Modern Language Association- MLA Format

Works Cited Guidelines

Print Resources
Primary Sources from an Online Digitized Collection
Internet Website maintained by a University
       or professional organization 
Article from an online magazine, newspaper or journal
Web Page with an editor listed 
Web Page with an author's name listed
Online Government Publication
Personal Web Page
Database from a Library (Includes: Country Watch, eLibrary Science, History Reference Center, Opposing Viewpoints, ProQuest Learning: Literature, and ProQuest NYT's,)
**Infotrac (NOVEL) includes
Health & Wellness Reference Center & HWRC Academic
Business Resource Center
Twayne Author Series
Custom Newspapers
EBSCOhost (Includes: MasterFILE Select, TOPICsearch, and General Science Collection)
CQ Researcher
Gale "For Students" series
A literary criticism from a collection of criticisms               (Gales' Twentieth Century Literary Criticism,                       
 Contemporary Literary Criticism, Nineteenth Century           
 
 Literary Criticism, etc.)
Books featuring reprinted articles: Opposing Viewpoints Books, Greenhaven Press At Issue Series, Readings On and Other Criticism anthologies
SIRS Enduring Issues Series
Book with one author 
Book with two or more authors
Interview, Film, Video, or Sound recording
Book with editor or compiler
Two or more works by the same author 
Book with a corporate author
Anonymous book
Encyclopedia
Introduction, preface, foreword or afterword
Translation
Image, Painting, Sculpture, or Photograph
Government publication
Article in a newspaper
Article in a magazine or journal  
Dictionary
Current Biography
Gale "Information Plus" reference series    
Gale Literature and Its Times
Gale Shakespeare for Students       
Gale World Literature and Its Times
 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

 

 
 
 
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Formatting the Works Cited page
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The top margin for the Works Cited page should be set at 2".
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 Left, right and bottom margins should be 1".  
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 Type the title, Works Cited, with the first letter of each word capitalized. 
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 Center the title on the page and triple space after the title.
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 Begin each Works Cited entry at the left margin. 
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 If the entry takes up more than one line, indent the next line(s) 5 spaces. 
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 Alphabetize works cited entries by the first letter of the first word of each entry,  
       whether it is an author's last name, editor's last name, or the title (excluding "a", "an", or "the").
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 Double space entries that take up two or more lines and double space between each reference. 

Print Resources

 

Text Box: Format:      Author. Title. City of Publication: Publisher, Year.

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Take the title from the title page, not the cover.

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The author’s name should be written: Last Name, First Name

One Author

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1953.

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Editor or Compiler

If the person named on the title page is the editor, rather than the author, add a comma, then the abbreviation "ed." For a compiler, use "comp."

Fitzgerald, Terence J., ed. Police in Society. New York: H.W. Wilson, 2000.

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Two or More Authors

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List the names in the order in which they appear on the title page.

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Only the first author's name should be reversed: Last Name, First Name.

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Use a comma between the authors' names. Place a period after the last author's name.

Eggins, Suzanne, and Diana Slade. Analyzing Casual Conversation. London: Cassell. 1997.

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If there are more than three authors, name only the first and add et al.

Gilman, Sander, et al. Hysteria beyond Freud. Berkeley: U of California Press, 1993.

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Two or More Works by the Same Author

When citing two or more sources by the same author, give the name in the first entry only. For the subsequent entries, type three hyphens, add a period, and skip a space (---. ) then give the title. The three hyphens stand for the name(s) in the preceding entry.

Mead, Margaret. Coming of Age in Samoa: A Psychological Study of Primitive Youth for Western Civilization. New York: Morrow, 1961.

---.  People and Places. Cleveland:  World, 1959.

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A book by a Corporate Author

American Medical Association. The American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine. Ed. Charles B. Clayman. New York: Random,

        1989.

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Encyclopedia and Reference Books

Jeffrey, W.E. “Child Development.” Encyclopedia Americana. Danbury, CT: Grolier. 1985.

 

An encyclopedia article (with no author)
 
"Fire Fighting." The World Book Encyclopedia. 1995 ed.  
 
  
  
An encyclopedia article (with an author)
 
Bates, William. "Angelou, Maya." The World Book Encyclopedia. 1995 ed.  
 

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Dictionary

List the edition only if stated and the year of publication.

“Noon.” The Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989.

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Introduction, preface, foreword or afterword   

Brewer, Robert. Preface. The Works of James Joyce.  By Jacob Lewis. New York: Baker & Taylor, 1992. 1-7.

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Translation       

Esquivel, Laura. Like Water for Chocolate: A Novel in Monthly Installments with Recipes, Romances, and Home  

         Remedies. Trans. Carol Christensen and Thomas Christensen. New York.: Doubleday, 1992.

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Image (Painting, Photograph, Sculpture)

Text Box: Format:
Artist’s Name. Title of work. Date of work. Institution that houses the work. Publication information for the     
          source in which the photograph of the work appeared.  The page or plate number.

 

 

 

 

EXAMPLE:

Cassatt, Mary. Mother and Child. Wichita Art Museum. American Painting: 1560-1913. By John Pearce. New York: McGraw Hill, 1964. Slide 22.

 

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Government publication

United States. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Handbook of Labor Statistics. Washington, D.C.:

        G.P.O., 1996.

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CQ Researcher   

Jost, Kenneth. "Rethinking the Death Penalty." The CQ Researcher 16 Nov. 2001: 945-68.

 

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Gale "For Students" series (Novels for Students, Short Stories for StudentsDrama for Students, Poetry for Students)

Citing text in NfS that is not attributed to a particular author (i.e., the Themes, Style, Historical Context sections, etc.):

Night.”  Novels for Students. Ed. Marie Rose Napierkowski. Vol. 4. Detroit: Gale, 1998. 234-35. 

 

Quoting the specially commissioned essay in NfS, usually found under the "Criticism" subhead:

Miller, Tyrus. Critical Essay on Winesburg, Ohio. Novels for Students. Ed. Marie Rose Napierkowski. Vol. 4.  Detroit: Gale, 1998.335-39.

 

Quoting a journal or newspaper essay that is reprinted in a volume of NfS:

Malak, Amin. "Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and the Dystopian Tradition.” Canadian Literature No.112 (Spring, 1987), 9-16;

            excerpted and reprinted in Novels for Students, Vol. 4, ed. Marie Napierowski  (Detroit: Gale , 1998), pp. 133-36.           

 

Quoting material reprinted from a book that appears in a volume of NfS:

Adams, Timothy Dow. "Richard Wright: Wearing the Mask," in Telling Lies in Modern American Autobiography University of North Carolina

             Press, 1990), 69-83; excerpted and reprinted in Novels for Students, Vol. 1, ed.  Diane Telgen (Detroit: Gale, 1997), pp. 59-61.  

 

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A literary criticism from a collection of criticisms (Gale's Twentieth Century Literary Criticism, Contemporary     Literary Criticism, Nineteenth Century Literary Criticism, etc.)

Roberts, Shelia. "A Confined World: A Rereading of Pauline Smith." World Literature Written in English. 24(1984): 232-38. Rpt. in Twentieth

             Century Literary Criticism. Ed. David Pope. Vol. 25. Detroit: Gale, 1988. 399-402.

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Books featuring reprinted articles (Sources contained in larger works):

     

      FORMAT:

      Author. "Title of Article." Title of Publication Date of Publication: Page #'s. Rpt. in Title of Book.  Ed. Name.

            Volume #. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. Page #'s.

 

Literary Criticism from Readings On or other Criticism Anthologies

To cite a previously published scholarly article in a collection, give the complete data for the earlier publication and then add Rpt. in (“Reprinted in”), the title of the collection, and the new publication facts.

Weales, Gerald. “The Outsider in The Glass Menagerie.”   American Drama Since World War II.  (1962): Rpt. in Readings on The Glass

            Menagerie.  Ed.  Bruno Leone.  San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1998. 101-07.

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Opposing Viewpoints Books                                                                                            

Paglia, Camille. "Madonna Has Liberated American Women."  The Independent on Sunday Review.  (1991): 25-26.  Rpt.

        in Opposing Viewpoints: Women's Rights.  Ed.  Fred Whitehead. San Diego: Greenhaven, 1994. 18-28.

 

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Greenhaven Press "At Issue" series

Steyer, James P.  "Television Gives Teens Distorted Infromation About Sex."  The Other Parent: Inside Story of the

        Media's Effect on Our Children.  (2002):  Rpt. in At Issue: Teen Sex.  Ed.  Christine Watkins.  Detriot: Greenhaven 

        Press, 2005. 76-85.

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SIRS Enduring Issues Series
Motavalli, Jim.  "The Numbers Game."  E Magazine, Jan./Feb. 2004, 26-33; reprinted in  Environment 2005  (Boca Raton, 
	FL: ProQuest Information and Learning Company, 2004) art. no. 8.
 
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Periodicals (In print form not on the internet)

Text Box: Format: Author. “Title of Article.”  Title of Newspaper or Magazine Date: Page(s).

 

 

Journal or Magazine Article

Magnusson, E. “Baseball’s Drug Scandal.” Time 16 Sept.1985: 26-28.

 

Newspaper (If the article is signed start with author’s last name, then first name, then title)

James, Noah. "The Book Everyone Loves to Hate." New York Times 22 Jan 1998, sec C: 12. 

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Interviews                                                                                                                                  

Personal Interview

Weicker, Lowell. Personal Interview. 9 Sept. 1998.

 

Television or Radio Interview

Wiesel, Elie. Interview with Ted Koppel. Nightline. ABC. WABC, New York. 18 April 2002.

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Film or Video Recording

Original Film:

It’s a Wonderful Life. Dir. Frank Capra. Perf. James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore and Thomas Mitchell.

       RKO,1946.

 

DVD or Other Re-release (include original release date)

It’s a Wonderful Life. Dir. Frank Capra. Perf. James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore and Thomas Mitchell.1946.

       DVD. Republic, 2001.

 

Sound Recording

If not using a CD, indicate the medium before the manufacturer’s name, e.g. audiocassette, LP.   

 

Ellington, Duke. Cond. First Carnegie Hall Concert. Duke Ellington Orch. Rec. 23 Jan. 1943. LP. Prestige, 1977.

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Current Biography

"Keith, Toby." Current Biography Yearbook 2004. 2004.

 

Gale "Information Plus" series

Wexler, Barbara. Violent Relationships: Battering and Abuse among Adults. Information Plus Reference Series. Detroit,

       Gale, 2003.

 

Gale Literature and Its Times (multi-volume set)

“Native Son.”  Literature and Its Times.  Joyce Moss and George Wilson.Vol. 3.  Detroit: Gale, 1997.
 
Gale World Literature and Its Times (multi-volume set)
“Jane Eyre.”  World Literature and Its Times.  Joyce Moss. Vol. 4.  Detroit: Gale, 2001.
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Gale Shakespeare for Students (3-volume set)
Material drawn from periodicals:
Ribner, Irving. "'Macbeth': The Pattern of Idea and Action." Shakespeare Quarterly X, No. 2 (Spring, 1959), 147-59; 
	excerpted and reprinted in Shakespeare for Students, Book I, ed. Mark W. Scott. Detroit: Gale Research, 1992, pp. 245-51.
 
Material reprinted from books:
Dickey, Franklin M. Not Wisely but Too Well: Shakespeare's Love Tragedies (The Huntington Library, 1959); excerpted and 
	reprinted in Shakespeare for Students, Book I, ed. Mark W. Scott. Detroit: Gale Research, 1992, pp. 467-70.
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Electronic Resources

Database from a Library

Text Box: Format:                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Author's name. "Title of the Article." Original Source of Article Date of original source: page numbers. Name of the Database Used. 
             Name of the Service. Name of Library or Library System, City, State Abbreviation. Date of access <URL of service's
             homepage>.

 

 

 

 

EXAMPLE:

Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center

Wachbroit, Robert. "Why Not Clone Humans?" Cloning. 2000. Contemporary Issues Companion Series. Opposing

         Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale Group Databases. Clarkstown High School North Lib, NY. 10 May 2002

         <http://www.infotrac.galegroup.com>.

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ProQuest Learning: Literature

Wagner-Lawler, Jennifer A. "From Irony to Affiliation in Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale." Critique. Fall, 2003: pp. 83-96. 
	ProQuest Learning Literature. ProQuest Information and Learning. Clarkstown High School North Library. 16 Dec. 2004 
	<http://literature.proquestlearning.com/home.do>

 

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Primary Source from an Online Digitized Collection (i.e. American Memory)

Jefferson, Thomas. Letter from Thomas Jefferson to the President pro tempore of the Senate. Thomas Jefferson, March

            2, 180. "I Do Solemnly Swear ...": Presidential Inaugurations. Library of Congress American Memory Collection.

            21 April. 2006 <http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/pin:@field >

 

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Infotrac & GaleNet via NOVEL (New York Online Virtual Electronic Library)

The citation elements to be included for work from a subscription service (InfoTrac and GaleNet) are in the following order:

*Note: The citation will vary and is dependant on the original publication type of the resource found using the database.  (i.e. pamphlet, newspaper article, journal article, book, etc.).

Author
Article Title
Publication name
Publication Date
Page Number/Range (when given)
Database Name
Service Name
Name of the library where service was accessed
Name of the town/city where service was accessed
Date of Access
URL of the Service

Health and Wellness Resource Center and Alternative Health Module

Henney, Jane E. "FDA Oncology Tools on Internet". ( Food and Drug Administration). JAMA, The Journal of the American

         Medical Association. 13 Sept. 2000. Online. Health& Wellness Resource Center. Gale Group Databases.

         Clarkstown High School North Lib. NY. 26 Mar 2001 <http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/nysl_se_chsn>.

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Business and Company Resource Center                                                                                                                                                                        Stokell, Ian. "Newsbytes." Internet Week in Review. 17 Jan 2000. Business and Company Resource Center. Gale Group

         Databases. Clarkstown High School North Lib. NY. 3 Oct. 2004

         <http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/nysl_se_chsn>.

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Health Reference Center Academic                                                                                                                                                                                       National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Stroke: Hope Through Research. Pamphlet. May 1999.Health

         Reference Center Academic.  Gale Group Databases. Clarkstown High School North Lib. NY. 13 Jun 2004.

         <http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/nysl_se_chsn>.

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Twayne's Authors Series

Paananen, Victor. N. William Blake. In Twayne's English Authors Series Online. NewYork: G.K. Hall & Co.,

         1998.  Previously published in print in 1996 by Twayne Publishers. Gale Group Databases. Clarkstown High School

         North Lib.NY. 3 Oct. 2001  <http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/nysl_se_chsn>.

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Custom_Newspapers                                     

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Mauch II. Thomas H. "Researchers Identify Alzheimer's Enzyme Inhibitor." Los Angeles Times. 13 Apr. 2000: B2.

        Infotrac Custom Newspapers.     Gale Group Databases. Clarkstown High School North Lib. NY. 24 Jan

        2004.<http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/nysl_se_chsn>.

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EBSCOhost                                   

Heming, Li, Paul Waley, and Phil Rees. "Reservoir Resettlement in China: Past Experience and the Three Gorges Dam."

        The Geographical Journal 167.3 (2001): 195-212. MASTERfile Select. EBSCOhost. Clarkstown North HS Lib. NY. 29

        Mar. 2004<http://search.ebscohost.com>.

 

 

World Wide Web Site

                Format:

                Author’s name (if known). “Title of document.” Title of Internet site. Document date or the latest update (if  known).         

                                Name any sponsoring institution or organization. Date of access. <Full Internet address>.

 

Jones, Martin. "The Week in Human Rights." Derechos. 6 May 1998. 6 May 2004.

        <http://www.derechos.org/human-rights/briefs/20297.html>     

Web Page with an editor listed 
 
Rogers, Jay, ed. "What is the Wiccan Religion?" The Forerunner.com. 20 Jan 1998. The Forerunner International.25 Feb 2001. 
 
	<http://www.forerunner.com/champion/>. 
 
 
Personal Web page 
 
Lawson, Anne. Home page. 1 Mar 1998. 15 May 2002. <http://www.target.net:8080/~alaw/index.html>. 
 
 
Web Page with an author's name listed 
 
Carroll, Robert Todd. The Skeptic's Dictionary: Witches and Sorcerers. 21 Feb 1998. 22 March 2001.      
       
	 <http://dcn.davis.ca.us/~btcarrol/skeptic/witches.html>.
 
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Article from an online magazine, newspaper, or journal 
 
Sklaroff, Sara. "E-mail Nation." U.S. News and World Report. 2 Mar 1999: 15-19. U.S. News Online. 13 Mar 1999. 
 
         <http://www2.USNews.com/usnews/issue/990322/22emai.htm>. 
 
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Online Government publication
 
 
United States. Center for Disease Control.  National Center for Chronic  Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.  
 
	Diabetes Public Health Resource: FAQ About Diabetes. 29 Jun 2000. 25 Feb 2001.
 
        <http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/faqs.htm>. 
 
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Internet Web Site maintained by a university or professional organization 
 
"Einstein: Image and Impact." Aip.org. Aug. 1998. American Institute of Physics. 13 Mar 1999. 
 
	<http://www.aip.org/history/einstein/>. 

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 POINTS TO REMEMBER:

bullet Do not number items in the bibliography.
bullet Present the bibliography in alphabetical order according to the author’s last names. If the source has no author, alphabetize according to the first word of the title excluding “a,” “an,” and “the.”
bullet Include page numbers only when you use a source that is part of a larger work.
bullet Use reverse indentation, i.e., indent five spaces after the first line.
bullet If your bibliography contains two works by the same author, you need not repeat the author’s name a second time. Use a line of five spaces and a period. Alphabetize according to the titles of the works.
bullet Separate major items with a period. End the entry with a period.
bullet Double-space entire list, both between and within entries.  Continue the list on as many pages as necessary.
bullet The list of works cited appears at the end of the paper.  Begin the list on a new page and number each page, continuing the page numbers of the text.
bullet Page numbers should appear in the upper right-hand corner, half and inch from the top and flush with the right margin. 

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FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONSULT THE FOLLOWING:

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 “Frequently Asked Questions about MLA Style.” Modern Language Association. <http://www.mla.org/style_faq> 19 Oct. 2004. 

 

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Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 6th edition. NewYork: The Modern Language Association of America, 2003.

 

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Walker, Janice R. and Todd Taylor. The Columbia Guide to Online Style. NewYork: Columbia University Press. 1998.

 
Back to top Library Homepage

 

 


Electronic Resources