MLA CITATION GUIDE
FORMATTING RULES
Rules for In-Text or
Parenthetical Citations
Follow these rules when paraphrasing or quoting sources
in the text of the work:
o Use the author’s last name in the sentence or
place it at the end enclosed in parentheses.
o Always include the page number.
o The author’s last name should correspond
with the matching reference in the Works
Cited list.
o If no author is available, use the first
significant word of the title as listed on the
Works Cited page.
Examples of in-text citations:
 Wordsworth extensively explored the role of
emotion in the creative process (263).
 Romantic poetry is characterized by the
"spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings"
(Wordsworth 263).
Works Cited List
Rules
Follow these rules for the list of
sources:
o Center the heading “Works
Cited” at the top of a new
page.
o The Works Cited list of sources
should be in alphabetical order
and all entries double-spaced.
o Use a hanging indent: The first
line is flush left. All other lines
are indented 5 spaces.
o The entries on the Works Cited
page should match the in-text
citation’s entry which is usually
the author’s last name.
o MLA requires the medium of
the source be identified: Print,
Web, DVD, etc.
o End each citation with a period.
For more formatting rules and help with citations see the MLA
Handbook for Writers of Research Papers or the MLA Citation
Guide from Purdue University, http://goo.gl/BpznD
o When using online sources, add
the access date at the end.
Example:
(949) 582-4525 • http://www.saddleback.edu/library
Herrera, Hayden. Frida: A Biography of
Frida Kahlo. New York: Harper,
Design by Nora Shea, edited by the Librarians and M. Gross
2002. Print.
Works Cited Examples
Books and eBooks
List citations alphabetically by the first main word (disregard a, an, the, etc.)
Resource and Medium
Print book with one author
Print book with two or three
authors
Book with four or more authors
Formatting Rule
Example
Author last name, first name. Title in Italics.
City of publication: Publisher,
publication date. Media Type.
Herrera, Hayden. Frida: A Biography of Frida
Author last name, first name. Title in Italics.
City of publication: Publisher,
publication date. Media Type.
Note: List the first author as last name, first
name. 2nd and 3rd authors are listed first
name, last name, and connected by the
word “and.”
Last name, first name of first author listed
followed by ‘et al’. Title in Italics. City
of publication: Publisher, publication
date. Media Type.
Gillespie, Paula, and Neal Lerner. The Allyn and
Kahlo. New York: Harper, 1993. Print.
Bacon Guide to Peer Tutoring. Boston:
Allyn, 2000. Print.
Moschovitis, Christos J.P., et al. History of the
Internet. Santa Barbara: Moschovitis, 1999.
Print.
Ebook from online database
Author last name, first name. Title in Italics.
City of publication: Publisher,
publication date. Database name in
italics. Media Type. Date of access.
Guerette, Rob T. Migrant Death. New York: LFB
Scholarly, 2007. EBSCO eBook Collection.
Web. 19 Aug. 2012.
Book with an editor
Editor’s last name, first name, ed. Title in
Italics. City of publication: Publisher,
publication date. Media Type.
Finkenbine, Roy E., ed. Sources of the African
American Past. 2nd ed. New York:
Pearson/Longman, 2004. Print.
Chapter in an anthology
Print reference work
(Encyclopedia)
Author last name, first name.
“Article/Chapter Title.” Anthology
Title in Italics. Ed. Editor’s name. City
of publication: publisher, date. page
numbers. Media Type.
Gordon, Mary. “The Parable of the Cave.” The
Author last name, first name, if given.
“Article Title.” Title of Reference Book.
Editor. Edition. Volume. City:
Publisher, date. Media Type.
Poulin, Russell. “Distance Learning in Higher
Writer on Her Work. Ed. Janet Sternburg.
New York: Norton, 1980. 27-32. Print.
Education.” Encyclopedia of Education. Ed.
James W. Guthrie. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. New York:
Macmillan, 2003. Print.
Articles from Magazines, Journals and Newspapers
List citations alphabetically by the first main word (disregard a, an, the, etc.)
Resource and Medium
Newspaper/magazine article
Newspaper/magazine article from online
database
Formatting Rule
Examples
Author last name, first name. “Title of
Article.” Title of Newspaper/Magazine.
Day Month Year: Pages. Media Type.
Phillips, Matthew. “Revenge of the Nerd.”
Author last name, first name. “Title of
Article.” Title of Newspaper/Magazine.
Day Month Year: Pages. Database
name in italics. Media Type. Access
date.
Phillips, Matthew. “Revenge of the Nerd.”
Author. “Title of Article.” Journal Title
Volume. Issue (Year): Pages. Media
Type.
Brodkey, Marion B., et al. “Living Well
Journal article
Newsweek 8 June 2009: 51-53. Print.
Newsweek 8 June 2009: 51-53.
ProQuest. Web. 14 May 2012.
with Multiple Sclerosis.” American
Journal of Nursing 111.7 (2011): 4048. Print.
Journal article from online database
Author. “Title of Article.” Journal Title
Volume. Issue (Year): Pages. Database
name in italics. Media Type. Access
date.
Brodkey, Marion B. et al. “Living Well
with Multiple Sclerosis.” American
Journal of Nursing 111.7 (2011): 4048. JSTOR. Web. 7 Feb. 2012.
Internet Resources
Resource and Medium
Web page
Formatting Rule
Author last name, first name (if known).
Title of Page in Italics. Publisher or
sponsor, date of last update. Media
Type. Access date.
Examples
Global Climate Change Research
Explorer. National Science
Foundation, 2002. Web. 23 Oct.
2012.
Article on a web page
Government document
Author last name, first name (if known).
“Title of Article.” Title of Website.
Publisher or sponsor (or n.p.), date of
last update (or n.d.). Media Type.
Access date.
“The Magic of Harry Potter.” Time. Time,
Government. Agency. Title of Publication.
Author last name, first name (if
known). City of publication:
Publisher, Date. Media Type.
Access date.
United States. Dept. of Commerce.
Inc., 25 Dec. 2000. Web. 22 Aug.
2011.
Statistical Abstract of the United
States, 2012. Lanham, MD: Bernan
Press, 2012. Web. 28 August 2014.
Works Cited
Brodkey, Marion B., et al. “Living Well with Multiple Sclerosis.” American Journal of Nursing 111.7
(2011): 40-48. Print.
“Elie Wiesel.” Nightline with Ted Koppel. ABC. WABC, New York. 18 Apr 2002. Television.
Finkenbine, Roy E., ed. Sources of the African American Past. 2nd ed. New York: Pearson/Longman,
2004. Print.
Gillespie, Paula, and Neal Lerner. The Allyn and Bacon Guide to Peer Tutoring. Boston: Allyn, 2000.
Print.
Global Climate Change Research Explorer. National Science Foundation, 2002. Web. 23 Oct. 2012.
Gordon, Mary. “The Parable of the Cave.” The Writer on Her Work. Ed. Janet Sternburg. New York:
Norton, 1980. 27-32. Print.
Guerette, Rob T. Migrant Death. New York: LFB Scholarly, 2007. EBSCO eBook Collection. Web.
19 Aug. 2012.
Herrera, Hayden. Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo. New York: Harper, 1993. Print.
“The Magic of Harry Potter.” Time. Time, Inc., 25 Dec. 2000. Web. 22 Aug. 2011.
Moschovitis, Christos J.P., et al. History of the Internet. Santa Barbara: Moschovitis, 1999. Print.
Poulin, Russell. “Distance Learning in Higher Education.” Encyclopedia of Education. Ed. James W.
Guthrie. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. New York: Macmillan. 2003. Print.
Tunnell, Michael O., and George W. Chilcoat. The Children of Topaz: The Story of a JapaneseAmerican Internment Camp. New York: Holiday House, 1996. Print.
United States. Dept. of Commerce. Statistical Abstract of the United States, 2012. Lanham, MD:
Bernan Press, 2012. Web. 28 August 2014.