what color are bears?
brown
What does documenting sources have to do with argument? First, the
sources that a writer chooses form part of any argument, showing that
he/she has done some research, knows what others have said about the
topic, and understands how to use these items as support for a claim.
Similarly, the list of works cited or references makes a statement, saying,
“Look at how thoroughly this essay has been researched” or “Note how
up-to-date I am!”
Writers working in digital spaces sometimes simply add hotlinks so
that their readers can find their sources. If you are writing a multimodal
essay that will appear on the Web, such links will be appreciated. But for
now, college assignments generally call for full documentation rather
than simply a link. You’ll find the information you need to create in-text
citations and works cited/references lists in this chapter.
Documentation styles vary from discipline to discipline, with one for-
mat favored in the social sciences and another in the natural sciences,
Documenting Sources
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RESEARCH AND ARGUMENTS466
for example. Your instructor will probably assign a documentation style
for you to follow. If not, you can use one of the two covered in this chap-
ter. But note that even the choice of documentation style makes an argu-
ment in a subtle way. You’ll note in the instructions that follow, for
example, that the Modern Language Association (MLA) style requires
putting the date of publication of a print source at or near the end of a
works cited list entry, whereas the American Psychological Association
(APA) style places that date near the beginning of a references list cita-
tion. Such positioning suggests that in MLA style, the author and title are
of greater importance than the date for humanities scholars, while APA
puts a priority on the date — and timeliness — of sources. Pay attention
to such fine points of documentation style, always asking what these
choices suggest about the values of scholars and researchers who use a
particular system of documentation.
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MLA Style
Widely used in the humanities, MLA style is fully described in the MLA
Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (7th edition, 2009). In this discus-
sion, we provide guidelines drawn from the MLA Handbook for in-text
citations, notes, and entries in the list of works cited.
In-Text Citations
MLA style calls for in-text citations in the body of an argument to docu-
ment sources of quotations, paraphrases, summaries, and so on. For in-
text citations, use a signal phrase to introduce the material, often with
the author’s name (As Geneva Smitherman explains, . . .). Keep an in-text
citation short, but include enough information for readers to locate the
source in the list of works cited. Place the parenthetical citation as near
to the relevant material as possible without disrupting the flow of the
sentence, as in the following examples.
1. Author Named in a Signal Phrase
Ordinarily, use the author’s name in a signal phrase to introduce the
material, and cite the page number(s) in parentheses.
Ravitch chronicles how the focus in education reform has shifted toward
privatizing school management rather than toward improving curriculum,
teacher training, or funding (36).
2. Author Named in Parentheses
When you don’t mention the author in a signal phrase, include the
author’s last name before the page number(s) in the parentheses.
Oil from shale in the western states, if it could be extracted, would be
equivalent to six hundred billion barrels, more than all the crude so far
produced in the world (McPhee 413).
3. Two or Three Authors
Use all authors’ last names.
Gortner, Hebrun, and Nicolson maintain that “opinion leaders” influence other
people in an organization because they are respected, not because they hold
high positions (175).
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4. Four or More Authors
The MLA allows you to use all authors’ last names or to use only the
first author’s name with et al. (in regular type, not italicized). Although
either format is acceptable when applied consistently throughout a
paper, in an argument it is more fair and accurate to name all authors
who contributed to the work.
Similarly, as Goldberger, Tarule, Clinchy, and Belenky note, their new book
builds on their collaborative experiences (xii).
5. Organization as Author
Give the full name of a corporate author if it’s brief or a shortened
form if it’s long.
Many global economists assert that the term “developing countries” is no
longer a useful designation, as it ignores such countries’ rapid economic growth
(Gates Foundation 112).
6. Unknown Author
Use the full title of the work if it’s brief or a shortened form if it’s
long.
“Hype,” by one analysis, is “an artificially engendered atmosphere of hysteria”
(“Today’s Marketplace” 51).
7. Author of Two or More Works
When you use two or more works by the same author, include the
title of the work or a shortened version of it in the citation.
Gardner presents readers with their own silliness through his description of a
“pointless, ridiculous monster, crouched in the shadows, stinking of dead men,
murdered children, and martyred cows” (Grendel 2).
8. Authors with the Same Last Name
When you use works by two or more authors with the same last
name, include each author’s first initial in the in-text citation.
Public health officials agree that the potential environmental risk caused by
indoor residual spraying is far lower than the potential risk of death caused by
malaria-carrying mosquitoes (S. Dillon 76).
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9. Multivolume Work
Note the volume number first and then the page number(s), with a
colon and one space between them.
Aristotle’s “On Plants” is now available in a new translation edited by Barnes
(2: 1252).
10. Literary Work
Because literary works are often available in many different editions,
you need to include enough information for readers to locate the pas-
sage in any edition. For a prose work such as a novel or play, first cite the
page number from the edition you used, followed by a semicolon; then
indicate the part or chapter number (114; ch. 3) or act or scene in a play
(42; sc. 2).
In Ben Jonson’s Volpone, the miserly title character addresses his treasure as
“dear saint” and “the best of things” (1447; act 1).
For a poem, cite the stanza and line numbers. If the poem has only line
numbers, use the word line(s) in the first reference (lines 33–34) and the
number(s) alone in subsequent references.
On dying, Whitman speculates, “All that goes onward and outward, nothing
collapses, / And to die is different from what any one supposed, and luckier”
(6.129-30).
For a verse play, omit the page number, and give only the act, scene, and
line numbers, separated by periods.
Before he takes his own life, Othello says he is “one that loved not wisely but
too well” (5.2.348).
As Macbeth begins, the witches greet Banquo as “Lesser than Macbeth, and
greater” (1.3.65).
11. Works in an Anthology
For an essay, short story, or other short work within an anthology, use
the name of the author of the work, not the editor of the anthology; but
use the page number(s) from the anthology.
In the end, if the black artist accepts any duties at all, that duty is to express
the beauty of blackness (Hughes 1271).
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12. Sacred Text
To cite a sacred text, such as the Qur’an or the Bible, give the title of
the edition you used, the book, and the chapter and verse (or their equiv-
alent), separated by a period. In your text, spell out the names of books.
In a parenthetical reference, use an abbreviation for books with names
of five or more letters (for example, Gen. for Genesis).
He ignored the admonition “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit
before a fall” (New Oxford Annotated Bible, Prov. 16.18).
13. Indirect Source
Use the abbreviation qtd. in to indicate that what you’re quoting or
paraphrasing is quoted (as part of a conversation, interview, letter, or
excerpt) in the source you’re using.
As Catherine Belsey states, “to speak is to have access to the language which
defines, delimits and locates power” (qtd. in Bartels 453).
14. Two or More Sources in the Same Citation
Separate the information for each source with a semicolon.
Adefunmi was able to patch up the subsequent holes left in worship by
substituting various Yoruba, Dahomean, or Fon customs made available to him
through research (Brandon 115-17; Hunt 27).
15. Entire Work or One-Page Article
Include the citation in the text without any page numbers or
parentheses.
Kazuo Ishiguro’s dystopian novel Never Let Me Go explores questions of identity
and authenticity.
16. Nonprint or Electronic Source
Give enough information in a signal phrase or parenthetical citation
for readers to locate the source in the list of works cited. Usually give
the author or title under which you list the source. If the work isn’t
numbered by page but has numbered sections, parts, or paragraphs,
include the name and number(s) of the section(s) you’re citing. (For
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paragraphs, use the abbreviation par. or pars.; for section, use sec.; for
part, use pt.)
In his film version of Hamlet, Zeffirelli highlights the sexual tension between
the prince and his mother.
Zora Neale Hurston is one of the great anthropologists of the twentieth century,
according to Kip Hinton (par. 2).
Describing children’s language acquisition, Pinker explains that “what’s innate
about language is just a way of paying attention to parental speech” (qtd. in
Johnson, sec. 1).
17. Visual Included in the Text
Number all figures (photos, drawings, cartoons, maps, graphs, and
charts) and tables separately.
This trend is illustrated in a chart distributed by the College Board as part of
its 2014 analysis of aggregate SAT data (see fig. 1).
Include a caption with enough information about the source to direct
readers to the works cited entry. (For an example of an image that a stu-
dent created, see the sample page from an MLA-style essay on p. 485 in
this chapter.)
Explanatory and Bibliographic Notes
The MLA recommends using explanatory notes for information or
commentary that doesn’t readily fit into your text but is needed for
clarification, further explanation, or justification. In addition, the MLA
allows bibliographic notes for citing several sources for one point and
for offering thanks to, information about, or evaluation of a source. Use
a superscript number in your text at the end of a sentence to refer
readers to the notes, which usually appear as endnotes (with the head-
ing Notes, not underlined or italicized) on a separate page before the list
of works cited. Indent the first line of each note five spaces, and double-
space all entries.
Text with Superscript Indicating a
Note
Stewart emphasizes the existence of social contacts in Hawthorne’s life so that
the audience will accept a different Hawthorne, one more attuned to modern
times than the figure in Woodberry.3
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RESEARCH AND ARGUMENTS472 MLA
Note
3 Woodberry does, however, show that Hawthorne was often unsociable. He
emphasizes the seclusion of Hawthorne’s mother, who separated herself from
her family after the death of her husband, often even taking meals alone (28).
Woodberry seems to imply that Mrs. Hawthorne’s isolation rubbed off on her son.
List of
Works Cited
A list of works cited is an alphabetical listing of the sources you cite in
your essay. The list appears on a separate page at the end of your argu-
ment, after any notes, with the heading Works Cited centered an inch
from the top of the page; don’t underline or italicize it or enclose it in
quotation marks. Double-space between the heading and the first entry,
and double-space the entire list. (If you’re asked to list everything you’ve
read as background — not just the sources you cite — call the list Works
Consulted.) The first line of each entry should align on the left; subse-
quent lines indent one-half inch or five spaces. See p. 486 for a sample
works cited page.
Print Books
The basic information for a book includes four elements, each followed
by a period:
● the author’s name, last name first (for a book with multiple authors,
only the first author’s name is inverted)
● the title and subtitle, italicized
● the publication information, including the city followed by a colon, a
shortened form of the publisher’s name (such as Harvard UP) fol-
lowed by a comma, and the publication date
● the medium of publication (Print)
1. One Author
Larsen, Erik. Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania. New York: Crown,
2015.
Print.
2. Two or More Authors
Jacobson, Sid, and Ernie Colón. The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation. New
York: Hill, 2006. Print.
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3. Organization as Author
American Horticultural Society. The Fully Illustrated Plant-by-Plant Manual of
Practical Techniques. New York: American Horticultural Society and DK,
1999. Print.
4. Unknown Author
National Geographic Atlas of the World. New York: Natl. Geographic, 2004. Print.
5. Two or More Books by the Same Author
List the works alphabetically by title. Use three hyphens for the
author’s name for the second and subsequent works by that author.
Lorde, Audre. A Burst of Light. Ithaca: Firebrand, 1988. Print.
—. Sister Outsider. Trumansburg: Crossing, 1984. Print.
6. Editor
Rorty, Amelie Oksenberg, ed. Essays on Aristotle’s Poetics. Princeton: Princeton
UP, 1992. Print.
7. Author and Editor
Shakespeare, William. The Tempest. Ed. Frank Kermode. London: Routledge,
1994. Print.
8. Selection in an Anthology or Chapter in an Edited Book
List the author(s) of the selection or chapter; its title; the title of the
book in which the selection or chapter appears; Ed. and the name(s) of
the editor(s); the publication information; and the inclusive page num-
bers of the selection or chapter.
Brown, Paul. “ ‘This thing of darkness I acknowledge mine’: The Tempest and
the Discourse of Colonialism.” Political Shakespeare: Essays in Cultural
Materialism. Ed. Jonathan Dollimore and Alan Sinfield. Ithaca: Cornell UP,
1985. 48-71. Print.
9. Two or More Works from the Same Anthology
Include the anthology itself in the list of works cited.
Gates, Henry Louis, Jr., and Nellie McKay, eds. The Norton Anthology of African
American Literature. New York: Norton, 1997. Print.
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RESEARCH AND ARGUMENTS474 MLA
Then list each selection separately by its author and title, followed by a
cross-reference to the anthology.
Karenga, Maulana. “Black Art: Mute Matter Given Force and Function.” Gates
and McKay 1973-77.
Neal, Larry. “The Black Arts Movement.” Gates and McKay 1960-72.
10. Translation
Hietamies, Laila. Red Moon over White Sea. Trans. Borje Vahamaki. Beaverton:
Aspasia, 2000. Print.
11. Edition Other Than the First
Lunsford, Andrea A., John J. Ruszkiewicz, and Keith Walters. Everything’s an
Argument with Readings. 7th ed. Boston: Bedford, 2016. Print.
12. Graphic Narrative
If the words and images are created by the same person, cite a graphic
narrative just as you would a book (see item 1 on p. 472).
Bechdel, Alison. Are You My Mother? New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt,
2012. Print.
If the work is a collaboration, indicate the author or illustrator who is
most important to your research before the title. Then list other con-
tributors in order of their appearance on the title page. Label each per-
son’s contribution to the work.
Stavans, Ilan, writer. Latino USA: A Cartoon History. Illus. Lalo Arcaraz. New
York: Basic, 2000. Print.
13. One Volume of a Multivolume Work
Byron, Lord George. Byron’s Letters and Journals. Ed. Leslie A. Marchand. Vol. 2.
London: Murray, 1973. Print. 12 vols.
14. Two or More Volumes of a Multivolume Work
Byron, Lord George. Byron’s Letters and Journals. Ed. Leslie A. Marchand. 12
vols. London: Murray, 1973-82. Print.
15. Preface, Foreword, Introduction, or Afterword
Kean, Thomas H., and Lee H. Hamilton. Foreword. The 9/11 Report: A Graphic
Adaptation. By Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colón. New York: Hill, 2006. ix-x. Print.
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16. Article in a Reference Work
Bierman, Paul R. “Earth.” World Book Encyclopedia. 2015 ed. Print.
17. Book That Is Part of a Series
Include the title and number of the series after the publication
information.
Moss, Beverly J. A Community Text Arises. Cresskill: Hampton, 2003. Print.
Language and Social Processes Ser. 8.
18. Republication
Scott, Walter. Kenilworth. 1821. New York: Dodd, 1996. Print.
19. Government Document
United States. Cong. House Committee on the Judiciary. Impeachment of the
President. 40th Cong., 1st sess. H. Rept. 7. Washington: GPO, 1867. Print.
20. Pamphlet
An Answer to the President’s Message to the Fiftieth Congress. Philadelphia:
Manufacturers’ Club of Philadelphia, 1887. Print.
21. Published Proceedings of a Conference
Edwards, Ron, ed. Proceedings of the Third National Folklore Conference. 26-27
Nov. 1988. Canberra, Austral.: Australian Folk Trust, 1988. Print.
22. Title within a Title
Tavernier-Courbin, Jacqueline. Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast: The
Making of Myth. Boston: Northeastern UP, 1991. Print.
Print Periodicals
The basic entry for a periodical includes four elements, each followed by
a period:
● the author’s name, last name first
● the article title, in quotation marks
● the publication information, including the periodical title (italicized),
the volume and issue numbers (if any, not italicized), the date of pub-
lication, and the page number(s)
● the medium of publication (Print)
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For works with multiple authors, only the first author’s name is inverted.
Note that the period following the article title goes inside the closing
quotation mark. Finally, note that the MLA omits the in titles such as The
New Yorker.
23. Article in a Print Journal
Give the issue number, if available.
Anderson, Virginia. “ ‘The Perfect Enemy’: Clinton, the Contradictions of Capitalism,
and Slaying the Sin Within.” Rhetoric Review 21 (2002): 384-400. Print.
Radavich, David. “Man among Men: David Mamet’s Homosocial Order.” American
Drama 1.1 (1991): 46-66. Print.
24. Article That Skips Pages
Seabrook, John. “Renaissance Pears.” New Yorker 5 Sept. 2005: 102+. Print.
25. Article in a Print Monthly Magazine
Thompson, Derek. “The Miracle of Minneapolis.” Atlantic March 2015: 30-32.
Print.
26. Article in a Print Weekly Magazine
Reed, Julia. “Hope in the Ruins.” Newsweek 12 Sept. 2005: 58-59. Print.
27. Article in a Print Newspaper
Friend, Tim. “Scientists Map the Mouse Genome.” USA Today 2 Dec. 2002: A1.
Print.
28. Editorial or Letter to the Editor
Posner, Alan. “Colin Powell’s Regret.” Editorial. New York Times 9 Sept. 2005:
A20. Print.
29. Unsigned Article
“Court Rejects the Sale of Medical Marijuana.” New York Times 26 Feb. 1998,
late ed.: A21. Print.
30. Review
Wildavsky, Ben. “Bad Educations.” Rev. of Academically Adrift: Limited Learning
on College Campuses, by Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa. Wilson Quarterly
35.2 (2011): 98-99. Print.
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Digital Sources
Most of the following models are based on the MLA’s guidelines for citing
electronic sources in the MLA Handbook (7th edition, 2009), as well as on
up-to-date information available at its Web site (mla.org). The MLA no
longer requires the use of URLs but assumes that readers can locate a
source by searching the author, title, and other publication information
given in the citation. The basic MLA entry for most electronic sources
should include the following elements:
● name of the author, editor, or compiler
● title of the work, document, or posting
● publication information (volume, issue, year or date). List page num-
bers (or n. pag., not italicized, if none are listed).
● name of database, italicized
● medium of publication (Web, CD-ROM, etc.)
● date of access
31. Document from a Web Site
Begin with the author, if known, followed by the title of the work, title
of the Web site, publisher or sponsor, date of publication or latest update,
medium (Web), and the date you accessed the site.
Stauder, Ellen Keck. “Darkness Audible.” Romantic Circle Praxis Series. U of
Maryland, 2003. Web. 28 Sept 2014.
32. Entire Web Site
Include the name of the person or group who created the site, if rele-
vant; the title of the site, italicized, or (if there is no title) a description
such as Home page, not italicized; the publisher or sponsor of the site; the
date of publication or last update; the medium consulted (Web); and the
date of access.
Kotaku. Gawker Media, 12 Jan. 2011. Web. 30 Aug. 2014.
Mitten, Lisa. Native American Sites. Lisa A. Mitten, 16 Sept. 2008. Web. 3 Dec.
2013.
33. Course, Department, or Personal Web Site
For a course Web site, include the instructor’s name; the title of the
site, italicized; a description of the site (such as Course home page, Dept.
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RESEARCH AND ARGUMENTS478 MLA
home page, or Home page — not italicized); the sponsor of the site (aca-
demic department and institution); dates of the course or last update to
the page; the medium; and the date of access. Note that the MLA spells
home page as two separate words. For an academic department, list the
name of the department; a description; the academic institution; the
date the page was last updated (use n.d. for “no date,” not italicized); the
medium (Web); and the date of access.
Dept. of English. Home page. Amherst Coll., n.d. Web. 5 Apr. 2007.
Lunsford, Andrea A. Home page. Stanford U, 27 Mar. 2003. Web. 10 Sept. 2014.
Lunsford, Andrea A. Memory and Media. Course home page. Dept. of English,
Stanford U, Sept.-Dec. 2002. Web. 13 Mar. 2006.
34. Online Book
Cite an online book as you would a print book. After the print publica-
tion information (if any), give the title of the Web site or database in which
the book appears, italicized; the medium (Web); and the date of access.
Riis, Jacob A. How the Other Half Lives: Studies among the Tenements of New
York. Ed. David Phillips. New York: Scribner’s, 1890. The Authentic History
Center. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.
Treat a poem, essay, or other short work within an online book as you
would a part of a print book. After the print publication information (if
any), give the title of the Web site or database, italicized; the medium
(Web); and the date of access.
Dickinson, Emily. “The Grass.” Poems: Emily Dickinson. Boston: Roberts Brothers,
1891. Humanities Text Initiative American Verse Project. Web. 6 Jan. 2015.
35. Article in a Journal on the Web
For an article in an online journal, cite the same information that you
would for a print journal. If the online article does not have page num-
bers, use n. pag. (not italicized). Then add the medium consulted (Web)
and the date of access.
Edwards, Chris. “A Wealth of Opportunity: An Undergraduate Consultant’s Look
into the Benefits of Working at a Writing Center.” Praxis: A Writing Center
Journal 7.2 (2010): n. pag. Web. 28 May 2011.
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36. Article in a Magazine or Newspaper on the Web
For an article in an online magazine or newspaper, cite the author;
the title of the article, in quotation marks; the name of the magazine or
newspaper, italicized; the sponsor of the Web site; the date of publica-
tion; the medium (Web); and the date you accessed the article.
Broad, William J. “In Ancient Fossils, Seeds of a New Debate on Warming.” New
York Times. New York Times, 7 Nov. 2006. Web. 12 Jan. 2015.
McIntosh, Jill. “First Drive: 2013 Audi Q5 Hybrid.” Canadian Driver. Canadian
Driver Communications, 20 June 2011. Web. 15 Aug. 2011.
37. Entry in a Web Reference Work
Cite the entry as you would an entry from a print reference work (see
item 16). Follow with the name of the Web site, the sponsor, the date of
publication, the medium, and the date of access.
“Tour de France.” Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. Encyclopaedia Britannica,
2006. Web. 21 May 2014.
38. Post or Comment on a Web Site
Begin with the author’s name; the title of the posting, in quotation
marks (if there is no title, use the description Weblog post or Weblog com-
ment, not italicized); the name of the blog, italicized; the sponsor of the
blog (use N.p., not italicized, if there is no sponsor); the date of the most
recent update; the medium (Web); and the date of access.
Marcotte, Amanda. “Rights without Perfection.” Pandagon. N.p., 16 May 2010.
Web. 16 May 2012.
39. Entry in a Wiki
Since wikis are collectively edited, do not include an author. Treat a
wiki as you would a work from a Web site (see item 31). Include the title
of the entry; the name of the wiki, italicized; the sponsor or publisher
(use N.p., not italicized, if there is no sponsor); the date of the latest
update; the medium (Web); and the date of access.
“Fédération Internationale de Football Association.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia
Foundation, 17 June 2011. Web. 18 July 2014.
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40. Posting on a Social Networking Site
To cite a posting on Facebook or another social networking site,
include the writer’s name, a description of the posting, the date of the
posting, and the medium of delivery.
Ferguson, Sarah. Status update. 6 Mar. 2014. Facebook posting.
41. Email or Message on a Social Networking Site
Include the writer’s name; the subject line, in quotation marks (for
email); Message to (not italicized or in quotation marks) followed by the
recipient’s name; the date of the message; and the medium of delivery
(E-mail, not italicized). Note that the MLA hyphenates e-mail.
Harris, Jay. “Thoughts on Impromptu State Productions.” Message to the author.
16 July 2014. E-mail.
42. Tweet
Include the writer’s real name, if known, with the user name (if differ-
ent) in parentheses. If you don’t know the real name, give just the user
name. Include the entire tweet, in quotation marks. End with the date
and time of the message and the medium (Tweet).
Andrea A. Lunsford (aalrhetorician). “Just read (again) about demise of the
apostrophe. Argument getting a bit old.” 27 Aug. 2014, 1:59 p.m. Tweet.
43. Work from an Online Database or a Subscription Service
For a work from an online database, list the author’s name; the title of
the work, in quotation marks; any print publication information; the
name of the database, italicized; the medium consulted (Web); and the
date of access.
“Bolivia: Elecciones Presidenciales de 2002.” Political Database of the Americas.
Web. 12 Nov. 2006.
Penn, Sean, and Jon Krakauer. “Into the Wild Script.” Internet Movie Script
Database. Web. 12 June 2011.
For a work from an online service to which your library subscribes,
include the same information as for an online database. After the
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information about the work, give the name of the database, italicized;
the medium; and the date you accessed the work.
“Breaking the Dieting Habit: Drug Therapy for Eating Disorders.” Psychology
Today Mar. 1995: 12+. ProQuest. Web. 30 Nov. 2014.
If you’re citing an article from a subscription service to which you sub-
scribe (such as AOL), use the following model:
Weeks, W. William. “Beyond the Ark.” Nature Conservancy Mar.-Apr. 1999.
America Online. Web. 30 Nov. 2008.
44. Computer Software or Video Game
Include the title, italicized; the version number (if given); publication
information; and the medium. If you are citing material downloaded from
a Web site, include the title and version number (if given), but instead of
publication information, add the publisher or sponsor of the Web site; the
date of publication; the medium (Web); and the date of access.
The Sims 3. Vers. 1.24. Redwood City: Electronic Arts, 2009. CD-ROM.
Web Cache Illuminator. Vers. 4.02. NorthStar Solutions, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2007.
45. CD-ROM, Diskette, or Magnetic Tape
If the CD has multiple discs, insert the total number at the end of the
citation.
The 1998 Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Danbury: Grolier Interactive, 1998.
CD-ROM. 2 discs.
Other Sources (Including Online Versions)
46. Unpublished Dissertation
Thompson, Brian. “I’m Better Than You, and I Can Prove It: Games, Expertise,
and the Culture of Competition.” Diss. Stanford U, 2014. Print.
47. Published Dissertation
Baum, Bernard. Decentralization of Authority in a Bureaucracy. Diss. U of
Chicago, 1959. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice, 1961. Print.
48. Article from a Microform
Sharpe, Lora. “A Quilter’s Tribute.” Boston Globe 25 Mar. 1989: 13. Microform.
NewsBank: Social Relations 12 (1989): fiche 6, grids B4-6.
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RESEARCH AND ARGUMENTS482 MLA
49. Personal, Published, or Broadcast Interview
For a personal interview, list the name of the person interviewed, the
label Personal interview (not italicized), and the date of the interview.
Ashdown, Audrey. Personal interview. 1 Jan. 2015.
For a published interview, list the name of the person interviewed and
the title (if any), or if there is no title, use the label Interview by [inter-
viewer’s name] (not italicized); then add the publication information,
including the medium.
Marshall, Andrew. “The Marshall Plan.” Interview by Douglas McGray. Wired.
CondéNet, Feb. 2003. Web. 17 Mar. 2010.
Taylor, Max. “Max Taylor on Winning.” Time 13 Nov. 2000: 66. Print.
For a broadcast interview, list the name of the person interviewed, the
label Interview (not italicized), and the name of the interviewer (if rele-
vant); then list information about the program, the date of the interview,
and the medium.
Fairey, Shepard. “Spreading the Hope: Street Artist Shepard Fairey.” Interview by
Terry Gross. Fresh Air. Natl. Public Radio. WBUR, Boston. 20 Jan. 2009. Radio.
If you listened to an archived version online, after the site’s sponsor (if
known), add the interview date, medium (Web), and date of access.
Gordon, Kim. “A ‘Girl in a Band’: Kim Gordon on Life after Sonic Youth.”
Interview by Terry Gross. Fresh Air. Natl. Public Radio, 4 Mar. 2015. Web.
17 Apr. 2015.
50. Letter
Treat a published letter like a work in an anthology, but include the
date of the letter.
Jacobs, Harriet. “To Amy Post.” 4 Apr. 1853. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.
Ed. Jean Fagan Yellin. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1987. 234-35. Print.
51. Film
For films, ordinarily begin with the title, followed by the director and
major performers. If your essay or project focuses on a major person
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C H A P T E R 2 2 DOCUMENTING SOURCES 483MLA
related to the film, such as the director, you can begin with that name or
names, followed by the title and performers.
Selma. Dir. Ava DuVernay. Perf. David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson. Plan B
Entertainment, 2014. Film.
Jenkins, Tamara, dir. The Savages. Perf. Laura Linney and Philip Seymour
Hoffman. 2007. Fox Searchlight. Web. 4 Mar. 2008.
52. Television or Radio Program
“Baelor.” Game of Thrones. Dir. Alan Taylor. Writ. David Benioff and D. B. Weiss.
Perf. Sean Bean, Emilia Clarke, and Kit Harington. HBO. 9 June 2011.
Television.
Montagne, Renee. “Week in Review: The Latest on Egypt and Syria.” Morning
Edition. Natl. Public Radio. KQED, San Francisco. 23 Aug. 2013. Radio.
53. Online Video Clip
Cite a short online video as you would a work from a Web site (see
item 31).
Weber, Jan. “As We Sow, Part I: Where Are the Farmers?” YouTube. YouTube,
15 Mar. 2009. Web. 27 Sept. 2012.
54. Sound Recording
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. “Howl.” Howl. RCA Records, 2005. CD.
Brandon Flowers. “Crossfire.” Flamingo. Island, 2010. MP3.
55. Work of Art or Photograph
List the artist or photographer; the work’s title, italicized; the date of
composition (if unknown, use N.d.); and the medium of composition (Oil
on canvas, Bronze, Photograph, etc.). Then cite the name of the museum or
other location and the city.
Ulmann, Doris. Man Leaning against a Wall. 1930. Photograph. Smithsonian
American Art Museum, Washington, DC.
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RESEARCH AND ARGUMENTS484 MLA
To cite a reproduction in a book, add the publication information.
General William Palmer in Old Age. 1810. Oil on canvas. National Army Museum,
London. White Mughals: Love and Betrayal in Eighteenth-Century India.
William Dalrymple. New York: Penguin, 2002. 270. Print.
To cite artwork found online, omit the medium of composition, and after
the location add the title of the database or Web site, italicized; the
medium consulted (Web); and the date of access.
Chagall, Marc. The Poet with the Birds. 1911. Minneapolis Inst. of Arts.
Artsmia.org. Web. 6 Oct. 2003.
56. Lecture or Speech
DeGeneres, Ellen. Baccalaureate Address. Tulane University, New Orleans, LA.
11 May 2009. Address.
57. Performance
Anything Goes. By Cole Porter. Perf. Klea Blackhurst. Shubert Theatre, New
Haven. 7 Oct. 2003. Performance.
58. Map or Chart
World Political Map (Classic). Washington: Natl. Geographic, 2007. Print.
59. Cartoon
Ramirez, Michael. “The Phoenix.” Cartoon. Investors.com. Investor’s Business
Daily, 10 Sept. 2011. Web. 11 Sept. 2011.
60. Advertisement
Banana Republic. Advertisement. Wired Sept. 2009: 13. Print.
On p. 485, note the formatting of the first page of a sample essay written
in MLA style. On p. 486, you’ll find a sample works cited page written for
the same student essay.
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C H A P T E R 2 2 DOCUMENTING SOURCES 485MLA
Emily Lesk
Professor Arraéz
Electric Rhetoric
15 November 2014
Red, White, and Everywhere
America, I have a confession to make: I don’t drink Coke.
But don’t call me a hypocrite just because I am still the proud
owner of a bright red shirt that advertises it. Just call me an
American. Even before setting foot in Israel three years ago,
I knew exactly where I could find one. The tiny T-shirt shop
in the central block of Jerusalem’s Ben Yehuda Street did
offer other designs, but the one with a bright white “Drink
Coca-Cola Classic” written in Hebrew cursive across the chest
was what drew in most of the dollar-carrying tourists. While
waiting almost twenty minutes for my shirt (depicted in
fig. 1), I watched nearly
every customer ahead of
me ask for “the Coke shirt,
todah rabah [thank you
very much].”
At the time, I
never thought it strange
that I wanted one, too.
After having absorbed
sixteen years of Coca-Cola
propaganda through
everything from NBC’s Saturday morning cartoon lineup to
the concession stand at Camden Yards (the Baltimore Orioles’
ballpark), I associated the shirt with singing along to the
“Just for the Taste of It” jingle and with America’s favorite
pastime, not with a brown fizzy beverage I refused to consume.
Name,
instructor,
course, date
aligned at left
Title centered
Figure number
and caption
noting the
source of the
photo
Sample First Page for an Essay in MLA Style
Lesk 1Author name
and page
number in
upper right
corner of each
page
Fig. 1. Hebrew Coca-Cola
T-shirt. Personal photograph.
Despite my dislike for the
beverage, I bought this
Coca-Cola T-shirt in Israel.
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RESEARCH AND ARGUMENTS486 MLA
Works Cited
Coca-Cola Santa pin. Personal photograph by the author.
9 Nov. 2008.
”The Fabulous Fifties.” Beverage Industry 87.6 (1996): 16.
General OneFile. Web. 2 Nov. 2014.
“Fifty Years of Coca-Cola Television Advertisements.”
American Memory. Motion Picture, Broadcasting and
Recorded Sound Division, Lib. of Cong. 29 Nov. 2000.
Web. 5 Nov. 2014.
“Haddon Sundblom and Coca-Cola.” Thehistoryofchristmas
.com. 10 Holidays, 2004. Web. 2 Nov. 2014.
Hebrew Coca-Cola T-shirt. Personal photograph by the
author. 8 Nov. 2014.
Ikuta, Yasutoshi, ed. ‘50s American Magazine Ads. Tokyo:
Graphic-Sha, 1987. Print.
Pendergrast, Mark. For God, Country, and Coca-Cola: The
Definitive History of the Great American Soft Drink and the
Company That Makes It. 2nd ed. New York: Basic, 2000.
Print.
Heading
centered
Subsequent
lines of each
entry indented
List is alphabet-
ized by authors’
last names (or
by title when
there is no
author)
Sample List of Works Cited for an Essay in MLA Style
Lesk 7
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APA C H A P T E R 2 2 DOCUMENTING SOURCES 487
APA Style
The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th edition,
2010) provides comprehensive advice to student and professional writ-
ers in the social sciences. Here we draw on the Publication Manual’s guide-
lines to provide an overview of APA style for in-text citations, content
notes, and entries in the list of references.
In-Text Citations
APA style calls for in-text citations in the body of an argument to docu-
ment sources of quotations, paraphrases, summaries, and so on. These
in-text citations correspond to full bibliographic entries in the list of ref-
erences at the end of the text.
1. Author Named in a Signal Phrase
Generally, give the author’s name in a signal phrase to introduce the
cited material, using the past tense for the signal verb. Place the date, in
parentheses, immediately after the author’s name. For a quotation, the
page number, preceded by p. (not italicized), appears in parentheses
after the quotation. For electronic texts or other works without page
numbers, paragraph numbers may be used instead, preceded by the
abbreviation para. For a long, set-off quotation, position the page refer-
ence in parentheses one space after the punctuation at the end of the
quotation.
According to Brandon (1993), Adefunmi opposed all forms of racism and
believed that black nationalism should not be a destructive force (p. 29).
As Johnson (2005) demonstrated, contemporary television dramas such as
ER and Lost are not only more complex than earlier programs but “possess a
quality that can only be described as subtlety and discretion” (p. 83).
2. Author Named in Parentheses
When you don’t mention the author in a signal phrase, give the name
and the date, separated by a comma, in parentheses at the end of the
cited material.
The Sopranos has achieved a much wider viewing audience than ever expected,
spawning a cookbook and several serious scholarly studies (Franklin, 2002).
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APARESEARCH AND ARGUMENTS488
3. Two Authors
Use both names in all citations. Use and in a signal phrase, but use an
ampersand (&) in parentheses.
Associated with purity and wisdom, Obatala is the creator of human beings,
whom he is said to have formed out of clay (Edwards & Mason, 1985).
4. Three to Five Authors
List all the authors’ names for the first reference. In subsequent refer-
ences, use just the first author’s name followed by et al. (in regular type,
not underlined or italicized).
Lenhoff, Wang, Greenberg, and Bellugi (1997) cited tests that indicate that
segments of the left brain hemisphere are not affected by Williams syndrome,
whereas the right hemisphere is significantly affected (p. 1641).
Shackelford (1999) drew on the study by Lenhoff et al. (1997).
5. Six or More Authors
Use only the first author’s name and et al. (in regular type, not under-
lined or italicized) in every citation, including the first.
As Flower et al. (2003) demonstrated, reading and writing involve both
cognitive and social processes.
6. Organization as Author
If the name of an organization or a corporation is long, spell it out the
first time, followed by an abbreviation in brackets. In later citations, use
the abbreviation only.
First Citation (Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI], 2002)
Subsequent Citations (FBI, 2002)
7. Unknown Author
Use the title or its first few words in a signal phrase or in parentheses.
(In the example below, a book’s title is italicized.)
The school profiles for the county substantiate this trend (Guide to secondary
schools, 2003).
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APA C H A P T E R 2 2 DOCUMENTING SOURCES 489
8. Authors with the Same Last Name
If your list of references includes works by different authors with the
same last name, include the authors’ initials in each citation.
G. Jones (1998) conducted the groundbreaking study of retroviruses, whereas
P. Jones (2000) replicated the initial trials two years later.
9. Two or More Sources in the Same Citation
List sources by the same author chronologically by publication year.
List sources by different authors in alphabetical order by the authors’
last names, separated by semicolons.
While traditional forms of argument are warlike and agonistic, alternative
models do exist (Foss & Foss, 1997; Makau, 1999).
10. Specific Parts of a Source
Use abbreviations (p., pt., and so on) in a parenthetical citation to name
the part of a work you’re citing. However, chapter is not abbreviated.
Pinker (2003) argued that his research yielded the opposite results (p. 6).
Pinker (2003) argued that his research yielded the opposite results (Chapter 6).
11. Online Document
To cite a source found on the Internet, use the author’s name and
date as you would for a print source, and indicate the chapter or figure of
the document, as appropriate. If the source’s publication date is
unknown, use n.d. (“no date”). To document a quotation, include para-
graph numbers if page numbers are unavailable. If an online document
has no page or paragraph numbers, provide the heading of the section
and the number of the paragraph that follows.
Werbach (2002) argued convincingly that “despite the best efforts of
legislators, lawyers, and computer programmers, spam has won. Spam
is killing email” (p. 1).
12. Email and Other Personal Communication
Cite any personal letters, email messages, electronic postings, tele-
phone conversations, or personal interviews by giving the person’s
initial(s) and last name, the identification, and the date. Do not list email
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APARESEARCH AND ARGUMENTS490
in the references list, and note that APA style uses a hyphen in the word
e-mail.
E. Ashdown (personal communication, March 9, 2015) supported these claims.
Content Notes
The APA recommends using content notes for material that will expand
or supplement your argument but otherwise would interrupt the text.
Indicate such notes in your text by inserting superscript numerals. Type
the notes themselves either at the bottom of the page or on a separate
page headed Footnotes (not italicized or in quotation marks), centered at
the top of the page. Double-space all entries. Indent the first line of each
note one-half inch or five spaces, and begin subsequent lines at the left
margin.
Text with Superscript Indicating a Note
Data related to children’s preferences in books were instrumental in designing
the questionnaire.1
Note
1Rudine Sims Bishop and members of the Reading Readiness Research Group
provided helpful data.
List of
References
The alphabetical list of sources cited in your text is called References. (If
your instructor asks you to list everything you’ve read as background —
not just the sources you cite — call the list Bibliography.) The list of refer-
ences appears on a separate page or pages at the end of your paper, with
the heading References (not underlined, italicized, or in quotation marks)
centered one inch from the top of the page. Double-space after the
heading, and begin your first entry. Double-space the entire list. For print
sources, APA style specifies the treatment and placement of four basic
elements: author, publication date, title, and publication information.
Each element is followed by a period.
● Author: List all authors with last name first, and use only initials for
first and middle names. Separate the names of multiple authors with
commas, and use an ampersand (&) before the last author’s name.
● Publication date: Enclose the publication date in parentheses. Use
only the year for books and journals; use the year, a comma, and the
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APA C H A P T E R 2 2 DOCUMENTING SOURCES 491
month or month and day for magazines and newspapers. Do not
abbreviate the month. If a date is not given, put n.d. (“no date,” not
italicized) in the parentheses. Put a period after the parentheses.
● Title: Italicize titles and subtitles of books and periodicals. Do not
enclose titles of articles in quotation marks. For books and articles,
capitalize only the first word of the title and subtitle and any proper
nouns or proper adjectives; also capitalize the first word following a
colon. Capitalize all major words in the title of a periodical.
● Publication information: For a book published in the United States,
list the city of publication and state abbreviation. For books pub-
lished outside the United States, identify the city and country. Pro-
vide the publisher’s name, dropping Inc., Co., or Publishers. If the state
is already included within the publisher’s name, do not include the
postal abbreviation for the state. For a periodical, follow the periodi-
cal title with a comma, the volume number (italicized), the issue
number (if provided) in parentheses and followed by a comma, and
the inclusive page numbers of the article. For newspaper articles
and for articles or chapters in books, include the abbreviation p.
(“page”) or pp. (“pages”).
The following APA style examples appear in a “hanging indent” format,
in which the first line aligns on the left and the subsequent lines indent
one-half inch or five spaces.
Print Books
1. One Author
Fraser, S. (2015). The age of acquiescence: The life and death of American
resistance to organized wealth and power. New York, NY: Little, Brown.
2. Two or More Authors
Steininger, M., Newell, J. D., & Garcia, L. (1984). Ethical issues in psychology.
Homewood, IL: Dow Jones-Irwin.
3. Organization as Author
Use the word Author (not italicized) as the publisher when the organi-
zation is both the author and the publisher.
Linguistics Society of America. (2002). Guidelines for using sign language
interpreters. Washington, DC: Author.
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APARESEARCH AND ARGUMENTS492
4. Unknown Author
National Geographic atlas of the world. (2010). Washington, DC: National
Geographic Society.
5. Book Prepared by an Editor
Hardy, H. H. (Ed.). (1998). The proper study of mankind. New York, NY: Farrar,
Straus.
6. Selection in a Book with an Editor
Villanueva, V. (1999). An introduction to social scientific discussions on class.
In A. Shepard, J. McMillan, & G. Tate (Eds.), Coming to class: Pedagogy and
the social class of teachers (pp. 262-277). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
7. Translation
Pérez-Reverte, A. (2002). The nautical chart (M. S. Peden, Trans.). New York, NY:
Harvest. (Original work published 2000)
8. Edition Other Than the First
Bok, D. (2015). Higher education in America (Rev. ed.). Princeton, NJ: Princeton
University Press.
9. One Volume of a Multivolume Work
Will, J. S. (1921). Protestantism in France (Vol. 2). Toronto, Canada: University
of Toronto Press.
10. Article in a Reference Work
Chernow, B., & Vattasi, G. (Eds.). (1993). Psychomimetic drug. In The Columbia
encyclopedia (5th ed., p. 2238). New York, NY: Columbia University Press.
If no author is listed, begin with the article title, followed by the year,
and the rest of the citation as shown here.
11. Republication
Sharp, C. (1978). History of Hartlepool. Hartlepool, United Kingdom: Hartlepool
Borough Council. (Original work published 1816)
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APA C H A P T E R 2 2 DOCUMENTING SOURCES 493
12. Graphic Narrative
If the words and images are created by the same person, cite a
graphic narrative just as you would a book with one author (see item 1
on p. 491).
Bechdel, A. (2012). Are you my mother? New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt.
If the work is a collaboration, indicate the author or illustrator who is
most important to your research, followed by other contributors in order
of their appearance on the title page. Label each person’s contribution to
the work.
Stavans, I. (Writer), & Arcaraz, L. (Illustrator). (2000). Latino USA: A cartoon
history. New York, NY: Basic.
13. Government Document
U.S. Bureau of the Census. (2001). Survey of women-owned business enterprises.
Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
14. Two or More Works by the Same Author
List the works in chronological order of publication. Repeat the
author’s name in each entry.
Lowin, S. (2006). The making of a forefather: Abraham in Islamic and Jewish
exegetical narratives. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill.
Lowin, S. (2013). Arabic and Hebrew love poems in Al-Andalus. New York, NY:
Routledge.
Print Periodicals
15. Article in a Journal Paginated by Volume
Bowen, L. M. (2011). Resisting age bias in digital literacy research. College
Composition and Communication, 62, 586-607.
16. Article in a Journal Paginated by Issue
Carr, S. (2002). The circulation of Blair’s Lectures. Rhetoric Society Quarterly,
32(4), 75-104.
17. Article in a Monthly Magazine
Baker, C. (2008, September). Master of the universe. Wired, 16(9), 134-141.
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APARESEARCH AND ARGUMENTS494
18. Article in a Newspaper
Nagourney, A. (2002, December 16). Gore rules out running in ‘04. The New York
Times, pp. A1, A8.
19. Letter to the Editor or Editorial
Erbeta, R. (2008, December). Swiftboating George [Letter to the editor].
Smithsonian, 39(9), 10.
20. Unsigned Article
Guidelines issued on assisted suicide. (1998, March 4). The New York Times,
p. A15.
21. Review
Avalona, A. (2008, August). [Review of the book Weaving women’s lives: Three
generations in a Navajo family, by L. Lamphere]. New Mexico, 86(8), 40.
22. Published Interview
Shor, I. (1997). [Interview with A. Greenbaum]. Writing on the Edge, 8(2),
7-20.
23. Two or More Works by the Same Author in the Same Year
List two or more works by the same author published in the same
year alphabetically by title (excluding A, An, or The), and place lowercase
letters (a, b, etc.) after the dates.
Murray, F. B. (1983a). Equilibration as cognitive conflict. Developmental Review,
3, 54-61.
Murray, F. B. (1983b). Learning and development through social interaction.
In L. Liben (Ed.), Piaget and the foundations of knowledge (pp. 176-201).
Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Digital Sources
The following models are based on the APA’s Publication Manual (6th edi-
tion). A change for handling electronic sources involves the use of a digi-
tal object identifier (DOI) when available (instead of a URL) to locate an
electronic source. The DOI is a unique number assigned to an electronic
text (article, book, or other item) and intended to give reliable access to
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APA C H A P T E R 2 2 DOCUMENTING SOURCES 495
it. A second change is that a date of retrieval is no longer necessary
unless a source changes very frequently. The basic APA entry for most
electronic sources should include the following elements:
● name of the author, editor, or compiler
● date of electronic publication or most recent update
● title of the work, document, or posting
● publication information, including the title, volume or issue number,
and page numbers
● the DOI (digital object identifier) of the document, if one is available
● a URL, only if a DOI is not available, with no angle brackets and no
closing punctuation
24. Web Site
To cite a whole site, give the address in a parenthetical reference. To
cite a document from a Web site, include information as you would for a
print document, followed by a note on its retrieval. Provide a date of
retrieval only if the information is likely to change frequently.
American Psychological Association. (2013). Making stepfamilies work.
Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stepfamily.aspx
Mullins, B. (1995). Introduction to Robert Hass. Readings in contemporary
poetry at Dia Center for the Arts. Retrieved from http://www.diacenter
.org/prg/poetry/95_96/intrhass.html
25. Article from a Periodical on the Web
For an article you read online, provide either the URL of the periodi-
cal’s homepage, preceded by Retrieved from (not italicized) or a DOI.
Haines, R. (2015, February 27). The problem with separate toys for boys and
girls. The Boston Globe. Retrieved from http://www.bostonglobe.com
Lambert, N. M., Graham, S. M., & Fincham, F. D. (2009). A prototype analysis
of gratitude: Varieties of gratitude experiences. Personality and Social
Psychology Bulletin, 35, 1193-1207. doi:10.1177/0146167209338071
26. Article or Abstract from a Database
For an article you find on a database, provide a DOI if one is available.
If the online article does not have a DOI, locate the homepage for the
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APARESEARCH AND ARGUMENTS496
journal in which the article appears and provide that URL. You need not
identify the database you have used.
Strully, K. (2014). Racially and ethnically diverse schools and adolescent
romantic relationships. American Journal of Sociology, 120(3), 750-757.
doi:10.1086/679190
Hayhoe, G. (2001). The long and winding road: Technology’s future. Technical
Communication, 48(2), 133-145. Retrieved from techcomm.stc.org
27. Software or Computer Program
OS X Lion (Version 10.7) [Computer operating system]. (2011). Cupertino, CA:
Apple.
28. Online Government Document
Cite an online government document as you would a printed govern-
ment work, adding the URL. Note that the APA spells website as one word.
Finn, J. D. (1998, April). Class size and students at risk: What is known? What
is next? Retrieved from United States Department of Education website:
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/ClassSize/title.html
29. Entry in a Web Reference Work
Cite the entry as you would an entry from a print reference work (see
item 10). Follow with the date of publication, the name of the Web site,
and the URL.
Tour de France. (2006). In Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. Retrieved from
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/600732/Tour-de-France
30. Posting or Comment on a Web Site
Begin with the author’s name; the date of the most recent update;
the title of the posting (if there is no title, use the description Blog post
or Blog comment, not italicized); the name of the blog, italicized, and
the URL.
Marcotte, A. (2012). Rights without perfection. Pandagon. Retrieved from
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/05/pandagon-rights_without_perfection/
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31. Entry in a Wiki
Since wikis are collectively edited, do not include an author. Include
the title of the entry; the date of the latest update; the name of the wiki,
italicized; and the URL of the source.
Fédération Internationale de Football Association. (2014). In Wikipedia.
Retrieved May 11, 2014 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA
32. Posting on a Social Networking Site
To cite a posting on Facebook or another social networking site,
include the writer’s name, the date of the post, a description of the item
in brackets, and the URL of the source.
Ferguson, S. (2014, March 6). Status update [Facebook post]. Retrieved from
https://www.facebook.com/sarah.ferguson?fref=nf
33. Posting on a Public Facebook Page
When citing a posting on a public Facebook page or another social
networking site that is visible to anyone, include the writer’s name as it
appears in the post. Give a few words from the post, and add an identify-
ing label. Include the date you retrieved the post and the URL for the
public page. Do not include a page on the list of references if your read-
ers will not be able to access the source; instead, cite it as a personal
communication in the text.
American Psychological Association (2014, April 24). Why do many people do
their best thinking while walking? [Facebook post]. Retrieved April 24,
2014, from https://www.facebook.com/AmericanPsychologicalAssociation
34. Tweet
Include the writer’s Twitter handle; the date of the tweet; the entire
text of the tweet with no end punctuation, followed by Tweet in brackets;
the words Retrieved from; and the full Twitter account URL with no end
punctuation.
Aalrhetorician. (2014, August 27). Just read (again) about demise of the
apostrophe. Argument getting a bit old [Tweet]. Retrieved from https://
twitter.com/aalrhetorician
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APARESEARCH AND ARGUMENTS498
35. Newsgroup Posting
Include the author’s name, the date and subject line of the posting,
and the name of the newsgroup.
Wittenberg, E. (2001, July 11). Gender and the Internet [Msg 4]. Retrieved
from news://comp.edu.composition
36. Email Message or Synchronous Communication
Because the APA stresses that any sources cited in your list of refer-
ences must be retrievable by your readers, you shouldn’t include entries
for email messages or synchronous communications (MOOs, MUDs);
instead, cite these sources in your text as forms of personal communica-
tion (see item 12 on p. 489). And remember that you shouldn’t quote
from other people’s email without asking their permission to do so.
Other Sources
37. Technical or Research Reports and Working Papers
Kinley-Horn and Associates. (2011). ADOT bicycle safety action plan (Working
Paper No. 3). Phoenix: Arizona Department of Transportation.
38. Unpublished Paper Presented at a Meeting or Symposium
Welch, K. (2002, March). Electric rhetoric and screen literacy. Paper presented
at the meeting of the Conference on College Composition and
Communication, Chicago, IL.
39. Unpublished Dissertation
Seward, D. E. (2008). Civil voice in Elizabethan parliamentary oratory: The
rhetoric and composition of speeches delivered at Westminster in 1566
(Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Texas at Austin,
Austin, TX.
40. Poster Session
Mensching, G. (2002, May). A simple, effective one-shot for disinterested
students. Poster session presented at the National LOEX Library Instruction
Conference, Ann Arbor, MI.
41. Motion Picture, Video, or DVD
Bigelow, K. (Director). (2009). The hurt locker [Motion picture]. United States:
Summit Entertainment.
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APA C H A P T E R 2 2 DOCUMENTING SOURCES 499
42. Television Program, Single Episode
Burnett, A. (Writer), & Attias, D. (Director). (2014, March 26). The deal
[Television series episode]. In J. Weisberg (Executive producer), The
Americans. Los Angeles, CA: DreamWorks Television.
43. Online Video Clip
Weber, J. (2012). As we sow, part I: Where are the farmers? [Video file].
Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cdcDpMf6qE
44. Sound Recording
Begin with the writer’s name, followed by the date of copyright. Give
the recording date at the end of the entry (in parentheses, after the
period) if it’s different from the copyright date.
Ivey, A., Jr., & Sall, R. (1995). Rollin’ with my homies [Recorded by Coolio]. On
Clueless [CD]. Hollywood, CA: Capitol Records.
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APARESEARCH AND ARGUMENTS500
Mood Music: Music Preference and the Risk for Depression
and Suicide in Adolescents
Tawnya Redding
Oregon State University
Author Note
This paper was prepared for Psychology 480, taught by
Professor Ede.
Running Head: MOOD MUSIC 1Running head
(fifty charac-
ters or fewer)
appears flush
left on first line
of title page
Sample Title Page for an Essay in APA Style
Page number
appears flush
right on first
line of every
page
Title, name,
and affiliation
centered and
double-spaced
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APA C H A P T E R 2 2 DOCUMENTING SOURCES 501
Mood Music: Music Preference and the Risk for Depression
and Suicide in Adolescents
Music is a significant part of American culture. Since
the explosion of rock and roll in the 1950s, there has been
a concern for the effects that music may have on listeners,
and especially on young people. The genres most likely to
come under suspicion in recent decades have included heavy
metal, country, and blues. These genres have been suspected
of having adverse effects on the mood and behavior of
young listeners. But can music really alter the disposition
and create self-destructive behaviors in listeners? And if so,
which genres and aspects of those genres are responsible?
The following review of the literature will establish the
correlation between potentially problematic genres of music
such as heavy metal and country and depression and suicide
risk. First, correlational studies concerning music preference
and suicide risk will be discussed, followed by a discussion of
the literature concerning the possible reasons for this link.
Finally, studies concerning the effects of music on mood will
be discussed. Despite the link between genres such as heavy
metal and country and suicide risk, previous research has
been unable to establish the causal nature of this link.
The Correlation Between Music and Depression
and Suicide Risk
A large portion of studies over the past two decades
have focused on heavy metal and country music as the
main genre culprits associated with youth suicidality and
depression (Lacourse, Claes, & Villeneuve, 2001; Scheel
& Westefeld, 1999; Stack & Gundlach, 1992). Stack and
Gundlach (1992) examined the radio airtime devoted to
country music in 49 metropolitan areas and found that the
Full title
centered
Paragraphs
indented
Boldface
headings help
organize review
Parenthetical
references
follow APA style
MOOD MUSIC 3
Sample First Text Page for an Essay in APA Style
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APARESEARCH AND ARGUMENTS502
Sample References List for an Essay in APA Style
References
Baker, F., & Bor, W. (2008). Can music preference indicate
mental health status in young people? Australasian
Psychiatry, 16(4), 284-288. Retrieved from http://www3
.interscience.wiley.com/journal/118565538/home
George, D., Stickle, K., Rachid, F., & Wopnford, A. (2007).
The association between types of music enjoyed and
cognitive, behavioral, and personality factors of those
who listen. Psychomusicology, 19(2), 32-56.
Lacourse, E., Claes, M., & Villeneuve, M. (2001). Heavy metal
music and adolescent suicidal risk. Journal of Youth and
Adolescence, 30(3), 321-332.
Lai, Y. (1999). Effects of music listening on depressed
women in Taiwan. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 20,
229-246. doi:10.1080/016128499248637
Martin, G., Clark, M., & Pearce, C. (1993). Adolescent suicide:
Music preference as an indicator of vulnerability. Journal
of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry, 32, 530-535.
Scheel, K., & Westefeld, J. (1999). Heavy metal music and
adolescent suicidality: An empirical investigation.
Adolescence, 34(134), 253-273.
Siedliecki, S., & Good, M. (2006). Effect of music on power,
pain, depression and disability. Journal of Advanced
Nursing, 54(5), 553-562. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648
.2006.03860
Smith, J. L., & Noon, J. (1998). Objective measurement of
mood change induced by contemporary music. Journal
of Psychiatric & Mental Health Nursing, 5, 403-408.
References
begin on new
page
Heading is
centered
MOOD MUSIC 9
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APA C H A P T E R 2 2 DOCUMENTING SOURCES 503
R E S P O N D.
1. The MLA and APA styles differ in several important ways, both for in-
text citations and for lists of sources. You’ve probably noticed a few:
the APA uses lowercase letters for most words in titles and lists the
publication date right after the author’s name, whereas the MLA capi-
talizes most words and puts the publication date at the end of the
works cited entry. More interesting than the details, though, is the rea-
soning behind the differences. Placing the publication date near the
front of a citation, for instance, reveals a special concern for that
information in the APA style. Similarly, the MLA’s decision to capital-
ize titles isn’t arbitrary: that style is preferred in the humanities for a
reason. Working in a group, find as many consistent differences
between the MLA and APA styles as you can. Then, for each difference,
speculate about the reasons these groups organize or present infor-
mation in that way. The MLA and APA style manuals themselves may
be of help. You might also begin by determining which academic disci-
plines subscribe to the APA style and which to the MLA.
2. Working with another person in your class, look for examples of the
following sources: an article in a journal, a book, a film, a song, and a
TV show. Then make a references page or works cited list (five entries
in all), using either MLA or APA style.
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