How to cite a source within a source?
February 11, 2013 12:06 PM

I'm creating an MLA bibliography. I've accessed the author's writings through similar links like here, but am not sure how to cite them.

Are there any online guides that address citing both the book and the website it's on?
posted by flying_trapeze to Writing & Language (6 answers total)
Son of Citation
posted by whyareyouatriangle at 12:15 PM on February 11, 2013


Purdue's OWL has been my go-to source for a long time.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 12:20 PM on February 11, 2013


What are you citing specifically? If you're citing information solely from the source within the source, you cite the source within the source; but if you're citing the source's assessment/opinions/interpretation of the source within the source, you cite the source.
posted by Conspire at 2:37 PM on February 11, 2013


So Mr. X is saying blah blah and it is reported by Mr. Y?

Intext citation: As said by Mr. X, "blah blah blah" (qtd. in Y 34). (34 being the p. #)
Works Cited: Cite Mr. Y as you would any other source.

easybib is another way to format your works cited
posted by angrycat at 3:48 PM on February 11, 2013


If there is no reason you need to mention the website (i.e. you are not writing about the website author's take on the book), you should do everything you can to lay eyes on a physical copy of the book so that you can cite that. In academic writing it is technically correct to cite in the way suggested by angrycat, but usually considered lazy, with the only exceptions being for cases where the original is in a language you do not read, or rare and out of print, or not available anywhere in your country, etc.
posted by lollusc at 10:21 PM on February 11, 2013


(And if you HAVE laid eyes on an actual copy of the book you wish to quote from so as to check the quotation and reference on the website are correct, and you are not referring to the website author's argument, or paraphrasing anything from the website, then it is perfectly correct not to cite the website at all. You don't need to do so just because you found the book via the website. In academic writing it is expected that you will find some of your sources by first reading about them elsewhere!)
posted by lollusc at 10:23 PM on February 11, 2013


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