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In the humanities, it is typical to use the citation and formatting style of the Modern Language Association (MLA).
See the resources on this page to learn how to cite your sources properly.
MLA Style
The MLA Style, created by the Modern Language Association, is common in English and the humanities.
Find the handbook at the library or explore the linked websites to learn how to use this style.
Style Guide
MLA Handbook, 9th Edition, by Call Number: Ref. 808.027 M7206m9 (On Reserve)ISBN: 9781603295611Publication Date:An all-in-one resource that makes MLA style easier to learn and use, the MLA Handbook includes expanded, in-depth guidance on creating works-cited-list entries using the MLA template of core elements.
Links
- MLA Style Homepage
The authority on MLA style and the current edition of the MLA Handbook.
- MLA Formatting & Style Guide
Thorough, user-friendly description of MLA style from the OWL at Purdue.
- BibGuru MLA Citation Style Guide
An easy-to-use online citation guide.
Example MLA Citations
A sample in-text and bibliographic citation of a journal article are presented here.
See the style guide for more complete and specific rules. You may also notice that all citations in this research guide are in MLA style.
In-Text Citation
Narrative Citation
According to Pamboukian, Kipling’s short stories and novels exhibit a paradoxical mixture of magic and reality, which may be due, in part, to Kipling’s own ambivalence about the supernatural and enthusiasm for new gadgetry
(429).
Parenthetical Citation
Kipling’s short stories and novels exhibit a paradoxical mixture of magic and reality, which may be due, in part, to Kipling’s own ambivalence about the supernatural and enthusiasm for new gadgetry
(Pamboukian 429).
Note the following:
Place all quoted text is in quotation marks.
Place the page number of the citation in parentheses after the closing quotation mark.
If you don’t name the author in the text, place the name in parentheses next to the page number.
Place the closing punctuation mark after the citation.
Bibliographic Entry
Pamboukian, Sylvia. “Science, Magic and Fraud in the Short Stories of Rudyard Kipling.” English Literature in Transition, –, vol. 47, no. 4, , pp. 429–445. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.2487/
Note the following:
Place the author’s name first, followed by the article title in quotation marks.
Italicize the journal title.
For journal articles, include volume, issue, date, and page numbers.
Following the journal information, include any other container, i.e., where the article is stored—in this case an EBSCOhost database.
Italicize container names.
Finally, include the location where the article can be found.
Use a “stable” or “permanent” web address as the location unless a DOI is available.
Always include a DOI if possible.
Citation Websites
Quick Links
- Citation Help
Our research guide dedicated to the different citation styles and how to use them.
- How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography
A guide to annotated bibliographies from Cornell University.
- Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University
The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, and we provide these as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue.
- Getting Started with Primary Sources
A teachers’ guide to primary sources from the Library of Congress. Explains using primary sources in the classroom.
- Assignment Calculator
From the University of Minnesota Libraries, this calculator will build a schedule for your research project based on its due date.
Find Numbers and Identifiers
- Search DOIs
Find the digital object identifier (DOI) for a journal article or book.
- Search ISBNs
Search book information and bookstore prices by international standard book number.
- Search ISSNs
Search for journals by title or international standard serial number. Find the ISSN for any journal.
Legal and Government Publications
- Citing U.S. Government Publications
A guide to citing government documents, created by the libraries of Indiana University Bloomington.
- The Bluebook Homepage
An authoritative guide to citing legal documents.
- Introduction to Basic Legal Citation
An introductory guide to legal citation, based on The Bluebook, from Cornell University Law School.
Fig. 1. Michele Kirschenbaum. “Am I Plagiarizing?: An Advanced Infographic.” EasyBib Blog, , www