The citations in-text are very brief, usually just the author's last name and a relevant page number, in parenthesis at a natural pause in your text. If the source has no numbered divisions, cite only the author’s name (or the title). Was she reasonable? Place the act number, a period and the scene number first, followed by a comma. Encircle this with parenthesis. If the book is an eBook, it will also require the location of the eBook, generally the database provider and URL. For direct quotations, include the page number as well, for example: (Field, 2005, p. 14). Chicago: Hampton Publishers, 2004. eBook: "a book that lacks a URL and that you use software to read on a personal device or … For example, Caryl Churchill's "Cloud 9" has no scenes, so you might cite it as follows: Betty's anxiety is shown by her worry toward Tommy. List the author by last name … And if you think it would help your readers, you may also provide the page number in your in-text citation. The first source you cite in your text receives the number 1, the second number 2, and so on. The one and only time we argued on the boards was when I posted a question about how to cite plays (I was teaching one in a course and wanted to skimp on MLA a bit). Yes. 1. Though, thinking about it, there are always exceptions for those too - there's a standard, but many publishers have their own little quirks included in submission guidelines. In an essay on Macbeth, you could write the following: In Macbeth, Shakespeare often returns to the idea that appearances can be deceiving. I am a student at sfsu taking a class on "The Age of Wit." Some of the recommendations for citing are quite different. In MLA Style, referring to the works of others in your text is done using parenthetical "Three phases of the separation response: protest, despair, and detachment" (Garelli). Publishing isn't regulated by law (thank goodness). 55-104. Citing Drama. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2015. This is an example from MLA Style Center: Miller, Arthur. If a source has no page numbers, you can use an alternative locator (e.g. The MLA rule to use a page number for sources that were originally published in hard copy and for which we know the exact page number does not apply to plays. Summarize. This resource, updated to reflect the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (7th ed.) "Play Title." Shakespeare, William. – Quotation from a play with page numbers. Given that it's only 1 page of material, you don't need it either, as … You may also want to provide a note that explains how you are citing the play. In A Raisin in the Sun, Walter doesn’t hide his disdain for his sister’s attitude towards his mother’s money: “the line between asking and just accepting when the time comes is big and wide—ain’t it!” he levels at Beneatha (Hansberry 37; act 1, scene 1). Page Number of Cited Material In-text citations direct the reader to the full citation on the For your Works Cited page, when citing a play from a book you'll need to include both the book publication information and the play information. If a source has no author, start the MLA Works Cited entry with the source title. If the play isn't cited in the text, I presume the parenthetical citation would best be: " (Shakespeare, King Lear, 2.4.254-58)," although MLA doesn't provide good guidance on this point. To directly quote from written material that does not contain page numbers (e.g., webpages and websites, some ebooks), provide readers with another way of locating the quoted passage. Underline play titles, as in A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It, or Richard II. Begin the entry with the author’s last name, followed by a comma and the rest of the name, as The text of a play is cited differently from traditional prose works. Quote. After hearing of the death of the traitorous Thane of Cawdor, who had seemed so loyal, Duncan remarks, “There’s no art, / To find the mind’s construction in the face” (54; 1.4).1. Filed Under: No Page Numbers. Romeo and Juliet. I cite the play by page number followed by act and scene numbers. If you are citing a play found as an entire source, cite this similar to a book, and use our book form. in-text citations, using sources. See note about the hanging indent requirement on the left-bottom of the page. How you cite the play in your works cited list will depend upon the source of the play. Deejay: guess I'm a crass professional. Wordsworth, William. :-), This website uses cookies for functionality, analytics and advertising purposes as described in our, mla citation of a play without line numbers. The edition of Macbeth I used does not provide line numbers. Provide the section number as well as the line number: As Wordsworth writes in his series of sonnets The River Duddon, “Child of the clouds! 2, lines 1-2).. Work Cited. When you quote from a play, divide lines of verse with slashes the way you would if quoting poetry. I have been searching all over to find the appropriate way to no avail. 1. When quoting a conversation between two or more characters in a play, start the quote on a new line, indented one inch from the left margin.. Write the name of the first speaker in capital letters, followed by a period and the speaker's line(s). Major British Poets of the Romantic Period, edited by William Heath, Macmillan, 1973, pp. Provide a heading or section name. a chapter number, or a timestamp for a video or audio source) to identify the relevant passage in your in-text citation. 391-92. General Format It would be nice if there was an industry standard just as there is for submitted manuscripts. The APA style is more reader friendly for numbers, for instance, than Chicago is. APA in-text citation style uses the author's last name and the year of publication, for example: (Field, 2005). I cannot imagine having to use different styles within the same manuscript - wonder what the point is? Citing a Play Example: Shakespeare, William. Note: This post relates to content in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook. MLA makes a distinction between online books and eBooks: Online book: a book with a URL that you can access on a website or database like Project Gutenberg, Google Books, ProQuest Ebook Central, EBSCOhost eBooks, Early English Books Online, etc. MLA Style Manual, 2nd edition (1999), rule 3.9.4: Gary - Does this sound vaguely familiar to you? Think I'll just stick with MLA! Print. Use the format last name, comma, first name, period. UPDATE: MLA has published a new, 8th edition. MLA also doesn't require line-numbers, nor really allow for it. Use the full title when first mentioned in your text with the abbreviation in parentheses, then use the a bbreviation in later references to the title. So a great number of publishers putting out books for the general reading population will use Chicago for everything but numbers--and use APA for that particular issue. We are currently working on a new video series. For up-to-date guidance, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook. Did she offer suggestions, or did she simply demand they change the cover because she didn't like it? Tips for citing plays: remote from every taint / Of sordid industry thy lot is cast” (sec. If you're quoting a play that does not have scenes or lines, include the act, and note it as such, so it is not confused with a page number. I think the way in which one voices concerns and dislikes is very important and can go a long way in getting things done to one's liking. The Plays of William Shakespeare, vol. Any of the following approaches is acceptable; use the approach that will best help readers find the quotation. Macbeth. 10, edited by George Seeves et al., T. Davison, 1813, pp. The in-text citation must correspond with the entry on the Works Cited page, MLA in-text citations follow the Author-Page style, meaning the author's last name and the page number(s) of the quotation or paraphrase must appear in the text. Title of the Anthology. Structure: Play author. Cite the line numbers. The (usual) point is that some styles are more reader friendly on certain issues than others. Shakespearean Play In-Text Citations (p. 121) Abbreviate the title of a work if you cite it frequently in your paper. If I'm working two different books for two different publishers with two different customized styles, it gets a little nerve wracking. and the MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing (3rd ed. Make a citation at the end of the sentence when the act and scene are not mentioned in the sentence. When quoting multiple lines of dialogue from a play or screenplay: Set the quote on a new line, indented half an inch from the left margin. In-text parenthetical citation, if the play was identified in the text: " (2.4.254-58), representing Act 2, Scene 4, lines 154-58). I wonder if sometimes it doesn't depend on the author's approach? Norton’s Anthology. In text citations are primarily there to help your reader understand the text, and adding line numbers would just prove confusing to readers. Paraphrase. I didn't like either vision of the cover. How to Cite Plays (96-97). 1. Use a shortened version of the title in your in-text citation. I cite the play by page number followed by act and scene numbers. The examples below are for a print book. You can directly quote an author’s passage by placing … scene.line. MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. Gary - while your response certainly makes sense, I still question the need of publishers to switch styles within a manuscript (except, perhaps, for the numbering as you mentioned here). Even if the play is part of an anthology with an editor, you will still start with the name of … When you quote from electronic sources that do not provide page numbers (like Web pages), cite the author name only. MLA Style requires an in-text citation to indicate the sources that were consulted and used in your work. After hearing of the death of the traitorous Thane of Cawdor, who had seemed so loyal, Duncan remarks, “There’s no art, / To find the mind’s construction in the face” (54; 1.4). For sources such as websites and e-books that have no page numbers, use a paragraph Three Ways to Use Other People's Ideas. Your in text citation is always derived from your works cited entry, so an in text example would be: "you quote" (Miller 45) Title of the Play. When publishers are footing the bills, they feel they have the right to determine a house style for questions on the margin--and they do impose these preferences. Online Books and eBooks: Not Quite the Same Thing. I am writing an essay that covers four plays and I am having trouble finding the correct way to cite lines from the play and also how to give the location of the lines. Because plays are often printed in many editions and anthologies, it is customary to cite the act, scene, and line number rather than the page number in your in-text citations. Citing Shakespeare in a Bibliography Start with the author and the title. How to Cite Information If No Page Numbers Are Available (220-222) If a resource contains no page numbers, as can be the case with electronic sources, then you cannot include a page number in the parentheses. The MLA system uses in-text citations rather than footnotes or endnotes. If the play is from an anthology or collection, it should be cited at follows: Playwright Lastname, Firstname. Note that each item in the play's division is separated by periods. Start the dialogue with the character’s name in capital letters, followed by a period. If you repeat a reference to a source later in the text, it retains its original number—thus, all references to source number 4 receive a 4 after them in parentheses or brackets. Since you are citing from a published copy of the play, you'd cite it basically like a book. Cite the act , scene, and line number is used: Macbeth 2.1.13 referring to act. Add the line numbers that encompass the referenced material. Death of a Salesman. When referencing the lines of only one character, follow the guidelines for poetry and prose.. 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