MLA works cited
Writing a citation
Refer to Bedford Handbook

MLA works cited section 56b – pages
604 to 631.

Directory to MLA works cited entries on
pages 604, 605.
MLA works cited
General guidelines for
listing authors
The Primary Principles



Alphabetize entries in the list of works cited by
authors’ last name
If a work has no author, alphabetize it by its
title
The author’s name is important because
citations in the text of the paper refer to it and
readers will be looking for it at the beginning of
an entry in the alphabetized list
Location, Location, Location

NAME CITED IN TEXT
According to Matt Sundeen . . . .

BEGINNING OF WORKS CITED
ENTRY
Sundeen, Matt.
Basic Format for a Book
Arrange the information into three units,
each followed by a period and 1 space:
1. The author’s name.
2. The title and subtitle, underlined or
italicized.
3. The place of publication, the publisher,
and the date.
Format for a Book
2. The title and subtitle, underlined or italicized.
1. Author’s name.
Tan, Amy. The Bonesetter’s Daughter. New
York: Putnam, 2001.
3. The place of publication, the publisher, and the date.
Locating Information
Take the information about the book from
its title page and copyright page. You may use
a short form of the publisher’s name as long as
it is easily identifiable; omit terms such as
Press, Inc., and Co. except when naming
university presses (Harvard UP, for example).
If the copyright page lists more than one date,
use the most recent one.
Articles in Periodicals


Articles in magazines, scholarly
journals, and newspapers
There are variations – so refer to the
Bedford Handbook to make sure the
form is correct.
Basics for Magazines
1.
2.
3.
4.
The author’s name.
The title of the article, in quotation marks.
The title of the magazine, underlined (or
italicized) (no punctuation)
Then give the date and the page numbers
separated by a colon. If the magazine is
issued monthly, give just the month and year.
Abbreviate the names of the months except
May, June, & July.
Magazine Example
Kaplan, Robert D. “History Moving North.”
Atlantic Monthly Feb. 1997: 21+. (not on
consecutive pages)
If the magazine is weekly, give the exact date.
Lord, Lewis. “There’s Something about Mary
Todd.” U.S. News and World Report
19 Feb. 2001: 53.
Basics for Newspaper
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The author’s name (if given).
The title of the article, in quotation marks.
The name of the newspaper, underlined (or
italics)
The date, and the page number (including
the section letter).
Use a plus sign (+) after the page number if
the article does not appear on consecutive
pages.
Newspaper Example
Murphy, Sean P. “Decisions on Status of
Tribes Draw Fire.” Boston Globe 27
Mar. 2001: A2.
Editorial in a newspaper:
“All Wet.” Editorial. Boston Globe 12 Feb.
2001: 14.
Letter to the editor:
Shrewsbury, Toni. Letter. Atlanta JournalConstitution 17 Feb. 2001: A13.