Short stories can be a good resource for a literary essay or language assignment article. To cite a short story, you need to include the in-text citation in this format: "(Ng 10)". After that, you need to make a citation entry on the bibliography page or works cited in a format like this: "Ng, Clara. 'Hair Pascal.' Sharing Stories, Sharing Love. Jakarta: Gramedia Pustaka Utama, 2015. 7-16. Print."
Step
Method 1 of 2: Writing Quotes in Text
Step 1. Enclose short excerpts from the story with quotation marks
If you are using a body that is three lines long (or less) from a short story, you can enclose it in quotation marks. That way, readers know you're quoting directly from the story.
For example, you might write something like this: “In a short story called 'Pascal's Hair,' the character Pascal the Lion says, 'I'm going to change my hairstyle! […] Friends must be amazed and surprised. See the results later. I must be the most handsome!'”
Step 2. Use citation blocks for citations longer than four lines
If you take several lines of very long story content, make the left side of this section indent so that the quote stands out more on the page. When using quote blocks, you don't need to add quotes.
- For example, you might write something like this: “The beginning of the main character's encounter with Clara in Clara's short story is explained from the protagonist's point of view like this:
'Across from me sits the woman. Her hair is dyed red. Chocolate actually. But people call it red. But red means something else to me. For years I've been taught that red people are dangerous people. So, I don't have to trust this woman, whose hair is purposely dyed red. Maybe his head was red too. Maybe his heart was red too. Who knows? I don't need to believe this woman's words, though the story itself I'll honestly admit is quite moving.'
Step 3. Place the in-text citation (bracketed citations) at the end of the passage you are quoting
In-text citations should always be added at the end of the quoted text (in brackets). Place a period or comma after the quote, and not before it.
- For example, “In a short story called 'Pascal's Hair,' the character Pascal the Lion says, 'I'm going to change my hairstyle! […] Friends must be amazed and surprised. See the results later. I must be the most handsome!’ (Ng 11).”
- Alternatively, you could also write it as follows: The beginning of the main character's encounter with Clara in Clara's short story is explained from the protagonist's point of view like this:
'Across from me sits the woman. Her hair is dyed red. Chocolate actually. But people call it red. But red means something else to me. For years I've been taught that red people are dangerous people. So, I don't have to trust this woman, whose hair is purposely dyed red. Maybe his head was red too. Maybe his heart was red too. Who knows? I don't need to believe this woman's words, although the story itself I honestly admit is quite moving.' (Ajidarma 1)."
Step 4. Include the author's last name and page number in the citation
Insert a space instead of a comma between the author's name and the page number. If there are multiple authors, separate their last names with a comma.
For example, you could write it like this: “(Ng 11)” or “(Ajidarma 1).”
Method 2 of 2: Creating Citation Entries for Bibliography Pages
Step 1. Begin the citation entry with the author's last name and first name
State the name of the author of the short story in the entry and place a comma between the last name and first name. If there are multiple authors, use the preposition " and " or "and" to separate each name.
- For example, you might write something like this: “Ng, Clara” or “Erdrich, Louise, and Diaz, Junot.”
- For Indonesian: “Erdirch, Louise, and Diaz, Junot.”
Step 2. Include the title of the story and enclose it in quotation marks
For example, you might write something like this: "Ng, Clara. 'Pascal's hair'" or "Ajidarma, Seno Gumira. 'Clara'".
Step 3. Type the title of the collection or anthology containing the short story in italics
If you find a short story online, you don't need to mention the title of the collection or anthology.
For example: “Ung, Clara. 'Pascal's Hair'. Share Stories, Share Love.” or “Ajidarma, Seno Gumira. 'Clara'."
Step 4. Write down the name of the editor if any
Place the abbreviation “Ed. by” (or “Edited by”) and state the name of the anthology editor if available. You do not need to mention the name of the editor if the short story is taken from a collection of short stories.
- For example: “Erdrich, Louise. ‘The Flower.’ The Best American Short Stories 2016, Ed. by Junot Diaz.”
- For Indonesian: “Erdrich, Louise. ‘The Flower.’ The Best American Short Stories 2016, Edited by Junot Diaz.”
Step 5. State the location and name of the publisher, as well as the year the book was published
The location of publication must be marked by the city. If you can't find publisher information for a short story found online, you don't need to list it.
- For example, you might write something like this: “Ung, Clara. 'Pascal's Hair.' Share Stories, Share Love. Jakarta: Gramedia Pustaka Utama, 2015.” Alternatively, you could also write it like this: “Erdrich, Louise. ‘The Flower.’ The Best American Short Stories 2016, Ed. by Junot Diaz, New York: Harper Collins, 2016.”
- For Indonesian: “Erdrich, Louise. ‘The Flower.’ The Best American Short Stories 2016, Edited by Junot Diaz, New York: Harper Collins, 2016.”
Step 6. Mention the name of the website in italics if you come across a short story from the internet
Include the name of the website in the citation entry to let readers know the source of the short story. You don't need to include a website URL.
For example, you could write something like this: “Ajidarma, Seno Gumira. 'Clara.' Scribd.'"
Step 7. Include the page number of the short story if the story is not available from the internet
Mention the page number of the short story in the source text. If you're taking a short story from a website, you don't need to include the page number.
For example, you might write something like this: “Ung, Clara. ‘Pascal’s Hair.’ Sharing Stories, Sharing Love, Jakarta: Gramedia Pustaka Utama, 2015. 7-16.”
Step 8. Name the medium of the short story
If the short story is taken from a printed book, use the words “Print” or “Print” as the type of media. If the story is taken from a website, use the word “Web” as the media type and add the date of access to the site.
- For example, you might write something like this: “Ung, Clara. ‘Pascal’s Hair.’ Sharing Stories, Sharing Love, Jakarta: Gramedia Pustaka Utama, 2015. 7-16. Print."
- For English: “Nng, Clara. ‘Pascal’s Hair.’ Sharing Stories, Sharing Love, Jakarta: Gramedia Pustaka Utama, 2015. 7-16. Print."
- Alternatively, you could also write it like this: “Ajidarma, Seno Gumira. 'Clara.' Scribd. Web. 1 March 2021.”
