MLA Citation Formatting Rules
Consider the following sentence: This argument was emphasized by Thompson (1992:12).
Why is this an incorrect format for an MLA in-text citation, and how should it be properly cited?
A
The page number is unnecessary; it should be formatted as Thompson (1992) to reference the year of publication.
B
The author's first and last names must be included, formatted as John Thompson (1992:12).
C
The author's surname must be enclosed in parentheses, formatted as (Thompson, 1992:12).
D
The year of publication is unnecessary; it should be formatted as Thompson (12) to reference the page number.