Citing sources in MLA format

For your research paper in the World Leader Project, you must have at least 3 sources in MLA Format.
One source can be Campbell's 6 Characteristics, and a second could be your text book.  A third would be a book about your leader.

Students often ask, "How do I cite my sources?"

If you quote fewer than 200 words from any source you are within the rules of "fair use" and do not have to ask permission of the work's author/editor to cite them in a scholarly paper. But you do still have to cite the source in a works cited page.

Use KnightCite or EasyBib to help, but the Works Cited page should look something like this:

Campbell's Article: 

Campbell, Scott. "Leaders Have Deep Roots: The Six Characteristics of Exceptional Leaders." 5D Leadership. AVID, 2002. Web. 30 Sept. 2010. .

Your Text Book:

Spielvogel, Jackson J. World History. Texas ed. Austin: Glencoe/McGraw Hill, 2003. N. pag. Print.

Please provide as much information as possible.  But, you should also be considering whether the source is a reliable one if you can not find an author name.  Does that maybe require you to head to the library and find a better or more appropriate book that can help?

You need to have both the reference in your paper AND the Works Cited Page.  The Works Cited page is a separate sheet at the end of your paper that lists your sources.

When you refer to an idea in a paper, even if it is not a direct quotation, you should reference the person from whom you got the idea.

To do that you would need to put in parenthesis the name of the author at the end of the sentence you wrote:

"Integrity is cultivated and maintained by making repeated decisions to live up to one’s
values and commitments (Campbell 1)." 

Note that in the sentence above, the entire sentence was copied from Campbell, so it is all in quotes.

Or, in an instance when you use the author's name in the sentence:

According to Campbell, integrity is defined as living up to one's values and commitments (1). 

Then in your Works Cited page you will have an entry with Campbell's source listed where the reader can check to see what source you used.

Good luck!  Please come to me during class or tutoring for help.  I can also be reached through email.  Don't claim ignorance on this.  Having a paper without sources is cheating!  I will not tolerate it.  If you try that in college you may be expelled from school.  It is a very serious offense.  I am hear to teach you to do it the right way.  When you get to AP, Dual Credit or College you will have the skills needed to succeed.

For more information see the You Tube video below: