MLA Practice Worksheet

Question

I need help explaining why is this correctly use.

“It took 20 years for the law to take effect” (Kaiser 105).

Answer 1

In my experience with MLA, the format you have listed is correct because of the way the MLA Works Cited is set up. Because all the sources are listed alphabetically by author's last name first if it's available, having the Kaiser directs the reader directly to where they should look for the source in the document's Works Cited. The 105 is the page number, which is also important if it's available because if the source author has more than one source on the same Works Cited, page number can be and identifying factor if one of that author's sources is 20 pages and one is 250 pages. Everything included in MLA in-text citations is there to guide the reader to the proper citation in the Works Cited. That can only work if the in-text citation is correct.

I hope that helps a little.