What is an in-text citation?
The goal of an in-text citation is to attribute knowledge to its author or creator while also pointing the reader to a specific citation within your works cited list. This allows the reader to also locate the information source if desired. If the author(s)' name is included within the sentence, you do not need to include the name(s) within the in-text citation.
General Format:
MLA uses an author and page number format for creating in-text citations.
(Last name page #)
Examples
1 Author - Horny toads are not toads at all, but are in fact horned lizards (Sherbrooke 2)!
2 Authors - The Mayo Clinic was establish by Dr. William Worrall Mayo with the aid of nuns who saw the need for a hospital within their small town (MacNeice and Bowen 213).
3 or more authors - Some wild dogs have been found to cause more damage than wild predators such as bears (Young et al. 126).
Corporate author - New Mexico has a variety of natural landscapes which is why it is known as the "Land of Enchantment" (U.S. Geological Survey 1).
Works in an anthology, periodical, or collection - The Sandia Mountains have several scenic trails, but many are not for the faint of heart ("New Mexico: Sandia Mountains" 24).
When citing a work in an anthology, periodical or collection...
Electronic resources - The National Park Service states that the Chihuahuan Desert has colder winters than the Sonoran and Mojave deserts.
When citing an electronic resource such as a webpage...
Multiple works by the same author - White Sands National Park is located in the Chihuahuan Desert (National Park Service, "Chihuahuan Desert"), but it also gathers water from the surrounding mountains (National Park Service, "Hydrology").
When citing multiple works by the same author...
Multiple citations in one parenthesis - New Mexico is home to the Chihuahuan Desert as well as a variety of natural landscapes (U.S. Geological Survey 1; National Park Service).
When citing multiple authors within the same sentence...