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With these types of footnotes, you will typically add a short phrase such as “See…” or “For more information, refer to…” to introduce the footnote and explain why it is being included.ġ See Johnson, chapter 4 for additional insight into this topic. These notes are utilized to direct the reader to texts that support or add more perspective to the point you are making. Footnotes on the other hand, are meant to be utilized for two purposes – to direct the reader to a source that would add to their understanding (bibliographic note), or to provide clarifying information about a point being made (explanatory note). Per the style dictated by MLA guidelines, when referring to source material, one is expected to use a parenthetical citation in the main text. The text included in the footnote itself should be clear and concise. The MLA handbook recommends keeping the use of footnotes to a minimum, using them only when necessary for clarification purposes. It usually contains information about the source and is encapsulated in parentheses. Not a parenthetical citation or an endnoteįootnotes are not to be confused with endnotes or parenthetical citations.Īn endnote serves a similar purpose as a footnote, but is included at the end of the document or book instead of at the end of the page that contains the information relevant to that note.Ī parenthetical citation, on the other hand, is when you cite a source directly after the quoted or paraphrased information within the text.
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It is called a footnote because the information is located at the bottom, or the ‘ foot’ of the page.
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