Skip to Main Content

Global Arts Studies Program - GASP 001 (Kaminsky)

MLA Style - Key Characteristics

Big Picture

  • MLA style features in-text parenthetical citations and a corresponding Works Cited page.

In-Text Citations

Use for quotes, paraphrases and summaries

  • Author name followed by page number(s) - Example: (Patel 245)
  • Author name may be excluded if in the introductory text - Example: Patel found that …. “ “ (245).
  • First and last names of authors are spelled out - Example: Jones, Rhett S.
  • If no author, use the first part of the citation found in the Works Cited - Example: (National Committee 37)
  • If referring to more than one source in the same citation, separate with a semi-colon - Example: (Davidson 18-20; Simmons 302)

Work Cited List

  • Order alphabetically
  • Hanging indent after the first line
  • Quotation marks around sources in containers e.g. poem, short story, journal article etc.
  • Italicize sources for stand-alone items e.g. novel, play, journal publication, book etc.
  • Capitalize main words in a title
  • One author format is last name, first name.  Example: Reddy, Anisha Two authors is last name, first name and first name last name. Example:  Reddy, Anisha and Nate Conner.  Three authors is last name, first name, et al. Example: Jones, Steve, et al.

Citing from Films

When citing dialogue from a film, refer to the citation style's information on Drama. Examples typically refer to play print scripts; however, use the basic principles for quoting this material in your own papers and presentations. Your overall goal is to provide consistency and clarity so that your reader knows who is speaking and where you retrieved your information.

Remember

In MLA, you will need an in-text citations associated with each quote or paraphrase.  In-text citations will point to the full citations in the Works Cited.

Resources:

MLA

Citation Examples

Do these citations correctly follow the MLA 8th edition style???
 
Article
Paris, Arthur. "Cruse and the Crisis in Black Culture: The Case of Theater, 1900-1930." The Journal of Ethnic Studies, vol. 5, no. 2, 1977, pp. 51-68, Sociological Abstracts, https://search.proquest.com/docview/818796751?accountid=14515.
 
Book
Elam, Harry J, and Kennell A. Jackson. Black Cultural Traffic: Crossroads in Global Performance and Popular Culture. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2005. Internet resource.
 
Play
Bullins, Ed. "High John Da Conqueror the Musical: A Musical Historic Fantasy." New/Lost Plays by Ed Bullins: An Anthology, edited by Ethel Pitts Walker, forward by Woodie King, Jr., That New Publishing Company, 1993.  Twentieth-Century Drama Full-Text Database. Proquest, gateway.proquest.com/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2003&xri:pqil:res_ver=0.2&res_id=xri:lion&rft_id=xri:lion:ft:dr:Z000844177:&rft.accountid=14515
 
What seem to be some other characteristics of these citations?

MLA 8th Edition

MLA 8th edition introduced changes to creating citations.  See "What's New in the Eight Edition" from the Modern Languages Association (MLA).

What is the primary difference?

  • Now there is an overall citation format to use with all source types.  The same elements  are used in the same order BUT a source may not have all of the elements.  If an element if not available, you simply move on.  If a source is in more than one container, you may repeat elements 3-9. For example, a journal article is in a journal (container 1) which may then be in a database (container 2).

from "What's New in the Eight Edition" order of elements

elements for MLA

useful template example from OWL Purdue

Author. Title. Title of container (self contained if book), Other contributors (translators or editors), Version (edition), Number (vol. and/or no.), Publisher, Publication Date, Location (means pp.). 2nd container’s title, Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Pub date, Location.

What are some of the changes?

  • A handle or screen name can be used for the author (if no author name). Example: @smexaminer
  • Now you use vol. and no. for journal articles Example: vol. 47, no. 2 (previously 47.2)
  • Include URLS but do not use http:// or https://  DOIs (digital object identifiers) are preferred. Example: doi:#########
  • In Works Cited, p. is used for citing a page number and pp. for citing a range of pages. Example:
    • Morales, Donald M. "Do Black Theatre Institutions Translate into Great Drama?." African American Review, vol. 31, no. 4, Winter 1997, pp. 633-637. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=74447&site=ehost-live.
  • Do not spell out University Press, use UP instead.  Examples: Cambridge UP or U of California P

What is optional?

  • date you viewed or accessed an online source
  • publisher does not have to be included if already included in another element (e.g. in the title of a website)

What is no longer required?

  • Do not use angle brackets < > with URLs.
  • Do not include the source medium e.g. Print, Web etc.
  • Do not include the city of publication. (Only use if deemed important.)

Additional Resources:

Citing Sources: MLA Style, 8th edition (UWF Libraries), provides examples for various sources

MLA Abbreviations, 8th edition (OWL Purdue), notes abbreviations for months

Citing Your Sources MLA, 8th edition (University of Hawaii, Honolulu Community College), give examples & has 7 pg. handout

MLA Style - Video

~11 minutes, provides logic and many examples (Kyle Stedman)