MLA (Modern Language Association)

Please see the official MLA website for more details.
http://www.mla.org/style

In-text Citations

As long as you have a complete bibliography, you can cite within your text rather than using superscripted numbers (³) to connect to footnotes or endnotes.

If it’s a direct quote, use a bracket, the author’s last name, the page number, and then close the bracket. Make sure there’s no punctuation inside the brackets. If the quote finishes the sentence, put the period after the citation.

“I can see why she wrote that, on the wall of the cupboard…” (Atwood 175).

If it’s an indirect quote where the speaker is already mentioned by name, you can just use the page number.

In Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, the women find strength in a Latin pun once written by schoolboys (175).

If the author of the quote isn’t known, use the title of the text instead. Identify the title using italics, underlining, or quotation marks, as appropriate.

(The Handmaid’s Tale 175).

Bibliography

Here are a few basics for an MLA bibliography. Remember to watch for small details like punctuation.

Books

Author Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. Medium.

Doe, Jane. The Book. Springfield: Printer Press, 2001. Print.

If there are two authors, the second author’s name goes in the normal order.

Doe, Jane, and John Smith. The Book. Springfield: Printer Press, 2001. Print.

If there are more than three authors, use et al.

Doe, Jane, et al. The Book. Springfield: Printer Press, 2001. Print.

If the book is edited, just put , ed. after the editor’s first name.

Doe, Jane, ed. The Book. Springfield: Printer Press, 2001. Print.

Chapter or Article in a Book

Author Lastname, Firstname. "Title of Chapter/Article." Title of Book. Ed. Editor's name(s). Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. Pages. Medium.

Doe, Jane. “Writing.” The Book. John Smith, ed. Springfield: Printer Press, 2001. 149-193. Print.

E-book

Author Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. Title of Database or Website. Medium. Date accessed.

Doe, Jane. The Book. Springfield: Printer Press, 2001. E-Literature. Web. February 18, 2011.

Newspaper Article (Print)

Author Lastname, Firstname. "Title of Article." Name of Newspaper Day Month. Year: Pages. Medium.

Doe, Jane. “Writing.” The Daily News 18 February. 2001: 7. Print.

Article in a Web Magazine

Author Lastname, Firstname. "Title of Article." Name of Magazine. Name of Publisher, Day Month. Year: Pages. Medium. Date accessed.

Doe, Jane. “Writing.” The Weekly News. Springfield Literary Association, 18 February. 2001: 7-9. Web. February 18, 2011.

Website

Author Lastname, Firstname. Name of Site. Name of organization affiliated with site (sponsor or publisher), date site was created (if available). Medium. Date accessed.

Doe, Jane. Writing Basics. University of Springfield. 2001. Web. February 18, 2011.

Dictionary or Encyclopedia (Print)

For most reference books (unless they’re really obscure), you only need to provide the edition and year of publication. Author Lastname, Firstname. "Title of Entry." Dictionary or Encyclopedia Name. Ed. Editor's name. Edition. Volume. Year of Publication. Medium.

Doe, Jane. “The History of Writing.” Encyclopedia of Literacy. Ed. John Smith. 4th edition. Volume 7. 2001. Print.

Dictionary or Encyclopedia (Online)

Author Lastname, Firstname. "Title of Entry." Dictionary or Encyclopedia Name. Name of organization affiliated with site (sponsor or publisher). Date of Publication. Medium. Date you accessed it.

Doe, Jane. “The History of Writing.” Encyclopedia of Literacy. University of Springfield. 2001. Web. February 18, 2011.