MLA Style Guide

Based on the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 6th ed., 2003

MLA requires a hanging indent for all its citations.  PLEASE BE SURE TO DOUBLE SPACE CITATIONS.  For space saving reasons, the citations below are single spaced.  MLA requires double spacing of citations.  Please note that these citation formats are for the works cited page.  For information on in text citations, please see: http://www.libs.uga.edu/ref/mlastyle.html.  If your source does not appear on this sheet, consult the MLA guide available in the ARC Writing Center or on Reserve at the Reference Desk.

Books

Book by a Single Author/Editor
 
Kasson, John F. Civilizing the Machine: Technology and Republican Values in America: 1776-1900. New York: Penguin, 1976.
 
Book by Multiple Authors/Editors 
 
If, instead of authors, the names of editors, translators, or compilers appear on the title pages, then their names should be listed.  A comma should come after the names and the proper abbreviation (eds., trans., or comps.) should follow the comma.
Grossberg, Lawrence, Cary Nelson, and Paula A. Treichler, eds. Cultural Studies. New York: Routeledge, 1992.

Book by More than Three Authors/Editors

If more than three persons authored/edited the book, only the first name (reversed) should appear, followed by a comma and et al.
 
Hall, Stuart, et al. Policing the Crisis. Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1979.

Second Work by Same Author 
 
If an author or authors have their names on more than one text, check to see if the authorship of both texts is identical.  If the authors are in fact identical, then the listing for the second entry should be replaced with three hyphens and a period.
 
Hall, Stuart. "Cold, Comfort, Farm." New Socialist Nov. 1985: 10-12.
 
---. "Thatcherism: A New Stage?" Marxism Today Feb. 1980: 22-27.

Corporate Authorship 
 
A corporate author can be a commission, association, committee, etc.  If the corporate author and the publisher are the same, the corporate author's name should still appear in the author position of a bibliographic entry as well as in the publisher position.
 
Alan Guttmacher Institute. State Legislative Record: 1988 Fertility- Related Bills and Laws as ofDecember 31. Washington, D.C.: Alan Guttmacher Institute, 1988.

No Author Identified 
 
If no author can be identified, then a text is alphabetized by the first word of its title, excluding definite or indefinite articles.  If two or more anonymous works have the same title, find a publication fact that will distinguish one from the other, such as a publication date, and add it to their parenthetical references.
 
"The Shepherd's Consort." The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Ed. M.H. Abrams. 4th ed. Vol. 1. New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 1979. 2 vols.
 
Edited Collections - no author given
 
Fee, Elizabeth, and Daniel M. Fox, eds. AIDS: The Burdens of History. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1988.

Anthologies/Book Parts/Translations 

If you refer to an article within an edited collection (book chapter, short stories, introduction, etc.), then the bibliographic entry should begin with the author of the referenced text. The name of the editor, compiler, or translator in first name/last name order should follow the title of the publication preceded by "Ed.", "Trans.", or "Comp."  Note: Page numbers of the article are included at the end of the citation.
 
Zola, Irving Kenneth. "Medicine as an Institution of Social Control." The American Health Empire: Power, Profits, and Politics. Eds. Barbara Ehrenreich and John Ehrenreich. New York: Vintage, 1971. 80-100.
 
Constantine, Macaroni.Pasta Luega. Trans. George Elbow. Ed. Milo Linguini. New York: Ittegaps, 1999.

Cross References
 
Cross-References are created when two or more works from the same anthology have been used. Create a complete entry for the anthology and cross-reference each work from that entry.

Oates, Joyce Carol, and Robert Atwan, eds. The Best American Essays of the Century. Boston: Houghton, 2000.
Agee, James. "Knoxville: Summer of 1915." Oates and Atwan 171-175.
 
Walker, Alice. "Looking for Zora." Oates and Atwan 395-411.

Book in a Series  

Shilstone, Frederick W. Approaches to Teaching Byron's Poetry. Approaches to Teaching World Literature 36. New York: MLA, 1991.

Multivolume Works 
 
Make reference to specific volumes and page numbers within the text of your paper. When using only one volume in a multivolume work, insert the number of the volume you are using between the title and the publication information for that volume.
 
Lucas, Robert E., Jr. and Thomas J. Sargent, eds. Rational Expectations and EconometricPractice. Vol. 1. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1981.
 
You may also add the total number of volumes at the end of the entry. If the volume has a different title from the entire work, your citation will appear as follows:
 
Arendt, Hannah. Imperialism. London: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1968. Vol. 2 of The Origins of Totalitarianism. 3 vols.
 
Encyclopedia Articles (article unsigned and signed)
 
"Mealworm." Encyclopedia Britannica. 1987 ed.
 
Garvey, Lawrence. "El Paso, Illinois." Encyclopedia Americana. 1982 ed.
 
Previously Published Article in a Collection

Roberts, Sheila. "A Confined World:  A Rereading of Pauline Smith."  World Literature Written in English 24 (1984): 232-38. Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Dennis Poupard. Vol. 25. Detroit: Gale, 1988. 399-402.
Footnotes or Endnotes in a Works Cited Page 
Do not list the indirect source (the text listed in the endnote or footnote) in your bibliography. Only mention the actual source in which you found the information.
 
Harris, James. Scientists of Our Century. New York: Bantam, 1992.
 
Journals

Journal with Continuous Pagination (page numbers continue from one issue to the next) 
 
Note that with this type of journal, issue numbers are not necessary and the year is sufficient for the date.
 
Gardner, Eric. "This Attempt of Their Sister: Harriet Wilson's Our Nig from Printer to Readers."  New England Quarterly 66 (1993): 226-46.

Journal with Non-Continuous Pagination (each issue has separate page numbering) 

Note here that the volume number (26) is followed by a period and then by the issue number (3); note also that the date is more specific than simply the year.

Magistrale, Tony. "Wild Child: Jim Morrison's Poetic Journeys."  Journal of Popular Culture 26.3 (Winter 1992): 133-44.

Article in a Weekly Periodical 
Note that volume numbers are not listed for magazines. Periodical titles should be underlined.
Whitaker, Mark.  "Getting Tough at Last."  Newsweek 10 May 1993: 22.

Other Media

Interviews
Nelson, Cary. Personal interview. 15 Sept. 1987.
 
Villalobos, Joaquin. Interview. Mother Jones July 1992: 8-10.
 
Rico, Jose. Interview. Afternoon Edition. WILL Public Radio. Urbana, IL. 23 Sept. 1992.
 
Films and Videotapes 
 
Begin with the title, which should be underlined, followed by the director's name. Then, include any additional information that you find relevant, such as the names of lead actors. End with the distributor and year, separated by a comma.
 
Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree. Dir. Al Smith. With Winnie the Pooh and Piglet. Walt Disney Home Video, 1985.

Electronic Information

For additional guidance, consult the "MLA Style - FAQ" found through the MLA Website: http://www.mla.org/
   
Internet Site
 
Electronic Text Center. Ed. David Seaman. 2002. Alderman Lib., U of Virginia. 19 June 2002 http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/.

Article in an Online Journal 
 
Flannagan, Roy. "Reflections on Milton and Aristotle." Early Modern Literary Studies 2.3 (1996):16 pars. 22 Feb. 1997.  <http://www.unixg.ubc.ca:7001/O/e-sources/emls/02-3/flanmilt.html>.
 
Article in an Online Magazine 
 
Landsburg, Steven E. "Who Shall Inherit the Earth?"  Slate 1 May 1997. 2 May 1997.  <http://www.slate.com/Economics/97-05-01/Economics.asp>.
 
GALILEO and MSC Library Databases

Full-Text Periodical Article

Damore, Kelley, and Charlotte Dunlap. "Compaq Targets the Internet." Computer Reseller News  25 Sept. 1995: 307. ABI Inform. 25 Jan. 1996. GALILEO.

Entry from Encyclopedia Britannica Online

"Electoral College." Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. GALILEO.  28 Sept. 1998. .
               
Book from netLibrary   
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Philadelphia: Courage Books, 1992. netLibrary.  16 Jan. 2002. GALILEO. < www.galileo.usg.edu>.

Opposing Viewpoints
 
Wachbroit, Robert.  “Why Not Clone Humans?” Cloning.  2000.  Contemporary Issues Companion Series.  Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center.  Gale Group  Databases.  Macon State College Library.  10 May 2002.

Literature Resource Center - GaleNet Databases
 
"Saul Bellow." Contemporary Authors. 1999. Gale Group Databases. Macon State College Library. Macon, GA. 10 Apr. 2002.
Eisinger, Chester E. "Herzog: Overview." Reference Guide to American Literature, 3rd ed. 1994. Literature Resource Center. Gale Group Databases. Macon State College Library, Macon, GA. 10 Mar. 2002 .

CQ Researcher Plus Archive
Hatch, David. "Drug Company Ethics." The CQ Researcher Online 13.22 (2003). 4 July 2003 . < http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher >.

Project MUSE

Browner, Stephanie P. "Writing American Science and Gender." American Literary History 16.3 (2004): 509-519.
                Project MUSE  12  March 2005 < http://muse.jhu.edu >.

Disclaimer: The MSC Library and ARC offers this handout as a guide only.  The MSC Library will assist in interpretations about citations.  If necessary, please refer to the MLA Style Manual or your teacher for clarifications.  This guide was based on a handout supplied by the Library of the University of Southern Mississippi.