How to Cite Module Notes

Citations are crucial in preparing any type of paper, essay or speech. Citations give credibility to the arguments you are emphasizing, while also giving credit to work which has already been done. Module notes, when taken from an essential lecture or other source of information, should also be cited. The MLA, or Modern Languages Association, format uses a simple in-text citation as well as a bibliographic entry at the end of the paper to cite an item such as module notes. The APA, American Psychological Association, style also utilizes in-text parenthetical citations with a reference page at the end of the written work.

MLA Format

Write down the author of the notes, or the speaker providing the facts and figures of the module notes. Also write the name of the module or lesson, the location of the module, and the date the module was presented.

Format a bibliographic entry reflecting the information noted down in Step 1. The bibliographic entry will be placed on the "Works Cited" page which directly follows the essay or composition in which you are citing the module notes.

The citation should include the last name of the module note author, then the first name. The title of the module in quotation marks should be listed, followed by the location of the module lecture or lesson, and the date. An example of a module citation should look like this:

Use the author's last name in the in-text citation. When using information from the module notes within the text of your writing, use the last name of the module author or source of the information. The in-text citation should come at the end of the sentence in which the fact or figure is used. If the module notes include page numbers, the page number should also be included.

However, if there are no page numbers simply include the last name of the author.

Cite module notes only when the information you are using is not commonly known, or is directly taken from the source. If you are citing your own module notes, in which your own ideas or comments are noted down, a citation will not be necessary. If, however, you are using notes written by another individual or taken from a module lecture, a citation should be used.

APA Format

Write down the module note author, the name of the module, and the location of the module presentation.

Format the reference entry at the end of the paper. The "Reference" page will appear at the end of the written work and will include a bibliographic entry of all the sources you cited within the text. An APA entry should include the last name of the author, followed by the first name and a period. Next, the title of the module should be listed within quotation marks.

Finally, list out the location of the module presentation or notetaking. An APA bibliographic entry will look like this:

Use the last name of the author within the parenthetical in-text citation. When you use information, facts or figures directly from module notes, which are not your own ideas, within a paper you will use an in-text citation. List the last name of the author in parenthesis at the end of the sentence in which the information appears.

Edit all of your citations and bibliographic entries to ensure that everything is spelled and spaced correctly.

Any line after the first line should be indented in an MLA citation.

Need help with a citation? Try our citation generator.