Referencing Guides

MLA Style

Guide to Referencing Using the MLA Style
(including electronic resources)

University policy is that all faculties must use either Harvard (AGPS) or APA styles, as defined by the Library's referencing guides, unless academic staff teach and administer another style of their own choice.

Please contact the appropriate academic staff member to clarify any MLA referencing issues you may have.

Introduction

The following formats and examples are models for in-text references and for use in a reference bibliography. These formats are based on Joseph Gibaldi, MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Fifth Edition (1999). A number of formats and examples are also taken from MLA Style Electronic Formats website by Dr. Mary Ellen Guffey.

Some details, eg. punctuation, contained in this library guide may differ from your department’s assignment guidelines. Always conform to your department’s requirements otherwise you may be penalised.

In-Text References

When you use another’s ideas you should immediately acknowledge your sources. The author’s last name and a page reference are enough to link to the book or article from which you borrowed material, as listed in your final bibliography of works cited. When the author’s name has been mentioned in the text, only a page number is required in parenthesis.

Examples

Soil layers below the well tip contribute relatively little water (Kozeny 223)
Kozeny found soil layers below the well tip contributed little water (223)

Part of a multi-volume book

(Jessor 2: 23)

Corporate author

(National Research Council 15)

Two or more different works cited

(Kaku 42; McRae 101-33)

Multiple citations of the same author

An in text reference to one of two or more works by the same author has a comma after the author’s last name and a brief title, such as the first word(s), followed by the page number.

(Frye, Double Vision 85)

Citing indirect sources (sources cited in other sources)

Sometimes you may have to quote an idea from a source that is cited in another source. For such indirect quotations, use "qtd. in" to indicate the source you actually consulted.

Example

Levinas argues for a "conception of the progress of truth not external to time, but of the very essence of time (the actualisation of the virtual)" (qtd. in Jamieson 122).

Please note: In most cases, a responsible researcher will attempt to find the original source, rather than cite an indirect source.

Citing entire print or nonprint work

If you wish to cite an entire work – whether a print source; a nonprint source such as film, television program, or performance; or an electronic publication that has no pagination or other type of reference markers – it is usually preferable to include in the text, rather than in a parenthetical reference, the name of the person (eg. author, editor, director, performer) that begins the corresponding entry in the works cited list.

Example

Kuroswa's Rashomon was one of the first Japanese films to attract a Western audience.

Electronic resources

Because electronic documents often have no pagination or other type of reference markers, the MLA Handbook recommends that author page references in parentheses be avoided. More preferable are direct references in the text to the name of the author or sponsoring organisation.

Example

William J. Mitchell's City of Bits discusses architecture and urban life in the context of the digital telecommunications revolution.

Electronic source with no pagination

(Gardiner, screens 2-3)

Direct Quotations

Brief quotations (of three lines or fewer) should be included in text. Use double quotations marks.

Example

"Engineers are vital to the survival of the planet" (Stewart 6)

Quotes of more than three lines should start on the following line and be blocked and indented one inch from the margin. Quotations marks should not be used here.

Example

At the conclusion of Lord of the Flies, Ralph and the other boys realised the horror of their actions:

The tears began to flow and sobs shook him. He gave himself up to them now for the first time on the island; great, shuddering spasms of grief that seemed to wrench his whole body. His voice rose under the black smoke before the burning wreckage of the island; and infected by that emotion, the other little boys began to shake and sob too. (186)

List of References

At the end of your essay, place a list of references that have been cited in the text. Arrange this in alphabetical order of authors' surnames, or by title, (if no author). The author’s name is followed by the underlined title, then the publication information.

Author’s name. Title. Publication information.

Use a hanging indent for each entry. Indent the second and succeeding lines five spaces.

If given, use the author's full name rather than initials.

Every important word of the title is capitalised.

Type Of Item and examples

Book 1 author

Berkman, Robert. Find It Fast: How to Uncover Expert
Information on any Subject. Harper Perennial, 1994.

Book 2 authors

Moir, Anne, and David Jessel. Brain Sex: The Real
Difference between Men and Women. London:
Mandarin, 1991.

(Reverse only the name of the first author)

2 Books by same author

Frye, Northrop. Anatomy of Criticism: four Essays.
     Princeton UP, 1957.
     ---. The Double Vision: Language and Meaning
     in Religion. Toronto: U of Toronto P, 1991.

Book anonymous

The Eliciting of Frank Answers. Florida: Engineering
Publications, 1955.

Edited book & edition

Newcomb, Horace, ed. Television: The Critical View.
5th ed. New York: OxfordUP, 1994.

Chapter in an edited book

Fiske, John. “Madonna.” Ways of Reading: An
     Anthology for Writers. 3rd ed. Ed.David
     Bartholomae and Anthony Petrosky. Boston:
     Bedford, 1993. 158-177.

Book corporate author

National Research Council. China and Global
Change: Opportunities for Collaboration.
Washington: Natl. Acad., 1992.

Anthology or compilation

Feldman, Paula R., ed. British Women Poets
of the Romantic Era. Baltimore:Johns
Hopkins UP, 1997.

Work in an anthology

More, Hannah. “The Black Slave Trade: A Poem.”
     British Women Poets of the Romantic Era. Ed.
     Paula R. Feldman. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP,
     1997.472-82.

Conference proceedings

Freed, Barbara F., ed. Foreign Language Acquisition
     Research and the Classroom. Proc. of Consortium
     for Language Teaching and Learning Conference,
     Oct.1989, U of Pennsylvania. Lexington: Heath, 1991.

Journal article

McKenna, Bernard. “How Engineers Write: An Empirical
Study of Engineering Report Writing.” Applied
Linguistics 18 (1997): 189–211.

Journal article 2 authors

White, Sabina, and Andrew Winzelberg. “Laughter and
Stress.” Humor 5 (1992): 343-55.

(Reverse only the name of the first author)

Newspaper article

Goldberg, Vicki. “Photographing a Mexico Where
Silence Reigned.” New York Times 23 Mar. 1997,
late ed., sec. 2: 39+

(Please note that the year of publication for a journal is shown in parentheses but a newspaper is not.)

Videos

Learning to Live. Prod. Martin Freeth. Videocassette.
Fine Films Inc., 1964.

Musical composition

Beethoven, Ludwig van. Symphony No. 8 in F, Op. 93.
New York: Dover, 1989.

List of Electronic References

Although MLA Style does not require the insertion of the word "Retrieved" or the word "Accessed" before the access date, you may wish to include one of these words to distinguish a retrieval date from a publication date.

MLA Style recommends that Web addresses (URLs) and email addresses be enclosed by angle brackets.

If you cannot find some of the required information, cite what is available.

Journal article on the WWW

Author. “Article title.” Journal Title Volume.Issue or
other identifying number (Year of publication in
parentheses): paging. Access date <URL>.

Example

Koehn, Daryl. “The Ethics of Handwriting Analysis in
     Pre Employment Screening.” The Online Journal
     of Ethics 1.1 (1995). Accessed 2 June 2001
     <http://condor.depaul.edu/ethics/hand.html>.


Full text journal article in electronic database

Author. “Article Title.” Journal Title Volume.Issue or
     other identifying number (Year of publication in
     parentheses): paging. Name of Database. Name
     of the Service. The Library. Date of access URL
     of the service’s homepage in angle brackets
     (if known).

Example

Rasid, Zulkifli, and Thomas Parish. “The Effects of
     Two Types of Relaxation Training on Students’
     Levels of Anxiety.” Adolescence 33.129 (1998):
     99-101. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost.
     USQ Library. Accessed 7 Apr. 2004
     <http://search.epnet.com/direct.asp?an=589758
     &db=aph>


Newspaper article online

Author. “Article Title.” Newspaper Title Date, edition,
section: page (if given). Database Name (if
applicable). Access date <URL>.

Example

Pianin, Eric. “As Coal’s Fortunes Climb, Mountains
     Tremble in W.Va.” The Washington Post 25 Feb.
     2001, A: 3. Electric Library Australasia. Accessed
     8 Mar. 2001 <http://www.elibrary.com/s/edumarkau>.


Discussion list message

Author. “Subject of Message.” Date. Online Posting.
Discussion List. Access date <URL>.

Example

Sandwen, Janice. “GSA’s Airline City-Pair Contracts.”
     8 May 2000. Online posting. Travel. Accessed 11
     Aug.2001 <LISTSERV@financenet.gov/Get950809>.


Personal e-mail message

Sender (sender’s email address). “Subject of Message.”
E-mail to recipient (recipient’s e-mail address).
Message date.

Example

Omar, Bill W. (bomar@aol.com). “Excellent Web Sites for
     Job Seekers.” E-mail to Mary Ellen Guffey
     (meguffey@westwords.com). 10 Apr. 2001.


Electronic book

Author. Book Title. Editor, or translator. (if relevant)
     Publication information for printed source (if
     available). Date of electronic publication (if given).
     Name of any Institution or organisation associated
     with the Web site. Access date <URL>.

Example

Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Ed. Henry Churchyard.
     1996. Accessed 10 Sep. 1998
     <http://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/pridprej.html>.


Web Document

Name of author or creator, if available. “Title of
     Topic or Article” (if given). Title of Page (if
     named). Name of any institution or organisation
     associated with the site. Latest update (if given).
     Access date <URL>.

Example

“Privacy Protection in Other Countries.” Media Awareness
     Network. Updated Nov. 1999. Accessed 2 May 2001
     <http://media-awareness.ca/eng/issues/priv/laws/
     lawintl.htm>.

Need More Help?

Refer to the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 5th ed. New York: The Modern Language Association of America, 1999 (call number: 808.027 Gib, copy held in Toowoomba). The 6th edition (2003) is also held in Toowoomba as well as Fraser Coast and Springfield. Alternatively, look at the MLA Website - URL: www.mla.org (click on MLA Style).

Please note that while Library Information staff can direct students to the location of MLA referencing guides either online or in print, they cannot give specific advice to students on how to reference, as this is the role of academic staff, who may have specific preferences for citing.

Please contact the appropriate academic staff member to clarify any MLA referencing issues you may have.

MLA Style

Guide to Referencing Using the MLA Style (including electronic resources)

Introduction

In-Text References

List of References

Type Of Item and examples

List of Electronic References

Need More Help?

Guide to Referencing Using the MLA Style
(including electronic resources)