TOPIC: How to Use MLA Citation Style 9th ed

Always check with your instructor on what format specifications to use for a particular class or assignment, especially when citing electronic resources including material found in library databases.

Can I Use a Citation Generator?

Citation generators format your citations based on the information you enter into their fields.  Using these apps is counterproductive because

• Citation generators insert a lot of errors into the citations
• If you do not know how to cite by hand, you will not recognize the errors
• Citation generators actually waste your time: The time spent entering the information into the citation generator and then verifying the information with a citation guide is far longer than the time it takes to learn how to cite correctly
• While some instructors do allow the use of these apps, many do not, and when you encounter one of these instructors, you will be at a disadvantage (grade-wise)  for not having learned how to cite

Citation generators are NOT foolproof!

It is strongly recommend that you check your citations generated by these tools by reviewing the online APA or MLA style guides, our print citation style handbooks / manuals kept at the DCC Library, or ask a Librarian for help.

A Note About Using MS Word to Format Citations

Microsoft Word includes a citation utility that promises to format citations in several styles, such as MLA, APA, and Chicago. 

 This utility should not be used, as it is never correctly programmed and produces erroneously formatted citations. 

Please note that the Barksdale Librarians do not support the Word citing utility and are therefore unable to help students who choose to use it.  The librarians suggest learning how to cite from scratch.

DCC Librarians are more than happy to assist you with citing your sources. Come visit us at the Circulation Desk at the library!

Automatic citation generators are available via many of the library databases.  Citation generators for APA & MLA are also available via the library catalog.  Ask a DCC librarian about specific databases that provide a citation generator.  However

Citation generators are NOT foolproof!

It is strongly recommend that you check your citations generated by these tools by reviewing the online APA or MLA style guides, our print citation style handbooks / manuals kept at the DCC Library, or ask a Librarian for help.

These tools listed here will save you time, but you should always double-check by:

• reviewing the examples given in this guide
• consulting with a librarian or the Tutoring Center
• consulting with your instructor

The free online web tools will help you with citing your sources:

• ZoteroBib - this is the one we recommend. Build a bibliography from any computer or device, without creating an account or installing any software.  Supports APA, MLA and Chicago styles.  Automatic lookup of articles, books and websites using DOI #s, ISBN #s, titles and URLs.  Export bibliographies to MS Word.
• KnightCite from Calvin College - quick and easy
• BibMe - good, but need to sign in
• A Quick Bib creator - NoodleExpress - No account / login required
• Cite This For Me
• UNC Citation Builder
• CiteFAST - Supports APA, MLA and Chicago styles

A citation manager is a tool which helps you to store, organize and output your citations in the format you prefer.

It is a good idea to keep track of all your citations - especially if you gather them from a variety of resources. A citation management tool will help with that.   This tool will also allow you to SAVE the citation directly from the resource AS YOU SEARCH in the Library databases.  How cool!

If you use a program for citation generation, ALWAYS check the citation provided against the official citation manual for the style you are using (MLA, APA, Turabian, etc.).  

While there are many citation generation programs available, we always recommend using Zotero.   OR try ZoteroBib - a quick way to get your citations done right.

What is Zotero?

• Zotero [zoh-TAIR-oh] helps you collect, organize, cite, and share your research sources.
• It's free and easy to use.
• It's software for your computer.
• You have the option to also create a cloud account to sync your library.

For more information about how to use Zotero, check out this How to Use Zotero guide or the Quick Start Guide created by the folks at Zotero.