Here are a few examples to help you cite your sources in MLA format:
How to Cite a Work from Your Textbook
Format: Author(s). Title of Work. Title of Book, edited by Editor of Volume, page number(s). Title of Multivolume Set, general editor, Editor's Name, edition, vol. #, Publisher, Year of Publication, number of volumes.
*Note: Title of Work is italicized for plays, novels, and other long works (like Beowulf). For short stories, poems, etc. put the title in quotation marks.
Example: Berger, André. “Climate Model Simulations of the Geological Past.” The Earth System: Physical and Chemical Dimensions of Global Environmental Change, edited by Michael C. MacCracken and John S. Perry, pp. 296-301. Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Change, general editor, Ted Munn, 2nd ed., vol. 1, Wiley, 2002. 5 vols.
Explanation: In the example above, The Earth System is the title of the first volume of the Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Change. In this case, we are treating the volume as the first container, and the encyclopedia as the second container. This comes from the MLA Style website's entry for multi-volume works.
How to Cite a Journal Article
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 Part of a Book or Ebook
Format: Author(s). "Title of Part." Title of Book, edited by Editor, edition, vol. #, Publisher, Year, page number(s). Database Name (if electronic), URL.
Format: Title of Film. Directed by Director, Production Company, Date of Release. Database, URL.
Note: You do not have to put the director first (in the author's place). You can start with the title of the film instead, or list the most relevant person, like the director or main actor (i.e. Pitt, Brad, performer.)
*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.
Example: The Tempest. Directed by Julie Taymor, 2010. Swank, www.digitalcampus.swankmp.net/sccsc364204/play/0B8EC62DA93C52F9.
When citing a recording (video, film, audio, etc.), provide a time stamp for the relevant section. Give the numbers in hours, minutes, and seconds displayed on your media player. Separate each number with a colon, without space on either side.
Example: ("Buffy" 00:03:16-17).
This in-text citation information will get you started, but see our full In-text Citation Guide for more information and additional examples.
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).
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 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").
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).
If the source has three or more authors, include the first author’s last name followed by et al.
Example: (Burdick et al. 42).
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