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ENG 101 - Academic/Professional Pathway Analysis

5. Cite Your Sources in MLA Format

Here are a few examples to help you cite your sources in MLA format. More examples are found on the MLA guide.

How to Cite a Journal Article from a Database

Format: Author(s). "Title of Article." Title of Journal, vol. #, no. #, Date of Publication, page number(s). Database Name (if electronic).​

Example: Melugin, Jessica."Net Neutrality is Bad for Consumers." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, 2018. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, link.gale.com/apps/doc/IQBUHE201042021/OVIC?u=spartechcl&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=ba4e19e4.

 

How to Cite a Magazine/Newspaper Article from a Database

Format: Author(s). "Title of Article." Title of Magazine/Newspaper, Date of Publication, page number(s). Database Name (if electronic), URL

Example: Medeiros, Brian. "Keep Cows Comfortable." Dairy Today, 13 Oct. 2011, pp. 33+. General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A250824516/ITOF?u=spartechcl&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=5dfbfe11.

 

How to Cite an Article from Ferguson's Database

Format: "Title of Article." Database in italics, Publisher of Database, Copyright Date, URL.

Example: "Medical Assistants." Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center, Infobase, 2020, go.openathens.net/redirector/sccsc.edu?url=https%3a%2f%2ffcg.infobase.com%2frecordurl%2f1301053%3faid%3d97845.

 

How to Cite a Graph from Statista

Format: Creator(s). "Title of Graph." Title of Source in Italics, Publisher, Date. Database Name, URL.

Example: "Estimated Volume of Food Waste Generated in the United States from 2016 to 2019 (in Millions Tons)." 2019 Wasted Food Report, Environmental Protection Agency, Apr. 2023. Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1386235/amount-of-food-waste-generated-in-the-united-states/.

 

How to Cite a Website

Format: Author(s). “Title of Article.” Title of Website in Italics, Website Publisher (if different than title), Date of publication, URL.

Example: "Medical Assistant." Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 12 Apr. 2019, www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm.

Example: "Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2019: 27-1022 Fashion Designers." Occupational Employment Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 6 July 2020, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes271022.htm#st.

*Note:  Exclude publisher if title of website and publisher are the same.
*Note: If website does not have a date, add an access date at the end after the URL: Accessed 7 May 2016.
*Note: Do not include the http:// or https:// in the URL.

 

Citing an Image from the Web

Format: Creator(s). “Title of Image.” Website Title in Italics, Website Publisher (if different than title), Date, URL.

Example: “Kim Kardashian.” Vanity Fair, Condé Nast, 11 Jan. 2004, www.vanityfair.com.

Example 2: Lange, Dorothea. "Migrant Mother." Prints & Photographs Reading Room Collection, Library of Congress, 11 Jan. 2004, montevideo.usembassy.gov.

*Note: For images without titles, create a descriptive title in plain text – no italics, no quotes.

 

Citing an Image from a Database

Format: Creator(s). "Title of Image." Title of Source (if given), Publisher, Date, Database Name, URL.

Example: Johnson, Clinton. "Boston Street Scene." Library of Congress, 1895, Credo Reference, go.openathens.net/redirector/sccsc.edu?url=https%3a%2f%2ffcg.infobase.com%2frecordurl%2f1301053%3faid%3d97845

*Note: Italicize titles of formal art work.

Additional MLA Examples

In-Text Citations

This in-text citation information will get you started, but see our full In-text Citation Guide for more information and additional examples.

Basic Format: 1 Author and Page Numbers

Place the author’s last name and page number in parenthesis. If the in-text citation is at the end of a sentence, place the period outside the parenthesis.

Example 1: (Hennessy 81).

Example 2: (Hennessy 81-82).

No Page Numbers

If a source has no page numbers, omit the page number. Keep in mind, most electronic sources do not include pages.

Example 1: ("Everyday Victims")

Example 2: (Jones)

If a source has numbered paragraphs instead of having page numbers or if your instructor requires it, give the paragraph number in your in-text citation. Use par. or pars. in front of the number to indicate paragraphs. You can also do this with numbered sections or lines. If your in-text citation includes the author/title, use a comma to separate that information from the paragraph numbers.

Example 1: (Jones, pars. 112-113).

Example 2: ("Everyday Victims," par. 45).

Note:  Some SCC Instructors require you to use paragraph numbers for sources that do not provide page numbers even if the paragraphs aren't specifically numbered. If the paragraphs aren't numbered, count from the top of the article and use that number. Always follow your instructor's requirements.

No Author

If the source has no author, your in-text citation will use the title of the source that starts your works cited entry. The title may appear in the sentence itself or, abbreviated, before the page number in parenthesis.

Example 1: (“Noon” 508).

Example 2: (Faulkner’s Novels 25).

Example 3: (“Climate Model Simulations").

2 Authors

If the entry on the Works Cited page begins with the names of two authors, include both last names in the in-text citation, connected by and.

Example: (Dorris and Erdrich 23).

3+ Authors

If the source has three or more authors, include the first author’s last name followed by et al.

Example: (Burdick et al. 42).