and then go to the meaning.
Needless to say, you will never be able to find your argument written exactly in the poem. The author develops their own arguments and then explains why this is the right argument using quotes as supportive evidence.
As an example, when you analyze Edgar's Poe "The Raven", you can make an argument that the Raven is a symbol of the writer's sorrow over Lenore. Here you could mention the author repeats the line "Quoth the Raven, Nevermore" very often to show the sadness, grief, and feeling of a big loss. Of course, you have to feel the balance here and it's tricky sometimes.
You can find and read good examples online to see how other authors use quotes. In general, quoting poems needs some time and practice combined with knowledge on how to do it properly.
When you need to quote a poem in MLA writing style , just use quotation marks as with any other quote. When you quote 2-3 lines, add a slash to mark the breaks and separate the slash by spaces. Check out if you use the same style, capitalization, and punctuation as in the author's poem.
"She walks in beauty, like the night / Of cloudless climes and starry skies; / And all that’s best of dark and bright / Meet in her aspect and her eyes;" (Lord Byron).
If you see a stanza between the lines of the short poem , put a double slash to show it.
"Which heaven to gaudy day denies. // One shade the more, one ray the less, / Had half impaired the nameless grace" (Lord Byron).
When you need to quote poetry with more than 3 lines, you need to make a block quote. Just start your quote on a new line (left margin should be half an inch indented). Don't use quotation marks here and place the line breaks.
She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that’s best of dark and bright Meet in her aspect and her eyes; Thus mellowed to that tender light Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
When you make block quotes, please make sure the format is the same as in the original.
All the poems usually have a title and stanzas. Some poems may have subtitles. The title is a name given to a poem, and a subtitle may be added by the author as a second title that explains more about the whole poem. Usually, a subtitle is written in italics .
When people read a poem, they can make a common mistake: they don't read a title and go straight to the poem. They may think the subtitle of the poem is also not important at all but a title and subtitle need each other.
When you're going to read a poem, start reading its title and subtitle. Think thoroughly about what you already know about the words in the title and subtitle. Then try to make a prediction about what this poem will be about.
When you need to quote a poem, it's important to state the poet's name clearly to let the readers find the source in the References page. If you need to quote several poems from the one author, state the title of the poem you're citing.
You need to know the anthology of your chosen literature as well as many other terms before you compose your essay on a particular poem. Usually, you need to write the title of the poem and its author in the text when you write a quote. If there is any ambiguity about which poem you want to quote, you should write the poet's name and title after the quote in a parenthetical citation.
You can find poems that are published with line numbers. You can use these numbers in your quotes to locate them more precisely. In the first quote, write the word "line" but write only numbers in subsequent quotes.
"But tell of days in goodness spent, / A mind at peace with all below, / A heart whose love is innocent!" (Byron, lines 16-18).
If you see there are no numbers for lines in the poem, there is no need to count them. If the poem is long and it's published over several pages, write the page number.
"Nor need I to repine / That all those charms have pass'd away, / I might have watch'd through long decay." (Byron, 23).
If you cannot find a page number (this may happen if you're reading a poem online on the website) or if the poem is short and appears on the single page, you need to include the author's name.
"That host with their banners at sunset were seen: / Like the leaves of the forest when Autumn hath blown, / That host on the morrow lay withered and strown." (Byron).
If you have already written the title of the poem and it's author while introducing the quote, and there are no page numbers and line numbers, there is no need for a parenthetical citation.
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Academic study, especially in literature, will likely bring you to a moment when you'll need to cite a poem in an essay. When that happens, don't worry, we have you covered. We're going to look at citing poetry in the two most common citation styles, APA and MLA, including in-text citations and those required for footnotes/endnotes and Reference or Works Cited pages.
Although commonly used for citing sources within the field of behavioral and social sciences, APA is the style guide of the American Psychological Association (APA) and can be required for essays citing poetry.
For an in-text citation of a poem, APA requires that you add parentheses to the end of the quote and include the last name of the author, followed by a comma and the year of publication of the source. If you are quoting a poem that is online, you can simply use the date of publication of the poem. If you found the poem in a collection or anthology, the in-text citation should include the page number in the anthology where the poem is printed.
But we loved with a love that was more than love--
I and my Annabel Lee--
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
Coveted her and me. (Poe, 1849)
Note that since the above quoted poem is three or more lines, it is formatted within the text like a block quote. Quotation marks are not used and the poem is written exactly as it is in the source. Also note that each line is indented and the section is double spaced, with an in-text citation placed after the final punctuation of the quote.
For poetry quotes that are a single line, this should be treated like any other quote. For example:
In his poem Annabel Lee, Poe writes "But we loved with a love that was more than love--," (1849).
Notice that the in-text citation is placed before the final punctuation and the citation only includes the date since the author (Poe) has already been mentioned.
If the poetry quote contains two lines, treat it like any other quote but include a slash mark (/) where the line breaks in the original source. For example:
The author writes, "But we loved with a love that was more than love--/I and my Annabel Lee--,"(Poe, 1849).
If you found the poem in an anthology, include the poet's name, anthology publication year, poem title, editors' names, anthology name in italics, page numbers, publishing city and publisher name in the following format:
Eliot, T.S. (1970). Journey of the magi. In A. Allison and H. Barrows (Eds.), The Norton Anthology of Poetry (Third Edition) (pp. 1012-1013). New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
If you found the poem on the Web, include the poet's name, year of publication, poem title, retrieval date and web address in the following format:
Poe, E., A. (1849). Annabel Lee. Retrieved, November 30, 2019, from https://poestories.com/read/annabellee
Published by the Modern Language Association (MLA), the MLA style is often used for English studies, modern languages and literatures, literary criticism, and media studies.
For an in-text citation of a poem, MLA requires that you add parentheses to the end of the quote and include the last name of the author. However, this is where the similarity to APA style ends. After stating the name of the author, you'll need to include a comma followed by line numbers of the poem quotes. If there are no line numbers in the text, include the page number where the poem was found. Note that if you go this route, there is no comma in between the author's last name and the page number.
Coveted her and me. (Poe, lines 1-4)
As with APA style, for poetry quotes that are a single line, this should be treated like any other quote. For example:
In his poem Annabel Lee, Poe writes "But we loved with a love that was more than love--," (line 1).
Notice that the in-text citation is placed before the final punctuation and the citation only includes the line number since the author (Poe) has already been mentioned.
The author writes, "But we loved with a love that was more than love--/I and my Annabel Lee--,"(Poe, lines 3-4).
For the reference page or works cited page, include the poet's name, the name of the poem in quotation marks, anthology name, names of editors, publishing company, date of publication, and page number where the poem is found. Here's an example:
Poe, Edgar Allan. "Annabelle Lee." The Norton Anthology of Poetry, edited by A. Allison and H. Barrows, W.W. Norton & Company, 1970, p. 697.
If you found the poem on a website, include the author's last name, author's first name, name of the poem in quotation marks, the name of the website, the website's URL, and the date it was accessed. Here's an example:
Poe, Edgar Allan. "Annabel Lee." Poe Stories, https://poestories.com/read/annabellee. Accessed November 30, 2019.
How do i cite a poem in the text in mla.
An MLA in-text citation should always include the author’s last name, either in the introductory text or in parentheses after a quote .
If line numbers or page numbers are included in the original source, add these to the citation.
If you are discussing multiple poems by the same author, make sure to also mention the title of the poem (shortened if necessary). The title goes in quotation marks .
In MLA style , footnotes or endnotes can be used to provide additional information that would interrupt the flow of your text.
This can be further examples or developments of ideas you only briefly discuss in the text. You can also use notes to provide additional sources or explain your citation practice.
You don’t have to use any notes at all; only use them to provide relevant information that complements your arguments or helps the reader to understand them.
No, you should use parenthetical MLA in-text citations to cite sources. Footnotes or endnotes can be used to add extra information that doesn’t fit into your main text, but they’re not needed for citations.
If you need to cite a lot of sources at the same point in the text, though, placing these citations in a note can be a good way to avoid cluttering your text.
According to MLA format guidelines, the Works Cited page(s) should look like this:
The MLA Works Cited lists every source that you cited in your paper. Each entry contains the author , title , and publication details of the source.
No, in an MLA annotated bibliography , you can write short phrases instead of full sentences to keep your annotations concise. You can still choose to use full sentences instead, though.
Use full sentences in your annotations if your instructor requires you to, and always use full sentences in the main text of your paper .
If you’re working on a group project and therefore need to list multiple authors for your paper , MLA recommends against including a normal header . Instead, create a separate title page .
On the title page, list each author on a separate line, followed by the other usual information from the header: Instructor, course name and number, and submission date. Then write the title halfway down the page, centered, and start the text of the paper itself on the next page.
Usually, no title page is needed in an MLA paper . A header is generally included at the top of the first page instead. The exceptions are when:
In those cases, you should use a title page instead of a header, listing the same information but on a separate page.
When an online source (e.g. web page , blog post) doesn’t list a publication date , you should instead list an access date .
Unlike a publication date, this appears at the end of your MLA Works Cited entry, after the URL, e.g. “A Complete Guide to MLA Style.” Scribbr , www.scribbr.com/category/mla/. Accessed 28 Mar. 2021 .
For offline sources with no publication date shown, don’t use an access date—just leave out the date.
The level of detail you provide in a publication date in your Works Cited list depends on the type of source and the information available. Generally, follow the lead of the source—if it gives the full date, give the full date; if it gives just the year, so should you.
Books usually list the year, whereas web pages tend to give a full date. For journal articles , give the year, month and year, or season and year, depending on what information is available. Check our citation examples if you’re unsure about a particular source type.
In an MLA Works Cited list , the names of months with five or more letters are abbreviated to the first three letters, followed by a period. For example, abbreviate Feb., Mar., Apr., but not June, July.
In the main text, month names should never be abbreviated.
In your MLA Works Cited list , dates are always written in day-month-year order, with the month abbreviated if it’s five or more letters long, e.g. 5 Mar. 2018.
In the main text, you’re free to use either day-month-year or month-day-year order, as long as you use one or the other consistently. Don’t abbreviate months in the main text, and use numerals for dates, e.g. 5 March 2018 or March 5, 2018.
In most standard dictionaries , no author is given for either the overall dictionary or the individual entries, so no author should be listed in your MLA citations.
Instead, start your Works Cited entry and your MLA in-text citation with the title of the entry you’re citing (i.e. the word that’s being defined), in quotation marks.
If you cite a specialist dictionary that does list an author and/or overall editor, these should be listed in the same way as they would for other citations of books or book chapters .
Some source types, such as books and journal articles , may contain footnotes (or endnotes) with additional information. The following rules apply when citing information from a note in an MLA in-text citation :
If you cite multiple Shakespeare plays throughout your paper, the MLA in-text citation begins with an abbreviated version of the title (as shown here ), e.g. ( Oth. 1.2.4). Each play should have its own Works Cited entry (even if they all come from the same collection).
If you cite only one Shakespeare play in your paper, you should include a Works Cited entry for that play, and your in-text citations should start with the author’s name , e.g. (Shakespeare 1.1.4).
No, do not use page numbers in your MLA in-text citations of Shakespeare plays . Instead, specify the act, scene, and line numbers of the quoted material, separated by periods, e.g. (Shakespeare 3.2.20–25).
This makes it easier for the reader to find the relevant passage in any edition of the text.
When an article (e.g. in a newspaper ) appears on non-consecutive pages (e.g. starting on page 1 and continuing on page 6), you should use “pp.” in your Works Cited entry, since it’s on multiple pages, but MLA recommends just listing the first page followed by a plus sign, e.g. pp. 1+.
In an MLA style Works Cited entry for a newspaper , you can cite a local newspaper in the same way as you would a national one, except that you may have to add the name of the city in square brackets to clarify what newspaper you mean, e.g. The Gazette [Montreal].
Do not add the city name in brackets if it’s already part of the newspaper’s name, e.g. Dallas Observer .
MLA doesn’t require you to list an author for a TV show . If your citation doesn’t focus on a particular contributor, just start your Works Cited entry with the title of the episode or series, and use this (shortened if necessary) in your MLA in-text citation .
If you focus on a particular contributor (e.g. the writer or director, a particular actor), you can list them in the author position , along with a label identifying their role.
It’s standard to list the podcast’s host in the author position , accompanied by the label “host,” in an MLA Works Cited entry. It’s sometimes more appropriate to use the label “narrator,” when the podcast just tells a story without any guests.
If your citation of the podcast focuses more on the contribution of someone else (e.g. a guest, the producer), they can be listed in the author position instead, with an appropriate label.
MLA recommends citing the original source wherever possible, rather than the source in which it is quoted or reproduced.
If this isn’t possible, cite the secondary source and use “qtd. in” (quoted in) in your MLA in-text citation . For example: (qtd. in Smith 233)
If a source is reproduced in full within another source (e.g. an image within a PowerPoint or a poem in an article ), give details of the original source first, then include details of the secondary source as a container. For example:
When you want to cite a PowerPoint or lecture notes from a lecture you viewed in person in MLA , check whether they can also be accessed online ; if so, this is the best version to cite, as it allows the reader to access the source.
If the material is not available online, use the details of where and when the presentation took place.
In an MLA song citation , you need to give some sort of container to indicate how you accessed the song. If this is a physical or downloaded album, the Works Cited entry should list the album name, distributor, year, and format.
However, if you listened to the song on a streaming service, you can just list the site as a container, including a URL. In this case, including the album details is optional; you may add this information if it is relevant to your discussion or if it will help the reader access the song.
When citing a song in MLA style , the author is usually the main artist or group that released the song.
However, if your discussion focuses on the contributions of a specific performer, e.g. a guitarist or singer, you may list them as author, even if they are not the main artist. If you’re discussing the lyrics or composition, you may cite the songwriter or composer rather than a performer.
When a source has no title , this part of your MLA reference is replaced with a description of the source, in plain text (no italics or quotation marks, sentence-case capitalization).
Whenever you refer to an image created by someone else in your text, you should include a citation leading the reader to the image you’re discussing.
If you include the image directly in your text as a figure , the details of the source appear in the figure’s caption. If you don’t, just include an MLA in-text citation wherever you mention the image, and an entry in the Works Cited list giving full details.
In MLA Style , you should cite a specific chapter or work within a book in two situations:
If you cite multiple chapters or works from the same book, include a separate Works Cited entry for each chapter.
If a source has no author, start the MLA Works Cited entry with the source title . Use a shortened version of the title in your MLA in-text citation .
If a source has no page numbers, you can use an alternative locator (e.g. a chapter number, or a timestamp for a video or audio source) to identify the relevant passage in your in-text citation. If the source has no numbered divisions, cite only the author’s name (or the title).
If you already named the author or title in your sentence, and there is no locator available, you don’t need a parenthetical citation:
If a source has two authors, name both authors in your MLA in-text citation and Works Cited entry. If there are three or more authors, name only the first author, followed by et al.
Number of authors | In-text citation | Works Cited entry |
---|---|---|
1 author | (Moore 37) | Moore, Jason W. |
2 authors | (Moore and Patel 37) | Moore, Jason W., and Raj Patel. |
3+ authors | (Moore et al. 37) | Moore, Jason W., et al. |
You must include an MLA in-text citation every time you quote or paraphrase from a source (e.g. a book , movie , website , or article ).
MLA Style is the second most used citation style (after APA ). It is mainly used by students and researchers in humanities fields such as literature, languages, and philosophy.
If information about your source is not available, you can either leave it out of the MLA citation or replace it with something else, depending on the type of information.
A standard MLA Works Cited entry is structured as follows:
Only include information that is available for and relevant to your source.
Yes. MLA style uses title case, which means that all principal words (nouns, pronouns , verbs, adjectives , adverbs , and some conjunctions ) are capitalized.
This applies to titles of sources as well as the title of, and subheadings in, your paper. Use MLA capitalization style even when the original source title uses different capitalization .
The title of an article is not italicized in MLA style , but placed in quotation marks. This applies to articles from journals , newspapers , websites , or any other publication. Use italics for the title of the source where the article was published. For example:
Use the same formatting in the Works Cited entry and when referring to the article in the text itself.
In MLA style , book titles appear in italics, with all major words capitalized. If there is a subtitle, separate it from the main title with a colon and a space (even if no colon appears in the source). For example:
The format is the same in the Works Cited list and in the text itself. However, when you mention the book title in the text, you don’t have to include the subtitle.
The title of a part of a book—such as a chapter, or a short story or poem in a collection—is not italicized, but instead placed in quotation marks.
In MLA style citations , format a DOI as a link, including “https://doi.org/” at the start and then the unique numerical code of the article.
DOIs are used mainly when citing journal articles in MLA .
The MLA Handbook is currently in its 9th edition , published in 2021.
This quick guide to MLA style explains the latest guidelines for citing sources and formatting papers according to MLA.
The fastest and most accurate way to create MLA citations is by using Scribbr’s MLA Citation Generator .
Search by book title, page URL, or journal DOI to automatically generate flawless citations, or cite manually using the simple citation forms.
MLA recommends using 12-point Times New Roman , since it’s easy to read and installed on every computer. Other standard fonts such as Arial or Georgia are also acceptable. If in doubt, check with your supervisor which font you should be using.
To create a correctly formatted block quote in Microsoft Word, follow these steps:
Do not put quotation marks around the quote, and make sure to include an MLA in-text citation after the period at the end.
To format a block quote in MLA:
Then continue your text on a new line (not indented).
In MLA style , if you quote more than four lines from a source, use MLA block quote formatting .
If you are quoting poetry , use block quote formatting for any quote longer than three lines.
In the list of Works Cited , start with the poet’s name and the poem’s title in quotation marks. The rest of the citation depends on where the poem was published.
If you read the poem in a book or anthology, follow the format of an MLA book chapter citation . If you accessed the poem online, follow the format of an MLA website citation .
Only use line numbers in an MLA in-text citation if the lines are numbered in the original source. If so, write “lines” in the first citation of the poem , and only the numbers in subsequent citations.
If there are no line numbers in the source, you can use page numbers instead. If the poem appears on only one page of a book (or on a website ), don’t include a number in the citation.
To quote poetry in MLA style , introduce the quote and use quotation marks as you would for any other source quotation .
If the quote includes line breaks, mark these using a forward slash with a space on either side. Use two slashes to indicate a stanza break.
If the quote is longer than three lines, set them off from the main text as an MLA block quote . Reproduce the line breaks, punctuation, and formatting of the original.
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When you quote another writer's words, it's best to introduce or contextualize the quote.
To introduce a quote in an essay, don't forget to include author's last name and page number (MLA) or author, date, and page number (APA) in your citation. Shown below are some possible ways to introduce quotations. The examples use MLA format.
Note that in the second example below, a slash with a space on either side ( / ) marks a line break in the original poem.
Note that the first letter after the quotation marks should be upper case. According to MLA guidelines, if you change the case of a letter from the original, you must indicate this with brackets. APA format doesn't require brackets.
Avoid using says unless the words were originally spoken aloud, for instance, during an interview.
The first letter of the quotation should be lower case.
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It doesn’t take a medal to make a lasting memory.
By The New York Times
Success and failure. Exhilaration and agony. Gold, silver and bronze.
The Olympics will always turn on who won and who lost, how high and how fast and how far. But they linger in our minds long after they end for moments that might have little to do with the actual competitions.
Jordan Chiles and Simone Biles came up with the plan. They had both wanted to be on the top step of the medal stand after the final event of the women’s gymnastics competition, the floor exercise. But Biles, the favorite, had made a few mistakes, and Chiles had made a few more, so they instead became bookends to the true headliner: Rebeca Andrade of Brazil. And so a plan was hatched.
After Chiles accepted her bronze medal ( temporarily, it turned out ) and Biles her silver, Andrade was introduced as the Olympic champion. As she approached the podium — completing the first all-Black podium in Olympic gymnastics history — Biles and Chiles turned to Andrade, dropped to one knee and bowed. Afterward, they called her a queen. — JULIET MACUR
After Bobby Finke won the 1,500-meter freestyle in world-record time — preserving American men’s 120-year streak of winning at least one individual swimming gold at the Olympic Games — the NBC cameras panned to a particularly excited fan. She screamed. She pumped her fists. She clanged her cowbell.
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When quoting poetry in MLA, you have to correctly format the quote and cite the poet's name. Include page or line numbers if available.
Navigating the MLA Handbook can be pretty overwhelming; there are so many rules that regulate the way we can quote and cite poetry in MLA format in our own writing. Improper quoting and citing can even be considered a form of plagiarism. Here is a comprehensive look at the most important things you need to know to make your English teacher happy with how you quote from and cite poetry in your ...
Include the author's name, the title(s) of the poem(s), and the line number(s) in the text (for better source inte-gration) or within a parenthetical citation. In quoting four or more lines, begin the quotation on a new line indented one inch from the left margin, and reproduce each line of the poem as it appears in your source, double ...
For quotations that are more than four lines of prose or three lines of verse, place quotations in a free-standing block of text and omit quotation marks. Start the quotation on a new line, with the entire quote indented 1/2 inch from the left margin while maintaining double-spacing. Your parenthetical citation should come after the closing ...
How to Quote a Poem The basic rules for quoting a line of poetry are the same as for quoting any other source. As such, to quote a poem, you should: Place the quoted text within quotation marks. Cite the author's surname and year of publication in brackets. If available, include a page number for the quoted passage.
How to Quote Poetry in the Text The format for quoting poetry in MLA depends on how much you are quoting. If it is three lines or fewer, you can quote it in line with the rest of your text. However, you will need to include a forward slash to indicate a line break (or a double slash for a stanza break). For example:
When writing a research essay, you may want to include poetry. It can be difficult to know how to cite a poem properly since it's a particular type of resource that can be found online, in a book, or in an anthology.
Citing a Poem In-Text Poems come in all shapes and sizes. They are the size of a novel or as few as two lines. Therefore, it makes sense that citing a poem in the text of an MLA format essay takes on a few different variations.
Citing a Poem. Like other sources, poem citations begin with the poet's last name. However, there are some different MLA rules when it comes to citing lines of poetry. Works Cited. In-Text Citation Rules. In-text, Quoting 1 Line. In-text, Quoting 2-3 Lines. In-text, Quoting 4+ Lines.
The Broadview Introduction to Literature: Poetry, edited by Lisa Chalykoff, Neta Gordon, and Paul Lumsden, Broadview Press, 2013, pp. 48-49. In-Text Citation. (Author of Poem's Last Name, line (s) Line Number (s)) Example: (Donne, lines 26-28) Note: If your quotation contains more than one line from the poem use forward slashes (/) between each ...
Learn how to cite poetry in MLA style with examples and tips from Indian River State College librarians.
The rules for quoting drama and/or poetry in Modern Language Association (MLA) Style differ from those for quoting the genre of prose. This article discusses rules for using MLA style to format quotes from drama and poetry. Consult the MLA Handbook to learn more. Quoting Poetry The MLA Handbook offers specific guidelines for quoting poetry.
If you want to quote fewer than 40 words of a poem in your essay, the quote should be enclosed in quotation marks. You do not need to start a new line to set off the quote.
Here is a quick and comprehensive guide to help you cite a quote from a poem or a poem in your essay or paper in MLA format.
MLA and APA formatting guide for citing a work of poetry. Click to learn how to cite different types of poem lines based on examples.
Learn how to properly cite and quote poems in academic writing. This comprehensive guide provides insights into citing short and long quotes, including the poem title, and adhering to MLA style guidelines. Whether you are a student, writer, or literature enthusiast, this guide will help you enhance your writing and maintain academic integrity.
Citing and Quoting a Poem in MLA Format -How to properly cite a quote in MLA format from a poem The basic format for an i n-text citation of a poem in MLA is to include the author's last name and the page number (s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken. The author's name can be mentioned in the sentence or enclosed in parentheses, while the page number (s) should always appear ...
Step 1. Cite the poem in-text by writing the poet's last name in parentheses, followed by a comma, the year of the anthology or edition's publication and the page number you are quoting. Do not cite the specific line in APA. If you name the poet in-text, write the year of publication in parentheses after the poet's name and write the page ...
Look through these useful prompts and example of how to cite a poem line or separate phrases in your academic essays.
When you quote a source, you have to introduce the quote, enclose it in quotation marks, and correctly cite it.
For an in-text citation of a poem, APA requires that you add parentheses to the end of the quote and include the last name of the author, followed by a comma and the year of publication of the source. If you are quoting a poem that is online, you can simply use the date of publication of the poem. If you found the poem in a collection or ...
How do I cite a poem in the text in MLA? An MLA in-text citation should always include the author's last name, either in the introductory text or in parentheses after a quote. If line numbers or page numbers are included in the original source, add these to the citation. If you are discussing multiple poems by the same author, make sure to ...
How To Quote In An Essay? To introduce a quote in an essay, don't forget to include author's last name and page number (MLA) or author, date, and page number (APA) in your citation. Shown below are some possible ways to introduce quotations. The examples use MLA format.
The men's 200-meter final had ended and Noah Lyles had won the bronze. But suddenly that was not the story. Lyles dropped to a knee and then onto his back on the track, gasping for breath.