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Writing a Bibliography: MLA Format

Email Print Below are standard formats and examples for basic bibliographic information recommended by the Modern Language Association (MLA). or more information on the MLA format! see http"##www.mla.org#style$fa%.

Basics
&our list of wor's cited should begin at the end of the paper on a new page with the centered title! Works Cited. Alphabeti(e the entries in your list by the author)s last name! using the letter*by*letter system (ignore spaces and other punctuation.) +f the author)s name is un'nown! alphabeti(e by the title! ignoring any A, An! or The. or dates! spell out the names of months in the text of your paper! but abbre,iate them in the list of wor's cited! except for May! -une! and -uly. .se either the day*month* year style (// -uly 0111) or the month*day*year style (-uly //! 0111) and be consistent. 2ith the month*day*year style! be sure to add a comma after the year unless another punctuation mar' goes there.

Underlining or Italics?
2hen reports were written on typewriters! the names of publications were underlined because most typewriters had no way to print italics. +f you write a bibliography by hand! you should still underline the names of publications. But! if you use a computer! then publication names should be in italics as they are below. Always chec' with your instructor regarding their preference of using italics or underlining. 3ur examples use italics.

Hanging Indentation
All MLA citations should use hanging indents! that is! the first line of an entry should be flush left! and the second and subse%uent lines should be indented 0#/4.

Capitalization Abbre!iation and "#nct#ation

5he MLA guidelines specify using title case capitali(ation * capitali(e the first words! the last words! and all principal words! including those that follow hyphens in compound terms. .se lowercase abbre,iations to identify the parts of a wor' (e.g.! vol. for volume! ed. for editor) except when these designations follow a period. 2hene,er possible! use the appropriate abbre,iated forms for the publisher)s name (Random instead of Random House). 6eparate author! title! and publication information with a period followed by one space. .se a colon and a space to separate a title from a subtitle. +nclude other 'inds of punctuation only if it is part of the title. .se %uotation mar's to indicate the titles of

/ short wor's appearing within larger wor's (e.g.! 4Memories of 7hildhood.4 American Short Stories). Also use %uotation mar's for titles of unpublished wor's and songs.

Format $%amples
Boo&s
Format: Author)s last name! first name. Book title. Additional information. 7ity of publication" Publishing company! publication date. $%amples: Allen! 5homas B. Vanishing Wildlife of North America. 2ashington! 8.7." 9ational :eographic 6ociety! 01;<. Boorstin! 8aniel -. The Creators A Histor! of the Heroes of the "magination. 9ew &or'" =andom! 011/. >all! 8onald! ed. The #$ford Book of American %iterac! Anecdotes. 9ew &or'" 3xford .P! 01?0. 6earles! Baird! and Martin Last. A Reader&s 'uide to Science (iction. 9ew &or'" acts on ile! +nc.! 01;1. 5oomer! -ean. Cane. Ed. 8arwin 5. 5urner. 9ew &or'" 9orton! 01??.

$ncyclopedia ' (ictionary

Format: Author)s last name! first name. 45itle of Article.4 Title of )nc!clo*edia. 8ate. 9ote" +f the dictionary or encyclopedia arranges articles alphabetically! you may omit ,olume and page numbers. $%amples: 4A(imuthal E%uidistant Pro@ection.4 +erriam,We-ster&s Collegiate .ictionar!. 0Ath ed. 011B. Pettingill! 3lin 6ewall! -r. 4 alcon and alconry.4 World Book )nc!clo*edia. 01?A. 5obias! =ichard. 45hurber! -ames.4 )nc!clo*edia Americana. 0110 ed.

Magazine ' )e*spaper Articles

Format: Author)s last name! first name. 4Article title.4 /eriodical title Colume D 8ate" inclusi,e pages.

9ote" +f an edition is named on the masthead! add a comma after the date and specify the edition. $%amples: >all! 5rish. 4+E 6cores Are .p! and Psychologists 2onder 2hy.4 Ne0 1ork Times /< eb. 011?! late ed." 0F. Galette! 8enise. 47alifornia 5own 7ounts 8own to Big Eua'e.4 2SA Toda! 1 /0 -uly 01?H" sec. A" 0. Ganfer! 6tefan. 4>eard Any :ood Boo's LatelyI4 Time 00B /0 -uly 01?H" ;0*;/. 5rillin! 7al,in. 47ulture 6hopping.4 Ne0 1orker 0J eb. 011B" <?*J0.

Website or Webpage
Format: Author)s last name! first name (if a,ailable). 45itle of wor' within a pro@ect or database.4 Title of site, *ro3ect, or data-ase. Editor (if a,ailable). Electronic publication information (8ate of publication or of the latest update! and name of any sponsoring institution or organi(ation). 8ate of access and Kfull .=LL. 9ote" +f you cannot find some of this information! cite what is a,ailable. $%amples: 8e,itt! 5erry. 4Lightning in@ures four at music festi,al.4 The Wh!4 (iles. / Aug. /AA0. /B -an. /AA/ Khttp"##whyfiles.org#0B;lightning#index.htmlL. 8o,e! =ita. 4Lady reedom among .s.4 The )lectronic Te$t Center. Ed. 8a,id 6eaman. 011?. Alderman Lib.! . of Cirginia. 01 -une 011? Khttp"##etext.lib.,irginia.edu#sub@ects#afam.htmlL. Lancashire! +an. >omepage. /? Mar. /AA/. 0J May /AA/ Khttp"##www.chass.utoronto.ca"?A?A#Mian#L. Le,y! 6te,en. 4:reat Minds! :reat +deas.4 Ne0s0eek /; May /AA/. 0A -une /AA/ Khttp"##www.msnbc.com#news#;J<BBH.aspL.