Citing Dictionary.com in MLA
10-06-2010 at 08:20 PM
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#1
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Citing Dictionary.com in MLA
Anyone know how to cite dictionary.com in an MLA essay. I mean after the definition for ex.
Liberty is defined as "freedom from arbitrary or despotic government or control.” ( )
What would I put in the brackets?
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
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10-06-2010 at 08:34 PM
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#2
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Don't use dictionary.com. It isn't considered an acceptable resource. You want to use the Oxford English Dictionary, which you can access through the library.
Then just Google citing OED in MLA.
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10-06-2010 at 08:37 PM
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#3
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Ok, thanks. What would I put in the brackets after the quote?
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10-06-2010 at 08:42 PM
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#4
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If you are citing an anonymous work, use the title of the work (or an abbreviated form of it) in the parenthetical (in-text) citation and alphabetize by the title of the article in the Works Cited list. (from http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/writing/mla)
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McMaster Combined Honours Cultural Studies & Critical Theory and Anthropology: 2008
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We are people of this generation, bred in at least modest comfort, housed in universities, looking uncomfortably into the world we inherit. -- Port Huron Statement
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10-06-2010 at 08:48 PM
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#5
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aka Mrs. Henry Cavill
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I don't think you can. I just went through the proper MLA formats for 2010 and citing from an online dictionary isn't listed becasue the definiton doesn't have an author or a group affiliation. I just spent like five minuts going through the book; there isn't anything for online dictionaries, or even anthing similar. You need to se an actual hard copy dictionary.
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10-06-2010 at 08:51 PM
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#6
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Ok what if it wasn't anonymous and was the oxford dictionary?
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10-06-2010 at 09:27 PM
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#7
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aka Mrs. Henry Cavill
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Quote:
Originally Posted by anthony
Ok what if it wasn't anonymous and was the oxford dictionary?
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It tha case you follow the standard MLA in-text citation for a book with one author (or however many authors there are).
OR, because the dictionary is like a group/organization, you treat the group or organization as the authpr. Identify the group author in the text and lace only the page number in the parenthesis. Example:
According to the Irish Free State Handbook, published by the Ministry for Industry and Finance, the population of Ireland in 1929 was approximately 4, 192, 000 (23).
I copied that directly from the MLA textbook. It depends if you want to cite it as an organization/group or as an author. I cited a dictionary in a history essay I wrote last year as a work by multiple authors, and it was marked fine.
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10-06-2010 at 09:57 PM
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#8
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Mr.Spock is not dazzled.
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Also, don't cite dictionaries in general. It' a very weak argument and a horrible opening statement.
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10-06-2010 at 11:36 PM
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#9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by britb
Also, don't cite dictionaries in general. It' a very weak argument and a horrible opening statement.
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Cite what the book defines Liberty as. Draw your own meaning if its not directly said.... This would constitute as a "paraphrase" |
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10-07-2010 at 08:28 AM
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#10
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Ok thanks for the input. I will probably paraphrase what I think the book means then. Thanks again everyone.
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10-07-2010 at 08:47 AM
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#11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by britb
Also, don't cite dictionaries in general. It' a very weak argument and a horrible opening statement.
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Not true. Oftentimes dictionaries are needed in order to give context or to define terms which actually strengthen your argument. The OED provides the history of the word and its various definitions over time. This is extremely important in classes like English, when you read works from different time periods.
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10-07-2010 at 10:03 AM
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#12
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I am Prince Vegeta.
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Andddd this is why most people think that Humanities/essay-based courses are a joke.
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Mathematically it makes about as much sense as (pineapple)$$*cucumbe r*.
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10-07-2010 at 09:45 PM
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#13
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Mr.Spock is not dazzled.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lorend
Not true. Oftentimes dictionaries are needed in order to give context or to define terms which actually strengthen your argument. The OED provides the history of the word and its various definitions over time. This is extremely important in classes like English, when you read works from different time periods.
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For context and historical things, of course. I was thinking along the lines of when its used improperly, like "the definition of x is this" for an opener (boring, usually useless unless you carry it through) or something. |
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10-07-2010 at 11:30 PM
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#14
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Wouldn't a definition count as common knowledge and therefore not need to be cited?
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10-08-2010 at 12:04 AM
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#15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by britb
For context and historical things, of course. I was thinking along the lines of when its used improperly, like "the definition of x is this" for an opener (boring, usually useless unless you carry it through) or something.
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Yep, that's true. Using definitions in a way that doesn't bore your reader to death can be tricky.
Quote:
Originally Posted by crazyfree
Wouldn't a definition count as common knowledge and therefore not need to be cited?
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Nope, especially not in English. English (and CSCT) uses a lot more theoretical terms than you'd expect. It's not easy to define things like discourse, rhetoric, ideology or race properly, and this is especially true when you consider different historical contexts or the different definitions of terms from different theorists. For example, Marx's definition of discourse would be different than Foucault's because of their ideological and theoretical frameworks.
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We are people of this generation, bred in at least modest comfort, housed in universities, looking uncomfortably into the world we inherit. -- Port Huron Statement
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