Defining ‘Quoting Poetry’
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1. Defining ‘Quoting Poetry’
2. MLA Formatting
3. In-text Citations
4. Reference List Entries
5. Including a Quotation in the Essay
6. Paraphrasing
7. Summary
8. Types of Quotations
9. Placement
10. Citing Unusual Poems
11. Citing Poetic Anthologies
12. Citing from an Individual Poet’s Work
13. Editions Within a Reference List Entry
14. In-Text Citations for Multiple Authors
15. Pre-1800 Poetic Work
Quoting poetry involves utilising the works of poets to enhance and illustrate a point, piece of writing or an essay. Knowing how to quote poetry in an essay mla, or in any format, is of paramount importance as quotes from authors allow readers to understand the writing better and can even help to form a basis for an argument. For example, if an author provides evidence from a reliable poet, readers are more likely to believe what they are reading.
MLA Formatting
Understanding how to quote poetry in an essay mla is important. The formatting standards outlined by the Modern Language Association (MLA) dictate how the use of sources is handled within the text and in a reference list at the end. The guidelines are applicable for both print and electronic sources. Generally, for quoting poetry, you should use a quotation of three lines or fewer that does not take up more than a quarter of the page; shorter quotations should be placed in the body of the text, whereas longer quotation may be formatted as a “block quotation”, indented one and a half inches from the left margin.
In-text Citations
For in-text citations of quotes from poetry, the relevant line number should be included immediately after the quote.. If the source did not provide line numbering or if the poem is written in prose form, the author’s last name and the page number opens it is taken from should be included in the citation. Additionally the abbreviation ‘qtd. In’ should be placed between the quotation and the source in the in-text citation.
Reference List Entries
A reference list entry for a poem must be written differently compared to that of a book or an article. The entries should look like:
First Name Surname, Title of Poem, in Title of Collection, editor, publisher/collection, Year of Publication, page.
If the poem is from an individual publication, including an e-book, the entry should look like:
First Name Surname, Title of Poem, publisher, Year of Publication, page.
Including a Quotation in the Essay
When inserting a quote from a poem into an essay, it is important to ensure that the quotation melds seamlessly with the sentence prior. Depending on the sentence, so called parentheses can be utilised to include the quotation in an essay without any disruption to the sentence.
Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is another effective way of introducing the works of poets into an essay. By paraphrasing a poem, an author has freedom to change that which would fit best within the essay. It is important to remember to provide a citation for said paraphrase as it can still be considered as plagiarism should it go uncited.
Summary
In conclusion, quoting poetry in an essay mla can be accomplished by understanding MLA formatting, ensuring correct in-text citations, creating accurate reference list entries, including a quotation seamlessly into an essay, and ensuring to credit poets for their hard work.
Types of Quotations
There are two types of quotations when citing poetry. The first type is titled a “run-in quote”, which is when a part of the text is being quoted and incorporated into the body of the sentence. This type of quote is easier to read and aids in the ability to comprehend the text.
The second type of quotation is a “block quote”. This type of quotation is used when the author cites a set of words, phrases or lines with four or more lines, when a quotation is cut off within the sentence itself, or if the text itself needs extra introduction. When using the block quote, the quotation should be indented half an inch from the left margin and should not be in quotation marks. No quotation marks are required, as the indentation already shows that the text is being quoted.
Placement
When citing poetry, it is also important to consider how the citation should be placed within the text. In MLA format, the citation should be placed at the end of the sentence but before the end punctuation character. Additionally, the author’s last name should be stated. If there is a line number present, it should also be included.
Citing Unusual Poems
When citing unusual poems, such as a poem found on a website or e-publication, the citation should indicate the poem is found online. The citation should be formatted as follows:
First Name Surname, “Title of Poem,” Title of Website, publisher/sponsor of site, date of publication or most recent update, URL (if available).
If there is no publisher, the entry should look like this:
First Name Surname, “Title of Poem,” Title of Website, date of publication or most recent update, URL (if available).
Citing Poetic Anthologies
When citing a poetic anthology, the entry should be formatted as follows:
First Name Surname, “Title of Poem,” Title of Collection, edited by First Name Surname, Publisher, Year of Publication, page number.
Citing from an Individual Poet’s Work
When citing an individual poet’s work, the entry should look like this:
First Name Surname, “Title of Poem,” Title of Individual work, Publisher, Year of Publication, page number.
Editions Within a Reference List Entry
When citing the works of a poet who has revised or published new editions, the year of publication of the version that is quoted should be stated. For example:
First Name Surname, Title of Poem, Title of Anthology, edited by First Name Surname, 8th ed., Publisher, Year of Publication, page number.
In-Text Citations for Multiple Authors
When quoting from a poem written by two or more authors, the two authors should be separated by ‘and’ or ‘&’ in the in-text citation. The reference list entry should include all names of the authors or editors.
Pre-1800 Poetic Work
When citing a pre-1800 poetic work, the year of its earliest known publication should be stated. If it is unknown, ‘n.d.’ should be used instead of a year. For example:
First Name Surname, “Title of Poem,” Title of Anthology, edited by First Name Surname, Publisher, n.d., page number.
In summary, knowing how to quote poetry in an essay mla is essential for any student who wishes to enhance their writing and make their writing more impressive. Depending on the literary work being referenced, in-text citations and reference list entries can differ. By following the guidelines and providing details on the work being quoted, any student is sure to create inspirational, hard-to-forget pieces of literature.
