TEMPLE UNIVERISTY WRITING CENTER GUIDE TO MLA DOCUMENTS
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TEMPLE UNIVERISTY WRITING CENTER
GUIDE TO MLA DOCUMENTS
MLA Style is a method of formatting and documenting sources in academic writing. MLA is
commonly used for papers in the Humanities (such as English and philosophy); at Temple, MLA
style is also used in First Year Writing and Intellectual Heritage courses. This guide is
primarily concerned with the MLA style of documenting outside sources. For more
information on MLA formatting, see The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers,
Seventh Edition (available in the University Writing Center).
This guide covers the basic information needed for most student papers. It is intended as a
convenience, not as a substitute for the complete MLA Handbook. If you are writing a paper with
complex or unusual citations, please plan to consult the full MLA Handbook, which is available
in the Writing Center.
Please note: the MLA periodically announce changes and additions to their citation guide, even
between published editions of the MLA Handbook. This is especially true for emerging electronic
texts. In general, these changes are minor, and they should not affect student work. However, if
you are producing a high-stakes document and it is essential that every citation follow the very
latest rules, you must check the MLA’s website at www.mlahandbook.org.
If you suspect that information in this guide is erroneous, please contact Lori Salem
(lori.salem@temple.edu)
The Seventh Edition of the MLA Handbook was released in 2009, and it includes many important
changes regarding the preparation of the Works Cited page. The most significant change is the
inclusion of a description of each source – print or web – to the end of each entry. Students
should also note, however, that URLs are no longer required when citing internet sources unless
your instructor specifically asks that you include them or if the source is hard to find. If you can
enter the title and author into a search engine and quickly find your source, you do not need to
include the URL in your citation.2
MLA Source Flow Chart
What type
of source is
it?
Other: Film,
Print Web/Online Art,
Interview, etc.
Source is from a Source is an entire Source was
The source is in a The internet is Are you sure you
newspaper, website, an article retrieved from didn't get it online?
book, goverment strange, man.
magazine, or retrieved from online database or
document, or (Tweets, emails, If no, go back to web.
other scholarly website (not from is an electronic
anthology ebooks, etc) If yes, go below.
journal online databse) journal
For in‐text
For In‐text For in‐text For in‐text For in‐text For in‐text
citations, see
citations, see p. 3‐ citations, see p. 3‐ citations, see citations see page citations see page
page 4, for works
4; for works cited, 4; for works cited, page 4; for works 4, for works cited 5, for works cited
cited see page 11‐
see p. 6‐7 see p. 8 cited see page 9 see page 10 see page 11‐12
12
Based on the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Seventh Edition, and MLA.org’s Style
FAQ.
This Writing Center Guide was last revised on 08/05/2014.3
Understanding the MLA Style of Documentation
MLA Documentation is composed of two equally important parts:
1) In-text citations – which are placed at the end of sentences that include material you
are citing;
2) a “Works Cited” page at the end of your document
For example, imagine the following sentence in your paper:
In 1922, “the character of human communication changed irrevocably in Britain” (Avery 1).
The parenthetical reference “(Avery 1)” tells your reader that the quotation came from page 1 of
a work by Avery. Please note that the punctuation – in this case a period – goes AFTER your
citation. By looking up Avery in your Works Cited page, your reader can find complete
publication information for the source. In your Works Cited, the Avery entry would look like
this:
Avery, Todd. Radio Modernism. Burlington: Ashgate, 2006. Print.
The in-text citation and the Works Cited page work together to provide your readers with the
information they need to find and double-check your sources. What follows is a guide to
preparing both in-text citations and a Works Cited page.
In-Text Citations
Whether you use quotations or paraphrases, MLA Style requires you to document exactly what
works you referenced and where you found the information. Regardless of the medium – be it
print, web, film, or otherwise, MLA style prefers that you think about two things:
1) whether you are referring to whole or part of a work -- and
2) whether you are directly or indirectly referencing the work.
All sources referenced in the text will have a corresponding works cited reference. There are a
number of variations for in-text citations:
Print Sources:
Both author’s name and relevant page or section must be included when the writer
has not been previously identified in the sentence. In commonly cited literature (e.g.
religious texts, ancient literature, or Shakespeare), more detailed information can be
used. See examples below:
Catherine’s pleasure at encountering sunshine after a period of rain is the “objective
correlative of surprise” (Miller 250).
Based on the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Seventh Edition, and MLA.org’s Style
FAQ.
This Writing Center Guide was last revised on 08/05/2014.4
Yet just as soon as Claudius declares his will to preserve the security of the body politic,
he subsequently declares it to be a threat as well: “Alas, how shall this bloody deed be
answered? / It will be laid to us, whose providence/ Should have kept short, restrained,
and out of haunt /This mad young man” (Ham. 4.1.16-20).
In one of the most famous passages of skepticism in western history, Thomas claims that
he will not believe in the resurrection of Jesus “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands
and put my finger were the nails were” (New International Version John 20.24).
Indirect citations (a published account of another’s remarks) are indicated with the
abbreviation qtd:
Shirley Jackson claimed that she has “always loved to use fear” to create energy in her
writing (qtd. in Oppenheimer 233).
Paraphrases that cover multiple writers’ ideas can include all relevant authors and
page numbers at the end of the sentence or paragraph. Note that the first author
listed does not include a page number; this is because the entire work is being cited,
not just a single page.
CASM researchers thus began by identifying the cognitive processes respondents must
navigate in order to answer survey questions (and, in fact, any questions):
comprehension, retrieval, judgment, and response (Tourangeau et al.; McColl, Meadows,
and Barofsky 217; Collins 232; Drennan 58).
Web Sources:
Web-based sources are identified starting with author and page number, or possibly paragraph
number. If the web sources have none of these, provide the most relevant and easily identifiable
source information, such as title. Do not number pages or paragraphs yourself that are not
already numbered on the web.
Web sources with Author, no page/paragraph:
Noir has a long transatlantic history. As one astute cultural commentator in the online journal
n+1 put it, “Before Noir was American, it was French” (Prickett).
I agree that the The Biggest Loser is a show that is “about unruly bodies that must be
disciplined by any means necessary, and through that discipline, the obese might become
more acceptable members of society” (Gay).
Web sources with Title only, No Author:
When possible, differentiate between titles and headings.
Based on the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Seventh Edition, and MLA.org’s Style
FAQ.
This Writing Center Guide was last revised on 08/05/2014.5
Using Wikipedia as a reliable source can be dubious. For instance, on the night of July 1,
2014, Wikipedia listed US soccer player Tim Howard was listed as the Secretary of
Defense. (“United States Secretary of Defense”).
The Temple Undergraduate Bulletin defines plagiarism as the “unacknowledged use of
another person's labor, another person's ideas, another person's words, another person's
assistance” (“Student Responsibilities,” Academic Honesty).
Film and Television Sources:
When citing whole works or episodes of films and television, it is normally preferred and
acceptable to include the title in the sentence itself, rather than in a parenthetical. It is also
acceptable to include the name of the director or performer in the sentence rather than the
parenthetical.
Gurinder Chada’s Bend It Like Beckham received wide critical acclaim for its girl-
positive representation of a multi-racial Britain.
Even children’s television wasn’t immune from Cold War anxieties during the Reagan
years. In 1983, PBS aired “Conflict,” an episode of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood focused
on the prospect of nuclear war (the episode has never aired since).
Works Cited Page
A Works Cited page is a list of all the sources you quoted or referred to in your paper. Generally
speaking, you would not include sources that you read, but didn’t actually use in your writing.
Works Cited pages are arranged in alphabetical order according to authors’ last names. Sources
without an author are alphabetized by the first letter of the title (excluding A/An or The).
MLA Style puts a high premium on intelligibility for all readers, which is why Works Cited
pages include full names and minimal abbreviation. There are different formats for citing
different kinds of sources. For example, if you are citing a book, you’ll present the information
one way, and if you are citing a journal article you’ll present the information another way. This
guide includes sample citations for 40 of the most commonly used formats in academic writing.
You’ll see that most of them require most of the following information: the author’s name, the
title of the work, and the date and place of publication.
What if my source doesn’t have an author (or page numbers, or a place of publication, or a
date of publication, etc.)? What if my source doesn’t fit in any of these citation formats?
Every source is unique, and some sources don’t provide all of the information called for in the
samples. Luckily, the authors of the MLA Style guide anticipated this, and they created
acceptable formats for citing most types of sources. If don’t find what you need in this brief
guide, you can consult the The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Seventh Edition:
it offers guidelines for citing even the most unusual source.
Based on the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Seventh Edition, and MLA.org’s Style
FAQ.
This Writing Center Guide was last revised on 08/05/2014.6
DOCUMENTING PRINT SOURCES
(BOOKS, GOVERNMENT DOCS, AND ANTHOLOGIES)
When you are citing a nonperiodical print source (such as BOOKS), always be sure to check the
specific listing for your source to make sure that you use the correct punctuation and that you
include any additional information required. Note that book titles are always italicized,
whereas chapter titles are enclosed in “quotation marks.” The MEDIUM (in this case
“print”) is always included in the citation, before supplementary information such as page
numbers.
Citations for books usually follow this general pattern:
Author’s lastname, Author’s firstname (if any); Title of book; Place of publication
(usually just the city, but include the state or country if the place of publication is
not a major city); Publishing company; Date of publication. Inclusive page
numbers. Medium of publication consulted. Supplementary Information.
Book by One Author
Jones, Robert C. These Valiant Dead: Renewing the Past in Shakespeare’s Histories.
Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 1991. Print.
Book by Two or More Authors
Howard, Jean E. and Phyllis Rackin. Engendering a Nation: A feminist account of
Shakespeare’s English histories. London: Routledge, 1997. Print.
Edited Book
Bizzell, Patricia, and Bruce Herzberg, eds. Negotiating Differences: Cultural Case
Studies for Composition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 1996. Print.
Book by a Corporation, Organization, Association, or Foundation
American Medical Association. Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors.
Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, 1998. Print.
Book with an Author and an Editor
Plath, Sylvia. The Collected Poems. Ed. Ted Hughes. New York: Harper & Row, 1981.
Print.
Government Document
United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. Cointelpro: the counter-intelligence
program of the FBI. Wilmington, DE: Scholarly Resources, Inc., 1978. Print.
One Volume of a Multivolume Book
Based on the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Seventh Edition, and MLA.org’s Style
FAQ.
This Writing Center Guide was last revised on 08/05/2014.7
Gandhi, Mahatma. The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi. Vol. 9. Delhi: Ministry of
Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India, 1983. Print.
Work in an Anthology or Chapter in an Edited Collection
Conwell, Russell. “Acres of Diamonds.” Negotiating Difference. Eds. Patricia Bizzell
and Bruce Herzberg. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 1996. 466-476. Print.
Essay, Short Story, or Periodical Reprinted in an Edited Collection
O’Brien, Tim. “On the Rainy River.” The Things They Carried. Boston: Houghton
Mifflin, 43-63. Rpt. in Negotiating Difference. Eds. Patricia Bizzell and Bruce
Herzberg. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 1996. 899-910. Print.
Article in a Reference Book
Reference books are not typically recommended as sources for college-level writing, because
they provide only a general overview on a topic. If, however, you need to cite an encyclopedia or
other reference book that does not provide an author for each entry, use the following format.
“Peace Movements.” Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War. Ed. Spencer C. Tucker. Santa
Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 1998. Print.
DOCUMENTING PRINT PERIODICALS
The term “periodicals” refers to magazines, newspapers (in print form – MLA does not consider
newspaper websites periodicals), and scholarly journals. The citations for these three types of
sources are very different, so be sure to check the specific listing for your source to make sure
that you have arranged the information in the correct order, that you have used the correct
punctuation, and that you have included all relevant information. NOTE: IF you retrieved the
source online, even if it was from an online database (like JSTOR or Google Scholar), and
even if you printed it out, it is NOT A PRINT SOURCE. Please see DOCUMENTING
WEB SOURCES sources to cite.
Usually periodical citations include the following information:
Author’s lastname, Author’s firstname (if any); Article title; Periodical title; Date of
publication; Volume number (except for newspapers); Issue number (if any); Page
number. Medium of publication.
Article in a Scholarly Journal
Berg, Alfred O., and Janet Allen. “The new U.S. preventive services task force.”
American Family Physician 64 (2001): 1945-1946. Print.
Guedes, Claudia. “Sport in Latin America and the Caribbean.” Journal of African
American Studies 8.3 (2004): 73-74. Print.
Based on the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Seventh Edition, and MLA.org’s Style
FAQ.
This Writing Center Guide was last revised on 08/05/2014.8
Article, Story, or Poem in a Weekly Magazine
Stodghill, Ron. “Class Warfare: Military programs are on the march in inner-city public
schools.” Time 4 Mar. 2002: 50.
Article in a Daily Newspaper
Koszczuk, Jackie. “House approves more aid to jobless.” Philadelphia Inquirer
8 Mar.2002: A1. Print.
Book Review
Nead, Lynda. Rev. of Slumming: Sexual and Social Politics in Victorian London.
American Historical Review 110.3 (2005): 868-869. Print.
DOCUMENTING WEB SOURCES
Citing electronic sources can be complicated. Sometimes you will not be able to find all the
information listed in an ideal works cited for electronic sources. In this situation, include as
much information as you are able to find; ALWAYS include the date on which you retrieved
the information. [NOTE: The MLA 7th edition no longer requires the URL address: “You
should only include a URL as supplementary information only when the reader probably
cannot locate the source without it or when your instructor requires it” (182).] If you are
having trouble figuring out a publication date, search the page for a copyright or a “last updated”
tag. If you can’t find any reference to a date, use n.d. (which stands for “no date”) in place of the
publication date.
For additional information on citing electronic sources, you can check out the MLA’s Frequently
Asked Questions page at http://www.mlahandbook.org/fragment/faq#Differences
NON PERIODICAL WEB SOURCES
(websites, electronic magazines, web newspapers, and other web sources)
Citations for nonperiodical web sources usually follow this general pattern:
Author’s name (if any); Article title (if any); Website name or publication name; version
or edition used, Publisher or sponsor of the website (if not listed, use N.P.); Date
of publication (if nothing available use n.d.); medium of publication (Web); date
of access.
Newspaper or Magazine Article Posted from Online Website (not retrieved
from database)
Downs, Jere. “SEPTA chiefs give support to rail plan.” Inquier.com. Philadelphia
Inquirer, 8 Mar. 2002. Web. 8 Mar. 2002
Warren, Elizabeth, et. al. “We need to rein in ‘too big to fail’ banks.” Editorial. Cnn.com.
Based on the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Seventh Edition, and MLA.org’s Style
FAQ.
This Writing Center Guide was last revised on 08/05/2014.9
Cable News Network, 17 Jul. 2014. Web. 18. Jul. 2014.
Yandoli, Kayla. “What do You Miss Most About the ‘90s?” Buzzfeed.com. Buzzfeed,
17. Jul. 2014. Web. 18. Jul. 2014.
PERIODICAL WEB SOURCES
(Scholarly articles and other online sources published on a regular basis, often
accessed through online database)
Citations for periodical web sources generally follow the same pattern as print
periodical sources, along with the title of the database, medium of publication
consulted (web), and date of access (day, month, and year):
Author’s lastname, Author’s firstname (if any); Article title; Periodical title; (Date of
publication): Volume number (except for newspapers); Issue number (if any); Page
number. Title of Database. Medium of publication. Date Accessed.
Article Accessed from an Online Database:
Alexander, Bryan. “Joel McHale delves into his darkside in ‘Deliver.’” USA Today.
2 July 2014. Life. 03d. Academic Search Premier. Web. 17. Jul. 2014.
Dargis, Manhola. “Striking Where Myth Meets Moment.” Rev. of The Hunger Games.
New York Times, 22 Nov. 2013. Final ed: C1. Academic Search Premier. Web.
17. Jul. 2014.
Spivak, Gayatri Chakravorty. “World Systems and the Creole.” Narrative. (2006):
14.1 102-112. JSTOR. Web. 17. Jul. 2014.
Article in an Electronic Journal (accessed on website not through database)
An electronic journal is a peer-reviewed periodical published online with no print version
available.
Kallen, Evelyn. “Kevorkian & Morgentaler: Doctors of Death or Angels of Mercy? A
Human Rights Perspective.” Electronic Journal of Sociology. 1 Nov. 2005. Web.
23 October 2009.
OTHER WEB SOURCES
Web Source with No Author
“Smokers’ Stories: Lost Teeth, A Tiny Baby.” Center for Disease Control. Center for
Disease Control, 11. Jul. 2014. Web. 17. Jul. 2014.
Based on the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Seventh Edition, and MLA.org’s Style
FAQ.
This Writing Center Guide was last revised on 08/05/2014.10
YouTube/Online Video Clip
Mugumogu. “Many Too Small Boxes and Maru.” Online Video Clip.
YouTube. YouTube. 11 Nov. 2010. Web. 1 Aug. 2014.
eBook
Fey, Tina. Bossypants. New York: Reagan Arthur, 2011. Kindle File.
Online Dictionary
“Owl.” Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press, 2013. Web. 5 Aug. 2014.
Online Map
“Honolulu, Hawaii.” Map. Google Maps. Google, 17 Jul. 2014. Web. 5 August 2014.
Tweet
Temple University (TempleUniv). “Worldview: #Iraqi students in Temple exchange
program ponder their own future.” 4 Aug. 2014. Tweet.
E-Mail
Luther, Lex. “Free Trial of Kryptonite!” Message to Superman. 29 Feb 2012. Email.
MISCELLANEOUS SOURCES (AUDIO/VIDEO/LIVE
SOURCES)
Miscellaneous sources can take a number of forms. Generally, more information is better than
less. Most audiovisual and performance-type sources include major people who contributed to
the production, including directors, composers, writers, and/or performers. Use your judgment to
determine who to include for a given citation. For instance, if you were focusing on the
screenplay of a television program, you might include the writers (whose work you will be
directly analyzing) and omit the performers (who don’t factor heavily into your particular
argument).
There is no consistent pattern for miscellaneous sources, but the following color coding will
be used in the citations:
People involved in production; Title of production or series; Title of episode or excerpt;
Distributor or place of performance; Date of production, composition, or release.
Motion Picture, Videocassette, or DVD
Moulin Rouge. DVD. Dir. Baz Luhrmann. Perf. Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, and
John Leguizamo. Twentieth Century Fox, 2001. DVD.
Television or Radio Program
“100,000 Airplanes.” The West Wing. NBC. WCAU, Philadelphia. 16 Jan. 2002.
Television.
Based on the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Seventh Edition, and MLA.org’s Style
FAQ.
This Writing Center Guide was last revised on 08/05/2014.11
“The Mammogram Debate.” All Things Considered. National Public Radio. WHYY-FM,
Philadelphia. 21 Feb. 2002. Radio.
Sound Recording
Jochum, Eugen. “O Fortuna.” Carmina Burana. By Carl Orff. Perf. Gundula Janowitz
and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. Polygram, 1996. LP.
Arie, India. Acoustic Soul. Universal, 2001. CD.
Performance
King Lear. By William Shakespeare. Dir. Carmen Kahn. Perf. Buck Schirner.
Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival, Philadelphia. 17 Mar. 2002. Performance.
Work of Art
Be sure to indicate the medium of composition, medium accessed, and whether it is a
reproduction printed somewhere else.
van Gogh, Vincent. Starry Night. 1889. Oil on canvas. Museum of Modern Art, New
York.
Banksy. Waterloo. 2003. Street Graffiti. London. Wall and Piece. By Banksy. UK:
Random House. 17. Print.
Chicago, Judy. The Dinner Party. 1974-79. Mixed Media: ceramic, porcelain, textile.
Brooklyn Museum of Art. Elizabeth A Sackler Center for Feminist Art. Web.
25 Jul. 2014.
Interview
Published interviews use citations that reflect the format of the publication. That is, interviews
published in books will look similar to book citations, while interviews published in periodicals
or online will use an adapted version of those citations.
Takei, George. Interview by Jon Stewart. The Daily Show. Comedy Central, 22. Jul
2014. Web. 5 Aug. 2014.
Pauling, Linus. “Interview with Dr. Linus Pauling.” Interview. Linus Pauling: Scientist
and Peacemaker. Eds. Clifford Meade and Thomas Hager. Corvallis, OR: Oregon
State UP, 2001. 31-55. Print.
Martin, Mary Margaret. Personal interview. 13 Feb. 2002.
Based on the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Seventh Edition, and MLA.org’s Style
FAQ.
This Writing Center Guide was last revised on 08/05/2014.You can also read
