AREA 5 • 
Synthesis and Attribution • 
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MLA Parenthetical (In-Text) Documentation 

ENGLISH 1102 / H1 ..KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY ..SPRING 2006 ..MR. HAGIN 
All research and published ideas must be cited in an MLA Style research paper TWO 
DIFFERENT PLACES. First, the author of a research essay must briefly identify the 
authorship of the source in the text (body) of the essay. Ultimately, this research 
source must be fully disclosed on the Works Cited Page. 

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All quotes, paraphrases, and references to published works must be 
documented in MLA Style. 
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Any failure to do identify your sources completely and honestly can be 
grounds for plagiarism. 

.. All quotes should be verbatim, without changes, typos, or other errors 
.. Any modifications to a quote should be placed inside [brackets] 
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All quotes, paraphrases, and references to published works must be 
documented either by stating the reference directly or by placing it 
inside a parenthetical citation. 
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Most in-text parenthetical citations contain the author’s name (or title) and the page 
number(s) on which the referenced text can be found. 
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All quotes and paraphrases of published ideas must be referenced either by citing the 
source inside your sentence OR by documenting the author and page number 
parenthetically. 
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Federal inmates cost American taxpayers $30,000 per prisoner peryear (Jacoby 150), which is more significant than Emily Andrews’problems parting with her “spare change” (214). 
NOTE: The author and page number is provided for each reference (two different ways). 

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190 • 
Synthesis and Attribution • 
AREA 5 

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All Works Cited entries must be matched with a corresponding reference or 
parenthetical citation in the text. 
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Indeed, we are very much alike. The famous mythologist Joseph 
Campbell studied world mythologies and discovered many similarities. 
Many share similar beliefs in dualities — states of being that exist in a 
twofold reality (“Duality”). The Bible, of course, mentions this: “A 
time to be born, and a time to die” (Ecclesiastes 3:2). This sentiment 
is echoed both in ancient Chinese poetry (“Amid the turbulent waters / 
The white rocks stand clean”) (“The Turbulent Waters” 1-2), as well as in 
Hamlet’s famous question, “To be, or not to be” (Ham. III.i.64). Duality 
belongs to the earth; however, unity belongs to the gods. In the Indian 
epic The Bhagavad-Gita, Lord Krishna tells the warrior Arjuna, “Death am 
I, and Immortal Life I am [...]” (361; ch. IX). Likewise, Muslims 
believe that “[…] Allah causes the night to enter into the day and causes 
the day to enter into the night […]” (Al-Hajj 22:61), evoking the 
yin/yang concept of Taoism. Most different cultures and religions, when 
examined more closely, value similar ideals and perspectives. 
Works Cited 
“The Bhagavad-Gita.” Trans. Sir Edwin Arnold. A Treasury of Asian 
Literature. Ed. John D. Yohannan, New York: Meridian, 1984. 361. 
The Bible. New International Version. 1986. Zondervan. 
“Duality.” Def 1. The American Heritage Dictionary. Second College 
Edition. 1985. 
The Qur’an. Shakir Trans. Rpt. in. “The Noble Qur’an.” Islamic Server 
of MSA-USC. Aug. 2, 2000. Muslim Students Association of USC. 
Jan. 12, 2003 < http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/about/index.html>. 
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. New York: Washington Square, 1958. 
“The Turbulent Waters.” Trans. Robert Payne, et. al. A Treasury of 
Asian Literature. Ed. John D. Yohannan, New York: Meridian, 1984. 
229-230. 

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The author’s name (or title) in the parenthetical citations must match the 
first words of a Works Cited entry. 
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Any inconsistencies in your documentation can be considered plagiarism. Even honest 
mistakes can appear to be deliberate omissions or unforgivable errors in the eyes of 
some of your readers. Always save time to proofread your essays for accuracy.