Click on the Blue Word(s) to link to the desired document.
MLA published an 8th edition in 2016.
The items listed at the top of this page are
correct to the best of my current understanding.
The items listed at the top of this page are
correct to the best of my current understanding.
CONTAINERS -- The MLA Handbook method for organizing works cited entries. Revised 1 April 2019.
DOI / URL / PERMALINKS -- An explanation so far . . .
MISSING INFORMATION -- How to deal with missing info / Abbreviations and examples -- Updated 3/22/2018
ABBREVIATIONS -- General terms, months, and alphabetizing titles that start with a number
BOOK -- Start here for the basic entry instructions. This will give you more information than that container template but only for a book.
Below this message, documents have not been updated.
Eventually, some pieces will be revised and some deleted.
Disregard information that differs from the container model.
Eventually, some pieces will be revised and some deleted.
Disregard information that differs from the container model.
ADVERTISEMENT -- Instructions for an ad in hard copy and online
BLOG -- Instructions for blogs, list serves and discussion groups -- Please avoid quoting people who lack credibility.
Cartoon or Comic Strip -- Instructions for Cartoons and Comic Strips in various types of publications, and what to do with a title that begins with a number in number form.
ELECTRONIC WORKS -- Instructions for citing from electronic readers like the Nook, Kindle, etc.
FILM -- Instructions for citing films (movies), including foreign films
INTRODUCTION, PREFACE, FOREWORD OR AFTERWORD -- Instructions for citing what others have written within the novel or literary piece you are writing about
LECTURE, SPEECH, KEYNOTE SPEECH, READING OR ADDRESS -- Instructions can also include what your instructor tells you in your current classes at West High or El Camino College.
LIST-SERVE OR DATABASE -- Sources gathered by a service and usually available through a library
LITTLE, BROWN AND COMPANY -- Why is there a comma between Little and Brown?
NAMES -- Instructions for variations of names in these categories: author, compiler, editor and translator
NEWSPAPER -- Hard copy news articles
NEWSPAPER -- Online articles
ONLINE POEM -- Instructions for an online poem -- published online only or published in hard copy as well
PERSONAL INTERVIEW -- Instructions for citing an interview you had with someone.
POEM OR STORY IN AN ANTHOLOGY -- Instructions for small works in an anthology
QUOTE -- Instructions for a published (famous) quote from either an online or hard copy source
REPRINTS OR EXCERPTS -- Instructions for works published in other venues
SONG -- Songs published online or in a CD or album (LP) -- LP means Long Play.
TRANSLATION -- Instructions for translated books
WEBSITE -- Use these instructions when you are citing an entire website.
WORKS CONSULTED -- When you reference a work that you have not actually quoted, this goes in the works consulted section of the works cited page.
WORKS PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED -- Works published online that were originally published hard copy
TELEVISION OR RADIO -- Instructions for a TV or radio show
UNKNOWN AUTHOR / STAFF WRITER -- What to do when you don't have an author's name
DICTIONARY, ENCYCLOPEDIA AND THE BIBLE -- How to cite the unusual items.