An MLA in-text citation is used to give credit to a source that is used in formal writing. It will include the last name of the author and the page number(s) of the text being quoted followed by a period. In-text citations are used following a direct quote or a paraphrase of information. The information is listed inside parentheses and is followed by the period which ends the sentence. Remember that when you take words exactly from a source it is a direct quote and MUST be put in quotation marks to signify that it is another person's exact words. If you paraphrase, or put the authors words into your words, you do not use quotation marks, but you still use a citation to show that the information was learned from the book you are using.
EXAMPLE (direct quote): Jones argues that people "must go to the shop in order to understand the meaning behind the idea" (Smith 16).
EXAMPLE (paraphrase): One of the ideas that he talks about concerns people going to the owner's shop. If they want to understand his ideas, they have to listen to what he says (Smith 16).
A. is not an MLA in-text citation because it does not have the citation listed in parentheses. Also, it does not list the author (or if no author the title) of the work
B. is not an MLA in-text citation because there is not actually a citation following the quote.
C. is a correct MLA in-text citation because it has both the author's last name and the page number inside parentheses and followed by a period.
D. is not a correct MLA in-text citation because it doesn't list the author (or if no author the title) of the work. It only includes the page number inside parentheses followed by a period.
