MLA (Modern Language Association) is a writing style commonly used within the liberal arts and humanities to write papers and cite sources. Owl Perdue is a resource created to reflect the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (7th ed.) and MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing (3rd ed.) Owl Perdue gives examples for the general format of MLA papers, Works Cited page, endnotes/footnotes, and in-text citations. One of the first tools to be found on the MLA formatting style of Owl Purdue is In-Text Citation. In-Text Citations are quotes or paraphrases used in a body or work in which parentheses are used to cite a reference. This tool explains how to cite sources with or without an author, with multiple authors, authors with the same last name, multiple works, the bible, etc. Next to in "text citations, there is formatting quotations which shows how to cite and format short quotations and how to omit words from long quotations. One other thing in the MLA formatting style would be endnotes and footnotes which are only used when instructed. After endnotes and footnotes, there are various types of MLA works cited page formats. These various types of works cited are basic format, books, periodicals, electronic sources, and other common sources. Basic formatting explains how to construct the works cited page and shows the basic rules and additional rules. Right under the MLA works cited page: basic formatting, is the MLA works cited page for books. Here, the website shows how to cite books ranging from a book with one author to a book with multiple authors to a book with no author. Under the periodical section of the work cited, is how to cite an article in a magazine, newspaper, scholarly journal, a review of an article, and an editorial. When citing an electronic source, Owl Purdue provides a tab in the sidebar where it explains how to cite an entire website, a page on a website, an image, an article on a web magazine, a web journal or online database, an email, a blog posting, and even a tweet.
