Citation quiz
Test what you know about works cited pages, in-text citations, headings and sources. Every answer comes with the reason.
1. What comes right after each citation in an annotated bibliography?
Answer: A paragraph about the source. Each citation is followed by an annotation, a paragraph that summarizes and usually evaluates the source. See the full explanation.
2. An assignment just says "annotated bibliography" with no other details. Which kind of annotation is the safest choice?
Answer: Summary plus evaluation and planned use. Most teachers expect a short summary, a judgment of quality and a note on how you will use the source. See the full explanation.
3. How should the entries be ordered?
Answer: Alphabetically by the first word of each citation. Like a Works Cited or References page, entries go in alphabetical order, usually by the author's last name. See the full explanation.
4. How should the title of the Works Cited page look in MLA 9?
Answer: Centered, plain text. MLA puts Works Cited centered at the top in the same plain font as the paper, with no bold, italics or underline. See the full explanation.
5. Which is correct for a source with three authors?
Answer: Rivera, Ana, et al.. MLA 9 gives the first author's full name followed by et al. when a source has three or more authors. See the full explanation.
6. Where does an entry starting with the title The Quiet Harbor go in the alphabetical list?
Answer: Under Q. Ignore A, An and The at the start of a title when you alphabetize. See the full explanation.
7. What is the second line of an MLA heading?
Answer: Your instructor's name. The order is your name, your instructor's name, the course, then the date. See the full explanation.
8. Which date format matches MLA's examples?
Answer: 7 November 2026. MLA's examples write day month year, with the month spelled out and no commas. See the full explanation.
9. What goes in the header at the top right of each page?
Answer: Your last name and the page number. The header holds only your last name, a space and the page number. See the full explanation.
10. Which MLA in-text citation is correct?
Answer: (Rivera 45). MLA puts the last name and page number side by side with no comma and no p. See the full explanation.
11. A source has three authors: Mensah, Grant and Liu. How do you cite page 8?
Answer: (Mensah et al. 8). For three or more authors, MLA gives the first author's last name followed by et al. See the full explanation.
12. You quote a web page with no author and no page numbers. What goes in the parentheses?
Answer: A shortened title. With no author, the Works Cited entry starts with the title, so the citation uses a shortened title. See the full explanation.
13. Where should you look for a book's full title and publisher?
Answer: The title page and copyright page. The title page and copyright page give the full title, publisher and year; covers are often shortened or decorative. See the full explanation.
14. How does MLA 9 shorten University Press in a Works Cited entry?
Answer: UP. MLA writes University Press as UP, as in Saltmarsh UP. See the full explanation.
15. You used one essay from an edited collection. Whose name starts the entry?
Answer: The essay author's. Start with the essay's author and title; the editor follows the book title after edited by. See the full explanation.
16. A farmer's diary from 1890 is used in a paper about farm life in that decade. What kind of source is it?
Answer: Primary. It was written at the time by someone living through the events, so it is firsthand evidence. See the full explanation.
17. Which is a secondary source for a paper on a novel?
Answer: A scholarly article analyzing the novel. The article interprets the novel; the novel and the draft are the primary material being studied. See the full explanation.
18. In science, which is usually a primary source?
Answer: An article reporting the authors' own experiment. Original research articles report new data firsthand; reviews and textbooks summarize other work. See the full explanation.
19. Which style calls its list of sources Works Cited?
Answer: MLA. MLA uses Works Cited, APA uses References and Chicago notes-bibliography style uses Bibliography. See the full explanation.
20. Can an APA References page include a book you read but never cited?
Answer: No. APA lists only sources cited in the text; every reference entry must match at least one in-text citation. See the full explanation.
21. Besides cited sources, what may a Chicago bibliography include?
Answer: Works you consulted. A Chicago bibliography may list important works you consulted, not just the ones in your footnotes. See the full explanation.
22. In a traditional outline, what marks the major sections?
Answer: Roman numerals. Roman numerals mark sections, capital letters mark main points, and Arabic numerals mark supporting details. See the full explanation.
23. What should appear at the top of a research paper outline?
Answer: Your thesis statement. Every section of the outline should support the thesis, so it goes first. See the full explanation.
24. A section has point A but no point B. What does the traditional rule suggest?
Answer: Add a second point or fold A into the line above. Each level should have at least two items; a lone subpoint usually belongs in the point above it. See the full explanation.
Pick an answer to start.