MLA Bibliography Format Guidelines
2011-2012
1. Encyclopedias (only sets of encyclopedias including the New Book of Popular Science),
almanacs, and yearbooks (this includes Current Biography - those green books on the
reference shelves)
Encyclopedia article with an author
÷ The author is found at the end of the article (usually in smaller print and in a different font
than the article). Remember to write the author’s name last name first.
÷ The sets we have at SCMS that almost always or always have an author credited include:
World Book Encyclopedia
The New Book of Knowledge
÷ The year of edition is sometimes found on the outside of the book. If not, look on the
back of the title page and use the newest copyright date.
This is the order the information should appear in on your source card and bibliography page:
(Pay atte nti on t o pu n ctuati on marks a nd s pa cin g.)
Name, Author’s. “Title of article.” Title of book. Year of edition. Print.
↑ Only capitalize words
if they are capitalized
in the book.
↑Abbreviate edition= ed.
Print article examples:
Example with an author:
Example without an author:
Source Card #1
Source Card #2
“helicopter.” Comptons’ Encyclopedia.
2001 ed. Print.
Schultenover, David G. “Knights
Templars.” World Book
Encyclopedia. 2008 ed. Print.
Example of online encyclopedia article:
Source Card #3
Clark, C. B. "Cheyenne Indians." World
Book Advanced. World Book. 2011.
Web. 6 Oct. 2011.
1
2. Print Magazine articles
Use this format only for magazines you have physically touched.
÷ Magazine articles almost always have an author credited. If you only see initials, then go
back to the credits page towards the beginning of the magazine after the table of
contents and see if you can match up initials with an editor or writer listed there.
÷ Dates are written day month year - 25 June 2002. (Notice there is no comma.)
Most magazines come either weekly or monthly. Weekly ones will include a day as part of
their date (above example) and monthly ones will only have a month and year listed
( June 2011 ). Quarterly magazines have dates like Fall 2010 or Summer 2011.
This is the order the information should appear in on your source card and bibliography
page:
(Pay atte nti on t o pu n ctuati on marks a nd s pa cin g.)
Name, Author’s. “title of article.” name of magazine date of magazine: page number(s) of article.
Print.
Example for a weekly:
Example for a monthly:
Source Card #4
Source Card #5
Anderson, Lars. “The Power of Tenth.”
Sports Illustrated 26 September 2011: 32.
Print.
Siebert, Charles. “Orphans No More.” National
Geographic September 2011: 40-57. Print.
3. Online magazine articles
•
•
•
•
Use the term “Web” to note that you viewed the article using the magazine’s website.
Include the name of the publisher after the name of the magazine.
Use “n. p.” if no publisher is given and “n.d.” if no article date is given.
The last date given on the example is the date I got the article on the web.
Source Card #6
Schwartz, Alison. “Steve Jobs: In His Own Words.”
People. Time, Inc., 6 Oct. 2011. Web. 8 Oct.
2011.
2
3. Newspaper articles
Use this format only for newspapers you have physically touched.
NOTE: Articles from online newspapers are done as websites.
Articles from the Tennessee Electronic Library or other like data bases are
done as online data bases.
÷ Be especially cautious here that you have gotten all of your information before
you leave the source. It is often very difficult to track down where in the
newspaper this article appeared once you have left the newspaper, especially if you
have cut out the article.
÷ Most newspaper articles have an author listed.
This is the order the information should appear in on your source card and
bibliography page:
(Pay atte nti on t o pu n ctuati on marks a nd s pa cin g.)
Name, Author’s. “title of article.” name of newspaper. date: section of paper and page
number. Print.
Example:
Source Card #7
Babington, Charles. “Palin will not run
for White House.” The Tennessean.
6 October 2011: 4A. Print.
Example from an online version of a newspaper:
Source Card #8
Cherner, Reid. “ESPN says they are
parting ways with Hank Williams
Jr.; he says he quit.” USA Today.
Gannett Company, Inc., 6 October
2011. Web. 6 October 2011.
3
*look up the website
examples to see parts
labeled.
4. Online databases
÷This includes Tennessee Electronic Library and other databases.
What is TEL? The Tennessee Electronic Library (TEL) is a collection of 40+ databases that
provide access to over 400,000 magazine, journal, and newspaper articles, essays, podcasts,
videos, e-books, primary source materials, and more! TEL is available free of charge to any
Tennessee resident and is accessible 24/7 from any computer with access to the internet.
The web address for http://tntel.tnsos.org/
÷Authors are usually listed but not always.
This is the order the information should appear in on your source card and
bibliography page: (Pay atte nti on t o pun ctuati on mar ks an d s pa ci n g.)
Name, Author’s. “title of article.” Title of original magazine or journal it appeared in date of
article: pages #’s of original magazine or journal. title of database. Web.
date you logged on.
* If the page numbers of the
original article are not given,
put “n. pag.” where the page
number would be in the entry.
Example with an author:
Source Card #9
Wood, Charles A. “Lunar dominance: no other
object in the night sky offers so much to
observe.” Sky and Telescope October 2011:
50+. Student Edition. Web. 6 October 2011.
** If the page numbers of the
original article are given as
“50(2)”, put “ 50+” to show
that it was more than one
page long but that only the
first page number was given.
Look at the two example article print outs from TEL on the following
pages for help finding the information you need for your source card.
4
5. Internet sites
Remember that each website is slightly different.
÷ It is very important to PRINT OUT at least the FIRST page of the site to
help you trace backwards later. Print out all the pages you used if possible. You
will be glad you did later.
÷ Not all websites list author names, but remember to look thoroughly before giving
up. Often the author is listed on the homepage for the website.
÷ Use “n.p.” to indicate that neither a publisher nor a sponsor name has been
provided. Often this information is at the bottom of the page by the copyright date
or on the “about” page of the site.
÷ Document date can be a last updated (revised) date or a copyright date. It may not
be given at all. Use “n.d.” when the Web page does not provide a publication
date.
This is the order the information should appear in on your source card and bibliography
page: (Pay attenti on to pun ctu ati on mar ks an d s pa ci ng.)
Name, Author’s. “title of article.” title of website. Name of publisher or sponsor of website,
document date. Web. Retrieved date.
Example without an author:
Source Card #10
“Biography: Allan Pinkerton's Detective
Agency.” American Experience. WGBH
Educational Foundation, 1996-2010.
Web. 7 October 2011.
Example with an author:
Source Card #11
O’Neill, Ian. “2012 Mayan Calendar
'Doomsday' Date Might Be Wrong.”
Discovery News. Discovery
Communications, LLC, 18 October 2010.
Web. 6 October 2011.
5
6. Blogs
According to Dictionary.com:
Noun: a Web site containing the writer's or group of
writers' own experiences, observations, opinions,
etc., and often having images and links to other Web
sites.
Also called a “weblog”
***Be careful when using blogs. You want to have some assurance that
the blog is maintained regularly and is reputable.***
This the order the information should appear in on your source card and bibliography page:
(Pay atte nti on t o pu n ctuati on marks a nd s pa cin g.)
Name, Author’s. “title of article.” title of blog. Name of publisher or sponsor of blog,
document date. Web. Retrieved date.
Source Card #12
Chen, Jason. “Google TV Review: It’s Kinda
the Future.” Gizmondo. Gawker Media, 26
Oct. 2010. Web. 26 Nov. 2010.
÷ Use “n.p.” to indicate that neither a publisher nor a sponsor name has been
provided. Often this information is at the bottom of the page by the copyright date
or on the “about” page of the blog.
÷ Document date can be a last updated (revised) date or a copyright date. It may not
be given at all. Use “n.d.” when the blog page does not provide a publication
date.
6
7. Bibliography Examples for Books
You will need:
Author’s name: __________
Title of book: ___________
City of Publication (use city and state abbreviation if
not a large city): _______
Publishing Company: ________
Copyright year: ___________
√ The publisher and place of publication can often be found on the bottom of the
title page. If not there, look on the back of the title page.
Remember - choose the newest copyright date.
One author:
Two or three authors:
Source Card #14
Source Card #13
Canfield, Jack, Mark Victor Hansen
and Kimberly Kirberger.
Chicken Soup for the Teenage
Soul. Deerfield Beach, FL:
Health Communication, Inc.,
1997. Print.
Keith, Don. The Bear: The Legendary
Life of Coach Paul “Bear”
Bryant. Nashville, TN:
Cumberland House, 2006. Print.
More than three authors or editors:
Book with an editor:
Source Card #15
Source Card #16
Smith, John, et al. The First Made
Up Book. New York: Parker
Publishing, 2000. Print.
Hall, Donald, ed. The Oxford Book of
American Literary Anecdotes.
New York: Oxford UP, 1981.
Print.
**”et al” means “and others”**
Book in a series:
Book with no author:
Source Card #18
Source Card #17
Machines and Inventions.
Understanding Science and
Nature. Alexandria, VA: TimeLife, 1995. Print.
Altman, Linda Jacobs. The California
Gold Rush. In American History.
Berkley Heights, NJ: Enslow
Publisher, Inc., 1997. Print.
7
8. Interviews:
Use this if you conducted the interview yourself. Notice the change in the
middle to tell how you conducted the interview.
Source Card # 19
Source Card # 20
Smith, John. Personal interview.
25 July 2009.
Smith, John. Telephone
interview. 25 July 2009.
Source Card # 21
Smith, John. E-mail interview.
25 July 2009.
9. Pamphlet:
Pamphlets are treated as books.
Source Card #22
Source Card #23
A Guide to Visiting St. Louis.
St. Louis, MO: Trip Builder,
2009. Print.
Paintings by John Smith. New
York: Denver Press, 2008.
Print.
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Bibliography Check List
Follow these directions for formatting your bibliography from your source cards. Be
sure to proofread when you are done typing and check to see if yours looks like the
finished example on the back of this page.
_____1. The bibliography is listed on a separate piece of paper. If your
project is a report, it should be at the end of your report.
_____2. It is in alphabetical order using the author’s last name. If there is no
author credited, use the first word of the entry. Remember that you
never alphabetize using “a”, “an”, or “the”.
_____3. The word “Bibliography” is typed in size 16 pt. This word is NOT
in bold or underlined or all capitals or in quotation marks.
_____4. Return to size 12 pt and then space down three times (this leaves
two empty lines).
_____5. The entries are typed in size 12 pt. Each source card is an entry.
_____6. Use the font in your directions (usually Times New Roman).
_____7. Each entry is single spaced. Double space between entries (one
empty line between).
_____8. The first line is even with the margin. The second line and any
others are indented 5 spaces (remember: opposite of a paragraph).
_____9. Anything you underlined when writing your source cards is typed in
italics.
_____10. Do not number your entries.
_____11. Check your punctuation. Make sure there is a period at the end of
each entry.
_____12. Check your spelling and capitalization.
9
Bibliography
Anderson, Lars. “The Power of Tenth.” Sports Illustrated 26 September 2011: 32.
Print.
Babington, Charles. “Palin will not run for White House.” The Tennessean.
6 October 2011: 4A. Print.
“Biography: Allan Pinkerton's Detective Agency.” American Experience. WGBH
Educational Foundation, 1996-2010. Web. 7 October 2011.
Chen, Jason. “Google TV Review: It’s Kinda the Future.” Gizmondo. Gawker Media,
26 Oct. 2010. Web. 26 Nov. 2010.
Cherner, Reid. “ESPN says they are parting ways with Hank Williams Jr.; he says he
quit.” USA Today. Gannett Company, Inc., 6 October 2011. Web. 6 October 2011.
Clark, C. B. "Cheyenne Indians." World Book Advanced. World Book. 2011.
Web. 6 Oct. 2011.
A Guide to Visiting St. Louis. St. Louis, MO: Trip Builder, 2009. Print.
“helicopter.” Comptons’ Encyclopedia. 2001 ed. Print.
Keith, Don. The Bear: The Legendary Life of Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. Nashville, TN:
Cumberland House, 2006. Print.
O’Neill, Ian. “2012 Mayan Calendar 'Doomsday' Date Might Be Wrong.” Discovery
News. Discovery Communications, LLC, 18 October 2010. Web. 6 October 2011.
Schultenover, David G. “Knights Templars.” World Book Encyclopedia. 2008 ed. Print.
Schwartz, Alison. “Steve Jobs: In His Own Words.” People. Time, Inc., 6 Oct. 2011.
Web. 8 Oct. 2011
Siebert, Charles. “Orphans No More.” National Geographic September 2011: 40-57.
Print.
Smith, John. Personal interview. 25 July 2009.
Wood, Charles A. “Lunar dominance: no other object in the night sky offers so much to
observe.” Sky and Telescope October 2011: 50+. Student Edition. Web.
6 October 2011.
10