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ENG 111 & EDE 11: College Comp I & English Comp Readiness (O'Brien-Alexandria)

Questions? Contact the Alexandria Campus Library at library-al@nvcc.edu.

Why and When to Cite

Why to Cite:

  • Give credit to the authors of the sources you used.
  • Provide evidence you did research -- good, credible sources give your work more authority.
  • Allows your reader to locate the sources you used.
  • Avoid plagiarism.

When to Cite:

You should cite a source if you reproduce, quote, paraphrase, or summarize ideas and/or media created by other individuals. When in doubt, cite!

Citation Style: MLA

MLA 8 Syle Guide

Many of the article databases will provide citations. These citations should be carefully checked for accuracy.

Click on the MLA Handbook image for more information. You can also ask a librarian for help, or consult the websites listed below:

Works Cited

MLA requires that you include a Works Cited page at the end of your research paper. All entries in the Works Cited page must correspond to the sources cited in your paper. The following bullet points discuss the general aspects of a works cited page.

  • Works Cited Page: Center the words Works Cited at the top of your page. Do not italicize or put Works Cited in quotation marks.
  • Order of Citations: Citations are listed alphabetically by author's last name. Sources without authors are inserted alphabetically by title within the list. When citing more than one work by an author order the entries by author then alphabetically by title in the Works Cited list.
  • Double Spacing: Double space all citations, but do not skip spaces between entries.
  • Hanging Indent: Indent the second and subsequent lines of citations by 0.5 inches to create a hanging indent.
    • To create a hanging indent in Word:
    1. Highlight your citation
    2. Right click your mouse
    3. Select Paragraph from the pop-up menu
    4. Under the heading Indentation, use the Special pull-down menu to select Hanging

NOVA Tutoring Services

After you have completed your research and written a draft of your paper, be sure to take advantage of NOVA's Tutoring Center, a free service available to you as a NOVA student. You can get writing assistance in-person on campus or schedule a virtual tutoring session via Zoom.

For more details, visit: NOVA Online Tutoring