In MLA format, a parenthetical citation includes the author's last name and the page number(s) where the quoted or paraphrased information is found in the source. This citation is placed at the end of the sentence, before the final punctuation.
This is an example of a parenthetical citation in MLA form:
"The hatred between whites and Indians resulted mainly from misunderstandings stemming from deep-seated cultural differences." (Nardo 13)
Nardo is the Author's last name and 13 is the page number in the book from where I got the citation.
Using MLA cite style, referring to the works of other authors in the research paper should be done with a parenthetical citation. When referring to other works, the source should be in parentheses after the quote or paraphrase.
The proper way to format an in-text parenthetical citation using the MLA style is to include the last name of the author and the page number from which the reference was taken.
("Values")
(Plante 87)
(Plante 87)
After the closing parentheses for the in-text citation.
(Frimpong 25)
(Reed)
("Frolicking Phenomenon" 1).
In MLA style, an author-page style parenthetical citation should include the author's last name and the page number(s) from the source. A parenthetical citation for a print source (books, magazines, scholarly journal articles, newspapers) with a known author should include a signal word or phrase (usually the author's last name) and a page number. A parenthetical citation for print source with no known author should include a shortened title of the work and a page number. Other things that may need to be included in a parenthetical citation include information about the edition of the source, a first initial if authors have the same last name, the volume number if citing from different volumes of a multi-volume work, and, when citing the Bible, the version you are using along with book, chapter, and verse.
According to MLA guidelines, a long quotation should be indented 1 inch from the left margin, double spaced, and without quotation marks. Additionally, the citation for the long quotation should be placed after the closing punctuation mark.
It is unnecessary to follow a direct quotation with a parenthetical citation that includes the name of the source when the source is already well-known to the audience or when it is clear from the context of the writing where the information is coming from.
A parenthetical citation is used when you need to cite a source within the body of your text. It usually includes the author's last name and the year of publication. This type of citation helps readers locate the full reference in the bibliography or works cited page.