What is MLA?

MLA stands for the Modern Language Association, which is an organization

that focuses on language and literature.
Depending on which subject area your class or research focuses on, your
professor may ask you to cite your sources in MLA style. This is a specific
way to cite, following the Modern Language Association's guidelines. There
are other styles, such as APA format and Chicago citation style, but MLA
format is often used for literature, language, liberal arts, and other
humanities subjects. This guide extensively covers this format but is not
associated with the organization.

What is MLA Citing?

The Modern Language Association Handbook is in its 8th edition and
standardizes the way scholars document their sources and format their
papers. When everyone documents their sources and papers in the same
way, it is simple to recognize and understand the types of sources that
were used for a project. Readers of your work will not only look at your
citations to understand them, but to possibly explore them as well.
When you're borrowing information from a source and placing it in your
research or assignment, it is important to give credit to the original author.
This is done by creating an MLA citation. Depending on the type of
information you're including in your work, citations are placed in the body
of your project and all are included in a "Works Cited" list, at the end of
your project.
The handbook explains how to create MLA citations. This page summarizes
the information in the handbook, 8th edition.
There is also a section below on a recommended way to create an MLA
header. These headings appear at the top of your assignment. Check with
your instructor if they prefer a certain MLA format heading.

What is MLA Format?

The 8th edition is the most recent and updated version of MLA citations.
Released in April of 2016, this citation format is much different than
previous versions.
The biggest difference and most exciting update is the use of one standard
format for all source types. In previous versions, scholars were required to
locate the citation format for the specific source that they used. There
were different formats for books, websites, periodicals, and so on. Now,
using one universal MLA citation format allows scholars to spend less time
trying to locate the proper format to document their sources and focus
more on their research.
Other updates include the addition of "containers." A container is
essentially what a source sits in. Chapters are found in a book, songs are
found in an album, and journal articles are found in journals. What the
source is found in is its container.
URLs are now encouraged to be added into citations (remove http:// and
https:// when including URLs), social media pseudonyms and usernames
can replace the real name of the author, volume and issue numbers are
now abbreviated as vol. and no., and cities of publication and the source's
medium (such as print or web) are no longer included in citations.

Bibliography vs. Works Cited - What's the

Difference?
You may have heard the two terms, "Bibliography" and "Works Cited"
thrown around interchangeably. The truth is that they are two different
words with two completely different meanings.
A bibliography is a list of sources that the writer recommends for further
reading. A works cited list is a list of sources that were included in the
author's writing.
Want to suggest some books and websites to your reader? Create an MLA
format bibliography by creating a list of full citations and label the page as
"Bibliography."
Did you use any quotes or place any paraphrases in your writing? Create in-
text citations and place them in the body of your work. Then, create a list
of full citations and place them at the end of the project. Label the page as
"Works Cited."
The good news is that references in MLA bibliography format and regular
works cited references are structured the exact same way.

Citing Basics
 When adding information into your project from another source, you are
required to add an MLA citation. There are two types of MLA format
citations: in-text citations and full citations.

Full Citation Basics:

All sources used for a project are found on the MLA format Works Cited
page, which is generally the last item in a project.
MLA citing format often includes the following pieces of information, in this
order:
Author's Last name, First name. "Title of Source." Title of Container, other
contributors, version, numbers, publisher, publication date, location.
For more information about each individual element and for proper
formatting rules, see the sections below on author names, titles,
containers, names of other contributors, source versions, numbers,
publishers, publication dates, and locations.
Find more in-depth rules regarding the works cited in MLA format page
down below, along with a sample page.
Don't forget, our BibMe MLA citation generator is an MLA formatter that
helps you create your citations quickly and easily!

Citation Components
Authors:
The author's name is generally the first item in a citation (unless the
source does not have an author). The author's name is followed by a period.
If the source has one author, place the last name first, add a comma, and
then the first name.
MLA format:
Lee, Harper.
Fitzgerald, F. Scott.
If your source has two authors, place them in the same order they're
shown on the source. The first author is in reverse order, add a comma and
the word "and", then place the second author in standard form. Follow their
names with a period.
 Example:
Monsen, Avery, and Jory John.
For three or more authors, only include the first listed author's name.
Place the first author's name in reverse order (Last name, First name) place
a comma afterwards, and then add the Latin phrase "et al."
Example:
Borokhovic, Kenneth A., et al.
For social media posts, it's acceptable to use a screen name or username
in place of the author's name. Start the citation with the user's handle.
Example:
@TheOnion. "Experts Warn Number of Retirees Will Completely Overwhelm
Scenic Railway Industry by 2030." Twitter, 9 Oct. 2017, 9:50 a.m.,
twitter.com/TheOnion/status/917386689500340225.
No author listed? If there isn't an author, start the citation with the title
and skip the author section completely.
Citations do not need to always start with the name of the author. When
your research focuses on a specific individual that is someone other than
the author, it is appropriate for readers to see that individual's name at the
beginning of the citation. Directors, actors, translators, editors, and
illustrators are common individuals to have at the beginning. Again, only
include their name in place of the author if your research focuses on that
specific individual.
To include someone other than the author at the beginning of the citation,
place their name in reverse order, add a comma afterwards, and then the
role of that individual followed by a period.
Examples:
Fimmel, Travis, performer. Vikings. Created by Michael Hirst, History
Channel, 2013-2016.
Gage, John T., editor. The Promise of Reason: Studies in the New Rhetoric .
SIU Press, 2011.
Here's a helpful table to refer to when structuring author names:
 Titles and Containers:
Titles follow the name of the author and are written in title capitalization
form.
If you're citing a source in its entirety, such as a full book, a movie, or a
music album, then place the title in italics.
Examples:
Franzen, Jonathan. The Corrections. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2001.
Rufus Du Sol. Bloom. Sweat It Out! 2016.
If you're citing a source, such as a chapter in a book, a song on an album,
or an article in a journal or website, then place the title of the piece in
quotations and add a period afterwards. Follow it with the title of the full
source, in italics, and then add a comma. This second portion is called
the container. Containers hold the sources.
Examples with containers:

Title Containe Structure Example

of r
Source

Song Album "Song." Album Beyonce. "Single Ladies (Put

, a Ring on It)." I am...Sasha
Fierce, Sony, 2008, track 2.

Chapt Book "Chapter." Bo Aku, Hanjat. "I'm

er ok, Drifting." An Anthology of
Modern Indonesian Poetry,
edited by Burton Raffel,
State University of New
York Albany, 1964.

Article Website "Article Vance, Erik, and Erika

or Title." Websit Larsen. "Mind Over
Periodic e or Periodical Matter." National
al Title, Geographic Magazine, Dec.
2016, pp. 30-55.

Web Website "Web Becker, Mikkel. "6 Common

page page." Websit Dog Behavior Myths Get
Busted." VetStreet, 19 July
 e, 2016,
www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-
experts/6-common-dog-
behavior-myths-get-busted.

Wondering what to do with subtitles? Place a colon in between the title and
subtitle. Both parts are written in title capitalization form.
Example:
Nasar, Sylvia. A Beautiful Mind: The Life of Mathematical Genius and Nobel
Laureate John Nash. Simon and Schuster, 2001.
If the source does not have a title, give a brief description and do not use
quotation marks or italics.
Example:
Israel, Aaron. Brooklyn rooftop acrylic painting. 2012, 12 W 9th Street, New
York City.
For a tweet, the full text of the tweet is placed where the title sits.
Example:
@LOCMaps. "#DYK the first public zoo to open in the US was the
#Philadelphia Zoo? #50States." Twitter, 9 Feb. 2017, 3:14 p.m.,
twitter.com/LOCMaps/status/829785441549185024.
For email messages, the subject of the email is the title. Place this
information in quotation marks.
Example:
Rabe, Leor. "Fwd: Japan Itinerary." Received by Raphael Rabe, 11 Feb 2017.

Citations with Two Containers:

It is possible for a source to sit in a second, or larger container. A journal
article sits in its first container, which is the journal itself, but it can also
sit in a larger container, such as a database. A song can sit in its first
container, which is the album it's found on. Then it can sit in its next
container, which could be Spotify or iTunes.
It is important to include the second container because the content on one
container can be different than content from another container.
MLA citing with two containers should be formatted like this:
Author's Last name, First name. "Title of Source." Title of Container, other
contributors, version, numbers, Publisher, publication date, location. Title
of Second Container, Other contributors, version, number, Publisher,
publication date, location.
In most cases, for the second container, only the title of the second
container and the location is needed. Why? In order for readers to locate
the source themselves, they'll most likely use the majority of the
information found in the first part of the citation.

Examples of Citations with 2 Containers:

Sallis, James, et al. "Physical Education's Role in Public Health: Steps
Forward and Backward Over 20 Years and Hope for the Future." Research
Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, vol. 83, no. 2, Jun. 2012, pp. 125-
135. ProQuest, ezproxy.nypl.org/login?
url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1023317255?accountid=35635.
Baker, Martha. "Fashion: Isaac in Wonderland." New York Magazine, vol. 24,
no. 3, 21 Jan. 1991, pp. 50-54. Google Books, books.google.com/books?
id=PukCAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PP1&dq=magazine&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q=maga
zine&f=false.
Remember, BibMe has an MLA works cited generator which creates
citations for you quickly and easily!

Format for Other Contributors:

In MLA citing, when there are other individuals (besides the author) who
play a significant role in your research, include them in this section of the
citation. Other contributors can also be added to help individuals locate the
source themselves. You can add as many other contributors as you like.
Start this part of the citation with the individual's role, followed by the
word "by". Notice that if other contributors are added after a period,
capitalize the first letter in the individual's role. If it follows a comma, the
role should start with a lowercase letter.
Examples:
Gaitskill, Mary. "Twilight of the Superheroes." The Scribner Anthology of
Contemporary Short Fiction: 50 North American Stories Since 1970,  edited
by Lex Williford and Michael Martone, Simon and Schuster, 2012, pp. 228-
238.
The Incredibles. Directed by Brad Bird, produced by John Walker, Pixar, 2004.
Gospodinov, Georgi. The Physics of Sorrow. Translated by Angela Rodel,
Open Letter, 2015.

Format for Versions:

Sources can come in different versions. There are numerous bible versions,
books can come in versions (such as numbered editions), and even movies
and songs can have special versions.
When a source indicates that it is different than other versions, include this
information in the citation. This will help readers locate the exact source
that you used for your project.
Examples:
The Bible. Lexham English Version, Logos, 2011, lexhamenglishbible.com.
Crank, J. The Mathematics of Diffusion. 2nd ed., Clarendon, 1979.
Afrojack. "Take Over Control." Beatport, performance by Eva Simons,
extended version, 2011, www.beatport.com/track/take-over-control-feat-
eva-simons-extended/1621534.

Format for Numbers:

Any numbers related to a source that isn't the publication date, page range,
or version number should be placed in the numbers position of the citation.
This includes volume and issue numbers for journal articles, volume or
series numbers for books, comic book numbers, and television episode
numbers, to name a few.
When including volume and issue numbers, use the abbreviation vol. for
volume and no. for number.
Examples:
Zhai, Xiaojuan, and Jingjing Wang. "Improving Relations Between Users and
Libraries: A Survey of Chinese Academic Libraries." The Electronic Library,
vol. 34, no. 4, 2016, pp. 597-616. ProQuest Research Library,
ezproxy.nypl.org/login?
url=http://search.proquest.com.i.ezproxy.nypl.org/docview/1841764839?
accountid=35635.
"Chestnut." Westworld, directed by Richard J. Lewis, season 1, episode 2,
Warner Bros., 2016.

Publishers:
The production of the source is done by the publisher. The publisher is
placed in the citation before the date of publication. Include the publisher
for any source type except for websites when the name of the publisher is
the same as the name of the website. It is also not necessary to include
the name of publishers for newspapers, magazines, or journal articles,
since the name of the publisher is generally insignificant.
When sources have more than one publisher that share responsibility for
the production of the source, place a slash between the names of the
publishers.
Use the abbreviation UP when the name of the publisher includes the
words University Press.
Example:
Cambridge UP

Publication Dates:
When including the date that the source was published, display the amount
of information that is found on the source, whether it's the full date, the
month and year, or just the year.
In terms of display, it does not matter if the date is written in a specific
order. Make sure to use the same format for all citations.
Example:
2 Nov. 2016 or Nov. 2, 2016
When multiple dates are shown on the source, include the date that is most
relevant to your work and research.
Abbreviate months longer than 4 letters.

Locations:
The location refers to the place where the source can be found. This can
be in the form of a URL, page number, disc number, or physical place.
When MLA citing websites, include URLs. Remove the beginning of the web
address as it is not necessary to include http:// or https://. If a DOI number
is present, use it in place of a URL.
For page numbers, use the abbreviation p. when only referring to one page,
and pp. for a range of pages.
In-Text & Parenthetical Citation Basics:
When using a direct quote or paraphrasing information from a source, add
an in-text or parenthetical citation into the body of your work. Direct
quotes are word-for-word quotes that are pulled from a source and added
into your project. A paraphrase is taking a section of information from a
source and placing it in your own words. Both direct quotes and
paraphrases require in-text or parenthetical citation to follow it.
Format your parenthetical or in-text citation in MLA as follows:
"Direct quote" or paraphrase (Author's last name and page number).
OR
Author's last name said that "Direct Quote" or paraphrase (page number).
*See the comprehensive section below on MLA in-text citations for further
clarification and instructions.

MLA In-Text and Parenthetical Citations

What is an In-Text Citation or Parenthetical
Citation?
You used information from websites, articles, books, and other sources for
your paper, right? Hopefully, you did, because the best research and
writing projects use information from sources to validate claims.
The purpose of an in-text citation is to give the reader a brief idea as to
where you found the information in your writing.
When you place a line of text, word for word (called a direct quote), or an
idea (called a paraphrase) from another source into your writing, you, the
writer, must display:

 who created that information (the original author's name)

AND

 the page number you found it on

Check out this example:

"A main clause has to have a finite verb" (Cameron 94).
No author? No problem! Include the title, and if it's lengthy, shorten it.
The major thing to keep in mind is that whichever information you include
in the in-text or parenthetical citation, whether it's the author's name or
the title, it needs to match the first word in the full citation. The full
citation is found on the Works Cited Page in MLA.
Format your parenthetical and MLA in-text citation as follows:
"Direct quote" or Paraphrase (Author's last name and page number). This is
an MLA parenthetical citation as the author's name is in parentheses.
OR
Author's Last Name states, "Direct Quote" or paraphrase (page number).
This is an MLA in-text citation as the author's name is in the text of the
sentence.
Examples:
"Jim never got back with a bucket of water under an hour - and even then
somebody generally had to go after him" (Twain 8).
OR
Twain went on to say, "Jim never got back with a bucket of water under an
hour - and even then somebody generally had to go after him (8).
Other things to keep in mind:
If your in-text citation comes from a website or another source that does
not have page numbers, use the following abbreviations:

 If the source has designated paragraph numbers, use par. or pars

 If the source has designated sections, use sec. or secs.
 If the source has designated chapters, use ch. or chs.

Example in MLA formatting:

Gregor's sister is quite persuasive, especially when she states to her
parents, "It'll be the death of both of you, I can see it coming. We can't all
work as hard as we have to and then come home to be tortured like this,
we can't endure it" (Kafka, chap. III).

 If there aren't page, paragraph, section, or chapter numbers, only include the author's
name in the in-text or parenthetical citation.
 If the original source is an audio or video recording, after the author's name or title,
place a timestamp.

The girl's affection towards Marley is clear when she blushes upon his
arrival and shares that she would like to accompany him to the theater
(Tales of Times Ago 12:45).
  Two authors: place both names in the reference.

Malcolm and Knowles state... (12).

OR
The smaller the class size, the more attention a student receives, which
greatly impacts learning (Malcolm and Knowles 12).

 Three or more authors: place all three names in the in-text citation. It's also
acceptable to use the phrase, "and others," or another cohesive term. For
parenthetical citations, use the abbreviation et al.

Smith, Baker, and Klein share that.... (78). OR Smith and others share
that....(78).
OR
Many lizards, including the Carolina anole, only eat when they're hungry.
They'll ignore food until they're body sends a signal to eat (Smith et al. 78).

 Authors with the same last name: Include the first initial in the in-text or parenthetical
citation.

One study shows that the average time spent on homework is 52 minutes
(R. Brown 17). However, a more recent study, released in 2018, found that
the average student spends 42 minutes completing homework (S. Brown
966).

 Quoted text: Share in the text that the quote comes from another individual.

Lawrence shares his insight by stating that "instructions need to be

shared, not assumed (Young 55).

Common Examples:
Citations for Books:
The basic entry for a book consists of the author's name, the book title, the
publisher, and the year published.
Format:
Author's Last name, First name. Book Title. Publisher, Year published.
MLA book citation example:
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor & Jones,
1818.
The first author's name should be reversed, with a comma being placed
after the last name and a period after the first name (or any middle name).
The name should not be abbreviated and should be written exactly as it
appears on the title page.
For a book written by two authors:

 List them in order as they appear on the cover or title page

 Only the first author's name should be reversed, while the second author's name is
written in normal order. Separate author names by a comma, and place the word "and"
before the second author's name.

Smith, John, and Bob Anderson. The Sample Book. Books For Us, 2017.

 For books with three or more authors, only include the first author, followed by a
comma and the abbreviation "et al."

Campbell, Megan, et al. The Best Noun Book. Books For Us, 2017.

The full title of the book, including any subtitles, should be italicized and
followed by a period. If the book has a subtitle, the main title should be
followed by a colon (unless the main title ends with a question mark or
exclamation point).
The Best Books for Kids: A Complete Anthology.
Publication information can generally be found on the title page of a book.
If it is not available there, it may also be found on the copyright page. State
the name of the publisher.
If you are citing a specific page range from the book, include the page(s) at
the end of the citation.
Smith, John, and Bob Anderson. The Sample Book. Books For Us, 2017, pp. 5-
12.
When a book has no edition number/name present, it is generally a first
edition. If you have to cite a specific edition of a book later than the first,
see the section below on citing edited books.

Citations for Translated Books:

If the translation is the focus of your project, include the translator's name
at the beginning of the citation, like this:
Translator's Last name, First name, translator. Title. By Original Author's
First name Last name, Publisher, Year published.
If it's not the actual translation that is the focus, but the text itself, include
the translator's name in the "other contributors" position, like this:
Original Author's Last name, First name. Title. Translated by First Name Last
name. Publisher, Year published.

Citations for E-Books:

E-books are formatted differently than print books. Why? Some e-books
have different, or extra, information than print books. In addition, e-book
pages are often numbered differently. Since the content and format may
differ than print books, e-book citations are structured differently. If using
an e-book from the Internet, format the e-book the same was as a website.
If using an e-book from an e-reader, such as a Kindle or Nook, include the
name of the e-reader in the "version" section of the citation.
Format for an e-book found on the Internet:
Author's Last name, First name. Title of E-Book. Publisher, Year
published. Title of Website, URL.
Example:
Rodgers, Tara. Pink Noises: Women on Electronic Music and Sound. Duke UP,
2010. Google Books, books.google.com/books?
id=syqTarqO5XEC&lpg=PP1&dq=electronic
%20music&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q=electronic%20music&f=false.
Format for an e-book found on an e-reader:
Author's Last name, First name. Title of E-book. E-Reader ed., Publisher, Year
Published.
Rodgers, Tara. Pink Noises: Women on Electronic Music and Sound. Nook
ed., Duke UP, 2010.

Citations for Chapters in Books:

Individual chapters are cited when a writer uses a book filled with many
chapters, each written by different authors. When citing a specific chapter
in a book, or an anthology, structure the citation like this:
Last name, First name of Chapter's Author. "Title of Chapter." Title of Book,
other contributors and their roles, version (if there's a specific edition),
Publisher, Year published, page or page range.
Example:
Levi-Strauss, Claude. "The Structural Study of
Myth." Literary Adverb Theory: An Anthology, edited by Julie Rivkin and
Michael Ryan, 3rd ed., Wiley Blackwell, 2017, pp. 178-195.

Citations for Edited Books:

If your book is not a first edition, you should note this in the citation. If the
book is a revised edition or an edition that includes substantial new
content, include the number, name, or year of the edition and the
abbreviation "ed." after the book title. "Revised edition" should be
abbreviated as "Revised ed." and "Abridged edition" should be "Abridged
ed." The edition can usually be found on the title page, as well as on the
copyright page, along with the edition's date.
Format:
Author's Last name, First name, editor. Title of Book. Numbered ed.,
Publisher, Year published.
Examples:
Ferraro, Gary, and Susan Andreatta, editors. Cultural Anthropology: An
Applied Perspective. 10th ed., Cengage Learning, 2014.
Smith, John. The MLA Sample Paper Book. Revised ed., Books For Us, 2017.
If your edited book has more than one author, refer to the directions above
under the heading "Authors."
Also, BibMe.org helps you create your citations with more than one author
quickly and easily! Try our MLA formatter!

Citations for Websites:

Wondering how to cite a website in MLA? The most basic entry for an MLA
website citation consists of the author name(s), page title, website title,
sponsoring institution/publisher, date published, and the URL.
Format:
Author's Last name, First name. "Title of Individual Web Page." Title of
Website, Publisher, Date, URL.
 Example:
Fosslien, Liz, and Mollie West. "3 Ways to Hack Your Environment to Help You
Create." Huffpost Preposition Endeavor, Huffington Post, Dec. 7, 2016,
www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/3-ways-to-hack-your-environment-to-help-
you-createus580f758be4b02444efa569bc.
The first author's name should be reversed, with a comma placed after the
last name and a period after the first name (or any middle name). The name
should not be abbreviated and should be written exactly as it appears on
the website.
For a page with two or more authors, list them in the order as they appear
on the website. Only the first author's name should be reversed, while the
others are written in normal order. Separate author names by a comma,
and place the word "and" before the last author's name. For pages with
three or more authors, only include the first author, followed by the
abbreviation "et al."
If no author is available, begin the citation with the page title.
The page title should be placed within quotation marks. Place a period
after the page title within the quotation marks. The page title is followed
by the name of the website, which is italicized, followed by a comma.
Include the sponsoring institution or publisher, along with a comma, after
the website title. The sponsoring institution/publisher can usually be found
at the bottom of the website, in the footer. If the name of the publisher is
the same as the name as the website, do not include the publisher
information in your citation. It is not recommended, in MLA format for a
website, to include duplicate information.
Next, state the publication date of the page. In some cases, a specific date
might not be available, and the date published may only be specific to a
month or even year. Provide whatever date information is available.
End the citation with the URL. Remove http:// and https:// from the
beginning of the citation. End the entire citation with a period.
Looking for an MLA formatter to create your website citations quickly and
easily? Check out the BibMe MLA citation machine! Our MLA format
website creates your citations in just a few clicks.

Citations for Online Journal Articles:

The most basic entry for a journal consists of the author name(s), article
title, journal name, volume number, issue number, year published, page
 numbers, name of website or database the article was found on, and URL
or Direct Object Identifier (DOI).
Format:
Author's Last name, First name. "Title of Journal Article." Title of Journal,
vol. number, issue no., date, page range. Database or Website Name, URL
or DOI.
Example:
Snyder, Vivian. "The Effect Course-Based Reading Strategy Training on the
Reading Comprehension Skills of Developmental College
Students." Research and Teaching in Developmental Education , vol. 18,
no. 2, Spring 2002, pp. 37-41. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/42802532.
Most online journal articles have two containers. The first being the journal
that the article sits in, and the second being the website or database the
journal is found on.
The first author's name should be reversed, with a comma placed after the
last name and a period after the first name (or any middle name). The name
should not be abbreviated and should be written exactly as it appears in
the journal.
For an article written by two authors, list them in order as they appear in
the journal. Only the first author's name should be reversed, while the
second is written in normal order. Separate author names by a comma, and
place the word "and" before the second author's name.
Krispeth, Klein, and Stewart Jacobs.
For articles with three or more authors, include the name of the first author
in the citation, followed by a comma and the abbreviation "et al."
Jones, Langston, et al.
The article title should be placed within quotation marks. Place a period
after the article title within the quotation marks, unless the article title
ends with a question mark or exclamation mark. The article title is
followed by the name of the journal, which is italicized.
Include the volume number of the journal, but use the abbreviation "vol."
You may also need to include the issue number, depending on the journal.
Use the abbreviation "no." before the journal's issue number.
Jones, Robert, et al. "Librarianship in the Future." Libraries Today, vol. 5, no.
2, Mar. 2017, pp. 89-103. Database Life, www.dbl.com/6854.
 When including the URL, make sure to exclude http:// and https:// from the
citation. If the article has a DOI, use the doi instead of the URL.

Citations for Blogs:

Blogs can be good sources to use for research papers and projects since
many are regularly updated and written by influencers and experts.
Blogs can belong to a single individual, a group of people, or a company.
Most entries for a blog include a title for that day’s entry, the date it was
posted, and the information.
To cite a blog, you’ll need the following pieces of information: * The
author’s name(s) or the name of the company who posted the blog * The
title of the individual blog post * The title of the blog * The name of the
publisher (if it differs from the name of the author(s) or title of the blog) *
The date the blog post was posted * The website address for the blog post
Format:
Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Blog Post.” Title of Blog, Publisher,
Date published, website address.
Example:
BibMe. “How to Spell in English: British vs. American.” BibMe
Blog, www.bibme.org/blog/writing-tips/how-to-spell-in-english-british-vs-
american/.
Notice in the above example, the date is missing. If there is no date shown
on the blog post, omit it from the full citation.
Example:
Williams, Lindsay. “How to Get the Most from Your Online Language Lessons
with a Tutor.” Lindsay Does Languages, 2019 Feb. 12,
www.lindsaydoeslanguages.com/how-to-get-the-most-from-your-online-
language-lessons-with-a-tutor/.
Cite a blog post in the text of the paper using this format:
(Author’s Last name) OR Author’s Last name...
Since there isn’t a page number, only use the author’s last name.

Citations for Newspapers:

The most basic entry for a newspaper consists of the author name(s),
article title, newspaper name, publication date, page numbers, and
 sometimes a URL, if found online. Volume numbers, issue numbers, and the
names of publishers are omitted from newspaper citations.
Format if found on a website:
Author's Last name, First name. "Title of Article." Title of Newspaper's
Website, publication date, URL (always remove http:// or https:// from the
citation).
Format if found on a database:
Author's Last name, First name. "Title of Article." Title of Newspaper,
publication date, page range (if available). Title of Database, URL (always
remove http:// or https:// from the citation).
MLA format example:
This example is for a print newspaper:
Hageman, William. "Program Brings Together Veterans, Neglected
Dogs." Chicago Tribune, 4 Jan. 2015, p. 10.
The full article title should be placed within quotations. Next, state the
name of the newspaper in italics.
Towards the end of the citation, include the page numbers on which the
article appears, along with a period. Cite all inclusive page numbers --- if
the article spans pages that are not consecutive, cite only the first page,
followed by a plus sign.
Don't forget, the BibMe citation generator in MLA creates citations for you
quickly and easily! Also, check out BibMe Plus paper checker, which scans
your paper for correct usage of language elements. Have a determiner out
of place in your writing? A pronoun spelled incorrectly? An
overused adjective? No worries, BibMe Plus has you covered!

Citations for Photographs:

The most basic entry for a photograph consists of the photographer's
name, the title of photograph, the title of the book, website, or collection
where the photograph can be located, the publisher of the photograph or
publication where the image was located, the date the photograph was
posted or taken, and the page number, location of the museum (such as a
city and state) or URL if found online.
Format:
Photographer's Last name, First name. "Title of the Photograph." Title of the
Book, Website, Collection, or other type of publication where the
photograph was found, Date photograph was taken, page number (if
applicable), location (such as a city and state if necessary) where the
photograph can be found, or URL.
Begin with the name of the photographer or main contributor (if available).
This person's name should be reversed, with a comma placed after the last
name and a period after the first name (and any middle name).
For a photograph taken from a publication or website, include the title of
the photograph in quotation marks followed by a period. If the photograph
does not have a formal title, create a description. If you make your own
description, only include a capital at the beginning of the description and
at the beginning of any proper nouns. Do not place the description in italics
or quotation marks.
Place the title of the publication in italics immediately following it,
followed by a comma.
Digital image/photograph found online:
Photograph of the Hudson Area Public Library. JMS Collective, 19 Apr. 2016,
www.jmscollective.com/hudson-ny-3/historic-hudson-armory-now-public-\
library/.
*Note that the above photograph does not have a formal title, so the
photograph was given a description.
Photograph or Image viewed in a museum:
Vishniac, Roman. "Red Spotted Purple." Roman Vishniac's Science Work,
early 1950s - late 1960s, International Center of Photography at Mana, New
Jersey.
Photograph or Image found in a book:
Barnard, Edwin. Photograph of Murray Street, Hobart. Exiled: The Port Arthur
Convict Photographs, National Library of Australia, 2010, p. 20.

Citing Social Media in MLA Format:

It's not uncommon to see social media posts included in research projects
and papers. Most social media citations use the following structure:
@Username (First name Last name, if known, and differs from handle). "Text
of post." Social Media Platform, Date posted, URL (remove http:// or
https://).
 If the post isn't text, and is a photo or image instead, include a description
of the image instead of any text. Only capitalize the first letter in the
description and capitalize the first letter for any proper nouns. Do not place
the description in quotation marks.
If the post is long in length, or includes emojis or links, it is acceptable to
include only the beginning of the tweet, with an ellipsis at the end.
Citing a Tweet from Twitter:
Example:
@BibMe. "Need help with MLA essay format? Here are 6 steps to getting it
done..." Twitter, 3 Dec. 2018,
twitter.com/bibme/status/1069682724716204032.
Citing a Facebook Post:
Example:
DeGeneres, Ellen. "Holiday party goals..." Facebook, 21 Dec. 2018,
www.facebook.com/ellentv/photos/a.182755292239/10157188088077240/?
type=3&theater.
Citing an Instagram Post:
Example:
@dualipa. "A lil Hollywood glam brunch! Thank you @variety for by
Breakthrough Artist of the Year award and thank you for your continuous
support...." Instagram, 2 Dec. 2018, www.instagram.com/p/Bq33SC2BAsr/?
utm_source=ig_web_copy_link.

Citations for Music:

Citing a Song from the Internet:
To cite this type of source, structure the reference as follows:
Singer's Last Name, First name OR Band Name. "Title of Song." Title of
Website or Service, other contributors and their roles (if applicable),
version, date published, URL.
Lopez, Jennifer. "Us." Spotify, 2 Feb. 2018,
open.spotify.com/track/2MMvonKGALz6YOJwaKDO3q.
Citing a song from an album or downloaded:
Singer's Last name, First name OR Band Name. "Title of Song." Title of
Album, other contributors and their roles (if applicable), version, Publisher,
date published or released.
Lopez, Jennifer. "On the Floor." LOVE?, performance by Pitbull, Island, 2011.

Citations for Films:

The most basic entry for a film consists of the title, director, publisher, and
year of release. You may also choose to include the names of the writer(s),
performer(s), and the producer(s), depending on who your research project
may focus on. You can also include certain individuals to help readers
locate the exact source themselves.
Example of a common way to cite a film:
Film Title. Directed by First name Last name, performance by First Name Last
Name, Publisher, Year.
BibMe: The Movie. Directed by John Smith, performance by Jane Doe, New
York Stories, 2017.
If your research focuses on a specific individual, you can begin the citation
with that individual's name (in reverse order) and their role. Format it the
same way as you would an author's name.
Doe, Jane, performer. BibMe: The Movie. Directed by John Smith, New York
Stories, 2017.
If the film is dubbed in English or does not have an English title, use the
foreign language title in the citation, followed by a square bracket that
includes the translated title.
Citas gobiernan el mundo [Citations Rule the World]. Directed by Sara Paul,
Showcase Films, 2017.
If the film was found online, such as YouTube or another site, include the
name of the website and the URL.
Last name, First name of Individual who posted the video OR Account name.
"Film Title." Website Title, other individuals and their roles (if applicable),
Publisher, Year Published, URL (remove http:// or https://).
The New York Public Library. "2018 National Book Awards Finalists at
NYPL." YouTube, 15 Nov. 2018, youtu.be/edJqg3NuF2Q.
 *Note that the New York Public Library was not listed as the publisher of
the video. Adding "The New York Public Library" in the citation twice is not
necessary.
Since the citation has two titles included in it (the title of the film and the
title of the website), the title of the film is placed in quotation marks and
the title of the website is in italics.

Citations for TV/Radio:

The most basic MLA format citation for a radio/TV program consists of the
individuals responsible for the creation of the episode (if they're important
to your research), the episode title, program/series name, broadcasting
network or publisher, the original broadcast date, and the URL.
"The Highlights of 100." Seinfeld, NBC, 2 Feb. 1995.
If your research focuses on a specific individual from the tv or radio
broadcast, include their name at the beginning of the citation, in the author
position.
If relevant, you may also choose to include the names of personnel
involved with the program. Depending if the personnel are relevant to the
specific episode or the series as a whole, place the personnel names after
the program/series name. You may cite narrator(s) preceded by "narrated
by", writer(s) preceded by "written by", directors preceded by "directed
by", performer(s) preceded by "performance by", and/or producer(s)
preceded by "produced by" and then the individual names. Include as many
individuals as you like. Write these personnel names in normal order --- do
not reverse the first and last names.
"The Highlights of 100." Seinfeld, directed by Andy Ackerman, written by
Peter Mehlman, NBC, 2 Feb. 1995.
Also include the name of the network on which the program was
broadcasted, followed by a comma.
State the date which your program was originally broadcasted, along with
a period. If including the URL, follow the date with a comma and place the
URL at the end, followed by a period to end the citation. Remove http:// or
https:// from the URL.

Citations for Lectures:

The most basic entry for a lecture consists of the speaker's name,
presentation title, date conducted, and the name and location of the venue.
Speaker's Last name, First name. Title of Lecture. Date conducted, Venue,
Location.
Pausch, Randy. Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams. 18 Sept. 2007,
McConomy Auditorium, Pittsburgh.
Begin the citation with the name of the speaker. This person's name should
be reversed. If the lecture has a title, place it in the citation, along with a
period, in italics. State the date on which the lecture was conducted,
followed by a comma. Conclude your citation with the location/venue name
and the city in which it occurred, separated by a comma.

Citations for Encyclopedias

The most basic entry for an encyclopedia consists of the author name(s),
article title, encyclopedia name, publisher, and year published.
Last Name, First Name. "Article title." Encyclopedia Name, Publisher, Year
published.
Smith, John. "Internet." Encyclopedia Britannica, 2012.
Notice that the name of the publisher was not included in the example
above. Only include the name of the publisher if it differs from the name of
the encyclopedia. Encyclopedia Britannica is the name of the
encyclopedia AND the name of the publisher. It is not necessary to include
Encyclopedia Britannica twice in the citation.
If there are no authors for the article, begin the citation with the article
title instead.
"Media." World Book Encyclopedia, 2010.
If the encyclopedia arranges articles alphabetically, do not cite the page
number(s) or number of volumes. If articles are not arranged alphabetically,
you may want to include page number(s) and/or volume number, which is
preceded by the abbreviation "vol." The volume should be cited after the
encyclopedia name (or any edition), and before any publication information.
After the publication year, include the page numbers on which the article
appears, along with a period. Cite all inclusive page numbers --- if the
article spans pages that are not consecutive, cite only the first page,
followed by a plus sign.
Saunders, Bill. "Treasure." Encyclopedia Britannica, vol. 18, 2012, p. 56.
If the encyclopedia entry is found on a website, use the following structure:
Last name, First name. "Encyclopedia Entry." Title of Encyclopedia Website,
Publisher, Year published, URL (always remove http:// or https:// from the
citation).

Citations for Magazines:

The most basic entry for a magazine consists of the author name(s), article
title, magazine name, the volume and issue numbers if available,
publication date, page numbers, and URL if found online.
Last name, First name. "Article Title." Magazine Name, vol. number, issue
no., publication date, page numbers or URL.
Print example:
Pratt, Sybil. "A Feast of Tradition." BookPage, Oct. 2017, p. 8.
Online example:
Geagan, Kate. "Sweeter Swaps: How to Choose Sustainable
Sweeteners." Clean Eating, no. 83, Nov./Dec. 2018, pp. 36-37. Flipster,
cleaneating.eoncontent.ebscohost.com/1927216#&pageSet=19.
The first author's name should be reversed, with a comma placed after the
last name and a period after the first name (or any middle name). The name
should not be abbreviated and should be written exactly as it appears in
the magazine.
For an article written by two or more authors, list them in the order as they
appear on the title page. Only the first author's name should be reversed,
while the others are written in normal order. Separate author names by a
comma, and place the word "and" before the last author's name. For
articles with three or more authors, only include the first author, followed
by the abbreviation "et al."
The full article title should be placed within quotations. Unless there is
punctuation that ends the article title, place a period after the title within
the quotations. Next, state the name of the magazine in italics.
If volume and issue numbers are available, include them in the citation.
Use the abbreviations vol. and no. before the volume number and issue
number.
Example: vol. 6, no. 1
The date the magazine was published comes directly after the volume and
issue number. Use whichever date the magazine includes, whether it's a
 complete date, a period spanning two months, a season, or just a month
and year. Follow this information with a comma.
Include the page number(s) on which the article appears. Cite all inclusive
page numbers --- if the article spans pages that are not consecutive, cite
only the first page, followed by a plus sign.
If the magazine article was found online, include the URL. Remove http:// or
https:// from the beginning of the citation. End the citation with a period.

Citations for Interviews:

Begin your citation with the name of the person interviewed. This person's
name should be reversed, with a comma placed after the last name and a
period after the first name (or any middle name).
For an interview that has been broadcast or published, if there is a title,
include it after the name of the person interviewed.
Jolie, Angelina. "Being a Mother." Interview conducted by Steve Kroft, 60
Minutes, CBS, 3 Feb. 2009.
If there is no title, use the word "Interview" in place of a title and do not
use quotation marks or italics. If the interviewer's name is known, add it,
preceded by "Conducted by", after the word "Interview". Do not reverse the
interviewer's name.
Jenkins, Lila. Interview. Conducted by Jessica Grossman. 5 Mar. 2017.
For published interviews found online, include the title of the website after
the title of the interview. In addition, add the URL at the end of the citation.
Michaels, Jamye. "Fighting to Survive." Women's Magazine of Life, 2 Nov.
2016, www.womensmagazine.com/fightingtosurvive.com.

Citations for Dissertations and Theses:

In order to obtain a degree, most colleges and universities require students
to submit a dissertation or thesis towards the end of their academic track.
Dissertations and theses are lengthy essays or in-depth research projects
that relate to the scope of the student’s learning.
For example, if a student is close to obtaining their Master’s in Library
Science, the student could study and write about the Internet searching
habits of elderly individuals, or perhaps focus on the research skills of
economically disadvantaged adults.
 Upon completion, this individual assignment is often presented to the main
directors, committee members, or professors at the school for approval.
A dissertation is generally assigned to students who are completing their
doctorate degree and many graduate schools require students to hand in a
thesis to obtain a master’s degree.
Since so much research and work went into these scholarly projects, and
new ideas and conclusions are often produced, many colleges and
universities publish the completed papers. You can find these projects on
many school websites and databases.
Here’s one way you can reference a dissertation or thesis:
Format:
Author’s Last Name, First name. Title of Dissertation or Thesis. Year
completed. University or College, Degree Abbr. Database, URL.
Examples:
Kim, Kee Han. Development of an Improved Methodology for Analyzing
Existing Single-Family Residential Energy Use. 2014. Texas A & M U,
PhD. ProQuest,
https://ezproxy.nypl.org/socabs/docview/1665251619/abstract/E9D36166E31
040AEPQ/1?accountid=35635.
Fletcher, Marissa. Influences of Nutrition and Pathogenicity from a Microbial
Diet on Immunity and Longevity in Caenorhabditis Elegans. 2012.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, PhD. DSpace@MIT,
https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/120633.

Using Visuals
Including a visual in your project is a great way to make information come
to life, as visuals can complement written work and enhance
understanding.
Photographs, maps, charts, graphs, line drawings, musical scores, and
tables are images that can be included in a project.
Follow these directions to add an image into your research paper:

 Images should be placed close to where they’re mentioned in the text.

 Provide a brief explanation about the image in the written portion of the paper, but do
not write out all of the data the image shows. Doing so would make the image
unnecessary. (See the visual “Table example” at the end of this section.)
Correct example: Table 1 shows commonly used words in Shakespeare’s
plays and their English translation.
Incorrect example: Table 1 shows commonly used words in Shakespeare’s
plays and their English translation. Brave translates
to handsome, character means a
letter or word, egal means equal, fancy is a term for desire,
and honest translates to pure.

 Tables are titled Table X, figures are Fig. X, and examples are Ex. X.
 Any type of image that includes an illustration is considered a “Figure”
 Musical scores or sheet music are considered “Examples”
 If the information below the image contains all of the source information, a full
reference on the Works Cited page is not necessary.
 Double space everything
 The image should have the same 1 inch margins as the rest of the paper.

Check out the examples below to see how tables, figures, and musical
scores are arranged.
Table Example:

Figure Example:
Musical score example:

Your Works Cited Page

An MLA "Works Cited" or MLA "Work Cited" page contains all of the
citations for a project.
  This page sits on its own and is found at the very end.
 If there is only one citation on the page, title the page as: Work Cited. While it might
seem silly to have a full page dedicated to one citation, a Work Cited page in MLA is
still necessary. If there are multiple citations on the page, title the page as: Works
Cited.
 Double space the entire page.
 Include the writer's last name and the page number, at the top right corner of the page.
 Every in-text or parenthetical citation in the body of the project should correspond with
its full citation listed on the Works Cited or Work Cited in MLA page.
 All full citations in MLA formatting have a hanging indent. This means that the first line
of the citation sits flush against the left margin. The second, and any subsequent lines,
are indented in another half inch. If you need a visual, all full citations on this page
have a hanging indent.
 Citations are listed in alphabetical order by the first letter found in the citation.
 If there are multiple sources by the same author, only include the author's name in the
first citation. For each citation afterwards, MLA formatting requires you to include
three dashes and a period. Organize the citations by the title.

Example of a Works Cited List with Multiple Works by Same Author:

Riggs, Ransom. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Quirk, 2011.
---. Tales of the Peculiar. Dutton, 2016.

 When alphabetizing by titles, ignore A, An, and The, and use the next part of the title.
 If the title starts with a number, place the title where it would belong if the number
was spelled out.

MLA formatting example:

1492: The Year Our World Began would be alphabetized under F (for fourteen)
Sample Works Cited:
Formatting Your Header:
The first page of your MLA format paper should include a header. An MLA
cover page, or MLA title page, that sits on its own isn't necessary or
recommended.
MLA heading format includes the following pieces of information, styled
like this, in this order:
Your name
Your professor or teacher's name
The class and/or course number
Date of submission

 Double space everything on the page.

 In the top right corner, include your last name and the page number.
 The title should be centered in the middle of the page.
 Use any type of font for the entire paper that is easy to read.
 MLA paper format requires 12 pt font, or another size close to it.

Sample MLA Header:

Using BibMe.org to Create Citations for

your MLA Works Cited Page or MLA
Bibliography
Wondering how to do MLA format? The BibMe automatic MLA format
generator formats your citations for you. Enter a title, web address, ISBN
number, or other identifying information into the MLA format template to
automatically cite your sources. If you need help with BibMe.org or our
citation machine in MLA, click here on more styles.

Try This Out:

The BibMe service is an extremely helpful resource that helps you create
your citations for your project, but there's more. The BibMe service also
has a feature that will help to proofread your entire MLA format essay. The
BibMe Plus paper checker scans for proper spelling, punctuation, language
elements, and syntax. It will tell you if a language element, such as
a preposition, conjunction, or interjection, is a bit off. It also has a built-
in plagiarism checker, which scans papers for instances of accidental
plagiarism. Try it out now!

More Information:
@Here's more information on the previous handbooks. There's further
good information here, including MLA format examples and examples of
MLA in-text citations.

Background Information and History:

The Modern Language Association was developed in 1883 and was created
to strengthen the study and teaching of languages and literature. With over
25,000 current members worldwide, the Modern Language Association
continuously strives to keep its members up-to-date on the best practices,
methods, and trends related to language and literature. The Modern
Language Association boasts an annual conference, journal, an online
communication platform, numerous area-focused committees, and one of
its most popular publications, the MLA Handbook, now in its 8th edition.''