mla handbook for writers of research papers 7th edition pdf

MLA Guide (7th edition)

The examples provided in this guide are meant to introduce you to the basics of citing sources using the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (seventh edition). For types of resources not included in this guide (e.g., government documents, manuscript collections, video recordings) and for further information about the examples included below, please consult the MLA Handbook itself , and/or a Reference Librarian . For help with layout, margins, spacing and page numbering, see the MLA Handbook (Fig. 12, page 131). Consider using RefWorks to help you track your research and automatically create a bibliography in MLA style.

If you need help with the current version of MLA, please see the guide for MLA ( 8th edition, 2016). If you are unsure which version of MLA to use, please consult with your professor.

Table of Contents:

Parenthetical Documentation Preparing the List of Works Cited A Brief Note on Footnotes and Endnotes For More Help

PARENTHETICAL DOCUMENTATION

When using MLA documentation style, you need to reference your sources by using a combination of a list of works cited (see below) and parenthetical notation . Whenever you refer to or use another's words, facts or ideas in your paper, you are required to cite the source. Generally, brief parenthetical notations consisting of the author's last name and a page reference are sufficient. For example: (Drucker 30) .

Note: If you mention the author in your sentence, then you need only cite the page number . And if you cite more than one work by the same author , include the title of the work in your notation. For example: (Drucker, Management Cases 30) .

1. ONE AUTHOR

The character Folly denies satirizing Christianity when she says, "it is no part of my present plan to rummage through the lives of popes and priests," yet she spends much of her encomium doing just that (Erasmus 115).

2. TWO OR MORE AUTHORS

Max Weber purported that value systems could be studied "without the social scientist's own values distorting such studies" (Keat and Urry 196).

According to Russell Keat and John Urry in Social Science as Theory, Max Weber believed that value systems could be studied "without the social scientist's own values distorting such studies" (196).

Max Weber believed that individuals can objectively study values without their own values interfering with their judgment (Keat and Urry 196).

3. CORPORATE AUTHOR

Children of Central and Eastern Europe have not escaped the nutritional ramifications of iron deficiency, a worldwide problem (UNICEF 44).

4. NO AUTHOR

Marketers of health services and products will find the National Center for Health Statistics' site useful, particularly its statistics on mortality rates. Discovering a population's leading causes of death "tells the researcher a lot about its underlying health problems" ("Information to Die For" 40).

5. WORK IN AN ANTHOLOGY

Cite the author of the essay or story and not the editor of the anthology unless they are the same.

Although some critics disliked Mel Brook's 1993 parody of Robin Hood, it is actually "in the mainstream of the Robin Hood tradition" (Knight 461).

6. INDIRECT QUOTATION

Chief Joseph concluded his surrender by stating eloquently: "[.. .] I will fight no more forever" (qtd. in Safire 108).

7. ONLINE RESOURCE

If the work is not paginated, include the name of the author or editor within the context of your sentence (for example, from a discussion list).

Posting on the VICTORIA listserv, Karen O'Connell mentioned a relevant novel by Wilkie Collins that deals with the 19th-century use of arsenic as a complexion improver.

If the work is paginated, cite it as you would a print resource.

Imagine that the sentences above could somehow be synthesized and used in a single paper. The works cited page would look like this:

WORKS CITED

Erasmus, Desiderius. The Praise of Folly. Trans. Clarence H. Miller. New Haven:

        Yale University Press, 1979. Print.

"Information to Die For."   Marketing Health Services 22.1 (2002): 40-42.  ABI/Inform.

        Web.  14 Aug. 2009.

Keat, Russell, and John Urry.   Social Theory as Science.   2nd ed.  London: Routledge

        and K. Paul, 1982.  Print.

Knight, Stephen.  "Robin Hood: Men in Tights: Fitting the Tradition Snugly."

        Robin Hood: An Anthology of Scholarship and Criticism.   Ed. Stephen

        Knight.  Woodbridge: D. S. Brewer, 1999.  461-467.  Print.

O'Connell, Karen.  "Re: Poisoning."  VICTORIA.  Indiana U.  3 Nov. 2000.  Web.

        14 Aug. 2009.

Safire, William.   Lend Me Your Ears: Great Speeches in History. New York: W. W.

         Norton and Company, 1992. Print.

UNICEF.   Generation in Jeopardy: Children in Central and Eastern Europe and the

         Former Soviet Union. Ed. Alexander Zouev. Armonk: M. E. Sharpe, 1999.

         Print.

PREPARING THE LIST OF WORKS CITED

As demonstrated above, a works cited page consists of an alphabetical listing of the books, articles and other sources that you parenthetically noted in your paper. The works cited page occurs at the end of your paper; however, it is useful to create a draft of it before you begin writing. Following are typical examples of the types of references you will use in your research.

Include some or all of the following elements in your book citation:

• Author or editor
• Title (italicized)
• Translator or compiler
• Volume(s) used
• Name of series
• Place of publication, publisher, and date of publication
• Page numbers
• Name of vendor, database, or provider (italicized)
• Medium of publication consulted (e.g., Print)
• Date of access (Web only; day, month, year)
• Supplementary information and annotation

1. ONE AUTHOR OR EDITOR

Cather, Willa.   The Professor's House.   New York: A. A. Knopf, 1925.  Print.

UNICEF.   Generation in Jeopardy: Children in Central and Eastern Europe

         and the Former Soviet Union.   Ed. Alexander Zouev.  Armonk: M. E.

         Sharpe, 1999.  Print.

Hudson, Valerie N., ed.   Culture and Foreign Policy.   Boulder: L. Rienner

         Publishers, 1997.  Print.

2. TWO OR MORE AUTHORS OR EDITORS

    Names should be given in the order in which they appear on the title page.

Keat, Russell, and John Urry. Social Theory as Science. 2nd ed. London: Routledge

         and K. Paul, 1982. Print.

Kennedy, Mary, Kathy Lubelska, and Val Walsh, eds. Making Connections: Women's

         Studies, Women's Movements, Women's Lives. London: Taylor and Francis,

        1993. Print.

3. ELECTRONIC BOOK

    Include the vendor, database, or provider's name (italicized) and date of access (day, month, year) .

Turam, Berna. Between Islam and the State: The Politics of Engagement. Stanford,

         CA: Stanford UP, 2007. NetLibrary. Web. 14 Aug. 2009.

     If the book is accessed from a SCHOLARLY PROJECT , also include the project     name, place of publication, and the date of the electronic publication if available.

Child, Lydia Maria. An Appeal in Favor of that Class of Americans Called Africans.

        Boston: Allen and Ticknor, 1833. Women Writers Online. Brown U. Web. 14

        Aug. 2009.

4. ANTHOLOGY

Knight, Stephen.  "Robin Hood: Men in Tights: Fitting the Tradition Snugly."          

        Robin Hood: An Anthology of Scholarship and Criticism.   Ed. Stephen

Barrick, Richard, John Sullivan, and Alexander White.  "The American Bloody Register."

       Pillars of Salt: An Anthology of Early American Criminal Narratives.   Comp. 

       Daniel E. Williams.  Madison: Madison House, 1993.  233-258.  Print.

5. INTRODUCTION, PREFACE, FOREWORD, OR AFTERWORD

Ritterson, Michael.  Introduction.   The Odin Field: A Story. By Wilhem Raabe.

      Trans. Michael Ritterson.  Studies in German Literature, Linguistics, and Culture.

      Rochester: Camden House, 2001.  xi-xxvii.  Print.

6. MULTIVOLUME WORK

Tomkins, Silvan S.   Affect, Imagery, Consciousness.   4 vols.  New York: Springer,

         1962-1992. Print.

Anthony, Robert N., and James S. Reece.   Accounting Principles.   7th ed.  Chicago:

        Irwin, 1995.  Print.

8. TRANSLATION

Erasmus, Desiderius.   The Praise of Folly.   Trans.  Clarence H. Miller.  New Haven:

        Yale, 1979. Print.

9. ARTICLE IN A REFERENCE BOOK

"Audubon, John James."   The New Encyclopaedia Britannica: Micropaedia.   15th

        ed.  2002.  Print.

"Audubon, John James."   Encyclopaedia Britannica Online.   Encyclopaedia

        Britannica, 2009.  Web.  14 Aug. 2009.

Ebeling, Richard, ed.   Global Free Trade: Rhetoric or Reality?  Hillsdale, MI: Hillsdale

        College Press, 1993.  Print.  Champions of Freedom 20.

B. Articles in Periodicals

Include some or all of the following in your article citation:

• Article title (usually in quotation marks)
• Periodical title (italicized)
• Series/Issue number or name
• Volume number
• Issue number (if available)
• Publication date (year for scholarly journals; day, month, year for others, as available)
• Medium of publication
• Name of database (italicized and placed before medium of publication) (Web only)
• Date of access (day, month, year) (Web only)

1. SCHOLARLY JOURNAL

Freedman, L.  "The Changing Forms of Military Conflict."   Survival 40.4 (1998): 39-56.

        Print.

Kirby, John T.  "Aristotle on Metaphor."   American Journal of Philology 118.4

        (1997): 517-554.  Print.

Online Journal -- Use n. pag. to indicate the absence of inclusive page numbers.

Ketabgian, Tamara.  Rev. of The Body Economic: Life, Death, and Sensation in

        Political Economy and the Victorian Novel, by Catherine Gallagher.  Bryn Mawr

        Review of Comparative Literature 6.2 (2007): n. pag.  Web.  19 Aug. 2009.

Chan, Winnie.  "Curry on the Divide in Rudyard Kipling's Kim and Gurinder Chadha's

        Bend it Like Beckham."  ARIEL: A Review of International English

        Literature 36.3-4 (2005): 1-23. Web.  14. Aug. 2009.

      Full text of an article from a Database -- Include the name of the      database, the name of the database provider and the date of access.      Use n. pag. to indicate the absence of inclusive page numbers.   

Freedman, Lawrence. "The Changing Forms of Military Conflict." Survival 40.4 (1998):

        39-56. ProQuest Research Library.  Web.  14 Aug. 2009.

  Kirby, John T.  "Aristotle on Metaphor."   American Journal of Philology 118.4 (1997):

       517-554.  JSTOR.  Web.  14 Aug. 2009.

2. MAGAZINE

     Monthly or Bimonthly

Goldberger, Paul. "Machines for Living: Architectonic Allure of the Automobile."

        Architectural Digest Oct. 1996: 82.

     Weekly

Levy, Steven, and Brad Stone.  "Silicon Valley Reboots."   Newsweek 25 Mar.

        2002: 42-50.  Print.

        2002: 42-50.  Academic Search Premier.  Web.  14 Aug. 2009.

3. ANONYMOUS ARTICLE

"Information to Die For."   Marketing Health Services 22.1 (2002): 40-42.  Print.

"Information to Die For."   Marketing Health Services 22.1 (2002): 40-42.   ABI/Inform.        14 Aug. 2009.

4. NEWSPAPER

Pianin, Eric.  "Use of Arsenic in Wood Products to End."   The Washington Post 13

       Feb. 2002, final ed.: A2.  Print.

Pianin, Eric.  "Use of Arsenic in Wood Products to End."   The Washington Post 13 Feb.

       2002, final ed.: A2.  LexisNexis Academic.   Web.  14 Aug. 2009.

Nash, Alanna.  "Hit 'em with a lizard!"  Rev. of   Basket Case, by Carl Hiaasen.  New

        York Times 3 Feb. 2002, late ed., sec. 7: 24.  Print.

        York Times 3 Feb.  2002, late ed., sec. 7: 24.  LexisNexis Academic.  Web.  14

C. Web Sites

Following are elements to include when citing entire Web sites. Keep in mind that

if you cannot find all of the elements, you should include whatever is available on the site . The URL is no longer required unless locating the site requires it or your professor requires it.

• Title of Web site (italicized)
• Site publisher/sponsor
• Date of site's publication (if none, use n.d. )
• Date of access (day, month, year)

1. SCHOLARLY PROJECT

Crane, Gregory, ed.  Perseus Digital Library.  Dept. of the Classics, Tufts U.

      n.d.  Web.  14 Aug. 2009.

2. PROFESSIONAL SITE

Financial Accounting Standards Board .  Feb. 2002.  Web.  14 Aug. 2009.

3. PERSONAL SITE

Lewis, Paul.  The Wilkie Collins Pages.   n.d.  Web. 14 Aug. 2009. 

       <http://www.paullewis.co.uk/>.

See also Electronic Book and Periodicals above.

D. Online Postings

To cite a posting from a discussion list, include the following elements if available:

• Author of posting
• Title of posting (from subject line of posting, in quotes)
• Name of discussion list
• Date of posting
• 5. Medium of publication
• Date of access

O'Connell, Karen.  "Re: Poisoning." VICTORIA. Indiana U.  3 Nov. 2000. Web.

A BRIEF NOTE ON FOOTNOTES AND ENDNOTES

Long explanatory footnotes or endnotes can distract the reader. Nevertheless, you may occasionally need to clarify a citation with a bibliographic note . Or you may wish to incorporate information that might interest your reader but which would seem tangential if included within the text of your paper. In this case, you would use a content note. Notes are indicated with consecutive superscript numbers within the text of your paper. The actual note is indented and can occur either as a footnote at the bottom of the page or as an endnote at the end of the paper.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHIC NOTE

Nineteenth-century critics of cheap, mass-produced fiction feared that the gory subject matter of stories like Sweeney Todd would lead a generation of youth into depravity. 1

          1 For a selection of penny fiction as well as 19th-century criticism of it, see

Haining's The Penny Dreadful .

2. CONTENT NOTE

Charles Knight did not rely solely on the cheaply printed word in publications like the Penny Magazine to educate people; he also mass-produced images to diffuse knowledge visually. 2

2 Patricia Anderson's The Printed Image and the Transformation of Popular Culture, 1790-1860 provides examples of Penny Magazine images, such as depictions of flamingos, reproduced portraits of people like Benjamin Franklin, and engravings of famous artworks like "The Dying Gladiator" and "Laocoon" (50-83).

FOR MORE HELP

Following are links to sites that have additional information and further examples:

• RefWorks : Once you have created an account, go to Tools/Preview Output Style to see examples of MLA style.
• Purdue's Online Writing Lab (OWL) : Excellent source for research, writing and citation tips.
• Citing Sources : Duke University's guide to citing sources. The site offers comparison citation tables with examples from APA , Chicago , MLA and Turabian for both print and electronic works.
• Citing Electronic Primary Sources : From the Library of Congress. Provides MLA and Turabian examples of citing formats such as films, photographs, maps and recorded sound that are accessed electronically.

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MLA Citation (7th edition)

Hanging indents, mla style manuals.

• Citing a book
• Citing the Parts of a Books
• Citing a journal or magazine article
• Citing a newspaper article
• Citing a Website
• MLA Resources

Subject Guide

Here you'll find information about citing books, periodicals, newspapers, and electronic material in your MLA reference page, as well information about in text citation formats. The topics covered in this guide refer to the 7th edition of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers . Check with your professor to see whether they are requiring the 7th edition or the newer 8th edition .

To navigate this MLA guide, click on the tab above that corresponds to the material you are interested in citing in MLA format. 

The Works Cited page of a paper in MLA style require hanging indents, where the first line of each citation is not indented and every line after is. The examples in this guide will not show the hanging indents because the software used to create it cannot support them. Remember to include them in your paper.  

Use the links below to learn how to create a hanging indent in Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

• Hanging Indent in Microsoft Word
• Hanging Indent in Google Docs

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MLA Handbook

Ninth edition.

• Published: 2021
• ISBN: 9781603293518 (Paperback)
• ISBN: 9781603295628 (Spiral)
• ISBN: 9781603295611 (Hardcover)

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• Hardcover ($48.00)

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A  Choice  Outstanding Academic Title

“I’ve been using the  MLA Handbook  since my student years. The new ninth edition is an essential reference work for scholars.” —Viet Thanh Nguyen, MLA member, Pulitzer Prize–winning author, and professor at University of Southern California

• Description

View our convenient chart comparing the eighth and ninth editions of the  MLA Handbook .

Relied on by generations of writers, the MLA Handbook is published by the Modern Language Association and is the only official, authorized book on MLA style. The new, ninth edition builds on the MLA’s unique approach to documenting sources using a template of core elements—facts, common to most sources, like author, title, and publication date—that allows writers to cite any type of work, from books, e-books, and journal articles in databases to song lyrics, online images, social media posts, dissertations, and more. With this focus on source evaluation as the cornerstone of citation, MLA style promotes the skills of information and digital literacy so crucial today. 

The many new and updated chapters make this edition the comprehensive, go-to resource for writers of research papers, and anyone citing sources, from business writers, technical writers, and freelance writers and editors to student writers and the teachers and librarians working with them. Intended for a variety of classroom contexts—middle school, high school, and college courses in composition, communication, literature, language arts, film, media studies, digital humanities, and related fields—the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook offers 

• New chapters on grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, numbers, italics, abbreviations, and principles of inclusive language
• Guidelines on setting up research papers in MLA format with updated advice on headings, lists, and title pages for group projects
• Revised, comprehensive, step-by-step instructions for creating a list of works cited  in MLA format that are easier to learn and use than ever before
• A new appendix with hundreds of example works-cited-list entries by publication format, including Web sites, YouTube videos, interviews, and more
• Detailed examples of how to find publication information for a variety of sources
• Newly revised explanations of in-text citations, including comprehensive advice on how to cite multiple authors of a single work
• Detailed guidance on footnotes and endnotes 
• Instructions on quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, and avoiding plagiarism 
• A sample essay in MLA format
• Annotated bibliography examples
• Numbered sections throughout for quick navigation
• Advanced tips for professional writers and scholars
• Writing and Research Guides
• Publishing and Editing

Preface (xvii)

Acknowledgments (xix)

Introduction (xxi)  

1. Formatting Your Research Project ( 1)

[1.1]  Margins (1)

[1.2]  Text Formatting (1)

[1.3]  Title (2)  

[1.4]  Running Head and Page Numbers (4)

[1.5]  Internal Headings and Subheadings (4)

[1.6]  Placement of the List of Works Cited (5)  

[1.7]  Tables and Illustrations (6)

[1.8]  Lists (9)

[1.9] Integrated into Your Prose (9) 

[1.10] Set Vertically (10)

[1.11] Lists introduced with a complete sentence (10)

[1.12] Lists that continue the sentence introducing them (12)

[1.13]  Paper and Printing (13)

[1.14]  Proofreading and Spellcheckers (13)

[1.15]  Binding a Printed Paper (13)  

[1.16]  Electronic Submission (14)

2. Mechanics of Prose (15)

[2.1] Spelling (15)

[2.2] Dictionaries (15)

[2.3] Plurals (15)

[2.4]  Punctuation (16)

[2.5] Commas (16)

[2.6] When a comma is necessary (17)

[2.7]  Before a coordinating conjunction joining independent clauses  (17)

[2.8]  Between coordinate adjectives  (17)

[2.9]  To set off parenthetical comments  (18)

[2.10]  After long introductory phrases and clauses  (18)

[2.11]  With contrasting phrases  (18)

[2.12]  In series  (19)

[2.13]  With dates and locations  (19)  

[2.14]  With nonrestrictive modifiers  (20) 

[2.15] When a comma is incorrect (22)  

[2.16]  Subject and verb  (22)

[2.17]  Verb and object  (22)

[2.18]  Parts of a compound subject  (22)  

[2.19]  Parts of a compound object  (23)  

[2.20]  Two verbs that share a subject  (23)  

[2.21]  Two subordinate elements that are parallel  (23)

[2.22] When a comma is optional (23)

[2.23]  With short introductory phrases and clauses  (23)  

[2.24]  Around specific words  (24)

[2.25]  Before some coordinating conjunctions  (24)

[2.26] Semicolons (24)  

[2.27] Colons (25)

[2.28] Dashes and Parentheses (26) 

[2.29] To enclose an interruption (27) 

[2.30] To prevent misreading (27)

[2.31] To introduce an elaboration or an example (27)

[2.32] To introduce a list (27)

[2.33] Hyphens (28)

[2.34] When to hyphenate compound adjectives before a noun (28)

[2.35] Adverbs  (28)

[2.36]  Number-noun combinations  (28)

[2.37]  Prepositional phrases  (29)

[2.38]  Clarity  (29)

[2.39] When not to hyphenate compound adjectives before a noun (29)

[2.40]  Adverbs  (29)

[2.41]  Comparatives and superlatives  (30)

[2.42]  Familiar compound terms  (30)  

[2.43]  Foreign language terms  (30)  

[2.44]  Proper nouns  (31) 

[2.45] Hyphens before suppressed words (31) 

[2.46] Hyphens with prefixes (31)

[2.47] Hyphens in fractions (32)

[2.48] Hyphens versus en dashes (32)  

[2.49] Apostrophes (33)

[2.50] Singular and plural nouns (33)

[2.51] Proper nouns (33)

[2.52] Nouns expressing shared possession (34)

[2.53] Letters (34)

[2.54] Plural abbreviations and numbers (34)

[2.55] Quotation Marks (34)

[2.56] To flag provisional meaning (35) 

[2.57] To mark translations of words or phrases (35)

[2.58] Slashes (35)

[2.59] Periods, Question Marks, and Exclamation Points (36)

[2.60] Italics in Prose (36)

[2.61] Words and Phrases Referred to as Words (36)

[2.62] Letters Referred to as Letters (37)

[2.63] Foreign Words in an English-Language Text (37)

[2.64] Capitalization of Terms (37)

[2.65] English (37)

[2.66] French (38)

[2.67] German (39)

[2.68] Italian (39)

[2.69] Spanish (40)

[2.70] Latin (40)

[2.71] Names of Persons in Your Prose (41)

[2.72] First Uses of Personal Names (41)

[2.73] Surnames Used Alone (43)

[2.74] English (43)

[2.75] French (44)

[2.76] German (45) 

[2.77] Italian (45)

[2.78] Spanish (46)

[2.79] Latin (47)

[2.80] Asian languages (47)

[2.81] Premodern names (48)

[2.82] Transliterated Names (48)

[2.83] Titles with Personal Names (49)

[2.84] Suffixes with Personal Names (50)

[2.85] Given Names and Personal Initials (50)

[2.86] Names of Fictional Characters (51)

[2.87] Names of Organizations and Groups (51)

[2.88] Names of Literary Periods and Cultural Movements (52)

[2.89] Titles of Works in Your Prose (53)

[2.90] Capitalizing Titles in English (54)

[2.91] Capitalizing Titles in Languages Other Than English (56)

[2.92] French (56)

[2.93] German (57)

[2.94] Italian (57)

[2.95] Spanish (57)

[2.96] Latin (58)

[2.97] Other languages in the Latin alphabet (58)

[2.98] Languages in non-Latin alphabets (58)

[2.99] Punctuation of Titles (59)

[2.100] Serial comma (59)

[2.101] Subtitles (61)

[2.102] Alternative titles (62)

[2.103] Dates appended to titles (64)

[2.104] Multivolume works (64)

[2.105] Punctuation around Titles (65)

[2.106] Styling Titles (66)

[2.107] Italicized titles (66)

[2.108] Italicized titles of works contained in a larger work (69) 

[2.109] Titles in quotation marks (70)

[2.110] Titles with no formatting (71)

[2.111] Titles within Titles (73)

[2.112] Surrounding title in quotation marks (73)

[2.113] Surrounding title in italics (75)

[2.114] Surrounding title with no formatting (76)  

[2.115] Quotations within Titles (77)

[2.116] Foreign Language Terms and Titles within Titles (77)

[2.117] Styling (77)

[2.118] Capitalization (78) 

[2.119] Titles within titles (79)

[2.120] Shortened Titles in Your Prose (79)

[2.121] Subtitles (79)

[2.122] Conventional forms of titles (80)

[2.123] Very long titles (80)

[2.124] Punctuating shortened titles (80)

[2.125] Translating Titles in Languages Other Than English (81)

[2.126] Numbers (82)

[2.127] Use of Numerals or Words (82)

[2.128] Number-heavy contexts (82) 

[2.129] Street addresses (83)

[2.130] Decimal fractions (83)

[2.131] Percentages and amounts of money (83)

[2.132] Items in numbered series (84)

[2.133] Large numbers (84) 

[2.134] Plural forms (84)

[2.135] At the start of a sentence (84)

[2.136] In titles (85)

[2.137] Commas in Numbers (86)

[2.138] Dates and Times (86)

[2.139] Number Ranges (87)

3. Principles of Inclusive Language (89)

4. Documenting Sources: An Overview (95)

[4.1] Why Plagiarism Is a Serious Matter (96)

[4.2] Avoiding Plagiarism (97)

[4.3] Careful Research (97)

[4.4] Giving Credit (98)

[4.5] Paraphrasing (98)

[4.6]  When to paraphrase  (98)

[4.7]  How to paraphrase  (99)

[4.8]  How to paraphrase and give credit  (99)

[4.9] Quoting (100)

[4.10]  When to quote  (100)  

[4.11]  How to quote and give credit  (100)

[4.12] When Documentation Is Not Needed (101)

[4.13] Common Knowledge (101)

[4.14] Passing Mentions (102)

[4.15] Allusions (102)

[4.16] Epigraphs (102)

5. The List of Works Cited (105)

[5.1] Creating and Formatting Entries: An Overview (105)

[5.2] The MLA Core Elements (107)

[5.3] Author: What It Is (107)

[5.4] Author: Where to Find It (108)  

[5.5] Author: How to Style It (111) 

[5.6] One author (111)

[5.7] Two authors (111)

[5.8] Three or more authors (112)

[5.9] Names not reversed (113)

[5.10]  Languages that order surname first  (113)  

[5.11]  Lack of surname  (114)

[5.12] Variant forms of a personal name (115)

[5.13]  Different spellings  (115)

[5.14]  Pseudonyms and name changes  (115)

[5.15] When not to supply information, cross-reference, or use the published form of a name (117)

[5.16]  Online handles  (118)

[5.17] Organizations, groups, and government authors (119)

[5.18]  Listing by name  (119)

[5.19]  Avoiding redundancy  (119)

[5.20]  Government authors  (120) 

[5.21] Standardizing and supplying information (120)

[5.22] Consolidating entries (120)

[5.23] Title of Source: What It Is (121)

[5.24] Title of Source: Where to Find It (125)

[5.25] Title of Source: How to Style It (130)

[5.26] Shortened titles (130)

[5.27] Sections of a work labeled generically (130) 

[5.28] Description in place of a title (132)

[5.29] Quoted text in place of a title (132)

[5.30] Translations of titles (133)

[5.31] Title of Container: What It Is (134)

[5.32] Works that are self-contained (135)

[5.33] Works with more than one container (135)

[5.34] Determining when a website is a container (136)

[5.35] Apps and databases (138)

[5.36] Title of Container: Where to Find It (140)

[5.37] Title of Container: How to Style It (145)  

[5.38] Contributor: What It Is (145)

[5.39] Key contributors (146)

[5.40] Key contributors in the Author element (147)

[5.41] Other types of contributors (148)

[5.42] Contributor: Where to Find It (149) 

[5.43] Contributor: How to Style It (151)

[5.44] Labels describing the contributor’s role (151)

[5.45] Capitalization of labels (153)

[5.46] Multiple contributors in the same role (153)

[5.47] Repeated personal names in an entry (153)  

[5.48] Version: What It Is (154)

[5.49] Version: Where to Find It (155)

[5.50] Version: How to Style It (157)

[5.51] Number: What It Is (158)

[5.52] Number: Where to Find It (159)

[5.53] Number: How to Style It (164)

[5.54] Publisher: What It Is (164)

[5.55] Publisher: Where to Find It (166)

[5.56] Books (166)

[5.57] Websites (167)

[5.58] Audio and visual media (168)

[5.59] Publisher: How to Style It (169)

[5.60] Capitalization (169)

[5.61] Copublishers (170)

[5.62] Divisions of nongovernment organizations as publishers (170)

[5.63] Government agencies as publishers (171)

[5.64] Terms omitted from publishers’ names (172)

[5.65] Common abbreviations in publishers’ names (172)

[5.66] Ampersands and plus signs in publishers’ names (172)

[5.67] City of publication (172)

[5.68] Publication Date: What It Is (173)

[5.69] Publication Date: Where to Find It (174)

[5.70] Books (174)

[5.71] E-books (176)

[5.72] News articles (177) 

[5.73] Journal articles (178)

[5.74] Music (180)

[5.75] Government documents (182)

[5.76] Television episodes (184)

[5.77] Publication Date: How to Style It (185) 

[5.78] Year (185)

[5.79] Season (185)

[5.80] Time (185)

[5.81] Date range (186)

[5.82] Approximate date given in source (186)

[5.83] Uncertain date given in source (186)

[5.84] Location: What It Is (187)

[5.85] Location: Where to Find It (189)

[5.86] Page numbers (189)

[5.87] Online works (189)

[5.88] Location: How to Style It (189)

[5.89] Inclusive pages (189)

[5.90] Descriptive label before page numbers (193)

[5.91] Numerals for page numbers (193)

[5.92] Plus sign with page number (193)

[5.93] DOIs (194)

[5.94] Permalinks (195)

[5.95] URLs (195)

[5.96]  Truncating  (195)

[5.97]  Breaking  (196)

[5.98]  Including terminal slash  (196)

[5.99] Physical locations and events (197)

[5.100] The Three Most Common Types of Entries (197)

[5.101] Works in One Container (198)

[5.102] Works in Two Containers (200)

[5.103] Works That Are Self-Contained (204)

[5.104] One Work Cited Different Ways (207)

[5.105] Supplemental Elements (208)

[5.106] Placement after Title of Source (208)

[5.107] Contributor (208)

[5.108] Original publication date (209)

[5.109] Section of a work labeled generically (210)

[5.110] Placement at End of Entry (210)

[5.111] Date of access (211)

[5.112] Medium of publication (211) 

[5.113] Dissertations and theses (214)

[5.114] Publication history (214)

[5.115] Book series (214)

[5.116] Columns, sections, and other recurring titled features (215)

[5.117] Multivolume works (215)

[5.118] Government documents (216)

[5.119] Placement between Containers (217) 

[5.120] Punctuation of Entries (217)  

[5.121] More Than One Item in an Element (217)

[5.122] Supplied Publication Information (218)

[5.123] Ordering the List of Works Cited (219)

[5.124] Alphabetizing: An Overview (219)

[5.125] Alphabetizing by Author (221) 

[5.126] Multiple works by one author (221)

[5.127] Multiple works by two authors (222)

[5.128] Multiple works by more than two authors (222)

[5.129] Multiple works by a single author and coauthors (223)

[5.130] Alphabetizing by Title (224)

[5.131] Cross-References (225)

[5.132] Annotated Bibliographies (226)

6. Citing Sources in the Text (227)

[6.1] In-Text Citations (227)

[6.2] Overview (227)

[6.3] What to Include and How to Style It (230)

[6.4] Citing a work listed by author (230)

[6.5]  Coauthors  (232)

[6.6]  Corporate authors  (233)

[6.7]  Two authors with the same surname  (234)

[6.8]  Two or more works by the same author or authors  (235)

[6.9] Citing a work listed by title (237)

[6.10] Shortening titles of works (237)

[6.11]  Titles in quotation marks that start with a title in  quotation marks  (238)

[6.12]  Titles in quotation marks that start with a quotation  (239)

[6.13]  Using abbreviations for titles of works  (240) 

[6.14]  Shortening descriptions used in place of titles  (240)

[6.15] When author and title are not enough (241)

[6.16] Page numbers and other divisions of works (242)

[6.17]  One-page works  (242)

[6.18]  Quotations spanning two or more pages of a work  (242)

[6.19]  Quotations from a nonconsecutively paginated work  (243)

[6.20]  Numbered paragraphs, sections, and lines  (244)

[6.21]  Commonly cited works  (244)

[6.22] Verse works (245)

[6.23] Prose works (246)

[6.24] Ancient and medieval works (247)

[6.25] Scripture (247)

[6.26]  Works without numbered pages or divisions  (248)

[6.27]  Volume numbers for multivolume nonperiodical works  (249)

[6.28]  Time stamps  (250)

[6.29]  Numbered notes in your source  (250)

[6.30] Punctuation in the parenthetical citation (250)

[6.31] Quoting and Paraphrasing Sources (252)

[6.32] Integrating Quotations into Prose (253)

[6.33] Prose works (253)

[6.34]  Short quotations  (253)

[6.35]  Long quotations (block quotations)  (254)

[6.36] Poetry (255)

[6.37]  Short quotations  (255)

[6.38]  Long quotations (block quotations)  (256)

[6.39] Dialogue (258)

[6.40]  Drama  (258)

[6.41]  Prose  (259)

[6.42]  Poetry  (260)

[6.43] Placement of Parenthetical Citations (260)

[6.44] Consolidating citations (261)

[6.45]  References to a single source  (262)

[6.46]  References to multiple works citing the same idea  (262)

[6.47] Omitting Citations for Repeated Quotations and Terms (263)

[6.48] Punctuation with Quotations (264)

[6.49] Introducing quotations (264)

[6.50] Quotations within quotations (265)

[6.51] Marking the end of a quotation (266)

[6.52]  Periods and commas  (266)

[6.53]  Other punctuation marks  (267)

[6.54] Capitalization with Quotations (268)

[6.55] When to capitalize (268)

[6.56] When to lowercase (270)

[6.57] When to follow the case of your source (271)

[6.58] Using an Ellipsis to Mark Material Omitted from Quotations (272)  

[6.59] Omission within a sentence (272)

[6.60] Omission in a quotation of one or more sentences (273)

[6.61] Omission in a quotation of poetry (274)

[6.62] An ellipsis in the source (275)

[6.63] Other Permissible Alterations of Quotations (276)

[6.64] Emphasis (276)

[6.65] Errors in the source (276)

[6.66] Clarification (277)

[6.67] Syntax (278)

[6.68] What Not to Reproduce from Your Source (279)

[6.69] Languages Other Than Modern English (280)

[6.70] Accents (280)

[6.71] Umlauts (280)

[6.72] Ligatures (280)

[6.73] Letters in older languages (281)

[6.74] Orthography (spelling) (281)

[6.75] Translations of quotations (bilingual quotations) (281)

[6.76] Quotations from languages in non-Latin alphabets (283)

[6.77] Indirect Sources (284)

[6.78] Citations in Forms Other Than Print (285)

[6.79] Slides (285)

[6.80] Videos (285)

[6.81] Web Projects (286)

[6.82] Oral Presentations (286)

7. Notes (287)  

[7.1] Bibliographic Notes (287)

[7.2] Content Notes (288)

[7.3] Styling of Notes (290)

[7.4] Placement of Notes in the Text (291)

Appendix 1: Abbreviations ( 293)

Punctuation (293)

Common Academic Abbreviations (294)

Months (295)

Titles of Works (295)

Appendix 2: Works-Cited-List Entries by Publication Format (303)

Appendix Contents (303)

Work-Cited-List Entries (313)

Index (347)

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MLA Style Guide, 7th Edition: Formatting Your Paper

• About In-text Citations
• In-text Examples
• How to Paraphrase and Quote
• What to Include
• Editors, Translators, etc.
• Publication Date
• Volume/Issue
• Place of Publication
• Date of Access (when needed)
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• Book with Editor(s)
• Book with Organization as Author
• Work with No Author
• Parts of Books or Anthologies
• Multi-Volume Works
• Journal Article
• Newspaper Article
• Magazine Article
• Government Publication
• Web Publications
• Other Common Sources
• Formatting Your Paper
• Formatting Your 'Works Cited' List
• Annotated Bibliography

MLA recommends using 12-point Times New Roman font or another readable typeface (e.g. serif ).

Line Spacing & Margins

Use double-spacing throughout the entire paper.

Leave 1 inch margins on the top, bottom, and each side.

Indent the first word of each paragraph 1/2 inch from the left margin.

Indent set-off quotations 1 inch from the left margin.

Heading and Title

An MLA research paper does not need a title page, but your instructor may require one. If no instructions are given, follow the MLA guidelines below:

Type the following one inch from the top of the first page, flush with the left margin (double spacing throughout).

Your Instructor's Name

Course Number

Center the title on the next line. Follow the rules for capitalization. Do not italicize, underline, or bold the title. An exception is when your title includes title.  Example:  The Attitude toward Violence in A Clockwork Orange

Indent the next line and begin typing your text.

Include your last name and page numbers in the upper right-hand corner of every page. The page numbers will be one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin. If your instructor prefers no page number on the first page, begin numbering from 2 on the second page.

Sample MLA Paper

• MLA Research Paper Template Properly formatted MLA Style research paper. Download to your PC and save as a template, you will always have the correct format for writing.

MLA Format Setup in Word 2010

• << Previous: Other Common Sources
• Next: Formatting Your 'Works Cited' List >>
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• URL: https://irsc.libguides.com/mla7

• Words, Language & Grammar

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MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers Paperback – Large Print, March 1, 2009

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• Print length 292 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Modern Language Assn of Amer
• Publication date March 1, 2009
• Dimensions 8.5 x 0.75 x 12.25 inches
• ISBN-10 1603290257
• ISBN-13 978-1603290258
• See all details

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Product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Modern Language Assn of Amer; Large Print edition (March 1, 2009)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 292 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1603290257
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1603290258
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.4 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.5 x 0.75 x 12.25 inches
• #124 in Medical Research (Books)
• #377 in Words, Language & Grammar Reference

About the author

David nicholls.

David G. Nicholls is an American editor and literary scholar. He began his career in the early 1990s as editor of the Chicago Review. The literary quarterly produced a variety of special issues at that time, including one which formed the basis for The Penguin New Writing in India. After completing the PhD in English at the University of Chicago, he was awarded Rockefeller and Fulbright postdoctoral fellowships to complete two books on African-American literature. In 2001, he began a decade of service to the Modern Language Association as its director of book publications. There, he edited the third edition of the MLA's Introduction to Scholarship and oversaw development of the third edition of the MLA Style Manual and the seventh edition of the MLA Handbook. He currently writes and edits from his home on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus.

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MLA Handbook 9th Edition

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Description retrieved from the Modern Language Association website at:   https://www.mla.org/Publications/Bookstore/Nonseries/MLA-Handbook-Ninth-Edition

Relied on by generations of writers, the  MLA Handbook  is published by the Modern Language Association and is the only official, authorized book on MLA style. The new, ninth edition builds on the MLA’s unique approach to documenting sources using a template of core elements—facts, common to most sources, like author, title, and publication date—that allows writers to cite any type of work, from books, e-books, and journal articles in databases to song lyrics, online images, social media posts, dissertations, and more. With this focus on source evaluation as the cornerstone of citation, MLA style promotes the skills of information and digital literacy so crucial today. 

The many new and updated chapters make this edition the comprehensive, go-to resource for writers of research papers, and anyone citing sources, from business writers, technical writers, and freelance writers and editors to student writers and the teachers and librarians working with them. Intended for a variety of classroom contexts—middle school, high school, and college courses in composition, communication, literature, language arts, film, media studies, digital humanities, and related fields—the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook offers 

• New chapters on grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, numbers, italics, abbreviations, and principles of inclusive language
• Guidelines on setting up research papers in MLA format with updated advice on headings, lists, and title pages for group projects
• Revised, comprehensive, step-by-step instructions for creating a list of works cited  in MLA format that are easier to learn and use than ever before
• A new appendix with hundreds of example works-cited-list entries by publication format, including Web sites, YouTube videos, interviews, and more
• Detailed examples of how to find publication information for a variety of sources
• Newly revised explanations of in-text citations, including comprehensive advice on how to cite multiple authors of a single work
• Detailed guidance on footnotes and endnotes 
• Instructions on quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, and avoiding plagiarism 
• A sample essay in MLA format
• Annotated bibliography examples
• Numbered sections throughout for quick navigation
• Advanced tips for professional writers and scholars

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How To Do In-Text Citations with Multiple Authors in APA Format

APA (or American Psychological Association) Style   was introduced in 1929 to establish a consistent style guide for scientific writing. It sought to make scientific works easier to read and understand. However, the style guidelines have expanded to include many disciplines, such as the humanities and health care.

The APA’s Publication Manual does not cover the general writing style rules in other editorial style guides, such as the MLA Handbook . APA Style seeks to create uniformity of common writing styles relevant to behavior and social sciences primarily.

Consistent formatting allows the reader to engage with the presented ideas rather than be distracted by the author’s personal formatting preferences. It also helps readers quickly review the document for references and sources to aid their research. Using APA Style keeps authors transparent by providing rules about citing their sources and giving credit for others’ ideas.

How to do in-text citations in APA

• Understanding “et. al.” usage in APA

Citing multiple authors in APA

• In-text citations for various author types in APA

Best practices and common mistakes

APA Style allows writers to credit and cite other works appropriately and avoid plagiarism through in-text citations. APA Style uses the author–date citation system, which requires notations to be included within the document to reference ideas, paraphrases and quotations from other bodies of work. Each in-text citation within the paper (or chart, footnote or figure) briefly identifies the cited work and guides the reader to a longer list of cited sources at the end of the document, called the reference list.

In-text citations can be written within a paper parenthetically or narratively. Both include the same information: the author’s last name and the publication date.

• Parenthetical citation : Great falls can be caused by sitting on tall walls (Dumpty, 1797).
• Narrative citation : Dumpty (1797) claims that great falls can be caused by sitting on tall walls.
• Reference list entry: Dumpty, Humpty (1797). Humpty Dumpty Sat on a Wall. Nursery Rhymes, 100.

APA Style requires citations to conform to a set of guidelines , which includes proper spelling of author names, consistency between the in-text citation information and its reference list entry and rules about crediting all facts and figures mentioned – especially those which are not common knowledge.

Understanding “et al.” usage in APA

Et al. is an abbreviation used to indicate multiple people. It’s the abbreviated version of “et alia,” a neutral plural version of “and others.” Most commonly, et al. indicates more than one contributor, such as multiple authors or editors, in a work.

In APA Style citations, et al. is used to indicate a cited work with three or more authors and serves as a way to condense the in-text citation to avoid confusion and unnecessary length. An APA in-text citation with three or more authors will include only the first author’s name plus “et al.” in every citation.

Citing multiple authors in APA Style is similar to MLA Style . For one or two authors, list the last name(s) followed by the year of publication. 

• One author: (Beyonce, 1997)
• Contributors: Daryl Hall and John Oates

To cite three or more authors using APA Style, use only the first author’s last name listed, plus “et al.” 

• Contributors: Earth, Wind and Fire

When two separate sources have the same abbreviated et al. form , spell out as many last names as needed to distinguish the sources from each other. It may include two last names followed by et al.

Similarly, when the first authors of separate sources share the same last name but have different initials, use their first initials in the in-text citations.

• Beyonce Knowles & Solange Knowles

In-text citation for various author types in APA

You may face a challenging situation where you must cite a group author , such as an institution or university, rather than a list of authors’ names. In this instance, you’ll list the group or organization.

• Group author: (Furman University, 2020)

If the group also has an abbreviation to its name, you may note the first and subsequent citations differently to be as concise as possible.

• Group author with abbreviation – 1st citation: (American Psychological Association [APA], 2024)
• Group author with abbreviation – 2nd citation : (APA, 2024)

The most common mistake when citing sources is forgetting to cite a source. One way to ensure you include all required sources is to document and manage your sources as you use their ideas within the document. This may mean you create the citations as you conduct your research, create your outline or type the final paper.

Some applications exist to help you manage and document citations, including EasyBib , Mendeley , EndNote and Zotero . Depending on your writing style, these applications can help you create citations, save your research sources, annotate documents and format references. 

Regarding best practices for in-text citations in APA Style, it’s good practice to proofread your citations and reference list together. When citing multiple authors, ensure all spellings are accurate and consistent throughout the document and reference list. Refer to the APA Style Publication Manual and other guideline reference documents to confirm your citing within the latest citation guidelines.

Giving credit to other authors who have shaped your research and ideas is incredibly important. You can do so without risking plagiarism accusations through in-text citations that are marked and referenced. Not only does it provide you with an honest and accurate reputation, but it also helps your readers gain more valuable knowledge from other sources.

Citing sources should not discourage you from sharing your knowledge within academic writing. Sooner or later, you’ll become a pro at in-text citations in APA style! The more you write, the more familiar you’ll become with the guidelines; you’ll no longer need to reference the style guides for help.

The perspectives and thoughts shared in the Furman Blog belong solely to the author and may not align with the official stance or policies of Furman University. All referenced sources were accurate as of the date of publication.

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