Writing last name of a person in an essay
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I am writing a research paper where it talks a great deal about a particular individual. I have already introduced the full name in the essay, should I address him by his last name after there on after? For example, if I introduced a person named John Lee, should I refer to him as Lee throughout the essay? I am using MLA format by the way.
style academic-writing mla
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Neil Fein♦
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I am writing a research paper where it talks a great deal about a particular individual. I have already introduced the full name in the essay, should I address him by his last name after there on after? For example, if I introduced a person named John Lee, should I refer to him as Lee throughout the essay? I am using MLA format by the way.
style academic-writing mla
edited yesterday
Neil Fein♦
8,40352361
migrated from english.stackexchange.com yesterday
This question came from our site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts.
1
I would think this is standard. What does the MLA Style Manual suggest? NB your question is probably off-topic on our site as you're asking for writing advice, but it would definitely be on-topic on our sister site Writing.se and would be more likely to get specific advice relevant to academic writing. I'll flag this post for moderator attention to consider migrating it there. :-)
– Chappo
Dec 2 at 23:25
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up vote
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down vote
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I am writing a research paper where it talks a great deal about a particular individual. I have already introduced the full name in the essay, should I address him by his last name after there on after? For example, if I introduced a person named John Lee, should I refer to him as Lee throughout the essay? I am using MLA format by the way.
style academic-writing mla
edited yesterday
Neil Fein♦
8,40352361
I am writing a research paper where it talks a great deal about a particular individual. I have already introduced the full name in the essay, should I address him by his last name after there on after? For example, if I introduced a person named John Lee, should I refer to him as Lee throughout the essay? I am using MLA format by the way.
style academic-writing mla
style academic-writing mla
edited yesterday
Neil Fein♦
8,40352361
edited yesterday
Neil Fein♦
8,40352361
edited yesterday
Neil Fein♦
8,40352361
edited yesterday
Neil Fein♦
8,40352361
edited yesterday
Neil Fein♦
8,40352361
8,40352361
asked Dec 2 at 20:09
Darkblacks
migrated from english.stackexchange.com yesterday
This question came from our site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts.
migrated from english.stackexchange.com yesterday
This question came from our site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts.
1
I would think this is standard. What does the MLA Style Manual suggest? NB your question is probably off-topic on our site as you're asking for writing advice, but it would definitely be on-topic on our sister site Writing.se and would be more likely to get specific advice relevant to academic writing. I'll flag this post for moderator attention to consider migrating it there. :-)
– Chappo
Dec 2 at 23:25
add a comment |
1
I would think this is standard. What does the MLA Style Manual suggest? NB your question is probably off-topic on our site as you're asking for writing advice, but it would definitely be on-topic on our sister site Writing.se and would be more likely to get specific advice relevant to academic writing. I'll flag this post for moderator attention to consider migrating it there. :-)
– Chappo
Dec 2 at 23:25
1
1
I would think this is standard. What does the MLA Style Manual suggest? NB your question is probably off-topic on our site as you're asking for writing advice, but it would definitely be on-topic on our sister site Writing.se and would be more likely to get specific advice relevant to academic writing. I'll flag this post for moderator attention to consider migrating it there. :-)
– Chappo
Dec 2 at 23:25
I would think this is standard. What does the MLA Style Manual suggest? NB your question is probably off-topic on our site as you're asking for writing advice, but it would definitely be on-topic on our sister site Writing.se and would be more likely to get specific advice relevant to academic writing. I'll flag this post for moderator attention to consider migrating it there. :-)
– Chappo
Dec 2 at 23:25
add a comment |
2 Answers
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One website citing the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (New York: MLA, 1988) 46-47 says that you should use just the last name after the first time (with some exceptions):
In general, the first time you use a person's name in the text of your paper, state it fully and accurately, exactly as it appears in your source.
Arthur George Rust, Jr.
Victoria M. Sackville-West
If you wish to include a fuller title to give the weight of authority to your source, you may do so in the first reference: Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Venerable John Henry Newman.
In subsequent uses of the name, use the person's last name only (Sackville-West, King, Newman)—unless, of course you refer to two or more persons with the same last name—or give the most common form of the person's name (Michelangelo for Michelangelo Buonarroti; Surrey for Henry Howard, earl of Surrey).
answered yesterday
Laurel
1925
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Once you refer to them formally once, you just refer to them by their last name for the rest of your piece.
answered yesterday
Random
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Hi Random! Welcome to Writing.SE! Thank you for your answer. Could you edit and expand it to include some source on what you're saying?
– Galastel
21 hours ago
2
Hi Random. Adding to Galastel's comment above: Suppose someone else were to post an answer saying only "You need to refer to them formally every time you refer to them within your piece". In such a situation, how could one tell which answer is more likely to be correct? Adding some reference, citation or source for your claim greatly reduces this problem.
– a CVn♦
17 hours ago
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
4
down vote
One website citing the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (New York: MLA, 1988) 46-47 says that you should use just the last name after the first time (with some exceptions):
In general, the first time you use a person's name in the text of your paper, state it fully and accurately, exactly as it appears in your source.
Arthur George Rust, Jr.
Victoria M. Sackville-West
If you wish to include a fuller title to give the weight of authority to your source, you may do so in the first reference: Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Venerable John Henry Newman.
In subsequent uses of the name, use the person's last name only (Sackville-West, King, Newman)—unless, of course you refer to two or more persons with the same last name—or give the most common form of the person's name (Michelangelo for Michelangelo Buonarroti; Surrey for Henry Howard, earl of Surrey).
answered yesterday
Laurel
1925
New contributor
Laurel is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
up vote
4
down vote
One website citing the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (New York: MLA, 1988) 46-47 says that you should use just the last name after the first time (with some exceptions):
In general, the first time you use a person's name in the text of your paper, state it fully and accurately, exactly as it appears in your source.
Arthur George Rust, Jr.
Victoria M. Sackville-West
If you wish to include a fuller title to give the weight of authority to your source, you may do so in the first reference: Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Venerable John Henry Newman.
In subsequent uses of the name, use the person's last name only (Sackville-West, King, Newman)—unless, of course you refer to two or more persons with the same last name—or give the most common form of the person's name (Michelangelo for Michelangelo Buonarroti; Surrey for Henry Howard, earl of Surrey).
answered yesterday
Laurel
1925
New contributor
Laurel is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
up vote
4
down vote
up vote
4
down vote
One website citing the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (New York: MLA, 1988) 46-47 says that you should use just the last name after the first time (with some exceptions):
In general, the first time you use a person's name in the text of your paper, state it fully and accurately, exactly as it appears in your source.
Arthur George Rust, Jr.
Victoria M. Sackville-West
If you wish to include a fuller title to give the weight of authority to your source, you may do so in the first reference: Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Venerable John Henry Newman.
In subsequent uses of the name, use the person's last name only (Sackville-West, King, Newman)—unless, of course you refer to two or more persons with the same last name—or give the most common form of the person's name (Michelangelo for Michelangelo Buonarroti; Surrey for Henry Howard, earl of Surrey).
answered yesterday
Laurel
1925
New contributor
Laurel is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
One website citing the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (New York: MLA, 1988) 46-47 says that you should use just the last name after the first time (with some exceptions):
In general, the first time you use a person's name in the text of your paper, state it fully and accurately, exactly as it appears in your source.
Arthur George Rust, Jr.
Victoria M. Sackville-West
If you wish to include a fuller title to give the weight of authority to your source, you may do so in the first reference: Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Venerable John Henry Newman.
In subsequent uses of the name, use the person's last name only (Sackville-West, King, Newman)—unless, of course you refer to two or more persons with the same last name—or give the most common form of the person's name (Michelangelo for Michelangelo Buonarroti; Surrey for Henry Howard, earl of Surrey).
answered yesterday
Laurel
1925
New contributor
Laurel is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered yesterday
Laurel
1925
New contributor
Laurel is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered yesterday
Laurel
1925
answered yesterday
Laurel
1925
1925
New contributor
Laurel is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Laurel is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Laurel is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
Once you refer to them formally once, you just refer to them by their last name for the rest of your piece.
answered yesterday
Random
1
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Random is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Hi Random! Welcome to Writing.SE! Thank you for your answer. Could you edit and expand it to include some source on what you're saying?
– Galastel
21 hours ago
2
Hi Random. Adding to Galastel's comment above: Suppose someone else were to post an answer saying only "You need to refer to them formally every time you refer to them within your piece". In such a situation, how could one tell which answer is more likely to be correct? Adding some reference, citation or source for your claim greatly reduces this problem.
– a CVn♦
17 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
Once you refer to them formally once, you just refer to them by their last name for the rest of your piece.
answered yesterday
Random
1
New contributor
Random is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Hi Random! Welcome to Writing.SE! Thank you for your answer. Could you edit and expand it to include some source on what you're saying?
– Galastel
21 hours ago
2
Hi Random. Adding to Galastel's comment above: Suppose someone else were to post an answer saying only "You need to refer to them formally every time you refer to them within your piece". In such a situation, how could one tell which answer is more likely to be correct? Adding some reference, citation or source for your claim greatly reduces this problem.
– a CVn♦
17 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
Once you refer to them formally once, you just refer to them by their last name for the rest of your piece.
answered yesterday
Random
1
New contributor
Random is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Once you refer to them formally once, you just refer to them by their last name for the rest of your piece.
answered yesterday
Random
1
New contributor
Random is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered yesterday
Random
1
New contributor
Random is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered yesterday
Random
1
answered yesterday
Random
1
1
New contributor
Random is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Random is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Random is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Hi Random! Welcome to Writing.SE! Thank you for your answer. Could you edit and expand it to include some source on what you're saying?
– Galastel
21 hours ago
2
Hi Random. Adding to Galastel's comment above: Suppose someone else were to post an answer saying only "You need to refer to them formally every time you refer to them within your piece". In such a situation, how could one tell which answer is more likely to be correct? Adding some reference, citation or source for your claim greatly reduces this problem.
– a CVn♦
17 hours ago
add a comment |
1
Hi Random! Welcome to Writing.SE! Thank you for your answer. Could you edit and expand it to include some source on what you're saying?
– Galastel
21 hours ago
2
Hi Random. Adding to Galastel's comment above: Suppose someone else were to post an answer saying only "You need to refer to them formally every time you refer to them within your piece". In such a situation, how could one tell which answer is more likely to be correct? Adding some reference, citation or source for your claim greatly reduces this problem.
– a CVn♦
17 hours ago
1
1
Hi Random! Welcome to Writing.SE! Thank you for your answer. Could you edit and expand it to include some source on what you're saying?
– Galastel
21 hours ago
Hi Random! Welcome to Writing.SE! Thank you for your answer. Could you edit and expand it to include some source on what you're saying?
– Galastel
21 hours ago
2
2
Hi Random. Adding to Galastel's comment above: Suppose someone else were to post an answer saying only "You need to refer to them formally every time you refer to them within your piece". In such a situation, how could one tell which answer is more likely to be correct? Adding some reference, citation or source for your claim greatly reduces this problem.
– a CVn♦
17 hours ago
Hi Random. Adding to Galastel's comment above: Suppose someone else were to post an answer saying only "You need to refer to them formally every time you refer to them within your piece". In such a situation, how could one tell which answer is more likely to be correct? Adding some reference, citation or source for your claim greatly reduces this problem.
– a CVn♦
17 hours ago
add a comment |
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1
I would think this is standard. What does the MLA Style Manual suggest? NB your question is probably off-topic on our site as you're asking for writing advice, but it would definitely be on-topic on our sister site Writing.se and would be more likely to get specific advice relevant to academic writing. I'll flag this post for moderator attention to consider migrating it there. :-)
– Chappo
Dec 2 at 23:25