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MLA Citation Style (7th edition): Examples

This guide provides an overview of the MLA format for citations and works cited lists. Links to more detailed guides are included.

Works Cited and In-Text Citation Examples

These are some of the citations most commonly used in a works cited list. Consult the books and websites listed on this guide for examples not included below.

Unfortunately, the MLA Handbook does not provide an example for every resource that you may need to use. The handbook does, however, acknowledge that "MLA style is flexible, and sometimes you must improvise to record features not anticipated" (182).

This MLA citation style guide provides our best interpretation of the MLA guidelines for some of the resources (e.g. course packs) that are not included in the MLA Handbook.

If you are uncertain about how to cite a resource, check with your instructor, visit the Library Research Help Desk, or contact us at 250 370-3622.

Annotated Bibliographies

Articles
(Includes Dissertations, Theses and Microform)

Author, Place of Publication, Publisher, or Page Numbers Not Given

Bible, Koran and Other Sacred Texts

Blogs

Books
(Print and ebooks)

Class Lectures and Discussions

Course Packs

D2L Class Notes

Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

Digital Files
(PDF, PowerPoint, etc.)

E-mail

Government Publications

Images

Indirect Quotes 

Interviews / Musical Scores

Oral Histories and Storytelling

Plays

Podcasts

Poems

Reviews

Twitter and Facebook

Video Recordings
(Films, DVDs, Videocassettes,
YouTube, Netflix)

Webpages and Websites

 

The following examples are borrowed and adapted from the  MLA Handbook Seventh EditionA Canadian Writer's Reference Fifth Edition and A Writer's Reference Sixth Edition or drawn from resources held by the Camosun College Library or available online.

The design for viewing the parts of each citation has been adapted from Hacker, Diana, and Nancy Sommers. A Canadian Writers Reference. 5th ed. Bedford: St. Martin's. 2012. Print

Annotated Bibliographies (Print)

Source Works Cited In-text citation

Annotated Bibliography (See sec. 5.3.1 MLA Handbook)

An annotated bibliography contains descriptive or evaluative comments on the sources.

For more information, see our LibGuide Annotated Bibliography: How to Create One

Harbord, Janet. The Evolution of Film: Rethinking Film Studies. Cambridge:

          Polity, 2007. Print. A synthesis of classic film theory and an examination

          of the contemporary situation of film studies that draws on recent

          scholarship in philosophy, anthropology, and media studies.

(Harbord 27)

 

 

 

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Articles (Print and Online)

Source Works Cited In-text citation

Article in library database such as Academic Search Complete, CBCA or JSTOR (online) (See sec. 5.6.4 MLA Handbook)

 

(Two or three authors) (See sec. 5.5.4 MLA Handbook)

 

 

(Four or more authors) (See sec. 5.5.4 MLA Handbook)

If the work has four or more authors, either give the first author’s name followed by et al., or give all the authors' names.

Be consistent. Use the same format in your parenthetical citations and works cited list.

Jenson, Jill D. "It's the Information Age, So Where's the Information?" College

            Teaching 52.3 (2004): 107-12. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Feb.

            2005.

Leighton, Mary Elizabeth, and Lisa Surridge. "The Plot Thickens: Toward a

            Narratological Analysis of Illustrated Serial Fiction in the 1860's." Victorian

            Studies 51.1 (2008): 65-101. Humanities Abstracts (H.W. Wilson). Web.

            31 Oct. 2013.

McCarthy, Heather, et al. "The Impact of Wii Fit™ Yoga Training on Flexibility and

            Heart Rate." International Sportmed Journal 14.2 (2013): 67-76. CINAHL.

            Web. 15 Feb. 2014.

 or

McCarthy, Heather, Sarah T. Brazil, Juliana C. Greene, Sarah T. Rendell, and

             Linda E. Rohr. "The Impact of Wii Fit™ Yoga Training on Flexibility and

            Heart Rate." International Sportmed Journal 14.2 (2013): 67-76. CINAHL.

            Web. 15 Feb. 2014.

(Jenson 112)

 

 

(Leighton, and Surridge 71)

 

 

 

(McCarthy, et al. 72)

 

 

 

(McCarthy, Brazil, Greene, Rendell and Rohr 72)

 

Article in a scholarly journal (print) (See sec. 5.4.2 MLA Handbook)

Madsen, Kim. "Effects of World War Two Evacuation and Occupation on Guernsey

            Children." Children in War: The International Journal of Evacuee and War

            Child Studies 1.10 (2013): 115-126. Print.

(Madsen 120)

Article in a scholarly journal (online) (See sec. 5.4.2 and 5.6.2.b MLA Handbook)

Chercover, Alena. "His Paper Family Knew Their Place: Diasporic Space in Wayson Choy."

            All That Matters Postcolonial Text 6.3 (2011): 1-18. Web. 16 July 2015.

(Chercover 12)

Article or chapter (one author) in a collection of essays or an anthology (print) (See sec. 5.5.6 MLA Handbook)

 

 

(Two or three authors) (See sec. 5.5.4 MLA Handbook)

Bordo, Susan. "The Moral Content of Nabokov's Lolita." Aesthetic Subjects.

            Ed. Pamela R. Matthews and David McWhirter. Minneapolis: U of

            Minnesota P, 2003. 125-52. Print.

If there is more than one editor do not use "Eds." "Ed." after the book title means "Edited by" and, therefore, is singular. (See sec. 5.5.6 MLA Handbook)

Cossu, Andrea, and Matteo Bortolini. "The Spider and the Fly: Authenticity,

            Dualism, and the Rolling Stones." The Rolling Stones: Sociological

            Perspectives. Ed. Helmut Staubmann. Toronto: Lexington, 2013, 21-42.

(Bordo 126)

 

 

(Cossu, and Bortolini 23)

 

Article in magazine (print) (See sec. 5.4.6 MLA Handbook

McEvoy, Dermot. "Little Books, Big Success."Publishers Weekly 30 Oct. 2006:

           26-28. Print.

(McEvoy 27)
Article in a magazine (online) (See sec. 5.6.2.b MLA Handbook)

Pettifor, Eric. "Copyright Bill Gives Big Media Control." backofthebook.ca. Single

          Lane Media, 2 June 2010. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.

(Pettifor)

 

Article in a newspaper (print) (See secs. 5.4.1 and 5.4.5 MLA Handbook)

If the paging of a newspaper or magazine article is contiunued elsewhere in the issue, include only the first page followed by the plus (+) sign.

If the city of publication is not included in the name of the newspaper, add the city in square brackets (not italicized) after the name.

Jermack, Paul. "This Once, a David of the Art World Does Goliath a Favor."

          New York Times 13 July 2002, late ed.: B7+. Print.

Alaton, Salem. "So, Did They Live Happily Ever After?" Globe and Mail [Toronto]

          27 Dec. 1997: D1+. Print.

O'Connor, Elaine. "Hundreds Turn Out for Firefighter's Funeral." Times Colonist

          [Victoria] 6 Jan. 2012: A2. Print.

"Health-care Politics Goes Viral." Globe and Mail [Toronto] 29 Oct. 2014: A10. Print.

(Jermack B9)

 

(Alaton D3)

 

(O'Connor A6)

 

("Health-care" A10)

Use the title in the in-text citation. Titles may be shortened. (See sec. 7.7 MLA Handbook)

Article in a newspaper (online) (See sec. 5.4.5 and sec.5.6.2b MLA Handbook)

Give the author, title of the article in quotation marks, title of the newspaper in italics, sponsor or publisher of the site (use N. p. if there isn't one), date of publication, medium and date of access.

Golombek, Jamie. "Sometimes, You Just Get Lucky with Deadlines."

          financialpost.com. National Post, 28 Aug. 2010. Web. 3 Sept. 2010.

Rubin Joel. "Report Faults Charter School." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles

           Times, 22 Jan. 2005. Web. 24 Jan. 2005.

Notice, as in the second example, that the title of the newspaper may be the same as the publisher of the newspaper.

(Rubin)

 

Article in a newspaper in a library database such as Canadian Newstand (online) (See sec. 5.6.4 MLA Handbook)

 

If the city of publication is not included in the name of the newspaper, add the city in square brackets (not italicized) after the name.

Hepburn, Claudia R. "Tuition Increases a Tough Sell: Students Can Bear Higher

           Fees, Argues the Fraser Institute." Vancouver Sun 21 Aug. 2003: A11.

          Canadian Newsstand. Web. 10 Oct. 2012.

"Good Vibrations from Downtown Studio." Times - Colonist [Victoria, B.C]

          15 Sep 2012: B.6. Canadian Newsstand. Web. 16 Nov 2012.

(Hepburn A11)

 

 

("Good Vibrations B6")

Use the title in the in-text citation. Titles may be shortened. (See sec. 7.7 MLA Handbook)

Article in library database of an interview transcript for a television or radio broadcast (online) (See sec. 5.6.4 and sec. 5.7.1 MLA Handbook)

To cite the transcript of a television or radio broadcast, list its medium of publication (Print or Web) and add the description Transcript at the end of the entry. 

Coren, Stanley. “Sleep Week: Are You Getting Enough Sleep?” Interview by

          Dan Matheson. Canada AM. CTV Television, Toronto, 4 Mar. 1998. CBCA

          Business and Reference. Web. 16 Apr. 2012. Transcript.

 

(Coren)

Article on microfilm or microfiche) (See sec 5.7.15 MLA Handbook)

Microfilm or microfiche contain information available on transparent rolls or sheets that are viewed on a microform machine.

Most microform information will have been originally published in print.

Include:

  • information as you would cite it for the original source.

  • medium (Microform)

  • name of  microform service (in italics) 

  • available information  (volume number, year, or date range of roll or sheet)

Cernetig, Miro. "Hunters' Rite of Passage Threatened: Whaling in Canada's North; Natives

          Fear Belugas will prove to be the Issue that Divides them from their Traditional Allies,

          the Environmentalists." The Globe and Mail [Toronto] 22 July 1991: A1+. Microform.

          Info Globe (16-31 July 1991).

Chapman, Dan. “Panel Could Help Protect Children.” Winston-Salem Journal 14 Jan.

          1990: 14. Microform. NewsBank: Welfare and Social Problems 12 (1990): fiche 1.

          Grids A8-11.

Taylor, Greg W. “The Search for Leaders: Canadians Putting Pressure on Politicians to

          Earn Respect from Voters. Maclean's 22 July 1991: 14-21. Microform. Micromedia:

          Canada’s Information People (July-December 1991).

(Cernetig A4)

 

 

 

(Chapman 14)

 

 

(Taylor 16)

Dissertations and Theses (See sec. 5.4.8, 5.5.25 and 5.5.26 MLA Handbook)

For an unpublished dissertation or thesis, include:

  • author
  • title in quotation marks
  • Diss., MA thesis, or MS thesis
  • university
  • year
  • medium (Print or Web)

For a published dissertation include

  • author
  • title in italics
  • Diss., MA thesis, or MS thesis
  • university
  • year
  • place of publication
  • publisher
  • medium (Print or Web)

Unpublished Dissertation, Print

Kelly, Mary. “Factors Predicting Hospital Readmission of Normal Newborns." Diss. City U of

            Michigan, 2001. Print.

Mercer, Todd. "Perspective and Point of View: James Joyce and Frederic Jameson."

            MA thesis. U of Victoria. 1987. Print.

To cite a master's thesis substitute MA thesis or MS thesis for Diss. (For more information see, sec. 5.5.25 MLA Handbook)

Unpublished Dissertation, Web

Brown, Jennifer M. “Going Solo: The Experience of Learning Russian in a Non-traditional

            Environment." Diss. Ohio State U, 2004. OhioLINK. Web. 15 May 2008.

Hill, Elina. "Indigenous Knowledge Practices in British Columbia: A Study in Decolonization."

            MA thesis. U of Victoria, 2012. UVicSpace. Web. 26 Mar. 2015.

Published Dissertation, Print

Fullerton, Matilda. Women’s Leadership in the Public Schools: Towards a

            Feminist Educational Leadership Model. Diss. Washington State U, 2001. Ann

             Arbour: UMI, 2001. Print.

Cite a published dissertation as you would a book, adding the relevant dissertation information. (For more information, see sec. 5.5.26 MLA Handbook)

 

(Kelly 27)

 

(Mercer 31)

 

 

 

(Brown 107)

 

(Hill 129)

 

 

(Fullerton 109))

 

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Author Not Given (Print and Online)

Source Works Cited In-text citation

Author not given (article) See sec. 5.4.9 and sec. 6.4.4 MLA Handbook)

“Decade of the Spy.” Newsweek 7 Mar. 1994: 26-27. Print. 

 

(“Decade” 29) 

Use the title in the in-text citation. Titles may be shortened. (See sec. 7.7 MLA Handbook)

Author not given (book) See sec. 5.5.9 and sec. 6.4.4 MLA Handbook)

 

American Heritage Guide to Contemporary Usage and Style. Boston: Houghton,

          2005. Print. 

(American Heritage 77) 

Use the title in the in-text citation. Titles may be shortened. (See sec. 7.7 MLA Handbook)

Author not given (internal webpage or short work from a website)

"Coming Home." The Wounded Platoon. PBS Online, 18 May 2010. Web. 1 June

          2010.

("Coming Home")
Author not given (entire website)

Canadian Country Atlas Digital Project. Rare Books and Special Collections

          Div., McGill U, June 2003. Web. 6 Aug. 2010.

(Canadian Country Atlas)

Use the title in the in-text citation. Titles may be shortened. (See sec. 7.7 MLA Handbook)

Place of publication not given (book) (See sec. 5.5.24 MLA Handbook)

 

N.p = No place of publication given

The letter "N" is upper case because it follows a period in the citation.

If you can find the place of publication, include it in square brackets to show that it did not come from the source.

Bauer, Johann. Kafka und Prag. [Stuttgart]: Belser, 1971. Print.

If you cannot find the place of publication, insert the abbreviation N.p. before the colon to indicate that no place of publication is given.

Bauer, Johann. Kafka and Prague. N.p.: Belser, 1971. Print.

 

 

 

(Bauer 12)

 

 

(Bauer 12)

Publisher not given (book) (See sec. 5.5.24 MLA Handbook)

 

 

 

 

n.p. = No publisher given

The letter "n" is lower case because it follows a colon in the citation.

If you can find the name of the publisher, include it in square brackets to show that it did not come from the source.

Malachi, Zvi, ed. Proceedings of the International Conference on Literary and Linguistic

          Computing. Tel Aviv: [Fac. of Humanities, Tel Aviv U], 1979. Print.

If you cannot find the name of the publisher, insert  the abbreviation n.p. after the colon to indicate that no publisher is given.

Malachi, Zvi, ed. Proceedings of the International Conference on Literary and Linguistic

          Computing. Tel Aviv: n.p, 1979. Print.

 

 

 

(Malachi, 7)

 

 

(Malachi 7)

Date of publication not given (book) (See sec. 5.5.24 MLA Handbook)

 

 

 

 

 

 

n.d. = No date of publication given

The letter "n" is lower case because it follows a comma in the citation.

If you can find the date of publication, include it  in square brackets to show that it did not come from the source.

New York: U of Gotham P, [2008].

If you can find an approximate date of publication, put the abbreviation c. for circa (meaning around) before the date.

New York: U of Gotham P, [c. 2008].

If you are uncertain about the accuracy of the date of publication, add a question mark.

New York: U of Gotham P, [2008?]

If you cannot find the date of publication, insert the abbreviation n.d. to indicate that no date is given.  

New York: U of Gotham P, n.d.

 

 

Page numbers not given (book) (See sec. 5.5.24 MLA Handbook)

N. pag = No pagination given

The letter "N" is upper case because it follows a period in the citation.

If page numbers are not given, place the abbreviation N. pag. after the date.

Sendak, Maurice. Where the Wild Things Are. New York: Harper, 1963. N. pag. Print.

 

 

(Sendak)

The abbreviation N. pag. in your works cited entry explains the absence of page numbers in your in-text or parenthetical citations.

Publisher or sponsor not given (work cited on the Web) (See sec. 5.6.2.b MLA Handbook)

N.p. = No publisher given

The letter "n" is Upper case because it follows a period in the citation.

If you cannot find the name of the publisher or sponsor insert  the abbreviation n.p. after the colon to indicate that no publisher is given.

Lessig, Lawrence. "Free Debates: More Republicans Call on RNC." Lessig 2.0." N.p., 4 May

               2007. Web. 15 May 2008.

(Lessig)

Date of publication or last update not given (Work cited on the Web) (See sec. 5.6.2.b MLA Handbook)

n.d. = No date of publication given

The letter "n" is lower case because it follows a comma in the citation.

If you cannot find the date of publication or last update insert the abbreviation n.d. to indicate that no date is given.  

Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines. "Marine Assessment and Our First

               Response Plan." Enbridge Northern Gateway Project. Enbridge.com,

               n.d. Web. 1 May 2012.

(Enbridge Northern)

Page numbers not given (Work on the Web with print publication information cited included) (See sec. 5.6.2.c MLA Handbook)

N. pag = No pagination given

The letter "N" is upper case because it follows a period in the citation.

If page numbers are not given, place the abbreviation N. pag. after the date for the print publication information.

Bierce, Ambrose. "Academy." The Devil's Dictionary. The Collected Works of Ambrose

               Bierce. Vol. 7 New York: Neale, 1911. N. pag. The Ambrose Bierce Project. Web.

               15 May 2008.

(Bierce)

The abbreviation N. pag. in your works cited entry explains the absence of page numbers in your in-text or parenthetical citations.

 

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Bible, Koran and other sacred texts

Source Works Cited In-text citation

Bible (See sec. 3.6.5, 5.5.9, 5. 5.10, 6.4.8 and 7.7.1 MLA Handbook)

When writing about sacred texts in a general sense terms such as the Bible, Talmud, and Koran are not italicized.

When citing specific editions, full and shortened titles are italicized. (See sec. 3.6.5 MLA Handbook)

The New Jerusalem Bible. Henry Wansbrough, gen. ed. New York: Doubleday,

          1985. Print.

The Holy Bible: Containing the Old and New Testaments. New York: World, n. d.

          Print. Authorized King James Vers.  

The Holy Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005. Print. Today's New Standard

          Vers.

If given, the version of the Bible is recorded at the end of the entry. (See sec. 5.5.10 MLA Handbook)

Note that, in the list of works cited, The New Jerusalem Bible and The Holy Bible would be alphabetized under n and h. (See sec. 5.5.9 MLA Handbook)

 

In one of the most vivid prophetic visions in the Bible, Ezekiel saw “what seemed to be four living creatures,” each with the faces of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle (New Jerusalem Bible, Ezek. 1.5-10).  

Give the name of the bible, the book of the Bible, the chapter and the verse.

Note that The is omitted in the in-text citation.

Subsequent citations of the same edition of the Bible need only the name of the book of the bible, chapter and verse numbers. (See sec. 6.4.8 MLA Handbook)

John of Patmos echoes this passage when describing his vision (Rev. 4.6-8).

Note that titles of the books of the Bible are abbreviated. (See sec. 7.7.1 MLA Handbook)

Qur'an [Quran or Koran] (See sec. 3.6.5, 5.5.9, 5. 5.10, 6.4.8 and 7.7.1 MLA Handbook)

 

The Qur'an: With Phrase by Phrase Translation. Trans. Ali Quli Qara'i. London:

          ICAS, 2004. Print.

(Qur'an 3.42-45) 

 

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Blogs (Weblogs)

Source Works Cited In-text citation

Entire Blog (Weblog) (See sec. 5.6.2b MLA Handbook) 

Cite a blog as you would an entire website.

Akin, David. David's On the Hill. N. p., 7 Dec. 2010. Web. 22 Dec. 2010.

If the publisher of the site is unknown, use N. p. for no publisher.

(Aikin)

Entry or comment in a blog (Weblog) (See sec. 5.6.2b MLA Handbook) 

Cite an entry or a response to an entry as you would an internal webpage in a website. If the entry or comment has no title, enter Weblog entry or Web comment. 

Palkin, Steve. "A Brilliant Debate." The Agenda. TVOntario, 29 Nov. Nov. 2010.

          Web. 15 Dec. 2010.

Johan. Web comment. The Agenda. TVOntario, 8 Dec. 2010.

          Web. 15 Dec. 2010.

(Palkin)

 

(Johan)

 

 

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Books (Print and ebooks)

Source Works Cited In-text citation

Book (Print) (one author) (See sec. 5.5.2 and sec.6.3 MLA Handbook)

Jones, Kari. So Much for Democracy. Victoria, BC: Orca, 2014. Print.

Lundgren, Jodi. Leap. Toronto: Second Story, 2011. Print.

McCormack, Bruce. Tokyo Notes and Anecdotes: Natsukashi. Victoria, BC: Trafford. 2000.

           Print.

(Jones 16)

(Lundgren 7)

(McCormack 51)

Book (ebook) (one author) (See sec. 5.62a and sec. 5.62c MLA Handbook)

Surridge, Lisa A. Bleak Houses: Marital Violence in Victorian Fiction. Athens,

           OH: Ohio UP, 2005. ebrary. Web. 29 Jan. 2014.

(Surridge 72)

Book (two or three authors and specified edition) (See sec. 5.5.4 and sec. 5.5.13 MLA Handbook)

Booth, Wayne C., Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams. The Craft of

          Research. 2nd ed. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 2003. Print.

(Booth, Colomb, and Williams 60)

Book (four or more authors) (See sec. 5.5.4 and sec 6.2 MLA Handbook)

If the work has four or more authors, either give the first author’s name followed by et al., or give all the authors' names. Be consistent. Use the same format in your parenthetical citations and works cited list.

Plag, Ingo, et al. Introduction to English Linguistics. Berlin: Mouton, 2007. Print.

or

 Plag, Ingo, Maria Braun, Sabine Lappe and Mareile Schramm. Introduction to

          English Linguistics. Berlin: Mouton, 2007. Print.

(Plag et al. 203)

or

(Plag, Braun, Lappe, and Schramm 203)

Book (chapter in an edited book or anthology) (See sec, 5.5.6 MLA Handbook)

The abbreviation Ed.stands for edited by one or more authors. Do not use Eds,

Faulkner, William. “A Rose for Emily.” Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing. Ed. Laurie G.

          Kirszner, Stephen R. Mandell and Candace Fertile. 2nd Canadian ed.

          Toronto, ON: Thomson Nelson, 2007. 90-97. Print.

Downey, Michael. “Canada’s ‘Genocide’: Thousands Taken from Their Homes

          Need Help.” Acting on Words: An Integrated Rhetoric, Research Guide,

          Reader, and Handbook. Ed. David Brundage and Michael Lahey. 3rd ed.

          Toronto: Pearson Canada, 2012. 445-48. Print.

(Faulkner 96)

 

 

 

 

(Downey 477-78)

Book (editor or editors) See sec. 5.5.3 MLA Handbook)

For one editor use ed. (for editor) after the name. For more than one editor, use eds. (for editors) after the names.

MacLaury, Robert E., Galina V. Paramei, and Don Dedrick, eds. Anthropology of

          Color: Interdisciplinary Multilevel Modeling. Amsterdam: Benjamins,

          2007, Print.

(MacLaury, Paramei, and Dedrick xx)

Book (corporate author included in the in-text citation)(See sec. 5.5.5, and sec. 6.4.5 MLA Handbook)

National Research Council. China and Global Change: Opportunities for

          Collaboration.Washington: Natl. Acad., 1992. National Academy Press.

          Web 15 Mar. 2007.

(Natl. Research Council 15)

When using the name of a corporate author in the in-text citation, shorten terms that are commonly abbreviated. (See sec. 7.4, MLA Handbook)

 

Book (corporate author included in the text)  (See sec. 5.5.5 and sec. 6.4.5 MLA Handbook)

 

National Research Council. China and Global Change: Opportunities for

          Collaboration.Washington: Natl. Acad., 1992. National Academy Press.

          Web 15 Mar. 2007.

According to a study sponsored by the

National Research Council, the

population of China around 1990 was

increasing by more than fifteen

million annually (15).

Book (edition other than the first) (See sec. 5.5.13. MLA Handbook

Include the edition by number (2nd, 3rd, etc.) or by name (Rev. ed. for revised edition).

If the book has a translator or an editor, give the name before the edition number using the abbreviations Trans. (for  translated by) or Ed. (for edited by one or more authors).

Baker, Nancy L., and Nancy Huling. A Research Guide for Undergraduate

          Students: English and American Literature. 6th ed. New York: MLA, 2006.

          Print.

Halfe, Louise Bernice. Blue Marrow. 1st US ed. Regina: Couteau, 2005. Print.

Cavafy, C. P. Collected Poems. Trans. Edmund Keely and Philip Sherrard.

          Ed. George Savidvis. Rev. ed. Princeton: Princeton UP, 1992. Print.

(Baker and, Huling 27)

 

 

(Halfe 97)

 

(Cavafy 33)

Book (introduction, preface, foreword or afterword) (See sec. 5.5.8 The MLA Handbook)

Include:

  • name of the writer of the introduction, preface, foreword or afterword
  • name of the part being cited (do not use italics or quotation marks)
  • title of the work (in italics)
  • author of the work preceded by the word By
  • publication information
  • medium
  • page range

White, Colin. Foreword. The Patrick O’Brian Muster Book: Persons, Animals,

            Ships, and Cannon in the Aubrey-Maturin Sea Novels. By Anthony Gary

            Brown. 2nd ed. Jefferson: McFarland, 2007. 1-2. Print.

If the writer of the introduction, preface, foreword, or afterword is also the author of the work, include only last name after the word By

Borges, Jorge Luis. Foreword. Selected Poems, 1923-1967. By Borges. Ed.

            Norman Thomas Di Giovanni. New York: Delta-Dell, 1973. xv-xvi. Print.

If the book is an edited work, do not include the word By before the word Ed. (for edited by)

Hamill, Pete. Introduction. The Brooklyn Reader: Thirty Writers Celebrate

            America’s Favorite Borough. Ed. Andrea Wyatt Sexton and Alice Leccese

            Powers. New York: Harmony, 1994. xi-xiv. Print.

If the introduction, preface, foreword, or afterword has a title, give the title (in quotation marks) before the name of the part.

Hadot, Pierre. “Prologue at Ephesus: An Enigmatic Saying.” Preface. The Veil of

            Isis: An Essay on the History of the Idea of Nature. By Hadot. Trans.

            Michael Chase. Cambridge: Belknap-Harvard UP, 2006. 1-3. Print.

(White 2)

 

 

 

 

(Borges xv)

 

 

(Hamill xi)

 

 

 

 

(Hadot 2)

Book (multivolume work) (See sec. 5.5.14 MLA Handbook)

If using two or more volumes of a multivolume work, cite the total number of volumes and the range of publication dates.

If you are using only one volume of a multivolume work, cite the specific volume and the date of publication for that volume.

Stark, Freya. Letters. Ed. Lucy Moorehead. 8 vols. Salisbury: Compton,

          1974-82. Print.

 

Stark, Freya. Letters. Ed. Lucy Moorehead. Vol. 5. Salisbury: Compton,

          1978. Print.

(Stark 3: 212)

Give the volume number and page number in the in-text citation.

(Stark 571)

Give only the page number in the in-text citation.

Book (two or more works by the same author) (See sec. 5.3.4 and 6.4.6 MLA Handbook)

To cite two or more works by the same author, give the name in the first entry only. Thereafter, in place of the name, type three hyphens, followed by a period and the title.

Frye, Northrop. Anatomy of Criticism: Four Essays. Princeton: Princeton UP,

          1957. Print.

---. The Double Vision: Language and Meaning in Religion. Toronto: U of

         Toronto P, 1991. Print.

 

(Frye, Anatomy 237).

Place a comma after the author's last name. Add the title and the page number. Titles may be shortened.

For Northrop Frye, "every moment we have lived through, we have also died out of into another order" (Double Vision 85).

If you state the author's name in the in-text citation, give only the title and page number.

Book (more than one work in a single in-text citation) (See sec. 6.4.9 MLA Handbook)

To cite more than one work in a single in-text citation, cite each work as you normally would in the works cited list.

Fukuyama, Francis. Our Posthuman Future: Consequences of the Biotechnology

         Revolution. New York: Farrar, 2002. Print.

McRae, Murdo William, ed. The Literature of Science: Perspectives on Popular

         Science Writing. Athens: U of Georgia P, 1993. Print.

(Fukuyama 42; McRae 101-33)

Use semicolons to separate the citations.

 

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Class Lectures, Oral Presentations and Class Discussions

Source Works Cited In-text citation

(Public Lecture, Speech, Address or Reading) (See sec. 5.7.11 MLA Handbook)

Give the speaker's name; the title of the public presentation (if known), in quotation marks; the meeting and the sponsoring organization (if applicable); the location; and the date. Use the appropriate descriptive label (Address, Lecture, Keynote speech, Reading) to indicate the form of delivery.

Alter, Robert, and Marilynne Robinson. "The Psalms: A Reading and

          Conversation." 92nd Street Y, New York. 17 Dec. 2007. Reading.

Matuozzi, Robert. "Archive Trauma." Archive Trouble. MLA Annual Convention,

          Hyatt Regency, Chicago. 29 Dec. 2007. Address.

Tallamy, Douglas. "Bringing Nature Home." Edwards Charitable Foundation.

          Toronto Botanical Garden. 27 Oct. 2010. Lecture.

(Alter and Robinson)

 

(Matuozzi)

 

(Tallamy) 

 

(Class Lecture, Class Discussion or Class Presentation)

The MLA Handbook does not give instructions for citing class lectures,  class discussions or class presentations.

However, if using the guidelines mentioned above, use the instructor's or student's name, title of the lecture or presentation, course number, section and name (in italics), college name, location and date. Conclude with the appropriate descriptive label (Lecture, Discussion or Presentation)

Brown, Robert. "Writing About Literature." ENGL 160-001. Introduction to

          Literature. Camosun College, Victoria, BC. 21 Oct. 2000. Lecture.

For a comment by a classmate, use the classmate's name in place of the instructor's and discussion in place of lecture.

Thorton, Mary. "Writing About Literature." ENGL 160-001. Introduction to

           Literature.Camosun College, Victoria, BC. 21 Oct. 2000. Discussion.

For general class discussions, begin the citation with the title or subject of the discussion.

"Writing About Literature." ENGL 160-001. Introduction to Literature. Camosun

          College. Victoria, BC. 21 Oct. 2000. Discussion.

(Brown)

 

 

(Thorton)

 

 

 

 ("Writing")

Use the title in the in-text citation. Titles may be shortened. (See sec. 7.7 MLA Handbook)

 

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Course Packs (Custom Courseware)

Source Works Cited In-text citation

Articles or book chapters in a course pack

The MLA Handbook does not give instructions for citing course packs.

Treat the items in your course pack like an article or chapter in a collection of essays or an anthology (see example in articles section of this guide) that are reprinted from another source.

Leibman, Bonnie. "Sugar Overload: 10 Reasons to Cut Back.” Nutrition Action

              Health Letter. 37.1 (2010): 3-8. Rpt. in HLTH 110: Health in Today’s

              World. Ed. Patty McCrodan. Victoria, BC: Camosun College Bookstore,

              2011. 35-40. Print.

Currie, Sheldon. “The Glace Bay Miner’s Museum." Literature: Reading, Writing,

               Reacting. Ed. Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. 3rd ed.

               Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace, 1997. 370-82. Rpt. in ENGL 160: English

               Literature. Ed. Ann Dumonceaux. Victoria, BC: Camosun College

                Bookstore, 2012. 145-59. Print.

  • Use the name of your instructor as the editor.
  • If the instructor's name is not given, use the department as the editor.
  • Use the bookstore as the publisher and the date the course pack was issued as the date of publication.
  • If there is no date of issue, use the current semester and year for the date of publication.

(Liebman 5)

 

 

 

 

(Currie 149)

  • Some course packs are paginated continuously.
  • Some include only the page numbers found in the original work.
  • Check with your instructors to see which page number they prefer.

 

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D2L (Class Notes on Course Website)

 

Source Works Cited In-text citation

D2L (Class notes on course website (See sec. 5.6.2b MLA Handbook)

The MLA Handbook does not give instructions for citing class notes posted on a course website.

Cite as you would a page or short work from a website.

Brown, Robert. "Writing About Literature." ENGL 160-001. Introduction to to Literature. D2L Camosun College, Victoria, BC. 21 Oct. 2000. Web. 23 Oct. 2000.

Use the:

  • instructor's name as the author
  • title of the class notes (in quotation marks) as the title of the webpage
  • course number, section and title (in italics) as the title of the website
  • D2L and the college name and location as the publisher or sponsor
  • date of the notes as the date of publication or last update
  • Web as the medium
  • current date as the date of access  

(Brown) 

 

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Dictionaries and Encyclopedias (Print and Online)

Source Works Cited In-text citation

Dictionary definition (print with no author, widely used) (See sec. 5.5.7 and sec. 6.4.4 MLA Handbook)

"Noon." The Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989. Print.

For widely used reference books, list only the edition (if stated), publication date and medium of publication.

("Noon")

Dictionary definition (online no author) (See sec. 5.5.7, sec. 5.6.2.c and sec. 6.4.4 MLA Handbook

If you are citing a specific definition among several, add the abbreviation Def. ("Definition") and the appropriate designation (e.g., number, letter).

"Aporia." Def. 2. Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989. OED Online. Oxford

          UP. Web. 6 Mar. 2010.

For online reference works, cite the title of the work (italicized), edition and publication date (if stated), website title (italicized), publisher (if stated), medium of publication and date of access.

("Aporia")

Encyclopedia entry (print with no author) (See sec. 5.5.7 and sec. 6.4.4 MLA Handbook)

"Japan." The Encyclopedia Americana. 2004 ed. Print.

 

("Japan")

Encyclopedia entry (print with author) (See sec. 5.5.7 MLA Handbook)

When citing specialized reference works, give full publication information.

Allen, Anita L. "Privacy in Health Care."Encyclopedia of Bioethics. Ed. Stephen

          G. Post. 3rd ed. Vol. 4. New York: Macmillan-Thomson, 2004. Print.

(Allen)

Encyclopedia entry (online with no author) (See sec. 5.6.2b MLA Handbook)

"de Kooning, Willem." Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. Encyclopaedia

          Britannica, 2008. Web. 15 May 2008.

("de Kooning, Willem")

Encyclopedia entry in a Wiki (See sec. 5.6.2b MLA Handbook)

Cite as you would a page or short work from a website.

"Hip Hop Music." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 2 Mar. 2010. Web 18 Mar.

          2010.

 

("Hip Hop")

Use the title in the in-text citation. Titles may be shortened. (See sec. 7.7 MLA Handbook)

 

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Digital Files (PDF, PowerPoint, Word, MP3, JPEG, etc.)

Source Works Cited In-text citation

Digital Files (See sec. 5.7.18 MLA Handbook)

A digital file is any digital item that exists independently from the Web. Follow the MLA Handbook format guidelines for each individual item and then add the type of file.

For MP3 (sound recordings) and JPEG (photographs) examples see sec. 5.7.18 MLA Handbook.

Canadian Mental Health Association. The Windows of Opportunity for

              Mental Health Reform. Toronto: CHMA, 2010. PDF File. 

Bagstad, Susan, and Dalyce Joslin. "RUSA Course: The Reference Interview."

             2009. Microsoft PowerPoint file.  

Cortez, Juan. "Border Crossing in Chicano Narrative." 2007. Microsoft Word file.

(Canadian Mental Health Association 7)

 

(Bagstad, and Joslin 11)

 

(Cortez 17)

 

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E-mail

Source Works Cited In-text citation
E-mail (See sec. 5.7.13  MLA Handbook) 

Boyle, Anthony T. "Re: Utopia." Message to Daniel J. Cahill. 21 June

          1997. E-mail.

Lowe, Walter. "Review Questions." Message to the author. 15 Mar. 2010. E-mail.

(Boyle) 

(Lowe)

 

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Government Publications (Print and Online)

Source Works Cited In-text citation

Government publication (print with personal author) (See sec. 5.5.5, sec. 5.5.20 and sec. 6.4.5 MLA Handbook)

Cottrell, Barbara. Parent Abuse: The Abuse of Parents by their Teenage

          Children. Canada. Health Can. Family Violence Prevention Unit. Ottawa:

          Health Canada, 2001. Print.

(Cottrell 9)

Government publication (print with corporate author) (See sec. 5.5.5, sec. 5.5.20 and sec. 6.4.5 MLA Handbook)

If you do not know the author of the document, treat the government agency as the author.

British Columbia. Ministry of Forests. Managing Identified Wildlife: Procedures

          and Measures. Victoria: Ministry of Forests, 1999. Print.

The British Columbia Ministry of

Forests provides information on

animal species at risk under the

Forest Practices Codes (3).

Government publication (online with corporate author) (See sec. 5.5.5, sec. 5.5.20 and sec. 6.4.5 MLA Handbook)

To avoid interrupting the flow of your text with an extended parenthetical reference, try to include corporate authors' names in the text of your essay.

British Columbia. Ministry of Forests. Managing Identified Wildlife: Procedures

          and Measures. Victoria: Ministry of Forests, Feb. 1999. Web. 11 Dec.

          2009.

The British Columbia Ministry of

Forests provides information on the

animal species at risk under the

Forest Practices Codes.

 

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Images

Source Works Cited In-text citation

Image (in museum or private collection) (See sec. 3.6.2 and 5.7.6 MLA Handbook)

 

Include:

  • artist's or photographer's name
  • title or description of painting or photograph (in italics)
  • date of composition (if unknown, use N.d.)
  • medium of composition (see examples listed above)
  • museum or private collection that has the painting or photograph (if private collection, use "collection of . . ." If collector is unknown, use "Private collection" without a city name)
  • city where institution or collection is located (if unavailable, use n.p)

Evans, Walker. Penny Picture Display. 1936. Photograph. Museum of Mod. Art,

          New York.

Heckman, Albert. Windblown Trees. N.d. Lithograph on paper. Private collection.

Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn. Aristotle with a Bust of Homer. 1653. Oil on

         canvas. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Seurat, Georges. Man Leaning on a Fence. 1880-81? Graphite on paper.

          Collection of André Bromberg, n.p.

 

 

 

 

 

(Evans)

 

(Heckman)

(Rembrandt)

 


(Seurat)

Image (reproduction in print source) (See sec. 3.6.2, 5.7.6 and 6.4.2 MLA Handbook)

 

Include:

  • artist's or photographer's name
  • title or description of painting or photograph (in italics)
  • date of composition (if unknown, use N.d.)
  • museum or private collection that has the painting or photograph
  • if private collection, use "collection of . . ."
  • if collector is unknown, use "Private collection" without a city name
  • city where institution or collection is located (if unavailable, use n.p)
  • title of print source (in italics)
  • editor (Ed. for edited by)
  • place of publication
  • publisher
  • date of publication
  • plate pr page number of painting or photograph (whichever is used)
  • medium of reproduction (Print)

Eakins, Thomas. Spinning. 1881. Private collection. Thomas Eakins. Ed. Darrel

          Sewell. Philadelphia: Philadelphia Museum of Art in assn. with Yale UP,

          2001. Plate 91. Print.

Moholy-Nagy, Lászlò. Photogram. N.d. Museum of Mod. Art, New York. The

          Contest of Meaning: Critical Histories of Photography. Ed. Richard Bolton.

           Cambridge: MIT P, 1989. 94. Print.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Eakins, plate 91)

 

 

(Moholy-Nagy 94)

Image (digital file)  (See sec. 5.7.18 MLA Handbook)

  • Digital images can be stored as independent files on a computer in JPEG or other file formats.
  • Follow guidelines for citing a painting or photograph.
  • For the medium of publication, use the digital file format (JPEG, JPG, GIF, BMP, etc.), followed by the word file .
  • do not italicize the file name (except for names of software programs, for example, Microsoft file).
  • For unknown file types, use Digital file.  

Delano, Jack. At the Vermont State Fair. 1941. Lib. of Cong., Washington. JPEG

          file. 

 

 

 

 

 

(Delano) 

Image (reproduction in  library database) (See sec. 5.6.4 and 5.7.6 MLA Handbook)

 

Include:

  • artist's or photographer's name
  • title or description of painting or photograph (in italics)
  • date of composition (if unknown, use N.d.)
  • do not include the medium the original work (e.g., Photograph or Oil on canvas)
  • museum or private collection that has the painting or photograph
  • if private collection, use "collection of . . ."
  • if collector is unknown, use "Private collection" without a city name)
  • city where institution or collection is located (if unavailable, use n.p)
  • name of library database (in italics)
  • medium (Web)
  • date of access

Lange, Dorothea. In a Camp of Migratory Pea Pickers. 1936. George Eastman

         House, n. p. ARTstor. Web. 12 July 2013. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Lange)

Image (reproduction on web) (See sec. 5.7.6 and 5. 6.1  MLA Handbook

Include :

  • artist's or photographer's name
  • title or description of painting or photograph (in italics)
  • date of composition (if unknown, use N.d.)
  • do not include the medium of the original work (e.g., Photograph or Oil on canvas)
  • museum or collection that has the painting or photograph
  • name of web site (in italics)
  • medium (Web)
  • date of access
  • URL if your instructor requires it or the reader cannot locate the resource without it 

Currin, John. Blond Angel. 2001. Indianapolis Museum of Art. IMA: It’s My Art.

         Web. 9 May 2007.

Lange, Dorothea. The Migrant Mother. 1936. Prints and Photographs Div., Lib. of

         Cong. Dorothea Lange: Photographer of the People. Web. 9 May 2007.

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

(Currin) 

 

(Lange)

Image (available only on web) (See sec. 5.6.1, 5.6.2b and 5.7.6 MLA Handbook)

Include:

  • artist's or photographer's name
  • title or description of image (in italics)
  • date of creation (if unknown, use N.d.)
  • name of website (in italics)
  • medium (Web)
  • date of access
  • URL if your instructor requires it or the reader cannot locate the resource without it.

Hüdepohl, Gerhard. Thunderbolts and Lightning. 7 June 2013. ESO Picture of

         the Week. European Southern Observatory. Web. 20 July 2013.

 

 

 

 

The photograph Thunderbolts and Lightning

(Hüdepohl) captures an extremely rare

thunderstorm over the Paranal Observatory in

Northern Chile.

Including an image in your research paper  (See sec. 4.5 MLA Handbook)

In some cases you will have permission to reproduce an image for educational purposes through the

  • terms of the Fair Dealing provision in the Canadian Copyright Act
  • terms set by the copyright owner of the image

In other cases you must

  • obtain permission from the copyright owner to  reproduce an image.
  • attribute the work in the manner specified by the copyright owner

In all cases you must

  • cite the source
  • and, if given, the artist's or photographer's name

 

 

You are allowed to include an image from a print source or a library database under the terms of the Fair Dealing  provision in the Canadian Copyright Act.

Cassatt, Mary. Mother and Child. 1890. Wichita Museum, Wichita. Mary Cassatt,

         Modern Woman. Ed. Judith A. Barter. New York: Art Institute of Chicago,

         1998. 273. Print.

Cassatt, Mary. Mother and Child. 1890. Wichita Museum, Wichita. ARTstor.

         Web. 18 July 2013.

You are allowed to reproduce the web image described below through the terms set by the copyright owner's Creative Commons license.

Cassatt, Mary. "Mother And Child XI." 1890. Wichita Museum, Wichita. Mary

         Cassatt: The Complete Works. www.marycassatt.org. Web. 26 July 2013.

         <http://www.marycassatt.org/Mother-And-Child-XI.html>. 

 

For more information about citing and reproducing images, see

    Mother and Child (see figure 1) is the 

    most famous of Cassatt's maternal portraits.

        

    Fig. 1. Mary Cassatt, Mother and Child, 

    Wichita Museum, Wichita.

  • Label image Fig. with an Arabic number
  • Create caption (See above)  

 

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Indirect Quotes (What if my author quotes another author?)

Source Works Cited In-text citation

Indirect source (What if my author quotes another author?) (See sec. 6.4.7 MLA Handbook)

  • Whenever you can, take material from the original source.
  • Sometimes, however, only an indirect source is available. 
  • In this case, give your reader a signal phrase in which you include the name(s) of the author(s), your author is quoting.
  • Then, put the abbreviation "qtd. in" (quoted in) before the indirect source you cite in your parenthetical reference.

Kizza, Joseph Migga and Jackline Ssanyu. “Workplace Surveillance.” Ed. John

          Weckert. Electronic Monitoring in the Workplace: Controversies and

          Solutions. Hershey, PA: Idea, 2005. Print.

 

 

Researchers Botan and McCreadie

point out that “workers are objects of

information collection without

participating in the process of

exchanging the information” (qtd. in

Kizza and Ssanyu 14).

 

Original authors (or indirect source): Botan and McCreadie

Your authors (or secondary source): Kizza and Ssanyu

 

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Interviews / Music

Source Works Cited In-text citation

Interviews published, recorded or television and radio broadcasts (with interview title) (See sec. 5.7.7 MLA Handbook)

Give the name of the person interviewed. Enclose the title of the interview in quotation marks. Add the appropriate bibliographic information and the medium of publication.

Fellini, Federico. "The Long Interview." Juliet of the Spirits. Ed. Tullio Kezich.

          Trans. Howard Greenfield. New York: Ballantine, 1966. 17-64. Print.

Blanchette, Cate. "In Character with: Cate Blanchett." Notes on a Scandal, Dir.

          Richard Eyre. Fox Searchlight, 2006. DVD.

 

(Blanchette)

 

(Fellini 27)

 

Interviews published, recorded or television and radio broadcasts(without interview title) (See sec. 5.7.7 MLA Handbook)

If the interview is untitled, use the descriptive label Interview, neither italicized nor enclosed in quotation marks.

Gordimer, Nadine. Interview. New York Times. 10 Oct. 1991, late ed.: C25+.

           Print.

Wolfe, Tom. Interview. The Wrong Stuff: American Architecture. Dir. Tom Bettag.

            Carousel, 1983. Videocassette. 

(Gordimer C25)

 

(Wolfe)

Interviews published, recorded or television and radio broadcasts (name of interviewer included) (See sec. 5.7.7 MLA Handbook)

The interviewer's name may be added if known.

Updike, John. Interview by Scott Simon. Weekend Edition. Natl. Public Radio.

           WBUR, Boston. 2 Apr. 1994. Radio.

Wiesel, Elie. Interview by Ted Koppel. Nightline. ABC. WABC, New York. 18 Apr.

             2002. Television.

(Updike)

 

 

(Wiesel)

Cite the name of the person interviewed, not the interviewer in  your parenthetical (in-text) citation.

Interviews conducted by the researcher (personal or telephone) (See sec. 5.7.7 MLA Handbook)

To cite an interview that you conducted, give the name of the person interviewed, the kind of interview and the date of the interview.

Pei, I. M. Personal interview. 22 July 1993.

Reed, Ishmael. Telephone interview. 10 Dec. 2007.

(Pei)

(Reed)

Cite the name of the person interviewed, not the interviewer, in your parenthetical (in-text) citation.

Interviews on the Web (See sec. 5.6.2b and 5.6.2d MLA Handbook)

If no date of publication is available, use n.d.

Antin, David. Interview by Charles Bernstein. Dalkey Archive Press. Dalkey

          Archive P, n.d. Web. 21 Aug. 2007. 

(Antin)  

Cite the name of the person interviewed, not the interviewer, in your parenthetical (in-text) citation.

Interview transcripts of a television or radio broadcast (See sec. 5.7.1 MLA Handbook)

To cite the transcript of a television or radio broadcast, list its medium of publication (Print or Web) and add the description Transcript at the end of the entry. (See sec. 5.7.1 MLA Handbook).

Coren, Stanley. “Sleep Week: Are You Getting Enough Sleep?” Interview by

          Dan Matheson. Canada AM. CTV Television, Toronto, 4 Mar. 1998. CBCA

          Business and Reference. Web. 16 Apr. 2012. Transcript. 

(Coren)

Musical Score or libretto (See sec. 5.7.5 MLA Handbook)

For a musical score, include: 

  • the composer’s name, 
  • the title, italicized, 
  • the date of composition, 
  • the place of publication,
  • the name of the publisher,
  • date of publication,
  •  the medium of publication 

If the score is part of a series, include the information about the series after the medium of publication.

Donizetti, Gaetano. Don Pasquale: An Opera in Three Acts with Italian-English Text. 1842.

          New York: Belwin, 1969. Print. Kalmus Vocal Scores.

For a libretto (the text of an opera or other long vocal work), list the librettist (writer of the libretto) first and the composer after the title.

Oakes, Meredith.The Tempest: An Opera in Three Acts. Composed by Thomas Adès.

          London: Faber, 2004. Print.

For scores on

  • the Web, see sec. 5.6.2 MLA Handbook
  • television and radio broadcasts of music, see sec 5.7.1 MLA Handbook
  • sound recordings of musical compositions and materials accompanying sound recordings, see sec.5.7.2 MLA Handbook
  • films and video recordings of musical performances, see sec. 5.7.3 MLA Handbook
  • musical performances, 5.7.4 MLA Handbook

(Donizetti 7)

 

 

 

 

(Oakes 5)

Oral History and Oral Storytelling (Print, Sound Recording, Transcript and Online)

Oral history citations follow a format similar to the MLA Handbook Interviews mentioned above. The following guidelines and examples have been borrowed and adapted from Doing Oral History: A Practical Guide by Donald A. Ritchie, Oxford: Oxford UP, 2003, 132-33.

When citing oral histories, include:

  • the name of the person interviewed
  • the title of the interview in quotation marks (see example in Interviews)
  • the name of the interviewer
  • the date of the interview, if no publishing date
  • whether the interview is a recording or transcript (or both)
  • whether it has been published as part of a book, journal or other medium
  • type of medium and any additional bibliographic information appropriate to each medium of publication
  • whether the interview is in the author's possession or has been deposited in a library or archive
  • page numbers for the transcripts or other publications
  • the archives where the collection is physically located
  • the URL when your instructor requires it or the reader cannot possibly locate the source without the URL
Source Works Cited In-text citation
Published source

 

Montgomery, David. Interview by Paul Buhle. Visions of History, Ed. Henry

          Abelove, et al. New York: Pantheon, 1983. 169-83. Print. 

(Montgomery 172)

Cite the name of the person interviewed, not the interviewer in your parenthetical citation.

Independent research deposited in archive

 

Scott, Hugh D. Interview by author. 27 Jan. 1986. Washington, DC: Senate

          Historical Office. Sound Recording and Transcript.

(Scott)

Cite the name of the person interviewed, not the interviewer in your parenthetical citation.

Oral history archive available on the Web

Short, Beth Campbell. Interview by Margot H. Knight. 23 Apr.-17 Aug. 1987.

          Washington: Women in Journalism Project, Washington Press Club

          Foundation, n. d. Web. <http://npc.press.org/wpforal/bcs.htm>.

(Short)

Cite the name of the person interviewed, not the interviewer in your parenthetical citation.

 

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Plays

 

Source Works Cited In-text citation

Play in verse with three or fewer lines of dialogue (in an anthology) (See sec. 3.6.2, 3.7.3, 3.7.4, 5.5.6 and 6.4.8  MLA Handbook)

 

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Literature:

           Reading, Reacting, Writing. Ed. Laurie G.

           Kirszner, Stephen Mandell and Candace

           Fertile. 2nd. Can. ed. Toronto, ON:

           Thomson Nelson, 2007. 1348-67. Print

Italicize the

  • name of play
  • name of the anthology

(See sec. 3.6.2 MLA Handbook)

For plays in an anthology include:

  • author’s name
  • title of play (in italics)
  • title of anthology (in italics)
  • editor or editors names preceded by Ed.(for Edited by).
  • place of publication
  • publisher
  • date
  • page range (in anthology)
  • medium

(See sec.  5.5.6 MLA Handbook )

When quoting three or fewer lines of dialogue

  • incorporate the quote into your text
  • if more than one line, separate lines with a slash and leave a space on each side of the slash

(See sec. 3.7.3 MLA Handbook)

Shakespeare's Hamlet, repelled by his mother's hasty marriage to his uncle,

cries, "She married:—O, most wicked speed, to post / With such dexterity to

incestuous sheets!" (1102; 1.2.156- 57). 

For plays republished in anthologies include;

  • page number (in anthology) followed by a semi-colon
  • act
  • scene 
  • line numbers.

(See sec. 5.5.6 and 6.4.8  MLA Handbook )

Unless your instructor asks for roman numerals, use Arabic numerals to cite acts and scenes (See sec. 6.4.8 MLA Handbbook)

Play in verse with four or more lines of dialogue (in a scholarly edition) (See sec. 3.6.2, 3.7.4, 5.5.10 and 6.4.8 MLA Handbook

A scholarly edition

  • is prepared for publication by an editor
  • will usually have the editor's name on the title page

(See sec. 5.5.10 MLA Handbook )  

 

Shakespeare, William. King Lear. Ed. Claire

         McEachern. Toronto: Pearson Longman,

         2005. Print

For plays in a scholarly edition include:

  • author’s name
  • title of the play (in italics)
  • editor's name preceded by Ed.(for Edited by)
  • place of publication
  • publisher
  • date
  • medium

(See sec. 3.6.2 and 5.5.10 MLA Handbook )    

 

 

 

 

When quoting four or more lines of dialogue

  • indent the characters' names one inch from the left margin
  • use capital letters followed by a period
  • indent subsequent lines of dialogue an additional quarter inch

(See sec 3.7.4  MLA Handbook)             

A short time later, Lear loses the final symbol of his former power, the

soldiers who make up his train:

                 GONERIL.                              Hear me, my lord.     

                     What need you five-and-twenty, ten, or five     

                     To follow in a house where twice so many     

                     Have command to tend you?

                   REGAN.                                 What need one?

                   LEAR.  O, reason not the need!  (2.4.254-58)

Unless your instructor asks for roman numerals, use Arabic numerals to cite acts and scenes (See sec. 6.4.8 MLA Handbbook)

Play in verse (two or more plays by the same author) (See sec. 5.3.4, 6.4.6 and 6.4.8 MLA Handbook)

 

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Ed. Barbara A.

        Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York:

        Washington Square-Pocket, 1992.

        Print.

---. Macbeth. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul

        Werstine. New York: Washington Square-

        Pocket, 1992. Print.

(See sec. 5.3.4 and 6.4.6 MLA Handbook )

When included in in-text citations, titles of famous works are often abbreviated.(See sec. 6.4.8 and 7.7.2 MLA Handbook)

One Shakespearean protagonist seems resolute at first when he asserts,

“Haste me to know’t, that I, with wings as swift / As meditation . . . /

May sweep to my revenge” (Ham. 1.5.35-37), but he soon has second

thoughts; another tragic figure, initially described as “too full o’ th’ milk of

human kindness” (Mac. 1.5.17), quickly descends into horrific slaughter. 

For commonly used abbreviations, see sec. 7.7 and 7.7.2 in the MLA Handbook.

Unless your instructor asks for roman numerals, use Arabic numerals to cite acts and scenes (See sec. 6.4.8 MLA Handbbook)

Play in prose with four or more lines of dialogue (published as a book) (See sec. 3.7.4 MLA Handbook

Duras, Marguerite. Hiroshima mon amour.

         Trans. Richard Seaver. New York: Grove.

         1961. Print.

 

 

Marguerite Duras’s screenplay for Hiroshima mon amour suggests at the outset

the profound difference between observation and experience:

           HE. You saw nothing in Hiroshima. Nothing.

           SHE. I saw everything. Everything. . . . The hospital, for instance,

                 I saw it. I’m sure I did. There is a hospital in Hiroshima. How

                 could I help seeing it?

            HE. You did not see the hospital in Hiroshima. You saw nothing

                 in Hiroshima. (2505-06)

(See sec. 3.7.4 MLA Handbbook)

 

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Podcasts (Online or Downloaded as a Digital File)

Source Works Cited In-text citation

Podcast (online) (See sec. 5.7.7 and sec. 5.6.2b MLA Handbook)

"Canada's Foreign Policy." Narr. Brian Bow. Connect2Canada. Govt. of Can.

          5 June 2010. Web. 31 Aug. 2010.

("Canada's Foreign Policy")
Podcast (downloaded as a digital file) (See sec. 5.7.18 MLA Handbook)

"Canada's Foreign Policy." Narr. Brian Bow. Connect2Canada. Govt. of Can.

          5 June 2010. MP3 file.

("Canada's Foreign Policy")

 

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Poems

Source Works Cited In-text citation

Poem (in an anthology) (See sec. 3.6.3, 3.7.3, 5.5.6 and 6.4.8  MLA Handbook)

 

Brand, Dionne. "Blues Spiritual for Mammy Prater." Literature:

      Reading, Reacting, Writing. Ed. Laurie G. Kirszner, Stephen

      Mandell and Candace Fertile. 2nd. Can. ed. Toronto,

      ON: Thomson Nelson, 2007. 572-73. Print.

  • Use quotation marks for the titles of a poem published in an anthology.
  • Italicize the title of the anthology.
  • Include the page range

(See sec. 3.6.3 and 5.5.6 MLA Handbook)

 

 

 

When quoting three or fewer lines of poetry

  • incorporate the quote into your text
  • if more than one line, separate lines with a slash and leave a space on each side of the slash

(See sec. 3.7.3 MLA Handbook)

In "Blues Spiritual for Mammy Prater,"  Dionne Brand

reflects on the reasons a former slave "waited until she

was one hundred and fifteen / years old" (572; 2-3) to

have her photograph taken.

For a poem republished in an anthology, include the

  • page number (in the anthology) followed by a semi-colon
  • line numbers.

(See sec. 5.5.6 and 6.4.8 MLA Handbook )

Poem (in a collection of poems by the same author) (See sec. 3.7.4, 5.5.10 and 6.4.8  MLA Handbook

    

Kope, Beth. "Identity Thief." Falling Season. Lantzville, BC: Leaf, 2010.

            Print.

  • Use quotation marks for the titles of poems published within larger works.
  • Italicize the title of the larger work.

(See sec. 3.6.3 MLA Handbook)

In the poem "Identity Thief," Beth Kope renders her mother's life with dementia in heartbreaking detail.

          While you pace cold hallways,

          somewhere there's a women 

          who plays bridge, bids in your name.

          You demand to leave,

          but there's  a woman somewhere

          on a road trip, plans her route, loves to drive. (40)           

When quoting four or more lines of poetry

  • begin on a new line
  • indent each line one inch form the left margin
  • double space between lines
  • do not add quotation marks
  • place in-text citation after the last line
  • place the period at the end of the quotation, not the in-text citation

(See sec. 6.3 MLA Handbook) 

Poem (published as a book) (See sec. 3.6.2, 3.7.4, and 6.4.8 MLA Handbook)

 

Halfe, Louise Bernice. Blue Marrow. 1st US ed. Regina, SK:

            Coteau Books, 2004. Print. 

  • Italicize the name of a poem published as a book .

(See sec. 3.6.2 MLA Handbook)

 

In Blue Marrow, Louise Bernice Halfe represents the

relationships of a contemporary narrator with the

imagined voices of her ancestral grandmothers:

            I bring to you

            these Voices I will not name. Voices

            filled with bird calls, snorting buffalo

            kicking bears, mountain goats. (18)

When quoting four or more lines of poetry

  • begin on a new line
  • indent each line one inch form the left margin
  • double space between lines
  • do not add quotation marks
  • place in-text citation after the last line
  • place the period at the end of the quotation, not the in-text citation

(See sec. 6.3 MLA Handbook) 

 

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Reviews of Books and Films (Print and Online)

To cite a review give:

  • the reviewer's name
  • the title of the review (if any)
  • followed by Rev. of (neither italicized nor enclosed in quotation marks)
  • with the title of the work reviewed, in italics, followed by a comma and the name of the author
  • and the relevant publication and medium of access information

If the work of being reviewed is:

  • an edited book, use the abbreviation ed. for edited by. If there is more than one editor, do not use eds.
  • a film, use the abbreviation dir. for directed by 
Source Works Cited In-text citation
Review of book (print in magazine) (See sec. 5.4.7 MLA Handbook)

Gleick, Elizabeth. "The Burden of Genius." Rev. of The Last Samurai, by Helen

          Dewitt. Time 4 Dec. 2000: 171. Print.

(Gleick 171)

Review of book (print in scholarly journal) (See sec. 5.4.7 MLA Handbook)

Proctor, Brenda. Rev. of Bird Eat Bird by Katrina Best, and The Doctrine of Affections by, 

          Paul Headrick. Malahat Review 173 (2010): 81-83. Print.

(Proctor 82)

Review of film (print in magazine) (See sec. 5.4.7 MLA Handbook) 

Denby, David. "On the Battlefield." Rev. of The Hurricane, dir. Norman

          Dewitt. Jewison. New Yorker. 10 Jan. 200: 90:92. Print  

Denby 91) 

Review of book (online in library database) (See sec. 5.6.3 and 5.6.4 MLA Handbook)

Evangelista, Stefano. Rev of Victorian and Edwardian Responses to the Italian

          Renaissance, ed. John E. and Lene Ostermark-Johansen.Victorian

          Studies 46.4 (2006): 729-31. Academic Search Premier. Web. 12 Mar.

          Renaissance, 2007.

(Stefano 730) 

Review of book (online in scholarly journal) (See sec. 5.6.3 and 5.6.4 MLA Handbook) 

Armstrong, Grace. Rev. of Fortune's Faces: The Roman de la Rosa and Poetics

          of Contingency, by Daniel Heller-Roazen. Bryn Mawr Review of

          Comparative Literature 6.1 (2007): n. pag. Web. 5 June 2008.

(Armstrong) 

 

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Twitter and Facebook

Source Works Cited In-text citation

Twitter (See sec. 5.6.2b MLA Handbook)

 

Rickmercer. Web log post. "Ranting in an Alley. Great Day For It. Anger is My

          Cardio!" Twitter.com. 15 Oct. 2010. Web. 19 Dec. 2010.

          <http://twitter.com/rickmercer/status/27462002333>. 

(Rickmercer)

Refer to the name exactly as it is in the Twitter account.

Facebook (See sec. 5.6.2b  MLA Handbook)

 

Rick Mercer Report. Facebook update. "Spread the Net Student Challenge."

          Facebook.com. 27 Sep. 2008. Web. 19 Dec. 2010.

          <http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=28993606403>.  

(Rick Mercer Report) 

 

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Video Recordings (DVD's Films, Videocassettes and Online)

Source Works Cited In-text citation

Video recordings (DVD's Films and Videocassettes) 

(See sec. 5.7.3 MLA Handbook)

Begin with the title. Cite the director (Dir.) the lead actors (Perf.) or narrator (Narr.); the distributor; the year of release; and the medium (DVD, Film or Videocassette).

Include other data that may seem relevant such as screenwriters or producers.

Finding Neverland. Dir. Marc Forster. Perf. Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Julie

          Christie, Radha Mitchell, and Dustin Hoffman. Miramax, 2004. DVD.

Frozen River. Dir. Courtenay Hunt. Perf. Melissa Leo, Charlie Dermott, and

          Misty Upham. Sony, 2008. Film.

Rashomon. Dir. Akira Kurosawa. Perf. Toshiro Mifune. Home Vision,

          1950. Videocassette.

(Finding Neverland)

 

(Frozen River)

 

(Rashomon)

Video Recordings (YouTube - Online video clips)

(See sec. 5.7.3, sec. 5.7.7 and sec. 5.6.2b MLA Handbook)

 

 Murphy, Beth. "Tips for a Good Profile Piece." YouTube.YouTube, 7 Sept.

            2008. Web. 4 Feb. 2012.

The MLA Handbook recommends citing a YouTube video with the same rules as print sources. If the author’s name is the same as the uploader, only cite the author once. If the author is different from the uploader, cite the author’s name before the title.

Based on MLA guidelines (sec.5.6.2b), include:

  • Author’s name                                             Murphy, Beth.
  • “Title of video” (in quotation marks )            "Tips for a Good Profile Piece."
  • Title of website (in italics)                             YouTube.
  • Name of website’s publisher or sponsor      YouTube,
  • Date of posting                                             7 Sept. 2008.
  • Medium                                                         Web.
  • Date retrieved                                               4 Feb. 2014.

Notice that the title of the website is the same as the publisher or sponsor of the website, but this may not always be the case.

(Murphy)

Video Recordings (Netflix - Online streaming subscription service)

(See sec. 5.7.3, sec. 5.7.7 and sec. 5.6.2b MLA Handbook)

 

The Importance of Being Earnest. Dir. Oliver Parker. Perf. Rupert Everett, Colin

          Firth, Frances O’Connor, Reese Witherspoon, Judi Dench, and Tom Wilkinson.

           Miramax, 2002. Netflix. Web. 24 Feb. 2014.

Cite a film viewed on Netflix as you would cite a film, adding the name of the streaming service( NetFlix, Hulu, AppleTV) after the release date.

Based on MLA guidelines (sec.5.73 and 5.6.2b), include:

  • Title (in italics)                                         The Importance of Being Earnest.
  • Director                                                    Dir. Oliver Parker.
  • Performer(s)                                            Perf. Rupert Everett, . . .
  • Distributor                                                Miramax,
  • Year of release                                        2002.
  • Name of online streaming service           Netflix. 
  • Medium                                                    Web.
  • Date retrieved                                          4 Feb. 2012.

 

 

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Webpages and Websites

When you cite an online source look for the same citation elements, in the same order, that you would use for other sources:

  • an author, editor, compiler or corporate author  
  • title of internal webpage or short work (in quotation marks) that is part of a larger website (When citing a PDF document use the title on the document itself)
  • title of the entire website (in italics)
  • publisher or sponsor of the website (Use N. p. if none) (the letter "N" is upper case because it follows a period in the citation)
  • date of publication or last updated date on page (use n.d. if none) (the letter "n" is lower case because it follows a comma in the citation)
  • medium is Web 
  • date you accessed the source
  • include a URL if your instructor requires it or the reader cannot locate the resource without a URL

Source Works Cited In-text citation
Webpage (no author) (See sec. 5.6.1 MLA Handbook)

"Coming Home." The Wounded Platoon. PBS Online, 18 May 2010. Web. 1 June

          2010.

("Coming Home")

Webpage (corporate author) (See sec. 5.5.5 and sec 5.6.1 MLA Handbook)

Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines. "Marine Assessment and Our First

               Response Plan." Enbridge Northern Gateway Project. Enbridge.com.

               n. d. Web. 1 May 2012.

For an organization or corporation, name the author in a signal phrase. (See sec. 6.2, sec. 6.4.5 MLA Handbook)

Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines aims to develop "a comprehensive, world-class marine safety program."

or

Use the title in the in-text citation. Titles may be shortened. (See sec. 7.7 MLA Handbook)

(Enbridge Northern)

Webpage (personal author) (See sec. 5.6.1  MLA Handbook)

If no date of publication is available, use n.d.

Shiva, Vandana. "Bioethics: A Third World Issue." Native Web. Native Web,

               n.d. Web. 30 Sep. 2009.

Notice, as in this example, that the title of the website may be the same as the publisher or sponsor of the website. 

(Shiva)

 

 

Website (no author) (See sec. 5.6.1 MLA Handbook)

Canadian Country Atlas Digital Project. Rare Books and Special Collections

              Div., McGill U, June 2003. Web. 6 Aug. 2010.

(Canadian Country Atlas)

Use the title in the in-text citation. Titles may be shortened. (See sec. 7.7 MLA Handbook)

Website (corporate author)            (See sec. 5.5.5 and sec 5.6.1 MLA Handbook)

Canadian Library Association. Canadian Library Association. CLA. 2010. Web.

               14 Sept. 2010.

Notice, as in this example, that the name of the organization or corporation  may be the same as the title of the website. 

For an organization or corporation, name the author in a signal phrase. (See sec. 6.2, sec. 6.4.5 MLA Handbook)

The Canadian Library Association serves "as the national voice of the Canadian library and information community." 

or 

Use the author name in the in-text citation. Commonly used terms may be shortened (See secs. 7.1 to 7.5 MLA Handbook)

(Can. Lib. Assoc,)

Website (personal author) (See sec. 5.6.1 MLA Handbook)

Include a URL if your instructor requires it or the reader cannot locate the resource without it.

Peterson, Susan Lynn. The Life of Martin Luther. Susan Lynn Peterson, 2002.

              Web. 24 Jan. 2006.

 

(Peterson)

 

Website (personal author and a URL) (See sec. 5.6.1 MLA Handbook)

Place a URL at the end of the entry. If a URL must be divided at the end of a line, break it after the slash and do not insert a hyphen.

Peterson, Susan Lynn. The Life of Martin Luther. Susan Lynn Peterson, 2005.

               Web. 24 Jan. 2009. <http://www.susanlynnpeterson.com/

               index_files/luther.htm>.

(Peterson)

 

Website (no title)(See sec. 5.6.2 MLA Handbook)

Yoon, Mina. Home page. Oak Ridge Natl. Laboratory, 28 Dec. 2006. Web. 12

              Jan. 2007.

(Yoon)

 

 

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