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Arkansas State University

Citation Style Guide : MLA

Basic introduction into AMA, APA, Chicago, MLA and Turabian citation styles.

MLA Handbook

MLA Handbook 8th Edition

Resources

MLA citation is used primarily in literature, art and the humanities.

If you need more information than what is given in this guide, try the following sources:

More from the Online Writing Lab (OWL)

From Purdue University:
 

Using Research
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/9/


For the OWL handout on MLA style:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

Notice

This is only intended to be a guide. Your professor may have specific or additional requirements not listed in this guide.

Citations Format - 8th Edition Rules

Because there are now so many types of sources and it would be nearly impossible to create a citation for every source, MLA 8th edition now has one standard citation format that can be applied to every source.
 

Standard Format

        

Author Lastname, Firstname. "Title." Title of Container. Other contributors (translated by or edited by Firstname Lastname), Version, Number, Publisher info, Date of publication, Location.
     
Two authors   Lastname, Firstname and Firstname Lastname.
Example:       King, Stephen and Peter Straub.
     
Three or more authors   Lastname, Firstname, et al.
Example:       Matthews, Graham, et al.

 

Book Format

  

Author Lastname, Firstname. "Chapter Title." Book Title. Other contributors (translated by or edited by Firstname Lastname), vol. no., City of Publication (Foreign cities only), Publisher name, Date of publication, Page number(s).
     

Book Example
(Whole book)

   Walker, Alice. The Color Purple.  Harcourt, 1982.

 

Journal Format

  

Author Lastname, Firstname. "Article Title." Journal Title, Other contributors (if applicable), vol., no., Publisher name, Date of publication, Page number(s). Title of database (if applicable), URL or DOI (if applicable).
     

Journal Example

   Karra, Shimabukuro. "The Bogeyman of Your Nightmares: Freddy Krueger's Folkloric Roots." Studies in Popular Culture, vol. 36, no. 2, Spring 2014, pp. 45-65. Humanities Source, https://ezproxy.library.astate.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hus&AN=97476687&site=eds-live.

 

Website Format

  

Author Lastname, Firstname. "Title of article or web page." Title of website, Publisher name, Date of publication, URL. Accessed date.
     

Website Example

   Zapato, Lyle. "Pacific Northwest Tree Octopur." Zapato Productions, Zapato Productions, 17 May 2015, zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/. Accessed 12 October 2016.

Formatting Your Paper

MLA Spacing Example

Formatting

  • Use 1" margins
  • 12pt font
  • Doublespace
     

Page Number and Name

  • Flushed with the right margin.
  • Include last name next to page number
     

Top Information

  • Should include:
    • Your name
    • Professors name
    • Course
    • Date (day month year)
  • Flushed with left margin.

 
Title

  • Centered
  • Nouns and major words capitalized
     

Headings

  • No specified format, but should be consistent throughout.
  • Use different font styles for different heading levels
  • Do not indent first paragraph following B-level heading
MLA Reference Page

Formatting

  • Use 1" margins
  • 12pt font
  • Doublespace
     

Page Number and Name

  • Flushed with the right margin.
  • Include last name next to page number

 
Works Cited Title

  • Use "Works Cited" as header
  • Center
     

Indentation

A hanging indent is when the first line of text is flushed with the margin while the other lines within the text are indented in.

Here's how to create hanging indents in Microsoft Word:
 

Step 1:

Select the text you want to be hanging indents

        Selecting the text

Step 2:

From the "Page Layout" tab, click on the Paragraph Settings icon.

Menu Select

Step 3:

In the middle of this box will be your indentation options.

Under "Special" select "Hanging" then hit the "OK" button.

        Selecting the indentation

Success!

You have have hanging indents!

        Final Product
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