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MLA Guide

This guide contains information to help you cite your sources in MLA format.

Citing a Book or Ebook

Please see below for MLA guidelines on how to cite an entire book or eBbook. To cite a chapter, essay, or other part of a book instead of citing the entire book see our Cite Part of a Book page. 

Format: Author(s). Title of Book in Italics. Edition, Publisher, Year. Database Name in Italics (if electronic), URL.

*Note: if using a print book, skip the database name.

Print Book:

Example: Smith, John. Social Media Basics. Revised ed., Smithfield Publisher, 2015.

Ebook:

Example: McEvoy, Sean. Shakespeare: The Basics. 2nd ed., Routledge, 2006. eBook Collection, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=sso&db=nlebk&AN=170965&site=ehost-live&scope=site&custid=s9007306.

*Note: You can usually omit the http:// unless needed to hyperlink.

*Note: For URLs longer than 3 lines, you can shorten the URL. Always retain the host (main website) of the URL.

Audiobook:

Example: Thomas, Angie. The Hate U Give. Narrated by Bahni Turpin, audiobook ed., Audible, 2017. www.audible.com/pd/The-Hate-U-Give-Audiobook/B01NAGD7TV.

*Note: If you have multiple narrators for an audiobook, list the first narrators name, then et al. (Example: narrated by Clare Danes et al.).

*Note: For your in-text citation, instead of a page number, include a timestamp (Example: Thomas 02:14:12-02:15:12).

Translated Book:

Example: Homer. The Odyssey: Translated into English Blank Verse. Translated by William Cowper, First Avenue ed., 2014.

Illustrated Book:

Example: Brown, Margaret Wise. Goodnight Moon. Illustrated by Clement Hurd, Revised Edition, Harper Collins Publishers, 2005.