Understanding MLA Citation
The Modern Language Association (MLA) is a universally recognized formatting style often used in linguistic and literary academic writing. A crucial aspect of MLA is knowing how to cite sources appropriately, with Wikipedia being one such commonly cited source. This post presents a comprehensive guideline on citing Wikipedia following the MLA style.
Why Cite Wikipedia?
While Wikipedia may not be the most conventional academic source due to its open-editing nature, it is a valuable repository of general knowledge. It could serve as an excellent starting point for any research work. Nevertheless, citing all used sources, including Wikipedia, is crucial to avoid plagiarism, increase the credibility of your work, and give credit where it’s due. So, the question now is, how do we go about citing a Wikipedia page?
How to Cite Wikipedia in MLA
Citing Wikipedia in MLA involves two steps: construction of the in-text citation and then creating the corresponding Works Cited entry.
Step 1: In-Text Citation
Start by mentioning the title of the Wikipedia page, enclosed within double quotation marks, followed by the website name in italics, and then the date of accessing the source.
For example, (“World War II“. Wikipedia, Accessed 23 July 2021.).
Step 2: Works Cited Entry
The entry will also start with the title of the Wikipedia article, followed by the publication date, the site publisher, and the URL. Here’s an example of how it should look:
“Article Title”. Wikipedia, Date of Publication, Wikimedia Foundation, www.example wiki URL.
FAQs Answered on Wikipedia MLA Citation
There are common questions language learners have asked regarding Wikipedia MLA citation. Let’s address them:
1. What if there’s no publication date?
If the publication date is unavailable, you can replace it with your access date, like this: “Accessed Day Month Year”.
2. How to handle URLs?
While citing, it’s recommended to remove the “https://www.” component of the URL, and start with the domain name.
3. Is the publisher necessary?
Yes, the publisher should be included in each citation. In the case of a Wikipedia page, the publisher is “Wikimedia Foundation”.
Sample MLA Citation of a Wikipedia Page
Let’s offer a full example to understand better how to cite Wikipedia in MLA style:
In-text citation: (“William Shakespeare“. Wikipedia, Accessed 12 August 2021.).
Works Cited Entry: “William Shakespeare”. Wikipedia, 12 August 2021, Wikimedia Foundation, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakespeare.
Summing it Up
Citing Wikipedia in MLA need not be daunting. The two-step process of creating in-text citation and the Works Cited entry is straightforward and easy to follow. As a language learner or scholar tackling MLA for the first time, this ultimate guide for citing Wikipedia in MLA should prove highly beneficial. Happy citing!
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