Source Cards

A “How-to” Guide Using the Modern Language Association of

America (MLA) Guidelines

Source Cards• Source cards are used to document from

where information has been obtained.– For example, if one uses an encyclopedia to

obtain information on William Shakespeare, the information about the encyclopedia would need to be documented (written down).

Creating a Source Card

• You will need a 3x5 index card for each source you document (cite).

Source Information

• You will need to know vital information about your source, such as:– Type of source (book, play, journal, etc.)– Name of source– Date/Place of publication– Publisher Name– Page Numbers, Volume Number, & Editions– Author(s) Name(s)

MLA Handbook

• You may purchase this book at stores, such as, Books-A-Million®, Barnes & Noble®, and most other book retailers.

– Remember: This is not a waste of money. You will use this book every year, from now until 12th grade. You will also use it in two-year colleges.

Book Sources

• Book sources are defined as novels and short stories.

Formatting:

Author’s name. Title of the book. Publication City: Publisher, Date Published.

Documentation Example

• Given the following information:– The Life of William

Shakespeare (Title)– Doe, John (Author)– New York (City)– Random House

(Publisher)– 2007 (Date)

Doe, John. The Life of William the Great

Shakespeare. New York: Random

House, 2007.

A Play Within a Book

Shakespeare, William. “Hamlet.” The Signet Classic

Shakespeare. Ed. J. A. Bryant, Jr. New York:

New American Library, 1998. 3-121.

Anthology Sources

• Anthology sources are defined as a COLLECTION of written works, such as, short stories, plays, poetry, etc.

Formatting:

Author’s name. Title of the piece or “Title of the piece.” Translator (Trans.). Or Editor (Ed.). Title of Anthology. Publication City: Publisher, Date Published. Page numbers.

Documentation Example

• Given the following information:– The Works of William

Shakespeare (Anthology)– Hamlet (Title)– Golucky, Happy (Author)– Writer, Beth (Trans.)– New York (City)– Random House

(Publisher)– 2007 (Date)– 100-225 or 125 (Page #)

Golucky, Happy. Hamlet. Trans. Beth

Writer. The Works of William

Shakespeare. New York: Random

House, 2007. 100-125.

Encyclopedia Sources

• Encyclopedia sources are defined as a COLLECTION of data bound into one printed textbook, such as, Worldbook Encyclopedia or Encyclopedia Britannica.

Formatting:Author’s name. “Title of the piece.” Title of Encyclopedia. Edition. Date Published. Page numbers (only if articles are not in alphabetical order).

Documentation Example

• Given the following information:– Encyclopedia

Britannica (Encyclopedia Name)

– William Shakespeare (Title)

– 10th Edition– 2007 (Date)

“Shakespeare, William.” Encyclopedia

Britannica. 10th ed. 2007.

Journal Sources

• Journal sources are defined as written information (articles) concerning a specific topic (quarterly printing). For example, Journal of Medicine, Literary Journals, Technology Education Journals, etc.Formatting:

Author’s name. “Title of the article.” Journal Title Edition or Volume Number (Date Published): Page number.

Documentation Example

• Given the following information:– Shakespeare

Quarterly (Journal Name)

– Turkey, Tom (Article Author)

– “A Man of Mystery”– Vol. 20– 2007 (Date)– Pages 10-14

Turkey, Tom. “A Man of Mystery.”

Shakespeare Quarterly 20 (2007):

10-14.

Magazine Sources

• Magazine sources are defined as bound material published on a regular basis, often monthly or bi-weekly. For example, Sports Illustrated, Teen Cosmo, PC Gamer, etc.Formatting:

Author’s name. “Title of the article.” Magazine Title Date Published: Page number.

Documentation Example

• Given the following information:– Modern Writers

(Magazine Name)– Wretched, Wanda

(Article Author)– “Shakespeare: A Blast

from the Past”– June 2007 (Date)– Pages 10-11

Wretched, Wanda. “Shakespeare: A

Blast from the Past.” Modern

Writers June 2007: 10-11.

Internet Sources*Note: Document the information you have. If you do not have something,

leave it out!

• Internet sources are defined as websites, which contain various information on variable topics. For example, Sparknotes, Amazon, MySpace, etc.Formatting:

Author’s name (of written work). “Title of the article.” or title of the book, play or “article.” Website title, Sponsor name. Date accessed. URL (Uniform Resource Locator).

Documentation Example

• Given the following information:– William Shakespeare

(Author of Written Work)

– Hamlet (Title of Work)– SparkNotes– Barnes & Noble– March 25, 2007– www.sparknotes.com/

shakespeare/hamlet

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet.

SparkNotes, Barnes & Noble.

25 March 2007. <http://www.spark

notes.com/shakespeare/hamlet.>

What’s Next?

• You will need to arrange your source cards in alphabetical order and number them.

Shakespeare, William. “Hamlet.” The Signet Classic

Shakespeare. Ed. J. A. Bryant, Jr. New York:

New American Library, 1998. 3-121.

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