The Modern Language Association citation style is commonly used in the humanities and is the standard taught in our Composition sequence. Standards like MLA, Harvard, APA and others strive to give uniformity to academic work, encourage and promote clarity, and carry visual information on the nature of the work one is reading.

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Learning such standards is tedious work, but respecting these practical rules is expected and required. Just like one is rarely granted a second chance to make a first impression, your writing will be evaluated, first, by its look. Your ability and willingness to follow rules and pay attention to detail is also the first indication of the kind of student, scholar, or employee you are likely to be. This may sound unfair; in fact, this is often the product of very practical considerations.

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Imagine an Editor looking at dozens of articles submitted for publication in a newspaper or magazine, or a Human Resources officer evaluating hundreds of applications and CVs submitted in response to a job announcement; they will have limited time to choose the more likely shortlist candidates, so separating those who, at first look, seem to know what they are doing from those who clearly do not, will be the first step. Article submissions that do not follow editorial guidelines, or letters and CVs that appear unprofessional and haphazard, will be the first to fall into the dustbin. Once you pass this first scrutiny, then, perhaps, you will have an opportunity to demonstrate your unique personality, skills, and talents.

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With MLA and other standards, the point is not to learn all formatting rules by heart, but to know that they exist, what they are about, and where to find them. Here, you will find examples of the most commonly used forms in formatting, quoting, and citing.