MLA Format: Complete Citation Guide

The Modern Language Association created MLA, a popular academic formatting style. It is extensively used in humanities academic papers and as a guideline for referencing original sources. In this post, we have provided a comprehensive guide to citing sources in accordance with the MLA 8th edition, which was published in 2016.

Essential Elements of an MLA Format Paper

Citations in MLA style may differ in form depending on the type of source, its special qualities (e.g., unknown author’s name), and other considerations. We will go through all of the different sorts of sources and cases in this MLA 8 citation guide, as well as provide clear examples of appropriate citing. But first, let’s take a look at the essential components of every MLA style citation:

Author name(s). “Title of the Source”. Title of container, other contributors, version, numbers, publisher, publication date, location.

Author Name

• Always list the surname first, followed by the first name and any initials separated by a comma (for example, Brown, James K.)
• If the author is unknown, you can start with the name of the organization or the title of the source (for example, The Modern Language Association). “Works Cited: A Quick Guide”…
• When there are two authors, use inverted form for the first author’s name and standard form for the second author’s name (for example, Brown, James K., and Rashid Amin)
• If there are three or more writers, reverse the first author’s name and follow it with “et al” (for example, Mohammed, James K., et al)
• You may use internet identities or pseudonyms instead of real names (for example, Katunik or Mossels)
• You may also include the names of translators or editors in this section, but they must be followed by their respective titles – “editor” or “translator” (for example, Brown, James K., editor or Milicent, Taby, translator)

The Source’s Title

• When the source is part of a short work, put the title in quotation marks (for example, a short article)
• Italicize longer works, such as books, television shows, and websites.
• If the title of the source is not known, replace it in your reference with a concise summary, without quotation marks and without italicization (for example, Website Home Page, Review Covering Multiple Books, etc.)

Title of Container

• Italicized
• When necessary, additional container titles can be included.

Contributors

• Only include the most important contributors to your work.
• Indicate each contributor’s role before his or her name (for example, produced by Jacob Black)

Version

• The source’s specific edition, version, or revision.
• This section of the reference should be written entirely in lower case.

Numbers

• This element refers to sources that appear in a chronological order, such as TV seasons or episodes, issues, and volumes.

Publisher

• When there are several publishers, they must all be cited in the citation and separated by a slash (/).

Date of publication

The information you supply here is determined by the type of source.

• If there are many publication dates (for example, the material was numerously republished), you just need to cite the one you utilized.
• In some circumstances, it is necessary to provide a date range.

Location

‍Depending on the source, this element can represent:

• Page number from the printed source (s)
• DVD – disk number Online source – URL
• Object – the place where it is kept
• City and/or venue of performance

MLA Referencing: In-Text Citations

An in-text citation is the use of a direct quote or a paraphrase from another source within the body of the text. In-text citations are utilized to add value to your work and support your thoughts.

General guidelines for each MLA in-text citation:

• It should relate to the necessary reference from the works cited page.
• Every citation should include the author’s last name and the page (or range of pages) in the original source where the specific quote or information may be found.
• The author’s name might be provided as part of the phrase or in parentheses straight after the quote.
• The page number or numbers should be provided in parentheses after the quote, either alone or after the author’s last name.

An example of a citation in which the author’s name appears in the sentence:

Fitzgerald’s character Daisy says, “And I hope she’ll be a fool – that’s the nicest thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool,” to depict the attitude toward women in 1920s American culture (21).

An example of a citation in which the author’s name is not mentioned in the sentence:

“And I hope she’ll be a fool – that’s the nicest thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool,” says one character in the tale (Fitzgerald 21).

Let’s look at how an MLA in-text citation looks in different situations:

When there is more than one author.

When there are two or three writers, list all of their names, followed by the page number in parenthesis.

Example of MLA in-text citation:

“Everything fades away like the moon, Jack Sawyer.” “Everything, like the moon, returns” (King, Steven, and Straub 78).

When there are more than three authors, merely list the first one’s last name and type “et al.”

Example of MLA in-text citation:

“He’d considered why ordinary youngsters may come to the Academy. Mundanes would have to choose between their parents, their families, and their previous lives. Unless, of course, they already didn’t have parents or families” (Clare et al. 39).

There is no author.

If the source’s author is unknown, instead of putting his last name in parenthesis after the quote, make the entire title italicized, the article or webpage in quotation quotes, or the abbreviated title within quotation marks.

Book

Example: The sensation of intense joy after an obviously wrong or immoral deed is portrayed in the novel Diary of an Oxygen Thief with the quote: “It’s like when you hear serial killers swear they feel no regret, no guilt for all the people they killed.” That was how I was. It was fantastic.” (5)

If you didn’t include the title of the book in the sentence:

Example: In the book (Diary of an Oxygen Thief 5).

Article

Example: “According to the MLA Citation Guide,”…” (4) or: “According to the MLA Citation Guide,”…” (4)

Authors With Multiple Cited Works

If you are referring to various works by the same author, add the author’s name, an abbreviated title of the source, and the page number.

For instance, (Fitzgerald, I’d Die for You 35)

Authors of the Same Name

If you refer to many works by writers with the same surnames, use an initial before the author’s last name when making in-text citations.

(B. MacDonald 17) as an example (J. MacDonald 56)

There is no page number.

If you don’t know the exact page number, use other metrics such as chapters or paragraphs.

Example:\s (MacDonald, ch. 4). (MacDonald, ch. 4).

When there are no numbered patterns, simply the author’s name should be mentioned.

Citing a Quote or Making a Parenthetical Remark

In this case, precede the author’s name with “qtd. in.”

Example:\s (qtd. in Fitzgerald 65) (qtd. in Fitzgerald 65)

Citing Audio and Video Sources

When referring to audio-visual sources, instead of a page number, include a time stamp in the format hh:mm:ss.

Example:\s (Mitchell 01:22:12) (Mitchell 01:22:12)

How to Cite Various Source Types

While the MLA Works Cited page may have extremely different entries according on the type of source, in-text citations generally look the same. The most significant difference occurs when the author is unknown or the cited source is not printed. The following is a complete guide on citing sources in MLA based on their type.

MLA Book Citation Instructions

General guidelines:

• When there are two writers, just the first author’s name needs to be inverted. The following one should begin with the word “and” and be in standard form. When there are more than three authors, only the first (last and then first name) must be indicated, followed by “et al.”
• Title – all words (excluding short words) should begin with capitalized letters, and the title should be italicized throughout.
• Container titles, contributors, versions, and numbers are all optional. If the material is helpful and relevant to the reader, it should be shared.

The following is the typical MLA book citation format:

Last name, first name of the author Title. Container title, contributors, version, numbers, publisher, and year of publication

Example: Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Scribner, 2004.

How to Cite Edited and Translated Books In MLA Format

There are two ways to mention that a book has been edited or translated in your citation:

• In the author’s name section, include the translator or editor’s role (e.g., “editor” or “translator”). Choose this option if your work primarily consists of translation or editing.
• In the contributors part of the citation, include the names of translators or editors.

Here are two formats to consider:

1.First and last name, translator/editor Title. Container title, contributors, version, number, publisher, and year of publication

Example: Clarke, Alan R, translator. The Alchemist. By Paulo Coelho, HarperCollins, 1993.

2.Last and first names Title. Contributors edited/translated the container’s title. Version, number, publisher, and year published

Example: Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist. Translated by A. Clarke, HarperCollins, 1993.

How to Cite Electronic Books in MLA Format

To reference an e-book, follow the normal book citation structure and include the e-identification book’s in the version section. Use this template:

Last name, first name of the author Title. Container title, contributors, edition, e-book number, publisher, and year of publication

Example: Troy, Ben N., et al. A Guide to Citation. 2nd ed, e-book, New York Publishers, 2010.

Online Publication

Online example: Bradshaw, Peter. “Oscars 2020 predictions: who will win?”. The Guardian, 7 Feb 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/feb/07/oscars-2020-winners-losers-predictions-peter-bradshaw.

Journal

Journal example: Gringe, Lea. “Science Fiction Works for the Development of the Aerospace Sector.” The Popularisation of Space, vol. 41, Aug. 2017, pp. 42-47.

Magazine/Newspaper

Magazine/Newspaper example: Smith, John. “Obama inaugurated as President.” Time, 21 Jan. 2009: 21-23. Print.

How to Cite Non-Print Sources

While the majority of your references will most likely be printed sources such as books, journals, and so on, you may also need to credit alternative non-print items in some situations. In this section of our tutorial, we’ll go through the general requirements for citing various non-print sources and present an MLA citation example for each.

MLA Format for Images

Author’s last name, followed by additional names. “Image Title.” Title of the website, contributors, reproduction, number, date, and URL

Example: Gilpin, Laura. “Terraced Houses, Acoma Pueblo, New Mexico.” Library of Congress, Reproduction no. LC-USZ62-102170, 1939, https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/90716883/.

MLA Format for Film

The standard structure is as follows: director’s name, director. “Film title.” Contributors, distributor, and release year Medium

Please keep in mind that, while this standard style usually works, you may want to change the title and name of the director if your work concentrates on the film rather than the director:
“Film title.” Name of the director, contributors, distributor, and year of release Medium

Also, while specifying the medium is not needed in MLA 8, you may do so if it provides relevant information for the reader. If the video was downloaded from the internet, replace the media with the appropriate URL.

Example: Hitchcock, Alfred, director. “Psycho”. Performances by Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh, Paramount Pictures, 1960, DVD

MLA Format for TV Shows

“Episode Title” is the standard structure. Title of the program, creator’s name, contributors, season number, and episode number Year of Publication, Network

Example: “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.” Game of Thrones, written by Bryan Cogman, directed by David Nutter, season 8, episode 2, HBO, 2019

MLA Music Format

Standard format: Author’s name (s). “Title of the Song.” Album title, other contributors, version, Record Label, and year of publication.

Example: Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. “Shallow.” A Star Is Born, Interscope, 2018.

How to Cite a Website in MLA Style

Author’s last name, first name, or organization title is the standard format. “Title of the page/document.” Title of the whole webpage, date, and URL

Example: Woodford, Kate. “Outlooks and Forecasts (The Language of Predictions)”. A Blog from Cambridge Dictionary, 5 Feb 2020, https://dictionaryblog.cambridge.org/2020/02/05/outlooks-and-forecasts-the-language-of-predictions/.