Basic Elements:
* Author(s): Last name, First name.
* Example: Smith, John.
* Multiple authors: List all authors, separated by commas. For three or more authors, you can list the first author followed by "et al."
* No author: Begin with the title of the book.
* Title of Book: Italicize the title.
* Example: *The Great Gatsby*.
* Edition: (If not the first edition)
* Example: 2nd ed.
* Publisher: Abbreviate publisher names (e.g., Longman, Oxford UP).
* Example: Longman-Pearson.
* Place of Publication: City.
* Year of Publication:
* Medium of Publication: (For print books, you can leave this out).
* Example: Print.
Example of a Complete Works-Cited Entry:
Smith, John. *The Great Gatsby*. 2nd ed., Longman-Pearson, New York, 2010.
Additional Elements to Consider:
* Volume and Issue Numbers: Include if applicable (for books within a series or multi-volume works).
* Series Information: Include if applicable (e.g., "The Norton Anthology of American Literature").
* Translator's Name: Include if applicable, after the title and before the publisher.
* Editor's Name: If applicable, put "Ed." after the editor's name.
* Online Sources: If the book is accessed online, include the URL and the date you accessed it.
Important Formatting Tips:
* Hanging Indentation: Indentation of all lines except the first. This makes the works-cited list easier to read.
* Alphabetical Order: List entries alphabetically by the first author's last name.
* Consistent Formatting: Use the same formatting style throughout your works-cited list (e.g., MLA, Chicago).
Example Using MLA Style:
Book with a Single Author:
* Author's Last Name, First Name. *Title of Book*. *Edition*, Publisher, Publication City, Year of Publication.
* Example:
* Miller, Arthur. *Death of a Salesman*. Penguin Books, New York, 1949.
Book with Two Authors:
* Author's Last Name, First Name, and Author's Last Name, First Name. *Title of Book*. *Edition*, Publisher, Publication City, Year of Publication.
* Example:
* Brontë, Charlotte, and Emily Brontë. *Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights*. Penguin Books, New York, 1977.
Book with Three or More Authors:
* Author's Last Name, First Name, et al. *Title of Book*. *Edition*, Publisher, Publication City, Year of Publication.
* Example:
* Strunk, William, Jr., et al. *The Elements of Style*. 4th ed., Longman-Pearson, New York, 2000.
Book with an Editor:
* Author's Last Name, First Name, ed. *Title of Book*. Publisher, Publication City, Year of Publication.
* Example:
* Bloom, Harold, ed. *The Norton Anthology of American Literature*. W.W. Norton & Company, New York, 2005.
Book with a Translator:
* Author's Last Name, First Name. *Title of Book*. Translated by Translator's Last Name, First Name, Publisher, Publication City, Year of Publication.
* Example:
* Dostoevsky, Fyodor. *Notes from Underground*. Translated by Constance Garnett, Penguin Books, New York, 1972.
Remember to use a style guide (like MLA, Chicago, APA) for consistency and to follow their specific guidelines.