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MLA Citation Style Guide - 9th ed.

For full details on in-text citations, refer to the MLA Handbook available on Reserve at the library's main service desk.

  • All reference citations for in-text citations should appear in reference list at end of paper.
  • Author-page number method is to be used for in-text citation.   (Johnson 263)
  • If there is no known author, use a shortened version of the item's title. Place in quotation marks if it is a short work.
  • When citing a work by 2 authors, list authors' last names in parenthetical citation.  (Hilltop and Phillips 32)            
  • If there are 3 or more authors: list only first author's last name followed by et al.    (Smith et al. 142)
  • If citing multiple books by same author and author's name is not in sentence, then list author's last name, shortened title and page number in parentheses.    (Wilson, "Visual Works"  45)
  • To site multiple sources in same parenthetical reference, separate by semi-colon (Johnson 263; Smith et al. 142)
  • When citing the Bible, identify the bible your are using by name in italics (New Jersalem Bible) followed by the book, chapter.verse (#-#)
  • Citing Online Sources
  • Do not require a page number
  • Include the first item that appears in Work Cited Entry (author name, article, website or film name)
  • Do not include paragraph or page numbers
    • Do no include URLs; use partial URLs when site name uses domain name (CNN.com)
    • Time-based Media Sources (movies or podcasts) - include the time range (hh:mm:ss-hh:mm:ss) you are referencing.
    • Do not use full URLs; provide partial URLs when site name is a domain name. (CNN.com)

Quotations always require the page number for the source

  • (Gleeson and Alcedo 13)
  • (Courtney 20)

Short Quotes (fewer than 4 typed line of text) - placed in text of paper with quotation marks.

  • "Short quotation exact as in text."  (Soames 2230)
  • Soames stated "direct quote" (2230)

Long Quotes (more than 4 lines of text)

  • Set in block text using a five-space margin for every line
  • Indent the first line if you are including multiple paragraphs
  • Parenthetical citation comes after the closing punctuation mark.

 

Standard format: (Author page number)


Inside parenthetical reference:
"Short quote from resource under 4 typed lines" (Author1 and Author2 p#) 

In text of paper
Author1 and Author2 discuss "short quote under 4 typed lines."  (p#)

When citing a work by 2 authors, list authors' last names in parenthetical citation.  
(Hilltop and Phillips 32)

3 or more authors
(Sutherland, et al., 174)

Multiple works by same author
(Wagenfeld, "Title 1" p#)
(Wagenfeld, "Title 2" p#)

 

 

Many sources on the Internet may not be appropriate for scholarly research. Be sure to check with your instructor for acceptable Internet resources. Remember to include all in-text citations in your Works Cited list.

 


Here are some guidelines for electronic and Internet Sources:

  • It is a good practice have record of electronic information used for your research. User can print/save screenshots of websites or create a bookmarked folder in your web browser. 
  • In-text citations include the first item appearing in the citation from the Works Cited page (author last name, article name, or website name).
  • Page and paragraph numbers are not needed.
  • Do not provide URL's in text of paper. If necessary use shortened/partial URL's such as CNN.com

Unknown Author

  • Use shortened version of title in parentheses.
  • Titles of short works such as articles, book chapters and portions of a website are in quotation marks.
  • Titles of longer works such as books, reports and entire websites are italicized or underlined

Examples:
("ACL Injury, Does it")
(Webster's 9th new collegiate, 25)

Organization as author 

  • Include name of organization followed by the page number

Example:
According to the American Library Association (135), ....

  • You can also use abbreviations where appropriate to avoid long parenthetical citations

Example:
(ALA  135)