Citing poems correctly is crucial for academic integrity and avoiding plagiarism. Whether you're writing an essay, a research paper, or simply including a poem in your work, understanding the proper citation format is essential. This guide will walk you through the process, covering various citation styles and providing helpful examples.
Understanding Citation Styles
Different academic disciplines and publications use various citation styles. The most common styles include:
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MLA (Modern Language Association): Primarily used in the humanities, particularly literature, languages, and cultural studies. It emphasizes author-page citations in the text and a Works Cited page at the end.
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APA (American Psychological Association): Frequently used in social sciences, psychology, education, and nursing. It focuses on author-date citations within the text and a References page at the end.
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Chicago/Turabian: Offers both a notes-bibliography and an author-date system. It's used across various disciplines and is known for its flexibility.
How to Cite a Poem in MLA Style
MLA style requires in-text citations and a Works Cited page. Here's how to cite a poem in MLA:
In-Text Citations:
For shorter poems (or parts of longer poems), include the line numbers in your citation. If you're citing multiple lines, use a hyphen to indicate the range. If you're citing a complete poem, you might not need line numbers if it’s only a few lines long.
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Example: Frost explores the theme of choices in "The Road Not Taken," noting that "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood" (3).
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Example (multiple lines): The speaker's uncertainty is evident in the lines, "I shall be telling this with a sigh / Somewhere ages and ages hence" (5-6).
Works Cited Entry:
The Works Cited page lists the full bibliographic information. Here's the general format:
Author's Last Name, Author's First Name. "Title of Poem." Title of Collection, edited by Editor's Name, Publisher, Year, Page numbers.
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Example (Poem in a book): Frost, Robert. "The Road Not Taken." Mountain Interval, Henry Holt and Company, 1920, pp. 100-102.
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Example (Poem in an Anthology): Dickinson, Emily. "Because I could not stop for Death." The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, edited by Thomas H. Johnson, Little, Brown and Company, 1960, pp. 183-184.
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Example (Online Poem): Dickinson, Emily. "Hope is the thing with feathers." Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43690/hope-is-the-thing-with-feathers. Accessed 20 Oct. 2023. (Note: Include the URL and access date for online sources).
How to Cite a Poem in APA Style
APA style utilizes parenthetical citations and a References page.
In-Text Citations:
Include the author's last name and year of publication. If citing a specific line or stanza, include the line number(s) or stanza number(s) after the year, preceded by a comma.
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Example: (Frost, 1920, lines 1-2)
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Example with Multiple Poems: If you are citing from multiple poems by the same author in the same year, use "a," "b," "c," etc., after the year to differentiate. (e.g., Frost, 1920a; Frost, 1920b)
References Entry:
The References page lists full bibliographic information.
Author's Last Name, Author's First Name. (Year). Title of Poem. In Title of Collection (pp. page numbers). Publisher.
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Example (Poem in a book): Frost, R. (1920). The Road Not Taken. In Mountain Interval (pp. 100-102). Henry Holt and Company.
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Example (Online Poem): Dickinson, E. (n.d.). Hope is the thing with feathers. Poetry Foundation. Retrieved from www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43690/hope-is-the-thing-with-feathers (Note: Use "n.d." if the publication date isn't available).
How to Cite a Poem in Chicago/Turabian Style
Chicago/Turabian style offers both a notes-bibliography and an author-date system. We'll focus on the notes-bibliography here, commonly preferred for literary studies.
Footnotes/Endnotes:
Use footnotes or endnotes to cite the poem. Provide the author's last name, the poem's title, the collection title (if applicable), the publisher (and place of publication), the publication date, and the page number(s).
- Example: ¹ Robert Frost, "The Road Not Taken," in Mountain Interval (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1920), 100-102.
Bibliography Entry:
The bibliography lists all sources cited.
Author's Last Name, Author's First Name. Title of Poem. In Title of Work, edited by Editor's Name, pages. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year.
- Example: Frost, Robert. "The Road Not Taken." In Mountain Interval, edited by [Editor's name, if applicable], 100-102. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1920.
Key Considerations When Citing Poems:
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Accuracy: Double-check all details for accuracy. Incorrect information can undermine the credibility of your work.
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Consistency: Maintain consistency throughout your work. Use the chosen citation style consistently.
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Accessibility: Ensure your citations are easily accessible to readers. Provide clear and concise information.
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Consult Style Guides: If you're uncertain about any aspect of citing poems, consult the official style guide for your chosen citation style.
By following these guidelines, you can correctly cite poems and ensure academic integrity in your writing. Remember to always double-check your citations to maintain accuracy and avoid plagiarism.
