The citation style created by the Modern Language Association, MLA is most often used by the Humanities, which includes languages, literature, philosophy, visual & performing arts.
Why Cite Your Sources?
When you write a research essay, you use information and facts from a variety of resources to support your own ideas and to help you develop new ones. Books, articles, videos, podcasts, interviews, and web sites are some examples of sources you might use. Citing these sources of information in your work is essential because:
Accuracy & Precision Matter
MLA style (any citation style, in fact) presents researchers with a set of strict rules....not vague guidelines. Accuracy and precision are vital to the citation process. Always check your work carefully to ensure you've followed all conventions, including font styles, capitalization, punctuation, alphabetization, and format concerns.