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How to Cite The Color Purple in MLA Format

A "lingua franca" is a language used by two speakers who both speak different native languages. If you are a scholar, part of your lingua franca is the way you cite your sources. Citation style is one way of communicating the authority, extent and depth of your research to another scholar who may have different ways of doing things, a different way of looking at the world and even a different native language. The Modern Language Association of America provides guidelines to help you properly cite a single-author book like "The Color Purple."

Instructions

    • 1

      Write the author's last name first, first name last, with a comma in between and a period at the end to begin your citation of "The Color Purple." For example, write "Walker, Alice."

    • 2

      Write the title of the book, followed by a period.

    • 3

      Write the place of publication, followed by a colon.

    • 4

      Write the name of the publisher followed by a comma, and the year of publication followed by a period.

    • 5

      Write the medium of publication, followed by a period. For example, the citation should look like this: Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. New York: Pocket Books, 1985. Print.

    • 6

      Write the author's last name followed by the page number of the text you are citing within parentheses for an in-text citation of "The Color Purple" in MLA style. For example, "As the narrator makes plain (Walker 27)."

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