How to In Text Cite Poetry Lines MLA
No matter what type of composition you are writing, including poetry lines in your paper is an important skill for any student to have. Citing these lines quickly and accurately can be a challenge, but MLA style makes it simple with only a few small changes needed. So whether you are writing an analytic essay or simply mentioning a line of a poem in passing, these steps will guide you as you work.
Getting information together is key. When citing poetry lines, you need to have the poem title, the author, and the line numbers. These should all be easy to find either in the introduction of your course book or on the poem itself. Many anthologies cite the poem texts on the page, though poems often stand alone in textbooks or collections.
MLA style dictates that you include a signal phrase when referring to a line within your paper. The signal phrase should follow your academic voice while introducing the quote at the same time. It can also be helpful to provide the context of the poem. An example of a signal phrase might be “In ‘The Road not Taken’, Frost remarks that ‘Two roads diverged in a wood.’”
At this point, you have provided enough information that your reader can locate the poem, the author, and an exact line. It is not necessary to add the line numbers. However, it is important to keep in mind that MLA style requires that you provide them should you ever be asked. After the signal phrase, you can write the quote in quotation marks, as it would have been written in the poem. It is important to stay as consistent as possible for the sake of the reader.
When closing the quotation, you need to include a proper in-text citation. The in-text citation should consist of the author’s last name and the line numbers of the quote. In this case, you would end the sentence by saying “(Frost 1-2).” This lets the reader know who wrote the quoted line and exactly which lines are being referenced.
Following these simple steps will make the process of including poems in a paper or essay easier. Knowing the individual elements of an MLA format in-text citation, as well as the required signal phrase can help drastically when attempting to modernize an assignment. While it may seem daunting, citing poetry lines according to the MLA guidelines is relatively simple and requires only a few small steps and pieces of information.
Why You Should Cite Poetry Lines
When attempting to modernize assignments, citing poetry lines is essential. Providing in-text citations lets readers know which line is being referred to and who wrote it. This shows the reader that responsibility is being taken for the line and that the writer is familiar with the poem. Additionally, in-text citations provide the opportunity for readers to find the poem itself and explore it further; and allows readers to gain a better understanding of the context of the line. Furthermore, keeping quotes accurately cited, even though it is not always required, shows that the writer has taken the time to ensure that the material is properly attributed and respected.
Another important factor of in-text citations is that they help to protect the writer from accusations of plagiarism. Even when using small pieces of someone else’s work, they must still be credited. Leaving out a citation, even when intentional, can lead to a plagiarism accusation. Ensuring all quotes are properly cited demonstrates that ownership is being given to the original writer and puts the writer in the best position should any questions arise.
Formatting with MLA
MLA style is an accepted academic format commonly used for essays and term papers. It outlines the rules of styling inclusions of citations and quotes, as well as self-references. While the specific rules may vary from institution to institution, generally speaking, MLA formatting requires the inclusion of only a few key pieces of information. For example, when citing a book in MLA you need only provide the title of the book and the page number, whereas a newspaper or magazine article will require the author and the page it was found on. Within MLA, all material that is not the writer’s must be properly cited, regardless of its type.
MLA style dictates that the in-text citations are placed directly after the line they are referencing. When creating the in-text citation, simple include the author’s last name, followed by a space and the line numbers, typically separated with a hyphen. This lets the reader know that the line originally comes from a poem, who wrote it, and which line it can be found on; all without interrupting the flow of the written material.
Best Practices for Citations
Citing works can be tricky, but it is important to understand the rules of the format you are using. Whilst MLA style does offer flexibility compared to other academic formats, it does outline very strict rules for citing works. For instance, MLA guidelines dictate that students must include the author’s last name as well as the page or line numbers. Additionally, a signal phrase should be included when introducing the quote as well as including quotation marks around the line itself.
In some cases, you may find that the poem you are citing has been translated. Generally, modern translations are so true to the original that they are not credited (unless the translator has added additional meaning to the work). However, if the poem has been adapted in a significant way, or the translator has made considerable changes, they should be credited within the signal phrase. This is done by simply adding the translator’s name after the title of the poem and before the quote itself.
Alternate Methods
In addition to MLA style, there are other citations formats that are available for students to use. The most prominent of these formats is APA style. Whilst APA style is more commonly used for citing works such as books, it can also be used to cite literary works. Using this format, the in-text citation needs to include the author’s last name, the year the poem was published, and the line number referenced within parentheses. Like with MLA style, the line number can be included but it is not necessary.
In some cases, a student may be assigned a paper in Chicago style. Unlike MLA and APA, the year of the work’s publication is not required in the in-text citation. However, the author’s name and the line numbers are still necessary. This can be done by placing the author’s last name in parentheses, then the line or page numbers; or if the poet’s name is already a part of the sentence, the line numbers can be written as superscript. Whilst this format does remove the need for a signal phrase, the quotes should still be placed in quotation marks.
Using Italics for Titles
When referencing a poem title, it is important to keep in mind that it should be written in italics. This shows that the title is set apart from the written material and provides the reader with a clear separation. Proper MLA formatting for a poem title commonly looks like “In ‘The Road Not Taken’”. Ensuring the title is properly italicized will make it easier for the reader to locate the poem they are being referred to.
Along with properly italicizing the title, it is also important to make sure that it is correctly spelled. Accidentally misspelling a title can drastically change how the readers perceive the quoted line. Incorrect spelling may imply that the writer is not familiar with the poem, regardless of how well they understand it. Furthermore, in some cases, misspelling a title may create a completely different kind of literary piece. It is important to double check the spelling before including a poem title in an essay.
Other Considerations
When quoting poetry lines, it is important to remember the original structure of the poem. This affects more than just the spacing and line breaks; words that are capitalized, as well as punctuation marks, will all need to be as exact as possible when quoting. Quotes that have been pulled out of the stanza can seem out of context or look incomplete, which could be confusing or distracting to readers. Sticking to the original structure helps provide the context of the quote and makes the overall paper look complete.
Most poetry lines should be kept as short as possible. The general rule when quoting poetry is to keep all words between one and three lines. Anything over three lines should be removed from the quote and summarized elsewhere. This allows the quote to stick out and grounds the paper in summary instead of simply repeating the material. Keeping the quote concise will ensure that the author’s point is made without overwhelming the reader.
