Writing Center Endicott College By Nicole LeLacheur MLA Citations

Works Cited: The Basics

Basic Format… One-inch margins (just like your paper) Last name, page number header (just like your paper) Label the page Works Cited… do not italicize or put in quotations marks Works Cited should be centered and at top of page Indent the second subsequent lines of the citations FIVE spaces so you can create a hanging indent List pages number of sources For each entry, determine what kind of source it is (print, DVD, electronic, etc.)

Online databases… If you are citing an article that was found from an online database… You should type the online database name in italics

Capitalization and punctuation… Capitalize each word in the titles of articles, books, etc, but NOT the articles (the, an, etc), prepositions, or conjunctions (unless it is the first word of title or subtitle) Use italics for titles of larger works (books, magazines) and quotation marks for titles of shorter works (poems, articles)

How to list an author’s name… Alphabetically by author’s last name Author names are written last name first, then middle names or middle initials, then the first name e.g. Smith, John Brown, Jack Anderson, Mary

Do not… List titles (Dr., Saint, etc.) List degrees (PhD, MA, etc.)

Do… List suffixes (Jr., II., etc.) e.g. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Is written as… “King, Martin Luther, Jr.”

More than one work by an author… Order entries alphabetically by title Use three hyphens in place of author’s name for every entry after first

Here’s a basic example… Larson, Margaret. The Mysteries of Water. [….] ---. Water’s Mysteries. [….]

Is the author unknown?... Alphabetize by title instead Use a shortened version of title in citations in your paper

Here’s a basic example… Sampson, John. Friendship and love. [….] Secrets of Friendship. […] No known author Smith, Gerald. Friends and Family. […]

Example of how to cite a book… Last name, First name. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Medium of Publication. e.g. Smith, John. Viking Voyages. New York: Penguin, Print. King, Carlos. The Beginning of the Alphabet. Las Angeles: Penguin, Print.

Books with multiple authors… Gregory, Mark, and Jane Smith. The Allies of America. Boston: Penguin, Print. The second name is written in first name, last name format. The first name is written with last name first

Continued… If there are more than three authors… List only the first author followed by “et al.” OR list all the authors name in order they appear on title page

Examples… Black, Mathew, et al. Reading and Writing. Boston: Penguin, Print. OR Black, Mathew, John Smith, Frank Brown, and Gregory Maxwell. Reading and Writing. Boston: Penguin, Print.

Two or more books by same author… List alphabetically by title Give author name in last name, first name format for FIRST entry only Use three hyphens for all titles following first

Here’s a basic example… Peters, Jack M. Basketball Rules. New York: Penguin, Print Love of Basketball. New York: Penguin, Print

Book written by organization… List names of organizations where author’s name appears at beginning of entry

Here’s a basic example… American Heart Association. Heart Conditions in Children. New York: Random, Print.

Book with no author… List by title of book List alphabetically Still write title in italics

Here’s a basic example… The Book of Presidents. New York: Penguin, Print.

Electronic sources… You should keep personal copies of electronic information before adding it to you Works Cited page Bookmark pages Keep URLs

Use of URLS on a Works Cited page… You do not have to include a URL in your citations If you want to use the URL… Put it in brackets after the date of access ( ) Break URLS after slashes (/)

Basic format of electronic sources… Author/editor names Article name in quotations Title of the Website, project, etc. Version numbers Publisher information Any page numbers Medium of publication Date you accessed material URL (if required by professor)

Example of how to cite a web site… Editor, author, complier, etc. name (if available). Name of Site. Version number. Name of institution/organization, date of resource creation (if available). Medium of publication. Date of access.

Here’s a basic example… Barker, John. Website of Furniture. The Furniture People, Web. 3 Jan Notice how the date is written… DAY ABBREVIATED MONTH. YEAR.

A single page on a website… “How to Cook Pasta.” Recipes.com. Recipes, n.d. Web. 3 Feb

An image… Artist name Name of work Place work is held Painter, George. The Best Painting Ever Museum of Paintings, New York. The Website of Paintings. Web. 1 May Website you found it from

Online scholarly journal article… Title of article Robinson, George. “Research about Dogs: How They Bark and Cry.” Loyal Pets: The Animal Online Journal. 3.2 (2011): n. pag. Web. 20 Feb Journal name in italics If there’s no page

Article from Online Database… Griffin, John, and Martha Riddle. “Stars and Space.” Space 2004: Space Online. Web. 4 Mar Provide the title of database in italics

… Barney, Louis. “Re: Giving Back.” Message to the author. 13 Dec Subject line in quotations

Other common sources… Interview Lectures Films/Movies TV/Radio

Citing an interview… Lake, Mike. Personal interview. 3 Dec Who is interviewed Date of interview

How to cite a speech/lecture… Title of speech Roberts, Rebecca. “How to write in APA.” Endicott College. Endicott College Auditorium, Beverly, MA. 23 Feb Lecture. Where it took place When it took place

How to cite a film/movie… The Lost Puppy. Dir. George Lopez. Perf. Jack Black, Ben Affleck, Brad Pitt, and Jessica Biel. Twentieth Century Fox, Film. List performer names if relevant

TV Shows/Radio Programs… Name of series “Enemies.” Friends. ABC. New York. 2 Jun Television. Name of episode Station Date of broadcast In quotations

Need more help with MLA citations?... Visit the Purdue Online Writing Lab for more information OR the Endicott College Writing Center web page for instructional videos and resources AcadResources/WritingCtrOnlineRes.aspx