Research Writing and MLA Citation

Grade 10 · English · Study Guide

How to evaluate sources, integrate evidence ethically, and cite correctly in MLA format.

Research writing is fundamentally about making an argument supported by evidence — not just summarizing what others have said. The best research essays have a clear, debatable thesis, and every source is chosen because it advances that argument. Before you find a single source, you need to know what you're arguing. Otherwise you'll just collect information and have no idea what to do with it.

Source evaluation is where many students go wrong. Not all information is equal. The CRAAP test (Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose) is a standard framework: is the source recent enough for your topic? Is it relevant to your specific argument? Who wrote it, and do they have relevant credentials? Is the information accurate and verifiable? And what is the source's purpose — is it trying to inform, or trying to sell or persuade you? Wikipedia is a starting point for background, not a citable source — but Wikipedia's citations section often points you to high-quality primary sources.

Integrating sources well means more than just dropping a quote into a paragraph. You should introduce the source ('According to Dr. Angela Duckworth, psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania...'), provide the quote or paraphrase, and then explain how it supports your argument. The sandwich structure — your claim, the evidence, your analysis of that evidence — is the backbone of academic body paragraphs. Never let a quote end a paragraph; you must always follow up with your own interpretation.

MLA format (Modern Language Association) is standard for English and humanities courses. In-text citations use the author's last name and page number in parentheses: (Smith 42). The Works Cited page at the end lists full source information in a standardized format. For a book: Author Last, First. Title in Italics. Publisher, Year. For a website: Author (if available), 'Article Title in Quotes.' Website Name in Italics, Date, URL. The key principle of MLA is that every source cited in your text must appear on the Works Cited page, and every source on the Works Cited page must appear in your text.

MLA Citation Formats
Source TypeWorks Cited Format
BookLast, First. Title in Italics. Publisher, Year.
Website articleLast, First. 'Article Title.' Website, Date, URL.
Journal articleLast, First. 'Article Title.' Journal in Italics, vol., no., Year, pp. ##-##.
In-text citation(Last Name Page#) — placed before the period at end of sentence

Key terms

Thesis statement
A clear, debatable claim that the entire research essay supports — not a statement of fact, but an arguable position.
CRAAP test
A source evaluation framework: Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose.
MLA format
Modern Language Association citation style — standard for English and humanities; uses author-page in-text citations.
In-text citation
A brief reference within the text indicating the source — in MLA, typically (Author Last Name Page#).
Works Cited
The MLA bibliography page listing full details of every source cited in the essay.
Paraphrase
Restating a source's ideas in your own words — must still be cited even though you didn't quote directly.

Flashcards

Thesis statement
A debatable claim that drives the essay — not a fact, but an arguable position everything else supports.
CRAAP test
Source evaluation: Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose.
MLA in-text citation
Format: (Author Last Name Page#) — placed inside the sentence's final punctuation.
Works Cited page
MLA bibliography at the essay's end — every cited source listed in full, alphabetically by author.
Paraphrase
Restating a source's ideas in your own words — still requires citation.
Evidence sandwich
Your claim → the evidence (quote/paraphrase) → your analysis of how it supports the claim.

Practice questions

  1. In MLA format, an in-text citation for a quote from page 47 of a book by Sarah Johnson would look like:

    1. [Johnson, 47]
    2. (Johnson 47)
    3. {Johnson p. 47}
    4. (Sarah Johnson, 47)
    Show answer

    Answer: (Johnson 47)

    MLA in-text citations use parentheses with author's last name and page number, no comma between them: (Johnson 47). The period goes after the closing parenthesis.

  2. Paraphrasing a source in your own words means you do not need to cite that source.

    Show answer

    Answer: False

    Paraphrasing is still using someone else's idea — you must credit the source even when you restate it in your own words. Only your own original ideas don't require citation.

  3. The source evaluation framework that stands for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose is called the ___ test.

    Show answer

    Answer: CRAAP

    The CRAAP test gives researchers a systematic way to evaluate whether a source is credible and appropriate. Especially critical in the internet age, where misinformation and biased sources are widespread.

  4. Which of the following best describes the 'sandwich' method for integrating evidence?

    1. Quote, citation, quote
    2. Your claim, the evidence/quote, your analysis
    3. Introduction, quote, conclusion
    4. Topic sentence, counterargument, citation
    Show answer

    Answer: Your claim, the evidence/quote, your analysis

    The evidence sandwich ensures you don't just 'quote drop' — you set up why the evidence matters, present it, then explain how it proves your point. Never let a quote be the last sentence in a paragraph.

  5. Every source on your Works Cited page must be cited somewhere in the body of your essay.

    Show answer

    Answer: True

    The Works Cited page and in-text citations must match precisely: every in-text citation needs a full Works Cited entry, and every Works Cited entry must be cited somewhere in the text.

Fun facts

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