Background
Citing poetry is different from citing other literary works because it can take multiple forms, including being published as a poem, a book of poems, or a part of an anthology. There are also various nuances to citing poetry that can potentially make it difficult to do. The good news is, there are various tools available to make citing poetry correctly much easier.
Formatting Guidelines
The way you cite poetry depends on the formatting guidelines of the style guide you are following. For example, the Modern Language Association (MLA) and the American Psychological Association (APA) both provide formatting guidelines for citing poetry. MLA requires you to cite poetry using the author’s last name, the title of the poem in quotation marks, and the line numbers. APA requires you to cite poetry using the author’s last name, the title of the poem, the page number, and the publisher.
Citing a Poem in an Anthology
When citing a poem that is included in an anthology, it is important to cite both the anthology and the poem. For MLA, you will need to cite the author’s last name, the title of the poem in quotation marks, the anthology title in italics, the editor’s name, the publication date, the page number, and the publisher. For APA, you will need to cite the author’s last name, the title of the poem, the anthology title, the editor’s name, the page number, and the publisher.
Citing Online Sources
When citing online sources, it is important to include the URL of the source, as well as the date that you accessed it. For MLA, you will need to include the author’s last name, the title of the poem in quotation marks, the website title in italics, the URL of the poem, the date that you accessed it, and the publisher, if available. For APA, you will need to cite the author’s last name, the title of the poem, the website title in italics, the URL of the poem, the date that you accessed it, and the publisher.
Documenting Citations
When citing poetry, it is important to document each citation. This is especially true when citing more than one source. MLA and APA both provide guidelines for how to create a works cited page and how to format citations.
Tools and Services
There are a variety of tools and services available to help make citing poetry easier. For example, Citation Machine is a free online service that helps you create and format citations for MLA and APA. There are also various paid services such as EasyBib and LegitScript that offer similar features.
Organizing Citations
Once you have created your citations, it is important to organize them into an easily accessible format. This will make it easier to go back and locate the citations whenever you need them. MLA and APA both provide guidelines for how to organize the citations in a works cited page.
How to Cite Poetry: Step by Step
1. Identify the poem’s author, title, and source.
2. Review the formatting guidelines of the style guide you are following.
3. Create the citation following the guidelines of your style guide.
4. Document each citation.
5. Use tools or services to help make citing easier.
6. Organize the citations in an easily accessible format.
Other Citation Styles
In addition to MLA and APA, there are many other citation styles that can be used to cite poetry. These styles include the American Medical Association (AMA), the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS), and the Harvard referencing system. Each of these styles has specific formatting guidelines for citing poetry, so it is important to review them before creating a citation.
Incorporating Quotes
When incorporating quotes from a poem into your paper, it is important to cite the poem in the text of your paper. The way you cite the poem will depend on the formatting guidelines of the style guide you are following. In most cases, you will need to include the author’s name and the line number of the poem.
Checking for Misquotations
When using a quote from a poem, it is important to make sure that you are quoting the poem accurately. To check for misquotations, make sure to read the poem carefully and to compare the quote to the original text. In some cases, you may need to consult a copy of the original poem to check for accuracy.
Conclusion
Citing poetry can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. By following the formatting guidelines of the style guide you are using and by utilizing tools and services to make the process easier, you can cite poetry correctly and confidently.
