English Literature: MLA

Submit your work to the Online Writing Center via the Online Submission Form for help from a consultant!

These citation guides also include many examples that may help:

 MLA stands for Modern Language Association, and MLA style is typically used for courses in the humanities. The current edition is the 9th edition, published in 2021. Core elements for MLA citations include the author, title of the item, title of the place the item appears (like a journal or website), publication date, and location or URL where you can find the source.  Reference & Circulating Collections Call Number LB2369 .M52 2021

• Using MLA Style - https://style.mla.org/mla-format/
• Works Cited - Citations by Format: https://style.mla.org/works-cited/citations-by-format/
• Sample Papers - https://style.mla.org/sample-papers/

Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)

• In-Text Citations -The Basics - https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_in_text_citations_the_basics.html
• Works Cited - The Basics    https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_page_basic_format.html
• Annotated Sample Paper  https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_sample_paper.html

You should always verify your citations with the appropriate style manual. Your citations must be double-spaced with a hanging indent and will be listed together at the end of your paper on the Works Cited page. 

Book:

Author(s). Title of the Book. Publisher, Date.

Example: Burton, Katelyn. The Best Librarian in the World. Oxford Press, 2016.

Journal article:

Author(s). "Title of the Article." Title of the Journal, Volume number, Issue number. Date (including month or season if you have it), Page numbers. Database Title, URL/Link to the article.

Example: Burton, Katelyn. "Librarians Are Amazing." Library Journal, vol. 22, no. 3. Spring 2016, pp. 7-28. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/61245.

Webpage:

Author(s). "Title of the Webpage." Title of the Website, Date, including day and month if you have it, URL/Link to the webpage.

Example: Burton, Katelyn. "Tips for Citing Sources." Brown Library Website, 14 June 2016, http://http://www.virginiawestern.edu/library/index.php.

In-text citations:

(Author's' Last Name Page number)

Example: (Burton 24)