MLA Style

Jump To: Print Sources | Internet and Electronic Sources | Media Sources

Print Sources

Book

5.5.2

Format:

Author(s). Title. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Medium of Publication.

Examples:

Henley, Patricia. The Hummingbird House. Denver: MacMurray, 1999. Print.

Klinger, Donna, and Lucie Lapovsky, eds. Strategic Financial Challenges for Higher Education: How to Achieve Quality, Accountability, and Innovation.. San Francisco: Joseey-Bass, 2008. Print.

Note: If there are more than three authors, you may name only the first and add et al ("and others"). If there is no author, begin with the title of the book.

Chapter in a Book

5.5.6

Format:

Author(s). "Chapter Title." Title. Editor(s), Translator(s), or Compiler(s). Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Page Numbers. Medium of Publication.

Examples:

More, Hannah. "The Black Slave Trade: A Poem." British Women Poets of the Romantic Era. Ed. Paula R. Feldman. Baltimore: John Hopkins UP, 1997. 472-82.Print

Note: If there is a translator for that chapter, include the word "Trans." and the translator's name after "Chapter Title."

Article in a Reference Book

5.5.7

Format:

Author(s). "Article Title." Title. Edition. Year of Publication. [When citing less familiar reference books, give full publication information: Editor(s), place of publication and publisher.] Medium of Publication

Examples:

Allen, Anita L. "Privacy in Health Care." Encyclopedia of Bioethics. Ed. Warren T. Reich. Rev. ed. 5 vols. New York: Macmillan-Simon, 1995. Print.

Ostrum, John H. "Dinosaurs." The New Encyclopedia Britannica: Macropedia. 15th ed. 1997. Print

Note: If citing only one volume of a multivolume work, include only that volume number after the edition. If citing more than one volume of a multivolume work, cite the total number of volumes in the work. If the reference book is not organized alphabetically, include the page number(s) of the article after the publication date.

Journal Article

5.4.2

Format:

Author(s). "Article Title." Journal Title Volume.Issue [if there is one](Year of Publication): Page Numbers. Medium of Publication.

Examples:

Vickery, Laurie. "The Politics of Abuse: The Traumatized Child in Toni Morrison and Marguerite Duras." Mosaic 29.2 (1996): 91-109. Print

Magazine Article

5.4.6

Format:

Author(s). "Article Title." Magazine Title Day Month Year: Page Numbers. Medium of Publication

Example:

Poniewozik, James. "TV Makes a Too-Close Call." Time 20 Nov. 2000: 70-71. Print.

Note: Use a three-letter abbreviation of the month (e.g. Aug.) except for May, June, and July.

Newspaper Article

5.4.5

Format:

Author(s). "Article Title." Newspaper Title Day Month Year, Edition of Newspaper: Section [if there is one]. Medium of Publication.

Example:

Lohr, Steve. "Now Playing: Babes in Cyberspace." New York Times 3 Apr. 1998, late ed.: C1+. Print.

Note: Use a three-letter abbreviation of the month (e.g. Aug.) except for May, June, and July.

Government Publication

5.5.20

Format:

Government Name. Government Agency. Title of Publication. Place of Publication: Publisher, Date of Publication. Medium of Publication.

Examples:

California. Dept. of Justice. California Attorney General's Women's Rights Handbook. Sacramento: Office of the Attorney General, 1990. Print.

United States. Census Bureau. Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2001. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau, 2001. Print.

Internet and Electronic Sources

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Website

5.6.2

Format:

Author(s). "Document or Article Title." Web Site Title. Publisher or Sponsor of the site [if different than name of web site]. Day Month Year of Latest Update [use n.d. if not given]. Medium of Publication. Day Month Year of Access.

Examples:

Martinez, Nadia, and Juan Montecino. "Bolivians Struggle for Democracy." FPIF: Foreign Policy in Focus. Institute for Policy Studies. 18 July 2008. Web. 23 Oct. 2008.

Note: If citing the whole website, do not include "Document or Article Title."

Note: Use a three-letter abbreviation of the month (e.g. Aug.) except for May, June, and July.

Online Book and Chapter/Section of an Online Book

5.6.2c, Hacker

Format:

Author(s) [if given]. "Title of the Book Part." Book Title. Publication Information for Original Print Version, i.e., Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Print Publication. Information for the Electronic Version, i.e., Title of the Subscription Service. Medium of Publication. Day Month Year of Access.

Example:

Adams, Henry. "Diplomacy." The Education of Henry Adams Boston: Houghton, 1918. n. pag. Bartleby.com: Great Books Online. Web. 8 Jan. 2007.

Note: Use a three-letter abbreviation of the month (e.g. Aug.) except for May, June, and July.

Note: Use the abbreviation n. pag. for no pagination.

Journal Article from a Library Database (i.e. Proquest, Academic Search Complete, etc.):

5.6.4

Format:

Author(s). "Article Title." Journal Title Volume.Issue (Year): Page Numbers. Title of the Database. Medium of Publication. Day Month Year of Access.

Example:

Onwuemene, Michael C. "Limits of Transliteration: Nigerian Writers' Endeavors toward a National Literary Language." PMLA 114 (1999): 1055-1066. ProQuest. Web. 3 Dec. 1999.

Note: Check with your instructor whether to use the persistent link or URL of online service for web address.

Note: Use a three-letter abbreviation of the month (e.g. Aug.) except for May, June, and July.

Article from a Web Periodical (not from a database):

5.6.2

Format:

Author(s). "Article Title." Online Periodical Title. Website Publisher, Day Month Year of Publication [for magazines or newspapers] OR Volume.Issue (Year): Paragraphs or Pages. Day Month Year of Access.

Example:

Mendels, Pamela. "Librarian, Long an Internet Booster, Sees Clouds on Web Horizon." New York Times on the Web New York Times, 19 Apr. 2000: 21-22. Web. 21 Apr. 2000.

Note: Use a three-letter abbreviation of the month (e.g. Aug.) except for May, June, and July.

Online Government Publication

5.5.20

Format:

Government Name. Government Agency. Title of Publication. Author. Date of Publication. Medium of Publication. Day Month Year of Access.

Example:

United States. Dept. of Justice. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Law Enforcement and Juvenile Crime. By Howard N. Snyder. Dec. 2001. Web. 29 June 2002.

E-mail to you

5.7.13

Format:

Email Writer's Name. "Message Title [taken from subject line]." Message to the author. Day Month Year of Message. Medium of Delivery.

Example:

Kunka, Andrew. "Re: Modernist Literature." Message to the author. 15 Nov. 2000. E-mail.

Note: Use a three-letter abbreviation of the month (e.g. Aug.) except for May, June, and July.

Note: If the e-mail is not written to you, state Message to [insert recipient's name]. Ex: Message to Barack Obama.

Blog posting

5.6.2b, Hacker

Format:

Author(s) Login Name. "Subject of Message." Blog title. Online posting. Date Message Sent. Medium of Publication. Day Month Year of Access.

Examples:

Karper, Erin. "Welcome!" Professional Writing Bulletin Board. Online posting. 23 Oct. 2000. Web. 12 Nov. 2000.

Burdick, Dennis. Weblog comment. The Checkout. Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2006. Web. 19 Jan. 2007.

Note: If the entry does not have a title, use the lable "Weblog entry" or "Weblog comment."

Media Sources

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Film, DVD, or Videotape:

5.7.3

Format:

Title. Authors. Distributor, Year of Publication. Medium of Publication.

Example:

Ed Wood. Dir. Tim Burton. Perf. Johnny Depp, Martin Landau, Sarah Jessica Parker, Patricia Arquette. 1994. Touchstone, 2004. DVD.

Note: Authors are main contributors to the film like director, lead actors, and screenwriters.

Note: Include format names; "Videocassette" for VHS or Betamax, DVD for Digital Video Disc.

Television or Radio Broadcast

5.7.1

Format:

"Episode Title [if any]." Program Title. Series Title [if any]. Other Pertinent Information. Name of the Network. Call Letters, City of the Local Station [if any]. Broadcast Day Month Year. Medium of Publication.

Examples:

"Frederick Douglass." Civil War Journal. Narr. Danny Glover. Dir. Craig Haffner. Arts and Entertainment Network. 6 Apr. 1993. Television.

Note: Use a three-letter abbreviation of the month (e.g. Aug.) except for May, June, and July.

Sound Recording or Sound Clip

5.7.2

Format:

Composer, Conductor, or Performer(s). "Song Title." Title of Recording. Artists. Manufacturer, Date of Issue. Medium of Publication.

Example:

Bizet, Georges. Carmen. Perf. Jennifer Laramore, Thomas Moser, Angela Gheorghiu, and Samuel Ramey. Bavarian State Orch. and Chorus. Cond. Giuseppe Sinopoli. Warner, 1996, CD.

Video Clip Posted to an Internet Site:

5.6.2b

Format:

Author(s) or Other Originator(s). "Title." Online posting. Day Month Year Posted. Name of the Forum. Day Month Year of Access <web address>.

Example:

Lavin Agency. "Margaret Atwood Lecture." Online posting. 22 Dec. 2006. YouTube. 22 Jan. 2007 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dbrp1tGYsak>.

Note: Use a three-letter abbreviation of the month (e.g. Aug.) except for May, June, and July.

A Painting, Sculpture, Photograph, or Image:

5.7.6, Hacker

Format:

Creator(s). Title. Date of Composition. Medium of Composition. Place of Presentation, City.

Examples:

Van Gogh, Vincent. The Starry Night. 1889. Museum of mod. Art, New York. MoMA: The Museum of Modern Art. Web. 14 Jan. 2007.

Evans, Walker. Penny Picture Display. 1936. Photograph. Museum of Mod. Art, New York.

Note: Use a three-letter abbreviation of the month (e.g. Aug.) except for May, June, and July.

Interview:

5.7.7, Hacker

Format:

Interviewee. Interview. Publication Title. Appropriate Station Information. Date of Interview. Medium of Publication. Day Month Year of Access [if online].

Examples:

McGovern, George. Interview by Charlie Rose. Charlie Rose. PBS. WNET, New York. 1 Feb. 2001. Television.

Rowling, J.K. E-mail Interview. 8-12 May 2002.

Note: If you conducted the interview, give the name of the person interviewed, the kind of interview (Personal interview, Telephone interview, E-mail interview), and the date(s) such as shown in 3rd example.

5.7.10, Hacker

Format:

Name of Product, Company, or Institution. Advertisement. Publication Title. Publication Information. Medium of Publication. Day Month Year of Access [if online].

Examples:

The Fitness Fragrance by Ralph Lauren. Advertisement. GQ. Apr. 1997: 111-12. Print.

Arbella Insurance. Advertisement. Boston.com. NY Times, n.d. Web. 3 June 2008.

Note: Use a three-letter abbreviation of the month (e.g. Aug.) except for May, June, and July.

Parenthetical Citation in Text

In the text of your paper you must document sources from which you are quoting or paraphrasing using brief parenthetical citations that correspond to your alphabetical list of works cited at the end of the paper. Here is an example:

Ancient writers attributed the invention of the monochord to Pythagoras, who lived in the sixth century BC (Marcuse 197).

The parenthetical citation "(Marcuse 197)" tells the reader that the information in the sentence was derived from page 197 of a work by an author named Marcuse. If the reader wants more information about this source, he/she can turn to the works cited list, where a complete citation for Marcuse's work will be found.

Source:
Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 6th ed. New York: Modern Language Association of American, 2003.

Examples provided by the Online Writing Lab at Purdue http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html#Print and Glendale Community College's MLA Style Guides http://www.glendale.edu/library/research/MLAelec.pdf

Highline Community College Library
Last updated March 19, 2009
For comments, send email to refhelp@highline.edu