How To Cite A Short Story Mla In Text

3 min read 23-11-2024

This guide will teach you how to correctly cite short stories using MLA (Modern Language Association) style, both within your text and in your Works Cited page. Mastering MLA in-text citations ensures academic honesty and proper attribution of sources.

Understanding MLA In-Text Citations

MLA style uses parenthetical citations to credit sources within your text. These citations briefly identify the source, allowing readers to easily locate the full information in your Works Cited page. For short stories, the basic format usually includes the author's last name and the page number(s).

Citing a Short Story in the Text: The Basics

The simplest form of an in-text citation for a short story is as follows:

(Author’s Last Name Page Number)

For example, if you're quoting from page 15 of "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson, your citation would look like this:

“The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green.” (Jackson 15).

Notice the period goes after the parenthetical citation.

Handling Multiple Authors

If a short story has two authors, include both last names. For three or more authors, use the first author's last name followed by "et al."

Two Authors: (Smith and Jones 22)
Three or More Authors: (Brown et al. 10)

Citing a Short Story from an Anthology

When citing a short story from an anthology (a collection of short stories), you need to cite both the author of the short story and the editor(s) of the anthology. The citation will look like this:

(Author of Short Story, Page Number in Anthology)

For example, if you're quoting from page 102 of "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe, found in The Norton Anthology of American Literature, edited by Nina Baym, your citation would be:

"True!—nervous—very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad?" (Poe 102).

Your Works Cited entry would include complete information for both Poe's story and the anthology.

What if the Story Doesn't Have Page Numbers?

Some digital short stories, or those from online sources without page numbers, may not have traditional pagination. In these cases, use paragraph numbers (¶) or section headings if available.

(Author’s Last Name, ¶4) or (Author’s Last Name, “Section Title”)

How to Handle Long Quotations (Block Quotes)

For quotations longer than four lines, use a block quote. Indent the entire quotation one inch from the left margin. The parenthetical citation follows the final punctuation of the block quote.

The narrator's descent into madness is palpable:

It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture—a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees—very gradually—I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever. (Poe)

In-Text Citation Examples:

Here are a few more examples illustrating different scenarios:

One Author, Short Quote: "The world is a stage," (Shakespeare 12).
One Author, Block Quote:

To be or not to be, that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles And by opposing end them. (Shakespeare)

Two Authors, Short Quote: "The study revealed surprising results" (Smith and Jones 57).
Short Story from Anthology: "It was a dark and stormy night" (Dickens, 25).

Remember to always consult the latest MLA Handbook for the most current guidelines. Using these guidelines consistently will help you create clear, accurate, and academically sound papers.