Citation Style

MLA Style, 9th edition Quick Guide
Based on MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 9th ed.

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In-Text Citations (in the body of the paper)

Provide in-text, parenthetical citations when you quote from, use ideas from, or paraphrase information from a source. Each in-text citation includes the author's last name and page number, if available. (If you mention the author's name in the sentence, there is no need to repeat it in the in-text citation.) Examples:

Example: In-text citation with paraphrase
Scholars have argued that social norms consistently and cyclically evolve (Baer and Heron 124).

Example: In-text citation with direct quote
Baer and Heron have argued that “social norms evolve in consistent and cyclical patterns” (124).

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Works Cited List (at the end of the paper)

Provide a detailed citation for each source you have cited in the body of the paper. Format will vary by source type and will include enough detail to allow your reader to locate the source themselves. 
 

Articles from Databases

Basic Format:

Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Title of Periodical, volume

number, issue number, publication date, page numbers. Name of Database,

doi or permalink of article.

Example: Journal Article from a Database with 2 authors

Braun, Susanne, and Claudia Peus. "Crossover of Work-Life Balance Perceptions:

Does Authentic Leadership Matter?" Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 149,

no. 4, June 2018, pp. 875-93. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1007/s10551-016-3078-x.

Example: Journal Article from a Database with 3 or more authors

Silva-Maldonado, Paola, et al. "Consumption Patterns of Energy Drinks in Adolescents

and Their Effects on Behavior and Mental Health: A Systematic Review." Journal

of Psychosocial Nursing & Mental Health Services, Aug. 2021, pp. 1-7. ProQuest,

doi:10.3928/02793695-20210818-04.

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Books

Basic Format:

Author Last Name, First Name. Book Title. Publisher, Year.

Example: Print Book

Corrie, Rachel. Let Me Stand Alone: The Journals of Rachel Corrie. Norton & Company, 2009.

Example: Ebook from a Database

Hill, Marc Lamont, and Mitchell Plitnick. Except for Palestine: The Limits of Progressive Politics. 

The New Press, 2021. ProQuest Ebook Central, 

https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/pasadena/detail.action?docID=6026209.

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Websites

Basic Format:

Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of Page." Name of Website, Name of institution/

organization responsible for website (if different from name of website), publication

date or date of most recent update, URL. Date Accessed.

Example: Page on a Website

Conley, Julia. "'Indomitable' Gaza Journalist Bisan Owda Awarded Peabody Award for

War Coverage." Common Dreams, 9 May 2024,

https://www.commondreams.org/news/gaza-2668213092. Accessed 5 Aug. 2024.

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Works Cited List Tips

1. Title the list Works Cited. Center the title.
2. Double space throughout.
3. Use a legible font style (e.g. Times New Roman) and 12-point font size.
4. Begin the first line of each citation at the left margin. Use a hanging indent for additional lines.
5. Arrange all works in one alphabetical list by author's last name, or by title if there is no author. When listing a work by title, alphabetize by the first main word in the title (ignore initial articles such as A, An, The).
6. When a work has three or more authors, list only the first author, followed by “et al.” For example: Burdick, Anne, et al.
7. If the source doesn't have an element such as a page number or publication date, omit that element from the citation.
8. When formatting dates, use the day month year format. Abbreviate the names of months that are longer than four letters as follows: Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec. Example: 4 Dec. 2023.

For More Information...

More detailed citation guides can be found at Excelsior College's Online Writing Lab (OWL).

For additional citation support, please ask a librarian.