The examples below include some of the most common resources used when writing research papers. For further information, refer to the
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (7th edition).
Book (Single Author)
Author's last name, first name.
Title. City of Publication: Publisher, Date. Print.
Example: McVey, Danna.
The Frontier. New York: Doubleday, 2005. Print.
Book (Two Authors)
First author (last name, first name), and second author (first name and last name).
Title. City of Publication: Publisher, Date. Print.
Example: Griffin, Jane, and Louise Fletcher.
Rampage in Prague. Reading: GP Dorset Press, 2013. Print.
Book (Three or More Authors)
If there are more than three authors, list only the first author followed by the phrase et al. (Latin for "and others") in place of the subsequent authors' names. (Note that there is a period after “al” in “et al.” but there is never a period after the “et” in “et al.”).
Example: Wood, Kelley, et al.
Shawnee Memories. London: Tecumseh, 2009. Print.
Book (Editor, not Author)
Editor's last name, first name, ed. (meaning "editor")
Title. City of Publication: Publisher, Date. Print.
Example: Ray, Thelonious, ed.
Jazz in American History. Baltimore: Pembleton, 2010. Print.
Periodicals
Author's last name, first name. "Article Title."
Periodical Title Publication day month (abbreviated) year: section and page number(s). Print.
Example: Armentrout, Rupret. "Visions of Symmetry."
The New York Times 20 Nov. 2009: A1. Print.
Reference Book Entries (Encyclopedias, etc.) If an entry has an author, include the name, but do
not include the
editor of the entire work. If an entry does not have an author, begin the citation with the title of the article.
Author's last name, first name (if listed). "Title of article."
Title of Book. Edition (not volume), if listed (do not list 1st editions). Date. Print.
Example
with an author: Ray, Mark. "Perseverance."
Sociology. 2nd ed. 2012. Print.
Example
without an author: "Perseverance."
Sociology. 2nd ed. 2012. Print.
Work in an Anthology or CollectionWorks may include an essay in an edited collection or anthology, or a chapter of a book. The basic form for this sort of citation is as follows:
Last name, First name. "Title of Essay." Title of Collection. Ed. Editor's name(s). City of Publication: Publisher, Year. Page range. Publication medium.
Example: Coltrane, Oscar. "The Genius of Miles Davis." American Jazz. Ed. Ella Brubeck. New Orleans: Heisenberg, 2014. 28-41. Print.
Bible
Give the name of the specific edition you are using, any editor(s) associated with if (if applicable), followed by the publication information.
Example: The New Jerusalem Bible. Ed. James Smith. New York: Doubleday, 2005. Print.