How to Format an MLA Style Reference Page

When writing an academic paper, you'll have to take information from a variety of sources. Sometimes, these sources won't just be books, but also could be articles, websites and even films and music. The Modern Language Association (MLA) has standard guidelines for writing a works cited or reference page to properly organize your sources to show where you got your information.

Instructions

  1. Print Sources

    • 1

      Write your average works cited entry as follows: Surname, First name. Book Title (italicized). City of publication: Publisher, year. Medium.

      For example: Johnson, Stanley. City Nights. New York City: Paradigm Books, 1987. Print.

    • 2

      Add additional authors as follows: Johnson, Stanley, and David Smith.

    • 3

      Represent more than three authors with "et al.": Johnson, Stanley, et al.

    • 4

      Substitute "---." if there are multiple books with the same author, while listing the books in alphabetical order:

      Johnson, Stanley. City Nights. New York City: Paradigm Books, 1987. Print.

      ---. Daily Life. New York City: Paradigm Books, 1988. Print.

    • 5

      Exclude the author space if there is no credited author and list the book in alphabetical order with the rest of the works cited. Use the group name if the publication is uncredited except for an organization, such as the FBI.

    • 6

      Add a translation credit after the book title if there is a translator: Trans. Michael Smith.

    Online Sources

    • 7

      Cite an entire website as follows:

      Author or editor. Website name. Publisher, publication date. Medium. Date site was accessed.

    • 8

      Cite a Web page as follows:

      Author. "Article Title." Website. Publication date. Medium. Date site was accessed.

    • 9

      Write a citation for a scholarly journal, online or otherwise, as follows and write the volume and issue as a decimal, as in 1.5:

      Author. "Article Title." Publication title. Volume and issue (publication year): page numbers. Medium. Date accessed (if online).

    • 10

      Cite an email as follows:

      Name. "Subject line." Message recipient. Date sent. Medium.

    Other Sources

    • 11

      List a film as follows and specify the medium as being a film, DVD, videotape and so on:

      Title. Director's name. Performer names. Production company, year. Medium.

    • 12

      Write a citation for physical sound recordings like this:

      Artist. "Song" (if applicable). Album. Manufacturer (if applicable), year. Medium.

    • 13

      Cite a piece of art as follows:

      Artist. Work title. Year of creation. Museum where the art is held, location of museum.

    • 14

      Cite an interview as follows:

      Name of interviewee. Personal interview. Date conducted.

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