MLA Citation Guide
MLA Citation Guide (9th Edition)
The Modern Language Association (MLA) 9th Edition citation style is widely used in the humanities, especially in writing about language, literature, philosophy, and cultural studies. This guide provides detailed instructions on how to properly cite sources in MLA format, including in-text citations and full citations in a Works Cited list. The MLA style emphasizes clarity and consistency, ensuring that sources are properly acknowledged.
In-Text Citations
In MLA style, in-text citations are designed to direct readers to the full citation in the Works Cited list. MLA uses an author-page format, which means the author's last name and the page number of the source are included in the citation.
- Parenthetical Citation: (Smith 123) — The author's last name and the page number are placed in parentheses at the end of the sentence.
- Narrative Citation: Smith argues that language is shaped by culture (123) — The author's name is incorporated into the narrative, followed by the page number in parentheses.
Note: No comma is used between the author’s last name and the page number in MLA citations.
Books
When citing a book, the essential components include the author’s name, the title of the book (italicized), the publisher, and the year of publication. Page numbers are only necessary for in-text citations when quoting or paraphrasing specific content from the book.
Single-Author Book
Works Cited Entry:
King, Stephen. *On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft*. Scribner, 2000.
In-Text Citation:
- Parenthetical: (King 45)
- Narrative: King describes his process of revision as essential to writing (45).
Chapter in an Edited Book
Use when citing a chapter written by a contributor in a book edited by someone else. Include the chapter author’s name first, followed by the title of the chapter, the editor(s), book title, publisher, year of publication, and page range.
Works Cited Entry:
Green, Sarah. “Gothic Architecture.” *European Art Movements*, edited by Ian Brown, Thames Press, 2015, pp. 75–100.
In-Text Citation:
- Parenthetical: (Green 88)
- Narrative: Green emphasizes the verticality of Gothic cathedrals (88).
Book with Two Authors
Works Cited Entry:
Dorris, Michael, and Louise Erdrich. *The Crown of Columbus*. HarperCollins, 1991.
In-Text Citation:
- Parenthetical: (Dorris and Erdrich 112)
- Narrative: Dorris and Erdrich present differing perspectives on exploration (112).
Journal Articles
Journal articles should be cited with the following information: the author(s), article title (in quotes), journal title (italicized), volume and issue numbers, publication year, and page range. For online journals, include a DOI or URL.
Print Journal Article
Works Cited Entry:
Lane, Maria. “Geographies of Mars.” *Geographical Review*, vol. 103, no. 3, 2013, pp. 365–385.
In-Text Citation:
- Parenthetical: (Lane 369)
- Narrative: Lane investigates Mars as a colonial imagination site (369).
Online Journal Article with DOI
Works Cited Entry:
Tan, Emily. “Digital Futures in Education.” *EdTech Quarterly*, vol. 14, no. 1, 2022, pp. 20–35. https://doi.org/10.1234/etq.2022.14.1.22.
In-Text Citation:
- Parenthetical: (Tan 27)
- Narrative: Tan explores emerging technologies in online learning environments (27).
Websites
Websites should be cited with the following elements: author (if known), title of the page or article (in quotes), website name (italicized), publisher (if different from the website name), date of publication, and the URL (without http:// or https://).
Web Page with Author
Works Cited Entry:
Smith, Alan. “History of AI Research.” *Tech Archives*, 12 Jan. 2024, www.techarchives.org/ai-history.
In-Text Citation:
- Parenthetical: (Smith)
- Narrative: Smith details the early stages of artificial intelligence research.
Web Page with No Author
Works Cited Entry:
“History of AI Research.” *Tech Archives*, 12 Jan. 2024, www.techarchives.org/ai-history.
In-Text Citation:
- Parenthetical: (“History of AI Research”)
- Narrative: The article notes a surge in public AI interest in the 2000s (“History of AI Research”).
Multimedia Sources
Multimedia sources such as videos, podcasts, and films should be cited with the title, creator, platform or publisher, release date, and a URL if applicable.
YouTube Video
Works Cited Entry:
CrashCourse. “Intro to Sociology.” *YouTube*, 15 Jan. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=abc123.
In-Text Citation:
- Parenthetical: (CrashCourse)
- Narrative: CrashCourse explains social institutions in an introductory video.
Formatting Guidelines
- Font: Use an easily readable font, such as Times New Roman, size 12 pt.
- Line Spacing: Double-spaced throughout the document.
- Margins: Set margins to 1 inch on all sides of the page.
- Title: The title should be centered, not bold or underlined.
- Indentation: Use a hanging indent for each entry in the Works Cited list (the second and subsequent lines should be indented).