General rules
- The works cited page is still in the text of your research paper and will include the page number heading
continued from the last page of your text.
- Entitle this page: Works Cited. Center this title at the top of the page. Double space between the title
and your first entry.
- List all entries in alphabetical order by last name of the author; sources with no author should be alphabetized
by the first important word in the entry.
- In citing more than one work by the same author, give the author's name in the first entry only. Alphabetize
the works according to the title. In place of the name of the author in all but the first entry, type three hyphens and a
period, skip two spaces, and state title.
- Underline or italicize titles of independently published works: books, periodicals, etc.
- Use quotation marks around titles of short works such as a poem, article, or short story.
- Double-space between lines of an entry and between entries.
- Begin the first line of each entry at the left margin; indent all other lines five spaces. (hanging indent)
- Each item in the entry should be separated by a period followed by one space.
- The bibliography page lists documents or sources read during research but not used in the text of your paper.
Follow the same format as that of the works cited page.
MLA BIBLIOGRAPHY GUIDELINES: PRINT, ELECTRONIC & OTHER RESOURCES
updated October 7, 2007
The Modern Language Association
does not mount its citation guidelines on the internet. If you need guidance in citing a publication format not listed
here, see the Writers Ink book.
A generic format is provided
in bold for each type of citation, followed by an example.
PRINT RESOURCES
Books
One author:
Last name, First name. Title
of Book. Place of publication: Publisher, year of publication.
Two authors:
Last name of 1st author, First name of 1st
author, and First name of 2nd author Last name of 2nd author. Title of Book. Place of publication: Publisher, year of
publication.
More than two authors (et
al. means "and others" in Latin):
Last name of 1st author, First name, et al.
Title of Book. Place of publication: Publisher, year of publication.
One editor, but no author:
Last name of editor, First name, ed. Title
of Book. Place of publication: Publisher, year of publication.
No author or editor, but
new edition:
Title of Book. Edition. Place of publication:
Publisher, year of publication.
Collections or
Anthologies
A poem, short story,
essay, or a chapter from a book that contains works by several authors:
Last name of poet, First name. "Title of Poem/Story/Essay/etc."
Title of Anthology or Collection. Ed. Editor's name. Place of publication: Publisher, year of publication. Page/s.
A poem, short story, essay, or a chapter from a collection of works by one author:
Last name, First name. "Title of Poem/Story/Essay/Chapter."
Title of Collection. Place of publication: Publisher, year of publication. Page/s.
Encyclopedia Articles
An encyclopedia article or entry with no author indicated:
"Title of article/entry." Title of Encyclopedia.
Edition. Year of publication.
An encyclopedia article with an author:
Last name, First name. " Title
of article/entry." Title of Encyclopedia. Edition. Year of publication.
Magazine, Journal and Newspaper Articles
A magazine or journal articles:
Last name, First name. "Title of Article."
Title of Magazine/Journal. Date of issue: page/s.
A newspaper article:
Last name, First name. "Title of Article." Title of Newspaper Date of paper, edition: section page/s.
ELECTRONIC RESOURCES
Videotapes, DVDs,
Slideshows, Filmstrips
With attributions:
Title of film.
Director's name. Performers' names. Year of original film's release. Format. Name of distributor,
year video/DVD/etc. produced.
Without attributions:
Title of Film. Format.
Name of Distributor, year video/DVD produced.
CD-ROMs
Article from a CD-ROM encyclopedia:
"Title of Article/Entry."
Title of CD-Rom Encyclopedia. Format. Place of publication: Name of Publisher, year of production.
.
Subscription databases
Article found through a library’s subscription
database (examples: ProQuest, eLibrary, Lexis/Nexus, etc.):
Last name of author, First name [see above
"Books" for more than one author format]. "Title of Article." Title of original publication. Date of original
publication: page number. Name of database. Name of subscriber to database, Place. Date article was accessed
<URL>.
Internet sources
A website with an author's name listed:
Last name of author, First name. Title
of Website. Date of website. Date website was accessed <URL>.
An article from
an online encyclopedia:
"Title of Article/Entry." Title of Online
Encyclopedia. Date article was accessed <URL>.
An internet website
maintained by a professional organization:
Title of Website. Date of website. Name of
organization sponsoring site. Date of access <URL>.
An article from
an online magazine, newspaper, or journal:
Last name of author, First name. "Title
of Article." Title of Online Publication. Date of publication. Date of access <URL>.
A personal
web page:
Last name, First name. Home page. Date of
website. Date of access <URL>.
A podcast of a
television or radio program:
Last name, First name, Title of Program.
Name of transmitter. Date of transmission. Podcast. Date of access <URL>.
