A Complete Guide to MLA 8th Edition

Key differences in MLA 8th Edition

1. One standard citation format that applies to every source type

In previous editions of the MLA Handbook, researchers were required to locate the citation format for the
source that they used. For example, if a magazine was used, researchers needed to locate the specific citation
format for periodicals. Due to the various ways that information is now received, in books, websites, lectures,
tweets, Facebook posts, etc, it has become unrealistic for MLA to create citation formats for every source type.
Now, there is one standard, universal format that researchers can use to create their citations.

2. Inclusion of “containers” in citations.

Containers are the elements that “hold” the source. For example, if a television episode is watched on Netflix,
Netflix is the container. Both the title of the source and its container are included in a MLA 8th edition citation.

3. The ability to use pseudonyms for author names

It is now acceptable to use online handles or screen names in place of authors’ names.

Example:

@WSJ. “Generation X went from the most successful in terms of homeownership rates in 2004 to the least
successful by 2015.” Twitter, 8 Apr. 2016, 4:30 p.m., www.twitter.com/WSJ/status/718532887830753280

4. Adding the abbreviations vol. and no. to magazine and journal article citations.

In MLA 7, there was no indication that the numbers in periodical citations referred to the volume and issue
numbers.

Example of a journal article citation in MLA 7th Edition:

DelGuidice, Margaux. “When a Leadership Opportunity Knocks, Answer!” Library Media Connection 30.2
(2011): 48-49. Print

An example of a journal article citation in MLA 8th edition:

DelGuidice, Margaux. “When a Leadership Opportunity Knocks, Answer!” Library Media Connection, vol. 30,
no. 2, 2011, pp. 48-49.

5. Inclusion of URLS

In previous versions of the MLA handbook, it was up to the discretion of the instructor whether URLs should
be included in a citation. In MLA 8, it is highly recommended to include a URL in the citation. Even if it
becomes outdated, it is still possible to trace the information online from an older URL.

Omit “http://” or “https://” from the URL when including it in a MLA 8th edition citation.

6. Omitting the publisher from some source types

It is not necessary to include the publisher for periodicals or for a web site when the name of the site matches
the name of the publisher. For periodicals, the name of the publisher is generally insignificant.

7. Omitting the city of publication

In previous versions of the MLA handbook, researchers included the city where the publisher was located.
Today, this information generally serves little purpose and the city of publication can often be omitted.

Only include the city of publication if the version of the source differs when published in a different country
(Example: British editions of books versus versions printed in the United States).

Features that have not changed, and are the same as MLA 7:

 The overall principles of citing and plagiarism

 The use of in-text citations and works cited pages

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How to Format an MLA 8 Works Cited List

The purpose of a Works Cited list is to display the sources that were used for a project. Showcasing the sources
that were used allows others to locate the original sources themselves. In addition, a Works Cited list gives
credit to the original authors of the works that were consulted for a project.

Works Cited lists are typically found at the very end of a project. The last page of a research paper, the final
slide of a presentation, and the last screen of a video are all appropriate places to display a Works Cited list.

Each source is displayed in a special format, called a citation. This guide explains how to create citations for the
Works Cited page.

When starting to build your Works Cited page, start by consulting your list of core elements. Remember, your
core elements are:

1. Author
2. Title of source
3. Title of container
4. Other contributors
5. Version
6. Number
7. Publisher
8. Publication date
9. Location

Citations are listed in alphabetical order by the first word in the citation, which is typically the last name of the
author.

When there are two or more sources with the same author, only include the author’s name in the first citation.
In the second or subsequent citations, use three hyphens in place of the author’s name, followed by a period.

Example:

Sparks, Nicholas. Dear John. Grand Central, 2007, p. 82.

– – -. A Walk to Remember. Warner, 1999.

If the individual is someone other than an author, such as a director or an editor, follow the three hyphens with
a comma. Then, include the role of the individual after the comma. Place the citations in alphabetical order by
the title of the work when there are multiple works by one author.

Example:
Allen, Woody. Getting Even. Vintage, 1978.

– – -, director. Midnight in Paris. Sony Pictures Classics, 2011.

The only instance when it is acceptable to include an author’s name more than once in a Works Cited Page is
when the author is a coauthor with another individual or team.

Example:

Patterson, James, and Chris Grabenstein. House of Robots. Little, Brown and Co., 2014.

Patterson, James, and Chris Tebbetts. Middle School: Get Me Out of Here. Little, Brown and Co., 2012.

When there is no author listed for a source, place it in alphabetical order by the title. Omit words such as A, An,
and The. If the title begins with a number, write the number out in word form.

Example:

Twenty-Eight Days Later. Directed by Danny Boyle, produced by Alex Garland, Fox Searchlight Pictures,
2002.

Example of an MLA Eighth Edition Works Cited Page:

Patterson, James, and Chris Grabenstein. House of Robots. Little, Brown and Co., 2014.

Patterson, James, and Chris Tebbetts. Middle School: Get Me Out of Here. Little, Brown and Co., 2012.

Sparks, Nicholas. Dear John. Grand Central, 2007, p. 82.

– – – . A Walk to Remember. Warner, 1999.

Twenty-Eight Days Later. Directed by Danny Boyle, produced by Alex Garland, Fox Searchlight Pictures,
2002.

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How to Format the Author’s Name in an MLA 8th Edition Citation:

The author’s name is generally the first piece of information included in an MLA 8th edition citation. Start with
the author’s last name, follow it with a comma, and add the rest of the author’s name exactly as it appears on
the source. Immediately following the author’s name is a period.

Examples:

Sparks, Nicholas.
Stine, R.L.
Brown, Margaret Wise.
Seuss, Dr.

When two authors are included on a source, add them into the citation in the order that they appear on the
source. The first author’s name is in reverse order: Last name, comma, and then the rest of the name as it
appears on the source. Follow it with a comma and add the word “and.” For the second author’s name, write it
exactly as it appears on the source.

Examples:
Pratchett, Terry, and Neil Gaiman.
Mortenson, Greg, and David Oliver Relin.

When three or more authors share responsibility for a work, include only the first author’s name. Write the first
author’s name in reverse order: Last name, comma, and then the rest of the name as it appears on the source.
After the first author’s name, add a comma, and write et al. This is a latin term meaning “and others.”

Examples:

White, Karen, et al.

Chan, Danny Elizabeth, et al.

An author may not always be the person responsible for a source. Often times, others, such as an editor or a
translator can play the leading role.

When citing an edited book in its entirety, add a comma at the end of the editor(s) names and add the role of
individual.

Examples:

Hage, Ghassan, editor.

Nielson, Frank, and Rajendra Bhatia, editors.
Ashraf, M., et al., editors.

If a translated text was used, place the translator’s name in the “other contributors” section of the citation.

Example:

Viripaev, Ivan. Illusions. Translated by Cazimir Liske, Faber and Faber, 2012.

However, if the focus of your research revolves around the translation itself, place the translator’s name as the
leading name in the citation.

Eshleman, Clayton, and Lucas Klein, translators. Endure. By Bei Dao, Black Widow Press, 2011.

For other works, such as film and tv shows, the individual that was the main focus of your research should be
the leading name in the citation. Add a comma after the name of the individual and add a description of their
role.

Examples:

Parker, Sarah Jessica, actress. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. New World Pictures, 1985.

If the focus was on the whole film or television show, and not an individual, start the citation with the title.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. Directed by Alan Metter, performance by Sarah Jessica Parker, New World
Pictures, 1985.

It is acceptable to use online usernames or social media handles as the author’s name.

Example:

@BilldeBlasio. “A union gathers its strength from its workers. So does a company. I commend @Verizon and
its employees for coming to a tentative agreement.” Twitter, 1 June 2016, 8:30 a.m.,
www.twitter.com/BilldeBlasio/status/737964964066004992.
Companies and organizations can also produce sources. Start the citation with the name of the company or
organization.

Example:

United States, Food and Drug Administration. National Food Safety Education Month – Myths and Facts. June
4, 2014, www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/ucm368393.htm.

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How to Format the Title in MLA 8

Titles of sources are included in the citation as they appear on the source. They are generally located on the
front or top of the source. Include all words in the title and any subtitles as well.

Example:

Viorst, Judith. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Atheneum, 1987.

If a subtitle is given, place a colon in between the title and the subtitle.

Example:

Sheff, David. Game Over: How Nintendo Conquered the World. Vintage Books, 1994.

When a title stands alone, meaning it is not part of a larger work, place the title in italics. If it is indeed part of a
larger work, such as a short story in an anthology, or a chapter in an edited book, place the title in quotations
and the title of the larger work in italics.

Example:

Hughes, Langston. “Red-Headed Baby.” The Oxford Book of American Short Stories, edited by Joyce Carol
Oates, Oxford UP, 1992, pp. 365-370.

*The exception to this rule is when a title that is found in a larger work normally stands alone. In this case, both
titles are written in italics, without quotation marks.

Example:

Kipling, Rudyard. The Jungle Book. The Complete Children’s Short Stories, Wordsworth Editions, 2004, pp. 1-
128.

For newspaper, magazine, and journal articles, the title of the article is placed in quotation marks and the name
of the source is placed in italics. The same rule applies to other forms as well. Episodes of television shows are
placed in quotation marks and the name of the television series is placed in italics. In addition, song titles are
placed in quotation marks and the album names are placed in italics directly afterwards. Articles on web sites
are placed in quotation marks and the title of the web site is placed in italics.

Example of an MLA 8th edition citation for Periodicals:

Martinson, Nichole. “Can I Cut Through a Murky German Tale to Find Grandma?” Ancestry, vol. 27, no. 1,
January/February 2009, p. 63.

Example of an MLA 8th edition citation for television shows:

“Brave New World.” Grey’s Anatomy, directed by Eric Stoltz, season 5, episode 4, ABC, October 16, 2008.
Example of an MLA 8th edition citation for songs:

Rufus Du Sol. “Take Me.” Atlas, Sweat It Out, 2013.

Example of an MLA 8th edition citation for websites:

Provenzano, Nicholas. “Project Based Learning and the Great Gatsby.” The Nerdy Teacher, May 3, 2016.
www.thenerdyteacher.com/2016/05/project-based-learning-and-great-gatsby.html.

When citing something that doesn’t have a title, it is acceptable to include a brief description of the source.
Only capitalize the first letter in the first word of the description. Do not italicize or place the description in
quotation marks.

Example of an MLA 8th edition citation with no title:

Kirschner, Ariel. Purple diagonal stripes painting. King Townhouse, New York.

When citing posts on social media, such as a Tweet, the title is the full posting, placed in quotation marks. For
e-mail messages, the subject of the message is used as the title and placed in italics.

Examples of an MLA 8th edition citation for tweets:

@BilldeBlasio. “A union gathers its strength from its workers. So does a company. I commend @Verizon and
its employees for coming to a tentative agreement.” Twitter, 1 June 2016, 8:30 a.m.,
www.twitter.com/BilldeBlasio/status/737964964066004992.

Taparia, Neal. “Team Meeting Reminder for Tomorrow.” Received by Michele Kirschenbaum, 4 May 2016.

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How to Format the Title of the Container in MLA 8

Titles do not always stand alone. They are often found in a larger whole, or a container. Here are some
examples of containers:

A chapter is placed in a container, which is the book it sits in.

A song is placed in a container, which is the album it is on
A television episode is placed in a container, which is the name of the show
An online article sits in a container, which is the website

It is important to include the title of the container as it provides necessary information to help the reader locate
the information themselves.

When a source has a container, place the title of the work in quotation marks and add a period directly
afterwards. For the container, place it in italics and add a comma.

Examples of MLA 8th edition citations with containers:

Kivisto, Peter. “Marxism after Marx.” Key Ideas in Sociology, 3rd ed., 2011, pp. 28-33.

Rihanna. “Don’t Stop the Music.” Good Girl Gone Bad, track 3, Def Jam, 2007.

“Walk of Punishment.” Game of Thrones, season 3, episode 3, HBO, 14 Apr. 2013.

Ferlazzo, Larry. “Statistic of the Day: Many Students are Chronically Absent.” Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the
Day, 10 June 2016, www.larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2016/06/10/statistic-of-the-day-many-students-are-
chronically-absent/.

There are instances when a source can sit in more than one container. It is possible to have two containers.

Here are some examples:

For a scholarly article, the first container is the title of the journal, the second container is the title of the
database.
For a television show watched online, the first container is the title of the show, the second container is the title
of the web site that the show was watched on.

It is necessary to include information about both containers.

When formatting a citation with two containers, use the following template:

Author. Title of source. Title of first container, Other contributors, Version, Numbers, Publisher,
Publication date, Location. Title of second container, Other contributors, Version,
Numbers, Publisher, Publication Date, Location.

If any parts of the above citation are irrelevant to the reader, omit them from the citation.

Examples of MLA 8th edition citations for sources with two containers:

Rossetti, Christina. “Caterpillar.” The Random House Book of Poetry for Children: A Treasury of 572 Poems
for Today’s Child, Random House, 1982, p. 76. Google Books,
books.google.com/books?id=zLF_sKMUYS8C&lpg=PP1&dq=poetry&pg=PA76#v=onepage&q=poetry&f=fal
se.

In the above example, “Caterpillar” is the title of the poem, The Random House Book of Poetry for Children: A
Treasury of 572 Poems for Today’s Child is the first container, and Google Books is the second container.

Notice that the title of the source is placed in quotation marks, while the titles of the first and second containers
are placed in italics.

Here are a few more examples:

Stemmer, John, et al. “Investigating the Relationship of Library Usage to Student Outcomes.” College &
Research Libraries, vol. 7, no. 3, May 2016, pp. 359-375. ERIC, dx.doi.org/10.5860/crl.77.3.359

Alesso. “Tear the Roof Up.” Forever, 2015, track 4. Spotify,

open.spotify.com/track/2ze8tFyaI1W6db1pJBWBGq

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How to Format Other Contributors in MLA 8:

While it is generally just the author of a work that is included in a citation, there can be times when there are
other contributors that can be included, especially when their work played a large role in your research. “Other
contributors” can include directors, performers, editors, translators, and many other roles.

When including another contributor in a citation, first include the role of that individual, add the word “by” and
then place their name in standard form (First name Last name).

Some possible examples of contributors include phrases such as:

translated by
directed by
produced by
illustrated by

Examples of MLA 8th edition citations for sources with more than one contributor:

“Daddy’s Home.” Full House, performance by Bob Saget, season 1, episode 6, ABC, 30 Oct. 1987.

Baum, L. Frank. “The Wizard of Oz.” Audible, narrated by Anne Hathaway, Audible Studios, 8 Mar. 2012,
www.audible.com/pd?asin=B007BR5KZA&action_code=AUDORWS0424159DCE

Bessen, James, and Alessandro Nuvolari. “Knowledge Sharing Among Investors: Some Historical
Perspectives.” Revolutionizing Innovation: Users, Communities, and Open Innovation, edited by Dietmar
Harhoff and Karim R. Lakhani, MIT Press, 2016, pp. 135-156. Google Books,
books.google.com/books?id=RMqrCwAAQBAJ&lpg=PP1&dq=edited%20book&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=f
alse.

It is acceptable to include more than one contributor. In fact, it is acceptable to include many contributors if
they all played an important part in your research. . You may want to include a performer and a director, or an
editor and a translator, or two performers.

Examples:

Titanic. Directed by James Cameron, performance by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, Paramount
Pictures, 1997.

Puff Daddy and the Family. “Victory.” No Way Out, performance by The Notorious B.I.G and Busta Rhymes,
Bad Boy, 1997, Track 2.

——————————————————————————————————————————

How to Format the Version in MLA 8:

Sources can be released in different versions, or forms. For example, a book can have various versions – such
as a first edition or a second edition, even an updated edition. A song can have an extended version or a radio
edit. A movie can have an unrated or an uncut version. It is important to communicate to the reader which
version was used to help them locate the exact source themselves.

For books, the version can often be found on the front cover or on the verso page. If it is a numbered edition,
type out the numeral and use the abbreviation “ed.” for edition.

If no specific version is mentioned or located, omit this information from the citation.

Examples of MLA 8 edition citations for sources with various versions:

Weinberger, Norman M. “The Auditory System and Elements of Music” The Psychology of Music, edited by
Diana Deutsch, 2nd ed., Academic Press, 1999, p.61. Google Books,
books.google.com/books?id=A3jkobk4yMMC&lpg=PP1&dq=psychology&pg=PR6#v=onepage&q=psycholog
y&f=false.

JFK. Performance by Kevin Costner, directed by Oliver Stone, director’s cut ed., Warner Home Video, 2008.

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How to Format Numbers in MLA 8:

There are times when sources are given a number. For example, a print encyclopedia, which is part of a set,
often has a volume number. In addition, lengthy books are sometimes split into a few volumes. Comic books,
magazines, and journal issues are often given a volume number AND an issue number. Television episodes are
often numbered, as well as their seasons, too.

If a book is given a volume number, it can generally be found on the spine, cover, or on the title page. Comic
books, magazines, and journals often have their volume number and issue number printed on the front cover.
For television show episodes and seasons, this information can usually be found on the packaging or by
clicking on the information while watching the show.

For volume numbers, use the abbreviation “vol.” and for issue numbers, use the abbreviation “no” in the
citation.

Examples of MLA 8 edition citations for sources that are numbered:

Fillipponi, Piero, and Herta T. Freitag. “For an Arbitrary Argument.” Applications of Fibonacci Numbers,
Edited by G. E. Bergum, et al., vol. 4, Springer Science and Business Media, 1990, pp. 91-98. Google Books,
books.google.com/books?id=bszoCAAAQBAJ&lpg=PR1&dq=volume%20numbers&pg=PR5#v=onepage&q=
volume%20numbers&f=false.

Sadler, Philip M., and Gerhard Sonnert. “Understanding Misconceptions: Teaching and Learning in Middle
School Physical Science.” American Educator, vol. 40, no. 1, American Federation of Teachers, 2016, pp. 26-
32.

Kanigher, Robert. “Stone Slayer.” Wonder Woman, illustrated by Harry G. Peter, vol. 1, no. 65, DC Comics,
April 1954.

“Thirsty Bird.” Orange is the New Black, directed by Jodie Foster, season 2, episode 1, Netflix, 6 June 2014.

——————————————————————————————————————————

How to Format the Publisher in MLA 8:

The publisher is the company that was responsible for making the work available. There are numerous
publishing companies that are responsible for the creation and the release of books, movies, television shows,
and other sources. Web sites are often published by many different types of organizations and companies, such
as museums or government agencies.

To locate the publisher of a book, look at the bottom of the title page or on the verso page. For films and
television shows, the publisher can often be found on the packaging or in the credits. For web sites, the name of
publisher is often next to the copyright symbol at the bottom of the page.

Here are some examples of how to include the publisher in an MLA 8 edition citation:

How to cite a book in MLA 8:

Grissom, Kathleen. The Kitchen House. Touchstone, 2010.

Touchstone is the name of the publisher for the book.

There are times when it is not necessary to include the publisher in a citation. For web sites, when the name of
the site matches the name of the publisher, omit the publisher from the citation. This prevents the same
information from being displayed twice in a citation. Also, it is not necessary to include the publisher for any
magazines, periodicals, or journals. Often, the name of those sources match the name of the publisher.
Example of how to cite an article on a blog in MLA 8 (when the publisher matches one of the other components
of the citation)

Chan, Magdalene. “Volunteering with NYC Department for the Aging.” New York Public Library, 29 June
2016, www.nypl.org/blog/2016/06/29/volunteering-nyc-dfta.

In the above example, the New York Public Library is the name of the web site, but also the name of the
organization responsible for publishing the content. Therefore, New York Public Library was only included
once in the citation.

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How to Format the Publication Date in MLA 8:

The publication date, which is the date that the source was released, is a necessary component of an MLA 8
edition citation. Including this information helps the reader locate the specific source that was used, as often
times there are numerous versions of sources that are released at different times.

When including the date of publication, there aren’t any set rules to how the date should be input into the
citation. For example, you can use May 5, 2016 or 5 May 2016. What does matter is consistency. Whichever
way the date is placed in one citation, the same format should be used in the other citations in your project.

Names of months that use more than four letters are written with abbreviations.

Examples:
Jan.
Sept.
Nov.

In addition, sometimes the day and month might not be featured on a source. Include the information that is
readily available.

Example of how to cite a movie in MLA 8:

Ratatouille. Directed by Brad Bird, Pixar, June 29, 2007.

——————————————————————————————————————————

How to Format the Location in MLA 8:

It’s often helpful to include the exact location of where you found your information so that the reader can locate
it themselves. For example, let’s say that you used a quote from a book in your project. If the reader wanted to
find the quote for themselves, it would be helpful to include the page number in the citation. Or, if you were to
use a cover story from a magazine, including the page ranges helps the reader easily find the information.
Additionally, web site addresses are extremely helpful to include.

When including a page or page range in your citation, use the abbreviation p. when including information about
one page, and use pp. when including a page range.

When including web site addresses in a citation, omit the http:// or https:// of the citation, since the reader can
assume that the beginning of the address includes that information.

Here are some examples of MLA 8 edition citations that include locations:

Mohr, Nicholasa. El Bronx Remembered: A Novella and Stories. Harper Trophy, 1975, p. 87.
Szabo, Liz. “Zika Could Hit People in Poverty Hardest.” USA Today, 30 June 2016,
www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/06/30/zika-could-hit-people-poverty-hardest/86358782/.

Since the following citation has two containers (the book itself and Google Books) there are two locations
included, a page range and a web site address:

Kipling, Rudyard. The Jungle Book. Everyman’s Library, 1994, pp. 27-28. Google Books,
www.books.google.com/books?id=Y3xXkWyQZggC&lpg=PP1&dq=the%20jungle%20book&pg=PA4#v=one
page&q=the%20jungle%20book&f=false.

——————————————————————————————————————————

How to Create In-Text Citations in MLA 8:

The overall purpose of in-text citations is to allow the reader to briefly see where the direct quote or paraphrase
came from, and to be able to identify it later on, as a full citation, in the works cited list.

As stated in the first part of this guide, when using a direct quote or paraphrase, place an in-text citation after
the borrowed information. Generally the in-text citation is found immediately following the direct quote or
paraphrase, but it is acceptable to insert it in a place, soon after, that allows for a natural pause while reading.

In-text citations are generally made up of two items: the author’s last name and the page number. If there isn’t
an author, use the first item in the full citation entry. Place the name of the author (or the first item found in the
full citation entry) and the page number in parentheses. Do not include any commas in between the two pieces
of information.

Example on an in-text citation found in the body of a project:

“Professor McGonagall’s voice trembled as she went on. ‘That’s not all. They’re saying he tried to kill the
Potter’s son, Harry. But – he couldn’t. He couldn’t kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they’re
saying that when he couldn’t kill Harry Potter, Voldemort’s power somehow broke – and that’s why he’s gone”
(Rowling 22).

In the works cited list, found at the end of the project, readers will be able to see the full citation in its entirety,
and will be able to locate the source for themselves.

The full citation, on the works cited page, will look like this:

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Scholastic, 1999, p. 22.

How to format in-text citations for two authors:

When there are two authors, or coauthors, add both names to the in-text citation, with the word and between the
two names.

Example:

(Johnson and Selleck 44)

How to format in-text citations for three authors or more:

For three or more authors, include the last name of the first author listed on the source. After the first author’s
last name, place et al. afterwards. This is a Latin term which means “and others.”

Example of an in-text citation for three or more authors:

(Chan et al. 134)

How to format an in-text citation for corporate authors:

When adding an in-text citation for corporate authors, place the name of the corporation or organization in
parentheses, followed by the page number. If there is a common abbreviation in the name of the corporation, it
is acceptable to use the abbreviated term:

Examples of in-text citations with corporate authors:

(American Lung Association 14)

(Penn. Dept. of Motor Vehicles 62)

When an author’s name is not listed in the full citation, use the title in the in-text citation. It is acceptable to
shorten or abbreviate the title. If the title starts with A, An, or The, exclude it from the in-text citation and
include the first main word.

Examples:

Full title: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

In-Text citation: (Tree Grows in Brooklyn)

Full title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

In-Text citation: (Harry Potter)

How to format page numbers in in-text citations:

For page numbers, use the same style that the source uses. If a source is numbered using Roman numerals, in
the in-text citation, use Roman numerals for the page number.

Example:

(Franklin IV)

(Wall Street Journal B8)

When it comes to e-books, it can be difficult to determine the page number. Furthermore, the page number on
one type of e-reader, such as a Kindle, might differ on another e-reader, like a Nook. Exclude page numbers
from in-text citations if the page numbers differ across devices. Only include the page number from an e-book
if it is consistent with other readers. It is acceptable to use a chapter number or division number if it is stable
across devices.

Example:

(Rowling ch. 1)
MLA Format: Everything You Need to Know Here
4.1
(509)

Welcome to an overview of “What is MLA Format?” in relation to paper formatting. You’ll find in-depth
guidelines, examples, and visual samples to help you easily format your paper.

This guide does not serve as a reference for MLA citation format. For help determining the proper structure for
citing, refer to the other guides on EasyBib.com. Here is another informative site which may help with further
understanding of MLA citation format.

Guide Overview

There are various sections in this guide. Each section provides an in-depth overview of the different
components to keep in mind when developing an MLA paper.

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This guide includes the following sections:

1. Format background
2. Quick guidelines
3. Paper choice
4. MLA heading format & Title page instructions
5. Running head & Page numbers
6. Margins
7. Paragraphs
8. Quotations
9. Paraphrases
10.Spacing
11.Font and Font Size
 12.Punctuation
13.Abbreviations
14.Numbers (includes the use of numbers in MLA outline format)
15.Images, Tables, and Musical Scores
16.Lists
17.MLA works cited format
18.MLA citation format (for in-depth citation rules visit this MLA citation guide or MLA
in-text citation guide)
19.Binding
20.Edits & Proofreading
21.Submission
22.Sample Papers

If you need more guidance, a website like EasyBib.com usually has guides and tools to help you out. There’s
also resources on other resources, like our guide on “APA works cited”, otherwise known as a “References”
page.

1. Format Background

The Modern Language Association (MLA) is an organization responsible for developing MLA format. It was
developed as a means for researchers, students, and scholars in the literature and language fields to use a
uniform way to format their papers and assignments. This uniform, or consistent, method to developing a paper
or assignment allows for easy reading. Today, MLA is not only used in literature and language subject areas;
many others have adopted it as well.

The Modern Language Association released the 8th and most current edition of their MLA Handbook in April
2016. The Handbook provides thorough instructions on citing, as well as guidelines for submitting work that
adheres to the Modern Language Association’s rules and standards. Although we’re not affiliated with the
MLA, our citation specialists bring you this thoughtful and informative guide on the format.

Looking for information about previous editions to the Handbook? Want to learn more about the origin of
“What is MLA format?” Click here to learn about the previous editions to the Handbook.

For a visual guide to MLA 8 citations, see our infographic.

Actually, are you looking for help on using another style? See how to cite an APA journal, learn to create an
APA book citation, and more!

2. Quick Guidelines

Here are general guidelines that apply to your entire paper. These guidelines come from the MLA Style
Center’s web page “Formatting a Research Paper.”

1. Use white 8 ½ x 11” paper

2. Make 1 inch margins on the top, bottom, and sides
3. The first word in every paragraph should be indented one half inch
4. Indent set-off quotations one inch from the left margin
5. Use any type of font that is easy to read, such as Times New Roman. Make sure that
italics look different from the regular typeface.
 6. Use 12 point size
7. Double space the entire research paper, even the works cited page
8. Leave one space after periods and other punctuation marks, unless your instructor tells
you to leave two spaces

You can either create a title page using the EasyBib Title Page creator or omit the title page completely and use
a header.

Header

To create a header for your first page, follow these steps:

 Begin one inch from the top of the first page and flush with the left margin.
 Type your name, your instructor’s name, the course number, and the date on separate
lines, using double spaces between each.
 Double space once more and center the title. Do NOT underline, bold, or type the title in
all capital letters. Only italicize words that would normally be italicized in the text.
Example: Character Development in The Great Gatsby
 Do not place a period after the title or after any headings
 Double space between the title and first lines of the text

Read on more details on formatting in the Modern Language Association style and an example paper.
3. Paper Choice

While many professors, instructors, and publications allow electronic submission, some prefer printed, hard
copies of papers. This section focuses on the type of paper to use for printed submission. If you’re submitting
your assignment electronically, see section 19, titled “Submission.”

If you choose to print your paper, use white paper only. Do not use ivory, off-white, or any other shades or
colors.

Choose a standard, high quality paper to print your project on. Do not use cardstock. It is not necessary to use
resume paper. Use typical, high quality printer or copy paper.

When it comes to size, 8 ½-by-11-inch paper is the recommended size. If you’d like to use a different size, ask
your teacher prior to submission.

4. MLA Heading & Title Page Instructions

The web page “Formatting a Research Paper” gives two options when it comes to creating the header for your
project:

1. An MLA format heading can be placed at the top of the first page, or,
2. A title page can grace the front of the assignment. If you choose to create a title page,
keep in mind that there aren’t any official title page or cover page guidelines. See more
information below.

If choosing option 1, creating an MLA heading, you’ll need to include four main components:

 Your full name

 Your instructor’s name
 The name of the course or class
 The assignment’s due date

The first item typed on the paper should be your full name.

1. Position your name one inch from the top and left margins of the page.
2. Add a double space beneath your name, and type the name of your instructor.
3. Below the professor, or instructor’s name, should be a double space, followed by the
name of the course, class, or section number (if available).
4. Below it, include another double space and add the assignment’s due date (Day Month
Year).

Here’s an example:
The assignment’s title should be placed below the due date, after a double space. Align the title so it sits in the
center of the MLA format paper. The title should be written in standard lettering, without underlines, bold font,
italicized font, or any quotation marks. Only include italics if your title includes the title of another source.

There should be NO:

 Underlining
 Bold font
 Quotation marks

Here is an example of an MLA header for an MLA format essay, paper, or assignment:

Neal E. Bibdarsh

Professor Haujeemoto

English 201

2 Nov 2017

The Trials and Tribulations of Lincoln’s Reciting of The Gettysburg Address

Title Page

Most research papers use a standard MLA format heading, like the one seen above. If your instructor requires
you to create a standalone title page, ask him or her for specifications. MLA does not have specific instructions
for developing an MLA title page. We recommend you use an MLA header for your project.

If your teacher or professor requires a standalone title page, but has not provided any guidance or
specifications, here are a few suggestions from EasyBib.com:
 1. Place the title of the assignment in the center of the page. Do not bold the title, italicize
the entire title, place quotation marks around it, or type the title out in capital letters.
2. Use italics for the titles of any sources in the title of your paper. Example: An Analysis of
Mythical Creatures in the Harry Potter Series
3. The title should be written in title case form. Capitalize the:
1. first letter of the title
2. first letter of the last word
3. first letter of any adjectives, adverbs, nouns, pronouns, and verbs
4. Add the same information from the header (your name, the name of your instructor, the
name of the course or class, and the assignment’s due date) and center the information in
the middle of the paper below the title.
5. Double space the entire page.
6. Keep the font size at 12 pt., or a size close to it, to make it look professional.
7. Use the same font as the text of the paper. The Modern Language Association
recommends any font that is easy to read and has a clear distinction between italics and
standard font. Times New Roman and Arial are recommended, but many other fonts
work as well.
8. Include a page number in the top right corner of the paper. For more information on how
to style page numbers, check out the next section, “Running Head and Page Numbers.”
9. We do not recommend adding any images or cover art to the title page.

Click additional information about essays to see an example of a formatted header.

5. Running Head & Page Numbers

A running head is a brief heading that is placed in the top right corner of every page in a project. The Modern
Language Association Style Center (online) states that the running head consists of:

 Last name of the paper’s author

 Page number

Here is an example of a running head that might be seen in the top right corner of a research paper:

Peterson 7

The running head is placed half an inch from the top margin and one inch from the right margin of the page.

Do not place the word “page,” or use an abbreviation, such as p. or pg., before the page number.

General tips to keep in mind:

 Placed in the upper right-hand corner, one half inch from the top, flush with the right
margin.
 Type your last name before the page number. (To make this process easier, set your word
processor to automatically add the last name and page number to each page).
 Do not place p. before the page number.
 Many instructors do not want a page number on the first page. Ask your instructor for
their specific preferences.
  Quite often, the running head begins on the second page, but your instructor may ask you
to include the running head on the first page of the assignment. As always, if your
instructor provides you with specific directions, follow his or her guidelines.

Before adding this information manually onto every single page, check to see if the word processor you’re
using has the capability to automatically add this information for you. Try looking in the settings area where
page numbers or headers can be added or modified.

Google Docs: Adding a header

1. Go to the menu section “Insert.”

2. Select “Page numbers” and select the option that places the page number in the upper-
right corner.
3. A page number will appear; your cursor will blink next to it.
4. Move your cursor to the left of the page number.
5. Type your last name. Add a space between your name and the page number.
6. You should now have a properly formatted header on every page!

Microsoft Word Document: Adding a header

1. Go to the menu section “Insert.”

2. Select “Page numbers” and select the option that places the page number in the upper-
right corner.
3. Either:
1. Double-click in the space at the top of the page (where the page number is.
2. OR Go to the “Insert” menu, select “Header,” select “Edit Header.”
4. Type your last name next to page number.
1. If it isn’t already right-aligned, go to the “Home” menu and right-align your name.
5. You should now have a properly formatted header on every page!

6. Margins

Use one-inch margins around the entire page. The running head should be the only item seen in the one inch
margin (see above for more on running heads).

Most word processing programs automatically default to using one inch margins. Check the page settings
section of the program to locate the margin size.
Learn more on justified wording and other guidelines. Note: the instructions in this link follow the 7th edition
of the Handbook. The same justification rules apply in the 8th edition. If your professor requests you use 7th
edition guidelines for your work cited page, click here for more information.

Additionally, here’s more on margins.

7. Paragraphs

Indent the first word in every paragraph. Sentences should begin one half inch from the left margin.

It is not necessary to manually measure half an inch. Use the “tab” button on the keyboard to create a half inch
space.

Like all other sections of the assignment, paragraphs should be double spaced.

8. Quotations

Quotes are added into assignments to help defend an argument, prove a point, add emphasis, or simply liven up
a project.

Quotes should not take up the majority of your paper or assignment. Quotes should be sprinkled sparingly
throughout. Use direct quotes from outside sources to enhance and expand on your own writing and ideas.

Words from quotes belong to the individual who spoke or wrote them, so it is essential to credit that
individual’s work. Credit him or her by adding what is called an “in-text citation” into the body of the project.

There are three ways to add quotes:

1. With the person’s name in the sentence.

Example:

Dan Gutman shares a glimpse into the overall plot by stating, “I didn’t know it at the time, but a baseball
card—for me—could function like a time machine” (5).

In the above example, Dan Gutman is the author of the book that this quote is pulled from.

2. Without the person’s name in the sentence

Example:

The main character’s confusing experience is realized and explained when he states “I didn’t know it at the
time, but a baseball card—for me—could function like a time machine” (Gutman 5).

In the above example, Dan Gutman’s name isn’t included in the sentence. It’s included in the parentheses at the
end of the sentence. This is an example of a proper MLA style citation in the body of a project.
3. In a block quote, which is used when a large quote, of 4 lines or more, is added into a project.

Using footnotes and endnotes:

The Modern Language Association generally promotes the use of references as described in the sections above,
but footnotes and endnotes are also acceptable forms of references to use in your paper.

Footnotes and endnotes are helpful to use in a variety of circumstances. Here are a few scenarios when it may
seem appropriate to use this type of referencing:

 When you are referring to a number of various sources, by various authors, in a section
of your paper. In this situation, it is a good idea to use a footnote or endnote to share
information for parenthetical references. This will encourage the reader to stay focused
on the text of the research paper, instead of having to read through all of the reference
information.
 When you are sharing additional information that doesn’t quite fit into the scope of the
paper, but is beneficial for the reader. These types of footnotes and endnotes are helpful
when explaining translations, adding background information, or sharing
counterexamples to research.

To include a footnote or endnote, add a superscript number at the end of the sentence the footnote or endnote
refers to. They can be included mid-sentence if necessary, but be sure to add it after any punctuation, such as
commas or periods. Find a location that doesn’t distract the reader from the content and flow of the paper.

Here’s an example:

Within the text:

Numerous well-known children’s books include characters from a wide range of races and ethnicities, thus
promoting diversity and multiculturalism.¹

At the bottom of the page (footnote) or at the end of the section (endnote):

¹See Isadora, Parr, and Velazquez. While Parr’s work features characters of various colors, such as pink or blue,
children easily correlate it with individuals of different races and ethnicities.

On the last page of the assignment, the writer includes the full references for the books by Isadora, Parr, and
Velazquez.

For more on block quotes and a further, detailed explanation on the use of quotes, including MLA footnotes,
refer to our MLA In-Text Citation and Parenthetical Citations Guide. In this guide you’ll find further
information including directions for the use of quotes without an author, page numbers, and how to properly
credit work from electronic sources.

Need further help with quotes or examples? Learn more about the style in the news. For guides on citations in
another style, check out APA parenthetical citation and APA in-text citation.
9. Paraphrases

Paraphrases are created when text or speech from another source are added into a project, but the writer chooses
to summarize them and weave in his or her own writing and writing style.

Even though the writer modifies the information from another source, it is still necessary to credit the source
using proper format (Handbook 9). Paraphrased information uses the same MLA reference format as stated in
the section directly above this one.

Here is an acceptable paraphrase:

Original text:

“Stay hungry. Stay foolish.” Steve Jobs

Paraphrase:

Steve Jobs encouraged students at Stanford to continue with their determination, drive, and ambitious behavior.
They should never be simply satisfied with the status quo. They should continue to push themselves despite
possible obstacles and failures.

To develop a well-written paraphrase, follow these simple, step-by-step instructions.

1. Find a phrase, sentence, paragraph, or section of original text you’d like to turn into a
paraphrase.
2. Read the text carefully and make sure you fully comprehend its meaning. A writer can
only develop a well-written paraphrase if the information has been fully grasped and
understood. If you’re having difficulty understanding the information, take a few minutes
to read up on tricky words and background information. If all else fails, ask a friend to
see if they’re able to make sense of the concepts.
3. After analyzing and completely understanding the original text, put it to the side. Take a
moment to think about what you’ve read and connect the idea to your own assignment.
4. Now that the information is completely understood, take a moment to rewrite what
you’ve read, in your own words and writing style. Do not simply substitute words in the
original text with synonyms. That’s plagiarism! Show off and demonstrate your ability to
process the original information, connect it to the content in your paper, and write it in
your own individual and unique writing style.
5. Include an in-text reference next to the paraphrase. All paraphrases include references,
similar to direct quotes. See section 6 of this guide to learn how to properly attribute your
paraphrased information.
6. Give yourself a pat on the back! Paraphrasing is an important part of the research and
writing process.

Wondering if it’s better to quote or paraphrase?

An essential part of the research process involves adding direct quotes and paraphrases into projects. Direct
quotes provide word-for-word evidence and allow writers to use another author’s eloquent words and language
in their own projects. When it comes to paraphrases, writers are able to take a block of text and shrink the scope
of it into the their papers. Paper writers can also use paraphrases to demonstrate their ability to analyze and
reiterate information in a meaningful and relevant way.
If you’re wondering which one is better to consistently use, quotes or paraphrases, there’s a clear winner.
Paraphrases come out on top. Sure, direct quotes are incredibly beneficial, but copying and pasting too many of
these into a project can cause a reader to lose sight of the writer’s own voice. Mixing your own voice with
another author’s too much can make for choppy and disjointed reading.

The ultimate goal of a research project is to have your voice and research merged together as one. Paraphrases
allow just that. When you combine information from outside sources with your own writing style, it
demonstrates your ability as a researcher to showcase your understanding and analyzation of a topic.

Remember, whether you’re adding direct quotes or paraphrases into a project, both types of additions need
references. References are placed after the quotes and paraphrases, and also at the end of an assignment.

10. Spacing

MLA research paper format requires that the entire research paper or MLA format essay includes double-
spaced lines. Double-spaced lines should be found in between the written body of the work, in the heading, and
also on the MLA reference page.

While it may seem tempting to place a few extra lines between the heading, title, and beginning of the paper,
lines should all be double spaced.

11. Font and Font Size

In an MLA paper, it is acceptable to use any font type that is easy to read. Many source types, such as books
and articles, use fonts that are easy to read, so if you’re seeking an appropriate font style, look at other sources
for guidance. Two of the most commonly used fonts are Arial and Times New Roman.

It is important for the reader to be able to distinguish the difference between italicized and regular font, so if
you choose a font style different than Arial or Times New Roman, make sure the difference between the two
type styles is evident.

The use of a 12-point font size is recommended as this is the default size for many word processing programs.
It is acceptable to use another standard size, such as 11-point or 11.5-point.

12. Punctuation

Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind in relation to punctuation marks.

Commas: Use commas when it makes sense for individuals to pause while reading or to help with
understanding.

Concluding Sentences: When closing out a sentence with the use of a punctuation mark, begin the following
sentence after one space, not two spaces.

Quotes: When including a quote in your paper or assignment, place the period outside of the parentheses, at the
end of the entire sentence.

Here is an example:

“One good thing about music, when it hits you feel no pain” (Marley).
Notice that the period is on the outside of the parentheses, not at the end of the quote itself.

If you’re looking for additional help with your punctuation or grammar, check out the EasyBib plagiarism
checker!

13. Abbreviations

Abbreviations are commonly used in many source types including websites, blog posts, books, and journal
articles. It is acceptable to use abbreviations in all of these sources. When it comes to school and research
assignments however, the Modern Language Association Handbook states that abbreviations to rarely be used
(95). Spelling out abbreviations into their full words and meaning is recommended. This ensures understanding
and avoids any confusion. Instead of coming across choppy abbreviations, readers can follow the natural flow
of the language in the paper.

There are times when you may feel it is perfectly acceptable to use an abbreviation rather than its typed out
counterpart in a paper.

When including abbreviations, do not place periods in between capital letters.

Examples:

 Human Immunodeficiency Virus can be abbreviated to HIV, not H.I.V.

 United States should be US, not U.S.
 Digital video disc should be DVD, not D.V.D.

For lower case abbreviations, it is acceptable to include periods between the letters.

The abbreviation, “For example” = e.g.

If there is a mix of lower case and upper case letters, do not use periods if the majority of the letters are upper
case.

Examples:

 PhD
 EdD

Months

Type out entire month names when being used in the body of a research paper or assignment. Example:

She rented out the beach house from May through September.

When it comes to references, MLA bibliography format requires months longer than four letters to be
abbreviated.

Example:
  July = July
 November = Nov.

For more information on bibliographies, see our MLA format Works Cited List page.

Other abbreviations that are perfectly acceptable to use in a bibliography (not the body of a project) include:

 p. or pp. for page and page numbers

 ch. for chapter
 ed. for edition
 trans. for translation or translated
 vol. for volume
 no. for number
 rev. for revised

Again, these abbreviations should only be used in the final page of a project, the MLA reference page. They
should not be used in the body of a project.

Publishers

One of the quirkiest things about this particular style is how publisher names are structured on the final page of
references. Certain words are abbreviated and other words are written in full.

Here’s a breakdown of the words that are always abbreviated for work cited:

 U = University
 Co. = Company
 Inc. = Incorporated
 Ltd. = Limited
 P = Press

Here are a few examples:

 U of Delaware
 Constable and Co. Ltd.
 Pimlico Books at Random House
 U College of London P

All other words related to the names of publishers should be written out in full

Titles

Certain classical and biblical works are abbreviated in a bibliography, but also in any references in the text that
are in parentheses.

The official handbook provides a lengthy list, spanning over multiple pages, of the preferred abbreviations to
use for classical and biblical works (Handbook 97-101), but here’s a quick snapshot of some of the commonly
used ones:
Hebrew Bible or Old Testament = OT

 Deut. = Deuteronomy
 Gen. = Genesis
 Lev. = Leviticus
 Num. = Numbers
 Ps. = Psalms

New Testament = NT

 1 Cor. = 1 Corinthians
 Jas. = James
 Matt. = Matthew

Shakespeare:

 Ado = Much Ado about Nothing

 3H6 = Henry VI, Part 3
 JC = Julius Caesar
 Mac. = Macbeth
 MND = Midsummer Night’s Dream
 Oth. = Othello
 Rom. = Romeo and Juliet

Again, the titles above are allowed to be abbreviated both in references in parentheses in the body of a project
and also on the final page of references. If you’re wondering why, it’s because they’re cited often and it’s
unnecessary to type out the entire title names.

14. Numbers

Use of Numerals

If the project calls for frequent use of numbers (such as a scientific study or statistics), use numerals that
precede measurements.

Example:

 247 milligrams
 5 pounds

Other items to keep in mind:

In divisions, use numbers, ex: In page 5 of the study

In the next section, you’ll find instructions for using Arabic and roman numerals in a project.

Arabic Numbers
When including a number in a paper, spell out the number if it can be written as one word (such as six) or two
words (such as sixty two). For fractions, decimals, or longer numbers, type them out using digits. For larger
numbers, write the number itself (Handbook 92).

Here are a few examples:

 one
 2½
 three
 8½
 17.953
 eighteen
 twenty seven
 forty four
 one hundred
 101
 247
 5,306

If the number comes before a unit of measurement or label, type the number using digits.

 4 pounds
 8 tablespoons
 3 years
 9 chapters
 3 July 2018
 25 King Street
 5 a.m.
 5 o’clock

Outline Format

The Modern Language Association does not have any requirements regarding the structure of an outline. If
your teacher asks you to create an MLA outline, we recommend using roman numerals, capital and lowercase
letters, and numbers.

Here is an example of a recommended outline structure:

In addition to outlines, use roman numerals for suffixes

 King George IV
 Ramses III

More on Numbers

Starting a sentence with a number is generally frowned upon. Try modifying the sentence so that the number, or
number word, is found elsewhere.

Instead of:

225 children were found in the warehouse, some malnourished and diseased.

Use the sentence:

A total of 225 children were found in the warehouse, some malnourished and diseased.

If modifying the sentence is not possible or does not work well with the flow of the assignment or paper, type
out the written number:

Two hundred twenty five children were found in the warehouse, some malnourished and diseased.

Do not include any ISBN numbers in your paper.

15. Images, Tables, & Musical Scores

Photographs, data sets, tables, graphs, and other images are often added into projects or papers to promote or
aid understanding. They provide meaningful visuals for the reader. If the illustration or visual image does not
enhance the quality of the paper, do not include it in the project.

Tables and illustrations should be placed as close as possible to the text that they most closely refer to.

Images

For an image to be significant and easily identifiable, place it as close as possible to the text in the project
where it is discussed.

It is not acceptable to simply place an image in a project without including identifiable information. All images
must include information about its origin.

Here are the directions to properly attribute an image:

1. Create a label for the image or illustration and place it directly beneath the image. Begin
the label with the abbreviation “Fig.,” which is short for figure.
o Assign an Arabic number. The image closest to the beginning of the project should
be labeled as Fig. 1. The next image in the project should be Fig. 2. and so on.
2. Provide a caption. The caption should be a brief explanation, or title of the contents of
the image. Place the caption directly next to the label.
3. The label (fig,) and caption should appear underneath the illustration.
4. Immediately following the caption, it is acceptable to include attribution information. If
the image is not discussed further in the rest of the paper or project, it is acceptable to
include the MLA bibliography format citation below the image and omit it from the
bibliography or MLA format works cited page.
o Also, if the table or illustration’s caption gives complete information about the
source and the source isn’t cited in the text, there is no need to include the citation
in the works cited page.

In the text of the project or paper, place a parentheses at the end of the line where the figure is discussed, and
include the label.

Example 1:

In the text:
Sarah’s tattoo design was filled with two of her favorite flowers; lilies and daffodils along a thinly curved vine
(fig. 1).

Image formatting:

(Image Would Be Here)

Fig. 1. Sarah’s Tattoo; barneyWILLIAMSable, Deviant Art, 2011,

barneywilliamsable.deviantart.com/art/Sarah-s-Tattoo-design-193048938.

Example 2:

Fig. 1. White Studio. “Houdini and Jennie, the Elephant, Performing at the Hippodrome, New York.” Library
of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/96518833/.

Still wondering, “What is MLA format?” or need help with MLA citing format? There is further good
information here, including how to create an MLA format citation for images.

Tables

When adding a table or data set into a project, do not place the label “fig.” below the information. Instead,
above the data set, include the label, “Table.” Label tables with “Table,” give it an Arabic numeral, and title it.
This information should be located above the table, flush left, on separate lines.

The table’s title should be written in title case form (the first letter of each word is capitalized, except for small,
insignificant words).

Underneath the table, provide the source and any notes. Notes should be labeled with a letter, rather than a
numeral, so the reader is able to differentiate between the notes of the text and the notes of the table.

Use double spacing throughout.

The first table seen in the project is labeled as Table 1. The second table in the project is Table 2, and so on.

Create a title for the table and place it below the label.

Example 1:

Table 4

International Scholars from India Enrolled at Yale University:

Year India South Korea

2012-2013 191 126

2013-2014 200 123

2014-2015 197 116

 2015-2016 210 120

Source: “International Scholars Academic Year 2015-2016.” Yale University, Office of International Students
and Scholars, yale.app.box.com/v/scholar-2015-2016.
a. The numbers reflect students who are enrolled full-time.

The information included above and below any images or table should be double spaced, similar to the rest of
the project or paper.

Example 2:

Musical Scores

Musical scores need to be labeled as well. When including a musical score in a project, do not label it as a
figure or table. Instead, label musical scores with Ex. which is short for example. This label should be placed
below the musical score.

Next to the abbreviation Ex., assign it an Arabic numeral. The first musical score in the project should be
labeled as Ex. 1. The second musical score found in an assignment should be labeled as Ex. 2., and so on.

If possible, provide a caption. The label and caption should appear below the musical illustration.

If the information below the sheet music includes enough information about the source, it is not necessary to
include the full reference at the end of the assignment.

Here is an example of a possible label and caption:

Ex. 4. Scott Joplin, The Entertainer, piano, C major.

Another example:

Here’s more on tables and illustrations.

Next up, let’s explore lists.

16. Lists

It’s appropriate to add lists into an MLA format essay as long as the proper rules are followed.

Lists created using MLA essay format look different than a grocery list or any other type of vertical listing of
items. Items in a list are formatted in horizontal order, rather than the traditional vertical style.

Here is an example of how a list may look in a research project or assignment:

William Shakespeare wrote numerous plays, many of which were considered tragedies: Romeo & Juliet,
Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, Julius Caesar, and King Lear.

Notice the items are listed horizontally, not vertically. This is important to keep in mind when including lists in
a project.

Place a colon between the introductory sentence and the list. There are also times when a colon is not included.
Do not place a colon before the first list item if the list is part of the sentence.

Here is an example of how a list may look in a research project or assignment when the list is part of the
sentence:
Many of William Shakespeare’s were tragedies. Some of his most popular tragedies include Romeo & Juliet,
Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, Julius Caesar, and King Lear.

17. MLA Works Cited Format

EasyBib.com has a full, comprehensive guide to creating a proper works cited MLA format, but here are a few
items to keep in mind when developing this portion of a project:

1. The list of citations should be the very last page of a research project or essay
2. The top of the page should include the running head and the final page number
3. All entries should be placed in alphabetical order by the first item in the MLA format
citation
4. The entire page should be double spaced

For more detailed information, make sure to check out the EasyBib guide to MLA format works cited pages.

18. MLA Citation Format

The majority of this guide focuses on MLA formatting in regards to MLA paper format rules and guidelines. If
you’re seeking information related to the proper development of an MLA format citation, refer to our individual
pages and posts on various types of citations.

If you’re simply looking for the general structure for full references, which are found on the final pages of
projects, here’s the proper order:

Author’s Last name, Author’s First name. “Title of Source.” Title of Container, Names of other contributors
along with their specific roles, Version of the source (if it differs from the original or is unique), Any key
numbers associated with the source that aren’t dates (such as journal issue numbers or volume numbers), Name
of the Publisher, Publication date, Location (such as the location of specific page numbers or a website’s
address).

MLA Format Citing FAQs:

“What in the world are containers?”

Containers are what hold the source. If you’re creating a reference for a chapter in a book, the title of the
chapter is the title of the source, and the container is the title of the book. The book holds the chapter, so it’s the
container. If you’re searching for how to cite a website, here’s a tip: the title of the source is the name of the
individual page and the title of the container is the name of the full website.

“This seems like a lot of information for a reference. Is it all necessary?”

The short answer is “No!” When citing, only include the components that help the reader locate the exact same
source themselves.

It isn’t necessary to go digging for items such as random numbers, version types, or names of other individuals
or contributors associated with the source. If you think it’s beneficial for the reader, then include it.

Related to citations, here are helpful pages on:

 MLA citation website format

  Citing a book
 Citing a journal
 What a DOI is
 More on PDFs

If you’re looking for an MLA citation generator, head to the EasyBib homepage. Our formatter will help you
create citations quickly and easily!

Need APA, too? There are also EasyBib tools and an APA citation website reference guide to help you learn
the basics.

19. Binding

Some professors or instructors will provide guidance on how to secure hard copies of projects. If your instructor
does not provide you with any expectations or guidance, a simple staple in the top left corner should suffice. If
a stapler is not available, some instructors allow paper or binder clips.
Do not fold the top left corner down to secure the pages together. The page could easily unfold, causing a mess
of papers. While binders and plastic holders are cute, in reality, they add bulk to a professor or instructor who
may like to take the papers home for grading purposes. Keep the binding simple and clean. Staples work best,
and binder and paper clips are the next best option.

As always, follow any instructions your professor or teacher may provide. The guidelines found here are simply
recommendations.

20. Edits and Proofreading

Editing and proofreading your assignment prior to submission is an incredibly important step in the research
process. Editing involves checking the paper for the following items:

1. Spelling: Are all words spelled correctly? Review all proper names, places, and other
unique words to ensure correct spelling. When finished, run the project through a spell
checker. Many word processing programs, such as Microsoft Word and Google Drive,
provide a free spell checking feature. While spell checks are beneficial, they do not
always spot every mistake, so make sure you take the time to read through the
assignment carefully. If you’re still not sure if your project contains proper spelling, ask a
friend to read through it. They may find a mistake you missed!
2. Grammar: Check your assignment to make sure you’ve included proper word usage.
There are numerous grammar checkers available to review your project prior to
submission. Again, take the time to review any recommendations from these programs
prior to accepting the suggestions and revisions.
3. Punctuation: Check to make sure the end of every sentence has an ending punctuation
mark. Also make sure commas, hyphens, colons, and other punctuation marks are placed
in the appropriate places.
4. Attribution: Do all quotes and paraphrases include a citation? Did you create an in-text
citation for each individual piece of information?

21. Submission

Follow your instructor’s guidelines for submitting your assignment. Your instructor may ask you to submit a
hard copy, or submit it electronically via email or through a course management system.

Smart idea: running your paper through a paper checker before you turn it in. EasyBib Plus offers a checker that
scans for grammar errors and unintentional plagiarism.

22. Sample Papers

See below for an example paper or click below to download it as a Word Document.
The MLA header should be one inch from the top and left margins. The heading and the entire paper should be
double spaced.

Eli Yaffarabe

Professor Rapheor

GOVT 322

28 Aug 2018

Privatization of Prisons in Texas

The privatization of governmental services has increased dramatically in the past decade as local, state,
and federal agencies have searched for ways to cut costs while still meeting their mandated responsibility to
provide various public services. This privatizing trend has particularly affected the criminal justice system.
Since the early 1990s, privatized correctional facilities have increased significantly, nationally and statewide.
This policy has far-ranging consequences not only within the criminal justice system, but as an instructive
example for government officials when considering the costs and benefits of privatization as a public policy
option. By 2001, thirty states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico had privately-operated correctional
facilities (Austin and Coventry 4). This movement has incited considerable debate and controversy, mainly
because prison privatization calls for giving the private sector direct control over the lives of a captive human
population.

Surprisingly, there has been little objective and concrete analysis of the privatization of prisons in the
United States. This is probably for two reasons: first, ideological arguments on the matter have pushed out
substantive research, and second, because this trend has only recently accelerated in the U.S. and mainly on a
state level. However, case studies and statistics at the state level are more accessible. With capacity for over
30,000 prisoners in 43 facilities, the state of Texas has privatized more of its prison system than any state in the
nation (McDonald and Patten Jr. iv).

Yaffarabe 2

Public policy concerning the criminal justice system has become more daunting and important in the
last decade. The problems in the system are twofold: an overcrowding prison population, mainly due to “three
strikes” legislation and reducing early parole; and the costs of operating prisons with this growing population
(Austin and Coventry). According to the most recent U.S. Department of Justice survey, slightly over 2.2
million people were incarcerated in correctional facilities in this country in 2003. In comparison, in 1993, 1.37
million people were imprisoned in this country (Beck and Harrison 1).

At the same time, the growth of privately operated correctional facilities has increased significantly in
this country. Private prisons now hold 95,522 inmates in this country, which is 6.5 percent of total prisoners
(Beck and Harrison 5). In Texas, 16,570 inmates (10 percent of its prison population) are held in private
facilities, about 10,000 more than the next highest state. Furthermore, six states had at least 25 percent of their
prison population housed in private prisons, led by New Mexico (44%), Alaska (31%), and Montana (29%).
These current statistics show that while state governments have been forced to manage and operate
overcrowded and over-capacity prisons at considerable costs, many have turned to the private sector to operate
prisons (McDonald and Patten Jr.). According to the General Accounting Office, prison operating costs have
grown steadily since 1980, increasing almost 550 percent since 1980 based on inflation-adjusted dollars (Austin
and Coventry 1).
 Prison privatization started in the early 1980s, ostensibly to ease the burden on taxpayers by offering
financial relief to private companies to run state prisons. Thomas Beasley founded Corrections Corporation of
America in 1983, “the nation’s leader in the construction and management of private prisons” (Darling). That
year, Corrections Corporation of America set up the first privately-operated prison in Tennessee. Since then, the
number of private

Yaffarabe 3

correctional facility firms has grown to 14 (Austin and Coventry 3). The privatization of prisons occurs in two
ways. First, state government can contract out (or outsource) specific services in a correctional facility to a
private company after a bidding process. Second, and more radically, private companies build their own
privately-managed prisons and contract with state governments to house their inmates. This latter approach,
giving private correctional facility firms wide latitude over inmates, is taken in the Texas criminal justice
system. In fact, many of these privately operated facilities “have no relationship at all with the state
governments in these states, other than an obligation to pay corporate income taxes” (McDonald and Patten Jr.
v).

(Due to its length, the remainder of this sample paper is omitted).

Yaffarabe 4

Works Cited Page

Austin, James, and Garry Coventry. Emerging Issues on Privatized Prisons. Bureau of Justice Assistance, Feb.
2001, www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/bja/181249.pdf.

Beck, Allen J., and Paige Harrison. Prisoners in 2003. Bureau of Justice Statistics, Nov. 2004,
www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/p03.pdf.

McDonald, Douglas, and Carl Patten Jr. Governments’ Management of Private Prisons. Abt Associates, 15
Sept. 2003, www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/203968.pdf.

Darling, Michael. “Pitt News: University of Pittsburgh Shouldn’t Lend Its Name to Prison Privatization.”
CorpWatch, 15 Nov. 2004, corpwatch.org/article/pitt-news-univeristy-pittsburgh-shouldnt-lend-its-name-
prison-privatization.

Visual Sample Paper

Need another sample paper to peek at? Check out our second sample paper below. It is a helpful and clearly
labeled visual aid to refer to.

If you’ve been wondering how to produce a research paper that is strong in both formatting and writing, you’ve
come to the right place. The example research paper below is one that was written in college for a course on
the Inklings. The Inklings were a group of writers in England before WWII, including C.S. Lewis and J.R.R.
Tolkien.

The abbreviated MLA paper below (linked here without annotations) is about J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the
Rings and how the author used myth, story, and song to link all of his works together. Tolkien is famous for
creating a fantasy universe called Middle-earth, which readers can’t truly understand until they read all of the
books about Middle-earth (The Silmarillian, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings).
Since we’re here to learn how to format an essay, we’ve pointed out some important things about the paper to
help you write a correctly formatted essay.

For starters, the essay is in MLA format. That means it follows the style manual of the Modern Language
Association, which tells you how to format the paper itself and every source you cite. You’ll also see notes like
how long a paragraph should be, how to use commas properly, and how to correctly punctuate a title.

Pay special attention to the MLA format works cited. We only used one type of source (books), but both
citations are correct according to the 8th edition of MLA, published in 2016. When you’re writing your own
paper, you need to make sure you always use the most recent edition of the style manual. Whether you need
MLA, APA citations, or Chicago style notes, look up the latest edition before turning in a paper.
Looking for another MLA sample paper or an example of an MLA format heading? Learn more here. Also,
check out the EasyBib MLA Annotated Bibliography Guide.

Don’t forget to use the EasyBib citation generator to develop your Modern Language Association style
references.EasyBib.com also has helpful guides on APA format and more styles. Lastly, stay up-to-date on
what’s coming by following our EasyBib Twitter account.

Works Cited

“Formatting a Research Paper.” The MLA Style Center, Modern Language Association of America,
https://style.mla.org/formatting-papers/.

MLA Handbook. Modern Language Association of America, 2016.

Published October 31, 2011. Updated April 9, 2020.

Written and edited by Michele Kirschenbaum and Elise Barbeau. Michele Kirschenbaum is a school
library media specialist and the in-house librarian at EasyBib.com. You can find her here on Twitter. Elise
Barbeau is the Citation Specialist at Chegg. She has worked in digital marketing, libraries, and publishing.
MLA Formatting and Style Guide

The following overview should help you better understand how to cite sources using MLA eighth edition,
including how to format the Works Cited page and in-text citations.

Please use the example at the bottom of this page to cite the Purdue OWL in MLA. See also our MLA vidcast
series on the Purdue OWL YouTube Channel.

Cite your source automatically in MLA

Using citation machines responsibly

Powered by

Creating a Works Cited list using the eighth edition

MLA is a style of documentation that may be applied to many different types of writing. Since texts have
become increasingly digital, and the same document may often be found in several different sources, following
a set of rigid rules no longer suffices.

Thus, the current system is based on a few guiding principles, rather than an extensive list of specific rules.
While the handbook still describes how to cite sources, it is organized according to the process of
documentation, rather than by the sources themselves. This gives writers a flexible method that is near-
universally applicable.

Once you are familiar with the method, you can use it to document any type of source, for any type of paper, in
any field.

Here is an overview of the process:

When deciding how to cite your source, start by consulting the list of core elements. These are the general
pieces of information that MLA suggests including in each Works Cited entry. In your citation, the elements
should be listed in the following order:

1. Author.
2. Title of source.
3. Title of container,
4. Other contributors,
5. Version,
6. Number,
7. Publisher,
8. Publication date,
9. Location.

Each element should be followed by the corresponding punctuation mark shown above. Earlier editions of the
handbook included the place of publication and required different punctuation (such as journal editions in
parentheses and colons after issue numbers) depending on the type of source. In the current version,
punctuation is simpler (only commas and periods separate the elements), and information about the source is
kept to the basics.

Author
Begin the entry with the author’s last name, followed by a comma and the rest of the name, as presented in the
work. End this element with a period.

Bhabha, Homi K. The Location of Culture. Routledge, 1994.

Title of source

The title of the source should follow the author’s name. Depending upon the type of source, it should be listed
in italics or quotation marks.

A book should be in italics:

Henley, Patricia. The Hummingbird House. MacMurray, 1999.

An individual webpage should be in quotation marks. The name of the parent website, which MLA treats as a
"container," should follow in italics:

Lundman, Susan. "How to Make Vegetarian Chili." eHow, www.ehow.com/how_10727_make-vegetarian-

chili.html.*

A periodical (journal, magazine, newspaper) article should be in quotation marks:

Bagchi, Alaknanda. "Conflicting Nationalisms: The Voice of the Subaltern in Mahasweta Devi's Bashai Tudu."
Tulsa Studies in Women's Literature, vol. 15, no. 1, 1996, pp. 41-50.

A song or piece of music on an album should be in quotation marks. The name of the album should then follow
in italics:

Beyoncé. "Pray You Catch Me." Lemonade, Parkwood Entertainment, 2016,

www.beyonce.com/album/lemonade-visual-album/.

*The MLA eighth edition handbook recommends including URLs when citing online sources. For more
information, see the “Optional Elements” section below.

Title of container

Unlike earlier versions, the eighth edition refers to "containers," which are the larger wholes in which the
source is located. For example, if you want to cite a poem that is listed in a collection of poems, the individual
poem is the source, while the larger collection is the container. The title of the container is usually italicized and
followed by a comma, since the information that follows next describes the container.

Kincaid, Jamaica. "Girl." The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Short Stories, edited by Tobias Wolff,
Vintage, 1994, pp. 306-07.

The container may also be a television series, which is made up of episodes.

“94 Meetings.” Parks and Recreation, created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, performance by Amy
Poehler, season 2, episode 21, Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2010.

The container may also be a website, which contains articles, postings, and other works.

Wise, DeWanda. “Why TV Shows Make Me Feel Less Alone.” NAMI, 31 May
2019, www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/May-2019/How-TV-Shows-Make-Me-Feel-Less-Alone. Accessed 3
June 2019.
In some cases, a container might be within a larger container. You might have read a book of short stories on
Google Books, or watched a television series on Netflix. You might have found the electronic version of a
journal on JSTOR. It is important to cite these containers within containers so that your readers can find the
exact source that you used.

“94 Meetings.” Parks and Recreation, season 2, episode 21, NBC, 29 Apr. 2010. Netflix,
www.netflix.com/watch/70152031?trackId=200256157&tctx=0%2C20%2C0974d361-27cd-44de-9c2a-
2d9d868b9f64-12120962.

Langhamer, Claire. “Love and Courtship in Mid-Twentieth-Century England.” Historical Journal, vol. 50, no.
1, 2007, pp. 173-96. ProQuest, doi:10.1017/S0018246X06005966. Accessed 27 May 2009.

Other contributors

In addition to the author, there may be other contributors to the source who should be credited, such as editors,
illustrators, translators, etc. If their contributions are relevant to your research, or necessary to identify the
source, include their names in your documentation.

Note: In the eighth edition, terms like editor, illustrator, translator, etc., are no longer abbreviated.

Foucault, Michel. Madness and Civilization: A History of Insanity in the Age of Reason. Translated by Richard
Howard, Vintage-Random House, 1988.

Woolf, Virginia. Jacob’s Room. Annotated and with an introduction by Vara Neverow, Harcourt, Inc., 2008.

Version

If a source is listed as an edition or version of a work, include it in your citation.

The Bible. Authorized King James Version, Oxford UP, 1998.

Crowley, Sharon, and Debra Hawhee. Ancient Rhetorics for Contemporary Students. 3rd ed., Pearson, 2004.

Number

If a source is part of a numbered sequence, such as a multi-volume book or journal with both volume and issue
numbers, those numbers must be listed in your citation.

Dolby, Nadine. “Research in Youth Culture and Policy: Current Conditions and Future Directions.” Social
Work and Society: The International Online-Only Journal, vol. 6, no. 2, 2008,
www.socwork.net/sws/article/view/60/362. Accessed 20 May 2009.

“94 Meetings.” Parks and Recreation, created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, performance by Amy
Poehler, season 2, episode 21, Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2010.

Quintilian. Institutio Oratoria. Translated by H. E. Butler, vol. 2, Loeb-Harvard UP, 1980.

Publisher

The publisher produces or distributes the source to the public. If there is more than one publisher, and they are
all are relevant to your research, list them in your citation, separated by a forward slash (/).

Klee, Paul. Twittering Machine. 1922. Museum of Modern Art, New York. The Artchive,
www.artchive.com/artchive/K/klee/twittering_machine.jpg.html. Accessed May 2006.
Women's Health: Problems of the Digestive System. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists,
2006.

Daniels, Greg and Michael Schur, creators. Parks and Recreation. Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal
Media Studios, 2015.

Note: The publisher’s name need not be included in the following sources: periodicals, works published by their
author or editor, websites whose titles are the same name as their publisher, websites that make works available
but do not actually publish them (such as YouTube, WordPress, or JSTOR).

Publication date

The same source may have been published on more than one date, such as an online version of an original
source. For example, a television series might have aired on a broadcast network on one date, but released
on Netflix on a different date. When the source has more than one date, it is sufficient to use the date that is
most relevant to your writing. If you’re unsure about which date to use, go with the date of the source’s original
publication.

In the following example, Mutant Enemy is the primary production company, and “Hush” was released in
1999. Below is a general citation for this television episode:

“Hush.” Buffy the Vampire Slayer, created by Joss Whedon, performance by Sarah Michelle Gellar, season 4,
Mutant Enemy, 1999.

However, if you are discussing, for example, the historical context in which the episode originally aired, you
should cite the full date. Because you are specifying the date of airing, you would then use WB Television
Network (rather than Mutant Enemy), because it was the network (rather than the production company) that
aired the episode on the date you’re citing.

“Hush.” Buffy the Vampire Slayer, created by Joss Whedon, performance by Sarah Michelle Gellar, season 4,
episode 10, WB Television Network, 14 Dec. 1999.

Location

You should be as specific as possible in identifying a work’s location.

An essay in a book or an article in a journal should include page numbers.

Adiche, Chimamanda Ngozi. “On Monday of Last Week.” The Thing around Your Neck, Alfred A. Knopf,
2009, pp. 74-94.

The location of an online work should include a URL. Remove any "http://" or "https://" tag from the beginning
of the URL.

Wheelis, Mark. "Investigating Disease Outbreaks Under a Protocol to the Biological and Toxin Weapons
Convention." Emerging Infectious Diseases, vol. 6, no. 6, 2000, pp. 595-600,
wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/6/6/00-0607_article. Accessed 8 Feb. 2009.

When citing a physical object that you experienced firsthand, identify the place of location.

Matisse, Henri. The Swimming Pool. 1952, Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Optional elements
The eighth edition is designed to be as streamlined as possible. The author should include any information that
helps readers easily identify the source, without including unnecessary information that may be distracting. The
following is a list of optional elements that can be included in a documented source at the writer’s discretion.

Date of original publication:

If a source has been published on more than one date, the writer may want to include both dates if it will
provide the reader with necessary or helpful information.

Erdrich, Louise. Love Medicine. 1984. Perennial-Harper, 1993.

City of publication:

The seventh edition handbook required the city in which a publisher is located, but the eighth edition states that
this is only necessary in particular instances, such as in a work published before 1900. Since pre-1900 works
were usually associated with the city in which they were published, your documentation may substitute the city
name for the publisher’s name.

Thoreau, Henry David. Excursions. Boston, 1863.

Date of access:

When you cite an online source, the MLA Handbook recommends including a date of access on which you
accessed the material, since an online work may change or move at any time.

Bernstein, Mark. "10 Tips on Writing the Living Web." A List Apart: For People Who Make Websites, 16 Aug.
2002, alistapart.com/article/writeliving. Accessed 4 May 2009.

URLs:

As mentioned above, while the eighth edition recommends including URLs when you cite online sources, you
should always check with your instructor or editor and include URLs at their discretion.

DOIs:

A DOI, or digital object identifier, is a series of digits and letters that leads to the location of an online source.
Articles in journals are often assigned DOIs to ensure that the source is locatable, even if the URL changes. If
your source is listed with a DOI, use that instead of a URL.

Alonso, Alvaro, and Julio A. Camargo. "Toxicity of Nitrite to Three Species of Freshwater Invertebrates."
Environmental Toxicology, vol. 21, no. 1, 3 Feb. 2006, pp. 90-94. Wiley Online Library, doi:
10.1002/tox.20155.

Creating in-text citations using the eighth edition

The in-text citation is a brief reference within your text that indicates the source you consulted. It should
properly attribute any ideas, paraphrases, or direct quotations to your source, and should direct readers to the
entry in the Works Cited list. For the most part, an in-text citation is the author’s name and the page number
(or just the page number, if the author is named in the sentence) in parentheses:

Imperialism is “the practice, the theory, and the attitudes of a dominating metropolitan center
ruling a distant territory” (Said 9).

or
According to Edward W. Said, imperialism is defined by “the practice, the theory, and the
attitudes of a dominating metropolitan center ruling a distant territory” (9).
Work Cited
Said, Edward W. Culture and Imperialism. Knopf, 1994.

When creating in-text citations for media that has a runtime, such as a movie or podcast, include the range of
hours, minutes and seconds you plan to reference. For example: (00:02:15-00:02:35).

Again, your goal is to attribute your source and provide a reference without interrupting your text. Your readers
should be able to follow the flow of your argument without becoming distracted by extra information.

Final thoughts about the eighth edition

The current MLA guidelines teach a widely applicable skill for citing research. Once you become familiar with
the core elements that should be included in each entry in the Works Cited page, you will be able to create
documentation for almost any type of source. While the handbook still includes helpful examples that you may
use as guidelines, it is not necessary to consult it every time you need to cite a source you’ve never used before.
If you include the core elements, in the proper order, using consistent punctuation, you will be fully equipped to
create a Works Cited page.

How to Cite the Purdue OWL in MLA

Entire Website

The Purdue OWL. Purdue U Writing Lab, 2019.

Individual Resources

Contributors' names. "Title of Resource." The Purdue OWL, Purdue U Writing Lab, Last edited date.

The new OWL no longer lists most pages' authors or publication dates. Thus, in most cases, citations will begin
with the title of the resource, rather than the developer's name.

"MLA Formatting and Style Guide." The Purdue OWL, Purdue U Writing Lab. Accessed 18 Jun. 2018.