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The boxes below highlight how to cite books and journal articles using MLA. Remember, for more complete directions go the Butler Libraries - Citing Sources LibGuide.
In-Text Citations
After a quote, add the author's last name and a page reference. This is usually enough to identify the source and the specific location from which you borrowed the material.
Example: "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog" (Seuss 102-103).
If using the author's name in your text, do not include it in the parentheses.
Example: In his scholarly study, Dr. Seuss observed that "the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog" (102-103).
If you use more than one work by the same author, include the title or a shorted form of the title.
Example: "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog" (Seuss, Fox in Socks 102-103).
If more than one author has the same last name, add their first initial.
Example: "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog" (D. Seuss 102-103).
If two or more authors wrote the work, list them all.
Example: "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog" (Seuss and Johnson 102-103).
If no pagination information is available, but paragraphs are numbered, include that information.
Example: "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog" (Seuss par. 5).
If no pagination information is available and paragraphs are not numbered, the work must be cited only in its entirety, but you can include words in your text that indicate about where to find the quote.
Example: In the first third of his article, Seuss mentioned that "the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog."
Note: When paraphrasing or mentioning another work, it is helpful to still provide pagination information if the source text is long or difficult, or if it would help the reader find the text being paraphrased.
Book: General | AuthorLastname, AuthorFirstname. Title. Edition. Publication Location: Publisher, Year. Print. |
Book: |
Gutman, Robert W. Mozart: A Cultural Biography. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1999. Print. |
Book: Two or more works by Same Author |
Gutman, Robert W. Mozart: A Cultural Biography. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1999. Print. ---. Richard Wagner: The Man, His Mind, and His Music. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1968. Print. |
Book: |
Hock, Randolph, and Gary Price. The Extreme Searcher’s Internet Handbook: A Guide for the Serious Searcher. Medford: CyberAge Books, 2004. Print. |
Book: |
Davidson, William, et al. Retailing Management. 6th ed. New York: Wiley, 1988. Print. Note: You may also include full names of all the authors in the order listed on the title page. |
Book: |
Begin citation with title. For example: NAICS Desk Reference: The North American Industry Classification System Desk Reference. Indianapolis: JIST Works, 2000. Print. |
Chapter in a Book |
Willson, Jr., Robert F. "William Shakespeare's Theater." The Greenwood Companion to Shakespeare: A Comprehensive Guide for Students. Ed. Joseph Rosenblum. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2005. 47-64. Print. |
For additional examples and explanations, see pages 148-181 in the MLA Handbook (2009).
For scholarly journals that only exist in electronic form on the Web, cite the work like you would for a print article, only conclude the entry with the following items:
If the publication does not include page numbers, use "n. pag." in place of the page numbers.
Example: |
Shah, Parilah Mohd, and Fauziah Ahmad. "A Comparative Account of the Bilingual Education Programs in Malaysia and the United States." GEMA Online Journal of Language Studies 7.2 (2007): 63-77. Web. 8 Nov. 2008. |
For articles retrieved full text from an online database, include the name of the database before "Web."
Example: |
Chan, Evans. "Postmodernism and Hong Kong Cinema." Postmodern Culture 10.3 (2000): n. pag. Project Muse. Web. 20 May 2007. |
For additional examples and explanations, see pp. 189-193 in the MLA Handbook (2009).
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