MLA Style for Citing Print Sources
Here are selected examples from the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research
Papers (Fourth Edition), published by the Modern Language Association
of America.
See also Using Parenthetical
Documentation in the Text
MLA Style
for Citing Web Sources
MLA Style
for Articles in ProQuest or Other Full-Text Databases
Book:
Kerrigan, William, and Gordon Braden. The Idea of the Renaissance.
Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 1989.
Journal article (in a scholarly journal with continuous pagination):
Craner, Paul M. “New Tool for an Ancient Art: The Computer and Music.”
Computers and the Humanities 25 (1991): 303-13.
Journal article (in a scholarly journal that pages each issue
separately):
Hallin, Daniel C. “Sound Bite News: Television Coverage of Elections,
1968-1988.” Journal of Communication 42.2 (1992): 5-24.
-
“42.2” signifies volume 42, issue 2.
Magazine article:
Bazell, Robert. “Science and Society: Growth Industry.” New Republic
15 Mar. 1993: 13-14.
Marano, Hara Estroff. “Domestic Violence.” Psychology Today
Nov.-Dec. 1993: 48+.
-
Do not give the volume and issue numbers even if they are listed.
-
If the article is not printed on consecutive pages, write only the
first page number and a plus sign.
Daily newspaper article:
Feder, Barnaby J. “For Job Seekers, a Toll-Free Gift of Expert Advice.”
New York Times
30 Dec. 1993, Natl. ed.: C1+.
Entry in an encyclopedia:
“Mandarin.” The Encyclopedia Americana. 1993 ed.
-
When citing familiar reference books, especially those that frequently
appear in new editions, do not give full publication information.
-
When citing less familiar reference books, however, give full publication
information.
Trainen, Isaac N., et al. “Religious Directives in Medical Ethics.” Encyclopedia
of Bioethics. Ed. Warren T. Reich. 4 vols. New York: Free, 1978.
See also Web
Examples and examples for Full-Text
Databases
Using Parenthetical Documentation in the
Text:
Parenthetical documentation means referring to the work cited by placing
a name reference in parentheses in the text, such as (Smith 184-185). "Smith"
then refers to a fuller description of the work in the Works Cited list
at the end of the paper.
-
Use the last name of the author(s) plus the page(s).
Examples:
-
Up to 3 authors: (Rabkin, Greenberg, and Olander 74)
-
More than 3 authors: (Lauter et al. 232-233)
-
If a corporate author, use its name shortened or in full.
-
(United Nations, Economic Commission for Africa 79-86)
-
It is better, however, to use a long name in the text rather than in the
parentheses, then the parentheses would only have the page number.
-
If no author, the work will be alphabetized by title, so put the title,
in full or shortened, in the parentheses. When abbreviating the title,
begin with the word by which it is alphabetized, since that is where the
reader must look in the list of works cited.
-
Page numbers may be eliminated:
-
when citing complete works
-
when citing articles in works arranged alphabetically (like encyclopedias)
-
for unpaginated works (such as Web documents)
For more examples, see the book itself:
Call number: Ref LB 2369.M165 1995
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NHD January 1999