MLA Signal (Attribution) Phrases

and Parenthetical Citation Style

Signal Phrases with a Comma:

According to George Orwell, " . . . " (15).

As Langston Hughes suggests, " . . . " (13).

As Annie Dillard states, " . . . " (9).

Jessica Mitford says, " . . . " (46).

• In these cases, the quotation will begin with a capital letter.  If you are changing a lower-case letter to a capital letter, indicate the change using [ ].

Signal Phrases without a Comma:

N. Scott Momaday describes a time when " . . . " (21).

Virginia Woolf suggests that " . . . " (26).

Stephen King argues that " . . . " (76).

Susan Allen Toth believes that " . . . " (92).

• In these cases, the quotation might not necessarily begin with a capital letter.  If you are changing a lower-case letter to a capital letter, or vice versa, indicate the change using [ ].

Signal Phrases without an Author's Name:

One writer describes a time when " . . . " (Cofer 22).

A second writer suggests that " . . . " (White 34).

While one example suggests that " . . . " (Ebert 142), a contrary point is that " . . . " (Toth 92).

One argument often given is that " . . . " (Ebert 142); however, others suggest that " . . . " (King 76).

Signal Phrases (often complete sentences) Ending in a Colon:

E. B. White gives the following description: " . . . " (34).

Susan Allen Toth makes this argument: " . . . " (92).

There is one strong argument about this topic: " . . . " (Ebert 142).

However, not all writers believe in or support King's thesis: " . . . " (Ebert 142).

Other Notes:

Ellipses . . . are used to indicate that something was removed from a quotation.

You can make "editorial" changes to a quotation -- e.g. changing the tense of a verb, changing a capital letter, adding a short word or two, etc. -- to make the quotation "fit" grammatically into your sentence, but indicate all of your editorial changes with square brackets [ ].