Modern Language Association (MLA) Style
PARENTHETICAL CITATIONS – in the body of the paper
The parenthetical citation in the text should contain the author’s last name and the page(s) where the information was found. There is no comma between name and page number, only one space. The punctuation for the sentence comes after the parenthesis.
The portrayal of women in Ibsen’s plays is a reflection of the general unease over women’s shifting roles in society (Gilman 42).
If the author’s name is mentioned in the text, include only the page number in the parenthesis.
Susan Gilman explains that the portrayal of women in Ibsen’s plays is a reflection of the general unease over women’s shifting roles in society (42).
If there is no author given use a shortened version of the title in the citation.
The development of the monasteries across France added a much needed stability to the region (“Normans” 287-290).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
The bibliography should be alphabetized according to the first letter of each entry, either the author’s last name, or the first major word of the title.
DO NOT number the entries. DO NOT sort them by type of source.
The bibliography should be double-spaced and entries should be formatted using a hanging indent.
All dates are given in day month year format: 18 March 2003.
If a web address must be divided between two lines, break it only after a slash.
The correct style to use for all the various types of citations is discussed in detail in MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers – sixth edition.
Look it up – follow the examples precisely.
Bibliography Achenbach, Joel. “America’s River.” Washington Post 5 May 2002. 20 Nov. 2004 <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/May.html>. Adams, Cecil. “What would happen if I traveled at Mach 1?” The Straight Dope. 2004. Chicago Reader. 21 Oct. 2004 <http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_116.html>. “D-Day.” Encyclopedia of World War II. 2003. Kindersley. 18 March 2004 <http://kindersleyhistory.com/>. Path: World War II; Battles; D-Day. Gilman, Susan, et al. Hysteria beyond Freud. Berkeley: U of California P, 1993. Kirtley, Jane. “No sense of humor.” American Journalism Review 24.6 (2002): 62. FirstSearch. 21 Oct. 2002 <http://www.ref.oclc.org>. Kluger, Jeffery. “How science solves crimes.” Time 21 Oct. 2002. 18 Nov. 2004 <http://www.time.com/issues/2002.html>. Lovecraft, Howard Philip. “The Rats in the Walls.” 1924. Favorite Horror Stories. Ed. Mike Baker. New York: Tekno, 2000. 180-204. “Mandarin.” The Encyclopedia Americana. 1994 ed. Marquart, James W., Sheldon Ekland Olson, and John R. Sorenson. The Rope, the Chair, and the Needle: Capital Punishment in Texas. Austin: U of Texas P, 1994. “The Normans and the Rule of Normandy.” Dictionary of the Middle Ages. Ed. Joseph R. Strayer. 13 vols. New York: Scribner’s, 1987. Vowell, Sarah. American Lives. Boston: Farber, 1998. ---. The Partly Cloudy Patriot. New York: Simon, 2002. |
Types of Sources of Information – MLA style
| Book: Basic Form Author. Title. Publication City: Publisher, Copyright date. |
Book – One author/ Same author:
Vowell, Sarah. American Lives. Boston: Farber, 1998.
---. The Partly Cloudy Patriot. New York: Simon, 2002.
Book – Multiple authors:
When a work has two or three authors, cite all authors in the same order as on the title page. Reverse only the name of the first author. If there are more than three authors, name only the first and add et al.
Marquart, James W., Sheldon Ekland Olson, and John R. Sorenson. The Rope, the Chair, and the Needle: Capital Punishment in Texas. Austin: U of Texas P, 1994.
Gilman, Susan, et al. Hysteria beyond Freud. Berkeley: U of California P, 1993.
| Short Work (Poem or Short Story) from an Anthology: Basic Form Author. “Title of Work.” Original copyright date. Title of Anthology. Ed. Name of editor. Publication city: Publisher, Copyright date. Page(s). |
Lovecraft, Howard Philip. “The Rats in the Walls.” 1924. Favorite Horror Stories. Ed. Mike Baker. New York: Tekno, 2000. 180-204.
Reference Article – Dictionary, Encyclopedia: Basic Form Author (if given). “Title of Article.” Title of Reference Work. Publication info. Date. |
When citing familiar reference works list only the edition (if stated) and the year of publication. For less familiar reference works, give full publication information.
Allen, Anita L. “Privacy in Health Care.” Encyclopedia of Bioethics. Ed. Warren T. Reich. Rev. ed. 5 vols. New York: Macmillan-Simon, 1995.
“Mandarin.” The Encyclopedia Americana. 1994 ed.
Mohanty, Jitendra M. “Indian Philosophy.” The New Encyclopaedia Britannica: Macropaedia. 15th ed. 1987.
“Noon.” The Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989.
“The Normans and the Rule of Normandy.” Dictionary of the Middle Ages. Ed. Joseph R. Strayer. 13 vols. New York: Scribner’s, 1987.
| World Wide Web: Basic form
Author (if given). “Title of web page or article.” Title of the web site. Date it was posted or copyright date. Who owns the site. Access date <web address>. |
Web Page – with/without author:
Adams, Cecil. “What would happen if I traveled at Mach 1?” The Straight Dope. 2004. Chicago Reader. 21 Oct. 2004 <http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_116.html>.
“City Profile: San Francisco.” CNN.com. 2002. Cable News Network. 14 May 2002 <http://www.cnn.com/TRAVEL/atevo/city/SanFrancisco/intro.html>.
Online Article – magazine or newspaper:
Author (if given). “Title of article.” Publication with date. Access date <web address>.
Kluger, Jeffery. “How science solves crimes.” Time 21 Oct. 2002. 18 Nov. 2004 <http://www.time.com/issues/2002.html>.
Achenbach, Joel. “America’s River.” Washington Post 5 May 2002. 20 Nov. 2004 <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/May.html>.
Online Journal Article – database: Author. “Title.” Original Journal Title Vol.No (year): Page(s). Database. Date. Retrieved <address of database>. |
Kirtley, Jane. “No sense of humor.” American Journalism Review 24.6 (2002): 62. FirstSearch. 21 Oct. 2002 <http://www.ref.oclc.org>.
| Online Encyclopedia: Author (if given). “Title of entry.” Web site. Date. Publisher. Access date <web address>. |
If the web address is too long or complicated, give the address of the search page, or the home page followed by the word Path and the sequence of links.
“Fresco Painting.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 2002. Encyclopedia Britannica. 8 May 2002 <http://search.eb.com/>.
“D-Day.” Encyclopedia of World War II. 2003. Kindersley. 18 March 2004 <http://kindersleyhistory.com/>. Path: World War II; Battles; D-Day.