Whenever you draw on another's work, you must provide documentation. This guide is intended as a tip sheet to assist you in documenting the basic sources. For more information, please refer to:

Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 6th ed. New York: MLA, 2003.
     Downtown/Reference LB2369.G53 2003 and Downtown/Reserves LB2369.G53 2003

The MLA style requires a brief citation in the text of your paper (MLA Handbook, chapter 6). Most citations include the author's last name and the page number, but other elements may be added.

Author's Name In Text
According to Marcuse, ancient writers attributed the invention of the monochord to Pythagoras, who lived in the sixth century BC (197-98).

Author's Name in Citation
Ancient writers attributed the invention of the monochord to Pythagoras, who lived in the sixth century BC (Marcuse 197-98).

Citing Works by Two Authors
(Hunt and Wilkins 45-47).

Citing More Than One Work by the Same Author
(Durant, Age of Napoleon, 101)
(Durant, Foundations of Civilization, 62).

Citing Anonymous Works
(Primary Colors, 56).

If an electronic source has fixed page or section numbers, use those numbers in your citations. If it does not have fixed numbers, cite the source by author or title only. Do not use page numbers generated by your printer, because those numbers will vary depending upon the printer or settings.

At the end of your paper, list all of the sources quoted or paraphrased in the text (MLA Handbook, chapter 5). Your last name and the page number should appear in the upper right-hand corner, 1/2 inch from the top of the page. The title, Works Cited, should be centered one inch from the top. The entry for each source should be flush with the left margin and subsequent lines should be indented. Double-space the entire list. Arrange the entries in alphabetical order by author. If a work has no author, it should arranged by title. For a sample page, see the MLA Handbook, section 5.4. Some common examples of entries for individual publications are shown below.

Book by One Author (5.6.1)

author > title > city of publication > publisher > publication.

Barth, Roland S. Learning by Heart. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2001.

Two or More Books by the Same Author (5.6.3)

Use three dashes (---) to indicate that subsequent books have the same author.

Barth, Roland S. Learning by Heart. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2001.
---. Run School Run. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1980.

Book by Two or More Authors (5.6.4)

author, and author > title > city of publication > publisher > publication date.

Landre, Rick, Mike Miller, and Dee Porter. Gangs: A Handbook for

      Community Awareness. New York: Facts on File, 1997.

Essay in an Anthology (5.6.7)

essay author > essay title > book title > book editors > city of publication >
      publisher > publication date > essay page numbers.

Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. Plays for the Theatre: An Anthology

      of World Drama. Ed. Oscar G. Brockett and Lenyth Brockett. New York:

      Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1979. 522-581.

Anonymous Book (No Author) (5.6.11)

title > city of publication > publisher > publication date.

Primary Colors: a Novel of Politics. New York: Ramdom House, 1996.

Journal Article in a Journal with Continuous Pagination (5.7.1)

If the page numbering continues through all issues of a volume:
author > article title > journal title > volume > year > pages.

Davis, Cynthia J. "Margaret Fuller, Body and Soul." American Literature

      71 (1999): 31-56.
      

Journal Article in a Journal that Pages Each Issue Separately (5.7.2)

If every issue in a volume begins with page one, give this information:
author > article title > journal title > volume > issue > year > pages.

Manriquez, B.J. "Ana Castillo's So Far From God: Immitations of the

     Absurd." College Literature 29.2 (2002): 37-49.

Newspaper Article (5.7.5)

article author > article title > newspaper title > publication date > edition > pages.

Feder, Barnaby J. "For Job Seekers, a Toll-Free Gift of Expert

          Advice." New York Times 30 Dec. 1993, late ed.: C1+.

Magazine Article (5.7.6)

article author > article title > magazine title > publication date > pages.

Alter, Jonathan. "Truth: The Best Propaganda." Newsweek 4 Mar. 2002: 29.

Anonymous Article (No Author) (5.7.9)

Follow the style for newspapers, magazines, or journals, but omit the author.

"Meningitis Vaccine for Africa." Lancet 361 (2003): 585.

"New York Looks Up." Maclean's 17 Feb. 2003: 12.

 

Internet Site (5.9.2)

When available, give the following information: title > editor > version > publication date or last update > sponsoring organization > date of access > URL (address)

Literary Criticism Online. 2002. Internet Public Library. 12 June 2003.

     <http://www.ipl.org/div/litcrit/>.

Electronic Book (5.9.3)

Follow the examples for print books, but add this information:
title of the Internet site > editor of the site > version number > electronic publication date > sponsoring organization > date of access > URL (address).

Wharton, Edith. The Age of Innocence. New York: D. Appleton, 1920.

      Bartleby.com: Great Books Online. 2000. 6 July 2001

      <http://www.bartleby.com/1005/>.

Electronic Book in a Library Database (5.9.7)

Follow the examples for print books, but add this information:
database name > service name > library name > date of access > URL (if known).

Wharton, Edith. The Age of Innocence. Charlottesville: University of

     Virginia Library, 1996. Netlibrary. OCLC Online Computer Library

     Center, Inc. University of Houston Downtown, W. I. Dykes Library.

     22 May 2003. <http://www.netlibrary.com>.

Article in an Online Journals, Newspaper, or Magazine (5.9.4)

Follow the examples for print articles, but add the following information:
collection name (when applicable) > date of access > URL (address).

Brown, Mary Maureen. "Public Sector Information Resources in

      the Coming Millennium: A Management Imperative." Journal of

      Public Administration and Management 5.1 (2000). 6 July 2001

       <http://www.pamij.com/5_1/00_5_1_s1.html>.

Stevick, Philip. "Critical Mass." College English 41 (1979) 383-389.

      JSTOR 25 May 2003. <http://www.jstor.org/jstor>.

Voss, David. "Instant Access Memory."  Wired  Apr. 2000. 6 Jul. 2001

      <http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.04/mram.html>.

 

Article in a Library Database (5.9.7)

Follow the examples for print articles, but add this information:
database name > service name > library name > date of access > URL (if known).

Alter, Jonathan. "Truth: The Best Propaganda." Newsweek 4 Mar. 2002: 29.

     Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. University of Houston Downtown,

     W. I. Dykes Library. 14 Jan. 2003. <http://www.epnet.com>.

Davis, Cynthia J. "Margaret Fuller, Body and Soul." American Literature

     71 (1999): 31-56. Omnifile. WilsonWeb. University of Houston Downtown,

     W. I. Dykes Library. 23 May 2002. <http://hwwilsonweb.com>.