Works Cited

MLA Format

Modern Language Association of America

Updated September 2, 2010

General Rules

1. Entries in a works-cited list are arranged in alphabetical order by the author’s last name. If author’s name is unknown, use the title ignoring articles “a” “an” and “the”.
2. If the entry is longer than one line, indent all other lines a half inch.
3. List authors as they appear on the title page.
4. Use abbreviations after authors names if they are a Translator = Trans., Editor = Ed. or Compiler = Comp.
5. Take note of certain items in italics.
6. Abbreviate months when possible (Dec., Oct., ect.).
7. If no place of publication or publisher is given = n.p., If no date is given = n.d.
8. All entries should be double spaced

Print Sources

Book/Pamphlet by a Single Author

Author’s last name, Author’s first name. Title of the Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of publication. Print.

 Example:

 Kurlansky, Mark. Salt: A World History. New York: Walker, 2002. Print.

Book/Pamphlet by Two or Three Authors

Author’s last name, Author’s first name, and Author’s first then last name. Title. Place of publication: Publisher, Year of publication. Print.

Example:

Broer, Lawrence R., and Gloria Holland. Hemingway and Women: Female Critics and the Female Voice. Tuscaloosa: U of Alabama P, 2002. Print.

Book/Pamphlet by More Than Three Authors*

Author’s last name, Author’s first name, et al. Title. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of publication. Print.

Example:

 Plag, Ingo, et al. Introduction to English Linguistics. Berlin: Mouton, 2007. Print.

*et al. = “and others” in Latin

Reference Books (Dictionary, Encyclopedia)**

Author’s last name, Author’s first name. “Title of Article.” Title of Book. Ed. Editor’s Name. Edition/Year statement. Volume #. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. Print.

**If article is signed, include author. If not signed, start with title.

**If any information is not found, omit from citation.

Examples:

     Unsigned:         “Japan.” The Encyclopedia Americana. 2004 ed. Print.

     Signed:             Allen, Anita L. “Privacy in Health Care.” Encyclopedia of Bioethics. Ed. Stephen G. Post. 3^rd ed. Vol. 4. New York: Macmillan-Thomson, 2004. Print.

Articles in Scholarly Journals

Author’s last name, Author’s first name. “Title of Article.” Publisher Volume # (Year): page numbers. Print.

Example:

Piper, Andrew. “Rethinking the Print Object: Goeth and the Book of Everything.” PMLA 121.1 (2006): 124-38. Print.

Articles in Magazines

Author’s last name, Author’s first name. “Title of Article.” Magazine Title Date: pages. Print.

Example:

McEnvoy, Dermot. “Little Books, Big Success.” Publishers Weekly 30 Oct. 2006: 26-28. Print.

Articles in Newspapers

Author’s last name, Author’s first name. “Title of article.” Name of Newspaper Date, edition: page number. Print.

Example:

Jeromack, Paul. “This Once, a David of the Art World Does Goliath a Favor.” New York Times 13 July 2002, New England ed.: A13+. Print.

Electronic Sources

Article in an Online Database

Author’s last name, Author’s first name. “Title of Article.” Title of Magazine/Periodical Volume and/or issue  numbers (Year of publication): page numbers. Database Name. Web. Date of access.

Example:

Tolson, Nancy. “Making Books Available: The Role of Early Libraries, Librarians, and Booksellers in the Promotion of African American Children’s Literature.” African America Review 32.1 (1998): 9-16. JSTOR. Web. 5 June 2008.

CD or DVD

Author’s last name, Author’s first name. Title of Publication. Name of editor, compiler, or translator. Place of publication: Publisher, Date of publication. CD-ROM or DVD-ROM.

Example:

Reed, Edna. Afro-Louisiana History and Genealogy, 1699-1860. Ed. Gwendolyn Midlo    Hall. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Stat UP, 2000. CD-ROM.

Email

Name of the writer. “Title of the Message.” Message to name of recipient. Date sent. E-mail.

Example:

Boyle, Anthony. “Re: Utopia.” Message to Daniel J. Cahill. 21 June 1997. E-mail.

Website

Author’s last name, Author’s first name. “Title of the article.” Title of the Website. Publisher or Sponsor of Website, Date of publication. Web. Date of access.

Example:

Green, Joshua. “The Rove Presidency.” The Atlantic.com. Atlantic Monthly Group, Sept. 2007. Web. 15 May 2008.

All citation format information taken from:

The Modern Language Association of America. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers: Seventh Edition. New York: The Modern Language Association of America, 2009. Print.