Question

Which of these parenthetical citations demonstrates proper MLA documentation? A) According to one critic, Hamlet "seems almost to disbelieve in his own words" (Phillips 24). B) According to one critic, Hamlet "seems almost to disbelieve in his own words (Phillips 24)." C) According to one critic, Hamlet (Phillips 24) "seems almost to disbelieve in his own words." D) According to one critic, Hamlet "seems almost to disbelieve in his own words" (24 Phillips).

Answer 1

A) According to one critic, Hamlet "seems almost to disbelieve in his own words" (Phillips 24).

Appropriate parenthetical citations in MLA documentation call of the author's last name to be followed by the page number on which the quoted or paraphrased text is found. The parenthetical citation must be after the information from the text, but before the period. This way the citation stays attached to the information and is not floating around making what was taken from the original text a mystery to the reader. If the author's name is included in the set up of the quotation or paraphrase, it is not needed inside the parentheses.