Welcome to The Source, your guide to the MLA Style Center’s latest resources on writing, research, and documentation! Tell us what you want to know!
New Year, New Grammar Posts
Have you ever been unsure about when to use lay or lie? Check out an MLA editor’s guide to always use the correct verb. And if you made improving your grammar skills one of your new year’s resolutions, make sure to start your year right by reading through our archive of grammar posts.
Final Call for Student Papers
Reminder: We’re accepting submissions of student essays for the 2024 edition of “Writing with MLA Style” until 2 February. Learn more.
When to Avoid Needless Phrases
Phrases like “of course” can have value in certain contexts, but they should be used sparingly. Read an MLA editor’s advice.
Distinguishing Key Concepts
There are a few ways to distinguish the terms for key concepts when they first appear in your work. An MLA editor offers three examples.
Clarifying Principal and Principle
It’s common to confuse the meanings of principal and principle. Clear up confusion with an MLA editor’s explanation of when to use each word.
Altering a Quotation That Includes [Brackets]
If you must add a bracketed change to a quotation that already includes brackets, you should provide an explanatory note. The MLA editors demonstrate their approach.
How to Cite Handwritten Comments
To cite comments handwritten on a work, include information about the specific copy of the work where the notes appear. The MLA editors provide an example.
Citing Selfies
When you are citing a picture you have taken of yourself, you should treat yourself as the author of the photograph, the MLA editors explain.
Join the MLA and request your free copy of the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook. The definitive guide to MLA style includes hundreds of sample works-cited-list entries arranged by publication format.
