where to cite
when you write a research paper, you cite your sources in 2 places: the works cited page and in the text of your paper.
- the works cited page lists every source used in the paper.
- in-text (parenthetical) citations directly reference one specific source.
works cited (or references) page
the works cited page lists every source that you use in your paper. for most courses, your professor will require you to use either mla or apa as your citation style. in mla, the list of sources is titled the works cited page; in apa, it is titled the references page.
here is an example citation from a works cited (reference) page in mla and apa formats:
mla:
apa:
notice that, while the citations look different, they contain the same basic information - author, date, title of article, title of journal, journal volume, journal issue, and pages. mla style requires the additional information of database, format, and date of access. if you need help citing your sources, the purdue online writing lab (owl) is a great resource.
in-text citations
in-text, or parenthetical, citations are used to cite quotes or information within the text of a paper.
here is an example parenthetical citation in mla and apa formats:
mla:
apa:
additional resources
- why we citea short multimedia presentation from the writing center at unc-chapel hill.