Library HomeMLA Citation Reference Guide
All examples built using the rules in the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Seventh Edition, 2009. All notes added from rules in the book.
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Citing Journal, Magazine, & Newspaper Articles
Citing Media & Internet Sources
Note: As of the 7th ed. section 5.5, cite the medium of the publication consulted, print or web for all citations.
Book : One author : Section 5.5.2 : p148
Friedman, Thomas H. The World is Flat. New York: Farrar, 2002. Print.
Note: If a book has no author, begin the citation with the title of the book, including all other information. Alphabetize the title in your works cited list, ignoring A, An or The in the title. p162
Note: See 5.5.13 p167 for second or later editions of books. See 5.5.14 for multi volume works (books, not reference books).
Note: Always italicize titles instead of underlining. This is a change with the 7th edition.
Book : Two or More Authors : Section 5.5.4 : p154
Neubauer, Peter B., and Alexander Neubauer. Nature's Thumbprint: The New Genetics of Personality. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1990. Print.
Note: Always list the authors in the order they are listed in the book you are citing. p154
Note: “If there are more than three authors, you may name only the first and add et al. ("and others"), or you may give all names in full in the order in which they appear on the title page.” p155
Graphic Novel or Illustrated Book : Section 5.5.12 : p165
Note: Graphic novels are usually collaborative efforts. Begin the entry with the person most relevant to your research, so if you are referencing mostly drawings, list the illustrator first; the coloring, list the colorist first; the text, list the writer first. p166
3 versions of the same book:
Moore, Alan, writer. Watchmen. Illustrations and letters by Dave Gibbons. Colored by John Higgins. New York: DC Comics, 1986. Print.
Gibbons, Dave, illustrator and letterer. Watchmen. Written by Alan Moore. Colored by John Higgins. New York: DC Comics, 1986. Print.
Higgins, John, colorist. Watchmen. Written by Alan Moore. Illustrations and letters by Dave Gibbons. New York: DC Comics, 1986. Print.
Edited Book : Section 5.5.3 : p153
Gates, Jr., Henry Louis, and Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, eds. African American
Lives. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2004. Print.
Work in an Anthology or Chapter in an Edited Book : Section 5.5.6 : p157
Eisenberg, Eric M. "A Communication Perspective on Interorganizational Cooperation and Inner-City Education." School-Community Connections: Exploring Issues for Research and Practice. Ed. Leo C. Rigsby, Maynard C. Reynolds, and Margaret C. Wang. San Francisco: Jossey, 1995. 101-119. Print.
Book Review : Section 5.4.7 : p144
Collins, John W. Rev. of Achieving Institutional Excellence for the First Year of
College, by Betsy O. Barefoot, et al. College & Research Libraries 67 (2006): 88. Print.
Article in a Reference Book : Section 5.5.7 : p160
Price, Shannon Bell. "Grunge." Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion. Ed. Valerie Steele. Vol. 2. Detroit: Thompson-Gale, 2005. Print.
Note: If the article is unsigned, give the title first. p160
Note: "When citing widely used reference books [like the Encyclopedia Britannica], do not give the full publication information. For such works, list only the edition (if state), the year of publication, and the medium of publication consulted." p160
For items not listed here, see the MLA Handbook pp148-180
Citing Journal, Magazine, & Newspaper Articles:
Print and Electronic
Note: "If no author's name is given for an article you are citing, begin the entry with the title of the article, and ignore A, An or The when you alphabetize the entry [in your works cited list]." p145
Scholarly Journal Article in Print: Section 5.4.2 : p137
Marcus, George H. "Disavowing Craft at the Bauhaus: Hiding the Hand to Suggest Machine Manufacture." Journal of Modern Craft 1.3 (2008): 345-356. Print.
Note: for a scholarly journal that uses only issue numbers, not volumes, cite the issue number alone, in place of the volume and issue. p140
Magazine Article in Print: Section 5.4.6 : p142
Evans, Jason. "The Artist Formerly Known as Fashion Photography." Aperture Summer 2009: 48-55. Print.
Note: Only list the complete date for a magazine, abbreviating all months except May, June or July, not the volume and/or issue number, even if they are listed. If you are citing a magazine article that does not have continuous pagination, cite the first page with a plus sign following it. ex: 37+. pp142-43
Newspaper Article in Print, No Author: Section 5.4.5 : p141
"Where the Books Are." New York Times 22 Aug. 2006: A18. Print.
Newspaper Article, Signed: Section 5.4.5 : p141
Cole, Michelle. "Keeping the Legislature on Course." Oregonian [Portland] 15 June 2009, sunrise ed.: A1+. Print.
Note: If the place where the newspaper is printed is not a part of the title of the newspaper, list the city in brackets following the title. p141
Editorial : Section 5.4.10 : p146
Alter, Jonathan. "The President's 'Whiz Kids': A Misplaced Faith in the Meritocracy." Editorial. Newsweek 1 June 2009: 21. Print.
For items not listed here, see the MLA Handbook pp137-147
Journal Article from a Database : Section 5.6.4 : p192
Keller, Alexandra, and Frazer Ward. "Matthew Barney and the Paradox of the Neo-Avant-Garde Blockbuster." Cinema Journal 45.2 (2006): 3-17. Proquest. Web. 17 May 2009.
Note: If your instructor requires you include a URL, use the static URL link the database provides, structuring it using the guidelines in 5.6.1 (see below).
Note: Cite newspaper and magazine articles from databases using the same structure as for print articles, but adding the database and date of retrieval, as referenced in 5.6.4. If page numbers are not available, cite n. pag.
Scholarly Journal Article Published Only on the Web (not in a database): Section 5.6.3 : p190
Coopman, Stephanie J. "A Critical Examination of Blackboard’s E-Learning Environment." First Monday 14.6 (2009): n. pag. Web. 16 June 2009.
Note: For information on citing stand alone PDFs on your hard drive, see Section 5.7.18 p210
Citing Media & Internet Sources
General Web Publication: Section 5.6.1 : p181
Wizenberg, Molly. "About Cake." Orangette, 27 Apr 2009. Web. 16 June 2009. <http:// orangette.blogspot.com/2009_04_01_archive.html>.
Note: Previously the MLA Handbook required the URL for web citations. It now states that "you should include a URL as supplementary information only when your reader probably cannot locate the source without it or when your instructor requires it." p182
Note: On your citation, the first date is the date of web publication; the second date is the date the article was retrieved.
Non-periodical Web Publication : Section 5.6.2 : p184
Parsi, Trita. "Who's Fighting in Iran's Struggle?" CNN.com. Cable News Network, 16 June 2009. Web. 17 June 2009.
Publication on the Web cited with Print Publication Data : Section 5.6.2c : p187
Adams, Charles Francis. Charles Francis Adams 1835-1915: An Autobiography. Boston: Houghton, 1916. Google Book Search. Web. 17 June 2009.
Note: Do not cite the publisher for works published prior to 1900. Section 5.5.23 p178
Work on the Web cited with Publication Data for Another Medium Besides Print : Section 5.6.2d : p189
Benning, Sadie. Flat is Beautiful. 1998. Video Data Bank. Web. 15 May 2009.
Scholarly Journal Article Published Only on the Web (not in a database) :
Section 5.6.3 : p190
Coopman, Stephanie J. "A Critical Examination of Blackboard’s E-Learning Environment." First Monday 14.6 (2009): n. pag. Web. 16 June 2009.
Television or Radio Broadcast: Section 5.7.1 : p193
"My Last Day." Scrubs. NBC. KGW, Portland, 21 May 2002. Television.
Note: Cite 1. Title of the episode in quotation marks 2. Title of the program or series (italicized) 3. Name of the network (if any). Call letters of the city and local station (if any) 5. Broadcast date 6. Medium of reception (Radio, television) 7. Supplementary information.
Note: "If your reference is primarily to the work of a particular individual, cite that person's name before the title." p 194
Note: "If you are citing the transcript of a program, list its medium of publication and add the description Transcript at the end of the entry." p195 -- So in the above example, the end of the citation would be Television. Transcript.
Interview : Section 5.7.7 : p201
Wiesel, Elie. Interview by Ted Koppel. Nightline. ABC. KATU, Portland. 18 Apr. 2002. Television.
Note: to cite a lecture, speech or an address, see Section 5.7.11 p203, to cite an email see Section 5.7.13 p205.
Sound Recording 5.7.2 : p195
Holiday, Billie. The Essence of Billie Holiday. Columbia, 1991. CD.
Note: If you are citing a specific song, place its title in quotes before the title of the album. p196
Film or Video Recording 5.7.3 : p197
It's a Wonderful Life. Dir. Frank Capra. Perf. James Stewart, Donna Red, Lionel Barrymore, and Thomas Mitchell. RKO, 1946. Film.
Note: Cite the title - italicized, the director, distributor, year of release, and medium consulted: cite DVDs / VHS as you would a film (write film). If other data is important, such as performers or producers, include it after the director. If you are referencing a specific person's contribution, begin with their name. p197
Note: for information on citing mp3 files on your hard drive, see Section 5.7.18 p211
Film or Video Recording, specifically citing a person's contribution 5.7.3 : p197
Stewart, James, perf. It's a Wonderful Life. Dir. Frank Capra. RKO, 1946. Film.
More media citations:
Performances : Section 5.7.4 : p198
Musical Score or Libretto: Section 5.7.5 : p199
Work of Visual Art 5.7.6 : p200
De Kooning, Willem. Excavation. 1950. Painting. Art Institute of Chicago.
Note: if the year of creation is unknown, list N.d. If the collector / collection is unknown, use Private Collection. If the city where the institution is located is not in the name, list it after the museum, following a comma. p200
Note: "If you use a reproduction of the work, list not only the information above, but also the complete publication information for the source in which the reproduction appears, including the page, slide, figure, or place number, whichever is relevant. Indicate the medium of reproduction." p201
Reproduction of a Work of Visual Art : Section 5.7.6 : p201
De Kooning, Willem. Door to the River. 1960. Painting. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. American Art in the 20th Century: Painting and Sculpture 1913-1993. Eds. Christos M. Joachimides and Norman Rosenthal. Munich: Prestel, 1993. Cat. 101. Print.
An advertisement : Section 5.7.10 : p203
Post Cereals. Advertisement. Gourmet June 2009: 47. Print.
A cartoon : Section 5.7.9 : p202
Trudeau, Garry. "Doonesbury." Comic strip. The Oregonian [Portland] 4 May 2002: D3. Print.
Note: For appropriate abbreviations for your works cited list, see Section 7.1 p234
last updated: June 17, 2009
by Tricia Juettemeyer