Big Question Essay-MLA Format “Cheat Sheet”
Below is a list of the most common types of sources for the Big Question essay. If you have a
source that is not listed below, either look up the proper MLA format on the website listed
at the end of this sheet, or ask for help.
Book Source
Last name, First name (of author). Title of the Book. City of Publication: Publishing Company,
copyright date. Print.
Ex: Doe, John. Lives of Heroes. New York: Random House, 2009. Print
Internet Source
Last name, First name (of author, if given). Title of the site. Name of sponsor or publisher of the
site, date of creation or update of site. Web. Date of access.
Ex: Doe, Jane. Stories of Survival. PBS Online, 24 February 2010. Web. 25 April 2012.
Some tips for citing websites:
*MLA format does not require that you put the web address in the citation. However, you
probably do want to write this down in your notes just in case you want to find the
website again later.
*If you (and I) cannot find an author or editor of the website, just skip over that part.
* If there is no publisher given for the site, you write n.p. in its place. If there is no date of
creation or update for the site, you write n.d. in its place.
Ex: Lives of Heroes. n.p. 24 February 2010. Web. 25 April 2012.
Magazine Article
Last name, First name (of author). “Title of Article.” Title of Periodical Day Month Year: pages.
Medium of Publication.
Ex: Smith, John. “Heroes of 9/11.” Time 20 November 2009: 70-71. Print.
An Online Database
Last name, First name (of author). “Title of Article.”. Title of Periodical. Day Month Year:
pages. Title of Database. Web. Date accessed.
Ex: Smith, Jane. “Peer Pressure.” Science Journal. 5 May 2015: 15-20. Health and Wellness.
Web. 30 April 2015.
YouTube Videos
Author’s Name or Poster’s Username. “Title of Image or Video.” Media Type
Text. Name of Website. Name of Website’s Publisher, date of posting. Medium. date
retrieved.
Ex: Smith, John. “Friends Reuniting.” Online Video Clip. YouTube. YouTube, 5 October 2010. Web. 30
April 2015.
Movies (Not yet on DVD)
Title. Director. Film/Studio distributor, release year. Film.
Ex: The Fault in Our Stars. Fox 2000 Pictures, 2013. Film.
TV Shows
“Episode Title.” Name of Series. Network name. Call letters of station, City. Date of broadcast.
Television.
Don’t see your source listed? Go to the following website to help you properly source your
artifact:
Owl at Purdue MLA format Guide
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/1/