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MLA Citation Guide (MLA 8th Edition) with permission from Seneca Library: How Do I Cite?

A comprehensive guide to cite sources.

Legal Citations

Because of the complexity of legal citations, MLA follows a legal citation style guide for citing sources such as legislation and case law. Legal citations in your Works Cited list will look significantly different from other material that you may cite.

Seneca Libraries recommends following the Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation for citing legal resources. In-text citations should still follow the standard MLA format.

The following resources give detailed examples for citing legal resources using the rules from the Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation:

Works Quoted in Another Source

Sometimes an author of a book, article or website will mention another person’s work by using a quotation or paraphrased idea from that source. (This may be called a secondary source.) For example, the Kirkey article you are reading includes a quotation by Smith that you would like to include in your essay.

The basic rule is that in both your References list and in-text citation you will still cite Kirkey. Kirkey will appear in your Works Cited list – NOT Smith.

You will add the words “qtd. in” to your in-text citation.  

Examples of in-text citations:

According to a study by Smith (qtd. in Kirkey) 42% of doctors would refuse to perform legal euthanasia.

Smith (qtd. in Kirkey) states that “even if euthanasia was legal, 42% of doctors would be against this method of assisted dying” (A.10).

Example of Reference list citation:

Kirkey, Susan. "Euthanasia." The Montreal Gazette, 9 Feb. 2013, p. A.10. Canadian Newsstand Major Dailies.