MLA Referencing Guide

MLA Referencing Guide

The guide below provides the general format used when citing different types of sources in MLA referencing style. MLA referencing style stipulates how you are supposed to format your text and the use of English Language. Mostly, MLA (Modern Language Association) referencing style is used in humanities and liberal arts.

MLA referencing has in-text citations and a reference list (Works Cited Page) at the end that gives information about all the sources used in a manuscript. When using MLA referencing, the page number is cited instead of the year.

MLA Referencing Style Paper Format

General Requirements

Your text should be double-spaced. The font used must be legible preferably Times New Roman. MLA referencing does not insist on Times New Roman font. You are allowed to choose any font of your liking. However, MLA recommends the use of a format whose regular and italic type styles are distinguishable. When using MLA referencing style, ensure that the font size is 12pt.

Leave a single space after punctuation marks or periods. Make sure that your document margins are one inch on every side. The first sentence of each paragraph should be indented one-half inch from the left margin. According to MLA referencing style, you should use the Tab Key to indent the first sentence of your paragraphs.

The pages of your paper must have a header in the upper right-hand corner that numbers them consecutively. In some cases, depending on the tutor, the number on the first page might not be needed. Put all the titles of long works in italics. Italics can also be used to provide emphasis if it is required. Endnotes appear before the Works Cited Page on a separate page.

Recommended MLA Referencing Format of the First Page of Your Paper

Do not include the title page unless your tutor has told you to do so. Write your name, the name of your instructor, the course, and the date in the upper left corner of your first page. All your text should be double-spaced.

Double space once more and write the title of your paper. It should be centered and in title case. When writing the title, avoid underlining and putting it in italics or quotation marks.

If you refer to other works when writing your title, use quotation marks alone or with italics the same way you would in the body of your paper. There should be double spacing between the title and the first sentence of your writing. A header should be in the right-hand corner. It should have your last name and a page number. Number all the pages with Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, etc.) in consecutive order. You may not include the last name and the page number in some cases. However, you can only omit it if your tutor asks you to do so.

When using MLA referencing, you may use section headings to enhance readability. The sections can be individual chapters or parts of a book or essay.

If you divide your essay into sections, number them with an Arabic number and a period followed by a space and the name of that section.

For books, there is no specified system of headings. When using one level of heading, MLA referencing style recommends that the sections appear similar grammatically. For example, if the headings are short, ensure that all of them are short. The format you use is up to you. Even so, maintain consistency. If you use different levels of headings, i.e., sections that have other sections within them. It is essential that you give a key of the level headings in your work and their formatting to your instructor.

If you have additional questions about MLA referencing style as a whole, please refer to the MLA Handbook (8^th ed.).

MLA Referencing of Different Types of Sources

Books

Citing books with a single author

Author’s surname, Author’s first name. Book Title. Edition (except the first). Name of Publisher, Year of publication.

Example:

White, Peter. A Story about Cheese. Random Publishing House, 2010.

White, Peter. A Story about Cheese. 3rd ed. Random Publishing House, 2014.

Citing a book with two authors in MLA referencing style

The surname of the first author, followed by the first author’s first name, and then First Name Last Name of the second author. Book Title. Name of Publisher, Year of Publication.

Example:

Monroe, James and Stewart Charles. Global Warming. Random Publishing House, 2008.

MLA referencing for books authored by four or more people

When the book is authored by three or more people, the name of the first author is written followed by ‘et al.,’ (which means ‘and others’).

First Author’s Surname, First Author’s first name, et al.  Book Title. Name of Publisher, Year of Publication.

Example:

Roth, Bill et al. The Winning Mindset. Random House Publishing Group, 2010.

MLA referencing for citing a chapter in an edited book:

For single book chapters, include the page range (pp.) of the chapter.

Surname of the author, Author’s first name. “Chapter name.” Title of Book. Ed. Editor/s name/s. Name of Publisher, Year of publication. Page/s.

Example:

Brown, Casey. “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy”. A Textbook of Psychology. Ed. John Smith. Random House Publishing Group, 2013 pp. 34-51.

MLA referencing for multiple books authored by the same person

The author’s different works are differentiated by year. List them alphabetically and in chronological order according to publication. If you use two sources that are published by the same author and in the same year, label them with alphabetical letters (a, b, c, d……) after writing the year.

Surname of author, Author first name. Book Title. Edition (if not the first edition of the book). Name of Publisher, Year of Publication.

Example:

Thompson, Billy. American Cuisine. Random House Publishing Group 2011.

Thompson, Billy. Indian Cuisine. Random House Publishing Group, 2014.

Thompson, Billy. Mediterranean Cuisine. Random House Publishing Group, 2015a.

Thompson, Billy. Mexican Cuisine. Random House Publishing Group, 2015b.

Periodicals and Electronic Sources

Citing Print Journals according to MLA referencing

State the name of the author (Last Name, First Name), then the title of the journal in italics. Indicate the volume number (“vol.”) and issue number (“no.”) when possible, and they should b separated by commas. Finally, add the year and page numbers.

In short, : Author(s). “Title of Article.” Title of Journal, Volume, Issue, Year, pages.

Example:

Olivia, Jane. “Attachment Types”. Developmental Psychology, vol. 4, no.7, 2004, pp. 12-18.

Citing Journal Articles accessed on a website or database according to MLA referencing

Author Surname, First Name. “Title of Article.” Name of Journal, Volume, Issue, Year, Page/s. Web. Date of access.

Example:

Olivia, Jane. “Attachment Types”. Developmental Psychology, vol. 4, no.7, 2004, pp. 12-18. Web. 10 January 2017 www.developmentalpsychology.com. 2009.9.010

Citing Print or Online Newspaper or Magazine Articles According to MLA Referencing

Author(s). “Title of Article.” Name of Magazine, Day Month Year, pages.

Author(s). “Title of Article.” Name of Newspaper, Day Month Year, pagination.

Example:

Murrell, Lily. “Home at Last: A story about Chris Bell.” The New York Times, 17 February 2015, pp. 6.

Reed, Mark. “The Mountain of Mystery”. The New York Times, 6 October 2014. Web. 14 July 2017. <www.thenewyorktimesonline.com/mountainofmystery2016>

Online sources

MLA referencing format for websites

Make sure that you establish the authorship of the website before citing it. It might be an individual, an organization or a website name.

Author/Source if no obvious author. “Title of web document/page.” Website name. Date published if provided. <URL>. Date accessed.

Example:

MindHealth. “Exercise and Mental Wellbeing”. MindHealth.com, 2014. www.mindhealtharticles.com/exerciseandmentalwellbeing. Accessed 13 May 2015.

MLA referencing format emails:

Last name of Sender, First name of Sender. “Subject of Email.” Message to: person who received the message. Date received. Email.

Example:

Walker, Paul. “Creating Mental Health Awareness.” Message to the author. 14 March 2012. Email.

MLA referencing format for Social Media

Author Surname, Author First name. (Username if relevant). “Page Title/ title of post”. Social media format. Date posted. <URL>. Date accessed.

Example:

Meyer, Joe. “Mental health group”. Facebook. 10 August 2015. www.facebook.com/mentalhealthgroupmeyerj2015. Accessed 23 October 2017.

Images/visual mediums

MLA referencing format for films/videos/DVDs

Title of Film/Video/DVD. Dir. Director Name. Film studio or maker, year. Format.

Example:

Mediterranean Cuisine. Dir. Jack Peterson. Culinary Studios, 2010. Film.

MLA referencing format for YouTube videos

Author/Producer. “Video Title”. Name of website, date posted. <URL>. Date accessed.

Example:

VictoriousJackie. “My Battle with Depression”. Online Video, YouTube, 10 September 2014. www.youtube.com/victoriousjackiedepression. Accessed 12 April 2017.

MLA referencing for print or online images/photographs

Author surname, Author first name. Image Title. Year. Type of medium. Site of photograph, city.

Author surname, Author first name. Image Title. Year. Type of medium. Site of photograph, city. Website title.  <URL>. Date accessed.

Example:

Stewart, George. A young girl drawing a flower. 2001. Photograph. New York, Art Photography Library.

Stewart, George. A Young Girl Drawing a Flower. 2001. Photograph. New York, Art Photography Library. PhotoFuture.com. www.photofuture/gstewartflowerphoto. Accessed 23 June 2017.

Citing podcasts using MLA referencing format

Name of Broadcaster/Author. “Title of Programme”. Broadcaster: Series Title. Date of transmission. <URL>

Example:

Smartbrains. “Enhancing Concentration”. CCN: Enhancing Concentration. 5 January 2016. www.brainypodcasts.com/smartbrainsenhancingconcentration>

Other source types

MLA referencing format for reports

Organisation/author. Title of Report. Name of Publisher, Year.

Example:

Frank and Peters. A Report on New Treatment Modalities for Personality Disorders. Random House Publishing Group, 2017.

Citing dissertations according to MLA referencing format

Author surname, first name. Dissertation Title. Year published. Official name of the university, Level. Date accessed. <URL> (if online)

Example:

Gibson, Frank. A Close Look at Narcissistic Personality Disorder. 2005. New York University, Masters Thesis. www.dissos.com/narcissisticpersonalitydisordercloselookgibsonp. Accessed 14 February 2014

MLA referencing format for Acts of Parliament

Short title (capitalize key words), which includes the chapter number. Year.

Example:

Mental Health Act (c. 6). 2009.

MLA referencing for government/official publications

Author/Government agency. Document Title. Name of publisher, year.

Example:

United States Government. Drug Abuse and Delinquency. CDC. 2013.

MLA referencing format for interviews

Interviewee Surname, first name. “Title/description of interview.” Interviewer Surname, first name. Place of publication. Date of publication. Page/s.

Example:

Borough, Nelson. “Discussing Focus at Work”. Tosh, Michael. Brainy Magazine. 21 June 2013. 12-13

MLA referencing for presentations/lectures

Author surname, first name/Organization. “Title of Presentation/lecture.” Event/Class name. Year. Type of Presentation (Lecture, Speech, etc). Location if relevant.

Example:

Evans, John. “What is Radiation?” Environment Management. 2015. PowerPoint Presentation. University of Jerusalem.

MLA referencing format for music

Surname of Performer/writer, first name. Recording title. City: Name of Publisher, Year. Format.

For example:

Daniels, Jack. Illusion. New York: Recorders Music, 2006. CD recording.

Proper use of MLA referencing style helps you to earn credibility as it demonstrates that you acknowledge the use of the source materials by other writers. Therefore, it saves you from plagiarism accusations. As such, it is crucial that you learn how to use MLA referencing style. The guide we have given you will go a long way in assisting you to learn how to format your work using MLA referencing.

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