MLA Style, 2003 Edition  Tags: szpunar citation  

The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers provides detailed guidelines for using MLA style. The most recent edition of the MLA Handbook is kept at the Reference Desk at the Roy O West library. We also own several other circulating copies.

Call number:  PN203 .G53

MLA Style

This page contains general information about MLA style based on the 2003 6th Edition. This is the older edition of MLA style. For the new 2009 7th Edition, please see the main citation guide.  For specific examples of how to format materials, mouse over the heading for this page and then click on the type of material from the menu.

Works Cited Page

MLA Style requires a Works Cited page at the end of research papers. It must be titled Works Cited and entries are double spaced, with only one line between entries.

If you have more than one item by the same author, they are listed as follows, alphabetized by title:

Twain, Mark. Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1899.

---. Tom Sawyer Abroad. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1896.

In-Text Citations

MLA Style uses parenthetical citations. After a quote or paraphrase from a source, add parentheses containing the author's name, a space, and the page number of the work.

Example: The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog (Seuss 7).

If you use more than one work by the same author, use a shortened form of the title in addition to the author's name.

Example: The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog (Seuss, "Horton Hears" 7).

If more than one author has the same last name, add their first initial.

Example: The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog (D. Seuss 7).

If you refer to the author in the sentence, leave their name out of the parentheses.

Example: Seuss says that the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog (7).