Understanding MLA In-Text Citations

What is the primary purpose of an in-text citation in MLA format?

• To provide a detailed biography of the author

• To identify the source of specific information within the text

• To decorate the text

• To list all the sources used in the writing process

How should you format an in-text citation if the author's name is already mentioned in the sentence?

• No citation is needed

• Repeat the author's name in parentheses

• Include only the page number in parentheses

• Include the author's name and page number in parentheses

What do you do if a source has three or more authors?

• Only include the first author followed by 'et al.'

• List all authors in the citation

• Cite only the first and last author

• Only include the last author's name

How do you cite a source that doesn't have an author?

• Use 'Anonymous' as the author

• Use 'No author' in place of the author's name

• Skip the citation

• Cite the first element of the Works Cited entry

In MLA format, how are titles of self-contained works like books formatted in citations?

• In bold

• In quotation marks

• In italics

• Underlined

What should you do if the source lacks page numbers but is divided into numbered sections?

• Use the section number instead of page numbers

• Invent page numbers for citation

• Omit the citation entirely

• Cite the entire work instead of the specific section

If citing more than one work by the same author, how do you signal which source you are referring to?

• By including a shortened title

• By using the author's first name

• By adding the publication year

• By citing the entire Works Cited entry

How do you distinguish between two authors with the same last name?

• By the title of their work

• By their profession

• By using the authors' initials or full first names

• By the publication date

What should you do if you cannot access the original source of a quotation?

• Name both the original and the secondary source

• Invent details for the original source

• Cite the secondary source only

• Omit the citation

What abbreviation is used to indicate a quotation found in a secondary source?

• "sec. in"

• "src. in"

• "qtd. in"

• "qt. from"