how do you cite a thesis in mla

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How to Cite a Thesis or Dissertation in MLA

Citing a thesis or dissertation.

Thesis – A document submitted to earn a degree at a university.

Dissertation – A document submitted to earn an advanced degree, such as a doctorate, at a university.

The formatting for thesis and dissertation citations is largely the same. However, you should be sure to include the type of degree after the publication year as supplemental information. For instance, state if the source you are citing is an undergraduate thesis or a PhD dissertation.

MLA Thesis and Dissertation Citation Structure (print)

Last, First M.  Title of the Thesis/Dissertation. Year Published. Name of University, type of degree.

MLA Thesis and Dissertation Citation Structure (online)

Last, First M.  Title of the Thesis/Dissertation. Year Published. Name of University, type of degree.  Website Name , URL.

Wilson, Peggy Lynn. Pedagogical Practices in the Teaching of English Language in Secondary Public Schools in Parker County . 2011. University of Maryland, PhD dissertation.

In-text Citation Structure

(Author Last Name page #)

In-text Citation Example

(Wilson 14)

MLA Formatting Guide

MLA Formatting

• Annotated Bibliography
• Bibliography
• Block Quotes
• et al Usage
• In-text Citations
• Paraphrasing
• Page Numbers
• Sample Paper
• Works Cited
• MLA 8 Updates
• MLA 9 Updates
• View MLA Guide

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• Journal Article
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MLA 9th Edition Style Guide: Dissertation/Thesis

• Generic Section Labels
• Inclusive Language
• Publisher Abbreviations
• Formatting your Paper
• Annotated Bibliography
• Social Media
• Audiovisual
• Personal Communication

Dissertation/Thesis

• News Publication
• Classroom Material
• Conference Proceedings and Papers
• Footnotes and Endnotes
• Tables and Figures
• Useful Links

Njus, Jesse. Performing the Passion: A Study on the Nature of Medieval Acting . 2010. Northwestern U,

MA thesis.  ProQuest , search.proquest.com/docview/305212264?accountid=7432.

Dissertation

PhD dissertation.  ProQuest , search.proquest.com/docview/305212264?accountid=7432.

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Mla 8th ed. style guide: dissertations, theses.

• Art, Photography, Music
• Business Resources
• Dissertations, Theses
• Emails, Social Media
• Film, Television, Video
• Journal, Newspaper, & Magazine Articles
• Legal Sources
• Parenthetical (in-text) Citations
• Web Sites, Blogs
• Need more help?

Essential Elements

Citations for dissertations/master's theses should include the following:

1. Name of Author 

2. Title of dissertation/thesis (italicized)

3. Date of Publication

5. Institution granting the degree (optional)

6. Description of the work (optional)

7. Database and URL if accessed through a database or repository

Sample Citation - Dissertations

Dissertations

The institution granting the degree and description of the work are optional. If you accessed the work online, include that information. 

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How to Cite Your Sources

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MLA (9th ed.)

The mla style comes from the modern language association and is primarily used in the humanities and arts., mla handbook plus is available online through the library to help you cite every source..

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• Works Cited List
• Works Cited: Books & Articles

Works Cited: Online Sources

• Works Cited: MLA Core Elements Template

In-Text Citations

Works cited.

Your Works Cited page includes every item you have cited in text and provides as much bibliographic information as you're able to find so your readers can locate the sources themselves.

Page Format

• Title: Works Cited
• Page title is center-justified on the page, entries are left-justified with a hanging indent (second and subsequent lines indented) of a half-inch.
• Entries listed alphabetically by author, or title of source if no author name.

Reference Format

The core elements of a journal/periodical article citation:, author. “article title.” journal title , vol. n , no. n , [year], pp. n-n . [location]..

Note that if the article is from the publisher website (which is considered self-contained) the URL falls within the punctuation following the page number(s).

Common Questions

• If you're citing an online source, note that including the date you accessed the website is encouraged only when there's no publication date and you can't guarantee the website will still be there in the future. (See Supplemental Elements .)
• A platform such as Canvas is only the container if the item has been published through it: a Library database publishes the full text of an article, but Canvas is only the means through which you might read it. However, a lecture posted to Canvas would be considered published through Canvas and you'd then include the platform as the "container" in your citation. (See Journal/Source Title .)
• PDFs are not considered a separate source type in MLA as instead they're the medium through which you're reading the source itself, such as a book chapter or journal article. In general, the Location field will direct your reader to the primary version of the document through URL or DOI. But if there are multiple versions of the document, include "PDF download" at the end of your citation in the Supplemental Element field to tell your reader which version you are citing.

More info about...

Author | document title | journal/source title (container) | contributor | version | number | publisher | publication date | location | supplemental elements.

Find more about these topics at the MLA Handbook sections mentioned throughout.

More info: MLA Handbook 5.3-22

• Smith, Max.
• Smith, Max, and Sam Jones.
• Smith, Max, et al.
• Matsuo, Bashō.
• Ngũgĩ wa Thiongʼo.
• Online handles: add in square brackets after author name, unless author name and handle are similar.
• U.S. Department of Education.

DOCUMENT TITLE

More info: MLA Handbook 5.23-30

• “Tapping the Youth Vote.”
• No title? Write a “concise but informative description of the work” (MLA Handbook)
• Subtitle? Sometimes not obvious, so check the copyright page if available.

JOURNAL/SOURCE TITLE (which MLA calls the Container of the document)

More info: MLA Handbook 5.31-37

• Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.
• 1 container : article read in print journal, tv show aired on tv, short story read in an anthology
• 2 containers : journal article in database, tv show on platform, chapter in edited anthology read on a website
• Works considered self-contained : book read in print, manuscript read in person, movie watched in a theater
• What is not a container - things that didn’t publish the thing you’re reading. That is to say, Canvas is not a container of a link to article but it IS the container for a lecture video published in the course shell.

CONTRIBUTOR if applicable

More info: MLA Handbook 5.38-47

• Translators, editors

VERSION if applicable

More info: MLA Handbook 5.48-50

• Edition, if an e-book

NUMBER if part of a sequence

More info: MLA Handbook 5.51-53

• vol. 12, no. 1,
• season 3, episode 4,

More info: MLA Handbook 5.54-67

• Website platform
• It's ongoing - you don't need to list a publisher for a journal because it's an ongoing periodical
• The website and publisher names are the same
• It's a platform others use to put their stuff up (such as YouTube)

PUBLICATION DATE

More info: MLA Handbook 5.68-83

• 4 Aug. 2022.

LOCATION if applicable

More info: MLA Handbook 5.84-99

Location makes reference to the container(s) of the work:

• Journal articles from a publisher website have one container - the journal, made available by the publisher, and the location is the DOI or permalink.
• Journal articles from a Library database have two containers - the journal and the database.

Formatting notes:

• No further location information needed if in print.
• PDF or found online? Add DOI/permalink/URL.
• But if you can't find the DOI or one doesn't exist, use the article permalink : https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciimmunol.abo3420
• Online sources considered SELF-CONTAINED (such as from the publisher's website) : As the DOI/URL/permalink is the location of the self-contained work, it falls within the punctuation following the page number(s).
• MLA Handbook . 9th ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2021.
• E-books you read through a database or platform will use the database or platform and URL as the location.

SUPPLEMENTAL ELEMENTS if applicable

More info: MLA Handbook 5.105-119

• Contributor, original publication date, section of a work
• Date of access for online item but only if there's no given publication date or if the website/item might disappear
• More details about the document type (publication status, whether it's a thesis or dissertation, etc.)
• PDF : "[I]f you view a file type, such as a PDF, other than the one presented as the default version of the work on a page where other versions of the work are available, include PDF download, supplementary material , or a similar description in the supplemental element." ( MLA Handbook, 5.112 )

Works Cited: Books and Articles

These are some commonly used source types and how they're formatted. Remember that your Works Cited references will require a hanging indent (second and subsequent lines indented) of a half-inch.

Source type: Print book | E-book | Scholarly article | Newspaper article | Magazine article

Newspaper article from the website; one author.

Astor, Maggie. “What’s on the Minds of 12 Young Voters.” The New York Times , 19 Oct. 2022. NYTimes.com , https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/19/us/politics/young-voters.html.

E-book from a database; one author

Cahill, Cathleen D. Recasting the Vote : How Women of Color Transformed the Suffrage Movement . E-book. The University of North Carolina Press, 2020. EBSCOhost , https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e000xna&AN=2432685&site=ehost-live.  

Newspaper article from a database; one author

Gross, Neil. “Does College Make You Vote?” Chronicle of Higher Education , vol. 59, 24 Nov. 2012, p. B2. EBSCOhost , https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=83623976&site=ehost-live.  

Scholarly article from a database; multiple authors

Larson, Lincoln R., et al. “The Future of Wildlife Conservation Funding: What Options Do U.S. College Students Support?” Conservation Science & Practice , vol. 3, no. 10, Oct. 2021, pp. 1–12. EBSCOhost , https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.505.  

Magazine article from a database; one author

Padilla, Dynahlee. “Tapping the Youth Vote.” Diverse: Issues in Higher Education , vol. 37, no. 18, Oct. 2020, pp. 20–21. EBSCOhost , https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=146573844&site=ehost-live.  

Print book ; two authors

Shea, Daniel M., and John Clifford Green. Fountain of Youth: Strategies and Tactics for Mobilizing America's Young Voters . Rowman & Littlefield, 2007.  

Scholarly article from a database; two authors

Spagnuolo, Natalie, and Fady Shanouda. “Who Counts and Who Is Counted? Conversations around Voting, Access, and Divisions in the Disability Community.” Disability & Society , vol. 32, no. 5, June 2017, pp. 701–19. EBSCOhost , https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2017.1324765.  

Wolfe, Rob. “America’s Best Colleges for Student Voting.” Washington Monthly , vol. 54, no. 9/10, Sept. 2022, pp. 60–63. EBSCOhost , https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=158554880&site=ehost-live.

These are some commonly used online source types and how they're formatted. Remember that your Works Cited references will require a hanging indent (second and subsequent lines indented) of a half-inch.

• Access date : If you're citing an online source, note that including the date you accessed the website is encouraged only when there's no publication date and you can't guarantee the website will still be there in the future.
• Containers : For online sources, the MLA handbook states "A website is a container only when it serves as the platform of publication of the particular version of the work you consult" ( MLA Handbook 5.34 ; emphasis added). In that case, you will include the URL/DOI/permalink within the punctuation of the original container (such as a newspaper or website).

Section of a website

“New Jersey.” Ballotpedia , https://ballotpedia.org/New_Jersey. Accessed 18 Oct. 2022.  

Entire website

Ballotpedia , https://ballotpedia.org/Main_Page. Accessed 18 Oct. 2022.  

Government info from a government website

“Electoral College History.” National Archives , 18 Nov. 2019, https://www.archives.gov/electoral-college/history.  

Newspaper article from the newspaper website

Astor, Maggie. “What’s on the Minds of 12 Young Voters.” The New York Times , 19 Oct. 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/19/us/politics/young-voters.html.

MLA Core Elements

MLA formats each work cited using a set of core elements that are included in the citation if applicable and punctuated appropriately.

Find more details about the core elements in the MLA Handbook Plus or use the fill-in template below.

• MLA Interactive Practice Template (MLA 9) "The template is a tool for teaching and learning MLA style, not a citation generator. To verify that your entry is correct, consult the MLA Handbook."

In-text citations are a brief parenthetical reference within the text of your paper that includes the author name and page number so your reader knows where to find the source of your information.

The author name points your reader to the source citation on the works cited list, and the page number shows where in the source you found the quotation or text you used.

More info on in-text citations: MLA Handbook 6.31-77

Example article used throughout : Niemi, Richard G., and Michael J. Hanmer. “Voter Turnout Among College Students: New Data and a Rethinking of Traditional Theories.” Social Science Quarterly , vol. 91, no. 2, June 2010, pp. 301–23. EBSCOhost , https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6237.2010.00694.x.

Quoting or paraphrasing the source

Parentheses are placed within the sentence punctuation and include author's last name and the page number where the relevant text is found..

• Quote: “ Traditional theories about voter turnout do not always fit well with the unique characteristics of college students" (Niemi and Hanmer 303).
• Paraphrase: The voting habits of college students sometimes conflict with more general ideas about voters (Niemi and Hanmer 303).

Articles with more than 3+ authors are referred to in the parenthetical with the first author surname and et al. : (Larson et al. 2).

Attributing the author in text

Parentheses are placed within the sentence punctuation and include only the page number as the author is mentioned in text through use of a signal phrase ..

In the case of 3+ authors , "you may list all the names or provide the name of the first collaborator followed by 'and others' or 'and colleagues.'" ( MLA Handbook Plus 6.5 )

In 2010, Niemi and Hanmer noted that college students are not studied as often as older voters (303).

• Signal and Lead-in Phrases (Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)) A handy list of words and phrases from the Purdue OWL you can use to signal to your reader that you're about to cite a source.

Long quotations (more than 4 lines of prose or 3+ lines of verse)

Indent quotation half an inch from left margin. if the author name is used in text, put just the page number in parentheses following sentence punctuation. if the author name is not used in text, include in parentheses following sentence punctuation..

Niemi and Hanmer observe that

[w]ith the age of college students almost invariant and the meaning and measurement of their education and mobility questionable, several key variables used in models of voter turnout may well not account for varying rates of turnout among college students. Though there is considerable variation among students in hours worked, most student jobs do not mirror the careers they will ultimately obtain, so labor force participation may also be of limited explanatory power. (304)

Writing Help from the WCC

• Using Quotations (Stevens WCC) How to incorporate quotations into your paper from the Stevens Writing & Communication Center. (Note: intranet site; must be logged into myStevens for access.)
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How To Cite A Thesis MLA: Expert Tips And Guidelines

One of the biggest academic crimes is quoting or summarizing someone’s work without giving them due credit. This is known as plagiarism and could cut your academic career short in a ruthless way. To eliminate the chances of this happening, you need to cite your sources for your thesis or dissertation properly.

While a thesis is a document that precedes earning your degree at the university, a dissertation is a more advanced form for earning higher degrees like a doctorate. It’s time to find out everything you need to know about citing a thesis MLA correctly using our simple and straightforward guide.

Table of Contents

What you should know about mla.

• 1.1 Headers
• 1.2 Paper formatting
• 1.3 Creating your title page
• 1.4 Including page numbers and a running head while citing in MLA
• 1.5 Using quotations
• 1.6 Citing various media in MLA thesis

Best Way To Cite Your Thesis Or Dissertation

The first step in knowing how to cite a thesis MLA is to know exactly what the MLA format means.

The MLA format means Modern Language Association format. It is one of the most popular citation methods in thesis and dissertations. No worries, it’s actually pretty easy to master as well. If you have to write research papers on subjects in the field of humanities, chances are you would have to use the MLA format. So far, there are thousands of magazines, newsletters, and scholarly journals cited in the MLA format.

Therefore, an MLA thesis can be a master’s level work and a shorter version of research work that’s compulsory before getting an undergraduate degree. Regardless of the purpose, being in the humanities discipline will almost always guarantee that you would have to learn how to cite a thesis MLA.

If you’re writing a standard research project for your MLA thesis, there are specifications that you must adhere to. From the headers and margin size to the location of the listed names and the format for listing, you need to pay attention to these details while citing your dissertation in MLA format.

Thankfully, many schools hold research seminars to guide students on citing a dissertation MLA the right way. Although your university may have given out handbooks to help you master the MLA format for your thesis, it’s always best to also explore online guides. Getting as familiar as possible with the MLA format will definitely pay off in the long run when you have a finished thesis with absolutely no mistakes.

However, if you don’t really need or want that skill, you can custom thesis writing help and spend your free time to reach for your own goals.

Guide To MLA Citation Dissertation

Here is a detailed walk through on how to do MLA citations correctly:

Be sure that the space from the top of the first page to the first line is one inch Your full name, instructor’s name, course, and date should be on separate lines and double spaced. The title should not be in bold or underlined. Also, do not type the title in capital letters. No period is necessary after your headings or the title of your paper. Indent your paragraphs

John Berlin Professor Tokyo Sociology 502 20 February 2022 The Effects of COVID-19 in the Adoption of Remote Work It’s no secret that COVID-19 has changed the future of work as we know it. Now, it’s not a big deal to have people work from home instead of getting all dressed up for a typical 9-5 workday.

Recommended paper size is 8 ½-by-11-inch. Only one-inch margins are permitted for all pages. This is usually a default setting in most word processing programs. One-half-inch indentations are mandatory for the first word of every paragraph. Only use double spacing throughout your research paper. The standard font size is 12 points, and it’s best to use a font type that is easy to read. Recommended fonts are Times New Roman and Arial.

Align the title to the center of the page without italics, bold, or underlined fonts. If your title includes the title of another source, you may include quotation marks or italics. Every text on the title page should be double spaced Use the title case format for your titles, which means capitalizing only the first letter of each word. Your full name, instructor’s name, the course title, and due date of the assignment should be on separate lines at the bottom third of the page.

Your last name should come before the page number and be separated by a single space. While this usually begins on the second page, your professor may specifically request that you include the running head on the first page as well.

The name of the author shouldn’t be included in the sentence. Instead, this should be in parentheses after the sentence The quotes represent the direct statement or words of the author.

As the main character, we can get a bigger glimpse into his state of confusion when he states, “Nothing could have prepared me for the rude shock when I realized that the machine could double as my beginning and end” (Cesaro 254).

Place the image as close to the text as possible. Label the image starting with “Fig.” Include the MLA bibliography format citation below the image if you don’t plan to list it on the works cited page

Fig. 3. The Isle. “Geography of history’s most beautiful site, Paris.” Library of France, www.lof.gov/image/7373963/.

For both thesis and dissertations, the MLA format is usually the same. You will be required to state the type of degree you’re writing the paper for. This could be a Ph.D. dissertation or an undergraduate thesis. There are also crucial differences in citing your dissertation in MLA format if your source is a print document or gotten online. Here is an excellent example of how to cite your thesis in MLA.

Last Name, First, and Middle Name. Title of the Dissertation/Thesis. Year of Publication. University, Degree type.

Last Name, First, and Middle Name. Title of the Dissertation/Thesis. Year of Publication. University, Degree type. Name of Website, URL.

Here are some examples to give you a better idea of how this citation works:

Edsel, Colin Perry. A Study of the Role of Students of Economics in Determining the Impact of Supply and Demand in Advanced Societies. 2014. University of Westminster, BSc thesis. Edsel, Colin Perry. A Study of the Role of Students of Economics in Determining the Impact of Supply and Demand in Advanced Societies. 2014. University of Westminster, Ph.D. dissertation. Edsel, Colin Perry. A Study of the Role of Students of Economics in Determining the Impact of Supply and Demand in Advanced Societies. 2014. University of Westminster, Ph.D. dissertation. Statistics in Motion, www.statisticsinmotion.com/role-of-students-of-economics.

For in-text citations, you should follow this structure:

(Last Name of the Author page number)

Here is an example of in-text citation:

(Cesaro 254)

Citing MLA Thesis Help

So far, this detailed guide has introduced you to the structure necessary for citing a dissertation in MLA format. However, it’s okay if you’re still a little confused about how to go about this successfully. This is where a reliable dissertation service comes in. While you can get all the tips you need on how to cite a thesis paper in MLA format from your college, professor, teacher, or even other students at school, you can take advantage of possibility to pay for thesis .

All you have to do is order for your custom dissertation or thesis, and you’ll be assigned experts online that are ready to deliver within a short time. In all of these, it’s essential to pay extra attention to the specific instructions of your teacher or professor as the guidelines here are recommendations to help you achieve the best work. If this doesn’t follow the structure laid down by your college or university, you may end up missing vital marks.

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Guide on How to Cite a Thesis or Dissertation in MLA

Students and homework are synonymous in learning institutions today. Any high school or college student is no stranger to the different writing styles used when writing thesis and dissertations . However, you shouldn’t worry if you’re unfamiliar with these writing styles, as you’ll learn about them during your academic career. However, one format stands out among the various writing styles for being relatively easier to follow and implement. This article will discuss this commonly used MLA format and answer the question on how to cite a thesis paper MLA, “where does the thesis go in MLA format?” and, more so, the MLA format for thesis papers. Let’s begin.

What Is the MLA Dissertation Citation Background?

Who uses mla thesis formatting, how do you write a title page in thesis mla format, does a thesis mla format contain a summary, is mla dissertation citation complicated, does mla thesis format simplify your project, why use mla thesis citation, why your examiner wants a good mla citation thesis, advantages of using mla cite dissertation, we can help you cite a thesis mla.

Many students search “how to cite thesis MLA” or ” how to cite dissertation MLA” on the internet but don’t know what those three letters stand for. The letter MLA stands for Modern Language Association , an organization of language or literature scholars. This organization is responsible for publishing various journals in the Ph.D. format.

Perhaps this organization is mainly known for the general writing guidelines that its publication editors came up with. It all started when some literature scholars acknowledged the need of having a standard format for papers. They then came up with this format and asked their students to present their thesis statements in MLA format.

The thesis MLA format, MLA cite thesis, or citing a dissertation MLA  may be a common writing style; however, it’s commonly used in the liberal arts and humanities. Here are the disciplines in which writers use the thesis MLA format example in their writing:

• Cultural studies
• Literary criticism
• Foreign languages
• English literature

Another advantage of citing dissertation MLA is the simplicity of making a title page. Unlike in other formats where the requirements for a title page are complicated, you only need your name, course name, instructor’s name, and the date. Remember to use the Times New Roman font with a measurement of 12 and double-space your work when using an MLA dissertation cite.

When using an MLA citation thesis or citing a thesis using this format, a summary is not necessary for other writing styles. Writing a summary is a task that many students find challenging or tedious as it is meant to be a stand-alone paper from your original assignment. However, when citing a dissertation MLA, the summary is not required, thus saving the student time and energy spent working on another paper.

Citing a thesis MLA or an MLA citation dissertation is easy to cite and reference your sources. MLA is simpler than other writing styles, such as the Harvard or Chicago style, where you must use complicated methods of citing and referencing your sources. Additionally, the reader can follow through with your ideas and identify your sources easily without turning pages or following certain numbers.

It’s also simpler to write your bibliography or works cited when using the MLA format as its only requirement is that the sources need to be in Alphabetical order.

This format aims to make students’ work clear and easy to follow by creating a framework for standardized methods of citations. An MLA thesis format example also creates a framework for putting down your bibliography with the help of a cite master at the end of the essay. This format also makes it easier to follow a paper through well-known cues. These cues help with easy referencing outsourced information.

When learning how to cite a master’s thesis MLA or how to cite a thesis in MLA, it’s important to learn why the format is the most common style for students online. Here are some of the reasons why you should use the MLA format thesis in your dissertation:

• To help you get a better grade, follow the required citation format in your MLA works cited thesis.
• To show your knowledge or skill by demonstrating that you are conversant with various methods of citing references.
• To show where you borrowed your ideas from, thus, preventing plagiarism.

The simple MLA rules have morphed into the guidelines used by all students worldwide in their MLA thesis statements. Examiners want you to follow the right MLA format for your thesis paper because:

• It enables them to follow through with your ideas and helps them find specific areas of your paper easily.
• It shows the student’s ability to present a professionally done paper and your knowledge of the writing style.

As previously mentioned, the MLA citation thesis format is students’ most common writing style. There are several benefits of using the MLA thesis style that make students type “how to cite a thesis MLA” or “how to cite a dissertation MLA” on their browsers.

Here are some of the advantages of how to cite a thesis using MLA format:

• Has no operating head: Unlike the headers required when you cite a dissertation APA, the process of putting a header is not applicable in MLA. This makes formatting your assignments much easier than it would use other formats.
• Fewer rules to follow: Unlike its counterparts, such as the Chicago or APA writing style, citing a dissertation, MLA has far fewer rules to remember. This makes it easier for students to cite thesis MLA correctly. Its simplicity makes it the best-suited writing style for those writing lengthy essays.

Do you need help citing a dissertation MLA or any other academic service, including writing a thesis statement in MLA format? If so, look no further, as we have a team full of experts ready to help you out with your thesis or dissertation. You can get in touch with us any day of the week for an MLA thesis example or the answer to “do you include Ph.D. in MLA citation?”

In your quest to learn how to format a thesis, how to cite a thesis, or how to cite a thesis, remember that MLA format is best suited for those who have never used writing styles before. You can always refer to us and we will help you with your Ph.D. formatting using the MLA format for help.

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How do I cite an anonymously translated poem?

If a translator’s name is not provided in the source, then skip that element in your works-cited-list entry. Follow the MLA template of core elements , leaving the translator’s name out of the Contributor element:

Baudelaire, Charles. “Autumn.”  My Poetic Side , mypoeticside.com/show-classic-poem-2171.

Crediting authors and contributors is essential, so if you know the work you are citing has been translated, always be sure to check the source thoroughly to see if a translator’s name is included anywhere.

Citation guides

All you need to know about citations

How to cite an honors thesis in MLA

To cite an honors thesis in a reference entry in MLA style 9th edition include the following elements:

• Author(s) name: Give the last name and name as presented in the source (e. g. Watson, John). For two authors, reverse only the first name, followed by ‘and’ and the second name in normal order (e. g. Watson, John, and John Watson). For three or more authors, list the first name followed by et al. (e. g. Watson, John, et al.)
• Thesis title: Titles are italicized when independent. If part of a larger source add quotation marks and do not italize.
• Year of publication: Give the year of publication as presented in the source.
• University: Give the name of the institution.
• Degree: Type of degree.

Here is the basic format for a reference list entry of an honors thesis in MLA style 9th edition:

Author(s) name . Thesis title . Year of publication . University , Degree .

Take a look at our works cited examples that demonstrate the MLA style guidelines in action:

An undergraduate honors thesis with one author

Stevens, Indira . Iron Complexes for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation . 2019 . William and Mary U , Undergraduate honors thesis .

An undergraduate honors thesis with two authors

Zhang, Irene Y., and Richard D. Goffin . Evil Geniuses at Work: Does Intelligence Interact with the Dark Triad to Predict Workplace Deviance? 2018 . Western U , Undergraduate honors thesis .

This citation style guide is based on the MLA Handbook (9 th edition).

More useful guides

• MLA 8th ed. Style Guide: Dissertations, Theses
• MLA, 8th Edition: Master's Thesis or Project
• How do I cite a dissertation in MLA style?

More great BibGuru guides

• Chicago: how to cite a podcast
• AMA: how to cite a government report
• APA: how to cite a book

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• How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

Published on April 8, 2022 by Courtney Gahan and Jack Caulfield. Revised on June 1, 2023.

Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s ideas into your own words. Paraphrasing a source involves changing the wording while preserving the original meaning.

Paraphrasing is an alternative to  quoting (copying someone’s exact words and putting them in quotation marks ). In academic writing, it’s usually better to integrate sources by paraphrasing instead of quoting. It shows that you have understood the source, reads more smoothly, and keeps your own voice front and center.

Every time you paraphrase, it’s important to cite the source . Also take care not to use wording that is too similar to the original. Otherwise, you could be at risk of committing plagiarism .

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Table of contents

How to paraphrase in five easy steps, how to paraphrase correctly, examples of paraphrasing, how to cite a paraphrase, paraphrasing vs. quoting, paraphrasing vs. summarizing, avoiding plagiarism when you paraphrase, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about paraphrasing.

If you’re struggling to get to grips with the process of paraphrasing, check out our easy step-by-step guide in the video below.

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Putting an idea into your own words can be easier said than done. Let’s say you want to paraphrase the text below, about population decline in a particular species of sea snails.

Incorrect paraphrasing

You might make a first attempt to paraphrase it by swapping out a few words for  synonyms .

Like other sea creatures inhabiting the vicinity of highly populated coasts, horse conchs have lost substantial territory to advancement and contamination , including preferred breeding grounds along mud flats and seagrass beds. Their Gulf home is also heating up due to global warming , which scientists think further puts pressure on the creatures , predicated upon the harmful effects extra warmth has on other large mollusks (Barnett, 2022).

This attempt at paraphrasing doesn’t change the sentence structure or order of information, only some of the word choices. And the synonyms chosen are poor:

• “Advancement and contamination” doesn’t really convey the same meaning as “development and pollution.”
• Sometimes the changes make the tone less academic: “home” for “habitat” and “sea creatures” for “marine animals.”
• Adding phrases like “inhabiting the vicinity of” and “puts pressure on” makes the text needlessly long-winded.
• Global warming is related to climate change, but they don’t mean exactly the same thing.

Because of this, the text reads awkwardly, is longer than it needs to be, and remains too close to the original phrasing. This means you risk being accused of plagiarism .

Correct paraphrasing

Let’s look at a more effective way of paraphrasing the same text.

Here, we’ve:

• Only included the information that’s relevant to our argument (note that the paraphrase is shorter than the original)
• Introduced the information with the signal phrase “Scientists believe that …”
• Retained key terms like “development and pollution,” since changing them could alter the meaning
• Structured sentences in our own way instead of copying the structure of the original
• Started from a different point, presenting information in a different order

Because of this, we’re able to clearly convey the relevant information from the source without sticking too close to the original phrasing.

Explore the tabs below to see examples of paraphrasing in action.

• Journal article
• Newspaper article
• Magazine article

Once you have your perfectly paraphrased text, you need to ensure you credit the original author. You’ll always paraphrase sources in the same way, but you’ll have to use a different type of in-text citation depending on what citation style you follow.

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The AI-powered Citation Checker helps you avoid common mistakes such as:

• Missing commas and periods
• Incorrect usage of “et al.”
• Ampersands (&) in narrative citations
• Missing reference entries

It’s a good idea to paraphrase instead of quoting in most cases because:

• Paraphrasing shows that you fully understand the meaning of a text
• Your own voice remains dominant throughout your paper
• Quotes reduce the readability of your text

But that doesn’t mean you should never quote. Quotes are appropriate when:

• Giving a precise definition
• Saying something about the author’s language or style (e.g., in a literary analysis paper)
• Providing evidence in support of an argument
• Critiquing or analyzing a specific claim

A paraphrase puts a specific passage into your own words. It’s typically a similar length to the original text, or slightly shorter.

When you boil a longer piece of writing down to the key points, so that the result is a lot shorter than the original, this is called summarizing .

Paraphrasing and quoting are important tools for presenting specific information from sources. But if the information you want to include is more general (e.g., the overarching argument of a whole article), summarizing is more appropriate.

When paraphrasing, you have to be careful to avoid accidental plagiarism .

This can happen if the paraphrase is too similar to the original quote, with phrases or whole sentences that are identical (and should therefore be in quotation marks). It can also happen if you fail to properly cite the source.

Paraphrasing tools are widely used by students, and can be especially useful for non-native speakers who may find academic writing particularly challenging. While these can be helpful for a bit of extra inspiration, use these tools sparingly, keeping academic integrity in mind.

To make sure you’ve properly paraphrased and cited all your sources, you could elect to run a plagiarism check before submitting your paper. And of course, always be sure to read your source material yourself and take the first stab at paraphrasing on your own.

If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• ChatGPT vs human editor
• ChatGPT citations
• Is ChatGPT trustworthy?
• Using ChatGPT for your studies
• What is ChatGPT?
• Chicago style
• Critical thinking

 Plagiarism

• Types of plagiarism
• Self-plagiarism
• Avoiding plagiarism
• Academic integrity
• Consequences of plagiarism
• Common knowledge

To paraphrase effectively, don’t just take the original sentence and swap out some of the words for synonyms. Instead, try:

• Reformulating the sentence (e.g., change active to passive , or start from a different point)
• Combining information from multiple sentences into one
• Leaving out information from the original that isn’t relevant to your point
• Using synonyms where they don’t distort the meaning

The main point is to ensure you don’t just copy the structure of the original text, but instead reformulate the idea in your own words.

Paraphrasing without crediting the original author is a form of plagiarism , because you’re presenting someone else’s ideas as if they were your own.

However, paraphrasing is not plagiarism if you correctly cite the source . This means including an in-text citation and a full reference, formatted according to your required citation style .

As well as citing, make sure that any paraphrased text is completely rewritten in your own words.

Plagiarism means using someone else’s words or ideas and passing them off as your own. Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s ideas in your own words.

So when does paraphrasing count as plagiarism?

• Paraphrasing is plagiarism if you don’t properly credit the original author.
• Paraphrasing is plagiarism if your text is too close to the original wording (even if you cite the source). If you directly copy a sentence or phrase, you should quote it instead.
• Paraphrasing  is not plagiarism if you put the author’s ideas completely in your own words and properly cite the source .

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To present information from other sources in academic writing , it’s best to paraphrase in most cases. This shows that you’ve understood the ideas you’re discussing and incorporates them into your text smoothly.

It’s appropriate to quote when:

• Changing the phrasing would distort the meaning of the original text
• You want to discuss the author’s language choices (e.g., in literary analysis )
• You’re presenting a precise definition
• You’re looking in depth at a specific claim

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If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Gahan, C. & Caulfield, J. (2023, June 01). How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/working-with-sources/how-to-paraphrase/

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MLA Formatting Quotations

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MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. This resource, updated to reflect the MLA Handbook (8 th ed.), offers examples for the general format of MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the Works Cited page.

When you directly quote the works of others in your paper, you will format quotations differently depending on their length. Below are some basic guidelines for incorporating quotations into your paper. Please note that all pages in MLA should be double-spaced .

Short quotations

To indicate short quotations (four typed lines or fewer of prose or three lines of verse) in your text, enclose the quotation within double quotation marks. Provide the author and specific page number (in the case of verse, provide line numbers) in the in-text citation, and include a complete reference on the Works Cited page. Punctuation marks such as periods, commas, and semicolons should appear after the parenthetical citation.

Question marks and exclamation points should appear within the quotation marks if they are a part of the quoted passage, but after the parenthetical citation if they are a part of your text.

For example, when quoting short passages of prose, use the following examples:

When using short (fewer than three lines of verse) quotations from poetry, mark breaks in verse with a slash, ( / ), at the end of each line of verse (a space should precede and follow the slash). If a stanza break occurs during the quotation, use a double slash ( // ).

Long quotations

For quotations that are more than four lines of prose or three lines of verse, place quotations in a free-standing block of text and omit quotation marks. Start the quotation on a new line, with the entire quote indented 1/2   inch  from the left margin while maintaining double-spacing. Your parenthetical citation should come  after the closing punctuation mark . When quoting verse, maintain original line breaks. (You should maintain double-spacing throughout your essay.)

For example, when citing more than four lines of prose, use the following examples :

Nelly Dean treats Heathcliff poorly and dehumanizes him throughout her narration: They entirely refused to have it in bed with them, or even in their room, and I had no more sense, so, I put it on the landing of the stairs, hoping it would be gone on the morrow. By chance, or else attracted by hearing his voice, it crept to Mr. Earnshaw's door, and there he found it on quitting his chamber. Inquiries were made as to how it got there; I was obliged to confess, and in recompense for my cowardice and inhumanity was sent out of the house. (Bronte 78)

When citing long sections of poetry (four lines of verse or more), keep formatting as close to the original as possible.

In his poem "My Papa's Waltz," Theodore Roethke explores his childhood with his father:

The whiskey on your breath Could make a small boy dizzy; But I hung on like death: Such waltzing was not easy. We Romped until the pans Slid from the kitchen shelf; My mother's countenance Could not unfrown itself. (qtd. in Shrodes, Finestone, Shugrue 202)

When citing two or more paragraphs, use block quotation format, even if the passage from the paragraphs is less than four lines. If you cite more than one paragraph, the first line of the second paragraph should be indented an extra 1/4 inch to denote a new paragraph:

In "American Origins of the Writing-across-the-Curriculum Movement," David Russell argues,

Writing has been an issue in American secondary and higher education since papers and examinations came into wide use in the 1870s, eventually driving out formal recitation and oral examination. . . .

From its birth in the late nineteenth century, progressive education has wrestled with the conflict within industrial society between pressure to increase specialization of knowledge and of professional work (upholding disciplinary standards) and pressure to integrate more fully an ever-widening number of citizens into intellectually meaningful activity within mass society (promoting social equity). . . . (3)

Adding or omitting words in quotations

If you add a word or words in a quotation, you should put brackets around the words to indicate that they are not part of the original text:

If you omit a word or words from a quotation, you should indicate the deleted word or words by using ellipses, which are three periods ( . . . ) preceded and followed by a space. For example:

Please note that brackets are not needed around ellipses unless they would add clarity.

When omitting words from poetry quotations, use a standard three-period ellipses; however, when omitting one or more full lines of poetry, space several periods to about the length of a complete line in the poem: