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MLA Formatting and Style Guide

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In-Text Citations

Resources on using in-text citations in MLA style

Works Cited Page

Resources on writing an MLA style works cited page, including citation formats

Other MLA Resources

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• Knowledge Base
• How to cite a journal article in MLA style

How to Cite a Journal Article in MLA | Format & Examples

Published on April 16, 2019 by Courtney Gahan . Revised on March 5, 2024.

An MLA Works Cited entry for a journal article contains the author(s); article title; journal name; volume and issue; month and year; page range; and a DOI if accessed online. In the in-text citation, include the author’s last name and the page number.

You can also use our free MLA Citation Generator to create accurate MLA citations for journal articles.

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Table of contents

Citing an online journal article, articles with multiple authors, articles in special issue journals, frequently asked questions about mla style.

When citing an online journal article, first look for a DOI , as this is more stable and less likely to change than a URL. A DOI should be formatted as a full link beginning with “https://”, even if not listed as such on the page with the article.

If there is no DOI, you can add a URL instead. If the article is in PDF form, you can optionally note this in your reference .

Citing an article in a database

For sources that you accessed via a database, include the database name along with the DOI or permanent URL.

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In MLA style, up to two authors are included in citations. List them in the order they appear in the source, separated by commas, and don’t invert the second author’s name.

If an article has three or more authors, include only the first author’s name, followed by  “ et al. ”

Special issue journals focus on a specific theme, are written by a specific group of authors, or are compiled from a special event.

In these cases, include the special issue name, the phrase “special issue of,” and the journal’s regular name. If the special issue lists editors or other contributors, their names should also be included.

The title of an article is not italicized in MLA style , but placed in quotation marks. This applies to articles from journals , newspapers , websites , or any other publication. Use italics for the title of the source where the article was published. For example:

Use the same formatting in the Works Cited entry and when referring to the article in the text itself.

If a source has two authors, name both authors in your MLA in-text citation and Works Cited entry. If there are three or more authors, name only the first author, followed by et al.

In MLA style citations , format a DOI as a link, including “https://doi.org/” at the start and then the unique numerical code of the article.

DOIs are used mainly when citing journal articles in MLA .

Some source types, such as books and journal articles , may contain footnotes (or endnotes) with additional information. The following rules apply when citing information from a note in an MLA in-text citation :

• To cite information from a single numbered note, write “n” after the page number, and then write the note number, e.g. (Smith 105n2)
• To cite information from multiple numbered notes, write “nn” and include a range, e.g. (Smith 77nn1–2)
• To cite information from an unnumbered note, write “un” after the page number, with a space in between, e.g. (Jones 250 un)

You must include an MLA in-text citation every time you quote or paraphrase from a source (e.g. a book , movie , website , or article ).

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Gahan, C. (2024, March 05). How to Cite a Journal Article in MLA | Format & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 2, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/mla/journal-citation/

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Cite Your Sources in MLA 9th: Journal Articles

• Books and eBooks
• Encyclopedia and Dictionary Entries
• Government Documents
• Images, Artwork, Charts, Graphs and Tables
• Journal Articles
• Newspaper and Magazine Articles
• Social Media
• Videos and Other Multimedia
• Advertisements
• Book Reviews
• ChatGPT and Generative AI
• Emails, Interviews, and Personal Communications
• Religious Texts
• Formatting Your Paper
• How to Identify Source Types
• Other Styles

How to Cite Journal Articles

Online journal articles, print journal articles, journal article from library database (with doi).

Author(s). "Title of Article: Subtitle If Any."  Name of Journal , vol. Volume Number, no. Issue Number, Publication Date, pp. Article Page Numbers.  Name of Database , https://doi.org/DOI.

Guillen, Jorge. "Does Financial Openness Matter in the Relationship Between Financial Development and Income Distribution in Latin America?"  Emerging Markets Finance & Trade , vol. 52, no. 5, 2016, pp. 1145-1155.  Business Source Complete , https://doi.org/10.1080/1540496X.2015.1046337.

Journal Article from Library Database (No DOI)

Author(s). "Title of Article: Subtitle If Any."  Name of Journal , vol. Volume Number, no. Issue Number, Publication Date, pp. Article Page Numbers.  Name of Database , Permalink or Stable Link [if any, skip if not].

Lowy, Alice S., et al. “Body Image and Internalization of Appearance Ideals in Black Women: An Update and Call for Culturally-Sensitive Research.”  Body Image , vol. 39, 2021, pp. 313–27.  ScienceDirect Social & Behavioral Sciences .

Journal Article from a Website

Author(s). "Title of Article: Subtitle If Any."  Name of Journal , vol. Volume Number, no. Issue Number, Publication Date, pp. Article Page Numbers [if given], DOI or URL. Accessed Day Month Year.

Elson, Peter. "A Comparative Analysis of Nonprofit Policy Network Governance in Canada."  Canadian Journal of Nonprofit and Social Economy Research , vol. 6, no. 2, 2015, pp. 42-64, anserj.ca/anser/index.php/cjnser/article/view/201/127. Accessed 27 Jun. 2021.

Journal Article in Print

Author(s). "Title of Article: Subtitle If Any."  Name of Journal , vol. Volume Number, no. Issue Number, Publication Date, pp. Article Page Numbers.

Kushkova, Anna. "At the Center of the Table."  Russian Studies in History , vol. 50, no. 1, 2011, pp. 44-96.

How to Format Author Names

• Works Cited List
• In-Text Citation

Last Name, First Name or Last Name, First Name Middle Name or Initial (if provided in source)

Name Examples:

Anzaldúa, Gloria Kendi, Ibram X. Wallace, David Foster

Citation Example:

Anzaldúa, Gloria.  Borderlands / La Frontera: The New Mestiza . 4th ed., Aunt Lute Books, 2012. 

Two Authors

Last Name, First Name, and First Name Last Name

Wykes, Maggie, and Barrie Gunter.  The Media and Body Image: If Looks Could Kill.  Sage, 2005.

Three or More Authors

First Author's Last Name, First Name, et al.

Chan, Sabrina S., et al.  Learning Our Names: Asian American Christians on Identity, Relationships, and Vocation.  InterVarsity Press, 2022.

Group or Corporate Author

If the group author is different from publisher.

If the group author and the publisher are different entities, list the Group Name as the author. 

Calgary Educational Partnership Foundation.  Employability Skills: Creating My Future . Nelson, 1996.

If the Group Author and Publisher Are the Same

If the group author and the publisher are the same, skip the author and list the title first. Then, list the group author only as the publisher.

Fair Housing—Fair Lending . Aspen Law & Business, 1985.

If a source has no author, skip the author and start with the title. Do not use "Anonymous" as the author name.

"How to Teach Yourself Guitar."  eHow,  Demand Media, www.ehow.com/how_5298173_teach-yourself-guitar.html. Accessed 24 June 2016.

(Last Name Page Number)

(Anzaldúa 30)

(First Author's Last Name and Second Author's Last Name Page Number)

(Wykes and Gunter 53)

(First Author's Last Name et al. Page Number)

(Chan et al. 97)

(Group Name Page Number)

(Calgary Educational Partnership Foundation 230)

If your full citation for a group author starts with the title rather than the group's name, follow the "No Author" in-text citation rules instead.

( Title of Longer Work  or "Title of Shorter Work" Page Number)

( Fair Housing  15)

("How to Teach")

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i format dates.

Dates in your Works Cited list should be formatted like this: Day Month Year. Month names should be abbreviated using the list below.  Example:  17 Oct. 2021.

For publication dates, include as much information as the source provides. This may be a full date, only the month and year, a season (such as Spring 2019), or just a publication year.

Month Abbreviations

In your Works Cited list, abbreviate months as follows:

January = Jan. February = Feb. March = Mar. April = Apr. May = May June = June July = July August = Aug. September = Sept. October = Oct. November = Nov. December = Dec.

Spell out months fully in the body of your paper.

What is a DOI?

Digital Object Identifiers, or DOIs, are unique numbers or hyperlinks assigned to some online resources, such as journal articles, to make them easier to find.

If a DOI is provided for a source, include it at the end of your citation after any page numbers. In your Works Cited list, you should always format a DOI as a URL beginning with "https://doi.org/" followed immediately by the DOI number.

Example:  For DOI "10.5642/jhummath.20170120," the URL version would be: https://doi.org/10.5642/jhummath.20170120

If no DOI is provided but a permalink or stable link is present, you can use that instead.

What if some information is missing?

If a source is missing information that you need for your Works Cited citation, you can skip that element and move on to the next element in the citation.

Examples: Some sources don't have an author; in this case, we skip the author and start our citation with the title. Most academic journals are published in volumes and issues, but some only have volumes; in this case, we list the volume number and skip the issue number. 

What if I don't know which source type I'm citing?

If you're not sure what type of source you're working with, don't worry! This is a very common challenge. Check out our page on Identifying Source Types .

What if I need to cite multiple sources by the same author?

Works Cited List:  To cite two or more works by the same author, give the name in the first entry only. For subsequent works by the same author, replace the author's name with three hyphens followed by a period (---.), which signifies that the name is the same as the preceding entry. Alphabetize works with the same author by title. 

In-Text Citations: To distinguish multiple works by the same author, add a comma followed by a shortened version of the title (usually the first 2-4 words) between the author name and the page number. Example: (Anzaldúa,  Borderlands / La Frontera  38). Alternately, you can mention the author and title in the sentence, and then only include the page number. 

For page numbers, should I use p. or pp.?

If you are citing a single page, use "p." If you are citing multiple pages, use "pp."

Example: If an article runs from page 10 to page 15, your citation should say "pp. 10-15" because it covers multiple pages. If it's a short article that only appears on page 11, your citation should say "p. 11".

More Information on MLA 9th

• Pierce Library's MLA 9th Quick Citation Guide Downloadable PDF with sample citations (including in-text) for different types of sources and a sample Works Cited page.
• MLA Style Center Tips for working in MLA Style, answers to common questions, and more.
• Purdue OWL MLA 9 Formatting & Style Guide Very thorough overview of MLA 9th with examples for how to construct both in-text and Works Cited entries.

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Purdue Owl: MLA Formatting & Style Guide

Developed by the Purdue Online Writing Lab.  MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. This resource offers examples for the general format of MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the Works Cited page.

Author/Editor (By:)

Contributor, corporate author, related organizations, citation type.

Loyola University Chicago Libraries

Citing sources.

• Notes & Bibliography Style
• Author-Date Style
• In a Journal
• In a Magazine
• In a Newspaper

From an Online Database  (ex: EBSCOhost, JSTOR):

(Langhamer 176).

For more examples of citations of other types of journal articles, see the MLA Style Manual or Purdue OWL's MLA Guide.

Article in a Magazine from an Online Database (ex: EBSCOhost, ProQuest):

(Coll 18).

For more examples of citations of other types of magazine articles, see the MLA Style Manual or  Purdue OWL's MLA Guide .

Article in an Online Magazine (Not from a Database):

(Martinez).

Article from a Print Magazine:

In-Text: 

(Poniewozik 70).

Article from an Online Newspaper  (including from a database):

(Gutowski and St. Clair 4).

For more examples of citations of other types of newspaper articles, see the MLA Style Manual or  Purdue OWL's MLA Guide .

Article from a Print Newspaper:

(Kingsley A1).

For more examples of citations of other types of newspaper articles, see the MLA Style Manual or  Purdue OWL's MLA Guide.

• Entire Book
• Chapter in a Book
• Edited Book
• Multivolume Works
• Work in an Anthology or Collection

Entire Book:

(Burnett 8).

Chapter in a Book:

(Camacci 29).

(Rampersad 22)

(Swanson, 14)

• Entire eBook
• Chapter in an eBook
• Edited eBook
• Avoid using device-specific numbering systems, since they will vary among different devices.
• If the book has chapters, sections, or other stable numbering systems, it is permissible to identify parts of the text that way.

(Verstynen and Voytek ch. 1)

For more examples of citations of other types of newspaper articles, see the MLA Style Manual, the  MLA Style Center , or  Purdue OWL's MLA Guide .

(Verstynen and Voytek ch. 1)

(Tracy ch. 3)

• Entire Website
• No Author or Date
• Corporate Author
• Include the editor, author, or compiler name (if available) before the name of the site.
• Although the date accessed is an optional element, the  MLA Handbook  recommends including it because "online works typically could be changed or removed at any time," therefore making the access date an important indicator of the version you consulted. ( MLA Handbook  p. 53).

( Civil War in Art )

NOTE: 

• If the publisher is the same as the website name, only list it once.

(Fong, "Cute Reindeer Cake Pops Tutorial")

For more examples of citations of other types of newspaper articles, see the MLA Style Manual or Purdue OWL's MLA Guide .

("Mexican Culture")

• When a document's author and publisher are separate organizations, give both names, starting with the author.
• When the organization is author and publisher, begin the entry with the work's title, list no author, and then list the organization.

(National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)

• Images (Viewed in person)
• Images (Viewed Online)
• Cite the original post or picture, not the shared post or picture.
• If more than two authors are involved, use "et al" at the end of the author section.
• If a tweet lacks a title or text, use a description instead (ex: "Photo of letter from Shirley Jackson").
• Tweets under 140 characters: list full text of the tweet as the title.
• Tweets over 140 or that include emojis: truncate the title by using an ellipsis at the end (ex: "Today is Frederick Douglass' 200th Birthday...").

(@persiankiwi)

(@mplteensection)

(The Library of Congress)

• If the author's name is the same as the uploader, only cite the author once.

• Citing whole video: ("Gaming and Productivity")
• Citing a quote or scene from video (provide hours, minutes, and seconds as displayed in media player): ("Gaming and Productivity" 00:01:04)
• The medium of publication (i.e. book) and materials of composition (i.e. oil on canvas) could be included at the end of the entry if important to your discussion. 
• If you viewed the image online, include the date the image was posted on the site. 
• A period follows the work's title on works viewed online because the date refers to when the work was created, not when it was published on the website.

For more examples of citations of other types of newspaper articles, see the  MLA Style Manual  or  Purdue OWL's MLA Guide .

In-text Citations

• Author(s) used in Sentence
• Author(s) in Parentheses
• No Page Numbers
• Secondary/Indirect Source

One author:

• Maggie Jones noted that reading is a "foundational block for elementary students" (5).
• Jones discussed that children need to begin reading at an early age to do well in school (5).

Two authors:

• Williams and Johnson argues that schools should adapt rapidly to change (5).

Three or more authors:

Include the surname of the first author followed by et al.

• According to Smith et al, spending time at the library improves grades (10).

If more than one author in your bibliography have the same last name, include all the author's first initials:

• (J Anderson 20)

If more than one authors in your bibliography have the same last name and first initial, provide their full names:

• (John Anderson 20)
• Children need to begin reading at an early age to do well in school (Jones 5).

Two authors: 

• Schools should adapt rapidly to change (Williams and Johnson 5).

Include the last name of the first author followed by et al.

• Studies have shown that spending time at the library improves grades (Smith et al. 10).

If the source has explicit chapters or sections and are labeled accordingly:

Provide the relevant number and use the appropriate label, such as section (sec.) or chapter (ch.)

• (Martin ch. 1)
• (Thompson sec. 6)

When the source has no page numbers or chapter/section numbers:

Do not provide a number in the parenthetical citation. This is commonly used for webpages.

Indirect source:  a source cited in another source.

For quotations from such sources, use " qtd. in " to indicate the source used.

• Samuel Edmonds admitted that Hannah Ball was an "extraordinary speaker" (qtd. in Weisman 34).
• Two Authors
• Three or More Authors

In Bibliography:

Last name, first name (and middle initial if provided)

Example:  Smith, Karie J.

In Bibliography: 

First author last name, first author first name, and second author first name, second author last name (and middle initial if provided)

Example:  Smith, Karie J. and Micah Johnson.

(Smith and Johnson 14).

Last name, first name, et al.

Example:  Smith, Karie J. et al.

(Smith et al. 18).

List the title of the work first

Example:  "The Estate Tax Debate."  The Wilson Quarterly vol. 25, no. 1....

Shorten the title of the work to the first noun phrase or word (if necessary). Keep in mind that this helps lead the reader to the correct entry in your bibliography.

Example:  ("Estate Tax" 20)

The various examples used on this guide come from either  Purdue OWL ,  NWMSU's APA Style Citation Examples guide , or the MLA Style Center .

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MLA Citation (7th edition)

• Citing a book
• Citing the Parts of a Books

In Text Citations

Basic journal article citation, scholarly journal article - print, scholarly journal article - from a library database, magazine article - print, magazine article - from a library database.

• Citing a newspaper article
• Citing a Website
• MLA Resources

Writing Center

Visit the Writing Center for help with brainstorming, organization, revising, citations, and other writing assistance! 

• Every Monday: Saurwein 232
• Tuesday-Sunday in Campus Center 313: The Owen Center

Regular Writing Center Hours:

• Monday-Friday 12:00PM-7:00PM
• Sundays 12:00PM-5:00PM

Book an appointment  with a Writing Center consultant. 

For an overview of the various ways to cite information in text in MLA style, see the Purdue OWL , which provides an overview of the basic in text citation formats.

Author's last name, Author's first name.   "Title of the Article."   Name of   Publication  volume.issue (Year): pages.   Medium of

          publication.

Additional information required in citations of electronic journals:

After the page numbers, include the name of the database or website the piece comes from, and include the date the information was accessed after the medium of publication.

Mueller, Ned.   "The Teddy Bears' Picnic: Four-Year-Old Children's  Personal Constructs in Relation to Behavioural Problems and

          to  Teacher Global Concern."    Journal of Child Psychology and   Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines   37.4 (1996): 381-389.  

          Print.

Otgaar, Henry, Ingrid Candel, Harald Merckelbach, and Kimberley A. Wade.   "Abducted by a UFO: Prevalence Information Affects

          Young Children's False Memories for an Implausible Event."   Applied Cognitive Psychology   23.1 (2009): 115-125.  

          Psychology and Behavioral Sciences  Collection .  Web.  12 Aug. 2010.

Magazines are cited differently than journal publications. See if you can spot the difference between the journal citations above and the magazine citations below.

Davies, Paul.   "Are ALIENS Among Us?"    Scientific American  Dec. 2007:  62-69.   Print.

Citations from magazines for the general public, such as Scientific American , Time , Newsweek , or People , do not require volume or issue number, and the date is not placed in parentheses.

Brandt, Andrew.   "Gummi Bears Trick a Fingerprint Scanner."   PC   World  Aug 2004: 124-125.   Academic Search

          Complete .   Web. 10 June 2009.

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Citation Guide

• APA Style - 7th Edition

Introduction to MLA Style

Creating mla citations: examples, paper formatting guidelines & sample papers, in-text citations & the list of works cited, examples of works cited & in-text citations, software tools for mla style, works cited for this page.

• Chicago/Turabian Style
• Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing
• Tools for Managing Citations
• Citation Season!

What is MLA Style?

MLA stands for Modern Language Association. MLA Style is an established style for formatting your paper and giving credit to your sources. 

This page provides resources for all the elements of a preparing a paper in MLA Style, including formatting, in-text citations, and the works cited list.

Disciplines at Caldwell that use MLA Style include English, history, theology, philosophy, and others.

MLA Quick Links

• Quoting and Paraphrasing in MLA Format This video course is all about quoting and paraphrasing sources in your paper! Learn rules of quoting and paraphrasing responsibly, and see examples of in-text citations in MLA format.
• Purdue OWL Guide to MLA Style Purdue OWL has resources about many citation styles. Here is their section on MLA

An Article from a Journal Found in a Library Database (a source in two containers)

from MLA Handbook chapter 5.100-103, The Three Most Common Types of Entries

A Chapter or Section of a Book Accessed through an Online Repository (a source with two containers)

An Episode of a TV Show Watched on an Online Platform (a source in two containers)

A Chapter or Section of a Print Book (a source in one container)

A Print Book (a source that is self-contained)

• Sample MLA Papers These sample student papers show MLA formatting for all details of a research paper. Look a the structure of the page, how quotes are incorporated, and how works are cited.
• Formatting Your Research Project (MLA Handbook, Ch. 1) Instructions for formatting your paper in MLA style, including margins, title, headers and footers, headings and subheadings, etc.
• The Writing Process Purdue OWL's Guide to academic writing in MLA Style, including grammar, mechanics, and punctuation.
• Mechanics of Prose (MLA Handbook, Ch. 2) Guidance on all the details of writing, such as spelling, grammar, punctuation, how format titles and names in your paper.

In-Text Citations

• In-Text Citations: The Basics Basic instructions from Purdue OWL about how to format in-text citations in MLA Style. This is how you credit your sources when you mention them in the text of your paper.
• Citing Sources in the Text (MLA Handbook, Ch. 6) This chapter starts with the basics of citing your sources in the text of your paper. It covers many situations you might encounter.

Works Cited Page

• MLA Style 101 This video course goes through each "element" of the MLA works cited page entry (like author, title, publisher) and shows how to identify what belongs in each element. This will help you create works cited page entries and know how to edit citations that a database generates!
• Interactive Practice Template Learn how to create citations for your Works Cited page!
• How to Cite Books This page from Purdue OWL covers the basics of citing books as well as what to do in a variety of situations. This page has guidance on multiple authors, an organization as author, translations, anthologies, and more.
• How to Cite Electronic Resources (aka things you found online) This page from Purdue OWL covers works cited page entries for most kinds of online sources, including scholarly journal articles in a library database, ebooks, government agency websites, online news, a YouTube video, personal email correspondence, and more.
• Citation Examples from the MLA Handbook This is a regularly updated list of citations for a wide variety of sources. It's organized by source, so scroll down or use ctrl-F to search the page for the kind of source you want to see, like "translated book" or "YouTube Video".

Journal Article Found in a Library Database

Works cited page entry.

Lorensen, Jutta. “Between Image and Word, Color, and Time: Jacob Lawrence’s The Migration Series.”  African American Review , vol. 40, no. 3, 2006, pp. 571-86. Academic Search Premier, each.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? Drect=true&db=f5h&AN=24093790&site=eho st-live.

In-text citation

(Lorensen 577)

Newspaper Article Found in a Library Database 

Fessenden, Ford, et al. "The Battle for New York's Key Voting Blocs in the Primaries."  New York Times , 19 Apr. 2016, p. A 14.  ProQuest Central , ezproxy.caldwell.edu:2048/login?url=http:// search.proquest.com/ docview/1781721245?accountid=26523.

(Fessenden et al. A14)

Article from an Online News Source

Chang, Kenneth. “NASA Will Send More Helicopters to Mars.” The New York Times , 27 July 2022, www.nytimes.com/2022/07/27/science/mars-sample-mission-nasa.html.

Dorris, Michael, and Louise Erdrich.  The Crown of Columbus . HarperCollins Publishers, 1999. 

(Dorris and Erdrich 110-12)

Article or Specific Chapter from a Book 

Copeland, Edward. “Money.”  The Cambridge Companion to Jane Austen , edited by Copeland and Juliet McMaster, Cambridge UP, 1997, pp. 131-48. 

(Copeland 135)

Webpage on a Website 

“Infographic: Benefits of Language Learning.” Modern Language Association , 2022, www.mla.org/Resources/Advocacy/Infographics/Infographic-Benefits-of-Language-Learning.

("Inforgraphic: Benefits of Language Learning")

Film on an App 

Mamma Mia . Directed by Phyllida Lloyd, Universal Pictures, 2008. Netflix app. 

( Mamma Mia ) or ( Mamma Mia  59:03-61:23) - cite a specific scene with timestamps in the page number spot

There are many tools that can help you create, manage, and organize your citations and your references page. Here are some that the library provides or recommends for students and faculty. 

• NoodleTools This link opens in a new window NoodleTools is an online tool that helps you take notes and correctly format citations. MLA, APA, and Chicago/Turabian citation styles are included. Use throughout your research project to track sources, take notes, create outlines, collaborate with classmates, and format bibliographies. Use this link to create an account.
• ZoteroBib ZoteroBib is a free service that helps you build a bibliography from any computer or device, without creating an account or installing any software. It's from the team behind the open source citation management app Zotero. ZBib can create a draft citation from a link or ISBN and has helpful templates for you to use to manually create citations. You can use it for MLA, APA, or Chicago Style.

The information on this page comes from the MLA Handbook, 9th Edition. This book can be cited in MLA style like this:

MLA Handbook.  9th ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2021. 

The elements used here are: [2. Title of source]  MLA Handbook.  [5. Version]  9th ed., [7. Publisher]  Modern Language Association of America, [8. Publication date]  2021. Because the publisher is an organization who is also the author, this organization - the Modern Language Association - is only listed once, as the publisher. 

An in-text citation for this handbook could be ( MLA Handbook  45) to refer specifically to something on page 45. 

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Citation Support Guide: MLA Style

• Citing Art & Visual Sources

MLA Style is a style from the Modern Language Association used to format research papers. It is generally used by the humanities, writing, languages, other related subjects. MLA style includes in-text citations, a Works Cited page or reference list, headings, and more.

In-Text Citations

The following examples for in-text citations are from Purdue OWL: MLA In-Text Citations.  All citations will ideally have an author and a page number, though there are many examples to follow for different scenarios.  

Example 1:  Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked by a "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (263). Example 2: Romantic poetry is characterized by the "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (Wordsworth 263). Example 3:  The authors claim that surface reading looks at what is “evident, perceptible, apprehensible in texts” (Best and Marcus 9).

Works Cited (Reference List)

The following examples for reference list citations are from  Purdue OWL: MLA Works Cited . While these examples cover popular resources including journal articles, books, and websites, Purdue OWL provides examples on many other types of materials for a number of scenarios (multiple authors, no author, no page number, etc.)

Journal Articles:

Format:  Author(s). "Title of Article."  Title of Journal , Volume, Issue, Year, pages.

Example:  Bagchi, Alaknanda. "Conflicting Nationalisms: The Voice of the Subaltern in Mahasweta Devi's  Bashai Tudu ."  Tulsa Studies in Women's Literature,  vol. 15, no. 1, 1996, pp. 41-50.

Format:  Last Name, First Name.  Title of Book . City of Publication, Publisher, Publication Date.

Example:  Gleick, James.  Chaos: Making a New Science . Penguin, 1987.

Format:  Author. "Title."  Title of container (self contained if book) , Other contributors (translators or editors), Version (edition), Number (vol. and/or no.), Publisher, Publication Date, Location (pages, paragraphs and/or URL, DOI or permalink).  2 nd  container’s title , Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, Location, Date of Access (if applicable).

Example:   The Purdue OWL Family of Sites . The Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue and Purdue U, 2008, owl.english.purdue.edu/owl. Accessed 23 Apr. 2008.

Note: MLA style also requires that references be listed in alphabetical order by the author's last name and follow specific formatting, including indenting. Please consult the links below for more information.

Paper Format

Your professor may require your entire research paper to be formatted in MLA format. Please consult Purdue OWL's resources on  MLA general formatting , as well as  a sample of a paper formatted in MLA style . The worksheet to the right of this page can also assist you.

Popular Subjects

The following subjects may use MLA Style:

• Creative Writing
• English Language and Literature

Helpful Resources

MLA Worksheet

• MLA Worksheet This worksheet will help you understand creating documents using MLA format.

Students have many questions about citing sources, and FDU librarians are happy to provide guidance. We can assist by helping you to determine the type of source to be cited, providing a guide to the citation style, and indicating the most relevant section/example. Because citations are often graded, we cannot create or format the citation for you, nor can we correct a list of citations. Please contact the Academic Support Center or the Metro Writing Studio for help creating and formatting citations.

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• URL: https://library.fdu.edu/citationguide

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Citing Sources - MLA 9th Edition

Citing articles, citing web sources, citing books, formatting your works cited page.

• Using NoodleTools

Official MLA Handbook (print book)

The official  MLA Handbook  (9th edition) is available to check out at the SCC Library.

Purdue OWL MLA Formatting and Style Guide (online)

• Purdue OWL MLA Formatting & Style Guide Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) has an online guide to MLA formatting and style that is kept up-to-date, with information on citing many different types of sources.

General Format

Author(s). “Article Title.”  Title of Journal, Magazine, or Newspaper, [in italics] vol., no., publication date, pp. #-#. Name of database , [in italics] https://doi.org/DOI, [or if no DOI] permalink, [or if no permalink]  URL. Accessed Date [in format Day Mon. Year] . 

Journal article by three or more authors from an online database with DOI 

Papworth, Andrew, et al. "Is Climate Change the Greatest Threat to Global Health?" Geographical Journal, vol. 18, no. 4, Dec. 2015, pp. 413-22. Academic Search Complete, https://doi.org/10.1111/geoj.12127. Accessed 19 Apr. 2017.

Report in an online database

Adams, Jill U. "Energy and Climate Change." CQ Researcher Online , library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqr_ht_climate_change_2016. Accessed 23 May 2017.

Magazine article (print source)

Schuur, Ted. "The Permafrost Prediction." Scientific American, vol. 315, no. 6, Dec. 2016, pp. 56-61.

Author(s). “Webpage or Post Title.” [in quotation marks] Title of Website, [in italics]  Company or organization responsible for the site, contributor that posted video, date of publication or latest update, URL. Accessed Date. [Day Mon Year]

AI prompt/output

" Prompt" prompt.  Name of AI Tool , version, Publisher, Date, URL.

Webpage with no author

"Future of Climate Change." Climate Change Science, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Dec. 2016, www.epa.gov/climate-change-science/future-climate-change. Accessed 20 Apr. 2017.

YouTube video clip with name of person/organization that posted or uploaded the video

"How to Feed the World in 2050: Actions in a Changing Climate." YouTube, uploaded by CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), 28 Mar. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjtIl5B1zXI. Accessed 20 Apr. 2017.

Map or chart (born digital)

Rate of Temperature Change in the United States, 1901–2015." United States Environmental Protection Agency , Aug. 2016, www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-us-and-global-temperature#. Accessed 1 Apr. 2017.

Author(s) . “Chapter/Selection Title.” [in quotation marks] [if using a part of the book] Book Title . [in italics]  Author/editor of book, Vol. no., Publisher, Year of Publication, pp. page numbers. [if using a part of the book]  Name of the eBook database,  [for online source]  DOI, permalink URL or Web address. [for online source]  Accessed Date. [Day Mon Year] [for online source]

Print book with two authors

Kahrl, Fredrich, and David Roland-Holst. Climate Change in California: Risk and Response . U of California P, 2012.

E-book from an online database with more than two authors

O'Brien, Karen L., et al. Adapting to Climate Change: Thresholds, Values, Governance . Cambridge UP, 2009. EBSCO eBook Collection , search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=286489&site=ehost-live. Accessed 18 May 2017.

Selection from an encyclopedia in an online database 

Coulson, Martin. "Sustainability." Encyclopedia of Environmental Change , edited by John A. Matthews, vol. 3, SAGE Reference, 2014, pp. 1068-69. Gale Virtual Reference Library , go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=GVRL&sw=w&u=oran78789&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CCX6105103787&it=r&asid=f441f6c1 b0290a9999e2bfdfdec41004. Accessed 6 Apr. 2017.

• Tip: if you use Insert > Pages > Blank Page to do this, rather than hitting "enter" until your cursor is on a new page, your cited works will remain on their own page at the end of your document - even if you add or remove text from the body of your essay later.
• If you are only citing one work, type "Work Cited" instead.
• List citations alphabetically by the first word of the citation (ignore a, an, or the).
• Format your citations to be double-spaced.
• Format your citations with a hanging indent by selecting the text, then going to Paragraph > Indents and Spacing > Indentation > Special > Hanging. 
• Tip: if you enter the bibliographic information of your cited works into NoodleTools, you can export an automatically-created and correctly-formatted Works Cited page. What's NoodleTools, you ask? Read on!
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• URL: https://sccollege.libguides.com/cite-mla

Citation Styles and Management Tools Guide

Mla 9th edition citation guides, mla handbook (9th edition), core elements.

• Citing Business Sources
• Citation Management Tools
• Other Online Citation Tools
• UConn MLA 9th Edition (PDF) Citation Style Guide Guide to citing using MLA with examples. Created by UConn Librarians.
• Purdue OWL MLA Guide Comprehensive guide to using the MLA style from Purdue University.

• MLA Works Cited: A Quick Guide Highly recommended resource! Examples of the core elements, practice identifying "containers," and a practice template to make your own citation!

MLA focuses on the core elements that are common to all the different types of citations you might make. Remember, one of the points of a citation is to help others find the work you have consulted. Keep that in mind as you put together your core elements!

Not  every  source is going to all of these elements.

• Title of Source (e.g. a book, article, chapter, song, or episode)
• Title of Container (e.g. a journal, a book, album, or TV show)
• Other Contributors (e.g. translator, editors, producers)
• Publication date

The creator of the source you're citing.

Title of the Source

Title of the Container - This can be a tricky one!

The Container is the larger whole that the source is part of. If you have a chapter in a book, it's a book. If you're citing a TV episode, it's the whole TV show. "In some cases, a container might be within a larger container. You might have read a book of short stories on Google Books, or watched a television series on Netflix. You might have found the electronic version of a journal on JSTOR. It is important to cite these containers within containers so that your readers can find the exact source that you used." (Purdue OWL)

Publication Date

"The same source may have been published on more than one date, such as an online version of an original source. For example, a television series might have aired on a broadcast network on one date, but released on Netflix on a different date. When the source has more than one date, it is sufficient to use the date that is most relevant to your use of it. If you’re unsure about which date to use, go with the date of the source’s original publication." (Purdue OWL)

Other Contributors

In addition to the author, there may be other contributors to the source who should be credited, such as editors, illustrators, translators, etc. If their contributions are relevant to your research, or necessary to identify the source, include their names in your documentation. (Purdue OWL)

If a source is listed as an edition or version of a work, include it in your citation. (Purdue OWL)

If a source is part of a numbered sequence, such as a multi-volume book, or journal with both volume and issue numbers, those numbers must be listed in your citation. (Purdue OWL)

The publisher produces or distributes the source to the public. (Purdue OWL)

The same source may have been published on more than one date, such as an online version of an original source. For example, a television series might have aired on a broadcast network on one date, but released on Netflix on a different date. When the source has more than one date, it is sufficient to use the date that is most relevant to your use of it. If you’re unsure about which date to use, go with the date of the source’s original publication. (Purdue OWL)

This refers to a location like page numbers, a URL, or the physical location of a physical object.

• MLA Interactive Practice Template

Test your ability to use MLA format in this quick, interactive exercise!

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• Last Updated: Dec 14, 2023 10:47 AM
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Citation Styles: MLA: Modern Language Association (9th edition)

• APA Books and eBooks
• APA Articles
• APA Other Resources
• MLA Books and eBooks
• MLA Articles
• MLA Other Resources
• CMS Books and eBooks: Notes and Bibliography Style
• CMS Articles: Notes and Bibliography Style
• CMS Other Resources: Notes and Bibliography Style
• CMS Books and eBooks: Author-Date
• CMS Articles: Author-Date
• CMS Other Resources: Author-Date
• MSSE Citation Style
• Additional Styles
• Annotated Bibliography
• How to Avoid Plagiarism

Citation Help

The mla style, mla: modern language association.

MLA style for documentation is widely used in the  humanities , especially in writing on language and literature. For questions about the MLA Style, please continue exploring this guide or visit the following webpages:

From the MLA Website:

• What is MLA Style?
• This webpage will help answer any question you have about MLA Style. It covers paper formatting, in-text citations, and provides examples for Works Cited pages and unique example of in-text citations.
• This is MLA's Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page! Check here to see if they answer your specific question.

Digital Guides

Below are PDF versions of the citation handouts we keep at the Information Desk:

• MLA In-Text Citation Guide, 9th ed.
• MLA Reference Guide, 9th ed.

Purdue OWL is a great website for getting help on MLA 9th edition citations. You can access their " MLA Formatting and Style Guide " to find help with citations for all types of resources.

MLA Handbook 9th Edition

MLA Sample Paper

Unsure how to format your paper in MLA Style?

The following sample paper will help you! Click the PDF link below.

• MLA 9th Edition Sample Paper This sample paper is provided by the official MLA webpage. When Purdue OWL updates their MLA guide, we will post their sample paper with explanations.
• MLA Format Template

Introduction to MLA Citation Style

This series of videos and tutorials will help you learn about the importance of citing sources and how to cite a variety of sources using MLA style.

• Plagiarism (Video 3:32)
• Why Citations Matter (Tutorial)
• Paraphrasing, Quoting, and Summarizing (Tutorial)
• MLA 9th Edition Citation Style (Video 1:54)
• MLA 9th Edition Citation Style (Tutorial)

https://researchguides.library.syr.edu/c.php?g=1115506&p=9441791#s-lg-box-29867469

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• Print This Page

MLA Citation Guide

• Paper Format
• Books/eBooks
• Annotated Bibliography

Database Article Citations

MLA Format for items found using a library database , such as Academic OneFile , Opposing Viewpoints , JSTOR , and more.

Basic Format:

DOIs and PermaLinks

What Are DOIs and PermaLinks?

• A DOI (digital object identifier) is a short code given to some types of sources. Example DOI – 10.1111/jvim.14591 
• A PermaLink  is a stable, permanent URL (web address) that does not expire after you log out of a search session. In library databases, the URL in your browser address is often NOT a permalink.

Which Should Be In Your Citation?

• DOI – If the item you're citing has a DOI , include it in your citation.
• NO DOI – If what you're citing does not have a DOI, use a permalink .

What Items Have DOIs? Many (not all) scholarly articles originally published in journals have DOIs. Some government publications also have DOIs.

Where Are DOIs Found?  If an item has a DOI, it is usually near the title or other publication details such as authors or publication date. Library databases also include DOIs near such details. In research databases, such as Academic OneFile , the MLA citation found by clicking on an article title and then on the Cite button will already include the DOI (if available) or permalink (if no DOI available). You can also find this information by clicking on the article title and looking below the title for a DOI.

Searching with DOIs. Because each DOI is unique, it can be used to search for an item without needing other information. For example, instead of using a long article title and author name to find a specific journal article, you can just search with the DOI.

Journal Article Database Examples

One Author (Without DOI)

Two Authors (Without DOI)

More Than Two Authors (With DOI)

No Author (Without DOI)

Magazine & Newspaper Article Database Examples

Newspaper - One Author  (Without DOI)

Magazine - One Author (Without DOI)

Magazine - Two Authors (Without DOI)

Magazine - More Than Two Authors (Without DOI)

Magazine - No Author (Without DOI)

Articles in Print Citations

MLA Format for articles from  periodicals (magazines, newspapers and journals) in print that you physically hold in your hands -  NOT  articles found in a library database

Print Article Examples

Magazine Article

Scholarly Journal Article

Newspaper Article

More Help Online

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• URL: https://libguides.dcccd.edu/MLACitation
• Last Updated: Nov 29, 2023 10:15 AM
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• Search this Guide Search

• Chicago Style
• Captioning Images
• Finding Free Images and Audio
• Zotero This link opens in a new window
• When to Cite
• What is Fair Use?
• Milestone ePortfolio Citation This link opens in a new window
• Other Electronic Resources
• In-Text Citations

The MLA or Modern Language Association style of citation is broadly used in the language arts and humanities. The style is currently in its 9th edition.

Purdue OWL MLA Style and Format Guide

Image courtesy of  The Writing Lab  &  The OWL at Purdue  and  Purdue University .

This resource, updated to reflect the MLA Handbook (9th ed.), offers examples for the general format of MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the Works Cited page. M ake an appointment with an Oxford librarian for further assistance!

Icons are from the Noun Project and under Creative Commons licence (CCBY): books by sandra , article by Arfan Khan Kamol , website by Julynn B, link by Nathan Diesel, Video by Aybige, Audio by Manasa, Image by Mohammad Iqbal, hashtag by Gregor Cresnar.

MLA Style is designed to be flexible and adaptable to many kinds of sources - the citation format centers on the idea of "objects" and the "containers" they live in. Since books are self-contained, they don't usually have a "container" element - this makes them one of the easiest things to cite in MLA

Some example citations are below, from the Purdue OWL MLA Guide . Follow the link for more examples!

How To Cite...

Henley, Patricia. The Hummingbird House . MacMurray, 1999.

Noble, Safiya U. Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism. New York University Press, 2018.

Gillespie, Paula, and Neal Lerner. The Allyn and Bacon Guide to Peer Tutoring . Allyn and Bacon, 2000.

Pratchett, Terry, and Neil Gaiman. Good Omens. Workman, 1990.

List only the first author followed by the phrase et al. (Latin for "and others") in place of the subsequent authors' names.

Wysocki, Anne Frances, et al. Writing New Media: Theory and Applications for Expanding the Teaching of Composition . Utah State UP, 2004.

Harris, Muriel. "Talk to Me: Engaging Reluctant Writers." A Tutor's Guide: Helping Writers One to One , edited by Ben Rafoth, Heinemann, 2000, pp. 24-34.

Smale, Maura A. "Always a Novice: Feminist Learning and Leadership Practice." Feminists Among Us: Resistance and Advocacy in Library Leadership , edited by Shirley Lew and Baharak Yousefi, Library Juice Press, 2017, pp. 7-27.

MLA Style is designed to be flexible and adaptable to many kinds of sources - the citation format centers on the idea of "objects" and the "containers" they live in. The container of an article is usually the journal, magazine, etc it was published in.   

Note that date of access is optional in MLA 9th. It is only necessary if the work lacks a publication date or you think the work has been altered or removed.  Your professor may want you to provide a date of access, if so see the examples below for how this should be formatted.

Mc Aninch, David. "Seeing France’s Wild Mountains Through a Clouded, Classic Windshield." New York Times , 15 July 2019. nyti.ms/2GgMdkK. Accessed 16 Jul 2019.

Brubaker, Bill. "New Health Center Targets County's Uninsured Patients." Washington Post, 24 May 2007, p. LZ01.

Duvall, John N. "The (Super)Marketplace of Images: Television as Unmediated Mediation in DeLillo's White Noise ." Arizona Quarterly , vol. 50, no. 3, 1994, pp. 127-53.

From an Online Database

Budd, John M. “Public Libraries, Political Speech, and the Possibility of a Commons.” Public Library Quarterly , vol. 38, no. 2, Apr. 2019, pp. 147–159. EBSCOhost , doi:10.1080/01616846.2018.1556232.

Krasikov, Sana. "What Children Remember From the War." Review of Last Witnesses: An Oral History of the Children of World War II , by Svetlana Alexievich. New York Times, 13 July 2019, nyti.ms/2JyKt8y. Accessed 15 July 2019.

Weiller, K. H. Review of Sport, Rhetoric, and Gender: Historical Perspectives and Media Representations , edited by Linda K. Fuller. Choice, Apr. 2007, p. 1377.

Citing a web-based resource? MLA style recommends that you include your date of access if there is not a publication date or when the content may change over time.

The Purdue OWL Family of Sites . The Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue and Purdue U, 2008, owl.english.purdue.edu/owl. Accessed 23 Apr. 2008.

Manila, Ashley . “Coconut Cream Pie Smoothie Recipe.”  eHow , ehow.com/how_12343061_coconut-cream-pie-smoothie.html. Accessed 15 July 2019.

"Libraries = Strong Communities: Celebrating National Library Week." Oxford Library Blog , Oxford College Library, 9 Apr. 2019, scholarblogs.emory.edu/oxford/events/libraries-strong-communities-celebrating-national-library-week/. Accessed 15 July 2019.

*Figures cited in-text must be both captioned and cited in the bibliography.

In-text citation:

(see fig. X)

(see fig. 3)

*Include the bibliographic information, while replacing periods with commas. For ENG 185 assignments only: Add licensing, public domain or fair use information in parentheses at the end of the caption (e.g. CC BY 2.0, "Public Domain," "Fair Use"). 

Fig. X. Artist;  Title ; Creation Year; Institution, URL. (Licensing information/public domain information/fair use notation)

Fig. 3. Cézanne, Paul;  Still Life with Apples and a Pot of Primroses;  1890;   The Metropolitan Museum           of  Art,   metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/435882 . (Public Domain)

Fig. 5. Holley, Lauren ;  Atlanta Streetcar;  2014;  Flickr ,   flickr.com/photos/atlantadowntown/16106577510/.           (CC BY 2.0)

Bibliography:

Last name, First name.  Title of the work . Year .  Website publisher ,  URL. Cézanne, Paul.  Still Life with Apples and a Pot of Primroses . 1890 .  The Metropolitan Museum of

Art,  metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/435882..

Image has no known title?

If the work has no title provide a concise but informative description of the work.

Mackintosh, Charles Rennie. Chair of stained oak. 1897-1900, Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Image has no known author?

Omit the author's name, and start with the title:

Still Life with Apples and a Pot of Primroses . 1890 .  The Metropolitan Museum

         of  art,  metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/435882..

No creation date?

Include an access date instead:

Cézanne, Paul.  Still Life with Apples and a Pot of Primroses .   The Metropolitan Museum of

Art,  metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/435882. accessed 5 nov. 2019..

Are you citing an image reproduced in a website article?

Read this  post from the MLA Style Center  for formatting guidelines.

Have you modified the image?

Fig. 3. Adapted from Artist;  Title ; Creation Year; Institution, URL.

Fig. 3. Adapted from Paul Cézanne;  Still Life with Apples and a Pot of Primroses;  1890;   The Metropolitan Museum of  Art ,   metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/435882 .

Read this post from the MLA Style Center  for more information.

Are you using a video screenshot?

Fig. X. Still from Creator, Title of Video (minute:seconds).

Fig. 4. Still from Toledo Museum of Art, What is Visual Literacy?  (4:31).

Read this  post from the MLA Style Center  for more information.

YouTube & Streaming Video:

Title .  Platform , uploaded by Screen name, Day Month (abbreviated). Year, URL.

"What is Information Literacy?." YouTube , uploaded by Modern Librarian Memoirs, 2 Nov. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbe6xBibOL4.

Digital Resources

Citing personal photos, digital files, or other electronic resources can be confusing. The important thing to remember is that everything you use for academic or professional work, even if you made it yourself , does need to be cited - every time!

Some URL Notes from Purdue OWL :

• Many scholarly journal articles found in databases include a DOI (digital object identifier). If a DOI is available, cite the DOI number instead of the URL.
• Online newspapers and magazines sometimes include a permalink , which is a shortened, stable version of a URL. Look for a “share” or “cite this” button to see if a source includes a permalink. If you can find a permalink, use that instead of a URL.

If you have a question or need to cite something not listed here, schedule a consultation with a librarian!

In MLA style, any links you include should not have the http:// portion of the URL. Visit the Purdue OWL Pages on citing Electronic Sources and Other Common Sources in MLA for more examples! For more social media post guidance, visit the MLA Style Center Advice from the Editors post on citing social media.

Garofalo, Vanessa. "How to Avoid Plagiarism in 5 Easy Steps." YouTube , uploaded by Modern Librarian Memoirs, 5 April 2018, www. youtu.be/WV2-cmi19sg.

“8 Hot Dog Gadgets put to the Test.” YouTube, uploaded by Crazy Russian Hacker, 6 June 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBlpjSEtELs.

Zuckerman, Jeremy. "To Heal." 22 July 2015. SoundCloud , www. soundcloud.com/jeremy-zuckerman/to-heal.

Personal Interview

A personal interview is one that you have conducted yourself - the "author" is the interviewee. For other interviews, see the Purdue OWL Guide .

Crowl, Paige. Personal interview. 12 July 2019.

"3 - Station Management." Welcome to Night Vale from NightValeRadio, 15 July 2012, www. radiopublic.com/welcome-to-night-vale-3GZp96/ep/s1!0c606 .

Remember to get the permission of all the people in the photo (or their guardians, if minors) before you use it in your work!

Crowl, Paige. "Happy Spinach ." 28 Feb. 2017. Personal collection.

Garofalo, Christopher. " CSCE Contributor Gift Table." SmugMug , 12 April 2019, www. christophervisuals.com/OxfordCollege/CSCE/i-wP8vMbB/A.

Online Photo or Image

If the image is on the web only, then provide the name of the artist, the title of the work, and then follow the citation format for a website. If the work is posted via a username, use that username for the author. If the image has no title, put a description instead, and don't use quotation marks or italics.

Williams, Maynard O. “An Ouled Nail woman in Algeria wears a tattoo that is customary for dancers, 1949.” Found, National Geographic Creative, 10 March 2016, www. natgeofound.tumblr.com/post/140802561912/an-ouled-nail-woman-in-algeria-wears-a-tattoo-that.

Cash, Ivan. "Infographic of Infographics." Imgur , 5 April 2011, www. imgur.com/DNxvj.

If the post does not have a title or any other text, as might be the case for a post containing only an image, provide a description.

World Wildlife Fund. “Happy Earth Day from all of us at WWF!” Facebook , 22 Apr. 2019, www.facebook.com/worldwildlifefund/photos/a.58993914793/10156574728914794.

Ng, Celeste [@pronounced_ing]. Photo of letter from Shirley Jackson. Twitter , 22 Jan. 2018, twitter.com/pronounced_ing/status/ 955528799357231104.

Smith, Clint. “Today is Frederick Douglass’ 200th birthday. . . .” Twitter , 14 Feb. 2018, twitter.com/ClintSmithIII/status/963810866964639745.

Hamilton Videos [@hamilton.vods]. Video of King George in Hamilton .  Instagram , 5 July 2020, www.instagram.com/p/CCPEUJLDz0l/.

If you are using MLA for your project, use parenthetical citations. Only include the author's last name and the page number in parentheses. If there is no author, use the title of the work in place of the author's name. Typically, you put this at the end of the sentence just before the period.  

To cite more than one source put a semicolon between the two sources' citations.

For more information on MLA, see the Purdue OWL page about in-text citation .

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MLA 9th Edition

• Paper Format
• In-Text Citations

Works Cited Basics

Understanding the core elements, formatting your works cited page, additional resources.

• Works Cited Examples
• Back to Citation Guide

MLA 9 Works Cited Example Page

• MLA 9 Annotated Works Cited Page View the example works cited page displayed above with additional notes pointing out key formatting structures and styles.

What Information do I need for a Citation?

When creating a works-cited entry for a source look for the following 9 core elements :

• Title of Source.
• Title of Container,
• Contributor(s),
• Publication Date,

Elements 3 through 9 are considered "container elements" by MLA and can be repeated for as many containers as exist for a given source.

Include as many elements as you can find for your source. If an element does not exist it does not need to be included in your citation, but DO NOT be lazy in looking for this information!

How Would the Information Appear in a Citation?

A basic citation with only one container would look like:

Author. "Title of Source." Title of Container , Contributor, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication Date, Location.

A source with multiple containers, like a journal article found on a library database, would look like:

Author. "Title of Source." Title of Container 1 , Contributor, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication Date, Location. Title of Container 2 , Contributor, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication Date, Location. Container 3. etc.

A source that is self-contained, like a book, would look like:

Author. Title of Source . Contributor, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication Date, Location.

Scroll down on the page to see specific examples of how to cite different sources.

What are Containers?

Containers are new to MLA beginning in the 8th edition. They were created in an effort to make citing different types of sources easier, so writers could focus on citing based off commonly found elements, rather than learning how each individual type of source (i.e. book, article, video, etc.) needed to be cited.

As the name suggests, containers are the larger works containing the actual source being cited.

For example, if you are citing an article, the journal that published the article is the container, and the article is the main source (see fig. 2 below) . If that article came from a library database, then the journal would be container 1 and the database container 2 (see fig. 3) . If you are citing an entire book the book is considered to be "self-contained" and does not have a separate container, unless accessed through a library database or other non-physical means.

What is it?

"Author" refers to the person, people, or organization responsible for writing or creating the work. The author may be the writer(s) or editor(s) of a book or article, the artist of a piece of artwork or musical piece, the creator of a video, etc.

Where can you find it?

The author can usually be found near the title of the work, often (though not always) preceded by indicator phrases like:

• written by...
• edited by...
• translated by...
• created by...

How do I format it?

The author is included at the beginning of the citation and written in Last Name (Family Name), First Name format and ended with a period.

Ex.) Johnson, Jessica...

*See the " Other Common Scenarios " section for how to format in cases with no author, more than 1 author, or with an organization as the author.

Title of Source

The "title of source" is the title of the specific work you are referencing. For example, if you are citing a journal article, the title of the article (not the journal containing the article) is the "title of source".  If you are citing a short-story or chapter within a book, the short-story or chapter name/title is the "title of source" not the book itself.  If you are citing an entire book, the title of the book is the "title of source".  

Where can I find it?

The title of the source is usually prominently displayed on the front-cover or page of a written work in letters that stand out from the rest of the text.  If a source does not have a title, as may be the case when citing advertisements or social media posts, provide a brief description of the source in place of a title.

The source title comes after the author in a works-cited entry.  In general, if the source is considered "short-form" and typically contained within another work (i.e. a journal article, a chapter or short-story contained within a book, poem, episode of a show or podcast, song, etc.) then the title is enclosed in quotation marks and ended with a period.

Ex.) Johnson, Jessica. " Teaching Students to Write Citations. "   ...

If the source is considered "long-form" and typically self-contained (i.e. a book, movie, podcast or TV series, etc.) then the title is italicized and ended with a period.

Ex.) Johnson, Jessica. Lessons from the Classroom . ...

Notice the use of capitalization in both examples. In general, when writing titles you should capitalize the first and last word in the title and all "important" words.  This excludes articles (a, an, the, etc.), conjunctions (and, but, or, etc.), prepositions (as, of, to, between, against, etc.), and "to" when used as an infinitive, unless they begin or end the title.  

Title of Container

The "title of container" is the title of the larger work in which your source is located.  This could be the name of the journal containing an article, the website or database on which the article was found, the title of the book containing the chapter or short-story being cited, the name of a TV or podcast series, etc.

The container title is frequently prominently displayed on the front page or cover of a written work, or in the header of a website or database, and is often located above or near the title of the source.

The container title comes after the source title in a works-cited entry, is typically italicized, follows the rules for capitalizing titles, and ends with a comma.

Ex.) Johnson, Jessica. "Teaching Students to Write Citations." Lessons from the Classroom , ...

Contributors

"Contributors" are the other people or organizations that helped create a work but were not the primary people responsible for its creation.  This could include editors, translators, directors, conductors, etc.

Contributors are often, though not always, listed near or under the actual author or creator of the work. Sometimes, however, you will have to search to find out who contributed.  Look for keywords like:

• directed by...
• illustrated by...
• adapted by...

Contributors are listed after the "title of container" in a works-cited entry, begin with a label indicating how they contributed to the work, and ended with a comma. Contributor names are listed in First Name Last Name format.

Ex.) Johnson, Jessica. "Teaching Students to Write Citations." Lessons from the Classroom , edited by Mary Howard, ...

"Version" refers to any indicated variant of the work, as in different editions of a books, different formats (i.e. an eBooks vs. a print book), an updated or modified version of the original work (like a directors cut of a film), etc.  

The location of the version depends on the type of source being cited.  Books typically have the version listed on the title page underneath the title of the book.  On other works, usually those made available digitally (i.e. a video, audio recording, website, etc.) the version may be found on an "About" page, or footer.  For non-book sources, you will likely have to search for the version.  Look for keywords like:

• or anything else indicating the work has multiple variations, of which this is one

The version comes after any contributors in a works-cited entry and is ended with a comma. If it is a numbered version, write the ordinal number numerically and abbreviate "edition" to "ed." Do not use superscript.

Ex.) 2nd ed., ... OR 13th ed., ...

If a descriptive version is given (i.e. revised edition, expanded edition, directors cut, etc.) write the description as provided using lowercase letters, unless it comes after a period in the works-cited entry. Note that "revised" should be abbreviated to "rev."

Ex.) rev. ed., ... OR expanded ed., ... OR directors cut, ...

Ex.) Johnson, Jessica. "Teaching Students to Write Citations." Lessons from the Classroom , edited by Mary Howard, 2nd ed., ...

"Number" refers to the order number in a series in which your source is included.  This includes volume and issue numbers commonly used for journals or books in multivolume collections, as well as season and episode numbers of shows or podcasts, etc.

Print sources like books or journal articles often have the volume and/or issue number listed on the front cover, title page, or within the header or footer if accessed online via a library database.  For season and episode numbers you may need to look at the series or episode description information.  Keep your eye out for keywords or abbreviations like:

• Volume (vol.)
• Number (no.)
• Episode 
• Or stand alone numbers (included roman numerals)

If you see a number with a decimal point (e.g. 10.5) the number before the decimal is usually the volume or season number, while the number after the decimal is usually the issue or episode number.

The number comes after the version in a works-cited entry.  Start with a description of the type of number (i.e. volume, issue, season, episode, etc.), write the number numberically, and end with a comma.  Note that "volume" is abbreviated to "vol." and "number" and "issue" are abbreviated to "no."

Ex.) Johnson, Jessica. "Teaching Students to Write Citations." Lessons from the Classroom , edited by Mary Howard, 2nd ed., vol. 1, ...

MLA defines the publisher as, "the entity primarily responsible for producing the work or making it available to the public," (164). This can include the publishing company or individual of a book, the studio (i.e. Lucas Films) or network (i.e. CBS, or Netflix) responsible for distributing a film or show, the organization responsible for producing the content of a website or government publication, or the theater company that organized the performance (i.e. New York City Ballet), etc.

Depending on the type of source being cited, the publisher may be found in different locations. For books, the publisher is usually found on the title page or copyright page at the beginning of the book.  On the title page it's usually located toward the bottom, often under the logo of the publishing company. On the copyright page the publisher may be found next to a © (copywrite) symbol or after the words "published by...". The publisher of a website can often be found in the footer or on an "about" page. For movies and shows, the production company or network responsible for producing the show may be mentioned in the title and/or end credits, on paperwork accompanying a physical format (i.e. a DVD case or booklet), or with the video description on a streaming service. Keep your eyes out for keywords like: 

• Published by...
• Produced by...
• ...Production
• Broadcast by...
• Copyrighted by... (or look for the © symbol)

The publisher is listed after the number in a works-cited entry, as it appears in the source, and is ended with a comma.  Note that standard rules for capitalization apply, so even if a publisher is written in all caps (i.e. OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS) in the source, your works cited entry will not be (i.e. Oxford University Press).  Ampersands (&) and plus signs (+) that appear in the publisher name are also written out as "and" in the works cited entry.

Ex.) Johnson, Jessica. "Teaching Students to Write Citations." Lessons from the Classroom , edited by Mary Howard, 2nd ed., vol. 1, Read and Richards Publishing, ...

Publication Date

The publication date is the date and/or time that the source was published or made available to the public. This might be the date of publication for a book, the time-period of publication for a journal, newspaper, or magazine article, the uploaded or updated date for a webpage or other online content, or the release or first aired date of a movie or show. The publication date may consist of any of the following or a combination thereof:

The publication date is frequently found on the title page or copywrite page of a book or government document, at the top or bottom of an article, usually near the title or author's name, or on the cover of a journal, newspaper, or magazine.  Keep your eyes out for anything that looks like a date or keywords such as:

• Copyright (or the © symbol)
• Uploaded (usually for a piece of uploaded web content like a YouTube video)
• Last updated (usually for a webpage)
• Posted (usually for a social media or blog post)

If you see multiple publication dates use the date that is most recent and/or more specific.  

The publication date comes after the publisher in a works-cited entry, is typically written using the day mon. year format (ex. 3 Jan. 2021) and is ended with a comma. Notice how the month was abbreviated (only May, June, and July are not abbreviated in a works cited entry).

If the publication date includes a time, add it after the year (ex. 3 Jan. 2021, 3:15 p.m.) using the same format as the source (i.e. 12-hour clock or 24-hour clock). 

If the publication date is a season write the season in lower case letters (ex. fall 2022).

Ex.) Johnson, Jessica. "Teaching Students to Write Citations."  Lessons from the Classroom , edited by Mary Howard, 2nd ed., vol. 1, Read and Richards Publishing, Aug. 2020, ...

"Location" refers to the physical or electronic location where the source was viewed. This can include the page numbers for a printed source contained withing a larger work, the URL, DOI, or permalink for an online resource, or the physical location where a performance or artwork was viewed. 

Page numbers can often be found in the header or footer of the pages on which the work was written. Include the first and last page of the source in your works-cited entry.

The URL can be found in the address bar at the top of the browser. However, if a DOI or permalink is available that is strongly preferred to the URL because they are more stable.  DOI's can often be found next to the title or citation information for an online article, whereas permalinks are often found by clicking a button in the database used to access the article. Ask a librarian if you want help locating the DOI or permalink for an article.

The location is the last part of works-cited entry and is ended with a period. 

Page number locations are indicated with "pp." for multiple pages or a "p." for a single page.  (ex. p. 13 or pp. 111-113.).

DOIs, Permalinks, and URLs are oftentimes pasted into the works-cited entry as they are. Make sure they are not hyperlinked. 

Ex.) Johnson, Jessica. "Teaching Students to Write Citations."  Lessons from the Classroom , edited by Mary Howard, 2nd ed., vol. 1, Read and Richards Publishing, Aug. 2020, pp. 33-40.

Your works cited page is where you list the full citation for every source you cite throughout your work. It should...

• Be a standalone page at the end or your paper or project
• Have "Works Cited" written at the top-center of the page
• List all sources referenced throughout your work in alphabetical order by author last name (or title if there is no author or creator)
• Use 0.5" hanging indents for all references longer than 1 line of text
• 1-inch margins on all sides
• Double-spaced
• Header with last name and page number in top-right
• Have text left-aligned

For more information on how to format your works cited page correctly, see the "Works Cited" section on our "Paper Format" page.

Sample Works Cited Page

For more information and resources on citing sources in MLA check out the websites listed below:

• MLA Handbook Plus This link opens in a new window Welcome to MLA Handbook Plus, the Modern Language Associations subscription-based digital resource. Students and instructors can access online the new ninth edition of the MLA Handbook through the library.
• MLA Interactive Practice Template Use the interactive MLA practice template to help you build citations and understand how the 9 core elements and containers work together to form a works-cited entry.
• Purdue OWL MLA Formatting and Style Guide Detailed information on how to format papers and cite sources using MLA format.
• Purdue Excelsior OWL - MLA Works Cited Detailed information on citing using MLA in a user-friendly format. Includes information on both MLA 8 and 9.
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Citation Styles and How to Guide

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MLA Style is a citation style created by the Modern Language Association, which is how it got its name!  Although it's most commonly used in the humanities, MLA can be used across many disciplines.  Therefore, the current citation style for this edition is more like a set of guidelines rather than strict rules.

MLA Style is currently in the 9th edition.  For an overview of changes between the 8th and 9th editions of MLA, check out this article  from the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL).

MLA Citation Style Basics

• Resources for Getting Started
• Formatting Paper
• In-Text Citations
• Works Cited

These are some recommended resources for getting started citing in MLA Style.

A collection of frequently asked questions about MLA style answered by the Modern Language Association.

From the creators of MLA Style, this is a great resource for getting started with MLA.

Purdue OWL provides a wealth of information in their MLA Formatting and Style Guide.

You must format your paper according to MLA guidelines if you are citing using MLA Style.  

Purdue OWL provides some  general guidelines  for formatting your paper in MLA Style, which include:

• Papers should be typed
• Use double spacing
• 1 inch margins 
• Use 12 pt. size font
• The first line of each paragraph should be indented with the  Tab  key
• On the first page of your paper, you should include the following information indented left: your name, your instructor's name, the course that the assignment is for, and the date.  All subsequent pages should have a header in the top right corner with the page number.
• A Works Cited page at the end of your paper that includes all the sources

For MLA Style formatting examples, take a look at  MLA Style Center's Sample Papers  and  Purdue OWL's Sample Papers .

MLA Style's in-text citations use parenthetical citations that consist of an author-page style. 

The author's last name and page number(s) from where the quotation or paraphrase is taken appears in the text.  The structure of the in-text citation will depend on whether you are paraphrasing or quoting the text.  This in-text citation will correspond to a complete reference on the Works Cited page.

For example, if you are citing something paraphrased by  Jasmine Plott  on  page 3  of her work, you would provide an in-text citation that looks as follows:  (Plott 3) .  The full citation would appear in the works cted page.

For more information about how to craft an in-text citation, refer to Purdue OWL's guidance available  here .

Your Works Cited page appears at the end of your paper and will alphabetically lists all the sources that you included as in-text citations in your paper.  For MLA Style, there are a set of  core elements  that serve as general guidelines for what should go into a citation.  Structure your citations using the core elements listed below.  Don't forget to include the punctuation after each element in the below list, since that is an important part of the citation too!

Try to include as many core elements as you can in your citation, but don't sweat it if some of the information simply isn't available.  For instance, only some sources will have  containers , which are bigger sources where that particular source is held.  As an example, an entry in an encyclopedia would be the source, and the encyclopedia itself would be the container.

MLA Style Center's Works Cited: A Quick Guide,  and  Purdue OWL's MLA Works Cited Page: Basic Format  are recommended resources for getting more information about how to structure your Works Cited page.  Check out the selected links from MLA Style Center and Purdue OWL for more detailed information!

MLA Style Center's overview of how to structure citations for a Works Cited page

Purdue OWL's information about the general format of a Works Cited page

MLA Style Center's examples for how to cite five basic source types: (1) books; (2) online works; (3) songs, recordings, and performances; (4) movies, videos, and television shows; and (5) images

Purdue OWL's guidance for basic book formatting, books with more than one author, book chapter, other print sources, etc.

Purdue OWL's guidance for scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers

Purdue OWL's guidance for websites, images, articles in databases, YouTube videos, etc

Purdue OWL's guidance for interviews, artwork, films, music, etc.

Purdue OWL's sample Works Cited page

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MLA Style: Scholarly & Popular Articles

• Scholarly & Popular Articles
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Online Resources for Creating Citations for Articles in Periodicals

• Purdue OWL: MLA Works Cited Page: Basic Format General information about citing your sources in-text in MLA style. This page includes information about citing appropriately one author, two authors, and multiple authors in MLA style.
• Purdue OWL: MLA Works Cited Page: Periodicals Information about and examples of MLA style reference list citations for articles in periodicals.
• Purdue OWL: Reference List Electronic Sources (Web Publications) Information about creating references for a variety of online resources from journal articles to blog posts.
• Purdue OWL: MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics General information about citing your sources in-text in MLA style.

What is DOI and How Do I Use It?

You can use a DOI or a URL when citing an electronic source. "A DOI, or Digital Object Identifier , is a string of numbers, letters and symbols used to permanently identify an article or document and link to it on the web. A DOI will help your reader easily locate a document from your citation. Think of it like a Social Security number for the article you’re citing — it will always refer to that article, and only that one (What is DOI and how do I use them in citations?)."

Using a DOI or URL is optional in MLA 8 (Should URLs be linked in works-cited-list entries?). The use of the DOI, if it is available is encouraged, though, in some situations, a URL may be helpful, if it is clickable (48). 

Works Cited

" The DOI®  System."  Found, The International DOI Foundation, 4 Feb. 2019, https://www.doi.org/ . MLA Handbook.  8th ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2016. "Should URLs be linked in works-cited-list entries?"  The MLA Style Center , 10 Nov. 2016,             https://style.mla.org/linking-urls/ . "What is DOI and how do I use them in c itations?"   University Library , The University of Illinois at            Chicago, 2019,  h ttps://library.uic.edu/help/article/1966/what-is-a-doi-and-how-do-i-use-them-in-citations .            Accessed,   1 Feb.  2019

Article Examples

Article: Scholarly Journal Basic Format: Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial (or Middle Name). "Title of article." Title of Journal , Volume,           Issue, Year, pages.

Print Example: Morales, Demori, Raysa. “Congenital Heart Disease and Cardiac Procedural Outcomes in Patients with        Trisomy 21 and Turner Syndrome." Congenital Heart Disease , vol. 12, no. 6, Nov. 2017, pp. 820–        827.

Example From a Database:

Ostendorf, Berndt.  " From the Kingdom of Kongo to Congo Square: Kongo Dances and the Origins of the Mardi Gras Indians ." Journal of African American History , vol. 103, no. 4, Fall 2018, pp. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1086/700207.

Article: Magazine Basic Format:

Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial (or Middle Name). "Title of Article," Title of Periodical , Volume, Issue, Month Year, pages.

Example: Isaacson, Walter. “Shaped by Water.” Time , vol. 192, no. 5/6, Aug. 2018, pp. 78–80.

Articles: Popular Source Examples (Magazines Found Online)

Works Cited Citation: Berry, Jason. "Leading A Revival: Bill Russell and the Discovery of Jazz." New Orleans Magazine , Jan.           2019, http://www.myneworleans.com/New-Orleans-Magazine/January-2019/Leading-A-Revival/ .           Accessed 1 Feb. 2019.

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MLA Citation Guide (MLA 8th Edition): Annotated Bibliography

• Introduction
• Advertisements
• Books, eBooks & Pamphlets
• Business Reports from Library Databases
• Class Notes & Presentations
• Encyclopedias & Dictionaries
• Court & Government Documents
• Images, Charts, Graphs, Maps & Tables
• Interviews and Emails (Personal Communications)
• Journal Articles
• Legal Resources
• Magazine Articles
• Newspaper Articles
• Religious Texts
• Social Media
• Videos & DVDs
• Websites (Blogs, Wikipedia, Facebook)
• When Creating Digital Assignments
• Missing Information (No author, date, page numbers,database name)
• Works Quoted in Another Source
• In-Text Citation
• Works Cited List & Sample Paper
• Annotated Bibliography
• Citation Software

Annotated Bibliography Template

• MLA Annotated Bibliography Template

Purdue OWL Links for Annotated Bibliographies

• Annotated Bibliographies Overview of purpose and form of annotated bibliographies from the Purdue OWL.
• Annotated Bibliography Samples Includes a sample of one MLA annotated bibliography.
• Annotated Bibliography Example An example of an MLA annotated bibliography, containing two entries.

Annotations

An annotated bibliography is a list of citations for various books, articles, and other sources on a topic. The annotated bibliography looks like a Works Cited page but includes an annotation after each source cited. An annotation is a short summary and/or critical evaluation of a source. Annotated bibliographies can be part of a larger research project, or can be a stand-alone report in itself.

Types of Annotations

 A summary annotation describes the source by answering the following questions: who wrote the document, what does the document discuss, when and where was the document written, why was the document produced, and how was it provided to the public. The focus is on description. 

 An evaluative annotation includes a summary as listed above but also critically assesses the work for accuracy, relevance, and quality. Evaluative annotations can help you learn about your topic, develop a thesis statement, decide if a specific source will be useful for your assignment, and determine if there is enough valid information available to complete your project. The focus is on description and evaluation.

Writing an Evaluative Annotation

• Cite the source using MLA style.
• Describe the main ideas, arguments, themes, theses, or methodology, and identify the intended audience.
• Explain the author’s expertise, point of view, and any bias he/she may have.
• Compare to other sources on the same topic that you have also cited to show similarities and differences.
• Explain why each source is useful for your research topic and how it relates to your topic.
• Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each source.
• Identify the observations or conclusions of the author. 

Basic Tips on Writing and Formatting

• Each annotation should be one paragraph, between three to six sentences long (about 150- 200 words).
• Start with the same format as a regular Works Cited list.
• All lines should be double-spaced. Do not add an extra line between the citations.
• If your list of citations is especially long, you can organize it by topic.
• Try to be objective, and give explanations if you state any opinions.
• Use the third person (e.g., he, she, the author) instead of the first person (e.g., I, my, me)

Sample Evaluative Annotation

London, Herbert. “Five Myths of the Television Age.” Television Quarterly , vol. 10, no. 1, Mar. 1982, pp. 81-69. Herbert London, the Dean of Journalism at New York University and author of several books and articles, explains how television contradicts five commonly believed ideas. He uses specific examples of events seen on television, such as the assassination of John Kennedy, to illustrate his points. His examples have been selected to contradict such truisms as: “seeing is believing”; “a picture is worth a thousand words”; and “satisfaction is its own reward.” London uses logical arguments to support his ideas which are his personal opinion. He does not refer to any previous works on the topic. London’s style and vocabulary would make the article of interest to any reader. The article clearly illustrates London’s points, but does not explore their implications leaving the reader with many unanswered questions.

Adapted from:

"How to Write Annotated Bibliographies."  Memorial University Libraries , www.library.mun.ca/researchtools/guides/writing/annotated_bibl/. Accessed 29 June 2016.

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ENG 114: Baertschi

• Introduction
• Search Tips
• Find Background Info
• Find Scholarly Articles
• Find News & Community Information
• MLA Citation Style
• In-Class Activity

For citation help online, see  The Owl at Purdue: MLA Formatting and Style Guide  

Works Cited & Bibliography

Author Last Name, First Name. Book Title. The Publisher, Publication Date.

2. Work in an Anthology/Book Chapter/Encyclopedia Entry

Author Last Name, First Name. “Title of Selection/Chapter.” Book Title , edited by Editor Name, The Publisher, Publication Date, pp. Page Numbers.

3. Article from a Database Accessed Through a Subscription Service

Author Last Name, First Name.  “Title of the Work.” Publication Information. Name of the Database , Location. Date of Access.

4. Article from an Online Scholarly Journal

Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of the Work." Publication Information, Location. Date of Access.

Note : If the journal is online-only and does not include page numbers, you can omit them from your citation.

5. Work from a Website

Author Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Document.” Website Name , Date of Publication, Location. Date of Access.

Adapted from: Everyday Writer, 4th ed. (Lunsford)

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