When to Use MLA Style
MLA style is primarily used in the humanities, including literature, languages, arts, and cultural studies. It emphasizes the author's name and page numbers for easy reference to specific passages in texts.
๐ Common Fields Using MLA:
- Literature & English
- Foreign Languages
- Arts & Humanities
- Cultural Studies
- Philosophy
Quick Reference - Common Source Types
๐ Book
Example:
Morrison, Toni. Beloved. Knopf, 1987.
๐ Journal Article
Example:
Johnson, Sarah. "Digital Literacy in the Modern Classroom." Education Quarterly, vol. 45, no. 2, 2024, pp. 112-128.
๐ Website
Example:
Smith, John. "Understanding Climate Change." National Geographic, National Geographic Society, 15 Mar. 2024, www.nationalgeographic.com/climate-change.
In-Text Citation Rules
Basic Citation with Page Number
Include the author's last name and page number in parentheses:
According to the author, "quotation here" (Morrison 23).
Author Named in Sentence
If you mention the author's name in your sentence, include only the page number:
Morrison argues that "quotation here" (23).
Two Authors
(Smith and Jones 45)
Three or More Authors
(Smith et al. 78)
No Page Numbers (Web Sources)
For sources without page numbers, use only the author's name:
(Johnson)
Multiple Pages
(Morrison 23-24)
Works Cited Formatting Guidelines
- โTitle: Center "Works Cited" at the top of a new page (not bold or italicized)
- โOrder: Alphabetical by author's last name (or title if no author)
- โHanging Indent: First line flush left, subsequent lines indented 0.5 inches
- โSpacing: Double-space all entries
- โCapitalization: Use Title Case for all major words in titles
- โItalics: Italicize titles of books, journals, and websites
- โContainers: Use "container" concept for articles in journals, chapters in books, etc.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
โ Using Sentence Case for Titles
Wrong: Morrison, Toni. Beloved. Knopf, 1987.
Right: Morrison, Toni. Beloved. Knopf, 1987. (This one is correct!)
โ Forgetting Quotation Marks for Article Titles
Wrong: Johnson, Sarah. Digital Literacy in the Modern Classroom.
Right: Johnson, Sarah. "Digital Literacy in the Modern Classroom."
โ Using Commas Instead of Periods
Wrong: Author, Title, Publisher, Year.
Right: Author. Title. Publisher, Year. (Note periods after author and title)
โ Including "http://" or "https://" in URLs
Wrong: https://www.example.com
Right: www.example.com
โ Using Ampersand (&) for "and"
Wrong: (Smith & Jones 45)
Right: (Smith and Jones 45) - MLA uses "and," not "&"
Annotated Example
Here's a complete Works Cited entry with each element explained:
Johnson, Sarah. "Digital Literacy in the Modern Classroom." Education Quarterly, vol. 45, no. 2, 2024, pp. 112-128.
Author: Last name, First name. Use period after.
Article Title: In quotation marks, Title Case.
Journal Name: Italicized, Title Case.
Volume & Issue: "vol." and "no." abbreviations.
Year: Publication year, followed by comma.
Pages: Use "pp." abbreviation for page range.
๐ MLA 9 Core Elements
MLA 9 uses a flexible system of 9 core elements. Include the elements that are available and relevant:
1. Author
Last, First.
2. Title of Source
"Article" or Book
3. Title of Container
Journal or Website
4. Contributors
Editors, translators
5. Version
Edition number
6. Number
Volume, issue
7. Publisher
Publishing company
8. Publication Date
Year or Day Month Year
9. Location
Pages, URL, DOI
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