purdue owl research paper mla

Citation Guides

• AMA (American Medical Association)
• APA Citation Examples
• APA Sample Paper
• Chicago General Formatting
• Chicago Citation Examples
• Chicago Sample Papers
• MLA General Formatting
• MLA Citation Examples

MLA Sample Paper

• Theological/Philosophical Citations

The following PDF provides a sample paper written in the MLA style to demonstrate visually how the guidelines work in action. This PDF is used with thanks and full credit to the Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab) , which maintains a robust online guide to a variety of style guides, avoiding plagiarism, and writing at the academic level in general. They are strongly recommended as a resource if you need something more in depth than this guide provides.

“MLA Sample Paper.” MLA Sample Paper - Purdue OWL® - Purdue University , Purdue OWL / Purdue University, 21 Oct. 2019, owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_sample_paper.html. Accessed on 28 Sept. 2023.

• << Previous: MLA Citation Examples
• Next: Theological/Philosophical Citations >>
• Last Updated: May 1, 2024 2:30 PM
• URL: https://libguide.umary.edu/citations

Sample Essays: Writing with MLA Style

Congratulations to the students whose essays were selected for the 2023 edition of Writing with MLA Style! Essays were selected as examples of excellent student writing that use MLA style for citing sources. Essays have been lightly edited. 

If your institution subscribes to MLA Handbook Plus , you can access annotated versions of the essays selected in 2022 and 2023. 

Writing with MLA Style: 2023 Edition

The following essays were selected for the 2023 edition of Writing with MLA Style. The 2023 selection committee was composed of Ellen C. Carillo, University of Connecticut (chair); Rachel Ihara, Kingsborough Community College, City University of New York; and Tarshia L. Stanley, Wagner College.

Caroline Anderson (Pepperdine University)

“ L’Appel du Vide : Making Spaces for Sinful Exploration in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ”

Hunter Daniels (University of South Carolina, Aiken)

“Biblical Legalism and Cultural Misogyny in The Tragedy of Mariam ”

Aspen English (Southern Utah University)

“Putting the ‘Comm’ in Comics: A Communication-Theory-Informed Reading of Graphic Narratives”

Raul Martin (Lamar University)

“The Book-Object Binary: Access and Sustainability in the Academic Library”

Grace Quasebarth (Salve Regina University)

“Finding a Voice: The Loss of Machismo Criticisms through Translation in Isabel Allende’s The House of the Spirits ”

Writing with MLA Style: 2022 Edition

The following essays were selected for the 2022 edition of Writing with MLA Style. The 2022 selection committee was composed of Ellen C. Carillo, University of Connecticut; Jessica Edwards, University of Delaware (chair); and Deborah H. Holdstein, Columbia College Chicago.

Kaile Chu (New York University, Shanghai)

“Miles Apart: An Investigation into Dedicated Online Communities’ Impact on Cultural Bias”

Sietse Hagen (University of Groningen)

“The Significance of Fiction in the Debate on Dehumanizing Media Portrayals of Refugees”

Klara Ismail (University of Exeter)

“Queering the Duchess: Exploring the Body of the Female Homosexual in John Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi ”

Yasmin Mendoza (Whittier College)

“Banning without Bans”

Niki Nassiri (Stony Brook University)

“Modern-Day US Institutions and Slavery in the Twenty-First Century”

Samantha Wilber (Palm Beach Atlantic University)

“‘Pero, tu no eres facil’: The Poet X as Multicultural Bildungsroman”

Writing with MLA Style: 2019 Edition

The following essays were selected for the 2019 edition of Writing with MLA Style. The 2019 selection committee was composed of Jessica Edwards, University of Delaware; Deborah H. Holdstein, Columbia College Chicago (chair); and Liana Silva, César E. Chavez High School, Houston, Texas.

Catherine Charlton (University of King’s College, Nova Scotia)

“‘Coal Is in My Blood’: Public and Private Representations of Community Identity in Springhill, Nova Scotia”

Alyiah Gonzales (California Polytechnic State University)

“Disrupting White Normativity in Langston Hughes’s ‘I, Too’ and Toni Morrison’s ‘Recitatif’”

Meg Matthias (Miami University, Ohio)

“Prescriptions of (Living) Historical Happiness: Gendered Performance and Racial Comfort in Reenactment”

Jennifer Nguyen  (Chaminade University of Honolulu)

“The Vietnam War, the American War: Literature, Film, and Popular Memory”

Emily Schlepp (Northwest University)

“A Force of Love: A Deconstructionist Reading of Characters in Dickens’s  Great Expectations ”

English Education & English Writing: MLA Sample Paper from OWL Purdue

• Books & eBooks
• Dissertations, Videos, & Reviews
• English Education
• Research Methods
• Linguistics
• Discourse Analysis
• Writing Centers
• Creative Writing
• MLA Sample Paper from OWL Purdue
• Search Terms
• Who to Stalk?
• Sample Articles
• Capstone Presentations

Sample Paper Formatted in MLA Style from OWL Purdue

• Sample MLA Paper Below is a sample paper from OWL Purdue formatted to MLA Standards

• << Previous: Citation Help
• Next: ENG 322 >>
• Last Updated: Mar 25, 2024 3:37 PM
• URL: https://mc.libguides.com/writing

Citing Your Sources

• Introduction to Citing Sources

Online MLA guides

Sample papers.

• Chicago/Turabian
• Citing Computer Code
• Citing Data
• Citing Film and Video
• Citing Generative AI
• Citing Images
• Citing Online Sources
• Citing Sound Recordings
• Citations Formatters
• Citation Management Software (redirect to a guide) This link opens in a new window
• Plagiarism Avoidance (redirect to a guide) This link opens in a new window

MLA style for documentation is widely used in the humanities, especially in writing on language and literature.

• The MLA Style Center A quick guide to works cited, FAQ, and overview of the changes in the 8th edition, guidelines for formatting your paper, and more.
• MLA Formatting and Style Guide (the OWL at Purdue) This resource offers examples for the general format of MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the Works Cited page.
• MLA Format A user-friendly guide from EasyBib.
• MLA Sample Paper (Purdue OWL)
• Sample Papers in MLA Style (The MLA Style Center) The three sample research papers (First-year course in expository writing, Second-year course in African American studies, and Fourth-year course in English literature) are typical of the papers that might be submitted in different kinds of courses.
• << Previous: APA
• Next: Chicago/Turabian >>
• Last Updated: Jan 10, 2024 2:39 PM
• URL: https://guides.libraries.uc.edu/citing

University of Cincinnati Libraries

PO Box 210033 Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-0033

Phone: 513-556-1424

Contact Us | Staff Directory

University of Cincinnati

Alerts | Clery and HEOA Notice | Notice of Non-Discrimination | eAccessibility Concern | Privacy Statement | Copyright Information

© 2021 University of Cincinnati

MLA 9th Edition Style Guide

Useful links, available at the wlac library reference desk, citation tools.

• BibMe   This is a fully automatic bibliography maker that auto-fills: MLA, APA, Chicago, Turabian
• Citation Builder   This is a web-based tool designed to quickly and easily generate citations for sources consulted during the research process.
• KnightCite   MLA, APA, Chicago
• Citation Machine   APA, MLA, Turabian, Chicago
• Scribbr APA and MLA

Citation Managers

Can't make it to the library? Chat with a librarian any time!

Modern Language Association   (MLA)  Provides a “universal set of guidelines” for citing sources across all format types and is commonly used iin English Studies, Language and Literature, Literary Criticism, Comparative Literature, and Cultural studies.  

Citing sources and creating a Bibliography:

• Gives credit to the author(s)
• Illustrates your ability to locate & evaluate appropriate sources
• Provides evidence for the arguments and conclusions in your paper
• Prevents plagiarism and copyright infringement
• MLA Style Center  - Use this site to get help with formatting your paper and citing sources. 
• Purdue OWL MLA Format - Use this website for more detail information on how to format your research paper or cite a source. 
• In-Text Citation - Consult with this guide to ensure you correctly cite your sources in your paper. 
• MLA Tutorial - A simplified guide to MLA style.  
• MLA Format: The Basics (Video)  - Learn more about the basics of MLA format by watching the very short 3 minutes video. 

Print Book with One Author: Author’s Last Name  (comma)  Author’s First Name  (period)  Title of Container (Book)  (italicized or underlined) (period)  Publisher’s Name  (comma)  Year of   Publication  (period) 

          Smith, John.  How I Survived High School.  Funny Press, 2015.

Ebook with One Author:  Author’s Last Name  (comma)  Author’s First Name  (period)  Title of Container 1 (Book)  (italicized or underlined) (period)  Publisher’s Name  (comma)  Year of Publication  (period)  Title of Container 2 (Database)   (italicized or underlined) (comma)  Location (URL)  (period)

Smith, John.  How I Survived Getting Married.  Funniest Press, 2018.  eBook Academic Collection , search-ebscohost-com.lasc.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e000xna&AN=102032611fakeurl&site=ehost-live.

In-Text Citation (From Columbia College Guide): In MLA, in-text citations are inserted in the body of your research paper to briefly document the source of your information. Brief in-text citations point the reader to more complete information in the Works Cited list at the end of the paper.

• MLA Paper Template Use this template for your own APA style paper.

• Last Updated: Apr 11, 2024 2:41 PM
• URL: https://libguides.wlac.edu/MLA

Please sign in

You need to log in to use the bookmarking feature.

• Baker Library
• Special Collections
• Fast Answers
• All Services
• Plan Your Visit
• Working Knowledge
• Academic Programs
• Faculty & Research
• Harvard Business Review
• Initiatives
• Map / Directions

Purdue Owl: MLA Formatting & Style Guide

Developed by the Purdue Online Writing Lab.  MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. This resource offers examples for the general format of MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the Works Cited page.

Author/Editor (By:)

Contributor, corporate author, related organizations, citation type.

MLA 9: Formatting a Paper

• Introduction to MLA Format (9th ed.)
• Tutorial & Workshop
• Formatting a Paper
• In-Text Citations
• Works Cited Page
• Getting Research Help

Guidance from MLA & Purdue OWL

• Chapter 1 Introduction to Formatting Your Research Project Free chapter from the MLA Handbook (9th ed.). Use the Prev and Next arrows on the left to go back or forward in the chapter.
• MLA General Format From Purdue OWL.

Basic Paper Formatting Guidelines

• Use a legible typeface, such as Times New Roman
• Use size 12
• Double-space the entire paper
• Use 1 inch margins
• Use one space after periods and other punctuation marks
• Indent paragraphs with the tab key on your computer keyboard

Format an Office 365 Document in MLA

"This video walks you through setting up a blank Office 365 document in MLA format ( lsccyfairlibrary , 4:58)." The video also shares how to create a page break for a Works Cited page. Although this video is from 2020, paper formatting is the same between the 8th (2016) and 9th (2021) editions.

MLA Set Up on Google Docs

"A quick video on the basics of setting up your MLA format paper on Google Docs. Does not include citations, only headers and formatting rules ( Alyssa Dykes , 3:48)." Although this video is from 2017, paper formatting is the same between the 8th (2016) and 9th (2021) editions.

• << Previous: Tutorial & Workshop
• Next: In-Text Citations >>
• Last Updated: Feb 8, 2024 7:57 PM
• URL: https://libguides.mccd.edu/mla9

Citation Guide

• APA Style - 7th Edition

Introduction to MLA Style

Creating mla citations: examples, paper formatting guidelines & sample papers, in-text citations & the list of works cited, examples of works cited & in-text citations, software tools for mla style, works cited for this page.

• Chicago/Turabian Style
• Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing
• Tools for Managing Citations
• Citation Season!

What is MLA Style?

MLA stands for Modern Language Association. MLA Style is an established style for formatting your paper and giving credit to your sources. 

This page provides resources for all the elements of a preparing a paper in MLA Style, including formatting, in-text citations, and the works cited list.

Disciplines at Caldwell that use MLA Style include English, history, theology, philosophy, and others.

MLA Quick Links

• Quoting and Paraphrasing in MLA Format This video course is all about quoting and paraphrasing sources in your paper! Learn rules of quoting and paraphrasing responsibly, and see examples of in-text citations in MLA format.
• Purdue OWL Guide to MLA Style Purdue OWL has resources about many citation styles. Here is their section on MLA

An Article from a Journal Found in a Library Database (a source in two containers)

from MLA Handbook chapter 5.100-103, The Three Most Common Types of Entries

A Chapter or Section of a Book Accessed through an Online Repository (a source with two containers)

An Episode of a TV Show Watched on an Online Platform (a source in two containers)

A Chapter or Section of a Print Book (a source in one container)

A Print Book (a source that is self-contained)

• Sample MLA Papers These sample student papers show MLA formatting for all details of a research paper. Look a the structure of the page, how quotes are incorporated, and how works are cited.
• Formatting Your Research Project (MLA Handbook, Ch. 1) Instructions for formatting your paper in MLA style, including margins, title, headers and footers, headings and subheadings, etc.
• The Writing Process Purdue OWL's Guide to academic writing in MLA Style, including grammar, mechanics, and punctuation.
• Mechanics of Prose (MLA Handbook, Ch. 2) Guidance on all the details of writing, such as spelling, grammar, punctuation, how format titles and names in your paper.

In-Text Citations

• In-Text Citations: The Basics Basic instructions from Purdue OWL about how to format in-text citations in MLA Style. This is how you credit your sources when you mention them in the text of your paper.
• Citing Sources in the Text (MLA Handbook, Ch. 6) This chapter starts with the basics of citing your sources in the text of your paper. It covers many situations you might encounter.

Works Cited Page

• MLA Style 101 This video course goes through each "element" of the MLA works cited page entry (like author, title, publisher) and shows how to identify what belongs in each element. This will help you create works cited page entries and know how to edit citations that a database generates!
• Interactive Practice Template Learn how to create citations for your Works Cited page!
• How to Cite Books This page from Purdue OWL covers the basics of citing books as well as what to do in a variety of situations. This page has guidance on multiple authors, an organization as author, translations, anthologies, and more.
• How to Cite Electronic Resources (aka things you found online) This page from Purdue OWL covers works cited page entries for most kinds of online sources, including scholarly journal articles in a library database, ebooks, government agency websites, online news, a YouTube video, personal email correspondence, and more.
• Citation Examples from the MLA Handbook This is a regularly updated list of citations for a wide variety of sources. It's organized by source, so scroll down or use ctrl-F to search the page for the kind of source you want to see, like "translated book" or "YouTube Video".

Journal Article Found in a Library Database

Works cited page entry.

Lorensen, Jutta. “Between Image and Word, Color, and Time: Jacob Lawrence’s The Migration Series.”  African American Review , vol. 40, no. 3, 2006, pp. 571-86. Academic Search Premier, each.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? Drect=true&db=f5h&AN=24093790&site=eho st-live.

In-text citation

(Lorensen 577)

Newspaper Article Found in a Library Database 

Fessenden, Ford, et al. "The Battle for New York's Key Voting Blocs in the Primaries."  New York Times , 19 Apr. 2016, p. A 14.  ProQuest Central , ezproxy.caldwell.edu:2048/login?url=http:// search.proquest.com/ docview/1781721245?accountid=26523.

(Fessenden et al. A14)

Article from an Online News Source

Chang, Kenneth. “NASA Will Send More Helicopters to Mars.” The New York Times , 27 July 2022, www.nytimes.com/2022/07/27/science/mars-sample-mission-nasa.html.

Dorris, Michael, and Louise Erdrich.  The Crown of Columbus . HarperCollins Publishers, 1999. 

(Dorris and Erdrich 110-12)

Article or Specific Chapter from a Book 

Copeland, Edward. “Money.”  The Cambridge Companion to Jane Austen , edited by Copeland and Juliet McMaster, Cambridge UP, 1997, pp. 131-48. 

(Copeland 135)

Webpage on a Website 

“Infographic: Benefits of Language Learning.” Modern Language Association , 2022, www.mla.org/Resources/Advocacy/Infographics/Infographic-Benefits-of-Language-Learning.

("Inforgraphic: Benefits of Language Learning")

Film on an App 

Mamma Mia . Directed by Phyllida Lloyd, Universal Pictures, 2008. Netflix app. 

( Mamma Mia ) or ( Mamma Mia  59:03-61:23) - cite a specific scene with timestamps in the page number spot

There are many tools that can help you create, manage, and organize your citations and your references page. Here are some that the library provides or recommends for students and faculty. 

• NoodleTools This link opens in a new window NoodleTools is an online tool that helps you take notes and correctly format citations. MLA, APA, and Chicago/Turabian citation styles are included. Use throughout your research project to track sources, take notes, create outlines, collaborate with classmates, and format bibliographies. Use this link to create an account.
• ZoteroBib ZoteroBib is a free service that helps you build a bibliography from any computer or device, without creating an account or installing any software. It's from the team behind the open source citation management app Zotero. ZBib can create a draft citation from a link or ISBN and has helpful templates for you to use to manually create citations. You can use it for MLA, APA, or Chicago Style.

The information on this page comes from the MLA Handbook, 9th Edition. This book can be cited in MLA style like this:

MLA Handbook.  9th ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2021. 

The elements used here are: [2. Title of source]  MLA Handbook.  [5. Version]  9th ed., [7. Publisher]  Modern Language Association of America, [8. Publication date]  2021. Because the publisher is an organization who is also the author, this organization - the Modern Language Association - is only listed once, as the publisher. 

An in-text citation for this handbook could be ( MLA Handbook  45) to refer specifically to something on page 45. 

• << Previous: APA Style - 7th Edition
• Next: Chicago/Turabian Style >>
• Last Updated: Mar 26, 2024 9:53 AM
• URL: https://libguides.caldwell.edu/citations

MLA Research Paper Formatting

• MLA 9th Template & Paper Sample
• Finding Sources for Your Paper
• Detailed Comparison (Printable)
• Additional Resources

MLA Style (9th Edition)

• Sample Papers

You are going to love this! Save this template somewhere safe or e-mail it to yourself. Then resave it immediately with the name of your new document. This will keep your template safe and ready to reuse again for future assignments.

This template will be sufficient for most student MLA papers. For more information on formatting your paper, consult the official MLA Style website:  https://mlahandbookplus.org/books/book/5/chapter/56247/Introduction-to-Formatting-Your-Research-Project  or pages 1-14 in the MLA Manual. 

• Purdue Owl Sample Paper Sample paper is downloadable.
• Sample Papers - MLA Style Center PDFs available of the 2022 MLA Student Essay Contest winners.
• << Previous: Home
• Next: Finding Sources for Your Paper >>
• Last Updated: Apr 17, 2024 11:25 AM
• URL: https://libguides.polk.edu/mla

Polk State College is committed to equal access/equal opportunity in its programs, activities, and employment. For additional information, visit polk.edu/compliance .

• Apply Online
• Academic Calendar
• Viking Student Login
• Employee Self-Service Login
• Employee Financials Login
• Outlook Web App
• Giving to LBCC
• LBCC Archived Site
• Faculty & Staff

Citation Formats for Common Sources

Main parts of an mla paper.

• Book a Research Appointment This link opens in a new window

MLA Handbook +

• MLA Works Cited Template

MLA Style Guide at OWL

• MLA Style at the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) These OWL resources will help you learn how to use the Modern Language Association (MLA) citation and format style. This section contains resources on in-text citations and Works Cited pages, as well as MLA sample papers, slide presentations, and the MLA classroom poster.
• Books & eBooks

Basic Books Format

Last Name, First Name.  Title of Book . City of Publication, Publisher, Publication Date.

Book by Multiple Authors

Gillespie, Paula, and Neal Lerner.  The Allyn and Bacon Guide to Peer Tutoring . Allyn and Bacon, 2000.

Electronic Book

Silva, Paul J.  How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing.  E-book, American Psychological Association, 2007.

Electronic Book from a Scholarly Database

Hohle, Randolph. The American Housing Question: Racism, Urban Citizenship and the Privilege of Mobility. Lexington Books, 2021. Proquest Ebook Central,  https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/lbcc/reader.action?docID=6786939.

Basic Article Format

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

Electronic Article

Dolby, Nadine. “Research in Youth Culture and Policy: Current Conditions and Future Directions.”  Social Work and Society: The International Online-Only Journal,  vol. 6, no. 2, 2008, www.socwork.net/sws/article/view/60/362. Accessed 20 May 2009.

Electronic Article from a Scholarly Database

Hallion, Madeleine, et al. "Exploring the Association Between Physical Activity Participation and Self-Compassion in Middle-Aged Adults." Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology , vol. 8, no. 3, 2019, pp 305-16. APA PsychNet,  https://doi.org/10.1037/spy0000150 .

Brubaker, Bill. "New Health Center Targets County's Uninsured Patients."  Washington Post,  24 May 2007, p. LZ01.

Webpage with Known Author and Date

Lundman, Susan. “How to Make Vegetarian Chili.”  eHow , www.ehow.com/how_10727_make-vegetarian-chili.html. Accessed 6 July 2015.

A YouTube Video

McGonigal, Jane. “Gaming and Productivity.”  YouTube , uploaded by Big Think, 3 July 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkdzy9bWW3E.

Speed Racer . Directed by Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski, performances by Emile Hirsch, Nicholas Elia, Susan Sarandon, Ariel Winter, and John Goodman, Warner Brothers, 2008.

"The One Where Chandler Can't Cry."  Friends: The Complete Sixth Season , written by Andrew Reich and Ted Cohen, directed by Kevin Bright, Warner Brothers, 2004.

Musical Recording

Music can be cited multiple ways. Reference the MLA OWL Guide for various detailed citations.

Speeches, Lectures, Or Other Oral Presentations (Including Conference Presentations)

Stein, Bob. “Reading and Writing in the Digital Era.” Discovering Digital Dimensions, Computers and Writing Conference, 23 May 2003, Union Club Hotel, West Lafayette, IN. Keynote Address.

Personal Interview

Smith, Jane. Personal interview. 19 May 2014.

Published Interview

Gaitskill, Mary. Interview with Charles Bock.  Mississippi Review , vol. 27, no. 3, 1999, pp. 129-50.

• In-Text Citations

Formatting the Title Page

• Do not make a title page for your paper unless specifically requested or the paper is assigned as a group project. In the case of a group project, list all names of the contributors, giving each name its own line in the header, followed by the remaining MLA header requirements as described below. Format the remainder of the page as requested by the instructor.
• In the upper left-hand corner of the first page, list your name, your instructor's name, the course, and the date. Again, be sure to use double-spaced text.
• Double space again and center the title. Do not underline, italicize, or place your title in quotation marks. Write the title in Title Case (standard capitalization), not in all capital letters.
• Use quotation marks and/or italics when referring to other works in your title, just as you would in your text. For example:  Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas  as Morality Play; Human Weariness in "After Apple Picking"
• Double space between the title and the first line of the text.
• Create a header in the upper right-hand corner that includes your last name, followed by a space with a page number. Number all pages consecutively with Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.), one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin. (Note: Your instructor or other readers may ask that you omit the last name/page number header on your first page. Always follow instructor guidelines.)

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_general_format.html

General Guidelines

• Type your paper on a computer and print it out on standard, white 8.5 x 11-inch paper.
• Double-space the text of your paper and use a legible font (e.g. Times New Roman). Whatever font you choose, MLA recommends that the regular and italics type styles contrast enough that they are each distinct from one another. The font size should be 12 pt.
• Leave only one space after periods or other punctuation marks (unless otherwise prompted by your instructor).
• Set the margins of your document to 1 inch on all sides.
• Indent the first line of each paragraph one half-inch from the left margin. MLA recommends that you use the “Tab” key as opposed to pushing the space bar five times.
• Create a header that numbers all pages consecutively in the upper right-hand corner, one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin. (Note: Your instructor may ask that you omit the number on your first page. Always follow your instructor's guidelines.)
• Use italics throughout your essay to indicate the titles of longer works and, only when absolutely necessary, provide emphasis.
• If you have any endnotes, include them on a separate page before your Works Cited page. Entitle the section Notes (centered, unformatted).

In-Text MLA Citations

"In MLA Style, referring to the works of others in your text is done using parenthetical citations. This method involves providing relevant source information in parentheses whenever a sentence uses a quotation or paraphrase. Usually, the simplest way to do this is to put all of the source information in parentheses at the end of the sentence (i.e., just before the period)."

Author-Page Style

"MLA format follows the author-page method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the page number(s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken must appear in the text, and a complete reference should appear on your Works Cited page. The author's name may appear either in the sentence itself or in parentheses following the quotation or paraphrase, but the page number(s) should always appear in the parentheses, not in the text of your sentence. For example:

Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked by a "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (263).

Romantic poetry is characterized by the "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (Wordsworth 263).

Wordsworth extensively explored the role of emotion in the creative process (263).

Both citations in the examples above, (263) and (Wordsworth 263), tell readers that the information in the sentence can be located on page 263 of a work by an author named Wordsworth. If readers want more information about this source, they can turn to the Works Cited page, where, under the name of Wordsworth, they would find the following information:"

More Information

See the OWL Guide for in-text citations for other detailed examples, including 

• In-Text Citations for Print Sources by A Corporate Author
• In-Text Citations for Sources with Non-Standard Labeling Systems
• In-Text Citations for Print Sources with No Known Author
• Author-Page Citation for Works In An Anthology, Periodical, Or Collection
• Citing A Work by Multiple Authors
• Citing Multiple Works by The Same Author  

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_in_text_citations_the_basics.html

Basic Rules for the Reference Page

• Begin your Works Cited page on a separate page at the end of your research paper. It should have the same one-inch margins and last name, page number header as the rest of your paper.
• Only the title should be centered. The citation entries themselves should be aligned with the left margin.
• Double space all citations, but do not skip spaces between entries.
• Indent the second and subsequent lines of citations by 0.5 inches to create a hanging indent.
• List page numbers of sources efficiently, when needed. If you refer to a journal article that appeared on pages 225 through 250, list the page numbers on your Works Cited page as pp. 225-50 (Note: MLA style dictates that you should omit the first sets of repeated digits. In our example, the digit in the hundreds place is repeated between  2 25 and  2 50, so you omit the 2 from 250 in the citation: pp. 225-50). If the excerpt spans multiple pages, use “pp.”  Note that MLA style uses a hyphen in a span of pages.
• If only one page of a print source is used, mark it with the abbreviation “p.” before the page number (e.g., p. 157). If a span of pages is used, mark it with the abbreviation “pp.” before the page number (e.g., pp. 157-68).
• If you're citing an article or a publication that was originally issued in print form but that you retrieved from an online database, you should type the online database name in italics. You do not need to provide subscription information in addition to the database name.
• For online sources, you should include a location to show readers where you found the source. Many scholarly databases use a DOI (digital object identifier). Use a DOI in your citation if you can; otherwise use a URL. Delete “http://” from URLs. The DOI or URL is usually the last element in a citation and should be followed by a period.
• All works cited entries end with a period.

New to MLA 2021

• Apps and databases  should be cited only when they are containers of the particular works you are citing, such as when they are the platforms of publication of the works in their entirety, and not an intermediary that redirects your access to a source published somewhere else, such as another platform. For example, the  Philosophy Books  app should be cited as a container when you use one of its many works, since the app contains them in their entirety. However, a PDF article saved to the  Dropbox  app is published somewhere else, and so the app should not be cited as a container.
• If it is important that your readers know an author’s/person’s  pseudonym, stage-name, or various other names,  then you should generally cite the better-known form of author’s/person’s name. For example, since the author of  Alice's Adventures in Wonderland  is better-known by his pseudonym, cite  Lewis Carroll  opposed to  Charles Dodgson  (real name).
• For  annotated bibliographies , annotations should be appended at the end of a source/entry with one-inch indentations from where the entry begins. Annotations may be written as concise phrases or complete sentences, generally not exceeding one paragraph in length.

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_page_basic_format.html

• << Previous: Credible Online Resources
• Next: Book a Research Appointment >>
• Last Updated: May 1, 2024 12:22 PM
• URL: https://lbcc.libguides.com/c.php?g=1397948

ENGL 102 Research Guide: Purdue OWL MLA Guidelines

• Narrowing Your Topic
• Finding Sources
• Research Log
• Zotero Guide
• How to Read a Journal Article
• Purdue OWL MLA Guidelines
• Stakeholder Analysis

If you are viewing this on a mobile phone, CLICK HERE .

• << Previous: How to Read a Journal Article
• Next: Stakeholder Analysis >>
• Last Updated: Oct 6, 2023 10:36 AM
• URL: https://libguides.potomacstatecollege.edu/c.php?g=620716

University Library

• Research Guides

Literature and Literary Research

• Getting Started
• Finding Books and Articles
• Finding and Using Archival Sources
• Finding and Using Reference Sources
• Working Smarter

The source!

Citing Social Media

• Citing Social Media Guide by Boise State This guide by Boise State University, Albertsons Library, shows examples of citing Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter in MLA or APA style.

MLA Quick Links

• MLA in-text citations. (Purdue) How to document sources within the text of your paper.
• Sample MLA Paper (PDF) A PDF sample MLA formatted paper from Purdue OWL.
• Sample Works Cited Page (Purdue OWL) A sample of an MLA style Works Cited page.

MLA In-text Citations

MLA Examples:

The global debt crisis is having a strong impact on women and children in developing nations (Bronstein 74).

Bronstein contends the global debt crisis is having a strong impact on women and children in developing nations (74).

For electronic sources that have no page number, give the paragraph number (par. 4).

Examples of how to format sources for your works cited list.

Didn't find the example you were looking for?.

• << Previous: Working Smarter
• Last Updated: Feb 2, 2024 12:45 PM
• URL: https://libguides.sonoma.edu/literature

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

• Writing Lab
• Skip Navigation
• Research and Citation
• MLA Overview and Workshop
• MLA Formatting and Style Guide
• MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics
• MLA Formatting Quotations
• MLA Endnotes and Footnotes
• MLA Works Cited Page: Basic Format
• MLA Works Cited Page: Books
• MLA Works Cited: Periodicals
• MLA Works Cited: Electronic Sources
• MLA Works Cited: Other Common Sources
• MLA Additional Resources
• MLA Abbreviations

MLA Sample Works Cited Page

• MLA Sample Paper
• MLA Tables, Figures, and Examples
• MLA PowerPoint Presentation
• MLA Undergraduate Sample Paper
• MLA Classroom Poster
• OWL Mail MLA FAQs
• MLA Mini-posters
• Giving to the OWL

Suggested Resources

• -How to Navigate the New OWL
• -Media File Index
• -OWL Exercises

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue (https://owl.english.purdue.edu/). When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice at bottom.

MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. This resource, updated to reflect the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (7 th ed.) and the MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing (3 rd ed.), offers examples for the general format of MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the Works Cited page.

Contributors: Tony Russell, Allen Brizee, Elizabeth Angeli, Russell Keck, Joshua M. Paiz, Michelle Campbell, Rodrigo Rodríguez-Fuentes, Daniel P. Kenzie, Purdue OWL Staff Last Edited: 2013-02-14 10:32:55

This handout provides an example of a Works Cited page in MLA 2009 format.

"Blueprint Lays Out Clear Path for Climate Action." Environmental Defense Fund . Environmental Defense Fund, 8 May 2007. Web. 24 May 2009.

Clinton, Bill. Interview by Andrew C. Revkin. “Clinton on Climate Change.” New York Times . New York Times, May 2007. Web. 25 May 2009.

Dean, Cornelia. "Executive on a Mission: Saving the Planet." New York Times . New York Times, 22 May 2007. Web. 25 May 2009.

Ebert, Roger. "An Inconvenient Truth." Rev. of An Inconvenient Truth , dir. Davis Guggenheim. rogerebert.com . Sun-Times News Group, 2 June 2006. Web. 24 May 2009.

GlobalWarming.org . Cooler Heads Coalition, 2007. Web. 24 May 2009.

Gowdy, John. "Avoiding Self-organized Extinction: Toward a Co-evolutionary Economics of Sustainability." International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology 14.1 (2007): 27-36. Print.

An Inconvenient Truth . Dir. Davis Guggenheim. Perf. Al Gore, Billy West. Paramount, 2006. DVD.

Leroux, Marcel. Global Warming: Myth Or Reality?: The Erring Ways of Climatology . New York: Springer, 2005. Print.

Milken, Michael, Gary Becker, Myron Scholes, and Daniel Kahneman. "On Global Warming and Financial Imbalances." New Perspectives Quarterly 23.4 (2006): 63. Print.

Nordhaus, William D. "After Kyoto: Alternative Mechanisms to Control Global Warming." American Economic Review 96.2 (2006): 31-34. Print.

---. "Global Warming Economics." Science 9 Nov. 2001: 1283-84. Science Online . Web. 24 May 2009.

Shulte, Bret. "Putting a Price on Pollution." Usnews.com . US News & World Rept ., 6 May 2007. Web. 24 May 2009.

Uzawa, Hirofumi. Economic Theory and Global Warming . Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2003. Print.

The Writing Lab & OWL at Purdue University care about accessiblity and content quality. Contact Jeff Bacha to share your comments and concerns. The OWL at Purdue now conforms to W3C.org -validated and CSS 2.0 standards. Additionally, the site passes the Cynthia Says test for ADA Section 508 compliance .

Copyright ©1995-2015 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use .

CLAS 190: From Circe to Wonder Woman: Mythical Marginalized Figures in Modern US Culture (Crofton-Sleigh)

• Ancient Mythology
• Historical Context
• Ancient Primary Sources
• Articles and More

MLA Citation Style

Get help 24/7, quick links.

• Library Home Page This link opens in a new window
• OSCAR - SCU Library Catalog This link opens in a new window
• List of Library Databases
• Find Journals & Magazines This link opens in a new window Find out if the library has specific journals, magazines, or newspapers, either electronically or in print.
• Merriam-Webster Unabridged This link opens in a new window The largest and most comprehensive dictionary of the English language as it is currently used today.
• Ask a Librarian This link opens in a new window Connect to a reference librarian for help 24/7.

Humanities Librarian

Guides to Citing Sources in MLA Citation Style

The MLA Handbook is the official, authoritative source to use for creating your citations in correct MLA format.  It utilizes in-text citations and a works cited page at the end.  The following sections of the handbook are the ones you will use most often.

• Works-Cited-List Entries by Publication Format You can find over 500 sample citations here for almost every possible type of resource. They are in the format you use in your Works Cited list at the end of your paper.
• In-Text Citations: Overview This section of the handbook provides guidance on how to create in-text citations for your sources in the body of your paper.
• MLA Handbook This link opens in a new window Click this link to connect to the table of contents for the entire handbook. Here you can find all the sections of the handbook, such as Chapter One, which provides guidance on formatting your paper (the margins, title, header, font, etc.).

Another tool that can be helpful when using the MLA citation style is the following:

• The OWL at Purdue: MLA Formatting and Style Guide The OWL guide to citing references in the MLA format is a handy online source that can help with creating correct citations.
• << Previous: Books
• Last Updated: Apr 27, 2024 3:30 PM
• URL: https://libguides.scu.edu/clas190

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Types of APA Papers

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Note:  This page reflects the latest version of the APA Publication Manual (i.e., APA 7), which released in October 2019. The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style  can be found here .

There are two common types of papers written in fields using APA Style: the literature review and the experimental report. Each has unique requirements concerning the sections that must be included in the paper.

Literature review

A literature review is a critical summary of what the scientific literature says about your specific topic or question. Often student research in APA fields falls into this category. Your professor might ask you to write this kind of paper to demonstrate your familiarity with work in the field pertinent to the research you hope to conduct.

A literature review typically contains the following sections:

• Introduction section
• List of references

Some instructors may also want you to write an abstract for a literature review, so be sure to check with them when given an assignment. Also, the length of a literature review and the required number of sources will vary based on course and instructor preferences.

NOTE: A literature review and an annotated bibliography are not synonymous. If you are asked to write an annotated bibliography, you should consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association for the APA Format for Annotated Bibliographies.

Experimental report

In many of the social sciences, you will be asked to design and conduct your own experimental research. If so, you will need to write up your paper using a structure that is more complex than that used for just a literature review. We have a complete resource devoted to writing an experimental report in the field of psychology here .

This structure follows the scientific method, but it also makes your paper easier to follow by providing those familiar cues that help your reader efficiently scan your information for:

• Why the topic is important (covered in your introduction)
• What the problem is (also covered in your introduction)
• What you did to try to solve the problem (covered in your methods section)
• What you found (covered in your results section)
• What you think your findings mean (covered in your discussion section)

Thus an experimental report typically includes the following sections.

• Introduction
• Appendices(if necessary)
• Tables and/or figures (if necessary)

Make sure to check the guidelines for your assignment or any guidelines that have been given to you by an editor of a journal before you submit a manuscript containing the sections listed above.

As with the literature review, the length of this report may vary by course or by journal, but most often it will be determined by the scope of the research conducted.

Other papers

If you are writing a paper that fits neither of these categories, follow the guidelines about General Format , consult your instructor, or look up advice in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association .

When submitting a manuscript to a journal, make sure you follow the guidelines described in the submission policies of that publication, and include as many sections as you think are applicable to presenting your material. Remember to keep your audience in mind as you are making this decision. If certain information is particularly pertinent for conveying your research, then ensure that there is a section of your paper that adequately addresses that information.