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Be Consistent and Thoughtful: MLA recommends using the preference of the community when
capitalizing identities. If the preference is not known, writers should review the preferred dictionary for
capitalization of identities. In instances where an identify may be used in both the capitalized or
lowercased form (e.g. “black” vs. “Black” or “white” vs. “White”), choose one and be consistent. In
addition, avoid using language or punctuation that undermines a subject’s identify. For example, do
not place quotations around an individual’s pronoun or italicize an identity, even if the term is not in
your preferred dictionary.
Minimize Pronoun Exclusion: Rather than using both feminine or masculine pronouns to remain
inclusive, MLA recommends revising to make the subject plural to avoid gendered pronouns.
For example:
Instead of stating, “Every teacher must make sure that her students complete their
homework,” state, “Teachers must make sure that students complete their homework.”
MLA allows writers to use singular they when preferred by an individual or to help avoid exclusionary
language. In cases where it is not the subject’s preference, singular they is less desirable than using a
plural subject. In addition, avoid making assumptions about the readers identify, beliefs, or background
in your language.
Avoid Negative Judgments: MLA encourages writers to avoid descriptions that may evoke emotions or
imagery that may not be accurate. “Suffers from,” “afflicted with,” “victim of,” and similar language
may make assumptions about a person or groups experiences that are not accurate. These are added
bias which writers should strive to avoid.
Check Terms for Offense: MLA recommends that writers always double-check their preferred, up-to-
date dictionary about terms that may be offensive or questionable. If an offensive term is featured in a
work quoted or reviewed, writers should take care to never repeat it as their own word. If integral to
the understanding or reference of a source, use the term with clear quotations to show it is not your
own words. Writers may choose to add a note about the offensive term or may choose to use a dash to
avoid reproducing the term in full (e.g. “d—"). Writers may also identify a respectful alternative for use
in discussions.
In-Text Citations
In-text citations are citations within the body of the paper that point to a Works Cited entry at the end
of the paper. In-text citations should be included anytime you reference the work of another individual
or organization. (However, you do not need to include a citation if you are only referring to a work
generally, such as introducing a title in your paper.)
By using in-text citations, students avoid plagiarism. Other reasons for citation use include giving
readers the ability to review the sources for a deeper understanding or to inform their own arguments.
In MLA style, in-text citations should be clear and brief. The basic format for MLA in-text citations is
(Author Page). Note that MLA does not require a comma between these source elements. For
example:
As a result, we are led to believe that the dog was a cat all along (Smith 29).