MLA Citation Guide
PRINT SOURCES:
1. Books – Notice that all books have the word “Print” at the end of the
citation.
One Author:
Format: Author's name, last name first. Full book title (Italics). City of
publication: Publisher's name, year of publication. Print.
Wilson, Frank R. The Hand: How its use shapes the brain, language .
New York : Pantheon, 1998. Print.
Two or Three Authors:
Format: First listed author's name, last name first, next listed author's name(s) in
normal form. Full book title (italics). City of publication: Publisher's name, year
of publication. Print.
Eggins, Suzanne, and Diane Slade. Analyzing Casual Conversation. London :
Cassell, 1997. Print.
Three or More Authors:
Format: First listed author's name, last name first, followed by et al. Full book title
(italics). City of publication: Publisher's name, year of publication. Print.
Quirk, Randolph , et al. A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language.
London :Longman, 1985. Print.
Articles in World Book or Encyclopaedia Britannica:
Format: If the article is signed, do not cite the editor. Volume and page numbers
may be omitted if articles are arranged alphabetically.
Smith, David A. "Gold Rush". World Book. 2007. Print.
Format: If the article is unsigned, do not cite the editor. Volume and page numbers
may be omitted if articles are arranged in alphabetic order.
"Azores." Encyclopædia Britannica. 15th ed. 2007. Print.
2. Multi volume works
Format: If there is one editor and the multivolume work has a date in the title, then
there is no need to list the full number of volumes.
Moritz, Charles, ed.”Gaulle, Charles (Andre Joseph Marie) De.” Current Biography
1960. Vol. 21. New York: H.W. Wilson Company, 1961. Print.
Format: If there is an editor rather than an author, list the editor first.
Paula, Byers K., ed. "Michelangelo Buonarroti." Encyclopedia of World
Biography. 2nd ed. 29 vols. Detroit: Gale Research, 1997. Print.
Format: If there are more than three editors listed, notice that the term et al. is
listed after the editors name.
Lauter, Paul, ed. et al., The Heath Anthology of American Literature. 2nd ed.
2 vols. Lexington: Heath, 1994. Print.
Format: If there is an author listed for an article or a section of a reference work,
please put the author's last name first, and first name. After the title of the book, list
the editor's name.
Doyle, Arthur Conan. Oxford Sherlock Holmes. Ed. Owen Dudley Edwards.
9 vols. New York: Oxford UP, 1993. Print.
3. Magazine Article
Format: Author's name, last name first. "Article title". Publication title
(Italics). Date of publication: page numbers. Print.
Daly, Devin. "Sources of Disgust." Newsweek. 12 Nov. 2009: 40-42. Print.
4. Newspaper Article
Format: Author's name, last name first. "Article title". Publication title (Italics)
complete date of publication, edition (if given), section letter or number (if
applicable): page numbers. Print.
Coile, Zachary. “Major Boost for Talks on Afghanistan .” San Francisco
Chronicle. 19 Nov. 2001, final ed., sec. A: 1. Print.
ELECTRONIC SOURCES:
If you cannot find all the information used in the examples, cite what is available.
1. Online Databases
Last name, first name author. “Title of Article.” Source in italics. Date of
article: page number(s). Name of database in italics. Web. Date accessed.
EBSCOHost :
Lewis, Lord. “The Year One.” U.S. News & World Report. Jan. 2001:12-13. Ebscohost.
Web. 6 November 2009.
Encyclopedia Britannica Online:
“ China , history of.” Encyclopedia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Web. 12 November 2009.
SIRS Knowledge Source:
Frick, Robert. "Investing in Medical Miracles." Kiplinger's Personal Finance Feb. 1999:
80-87. SIRS Knowledge Source. Web. 12 November 2009.
Biography Resource Center :
“Vladimir Ilich Lenin.” Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd ed. 17 Vols. Gale
Research, 1998. Biography Resource Center .Web. 16 November 2009.
History Resource Center : U.S.
“Lenin and the Communists Impose the “Red Terror”, 1917-1924.” Discovering
World History, 2003. History Resource Center. Web. 16 November 2009
2. Web Site
When citing electronic sources the date of access (the second date shown) and the
term “Web” is required.
Entire Site:
The Purdue OWL. Purdue U Writing Lab, 2008. Web. 27 Dec. 2008.
Article from a web site: Author of website if available. “title of section of website.”
Title of website. Date website was updated. Web. Date of access.
Russell, Tony. "MLA Formatting and Style Guide." The Purdue OWL. Purdue U Writing
Lab, 10 Sep. 2009. Web. 15 Nov. 2008.
3. E-Mail
Include the name of the writer, the title of the message (from the subject line), a
brief description naming the recipient, date of the message and the medium of
delivery.
Boyle, Anthony T. “Re: Utopia.” Message to Daniel J. Cahill. 21 June 1999. E-mail.
4. Images (Painting, Sculpture or Photography) found on a website
Last name first, first name of the artist. Title of artwork. Image. Date of artwork.
Publisher or Sponsor of website. Name of Website. Web. Date accessed.
Matisse, Henri. Flowers in a Pitcher. Image. 1906. Barnes Foundation, Merion, PA.
WebMuseum. Web. 20 Feb. 2009.
5. Map
“Title of Map.” Map. Web site title. Publisher or Sponsor of web site. Date of map.
Web. Date accessed.
"Phoenix, Arizona." Map. U.S. Gazetteer. US Census Bureau.2005.
Web.30 June 2009.
Updated December 2009