MLA Formatting: Ambiguous Citations by Same Author

[pcato]

As a humanities student, I'm expected to use MLA formatting for most of my papers, and, as such, I need to use intext citations throughout my papers. Unfortunately, when I've used multiple texts by the same author (Baldwin, Notes of a Native Son; Baldwin, The Fire Next Time; etc.), Bookends does not seem to differentiate between the texts when formatting in-text citations. Thus while the MLA calls for this:

(Baldwin, Notes of a Native Son 63)... (Baldwin, The Fire Next Time 110)

I get this:

(Baldwin 63)...... (Baldwin 110).

Is there any way to resolve this issue? I found a similar post from 14 years back (viewtopic.php?t=1115) to which the developer responded with:

"No, I don't think so. Bookends doesn't do well with some of the subtleties of MLA. You'd have to edit these situations manually after the scan."

Is this still the case? 14 years later, is Bookends still unable to process this aspect of MLA citations? While I can use Chicago for some papers, certain journals require MLA, and my dissertation involves many references to the same few authors and certainly needs to differentiate them.

Thanks,

Paul

[Jon]

Please contact tech support directly (support@sonnysoftware.com).

Jon
Sonny Software

[Philologist]

There are at least 8 version ("editions") of MLA available. So, when you ask questions in this forum you should mention which edition you are using.

Thus while the MLA calls for this:
(Baldwin, Notes of a Native Son 63)... (Baldwin, The Fire Next Time 110)

This is incorrect. MLA in-text citations usually do NOT include the title.

I get this:
(Baldwin 63)...... (Baldwin 110).

… which is correct if you want to include the page number too.

IF you want to include a title (or better: an abbreviated title) in the in-text citation, you'll have to do either of the two: (1) change the MLA format you are using, or (2) create your own format.

The following assumes you are familiar with the basics of creating a new format.

To quickly create your own format, do this:
1. open Formats Manager
2. select the MLA edition of your choice
3. click on the + sign (at the bottom left) to create a new format
4. In the up-coming dialog box, make sure 'Replicate all Types' is selected
5. Click on the "Citation Options" button in the new format
6. In the Field Order field you'll see "a d"
7. Add "t" or "s" (for Short Title) between "a" and "d" and perhaps also "." or ". " as a period sign.

Now the format should work as you want. Just remember, if you add "s", then the field for Short Title must not be empty.

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[pcato]

Thanks so much for the screenshot of the editing process! – I was overwhelmed when I first tried editing it on my and thought it best to ask here.

I'm trying to use MLA 8th edition – which does require that you use the full in-text citation if the citation is ambiguous (e.g., you're using multiple texts by the same author – which my dissertation requires). Otherwise, those curious about your sources (e.g., my dissertation committee!) won't be able to identify which of the authors' texts you're quoting from. This isn't required most of the time, but with direct quotes from primary sources, it's essential. (Been berated in the past for not doing this!)

Thanks also for the advice about the format addition – I'm new to the forum.

[Jon]

Bookends will use first initials/names to disambiguate MLA, and if that fails it will use the short title (not the full title). Do you have anything in the Short Title field of those references?

Jon
Sonny Software

[pcato]

The short title feature worked perfectly. I wasn't aware of it/its function. Thank you so much!!:

“What time will bring to Americans is at last their own identity.” (Baldwin, Collected Essays 90)……..

“I’m not a believer in any sense which would make sense to any church.… I believe in love….I don’t mean anything passive. I mean something active, something more like a fire, like the wind, something which can change you. I mean energy. I mean a passionate belief, a passionate knowledge of what a human being can do, and become, what a human being can do to change the world in which he finds himself” (Baldwin, Conversations With James Baldwin 48).