Writer’s Center
MLA Works Cited Guide
There are a number of style guides available for academic writing. Most humanities courses use the
Modern Language Association (MLA) model. This handout contains examples of some of the most
frequently used Works Cited entries. For a comprehensive list, consult the 7th edition of the MLA
Handbook for Writers of Research Papers or the Writer‟s Center MLA Guide.
Book
Griffith, Kelley. Writing Essays about Literature: A Guide and Style Sheet. 6th ed. Boston: Heinle,
2002. Print.
MacLaury, Robert E., Galina V. Paramei, and Don Dedrick, eds. Anthropology of Color:
Interdisciplinary Multilevel Modeling. New York: Columbia UP, 2007. Print.
(If more than three authors/editors, enter first only and add “et al.” or cite all of them.)
Newspaper or Periodical Article
Smith, Clark. “A Conversation with Lee Strasberg.” Newsweek 17 Mar. 1980: 62-71. Print.
(If an article is on scattered pages throughout a magazine or newspaper, use the first page and
a plus sign, e.g., 62+.)
Alaton, Salem. “So, How Did They Live Happily Ever After?” Globe and Mail [Toronto] 27 Dec.
1997: D1+. Print. (Place in brackets the name of the city of a newspaper whose masthead
does not include it except for a national publication.)
Journal Article (Print only)
Graham, Loren R. “Concerns about Science.” Daedalus 107.3 (1978): 1-21. Print.
(journal title is followed by volume number.issue number and parentheses around year only)
Essay or Article in an Anthology or Collection
Porter, Katherine Anne. “Pale Horse, Pale Rider.” Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Ed.
Maynard Mack, et al. 4th ed. Vol. 2. New York: Norton, 1979. 606-47. Print.
Online Only Journal or Periodical
Flannagan, Roy. “Reflections on Milton and Ariosto.” Early Modern Literary Studies 2.3 (1996): 16
pars. Web. 22 Feb. 1997. (Use paragraph numbers only if provided in the text. Do not add
your own numbers.)
Landsburg, Steven E. “Who Shall Inherit the Earth?” Slate. Washington Post, 1 May 1997. Web. 5
May 1997. (source title is italicized, followed by publishing company, not italicized)
Online Scholarly Project and Documents within the Project
(web publication dates come before the name of publisher; user access date appears at the end)
Willett, Perry, ed. Victorian Women Writers Project.. Apr. 1997. Indiana U. Web. 26 Apr. 1997.
Nesbit, Edith. Ballads and Lyrics of Socialism. London, 1908. Victorian Women Writers Project. Ed.
Perry Willett. June 1998. Indiana U. Web. 26 July 2003.
Nesbit, Edith. “Marching Song.” Ballads and Lyrics of Socialism. London, 1908. Victorian Women
Writers Project. Ed. Perry Willett. June 1998. Indiana U. Web. 26 July 2003.
Article from Library Database Subscription Service
Journal article
Easterly, Joan Elizabeth. “Lachrymal Imagery in „Young Goodman Brown.‟” Studies in Short
Fiction 29.4 (1992): 543-50. Academic Search Complete. Web. 23 Aug. 2001.
Section of book
Johnson, Deborah. “The Color White.” Melville’s Whale. Ed. John Smith. Boston: Twayne, 2000.
125-35. Literature Resource Center. Web. 2 May 2002.
Database file article
Kelso, Joe. “Future of Newspapers.” Issues & Controversies On File: n.pag. Issues & Controversies.
Web. 24 Apr. 2009.
Other Media Sources
Email
Lancashire, Ian. “Re: Help!” Message to the author. 1 Mar. 1994. E-mail.
Individual musical selection
Holiday, Billie. “God Bless the Child.” Rec. 9 May 1941. The Essence of Billie Holiday. Columbia,
1991. CD.
Radio broadcast (accessed online)
Fiskin, Fred. “Privacy and the Net.” Boot Camp. CBS Radio. WCBS, New York, 5 Mar. 1998. Web.
3 Mar 2011.
Visual art (viewed in print book)
Delacroix, Eugene. Death of Ophelia. 1853. Oil on canvas. Louvre, Paris. The French Masters.
Paris: Lyceum, 2001. 151. Print. (after title, list date, medium, and location of original)
Websites (list in order as many as possible: author, title(s), site name, version or edition, publisher,
pub. date, medium, access date)
Committee on Scholarly Editions. “Guidelines for Editors of Scholarly Edition.” Modern Language
Association. 7th ed. MLA, 25 Sept. 2007. Web. 15 May 2008.
“de Kooning, Willem.” Encyclopaedia Brittanica Online. Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2008. Web. 20
July 2007. (entry with no named author begins with title)