Citing your sources not only avoids plagiarism, but gives your paper more credibility by revealing your exploration of research and proving your main points with insights from outside authorities.  By following established practices, you assist your reader to comprehend your writing and consider your work more seriously.

 To acknowledge your sources in the text of the paper, type the author's last name and a page number within parentheses at the end of the sentence that includes the authorís idea or quotation (Parenthetical Documentation).  Using this method, you will only need a List of Works Cited page at the end of the paper (arranged alphabetically) instead of the usual Endnotes and Bibliography pages.  The following examples should help guide you, but for specific instructions on creating all forms of documentation, you should consult the MLA Guidelines.
 

Examples of Bibliographic Entries in a List of Works Cited

Books:

Clark, Kenneth.  What is a Masterpiece?  London:  Thames, 1979.

Belenky, Mary Field, Blythe Clinchy, Jill Goldberger, and Nancy Tarule.  Womenís Ways of Knowing.  New York: Basic, 1986.
 

Periodical Articles:

Norris, Margot.  ìNarration under a Blindfold: Reading Joyceís ëClay.í ì  PMLA 102  (1987): 206-15.

Ficaro, Barbara.  ìCanterburyís First Dean.î  Sixteenth Century Journal  18.3 (1987): 343-46.
Van Biema, David.  ìParodies Regained.î  Time  21 Mar. 1994:  46.
 

Newspapers:

ìThe Odds of March.î  Time  15 Apr. 1985: 20+.

Henahan, Donal.  Rev. of Rinaldo, by George Frideric Handel.  Metropolitan Opera, New York.  New York Times 21 Jan. 1984, late ed.: 9.

Collins, Glenn.  "Single-Father Survey finds Adjustment a Problem."  New York Times  21 Nov. 1983, late ed.: B17.
 

Televised Broadcasts:

Dickens, Charles.  The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickelby.  Adapt. David Edgar.  Dir. Trevor Nunn and John Caird.  With Roger Rees and Emily

 Richard.  Royal Shakespeare Co.  Mobil Showcase Network.  WNEW, New
 York. 10-13 Jan. 1983.
 

Productions:

Hamlet.  By William Shakespeare.  Dir. John Gielgud.  With Richard Burton.  Shubert Theatre, Boston.  4 Mar. 1964.
 

Electronic Sources

Model:
Authorís name (last name first).  document title.  Date of Internet publication.  <URL> or other retrieval information  (Date of access).

CD-ROM:
ìCommunion.î  The Oxford English Dictionary.  2nd ed.  CD-ROM.  Oxford:  Oxford UP, 1992.

Web Site:
Shade, Leslie R.  ìGender Issues in Computer Networking.î  1993. <http://
 www.mit.edu:8001/people/sorokin/women/lrs.html>  (28 May 1996).
 
 
Email:
Frankel, Norman.  <frankel@llnl.gov>  ìSoundApp 2.0.2.î  29 Apr. 1996.  Personal email.  (3 May 1996).

HyperNews posting:
LaLiberte, Daniel.  <liberte@ncsa.uiuc.edu>  ìHyperNews Instructions.î  23 May 1996.  <http://union.ncsa.uiuc.edu/HyperNews/get/hypernews
 /instructions.html>  (24 May 1996).

Newsgroup message without author name:
<lrm583@aol.com>  ìThinking of Adoption.î  26 May 1996.  <alt.adoption>  (29 May 1996).

Listserve message:
Parente, Victor.  <vrparent@mailbox.syr.edu>  ìOn Expecttations of Class Participation.î  27 May 1996.  <philosed@sued.syr.edu>  (29 May 1996).

Telnet Site:
Aquatic Conservation Network.  ìAbout the Aquatic Conservation Network.î  National Capital Freenet.  telnet freenet.carleton.ca  login as guest, go acn, press 1 (28 May 1996).

FTP Site:
Altar, Ted W.  ìVitamin B!@ and Vegans.î  14 Jan. 1993.  ftp wiretap.spies.com Library/Article/Food/b12.txt  (28 May 1996).

Linkage Data for Hypertext Context:
Miller, Allison.  ìAllison Millerís Home Page.î  Lkd.  EKU Honors Program Home Page, at ìPersonal Pages.î  <http://www.csc.eku.edu/honors>  (2 April 1996).
 

Also, check out the Online Homepage for any questions about documentation!

Some Research Tools

Encyclopedias:
 The Oxford Companion to the Theatre, Phyllis Hartknoll - PN2035 H3 1967
 McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of World Drama - PN1625 M3

Reviews:
 Modern Drama, Adelman and Dworkin - PN1861 A3
 New York Theatre Critic's Reviews - PN1601 N4
 The New York Times Theatre Reviews

Current Theatre Periodicals:
 American Theatre
 Educational Theatre Journal
 The Drama Review

General Sources:
 History of the Theatre.  Oscar Brockett.
 Theatre Pictorial.  George Altman et al.
 A History of the Theatre.  Bamber Gasgoine.
 Masters of the Drama.  John Gassner.
 A Concise History of the Theatre.  Phyllis Hartnoll.
 The Oxford Companion to the Theatre.  Phyllis Hartnoll.
 The Making of Theatre History.  Paul Kuritz.
 Sources of Theatrical History.  Alois Nagler.
 The Development of the Theatre.  Allarydce Nicoll.
 World Drama.  Allarydice Nicoll.
 On Stage.  Vera Mowry Roberts