The Modern Language Association (MLA) style is a widely used citation format, particularly in the humanities. Whether you're a high school student or an undergraduate researcher, understanding MLA is crucial for properly documenting sources and avoiding plagiarism. This guide, based on the 9th edition of the MLA Handbook, provides a comprehensive overview of MLA formatting and citation practices.
MLA (Modern Language Association) style is a citation and formatting guideline developed by the Modern Language Association. It's designed for clarity, consistency, and ease of use in academic writing, especially within the fields of language, literature, and cultural studies. Using MLA correctly demonstrates academic integrity and gives proper credit to the sources that have informed your work. If unsure which citation to use, always check with your professor for specifics.
MLA style uses a two-part system:
The Works Cited page is where you provide full bibliographic information for every source cited in your paper. Here's how to construct a Works Cited entry:
Alphabetical Order: List entries alphabetically by the author's last name.
Core Elements: Each entry consists of core elements in a specific order:
Punctuation: Pay close attention to punctuation. Each element is followed by a specific punctuation mark, with the final element ending in a period.
Containers: For works within larger works (like an article in a journal), identify the "container" (the journal itself).
Example Works Cited Entry (Journal Article):
Mallory-Kani, Amy. “What Should We Do with a Doctor Here?”: Medical Authority in Austen’s Sanditon." Nineteenth-Century Contexts, vol. 39, no. 4, 2017, pp. 313-26.
A Closer Look at MLA's Core Elements:
Let's break down each core element in detail:
Author: List the author's last name first, followed by a comma and the rest of the name. If there's no author, skip this element and start with the title. For two authors, include both names in the order they appear, reversing only the first author's name. For three or more authors, use the first author's name followed by ", et al."
Title of Source: The title of the specific work you're citing (article, chapter, webpage, etc.). Titles are generally given in full, exactly as they appear in the source.
Title of Container: The larger work that contains the source (journal, website, book, etc.). Italicize the title of the container. A website isn't always its own container. If you accessed a New York Times article through Facebook, the New York Times website is still the container.
Contributor: People who contributed to the work but aren't the primary authors (translators, editors, etc.). Include their role.
Version: If the source is a specific version (e.g., an edition of a book).
Number: If the source is part of a numbered sequence (volume, issue, episode, like season 3 episode 1 of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." )
Publisher: The entity responsible for making the source publicly available (book publisher, website owner, etc.). This can be omitted for some periodicals, self-published works; or websites not involved with producing content (like Youtube).
Publication Date: When the source was published. Use the most specific date available (day-month-year).
Location: Where the source can be found (page numbers for print sources, DOI or URL for online sources).
Supplemental Elements
You can add supplemental information after both the Title of Source, and at the end of the entry to clarify your citation like the date of access, the medium of publication, or information about government documents.
In-text citations are brief references within your paper that direct readers to the full entry in your Works Cited list. They typically include the author's last name and the page number.
Examples of In-Text Citations:
Styling In-Text Citations:
| Citation in prose (author's name used) | Parenthetical citation (last name only) | Work cited |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Author Naomi Baron broke new ground on the subject.. | At least one researcher has broken new ground on the subject (Baron). | Baron, Naomi S. "Redefining Reading: The Impact of Digital Communication Media." PMLA, vol. 128, no. 1, Jan. 2013, pp. 193-200. |
| 2 Authors Smith and Williams, along with several other recent scholars, argue that nineteenth-century writers routinely considered how humans interacted with non-humans. | A recent book argues that nineteenth-century writers routinely considered how humans interacted with nonhumans (Smith and Wlliams). | Smith, Jane, and Tory Williams. The Posthuman Nineteenth Century: Texts and Contexts. U of Minnesota P, 2008. |
| 3 or more authors Smith, Williams, and others have recently argued that the period's increasing industrialization led authors to more deeply consider humans' relationships to nonhumans. | A recent book contends that the period's increasing industrialization led authors to more deeply consider humans' relationships to nonhumans (Smith, Williams, et al.). | Smith, Jane, et al. The Nineteenth-Century Web of Being. Stanford UP, 2009. |
MLA also provides guidelines for the overall appearance of your paper:
Creating MLA citations manually can be time-consuming and prone to error. A citation generator can automate the process and ensure accuracy. BibGuru's MLA citation generator is a popular free tool that helps you quickly generate accurate MLA citations. It supports various source types, including websites, books, and articles.
Mastering MLA style is essential for academic success in the humanities. By following these guidelines and utilizing available resources like BibGuru, you can confidently cite your sources and present your research in a clear, professional, and academically sound manner.
