any students cite their work accurately, but don’t properly place the citations. This is like answering a question correctly, but by shouting it at the top of your lungs while jumping up and down. It discredits you.

Here are three typical mistakes:

  • According to the New York Times, “Kelly Clarkson is back on top.” (Sisario)
  • According to the New York Times, “Kelly Clarkson is back on top (Sisario)”.
  • According to the New York Times, “Kelly Clarkson is back on top (Sisario).”

The difference is simple: the citations goes inside the sentence but outside the quotation. Here’s the correct way:

  • According to the New York Times, “Kelly Clarkson is back on top” (Sisario).

Learn More…

For help on how to format in-text citations, see our MLA in-text citation guides: MLA In-Text Citations.