MLA Format Cheat Sheet

This handout provides a quick reference to the basics of using MLA style. For complete guidelines, consult MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th ed., call number: LB !"# .$%! &&#.

Major Updates from the New 7th! "d#t#on

MLA no longer requires underlining. Titles, such as books and periodical titles, are no' italicized rather than underlined. All entr#es #n a reference l#st, whether pr#nt or electron#c, must now #nclude the med#um #n wh#ch the$ ha%e been publ#shed &r#nt, 'eb, ()(, *ele%#s#on, etc.! U+Ls are no lon,er re-u#red #n c#tat#ons. MLA recommends that wr#ters onl$ #nclude a web address #f the aud#ence #s unl#.el$ to f#nd the source otherw#se.

(e' Abbreviations: )ome sources do not have a date, publisher or pagination. MLA advises, 'here applicable, to 'rite n.d. for no date, n.p. for no publisher, and n.pag. for no pagination given .

Formatt#n, /as#cs
*ouble space throughout paper, 'ith no e+tra spaces bet'een paragraphs. *o not right ,ustify. Top, bottom, and side margins should be one inch. -ndent the first 'ord of each paragraph by . inch or % spaces. *o not use a title page for the research paper/ instead simply type your name, instructor0s name, course number, and date. This should be flush 'ith the left margin. 1enter the title of the paper. *o not underline the title, or put in 2quotation marks,3 or set in ALL 1A4-TAL). (umber all pages consecutively in the upper right5hand corner, . inch from the top and flush 'ith right margin. Type your last name before the page number, and do not use 2p.3 before the number.

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'or.s C#ted
MLA style requires that the list of 8orks 1ited start on a ne' page at the end of your paper. Formatting rules include/ 1ontinue page numbering from the body of your paper. 1enter the title 28orks 1ited,3 one inch from the top. Alphabeti9e entries by the author0s last name. -f no author, alphabeti9e by the title :ignore A, An,The;. <se a hanging indent.

For boo.s/ (ame:s; of authors or editors. -f only citing one chapter 'ithin a book, the author and title :in 2quotation marks3; of the chapter. Title of book :including subtitle; italicized. 1ity of publication, name of the publisher, and year of publication. Medium of publication. 6dition :only if nd ed. or later;. =olume number :if there is one;. -f citing one chapter 'ithin a book, the page numbers of the chapter.

For pr#nt journal and ma,a0#ne art#cles / (ames of authors. Title of article in 2quotation marks.3 Title of ,ournal or maga9ine italicized. =olume number :for a ,ournal;. -ssue number :for a ,ournal, if available;. *ate of publication :for ,ournal article, note year only;. 4age numbers of the article. Medium of publication :4rint;.

For journal and ma,a0#ne art#cles ac-u#red us#n, a l#brar$ database/ (ames of authors. Title of article in 2quotation marks.3 Title of ,ournal or maga9ine italicized. =olume number and issue number :for a ,ournal;. *ate of publication :for ,ournal article, note year only;. 4age numbers of the article as originally published in print ,ournal. (ame of the database italicized. Medium of publication :8eb;.

*ate of access :day, month, and year;.

For webs#tes: (ame of author or editor :if given;. Title of the 'ork italicized if the 'ork is independent> in quotation marks if it is part of a larger 'ork. Title of the overall 'ebsite italicized, if distinct from above. 4ublisher or sponsor of the site> if not available, use n.p. *ate of publication :day, month, and year;, if not available, use n.d. Medium of publication :8eb;. *ate of access :day, month, and year;.

"1amples of C#tat#ons
/oo. w#th one author: )teele, Timothy. The Color Wheel: Poems. /alt#more: 2ohns 3op.#ns U&, 4556. &r#nt. /oo. w#th two or three authors: Broer, La'rence 7., and $loria ?olland. Hemingway and Women: emale !ritics and the emale "oice. Tuscaloosa/ < of Alabama 4, && . 4rint. /oo. w#th four or more authors: @ones, Terry, et al. Who M#rdered !ha#cer$: A Medie%al Mystery. (e' Aork/ Thomas *unne Books, &&B. 4rint. Chapter #n a boo.: (aremore, @ames. C?itchcock at the Margins of (oir.C Alfred Hitchcock: !entenary &ssays. 6d. 7ichard Allen and ). -shii5$on9ales. London/ BF-, D###. "!5EE. 4rint. *ranslat#on: Murasaki )hikibu. 'he 'ale of (en)i . Trans. 7oyall Tyler. (e' Aork/ =iking, &&D. 4rint. &r#nt journal art#cle: Levine, @une 4erry. 24assage to the Fdeon/ Too Lean.3 Literat#re ilm *#arterly DB.! :D#G";/ D!#5%&. 4rint. 2ournal art#cle ac-u#red us#n, a l#brar$ database: Letemendia, =. 1. 27evolution on Animal Farm/ Fr'ellHs (eglected 1ommentary.3 +o#rnal of Modern Literat#re DG.D :D## ;/ D E5!E. +,'-R . 8eb. " @uly &&#. 'ebs#te: .io. AI6 Television (et'orks, &&#. 8eb. E @uly &&#. Newspaper art#cle: *aker, )usan. 2(o ?appy ?oliday for 7efiners.3 Wall ,treet +o#rnal ! @uly &&#/ 1D&. 4rint. F#lm:

!hocolat. *ir. Lasse ?allstrom. 4erf. Alfred Molina and @uliette Binoche. &&&. Mirama+, &&!. *=*.

&arenthet#cal C#tat#ons
7eferences in your paper must clearly point to specific sources in your list of 8orks 1ited. -n most cases, providing the author0s last name and the page number is sufficient/ Medieval 6urope 'as a place both of 2raids, pillages, slavery, and e+tortion3 and of 2traveling merchants, monetary e+change, to'ns if not cities, and active markets in grain3 :To'nsend D&;. -f you have several 'orks by the same author, also include the title :abbreviated if long;/ :Frye, /o#ble "ision G%;. -f no author is listed, use the title :shortened if long;/ "oice of the ,h#ttle has many electronic sources. -f using the title, remember to use correct punctuation/ italici9e book titles, use quotation marks for ,ournal articles, short stories, book chapters, etc. The author0s name can be referred to 'ithin the sentence/ Tannen has argued this point :DEG5G%;. Jor the author0s name can be referred to 'ithin the parenthetical reference/ This point has already been argued :Tannen DEG5G%;.

For add#t#onal help

1onsult @oseph $ibaldi0s MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers0 Eth ed, available at the 7eference *esk and on 7eserve.

7efer to the Fnline 8riting Lab :F8L; at 4urdue <niversity/ http/KKo'l.english.purdue.eduKo'lKresourceK%%EKD%K <tili9e bibliographic management tools such asJ 57ef8orks 5 https/KK'''.ref'orks.comK7ef'orks 5 Lotero :Firefo+ only; 5 http/KK'''.9otero.orgK 5 Mnight 1ite 5 http/KK'''.calvin.eduKlibraryKknightciteK