Brief and General Guide to MLA (Modern Language Association) Citation Format

Part I: Citing Non-periodical Print Sources

Part II: Citing Periodical Print Sources

Part III: Citing Web Publications

Part IV: Citing Other Sources

Source / Structure and Example / In-text Example
This is where the information wasfound –for example, a book, an idea from a newspaper article, or a photograph from a website. / This shows you how the citation is to be written –what information goes where. To save space, this document is single spaced. You need to double-space and alphabetically arrange the entries in a bibliography or works cited page. / This is written within the essay to let the reader know where the quote, idea, thought, or information was borrowed. Skip the author’s name if you include it in your text. Visit OWL Purdue for more details!

*Remember: The first part of a citation tells about the specific information being used (article, photograph, chart, Word document…); the second part of a citation tells where the first part was found (newspaper, magazine, website, e-book….).

Part I: Citing Non-periodical Print Sources

Source / Structure and Example / In-text Example
Book by one author / Author’s last name, author’s first name and middle initial. Title of book. City of publication: Publisher, year of publication. Medium.
Diaz, Junot. Drown.New York: Riverhead Books, 1996. Print. / (author’s last name, page number of quote or paraphrase)
(Diaz 34)
Book by two or more authors / One author’s last name, one author’s first name, next author’s first name and last name. Title of book. City of publication: Publisher, year of publication. Medium.
Irwin, Steve, and Terri Irwin. The Crocodile Hunter. Auckland: Penguin Books, 1997. Print. / (Irwin 45)
Book by a corporate author (committee, association, commission, or other group) / Author’s last name, author’s first name and middle initial. Title of book. City of publication: Publisher, year of publication. Medium.
National Research Council. Beyond Six Gillion: Forecasting the world’s Population. Washington: Natl. Acad., 2000. Print. / (Natl. Research Center 36)
Book with an unknown author (anonymous) / Title. City of Publication: Publisher, year of publication. Medium.
Comprehensive Research.Silver Spring: Typeset, 2009. Print. / (Comp. Research)
Book published before 1900 / Author’s last name, first name. Title. City of publication, publication year. Medium.
Dewey, John. The School and Society. Chicago, 1899. Print. / (Dewey 45)
An entire anthology or compilation / Compiler’s or editor’s last name, first name and middle initial, editor/compiler/translator abbreviation. Title of book. City of publication: Publisher, year of publication. Medium.
Earle, Jennifer, comp. Fired Up: Ceramics of the Iroquois. Jefferson: McFarland, 1996. Print. / (Earle)
A work within an anthology / Author’s last name, first name and middle initial. “Title of work”. Compiler/editor/translator abbreviation. Compiler’s name. City of publication: Publisher, year of publication. Page numbers. Medium.
More, Hannah. “The Black Slave Trade: A Poem.” British women Poets of the romantic Era. Ed. Paula r. Feldman. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 1997. 472-82. Print. / (More 473)
Article in a reference book / Author’s last name, first name. “Article title.” Title of reference. Editor abbreviation. Editor’s name. Edition. Volume. City of publication: Publisher, year of publication. Medium.
Allen, Anita L. “Privacy in Health Care.” Encyclopedia of Bioethics. ED. Stephen G. Post. 3rd ed. Vol. 4. New York: Macmillan-Thomson, 2004. Print. / (Allen 645)
Government publication / Government body. Department. “Section title.” Name of website. Place of publicaiton: Publisher, Year of publication. Page numbers. Medium.
United States. Department of Health. “Dried Fruit.” Nutrition: Foods to live by. Washington: GPO, 2008. 13-24. Print. / (United States)

Part II: Citing Periodical Print Sources

Source / Structure and Example / In-text Example
Newspaper article / Author’s last name, Author’s first name. “Article title.” Name of Newspaper Date of publication: Page and section. Medium.
Constable, Pamela. “Success of Afghan Drug War is Waning.” Washington Post 4 Feb. 2011: 1A+. Print. / (Constable 18A)
Magazine article / Author’s last name, Author’s first name. “Article title.” Name of magazine Date of publication: Page numbers. Medium.
Chappell, Kevin. “Being Vanessa.” Ebony Dec.-Jan. 2010/‌2011: 73-79. Print. / (Chappell 75)
Article in a scholarly journal / Author’s last name, first name. “Title of article.” Name of JournalVolume number.Issue number (Year of publication): Page numbers. Medium.
Miller, Donalyn. “Becoming a Classroom of Readers.” Educational Leadership 67.6 (2010): 30-35. Print. / (Miller 33)

Part III: Citing Web Publications

Source / Structure and Example / In-text Example
Website / Author’s last name, author’s first name. “Title of page” Name of website Sponsor of website, Date of publication. Medium. Date of access.
Gulledge, Chas. “Global Conflicts: How do they impact you?” Believe It! University of Silver Spring, 19 May 1999. Web. 21 Apr. 2010. / (Gulledge)
Nonperiodical publication (article found within a book; available from a subscription database; print information provided) / Author of section/essay. “Section/essay title .” Title of Book: . Editor . Publication city: Publisher, Publication Year. Page numbers. Series title. Subscription Database. Medium. Access date.
Eilperin, Juliet. “Climate Change Is Man-Made .” Climate Change: . Ed. Lauri S Friedman. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. 32-40. Writing the Critical Essay. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 24 Jan. 2011. / (Eilperin)
Periodical publication in an online database / Author’s last name, author’s first name. “Article title.” Name of periodicalPublication date: section. Subscription database. Medium. Date of access.
Simon, Meredith. “How to Cite Your Sources.” New York Times 24 Aug. 2017: H9. ProQuest Multiple Databases. Web. 13 Apr. 2010. / (Simon H9)

Part IV: Citing Other Sources

Source / Structure and Example / In-text Example
Television or radio broadcast / Name of television program. Name of network. Date program aired. Medium.
American Idol. FOX. 15 Sept. 2009. Television. / (American Idol)
Sound recording or podcast / Songwriter’s last name, songwriter’s first name. “song title.” Contributor’s name. Online source.Date of publication. Medium. Date of access.
Smith, Nick. “Summer Skies.” Mike Share. Garage Band. N.p., 30 Aug. 2010. Web. 24 Jan. 2011. / (line11)….if Smith is used in sentence
Film or video recording / Director’s last name, director’s first name, position. Title of film. Year of release. Medium viewed.
Godard, Jean-Luc, dir. À bout de souffle . 1960. DVD. / (Godard)
Performance (ballet, play, opera, concert) / Name of performance. Location, City. Date of performance. Medium.
The Nutcracker. National Theater, Washington. 20 Dec. 2008. Performance. / (The Nutcracker)
Work of visual art / Artist’s last name, artist’s first name. Title of artwork. Year created. Medium of artwork. Name of collection, museum, or individual who owns the artwork, location of museum or collection.
Van Gogh, Vincent. Starry Night. 1889. Oil on canvas. Museum of Modern Art, New York. / (Van Gogh)
Interview / Last name of person interviewed, First name. type of interview. Date of interview.
Page, Victoria. Personal interview. 25 Oct. 2010. / (Page)
Map or chart / “Map or chart title.” Format. Name of website.Sponsor of website, Year published. Medium. Date of access.
“Battle of Verdun.” Map. The Great War: Maps & Battles of World War I. Community Television of Southern California, 2004. Web. 24 Jan. 2011. / (Battle of Verdum)
Cartoon or comic strip / Creator’s last name, first name. Format. Name of newspaper Date of publication: Section and page number. Medium.
Toles, Tom. Cartoon. Washington Post 21 Jan. 2011: A20. Print. / (Toles)
Letter, memo, or e-mail message / Last name of email’s author, first name. “Subject title.” Message to
First name and last name. Date sent. Medium.
Brown, Joe. “January Data.” Message to Sarah Green.
23 Jan. 2011. E-mail. / (Brown)
Digital file / Creator’s last name, first name. “Title of document.” Date created. Digital file type.
Simon, J. “Brief and General Guide to MLA (Modern Language Association) Work Cited Format.” 24 Jan. 2011. Microsoft Word file. / (Simon)