MLA Endnotes and Footnotes

Summary: MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write
papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. This resource, updated to
reflect the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (7th & 6th ed.) and the MLA
Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing offers examples for the general format
of MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the Works Cited
page.
Contributors:Tony Russell, Allen Brizee, Elizabeth Angeli, Russell Keck, Joshua M. Paiz,
Purdue OWL Staff
Last Edited: 2012-02-09 02:28:41
Because long explanatory notes can be distracting to readers, most academic style
guidelines (including MLA and APA) recommend limited use of endnotes/footnotes;
however, certain publishers encourage or require note references in lieu of parenthetical
references.
MLA discourages extensive use of explanatory or digressive notes. MLA style does,
however, allow you to use endnotes or footnotes for bibliographic notes, which refer to
other publications your readers may consult:
1. See Blackmur, especially chapters three and four, for an insightful analysis of this
trend.
2. On the problems related to repressed memory recovery, see Wollens 120-35; for a
contrasting view, see Pyle 43; Johnson, Hull, Snyder 21-35; Krieg 78-91.
3. Several other studies point to this same conclusion. See Johnson and Hull 45-79,
Kather 23-31, Krieg 50-57.
Or, you can also use endnotes/footnotes for occasional explanatory notes (also known
as content notes), which refers to brief additional information that might be too
digressive for the main text:
4. In a 1998 interview, she reiterated this point even more strongly: "I am an artist,
not a politician!" (Weller 124).
Numbering Endnotes and Footnotes in the Document Body
Endnotes and footnotes in MLA format are indicated in-text by superscript Arabic
numbers after the punctuation of the phrase or clause to which the note refers:
Some have argued that such an investigation would be fruitless. 6
Scholars have argued for years that this claim has no basis, 7 so we would do well to
ignore it.
Note that when a long dash appears in the text, the footnote/endnote number appears
before the dash:
For years, scholars have failed to address this point 8a fact that suggests their
cowardice more than their carelessness.
Do not use asterisks (*), angle brackets (>), or other symbols for note references. The
list of endnotes and footnotes (either of which, for papers submitted for publication,
should be listed on a separate page, as indicated below) should correspond to the note
references in the text.

Formatting Endnotes and Footnotes

Endnotes Page
MLA recommends that all notes be listed on a separate page entitled Notes (centered,
no formatting). (Use Note if there is only one note.) The Notes page should appear
before the Works Cited page. This is especially important for papers being submitted for
publication.
The notes themselves should be listed by consecutive arabic numbers that correspond
to the notation in the text. Notes are double-spaced. Each endnote is indented five
spaces; subsequent lines are flush with the left margin. Place a period and a space after
each endnote number. Provide the appropriate note after the space.
Footnotes (below the text body)
Please note that the 7th edition of the MLA Handbook does not specify how to format
footnotes. Consult your instructor to see what his or her preference is when formatting
footnotes in MLA style.
The 6th edition of the MLA Handbook contains information on how to format footnotes,
however.
If you choose to indent your paragraphs as recommended in the MLA Handbook (132),
begin a new paragraph by typing the first word 1/2" (1.25 cm or 5 spaces) from the left
margin. The entire essay is typed double-spaced, except for Footnote citations at the
foot of the page. Title of essay centered, 1 (2.5 cm) margin on all four sides, page
number at upper right hand corner 1/2" (1.25 cm) down from the top.
If your instructor prefers that paragraphs not be indented, you must still double-space
your lines, but you will need to quadruple-space between paragraphs. More empty
space is created for the instructor to write comments when paragraphs are not indented.
Footnotes must be listed numerically and consecutively, both in your essay and in your
Footnote citation. Footnote numbers must be superscripted. In your text, add a
superscripted number immediately after the quote or reference cited with no space.
The Footnote citations must be added at the foot or bottom of the SAME page where
you have cited the sources. All first Footnote references must be cited in full.
Subsequent references of the same work may be shortened to include only the author's
last name and page number. If the source cited has no author stated, use whatever
minimal information is needed to identify the same work previously cited, e.g. short title
and page number. Formerly, the Latin terms ibid. and op. cit. were used but they are no
longer preferred.
It is recommended that you use Endnotes in place of Footnotes. This will eliminate the
need to allow sufficient space to accommodate all the required Footnote entries at the
bottom of the same page where your citations occur. If your instructor has no
preference, use the much simpler Parenthetical Documentation in place of Footnotes or
Endnotes.
Begin your Footnote citations four lines (quadruple space) below your text. Follow the
spacing as shown in the example below, e.g. indent the first line 1/2" (1.25 cm), and add
a space after the superscripted number. Do not indent second and subsequent lines of
Footnotes. Single-space Footnotes within each citation as there is not much room at the
bottom of the page. Double-space entries between citations, and be sure to list them in
the same consecutive order as cited in the text of the essay.

Jones 1
Tracy Jones
Mr. K. Smith
ENG-4GN-01
18 April 2006
The Many Facets of Taboo
The World Book Encyclopedia defines Taboo as "an action, object, person, or place
forbidden
by law or culture."1
An encyclopedia of the occult points out that taboo is found among many other cultures
including the ancient Egyptians, Jews and others.2
Mary Douglas has analyzed the many facets and interpretations of taboos across
various cultures. She points out that the word "taboo" originates from the Polynesian
languages meaning a religious restriction.3 She finds that "taboos flow from social
boundaries and support the social structure."4
In reference to Freak Shows at circuses, Rothenberg makes the observation that
people who possess uncommon features and who willingly go out in public to display
such oddities to onlookers are acting as "modern-day taboo breakers" by crossing
the "final boundary between societal acceptance and ostracism."5
In traditional British East Africa, between the time of puberty and marriage, a young
Akamba girl must maintain an avoidance relationship with her own father.6
Looking at taboo in a modern society, Marvin Harris gives an interesting example of
the
application of cultural materialism to the Hindu taboo against eating beef.7

Kelly Rothenberg, "Tattooed People as Taboo Figures in Modern Society," 1996,

BME/Psyber City, 18 Jan. 2005 <http://bme.freeq.com/tatoo/tattab.html>.
6

Sigmund Freud, Totem and Taboo (New York: Random, 1918) 17.

Marvin Harris, "The Cultural Ecology of Indias Sacred Cattle," Current

Anthropology 1992, 7:51-66, qtd. in Stacy McGrath, "Ecological Anthropology,"
Anthropological Theories: A Guide Prepared by Students for Students 19 Oct. 2001, U. of
Alabama, 18 Jan. 2005 <http://www.as.ua.edu/ant/Faculty/Murphy/ecologic.htm>.

If your instructor considers your Endnotes to be adequate documentation, you may not
be required to complete a Works Cited, References or Bibliography page. Otherwise, a
separate page must be added at the end of your paper entitled: Works Cited,
References, or Bibliography to include all of the citations already listed on your
Endnotes or Notes page. See example below.
____________________________________________________________________
Works Cited
Douglas, Mary. "Taboo." Man, Myth & Magic. Ed. Richard Cavendish. New ed.
21 vols. New York: Marshall Cavendish, 1994. 2546-2549.
Dundes, Alan. "Taboo." World Book Encyclopedia. 2000 ed.
Freud, Sigmund. Totem and Taboo. New York: Random, 1918.
McGrath, Stacy. "Ecological Anthropology." Anthropological Theories: A Guide
Prepared by Students for Students. 19 Oct. 2001. U. of Alabama. 18 Jan. 2005
<http://www.as.ua.edu/ant/Faculty/Murphy/ecologic.htm>.
Rothenberg, Kelly. "Tattooed People as Taboo Figures in Modern Society."
1996. BME/Psyber City. 18 Jan. 2005 <http://bme.freeq.com/tatoo/
tattab.html>.
"Taboo." Occultopedia: Encyclopedia of Occult Sciences and Knowledge. Site created
and designed by Marcus V. Gay. 18 Jan. 2005 <http://www.occultopedia.com/t/
taboo.htm>.