Books:
Title
Author
Publisher
City/Place of Publication
Copyright Date
An MLA book citation looks like:
Author’s last name, First name. Title of Book. City: Publisher, Date of Publication.
Websites:
Title of Site
Author
Date of Publication
Date Accessed
Web URL
An MLA web citation looks like:
Last name, First name. Name of website. Day, Month, Year created. Day, Month, Year accessed <http://web adress.>
1) I am quoting directly from the text.
This is the obvious one--if you copy and paste from a website or quote directly from a book, encyclopedia, newspaper or magazine, you must cite that source.
2) I am paraphrasing sentences from the text (EVEN IF YOU PUT IT INTO YOUR OWN WORDS!)
Even when you are paraphrasing and putting things you read on the website or in a book, encyclopedia, newspaper or magazine into your own words, you must cite that source. They were not your words to start with, so you have to give the author credit!
3) I am using ideas I got from the text.
If you read something on a website or in a book, encyclopedia, newspaper or magazine, and you think it may influence your paper IN ANY WAY, you should cite that source. The ideas were not yours to begin with, so you must give credit to the author. Always best to cover your butt!
4) I used a picture I found on Google Images (or any other picture that you did not take or draw yourself!).
If you are required to include a picture or you just think it will make your cover page look nice, you must include a citation for that picture, unless you drew the picture or took the photograph yourself. Again, any picture or photo you take off of Google Images or Tumblr or anywhere else, MUST BE CITED. You must give credit to the artist.