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MLA Style Guide

A brief introduction to Modern Language Association (MLA) Style Citations.

Commonly Cited Works with Examples

Note: Remember to alphabetize and double-space your Works Cited page. These examples are condensed for space.

Type of Citation: Example: 
Book, single author Wood, Michael. In Search of England: Journeys into the English Past. U of California P, 1999.
Book, two authors Eschholz, Paul, and Alfred Rosa. Subjects/Strategies: A Writer’s Reader. Bedford / St. Martin’s, 2002.
Book, three or more authors/editors Brambilla, Chiara, et al., editors. Borderscaping: Imaginations and Practices of Border Making. Ashgate, 2007.
Book, corporate author United Nations. Consequences of Rapid Population Growth in Developing Countries. Taylor and Francis, 1991.
If the publisher and corporate author are the same, begin with the title:
Learning Through the Arts. National Endowment for the Arts, 2002.
Book, other contributors Euripides. The Trojan Women. Ten Plays. Translated by Paul Roche, New American Library, 1998, pp. 457-512.
Book, edition or version Sadie, Stanley, editor. The Grove Book of Authors. Revised by Laura Macy, 2nd ed., Oxford UP, 2006.
or:
The Bible. Authorized King James Version, Oxford UP, 1998.
Book, in a series Neruda, Pablo. Canto General. Translated by Jack Schmitt, U of California P, 1991, p. 10. Latin American Literature and Culture 7.
Including the series name is optional.
Work in an anthology or compilation Hot Topics Example:
Messerly, John G. "Online Game Playing Can Be Addictive." Addiction, edited by Christina Fisanick, Greenhaven Press, 2009, pp. 40-47. 
Literature Series "...For Students" Example:
"All the King's Men." Novels for Students, edited by Elizabeth Thomason, vol. 13, Gale, 2002, pp. 27-53.
Work in a volume Howells, W. D. Their Wedding Journey. Edited by John K. Reeves, 1968. A Selected Edition of W. D. Howells, general editor, Edwin H. Cady, vol. 5, Indiana UP, 1968-83.
eBook Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter: A Romance. Henry Altemus, 1892. HathiTrust Digital Library, catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100499140.
If there is a publication date available for the e-book version, use that date.
Graphic novel Butcher, Jim. Storm Front: The Gathering Storm. Adapted by Mark Powers, illustrated by Ardian Syaf, vol. 1, Ballantine Books, 2010. Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files.
or:
Smith, Jeff. Bone [9]. Crown of Horns, Scholastic, 2009.
Government document United States, Congress, House, Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Al Qaeda: The Many Faces of an Islamist Extremist Threat. Government Printing Office, 2006.
Government webpage United States. Environmental Protection Agency. “Air Emissions Factors and Quantifications.”  EPA, 22 Mar. 2022, epa.gov/air-emissions-factors-and-quantification.
Article in a print journal or magazine Stempniak, Kasia. “Dressing the Eiffel Tower: Fashion and Architecture in Fin de Siècle Paris.” French Historical Studies, vol. 43, no. 2, Apr. 2020, pp. 253–70.
Article in a journal or magazine found in a library database Stempniak, Kasia. “Dressing the Eiffel Tower: Fashion and Architecture in Fin de Siècle Paris.” French Historical Studies, vol. 43, no. 2, Apr. 2020, pp. 253–70. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=143188387.
or if there is a “DOI” available, use that instead of the URL.
Aronson, Amy. “Everything Old is New Again: How the “New” User-Generated Women’s Magazine Takes Us Back to the Future.” American Journalism, vol. 31, no 3, Summer 2014, pp. 312-28, doi.org/10.1080/08821127.2014.936734.
Article from a newspaper database Nicla, Andrew. "Border Wall Construction is Delayed in Arizona." Arizona Republic, 15 Aug. 2019. ProQuest U.S. Newsstream, www.proquest.com/newspapers/border-wall-construction-is-delayed-arizona/docview/2273107236/se-2?accountid=40389.
Article from a website Borchgrave, Trisha de. “Women at the Helm of Politics.” The Huffington Post, 16 Jul. 2016, www.huffingtonpost.com/trisha-de-borchgrave/women-at-the-helm-of-poli_b_10809994.html.
Webpage, no author, no date “Shakespeare’s Works.” Folger Shakespeare Library, www.folger.edu/shakespeares-works. Accessed 19 June 2016.
If there is no clear date, or if the date is subject to regular change, include the date you accessed the website.
Article from an online encyclopedia "Ur." Gale Encyclopedia of World History: Governments, vol. 1, Gale, 2008. Gale eBooks, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3048600002/GVRL?u=hunt25841&sid=bookmark-GVRL&xid=4f1a4dc7.
Website, comments Carl. Comment on “3 Vow to Force Arizona Utilities to Disclose Political Spending.”  Tucson.com, 21 Jul. 2016, 10:30 p.m., tucson.com/business/tucson/vow-to-force-arizona-utilities-to-disclose-political-spending/article_dd5d59a3-9387-5f10-8037-3da2d32a1f23.html.
Tweet @hopefulactivist. “Protest has turned violent towards the police - #cityprotest.” Twitter, 21 June 2015, 11:15 a.m., twitter.com/hopefulactivist/status/229811278. Use the entire Tweet as the title.
Instagram Mizuhara, Kiko [@i_am_kiko]. “Anjos do sol.” Instagram, 16 Aug. 2021, www.instagram.com/p/CSnjYjehnLA.
Email message Doyle, Lisa. Email to Mike Potter, 21 June 2014.
Motion picture Blade Runner. 1982. Directed by Ridley Scott, Warner Bros., 1992.
Television series “The Pirate Solution.” The Big Bang Theory, created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, written by Steve Holland, season 3, episode 4, Chuck Lorre Productions, 2009.
Streaming or online video “The Audition.” I Love Lucy, performance by Lucille Ball, season 1, episode 6, Desilu Productions, 19 Nov. 1951. YouTube, uploaded by Karen Stone, 28 Jan. 2012, youtu.be/EzZeX9ABPl4.
Video from a library database “Nazca Desert Mystery.” NOVA. PBS, 2022. Films on Demand, fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=98753&xtid=283770.
Music, online Beyoncé. “Crazy in Love.” Homecoming, Parkwood Entertainment, 2019, www.beyonce.com/track.Transcript of lyrics.
Interview James, Lebron. Telephone Interview. 8 Aug. 2019.
or:
James, Lebron. Interview with Terry Gross. Fresh Air, National Public Radio, WTTM, 9 Sept. 2009, www.npr.org/transcripts/112641310.
Lecture/performance Gore, Al. “The Case for Optimism on Climate Change.” Ted2016 conference, 29 Feb. 2016, Rogers Arena, Vancouver. Lecture.
Artwork Mondrian, Piet. Broadway Boogie Woogie. 1942-43, Museum of Modern Art, New York www.moma.org/collection/works/78682.
Object Knox, Archibald. Silver Tea Service. 1900-01, Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
If there is only a description of the object rather than a title, do not italicize.

Adapted from the Pima Community College Library: PCC’s Guide to MLA 9th edition.

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