THE WRITING CENTER SIUE—Peck 1419, Ext. 2045
MLA Style Documentation from MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 6th ed.
DOCUMENTING SOURCES
In MLA, parenthetical citations such as (Townsend 10)
and (10)
Medieval Europe was a place both of “raids,
pillages, slavery and extortion” and of “traveling
merchants, monetary exchange, towns if not cities,
and active markets in grain” (Townsend 10).
According to Townsend, “raids, pillages, slavery
and extortion” were common in medieval Europe (10).
acknowledge the source of words or information, indicate
the page(s) where they appear, and direct reader to a Works Cited
entry for publication information as in
Townsend, Robert M. The Medieval Village Economy.
Princeton UP, 1993.
WORKS CITED: BOOKS
5.6.1. Single Author
Renoir Lithographs. New York: Dover, 1994.
Wilson, Frank R. The Hand: How Its Use Shapes
the Brain, Language, and Human Culture. New York:
Pantheon, 1998.
5.6.4. Two or More Authors
Eggins, Suzanne, and Diana Slade. Analyzing Casual
Conversation. London: Cassell, 1997.
Quirk, Randolph, et al. A Comprehensive Grammar of
the English Language. London: Longman, 1985.
(For more than 3 authors you can use et al.)
5.6.5. Book by Corporate Author
American Medical Association. The American Medical
Association Encyclopedia of Medicine. Ed.
Charles B. Clayman. New York: Random, 1989.
(Omit initial articles such as The)
5.6.7. Work in Anthology
Allende, Isabel. “Toad’s Mouth.” Trans. Margaret
Sayers Peden. A Hammock beneath the Mangoes:
Stories from Latin America. Ed. Thomas Colchie.
New York: Plume. 23-33.
“A Witchcraft Story.” The Hopi Way: Tales from a
Vanishing Culture. Comp. Mando Sevillano.
Flagstaff: Northland, 1986. 33-42.
5.6.8. Article in Reference Book
Allen, Anita L. “Privacy in Health Care.”
Encyclopedia of Bioethics. Ed. Warren T.
Reich. Rev. ed. 5 vols. New York: Macmillan-
Simon, 1995. (For less familiar references use
full publication information)
“Ginsburg, Ruth Bader.” Who’s Who in America. 56th
ed. 2002.
”Noon.” The Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed.
1989.
”Noon.” Def. 4b. The Oxford English Dictionary.
2nd ed. 1989. (For specific definition)
5.6.12. Edition: citing editor in introduction, etc.
Bowers, Fredson, ed. The Red Badge of Courage: An
Episode of the American Civil War. By Stephen
Crane. 1895. Charlottesville: UP of Virginia,
1975.
5.6.20. Government Publication
New York State. Commission on the Adirondacks in
The Twenty-First Century. The Adirondack Park
in the Twenty-First Century. Albany: State of
New York, 1990.
United Nations. Consequences of Rapid Population
Growth in Developing Countries. New York:
Taylor, 1991.
WORKS CITED: ARTICLES, ETC., IN PERIODICALS
5.7.1. Article in journal w/ continuous Pagination
White, Sabina, and Andrew Winzelberg. ”Laughter and
Stress.” Humor 5 (1992): 343-55.
5.7.2. Article in journal paging each issue separately
Barthelme, Frederick. “Architecture.” Kansas
Quarterly 13.3-4 (1981): 77-80.
5.7.5. Article in Newspaper
“Curriculum Battles from Left and Right.” USA
Today 2 Mar. 1994: 5D. (Without author)
Jeromack, Paul. “This Once, a David of the Art
World Does Goliath a Favor.” New York Times
13 July 2002, late ed.: B7+. (Note late/geographic
editions, indicate articles continue on other page)
5.7.6. Article in Magazine
Mehta, Pratap Bhanu. “Exploding Myths.” New Republic 6
June 1998: 17-19.
5.7.9. Anonymous Article
“Dubious Venture.” Time 3 Jan. 1994: 64-65.
5.7.10. Editorial
“Death of a Writer.” Editorial. New York Times 20 Apr.
1994, late ed.: A18.
Gergan, David. “A Question of Values.” Editorial. US
News and World Report 11 Feb. 2002: 72.
5.7.14. Article in a Microform Collection
Chapman, Dan. “Panel Could Help Protect Children.”
Winston-Salem Journal 14 Jan. 1990: 14. Newsbank:
Welfare and Social Problems 12 (1900): fiche 1,
grids A8-11.
CITING MISCELLANEOUS PRINT/NONPRINT SOURCES
5.8.1. Television or Radio Program
“Frankenstein: The Making of the Monster.” Great Books.
Narr. Donald Sutherland. Writ. Eugenie Vink. Dir.
Jonathan Ward. Learning Channel. 8 Sept. 1993.
Springsteen, Bruce. “Dancing in the Dark.” Born in the
USA. Columbia, 1984. Music Video. Dir. Brian De
Palma. VH1. 10 May 2002.
5.8.2. Sound Recording
Ellington, Duke, cond. First Carnegie Hall Concert.
Duke Ellington Orch. Rec. 23 Jan. 1943. LP.
Prestige, 1977.
Norrington, Roger, cond. Symphony no. 1 in C, op. 21,
and Symphony no. 6 in F, op. 68. By Ludwig van
Beethoven. London Classical Players. EMI, 1988.
Holiday, Billie. “God Bless the Child.” Rec. 9 May
1941. The Essence of Billie Holiday. Columbia,
1991.
Wilgus, D. K. Southern Folk Tales. Rec. 23-25 Mar.
1965. Audiotape. U of California, Los Angeles,
Archives of Folklore. B.76.82.
5.8.3. Film or Video Recording
It’s a Wonderful Life. Dir. Frank Capra. Perf.
James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore,
and Thomas Mitchell. RKO, 1946.
5.8.4. Performance
Gianni Schichi. By Giacomo Puccini. Libretto by
Giovacchino Forzano. Dir. Roberto De Simone.
Perf. Carlo Guelfi and Daniela Dessì. Cond.
Gianluigi Gelmetti. Teatro dell’Opera, Rome.
22 Jan. 2002.
Hamlet. By William Shakespeare. Dir. John Gielgud.
Perf. Richard Burton. Schubert Theatre,
Boston. 4 Mar. 1964.
5.8.5. Musical Composition
Beethoven, Ludwig van. Symphony no. 7 in A, op. 92.
Berlioz, Hector. Symphonie fantastique, op. 14.
Beethoven, Ludwig van. Symphony No. 7 in A, Op. 92.
New York: Dover, 1998.(Re a published score)
5.8.7. Interview
Pei, I. M. Personal interview. 22 July 1993.
5.8.10. Advertisement
The Fitness Fragrance by Ralph Lauren.
Advertisement. GQ Apr. 1997: 11-12.
5.8.11. Lecture, Speech, Address, Reading
Atwood, Margaret. “Silencing the Scream.”
Boundaries of the Imagination Forum. MLA
Convention. Royal York Hotel, Toronto. 29
Dec. 1993.
5.8.13. Letter or Memo
Woolf, Virginia. “To T. S. Elliot.” 28 July 1920.
Letter 1138 of The Letters of Virginia Woolf.
Ed. Nigel Nicolson and Joanne Trautmann. Vol.
2. New York: Harcourt, 1976. 437-38.
Morrison, Toni. Letter to the author. 17 May 2001.
(Letter you, the writer, received)
Cahill, Daniel J. Memo to English dept. fac.,
Brooklyn High School, New York. 1 June 2000