MLA Citation: MLA Citation Citing Your Sources According to the Modern Language Association


Intro to MLA Style: Intro to MLA Style What – A system to give credit to any material you use in your work. Why – Cite at all? Because they’re not your ideas. Use MLA? For the arts & humanities. How – that’s what this session is for.


Source: Source Location: Reference Room OR Front Desk Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 6th ed. New York: MLA, 2003. Call Number: Ref LB 2369 G53 2003 Also found elsewhere (Harbrace Handbook)


Layout of Slides: Layout of Slides Slide 1 – Type of Citation Slide 2 – Pictures of Source Slide 3 – Rules, Step by Step Slide 4 – Picture with Step Circled Slide 5 – Citation, Piece by Piece Repeated Until Citation Complete More Examples Follow


First Example: First Example BOOK


Book – Step 1: Book – Step 1 Author/Authors or Editor/Editors First Person: Last Name, Then First Name Johnson, Marie Second/Others: First and Last Name Smith, Paul, and Diane Reed Just the Name (except for “Jr.” or “IV”) For Editor(s), Add “ed.” or “eds.” More Than Three, Can Use First & “et al.”


Book Citation – Step 1: Book Citation – Step 1 Campbell, Josie P. First Line – Normal Each Line After – Tab or Indent (Roughly 5 Spaces)


Book – Step 2: Book – Step 2 Title & Related Give Full Title & Underline Use colon (:) for Clarity Seasons Greetings: Holiday Fiction Collection Include Edition Separately Do NOT Use Superscript (4th) Loving That Literature. 5th ed.


Book Citation – Step 2: Book Citation – Step 2 Campbell, Josie P. Student Companion to Zora Neale Hurston. First Line – Normal Each Line After – Tab or Indent (Roughly 5 Spaces)


Book – Step 3: Book – Step 3 Publisher & Place of Publication Choose First City in List Only Give State or Country If Rare/Small Well-known: New York, Chicago, Philadelphia Rare/Small: Eunice, LA; Springfield, MA Look for Main Name Use Abbreviations (U=University; P=Press) Leave Out – Books, House, Publishers, Co. Check Second Page for Spelling/Hyphens


Book Citation – Step 3: Book Citation – Step 3 Campbell, Josie P. Student Companion to Zora Neale Hurston. Westport, CT: Greenwood First Line – Normal Each Line After – Tab or Indent (Roughly 5 Spaces)


Book – Step 4: Book – Step 4 Year Use Most Recent Date Often Called “Copyright” or © Do NOT Use “Printing” or “Reprinted”


Book Citation - Completed: Book Citation - Completed Campbell, Josie P. Student Companion to Zora Neale Hurston. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2001. First Line – Normal Each Line After – Tab or Indent (Roughly 5 Spaces)


Books: More Examples: Books: More Examples Single Author (5.6.1): Kurlansky, Mark. Salt: A World History. New York: Walker, 2002. Multiple Authors/Editors (5.6.4): Rabkin, Eric S., Martin H. Greenberg, and Joseph D. Oleander, eds. No Place Else: Explorations in Utopian and Dystopian Fiction. Carbondale: Southern Illinois UP, 1983.


Second Example: Second Example INSIDE BOOKS (Reference Books & Collections)


Inside Book – Step 1: Inside Book – Step 1 Author/Authors First Person: Last Name, Then First Name Johnson, Marie Second/Others: First and Last Name Smith, Paul, and Diane Reed Just the Name (except for “Jr.” or “IV”) More Than Three, Can Use First & “et al.” Not All Articles Have Authors – Skip If Not


Inside Book Citation – Step 1: Inside Book Citation – Step 1 Ross, Diane M. First Line – Normal Each Line After – Tab or Indent (Roughly 5 Spaces)


Inside Book – Step 2: Inside Book – Step 2 Title of Article Give Full Title Use Quotation Marks (“) Use Single Quotes (‘) If Needed “Daddy” (not needed) “Sylvia Plath’s ‘Daddy’” (needed) Put Title in Direct Order Example – not “Cats, Pet” but “Pet Cats”


Inside Book Citation – Step 2: Inside Book Citation – Step 2 Ross, Diane M. “Everyday Use”. First Line – Normal Each Line After – Tab or Indent (Roughly 5 Spaces)


Inside Book – Step 3: Inside Book – Step 3 Title of Reference Book or Set & Editor Give Full Title & Underline Use colon (:) for Clarity Seasons Greetings: Holiday Fiction Collection Give Editor(s) If Listed Put “Ed.” First – Do NOT Put “Eds.” For Plural Not All Books/Sets Have Editors If Many Types Listed, Use Editor-in-Chief


Inside Book Citation – Step 3: Inside Book Citation – Step 3 Ross, Diane M. “Everyday Use”. Masterplots II: Short Story Series. Ed. Charles May. First Line – Normal Each Line After – Tab or Indent (Roughly 5 Spaces)


Inside Book – Step 4: Inside Book – Step 4 Book or Set Details Edition Do NOT Use Superscript (4th) Loving That Literature. 5th ed. Volume Number Official Rules Unclear Set (5 vols.) or One Used (Vol. 5) Recommended – Give Volume Number Used


Inside Book Citation – Step 4: Inside Book Citation – Step 4 Ross, Diane M. “Everyday Use”. Masterplots II: Short Story Series. Ed. Charles May. Rev. ed. Vol. 3. First Line – Normal Each Line After – Tab or Indent (Roughly 5 Spaces)


Inside Book – Step 5: Inside Book – Step 5 Publisher & Place of Publication Choose First City in List Only Give State or Country If Rare/Small Well-known: New York, Chicago, Philadelphia Rare/Small: Eunice, LA; Springfield, MA Look for Main Name Use Abbreviations (U=University; P=Press) Leave Out – Books, House, Publishers, Co. Check Second Page for Spelling/Hyphens


Inside Book Citation – Step 5: Inside Book Citation – Step 5 Ross, Diane M. “Everyday Use”. Masterplots II: Short Story Series. Ed. Charles May. Rev. ed. Vol. 3. Pasadena, CA: Salem, First Line – Normal Each Line After – Tab or Indent (Roughly 5 Spaces)


Inside Book – Step 6: Inside Book – Step 6 Year & Page Numbers Use Most Recent Date Often Called “Copyright” or © Do NOT Use “Printing” or “Reprinted” Page Numbers Do NOT Use “p” Officially – Only For Non-ABC Order Books Recommended – Give Page Numbers Give Shortened – NOT 150-153; YES 150-3


Inside Book Citation - Completed: Inside Book Citation - Completed Ross, Diane M. “Everyday Use”. Masterplots II: Short Story Series. Ed. Charles May. Rev. ed. Vol. 3. Pasadena, CA: Salem, 2004. 1228-30. First Line – Normal Each Line After – Tab or Indent (Roughly 5 Spaces)


Inside Books: More Examples: Inside Books: More Examples Something in a Reference Book (5.6.8): Allen, Anita L. “Privacy in Health Care.” Encyclopedia of Bioethics. Ed. Warren T. Reich. Rev. ed. 5 vols. New York: Macmillan- Simon, 1995. Something in an Anthology (5.6.7): Charming, Prince. “Being a frog.” Royal History. Ed. Phillip King and Aurora Queen. New York: Fairytale Press, 2001. 19-36.


Third Example: Third Example JOURNAL ARTICLES (Photocopies)


Journal Article – Step 1: Journal Article – Step 1 Author/Authors First Person: Last Name, Then First Name Johnson, Marie Second/Others: First and Last Name Smith, Paul, and Diane Reed Just the Name (except for “Jr.” or “IV”) More Than Three, Can Use First & “et al.” Not All Articles Have Authors


Journal Citation – Step 1: Journal Citation – Step 1 Owens, Mitchell. First Line – Normal Each Line After – Tab or Indent (Roughly 5 Spaces)


Journal Article – Step 2: Journal Article – Step 2 Title of Article Give Full Title Use Quotation Marks (“) Use Single Quotes (‘) If Needed “Daddy” (not needed) “Sylvia Plath’s ‘Daddy’” (needed) Use Underlines When Needed “Studying Little Women” (needed)


Journal Citation – Step 2: Journal Citation – Step 2 Owens, Mitchell. “The Function of Signature in ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find’.” First Line – Normal Each Line After – Tab or Indent (Roughly 5 Spaces)


Journal Article – Step 3: Journal Article – Step 3 Title of Journal & Journal Information Give Full Title & Underline Use colon (:) for Clarity Novel: A Forum on Fiction Give Volume and Issue Numbers Example – 16.3 = Volume 16, Issue 3 Note – Issue Numbers Can Be Optional Recommended – Give Them When Found Use Year Only for Scholarly Articles Give Page Numbers for Full Article


Journal Citation - Completed: Journal Citation - Completed Owens, Mitchell. “The Function of Signature in ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find’.” Studies in Short Fiction 33.1 (1996): 101-6. First Line – Normal Each Line After – Tab or Indent (Roughly 5 Spaces)


Articles: MLA Distinction: Articles: MLA Distinction In a Journal with Continuous Pages (5.7.1): Hanks, Patrick. “Do Word Meanings Exist?” Computers and the Humanities 34 (2000): 205-15. In a Journal Numbered by Issue (5.7.2): Albada, Kelly F. “The Public and Private Dialogue about the American Family on Television.” Journal of Communication 50.4 (2000): 79-110.


Fourth Example: Fourth Example JOURNAL ARTICLES (Library Database)


Database Article – Step 1: Database Article – Step 1 Author/Authors First Person: Last Name, Then First Name Johnson, Marie Second/Others: First and Last Name Smith, Paul, and Diane Reed Just the Name (except for “Jr.” or “IV”) More Than Three, Can Use First & “et al.” Not All Articles Have Authors


Database Citation – Step 1: Database Citation – Step 1 Cervo, Nathan. First Line – Normal Each Line After – Tab or Indent (Roughly 5 Spaces)


Database Article – Step 2: Database Article – Step 2 Title of Article Give Full Title Use Quotation Marks (“) Use Single Quotes (‘) If Needed “Daddy” (not needed) “Sylvia Plath’s ‘Daddy’” (needed) Use Underlines When Needed “Studying Little Women” (needed)


Database Citation – Step 2: Database Citation – Step 2 Cervo, Nathan. “Jackson’s ‘The Lottery’.” First Line – Normal Each Line After – Tab or Indent (Roughly 5 Spaces)


Database Article – Step 3: Database Article – Step 3 Title of Journal & Journal Information Give Full Title & Underline Use colon (:) for Clarity Novel: A Forum on Fiction Give Volume and Issue Numbers Example – 16.3 = Volume 16, Issue 3 Note – Issue Numbers Can Be Optional Recommended – Give Them When Found Use Year Only for Scholarly Articles Page Numbers for Full Article - PDF Only


Database Citation – Step 3: Database Citation – Step 3 Cervo, Nathan. “Jackson’s ‘The Lottery’.” Explicator 50.3 (1992): 183-85. First Line – Normal Each Line After – Tab or Indent (Roughly 5 Spaces)


Database Article – Step 4: Database Article – Step 4 Database Information Database Name See Example – Do NOT Use “MLA” Here If Only Given One – “Database” – Use That Database Company Examples – EBSCO, Gale, JSTOR Library Used – See Example for LSUE Date Printed & Main Website for Company www.epnet.com or www.galegroup.com


Database Citation – Completed: Database Citation – Completed Cervo, Nathan. “Jackson’s ‘The Lottery’.” Explicator 50.3 (1992): 183-85. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. LeDoux Library, Louisiana State U at Eunice. 22 Nov. 2006 . First Line – Normal Each Line After – Tab or Indent (Roughly 5 Spaces)


Database Article: Example: Database Article: Example From a Library Database (5.9.7.a): MacDonald, Edgar. “‘The Vampire,’ a First Story by Cabell.” Southern Literary Journal 29.1 (1996): 46-55. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. LeDoux Library, Louisiana State U at Eunice. 18 Jan. 2006 .


Fifth Example: Fifth Example WEBSITES


Important Note: Important Note The MLA handbook includes many different rules for how to cite websites based on both the type of site and the information available. This example is only one of those many. Until the updated version is released in 2008, I would recommend being very careful when citing websites, and try to use the handbook or speak with your professor.


Website – Step 1: Website – Step 1 Author/Authors First Person: Last Name, Then First Name Johnson, Marie Second/Others: First and Last Name Smith, Paul, and Diane Reed Just the Name (except for “Jr.” or “IV”) More Than Three, Can Use First & “et al.” Not Sites Have Authors Do NOT Use Groups as Authors


Website Citation – Step 1: Website Citation – Step 1 Padgett, John B. First Line – Normal Each Line After – Tab or Indent (Roughly 5 Spaces)


Website – Step 2: Website – Step 2 Title of Page or Section Used Give Full Title Use Quotation Marks (“) Use Single Quotes (‘) If Needed “Daddy” (not needed) “Sylvia Plath’s ‘Daddy’” (needed) Use Underlines When Needed “Studying Little Women” (needed)


Website Citation – Step 2: Website Citation – Step 2 Padgett, John B. “William Faulkner”. First Line – Normal Each Line After – Tab or Indent (Roughly 5 Spaces)


Website – Step 3: Website – Step 3 Website Information Give Full Title of Site & Underline Use Title Of The Whole Site Use Most Recent Date Look For Date Updated If Not There, Use Date Created Give Full Date, As Much As There Is Give Sponsor (Group, School, Company) Put Groups Here, Not as Author


Website Citation – Step 3: Website Citation – Step 3 Padgett, John B. “William Faulkner”. The Mississippi Writers Page. 17 July 2005. English Dept., U of Mississippi. First Line – Normal Each Line After – Tab or Indent (Roughly 5 Spaces)


Website – Step 4: Website – Step 4 URL/Website Address Date is When You Printed or Saved Give the Exact URL That You Used Not – http://www.fish.org Yes – http://www.fish.org/biglie2.html REMOVE Automatic Blue Underlines Not – http://www.lsue.edu/library/ Yes – http://www.lsue.edu/library/


Website Citation – Completed: Website Citation – Completed Padgett, John B. “William Faulkner”. The Mississippi Writers Page. 17 July 2005. English Dept., U of Mississippi. 22 Nov. 2006 . First Line – Normal Each Line After – Tab or Indent (Roughly 5 Spaces)


Websites: More Examples: Websites: More Examples An entire site (5.9.2): Hoover’s Online. 2002. Hoover’s, Inc. 19 June 2002 . Report from a site (5.9.1): “This Day in Technology History: August 20.” History Channel.com. 2002. History Channel. 14 May 2002 . Path: Technology History; This Day in Technology History.


Extra Section: Extra Section Citing INSIDE The Paper


In-Text Citations: In-Text Citations Two Kinds Direct & Indirect Parts: Author & Page Number No Page Numbers if Citing Whole Work Direct – their ideas AND their words Must Use Quotation Marks or Block Spacing Indirect – their ideas IN your words No Marks Needed, But Still Must Cite See Chapter 6 for More Information


Examples: Examples All Together/Author Not Mentioned She argued that “Johnson needed space, not getting started until fifty pages or more” (Smith 6). Another critic (Smith 3-24) examined his longer works. Split/Author Mentioned Smith argued that “Johnson needed space, not getting started until fifty pages or more” (6). Smith examined his longer works (3-24). Whole Work Used Martha Smith was the first to study him as a writer.


But Mine Isn’t Like That: But Mine Isn’t Like That No Page Numbers (Harris, par. 5) OR (par. 5) If Nothing Used/Given in Source, Cite Without No Author her choice of words (“Puns Abound”) Blue City described his house as “inspired” (2) Multiple Authors – Same as Works Cited Volume Numbers Included - (4: 206-10) Only If Cited Set (5 vols); Unneeded for (Vol. 4)


Slides CreatedOctober 27 - December 6, 2006: Slides Created October 27 - December 6, 2006 Please note that these are basic examples. There are many different types of resources. Check with the manual, your professor, or a librarian if you have any questions. Last Updated February 5, 2007