Basic Structure
The basic structure for citing a book in MLA format is:
* Author's Last Name, First Name. *Title of Book*. *Edition if applicable*, *Publisher*, *Year of Publication*.
Example
* Smith, John. *The History of America*. *3rd ed.*, *Penguin Books*, *2020*.
Additional Information (if applicable)
* Volume/Number: If you're citing a specific volume or number within a multi-volume work, include it after the title.
* Series: If the book is part of a series, include the series name and number after the publisher.
* Edition: If the book is not the first edition, include the edition number after the title.
* Translator/Editor: If the book has a translator or editor, include their name(s) after the title. Use "Trans." or "Ed." before their names.
* Pages: If you are citing a specific passage, include the page numbers after the publisher.
Examples with Additional Information
* Williams, Jane. *The Art of Storytelling: A Guide to Creating Engaging Narratives*. *2nd ed.*, *HarperCollins*, *2018*.
* Johnson, Michael, Ed. *The Complete Works of William Shakespeare*. *Vol. 1*, *Oxford University Press*, *2015*.
* Brown, Emily. *The Psychology of Color*. *The Color Theory Series, No. 5*, *McGraw-Hill*, *2019*.
Citing Multiple Authors
* For two authors: Last Name, First Name and First Name Last Name.
* For three or more authors: Last Name, First Name, et al.
Citing an Ebook
* Author's Last Name, First Name. *Title of Book*. *Edition if applicable*, *Publisher*, *Year of Publication*. *Platform*, *URL* (accessed *Date of access*).
Example
* Jones, Sarah. *The Power of Positive Thinking*. *2nd ed.*, *Penguin Books*, *2021*. *Kindle*, *https://www.amazon.com/The-Power-Positive-Thinking-ebook/dp/B088V1575T* (accessed 15 October 2023).
Important Notes:
* Italicize the title of the book.
* Capitalize the first letter of all important words in the title and subtitle.
* Include a hanging indent for all entries on your Works Cited page. The first line of each entry should be flush left, and subsequent lines should be indented.
MLA Format Resources
* The Purdue Owl: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_page.html
* MLA Style Center: https://style.mla.org/