Citing Sources MLA Format

Different IB subjects use different styles of referencing, but for Visual Arts it is expected that you use MLA style. This is the Author, page number style and the citations are within the text, not footnotes.  

In-Text Citations

Use citations for.....

• 'direct quotes' (text copied directly from the source)

• paraphrasing (rewriting the information in your own words)

ALL INFORMATION AND IMAGES THAT YOU GOT FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE (BOOK, WEBSITE, VIDEO, MAGAZINE) NEEDS TO BE CITED. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU WROTE IT IN YOUR OWN WORDS, YOU STILL MUST CITE IT. 

MLA Format for In-Text Citations

• • Books: Author's last name and page number: (Milne, 60)

  • Web site:  just the author's last name: (Milne)

  • If there is no author use the title of the article: (Cezanne's Life and Work)

  • If the article title is long then you can shorten it: eg Infinity on a Single Canvas: Yayoi Kusama at Tate Modern = (Infinity on a Single Canvas)

  • If there is no title, then the web site name: (theartstory.org)

  • If you use ChatGPT:  (OpenAI)   

Example of direct quote: 'In Cézanne's mature pictures, even a simple apple might display a distinctly sculptural dimension' (The Art Story: Key Ideas). 

Example of paraphrasing: Later in his life Cezanne painted with such thick paint that even an apple would look sculptural (The Art Story: Key Ideas).

Example of In-Text Citations

MLA Format for Artworks

Under the photo of the artwork, write:

• • Artist name, Title (year it was made) 

  • The website you took the photo from - NOT THE ENTIRE URL

List of Sources (Bibliography) and List of Images

• • Always include a List of Sources at the end of the document.

  • Use a citation website to help you, like http://www.citethisforme.com/mla8/source-type to make sure you have all the necessary information

  • If you use ChatGPT: list OpenAI as the author, followed by “ChatGPT” in italics as the website name, and then the URL. Include an access date, since the tool is updated frequently.

  • Put all the sources in alphabetical order, by author surname. If you don't know the author's name, use the website name instead.