ENG 101 - Famous Trials

5. Cite Your Sources in MLA Format

Here are a few examples to help you cite your sources in MLA format:

How to Cite an Entire Book or eBook (Print or Electronic)

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.

Example: Marvel, Laura. The Salem Witch Trials. Greenhaven Press, 2003.

How to Cite Part of a Book or eBook (Print or Electronic)

Format: Author(s). "Title of Part." Title of Book, edited by Editor, edition, vol. #, Publisher, Year, page number(s). Database Name (if electronic), URL.

Great American Trials (eBook) Example: Evans, Colin. "Chicago Seven Trial: 1969." Great American Trials, 2003, pp. 586-90. History Reference Source, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=sso&db=khh&AN=39252069&site=ehost-live&scope=site&custid=s9007306.

Crimes and Trials of the Century (eBook) Example: Wolf, Kelly. "The Lindbergh Baby Murder Case: A Crime of the Century." Crimes and Trials of the Century, edited by Frankie Y. Bailey and Steven M. Chermak, vol. 2, Greenwood Press, 2007, pp. 153-67. EBSCO Ebook Collection, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=sso&db=nlebk&AN=218197&site=ehost-live&scope=site&custid=s9007306.

How to Cite a Journal/Magazine 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), URL.

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.

*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.

Famous Trials Website Example 1 (Trial Overview): Linder, Douglas O. "Leo Frank Trial (1913)." Famous Trials, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, 1995-2023, www.famous-trials.com/leo-frank.

Famous Trials Website Example 2 (Primary Sources): "Testimony of George Epps." Famous Trials, edited by Douglas O. Linder, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, 1995-2023, www.famous-trials.com/leo-frank/14-excerpts/41-eppstestimony. Transcript.

How to Cite a Newspaper Article

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

*Note: For local newspapers, if the city is not included in the title of the paper add the city in square brackets after the newspaper title: The Herald [Rock Hill]

*Note: For articles published by the Associated Press or other News Agency, do not list an author.

Example: Pantazi, Andrew. "Fired IT Director Who Testified in George Zimmerman Trial Will Sue State Attorney's Office, Lawyer Says." Florida Times-Union [Jacksonville], 17 July 2003, p. A3. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=sso&db=n5h&AN=2W6559740466&site=ehost-live&scope=site&custid=s9007306.

Chronicling America Example: "Boy Slayers Calm as State Demands They Die by Noose." Evening Star [Washington, D.C.], 23 July 1924, pp. 1-2. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Library of Congress, chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1924-07-23/ed-1/seq-1/.

*Note: Chronicling America is a website repository of digitized newspapers by the Library of Congress. Because it's a website not an SCC database, we list the publisher and URL of the site.

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.