MLA Style, 9th Edition
MLA (Modern Language Association) style is typically used in the humanities. Basic information for citing sources using this style is laid out below. Please consult the MLA Handbook, 9th edition or Ask-A-Librarian for more information.
Creating a Works Cited entry in this style is now based upon a process rather than specific rules and follows these principles:
Cite simple traits shared by most works.
Remember that there is often more than one correct way to document a source.
Make your documentation useful to readers.
The idea is to think about the source you are documenting, select the information about the source that is appropriate for your project, and organize it logically and without complication. With this in mind, the process suggests that citations contain the following elements, in order, using the punctuation shown (tips for each element are given in parenthesis):
Following this process, here are very basic citation examples for a book, journal article and web document. For more in-depth guidelines and tips be sure to consult the MLA Handbook or the resources listed below.
TIPS
RESOURCES
Purdue OWL MLA Formatting and Style Guide
Video - Purdue Owl MLA Formatting: The Basics
Video - Purdue OWL: MLA Formatting: List of Works Cited
Works Cited: A Quick Guide, from MLA
Citing Images in MLA (from State College of Florida)
When quoting or paraphrasing sources within the text of your paper, MLA style uses an author/page method of citation. This means that the author's last name and the page number must be clearly stated, which is typically done inside of parentheses after the quote or paraphrase. However, the author's name can be mentioned in the text of your writing with only the page number in parentheses. For example:
When it comes to successful people, "what truly distinguishes their histories is not their extraordinary talent but their extraordinary opportunities" (Gladwell 81).
OR
When speaking of successful people, Gladwell states "what truly distinguishes their histories is not their extraordinary talent but their extraordinary opportunities" (81).
Other notes: