in-text citations
What goes inside parentheses in an MLA in-text citation?
The author’s last name and the page number (no comma).
What is the title of the page where you list your sources in MLA?
Works Cited
True or False: Short quotes (under four lines) go in quotation marks in MLA.
True.
What font and size should MLA papers use?
12-point, Times New Roman
What is the "P" in the PEEL method?
Point/ Topic Sentence
Incorrect: “Education shapes the future” (Smith, 42).
Fix the citation.
“Education shapes the future” (Smith 42).
What’s wrong with this entry?
Smith, John. “The Future of Education.” 2020.
Missing container info (publication title) and punctuation.
Fix this incorrect quote:
“The study proved successful.”. (Johnson 21)
Remove the period before parentheses. Correct: “The study proved successful” (Johnson 21).
Where does the page number go in an MLA paper?
In the header, top right corner, with the student’s last name and page number (e.g., Quiambao 2).
What should a topic sentence do?
State the main idea of the paragraph.
If the author’s name is mentioned in the sentence, what goes in the parentheses?
Only the page number.
Example: Smith argues that education shapes the future (42).
How should entries on a Works Cited page be arranged?
Alphabetically by author’s last name.
Incorrect: According to “Brown (45) states that collaboration is key.”
Fix the quotation.
According to Brown, “collaboration is key” (45).
True or False: MLA papers should be single-spaced with extra spaces between paragraphs.
False — MLA papers are double-spaced throughout with no extra spaces between paragraphs.
What is the first "E" in the PEEL method?
Evidence
How do you cite a source with no author in MLA?
Use a shortened version of the title in quotation marks. Example: (“Rising Tuition” 18).
What kind of indentation do MLA Works Cited entries use?
Hanging indent (first line flush left, next lines indented 0.5”).
How do you cite a quote from a source with no page numbers (like a website)?
Use only the author’s name: (Johnson).
What should you do to the first line of each new paragraph?
Indent it 0.5 inch (one tab).
About how many sentences is a FULLY developed paragraph?
6-8 sentences
How do you cite a source with two authors in MLA?
(Garcia and Lee 55).
Correct this entry:
Rowling, J.Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Scholastic Press, 1997, New York.
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Scholastic Press, 1997.
Identify and fix the error:
According to Johnson, “MLA format helps students think critically” (para. 5).
MLA doesn’t use paragraph numbers unless numbered in the original source. If there are no page numbers, omit it: According to Johnson, “MLA format helps students think critically.”
Spot all formatting errors below:
Gretchelle Quiambao
English 101
Prof. Smith
10/6/25
TITLE: The American Dream Essay
Date format should be 6 Oct. 2025 (day month year).
Instructor’s name should appear before the course.
Title should be centered and in plain text, not italicized or bolded. Does need to be labeled as the title.
Correct order:
Quiambao 1
Gretchelle Quiambao
Professor Smith
English 101
6 Oct. 2025
The American Dream Essay
What is missing from this paragraph?
As the NextBillion article reports, “57 percent of the country … are struggling to make ends meet, pay their bills, save for emergencies and plan for the future” despite income sources. The same source profiles a family that, although homeowners with stable employment, has no cushion for unexpected repairs or medical bills and turns to borrowing. Meanwhile, a Forbes analysis argues that the financial demands of achieving the American Dream now exceed what most individuals will ever earn: “the financial requirements … cost over $1 million more than most Americans earn in a lifetime.” These pressures make it difficult for many to build wealth, afford housing, or feel secure in their future prospects.
Topic Sentence