Citing Electronic Resources
Available from the Hawkeye Community College Library
Rev. 6/15
MLA Style
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 7th ed. New York: Modern Language Association of
America, 2009. Print.
Endorsed by the HCC Communications Faculty.
I.
Full-Text Periodical Article from an Online Subscription Database
Generally, citations for online periodicals follow the same sequence as citations for print
periodicals. They should include the following information in this order with a period
between each item and one at the end:
 Author’s Last Name, First Name (if provided)
 “Title of the Article” ( in quotations)
 Name of the Journal, Magazine or Newspaper, in italics. volume and issue with
the year in parenthesis (if from a scholarly journal) OR the date of the publication
(if from a magazine)
 The range or total number of pages, paragraphs, or sections (if they are numbered)
 Title of the Database (italicized)
 Medium of publication consulted (Web)
 The date of access (day month year)
EBSCOhost databases - Academic Search Premier, MasterFILE Premier, Newspaper Source,
ERIC, MEDLINE with Full Text, CINAHL with Full Text, and others.
Scholarly/Peer Reviewed Journal article—If the file is an html file (text
only and no real pages), use beginning page number, a plus, and then a
period. If it is a pdf file (page numbers are present on page images) use
the page the article begins and ends with a hyphen between them and a
period at the end.
Feinstein, Brian A., et al. “Another Venue for Problematic Interpersonal Behavior: The Effects
of Depressive and Anxious Symptoms on Social Networking Experiences.” Journal of
Social and Clinical Psychology 31.4 (2012): 356-82. Academic Search Premier. Web. 27
Apr. 2012.
Magazine article, with a cited author—html file format (text only and no
real pages)
Sibilla, Nick. “Bubble Mentality.” Reason May 2012: 17+. Academic Search Premier. Web. 27
Apr. 2012.
2
Magazine article, no cited author—pdf file format (page numbers are
present on page images)
“Social 50.” Billboard 21 Apr. 2012: 36-7. Academic Search Premier. Web. 27 Apr. 2012.
Transcripts, pamphlets and other full-text documents
“Cybersecurity Issues.” FDCH Congressional Testimony 24 Apr. 2012. MasterFILE Premier.
Web. 27 Apr. 2012.
LexisNexis Academic
Newspaper article—html format
Holden, Louise, “It Is Time to Switch Off Facebook.” Irish Times 3 Apr. 2012, sec. Education:
13. LexisNexis Academic. Web. 27 Apr. 2012.
CQ Researcher Online
“Criminal Records and Employment: Should Barriers Be Eased for Ex-prisoners?” CQ
Researcher Online 22.15 (2012): 349-76. Web. 27 Apr. 2012.
II.
Full-Text Article from an Online Encyclopedia or Other Reference
Database
The following information should be included in a citation for an article from online
encyclopedia or reference database.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Name of the author of the article, if furnished in the article
Title of the article/entry in quotation marks
Title of the electronic encyclopedia or reference database (italicized)
Copyright date of the electronic encyclopedia
Title of the Database (italicized)
Medium of publication consulted (Web)
Access date
3
Gale Virtual Reference Library
"Factors Affecting Communication." 21st Century Communication: A Reference Handbook. Ed.
William F. Eadie. Vol. 1. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Inc., 2009. Gale Virtual
Reference Library. Web. 27 Apr. 2012.
III.
Multimedia, Including Images and Audio or Video Clips
Streaming Video See http://www.hawkeyecollege.edu/academics/library/books.aspx for the
three sources: Films on Demand, Media Education Foundation, and Other Digital Videos
(hosted at HCC)
The Slanted Screen: Asian Men in Film and Television. Smiley Film Series. 2006. Film on
Demand. Web. 19 Aug. 2013.
IV.
Full-Text Book from a Subscription Service
The citation for an electronic book includes as many of the items from this list as are relevant
and available.
1. Name of author, editor, compiler, or translator of the source, followed by an abbreviation,
such as ed., if appropriate
2. Title of book, (Italicized)
3. Edition
4. Publication information for the print version of the source
5. Title of the Database (italicized)
6. Medium of publication consulted (Web)
7. Access date
eBook collection (EBSCOhost)
Riha, Daniel, and Anna Maj. Emerging Practices in Cyberculture and Social Networking. New
York: Rodopi, 2010. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 20 Aug. 2013.
4
V.
Citing a Web Page
There are numerous variations, depending on the type of page, sponsoring organization, type of
online material, etc. However, the following is the bare minimum of information needed and the
order that the elements should be in for MLA format.
1.
2.
3
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Author (if given)
Title of the article in quotations
Title of website (italicized)
Group responsible for the site (if applicable)
Date of publication
Medium of publications consulted (web)
Date of access
URL if the item is not easy to fine with a quick search
“Background: Are Social Networking Sites Good for Our Society.” ProCon.org. ProCon.org, 10
Aug. 2012. Web. 20 Aug. 2012. < http://socialnetworking.procon.org/#Background >.