How to Cite Online Plays in MLA

The Modern Language Association developed the MLA style as a way to standardize the presentation and format of research and documentation. The guidelines for MLA style, which list electronic sources as Web publications, are presented in two books: The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers and the MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing. MLA style requires that you cite an online source both in the text and in the Cited Works list also known as the bibliography.

Instructions

    • 1

      Determine the author, act, scene and line of the play you are citing. Acts and scenes are typically labeled clearly in the book. If lines are not labeled, you must count each line of dialogue on the page to find the number of that which you are citing.

    • 2

      Cite a play in text by writing the author's name followed by the act, scene and line numbers. Use this order and separate the numbers by periods. For example:

      In Shakespeare's Hamlet, we are told that "The play's the thing" (2.2.633). The numbers reference the second act, scene two and line 633. If you do not reference the author in the text, include the author's name in the parenthetical.

    • 3

      Write the author, title of the play (in italics), version number, publisher name and publishing date, the word "Web," the date you accessed the play and finally the URL if required (MLA style does not require URL but your professor may). Include information for the play in this order in your Cited Works at the end of the paper. For example, Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York: Washington Square-Pocket, 1992. Web. April 29th 2011, <pocket-shakespeare.com>.

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