Book and Book Chapters (MLA Style)

Books and book chapters stand as vital pillars in academic discourse, offering in-depth explorations, foundational theories, and extensive research that shape our understanding across various disciplines. Engaging with these sources forms the bedrock of scholarly inquiry, allowing researchers to build upon existing knowledge and contribute meaningfully to their fields.

Proper citation in MLA (Modern Language Association) style is not merely a matter of adhering to convention; it is an ethical imperativethat acknowledges the intellectual property of authors and provides readers with the necessary pathways to explore the sources that underpin your arguments. Accurate and consistent citation demonstratesacademic integrity, fosters a transparent scholarly environment, and enriches the dialogue within academic communities.

In MLA style, the method for citing a book differs slightly from that of citing a specific chapter within an edited collection—a compilation of essays or chapters written by various authors and overseen by an editor or editors. Navigating these distinctions ensures that appropriate credit is given both to the author of the individual work(in the case of a chapter) and to the creators of the larger volume. This section will delve into the specific formatting requirements for both scenarios, offering clear guidelines and illustrative examples to facilitate accurate and effective citation in your academic writing. Mastering these citation techniques is a fundamental step in producing credible and scholarly work that engages respectfully with the existing body of knowledge.

Format:
Author Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.
Elements Explained in Detail:
  • Author: List authors in the order they appear on the title page.
    Single Author: Provide the last name and first name.
    Example: Austen, Jane.
    Two Authors: List in the order they appear. Reverse only the first author's name. Connect with "and."
    Example: Gilbert, Sandra M., and Susan Gubar.
    Three or More Authors: List only the first author, followed by "et al."
    Example: Graff, Gerald, et al.
  • Title of Book: Italicize the entire title, including any subtitle. Capitalize all major words.
    Example: Pride and Prejudice; The Madwoman in the Attic: The Woman Writer and the Nineteenth-Century Literary Imagination
  • Publisher: Give the name of the publisher as it appears on the title page. Omit business abbreviations like "Inc.," "Co.," or "Ltd."
    Example: Penguin Classics; Yale University Press; W. W. Norton & Company
  • Year of Publication: Provide the year the book was published.
    Example: 2003; 2000; 2021
Examples:
  • Single Author: Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Penguin Classics, 2003.
  • Two Authors: Gilbert, Sandra M., and Susan Gubar. The Madwoman in the Attic: The Woman Writer and the Nineteenth-Century Literary Imagination. Yale University Press, 2000.
  • Three or More Authors: Graff, Gerald, et al. They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. 5th ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2021.

Special Cases (Books - MLA)

  • No Author: If the book has no author, begin the citation with the title of the book.
    The Chicago Manual of Style. 17th ed., University of Chicago Press, 2017.
  • Organization as Author: If an organization is the author, cite the organization as you would an individual author.
    Modern Language Association. MLA Handbook. 9th ed., MLA, 2021.
  • Editions: If the book is not the first edition, include the edition number after the title. Use numerals for editions.
    Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 7th ed., MLA, 2009.
  • Translated Books: Include the translator's name after the title, preceded by "translated by."
    Tolstoy, Leo. Anna Karenina. Translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, Penguin Books, 2000.
  • E-books: Generally, cite e-books as you would print books. If the e-book has unique formatting or page numbering, or if you accessed it from a specific database, include that information.
    If necessary, you can add the name of the platform or device (e.g., Kindle ed.).

In-Text Citations

  • Standard In-Text Citation: (Austen 50-52)
    Use the author's last name and page number(s) in parentheses.
  • Mentioning Author in Sentence: As Austen notes, "It is a truth universally acknowledged..." (5).
    If you mention the author's name in your sentence, include only the page number(s) in the parenthetical citation.
  • Citing Indirect Sources: (Wordsworth qtd. in Smith 122)
    If you are citing a source quoted in another source (an indirect source), use 'qtd. in' to indicate the source you actually consulted.
  • Citing Multiple Works by the Same Author: (Austen, Pride 102)
    If you are citing multiple works by the same author, include the title (or a shortened version of the title) in the in-text citation to distinguish between the works.