MLA CITATION TIP SHEET

Based on: Modern Language Association of America. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 7th ed. New York: MLA, 2009.
Print.

A works-cited list in MLA style is organized alphabetically by the first word in each citation. After the first
line, indent all subsequent lines one half inch from the left margin. All citations should be double
spaced. Capitalize the important words in the title, and italicize the main title in the citation. Include the
full name of the author (e.g., Katz, William A.) and the shortened form of the publisher (e.g., Oxford UP).

WORKS CITED ENTRIES

BOOK – PRINT (5.5)
Bickerton, Derek. Adam’s Tongue: How Humans Made Language, How Language Made
Humans. New York: Hill and Wang, 2009. Print.

Einstein, Alfred. Alfred Einstein on Music: Selected Music Criticisms. Ed. Catherine Dower. New
York : Greenwood Press, 1991. Print.

CHAPTER OR ARTICLE IN A BOOK (5.5.6)

Woodruff, Martha K. “Plato's Different Device: Reconciling the One and the Many in the
Philebus.” Philosophy in Dialogue: Plato's Many Devices. Ed. Gary Alan Scott. Evanston:
Northwestern UP, 2007. 152-73. Print.

BOOK – ELECTRONIC (5.6.2c)

Schneider, William. So They Understand: Cultural Issues in Oral History. Logan: Utah State UP,
2002. NetLibrary. Web. 21 Oct. 2009.

ARTICLE – PRINT ENCYCLOPEDIA OR DICTIONARY (5.5.7)

Seiberling, Grace. “Impressionism.” The Dictionary of Art. Ed. Jane Turner. New York: Grove,
1996. Print.

ARTICLE – ONLINE ENCYCLOPEDIA (5.6.2b or c)

Harold Harel Fisch, William D. Rubinstein, Ephraim Broido and Leonard Prager. “Shakespeare,
William.” Encyclopedia Judaica. Eds. Michael Berenbaum and Fred Skolnik. 2nd ed. Vol 18.
Detroit: Macmillan Reference, 2007. N. pag. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 22 Oct.
2009.

ARTICLE – PRINT NEWSPAPER (5.4.5)

Palmer, Robert. “Street-Smart Rapping is Innovative Art Form.” New York Times 4 Feb. 1985:
C13. Print.

ARTICLE – ONLINE NEWSPAPER (5.6.2b)

Healy, Patrick. “A Few Star-Studded Hits Obscure Broadway’s Challenges.” New
York Times. New York Times, 20 Oct. 2009. Web. 22 Oct. 2009.

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Revised by: Mahaffy, October 2009
ARTICLE – PRINT POPULAR MAGAZINE (5.4.6)
Caplan, Jeremy. “Extra: Newspapers Aren’t Dead.” Time 11 Dec. 2006: 63. Print.

ARTICLE – PRINT SCHOLARLY JOURNAL (5.4.2 – 5.4.4)

Woodworth-Ney, Laura. “Western Women’s History: Late Trends and New Directions.”
Journal of the West 46.3 (2007): 3-8. Print.

ARTICLE –IN ONLINE DATABASE (5.6.4)

Bishop, Kyle. “Dead Man Still Walking.” Journal of Popular Film & Television 37.1 (2009): 16-25.
Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 Oct. 2009.

WEB PAGE (5.6.2b)

Moffat, Charles. “The Chronology of Modern Art: 19th Century Art.”Art History Archive. Lilith
Gallery Network, n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2009.

PARENTHETICAL DOCUMENTATION
 Cite the author’s last name and page(s) cited.
EXAMPLE: (Tinker 2)

 For two or three authors, provide all names in the order listed on the title page.
EXAMPLE: (Tinker, Evers, and Chance 24)

 If citing more than three authors, give the first author’s last name followed by et al. with no
other punctuation.
EXAMPLE: (Lennon et al. 9)

 If your works cited list contains more than one author with the same last names, you must
add the authors’ first initial.
EXAMPLE: (G. Marx) (K. Marx)

 If the source you’re citing doesn’t have an author, use a shortened version of the title,
making sure to include the first word that it’s alphabetized by in the Works Cited list.
EXAMPLE: (Primary Colors 43)

MLA – SEVENTH EDITION

MLA made the following changes from the 6th edition.

 Include the medium of publication in every works cited entry (ex. Print, Web.)
 Italicize rather than underline titles of books and journals.
 Include the issue number in every journal citation.
 Don’t list state or country abbreviations after the publishing city.
 Don’t include information about the Library supplying access to a fee database.
 Don’t include the URL unless required by the instructor to do so.

G:\INSTRUCT\Handouts\General\MLATipSheet.doc
Revised by: Mahaffy, October 2009