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MLA Style Guide

This guide is based on the 7th edition of MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (New York: Modern Language Association of America, 2009). This handbook can be found at the Mills Research Help Desk (1st floor) at LB 2369 .G53 2009. 

If the type of entry you need is not included here, please consult the MLA Handbook or the resources listed in the "Additional Citation Guides" tab.

Download this Guide as a PDF.

Citing Sources in Text

Citing Sources in the Text

  • Provide an in-text citation when quoting/paraphrasing someone else’s work
  • In-text citations should direct the reader to the entry on the Works Cited

Examples

Author not named in text
Macbeth is socially inept because of Lady Macbeth’s controlling nature (Magnusson 25).

Author named in text
According to Magnusson, Macbeth is socially inept because of Lady Macbeth’s controlling nature (25).

Two or three authors
Macbeth is socially inept because of Lady Macbeth’s controlling nature (Magnusson and Willard 25).

Tips

  • If a source has more than three authors, you may state the first author’s name followed by “et al.”
    Example: Smith et al. argue…
  • Use italics if referring to an entire book and use quotation marks if the text is part of a larger work (i.e. if it is an article, poem, short story, etc.).
    Example:  When analyzing the poem, "Kubla Khan," P. Smith notes...
  • Anonymous works are referred to by full or shortened title.
    Example: One article notes that young offenders generally benefit more from personal counselling and vocational training (“Alberta” 36).
    (This citation refers to an unsigned article titled “Alberta Surplus Funds Education").
  • When an information source contains no page numbers just include the author’s name in the text or in parentheses.
    Example: One website describes the side effects associated with this drug (King). 

 

Preparing References/Works Cited

Preparing the Works Cited

Your “Works Cited” list should include all the sources you quoted, paraphrased, or summarized in your assignment. This listing appears at the end of your assignment. When formatting your “Works Cited,” follow these standards:

  1. Arrange your sources in alphabetical order by the last name of the author or title if no author is named.
  2. Double space the entire list (both within and between entries)
  3. Indent the second and subsequent lines of each entry fives spaces from the left

 

Avoiding Plagiarism Checklist

  • Is each use of someone else’s material noted in your assignment?
  • Did you reference your sources for graphs, statistics and other borrowed data?
  • Are quotations from another persons’ work exact. Did you use quotation marks?
  • If you paraphrased or summarized someone else’s material did you use your own words and sentence structure?
  • Does your works cited include all the sources you referred to in your assignment?

 

Citing Print Sources

Citing Print Sources

*Note:  use the abbreviation "UP" when referring to a University Press, eg. "Oxford UP" or "U of Iowa P."
 
Book
Author (Last name, First name). Title. Place: Publisher, Date. Print.

Example
Magnusson, Lynne. Shakespeare’s Social Dialogue. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1999. Print.
 
2 or 3 Authors
Walton, Priscilla and Manina Jones. Title. Place: Publisher, Date. Print.
 
4 or more authors
Logan, John B., et al. Title. Place: Publisher, Date. Print.
 
Book with an Editor
Natoli, Joseph, ed. Title. Place: Publisher, Date. Print.
 
Essay or Chapter in a Book
Bewley, Marius. “The True Heir of the American Dream.” Readings on the Great Gatsby. Ed. Katie Koster.
   San Diego: Greenhaven, 1998. 1-20. Print.
 
Academic Journal Article
Dacey, June. “Management Participation in Corporate Buy-Outs.” Management Perspectives 7.4 (1994):
   20-31. Print.
 
Signed Article Daily Newspaper
Christie, James. “All-Star Game Marries Glitz and Ghosts.” Globe and Mail [Toronto] 5 Feb 2000: S1+. Print.
 
Custom Courseware
Ford, Sarah. “Doctor-Patient Interactions in Oncology.” Health Studies 4C03. Ed. Chris Sinding. Hamilton:
   McMaster U, 2004. 125-133. Print.
 
Government Publication
Canada.  Library of Parliament, Research Branch. Homelessness in Canada. Ottawa:  Library of Parliament, 
   Research Branch, 1989. Print.

Citing Electronic Sources

Citing Electronic Sources

Website
Author (if given). “Title of document or page in website” (if given). Title of Site. Version or edition used (if given).  Publisher or sponsor of site (if not given, use N.p.), Date of publication or date of latest update (if not given use n.d.). Web. Date of access.
 
Example

Rubio, Mary. “Montgomery, Lucy Maud.” The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historical Foundation of Canada, 2005.
   Web. 13 July 2005.

 

Article from Online Database (accessed through library website, print version may be available).
Greene, Ellen. "Refiguring the Feminine Voice:  Catullus Translating Sappho." Arethusa 32.1 (1999): 1-18. Project
   Muse. Web. 5 June 2009.
  
Online Journal (may be Open Access, no print version)
Mitra, Siddharta. “The Powerful are Powerless.” The Online Journal of Peace and Conflict Resolution 6.1 (2004):
   81-85. Web.13 June 2005.
 
Online Book
O'Gorman, Frank, ed. Victorian Literature and Finance. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2007. McMaster University ebrary. Web.
   11 Nov.2009.
 
Online Newspaper
Stelter, Brian. "A Tearful Winfrey Explains Her Departure." New York Times. New York Times,
   20 Nov. 2009. Web. 20 Nov. 2009.
 
Blogs and Wikis
Byford, Phil. “Networking.” Phil Byford’s Website. N.p., 26 July 2006. Web. 28 Nov. 2008.
 
Podcast
Fink, Sheri. “AIDS in Papua New Guinea.” BBC World News: Health/HIV AIDS. BBC, 29 May 2006. Web.
   1 Aug. 2006.
 
Video Weblog Post (YouTube)
“Skateboarding Dog.” YouTube. YouTube, 28 June 2007. Web. 2 Feb. 2008.
  
Course Website/WebCT
Reynolds, Walter. "Lecture 1: Sociology and Statistics." SOC 1A06 Sociology. WebCT, 2008. Web. 14 Sept. 2008.
 
 

Citing Other Sources

Citing Other Sources

Lecture
Last Name, First Name. “Title of Presentation.” Class/Meeting/Sponsoring Organization. Location, city. Date.
   Descriptive label.
 
Example
Dietrich, James. “Next Generation Video Chat.” Bytes and Bites e-learning café session. MDCL 3118. McMaster
   U, Hamilton. 22 Nov. 2007. Lecture.
 
Interview
Graaf, Vera. Personal Interview. 19 Dec. 1993.
 
Television Program
“Swift Kick in the Year End.” With Bob Robertson and Linda Cullen. Double Exposure. CBC. Vancouver.
   31 Dec. 1995. Television.
 
Film or Video Recording
The Royal Tenenbaums. Dir. Wes Anderson.  Buena Vista Pictures, 2001. Film.