REPORTS WITH PARENTHETICAL REFERENCES AND QUOTES

Reports with Parenthetical References

When you use facts, ideas, and information of others in a report, you must give credit to those people. One acceptable format is to use the MLA (Modern Language Association) style for parenthetical references. In this style, a quotation is followed by the author’s or source’s name in parentheses.

Follow these guidelines to format parenthetical references:

1. Include the author’s name and the page number(s) of the source in parentheses; for example, (Adams 157 – 158).
2. If the author’s or source’s name is used before the quote, include only the page number(s) in parentheses; for example, (157 – 158).
3. If there are two or three author’s of the source, include all authors’ names in parentheses; for example, (Jones, Cass, and Noel 199).
4. If there are four or more authors, include the first author’s name followed by et al.; for example, (Martin et al 215 – 217).
5. If there is no author, include a shortened version of the title and the page number(s) in parentheses; for example, (Critical Essays 59).

Quotations In Reports

Short Quotations

1. Enclose direct quotations in quotation marks. Do not use quotation marks with indirect quotes or paraphrased remarks.
2. Type the parenthetical reference 1 space after the closing quotation mark or at the last word of an indirect quote. Type the ending punctuation mark after the reference.

Example: “. . . until we receive confirmation” (Barton 96).

Long Quotations (4 or more lines):

1. Leave a blank line before and after the quote.

2. Do not use quotation marks.

3. Indent the quote 1 inch from the left margin.

4. Type the parenthetical reference 1 space after the ending punctuation mark.

Example: . . . by tomorrow at the latest. (Johnson 41)