In-Text Citations Overview

• Purpose: In-text citations provide brief references that direct readers to the full
source in the works-cited list. They can appear in the prose or as parenthetical citations.

Citation Formats

1. Citation in Prose:
• Use the author’s full name in the first mention.
• Subsequent mentions use only the surname.
• Example: “Naomi Baron broke new ground on the subject.”
2. Parenthetical Citation:
• Include the author’s surname or title of the work in parentheses.
• If directly quoting or paraphrasing a specific part, include a location marker (page
number, line number, etc.).
• Example: “At least one researcher has broken new ground on the subject
(Baron).”

Specific Guidelines

• Conciseness: Avoid repetition of the author’s name in both prose and

parentheses.
• Shortened Titles: Use shortened titles in parenthetical citations for conciseness.
• Example: For “Reading at Risk,” use “Reading” in parenthetical citations.
• Location Markers: Use abbreviations for specific locations in the source:
• chapter 2 (ch. 2)
• line 110 (line 110)
• scene 4 (sc. 4)
• Surnames and Titles:
• For authors with middle initials, you may omit it after the first reference.
• For authors from cultures where surnames precede given names (e.g., Chinese),
both names are provided at first reference, followed by the surname alone thereafter.
• For historical figures like those from the Renaissance, only the given name is
sufficient.

Coauthors and Multiple Authors:

• Two Authors: Include both names in prose and connect with “and” in
parenthetical citations.
• Example: “Jay Lemery and Paul Auerbach note…” and (Lemery and Auerbach).
• Three or More Authors: Use the first author’s surname followed by “et al.” in
parenthetical citations.
• In prose, you may mention all authors or the first author followed by “and others.”
• Example: “Raymond Nickerson and colleagues argue…” and (Nickerson et al.).
Formatting in Works-Cited List:

• Entries should be properly punctuated and formatted according to guidelines,

such as italics for titles of larger works (e.g., books, films) and quotation marks for shorter works
(e.g., articles).

Citing Books in Academic Writing

1. Books by One Author

• Format:
• Author Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.
• Examples:
• Davis, Angela Y. Blues Legacies and Black Feminism: Gertrude “Ma” Rainey,
Bessie Smith, and Billie Holiday. Pantheon, 1998.
• Shen Fu. Six Records of a Life Adrift. Translated by Graham Sanders, Hackett
Publishing, 2011.

2. Books by Two Authors

• Format:
• First Author Last Name, First Name, and Second Author First Name Last Name.
Title of Book. Publisher, Year.
• Example:
• Dorris, Michael, and Louise Erdrich. The Crown of Columbus. HarperCollins
Publishers, 1999.

3. Books by More Than Two Authors

• Format:
• First Author Last Name, First Name, et al. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.
• Example:
• Charon, Rita, et al. The Principles and Practice of Narrative Medicine. Oxford UP,
2017.

4. Books by an Unknown Author (Anonymous)

• Format:
• Title of Book. Translated by Translator’s Name, edited by Editor’s Name,
Publisher, Year.
• Examples:
• Beowulf. Translated by Alan Sullivan and Timothy Murphy, edited by Sarah
Anderson, Pearson, 2004.
 • Lazarillo de Tormes. Medina del Campo, 1554.

5. Books by an Organization (Corporate Author), Published by a Different Entity

• Format:
• Organization Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.
• Example:
• United Nations. Consequences of Rapid Population Growth in Developing
Countries. Taylor and Francis, 1991.

6. Books by an Organization That Wrote and Published the Work

• Format:
• Organization Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.
• Example:
• The Adirondack Park in the Twenty-First Century. New York State, Commission
on the Adirondacks in the Twenty-First Century, 1990.

7. Edited Books

• Format:
• Editor Last Name, First Name, et al., editors. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.
• Examples:
• Baron, Sabrina Alcorn, et al., editors. Agent of Change: Print Culture Studies
after Elizabeth L. Eisenstein. U of Massachusetts P / Library of Congress, Center for the Book,
2007.
• Dunbar, William. The Complete Works. Edited by John Conlee, Medieval Institute
Publications, 2004.

8. Translated Books

• Format:
• Translator Last Name, First Name, and Co-translator First Name Last Name,
translators. Title of Book. By Author’s Name, e-book ed., Publisher, Year.
• Examples:
• Pevear, Richard, and Larissa Volokhonsky, translators. Crime and Punishment.
By Fyodor Dostoevsky, e-book ed., Vintage Books, 1993.
• Stendhal. The Red and the Black. Translated by Roger Gard, Penguin Books,
2002.

9. Edited and Translated by the Same Person

• Format:
 • Author Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Edited and translated by
Translator’s Name, Publisher, Year.
• Example:
• Freud, Sigmund. Civilization and Its Discontents. Edited and translated by James
Strachey, W. W. Norton, 2005.

Important Points to Remember

• Consistency: Ensure that all citations follow a consistent format throughout the
work.
• Punctuation and Capitalization: Pay attention to punctuation, italics for titles, and
proper capitalization as per citation style guidelines.
• Access Dates: For online works, include access dates if necessary (not shown in
examples).
• Edition Information: Include edition information if applicable, especially for
translated or edited works.

Citing Sources in MLA 9

1. eBook

• Format:
• Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Chapter or Section.” Title of the
Book, eBook edition, edited by Editor’s Name (if applicable), Publisher, Year of Publication, pp.
Page range. Name of eBook platform or URL (if available).
• Example:
• Smith, John. “Chapter 2: Themes in Modern Fiction.” Understanding Literature,
Kindle ed., Penguin Books, 2023, pp. 45-67.

2. Journal Article

• Format:
• Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Article.” Title of the Journal, vol.
(Volume Number), no. (Issue Number), Year, pp. (Page Range).
• Example (Printed Journal):
• Stillman, Peter G., and S. Anne Johnson. “Identity, Complicity, and Resistance in
The Handmaid’s Tale.” Utopian Studies, vol. 5, no. 2, 1994, pp. 70–86.
• Example (Online Journal with DOI):
• Bockelman, Brian. “Buenos Aires Bohème: Argentina and the Transatlantic
Bohemian Renaissance, 1890–1910.” Modernism/Modernity, vol. 23, no. 1, Jan. 2016, pp.
37–63. Project Muse, https://doi.org/10.1353/mod.2016.0011. Accessed on 26 Aug. 2023.

3. Website
 • Format:
• Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Webpage or Article.” Title of the
Website, Publisher (if different from website title), Date of Publication, URL. Accessed on Date.
• Example:
• Johnson, Emily. “The Impact of Climate Change on Coastal Ecosystems.”
National Geographic, Environmental Insights, 12 March 2024,
www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/climate-change-coastal-ecosystems.
Accessed on 24 Aug. 2025.

4. Newspaper Article (Print)

• Format (Author):
• Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Title of Newspaper, Date of
Publication, p. No.
• Example:
• Fayerman, Pamela. “Body Degenerates as Patients Wait.” The Indian Express, 3
June 2005, p. 12.
• In-Text Citation: (Fayerman A12)
• Format (No Author):
• “Title of Article.” Title of Newspaper, Publication Date, p. No.
• Example:
• “Oval Distinguished for Innovative Design.” The Hindu, 16 May 2009, p. 14.
• In-Text Citation: (“Oval Distinguished” A14)

5. Newspaper Article (Online)

• Format:
• Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Title of Newspaper, Date of
Publication, URL. Accessed on Date.
• Example:
• Skerritt, Jen. “Local Liver Specialists Struggle to Keep up with Hep-C Influx.”
Winnipeg Free Press, 20 May 2009,
www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/local-liver-specialists-struggle-to-keep-up-with-hep
-c-influx-45462112.html. Accessed on 28 Dec. 2016.

Important Points to Remember

• Punctuation and Capitalization: Follow the specific punctuation rules and

capitalization styles of MLA, including italics for book and journal titles.
• Access Dates: Include access dates for online sources, indicating when you last
accessed the material.
• Page Numbers: Always include page numbers for print articles, if applicable. For
eBooks, provide a range if the chapter spans multiple pages.
 • URLs and DOIs: Always provide stable URLs or DOIs for online materials. If a
DOI is available, use it instead of the URL.
• Consistency: Maintain a consistent format throughout your works cited page and
ensure it aligns with MLA guidelines.

This framework serves as a guide to help ensure that citations are formatted correctly in MLA
style, enhancing the clarity and credibility of your academic writing.

Citing Sources in MLA 9

1. Translated Works

• Translator of a Work with a Primary Author:

• Format:
• Last name of primary author, first name. Title. Translated by [Translator’s Name],
Publisher, Year.
• Example:
• Chartier, Roger. The Order of Books: Readers, Authors, and Libraries in Europe
between the Fourteenth and Eighteenth Centuries. Translated by Lydia G. Cochrane, Stanford
UP, 1994.
• Translator of an Anonymous Work:
• Format:
• Title. Translated by [Translator’s Name], Publisher, Year.
• Example:
• Beowulf. Translated by Stephen Mitchell, Yale UP, 2017.

2. Edited Works

• Editors of an Edition of a Work with a Primary Author:

• Format:
• Last name of primary author, first name. Title. Edited by [Editors’ Names],
Publisher, Year.
• Example:
• Milton, John. Paradise Lost. Edited by Stephen Orgel and Jonathan Goldberg,
Oxford UP, 2008.
• Editor of an Edition of an Anonymous Work:
• Format:
• Title. Edited by [Editor’s Name], Publisher, Year.
• Example:
• Lazarillo de Tormes. Edited by Stanley Appelbaum, Dover Publications, 2001.
• Editor of an Anthology from Which an Authored Essay Is Cited:
• Format:
• Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Essay.” Title of Anthology, edited by
[Editor’s Name], Publisher, Year, pp. Page Range.
 • Example:
• Sabau, Ana. “The Perils of Ownership: Property and Literature in
Nineteenth-Century Mexico.” Mexican Literature in Theory, edited by Ignacio M. Sánchez Prado,
Bloomsbury Academic, 2018, pp. 33–54.
• Editor of an Anthology from Which an Anonymous Poem Is Cited:
• Format:
• “Title of Poem.” Title of Anthology, edited and translated by [Editor’s Name],
Publisher, Year, pp. Page Range.
• Example:
• “The Husband’s Message.” The First Poems in English, edited and translated by
Michael Alexander, Penguin Classics, 2008, pp. 65–66.

3. Video

• Reference List Entry (Channel):

• Format:
• Channel Name. “Title of Video.” YouTube, Date of Upload, URL. Accessed on
Date.
• Example:
• Scribbr. “Develop a Theoretical Framework in Three Steps.” YouTube, 20 Aug.
2020, youtu.be/4y1BAqOnhMM. Accessed on 21 October 2023.
• Individual Contributor:
• Format:
• Primary Contributors. “Title of Video.” Container Title, uploaded by [Uploader’s
Name], Publication Date, URL.
• Example:
• Liu, Jessica. “Develop a Theoretical Framework in Three Steps.” YouTube,
uploaded by Scribbr, 20 Aug. 2020, youtu.be/4y1BAqOnhMM. Accessed on 27 Aug. 2024.

4. TV Show

• Format:
• “Episode Title.” TV Show Title, created by [Creator’s First Name Last Name],
season [Number], episode [Number], Production Company or Distribution Company, Year.
• Example:
• “The One Where Chandler Can’t Cry.” Friends, created by Marta Kauffman,
season 6, episode 14, Warner Brothers, 2004.
• In-Text Citation:
• (“Title of Episode” Start Time-End Time)

Important Points to Remember

• Punctuation and Italics: Follow MLA punctuation rules. Use italics for book titles,
anthology titles, and video titles.
 • Access Dates: Include the date you accessed online materials, particularly for
videos and websites.
• Order of Elements: Maintain the specified order of elements (author, title,
publisher, year) consistently throughout your citations.
• Page Numbers: Include page numbers for essays and chapters where
applicable.
• Online Sources: Ensure URLs are stable and direct, and prefer using DOIs where
applicable.
• Abbreviations: Use standard abbreviations (e.g., UP for University Press) as
needed.

General Instructions for MLA 9 Bibliography

1. Title:
• Label the page “Works Cited” at the top, centered, and without any additional
formatting.
2. Page Format:
• Use 1-inch margins on all sides.
• Use a legible font (e.g., Times New Roman, 12 pt).
• Double-space the entire page, including the citations.
• Indent the second and subsequent lines of each citation (hanging indent).
3. Order of Entries:
• List entries alphabetically by the author’s last name or by the title for works with
no author.
• If multiple works by the same author are cited, list them in chronological order,
starting with the oldest work.
4. Citing Authors:
• Use the author’s full name in the format of Last Name, First Name.
• For works with two authors, list them as Last Name, First Name, and First Name
Last Name.
• For works with more than two authors, use “et al.” after the first author’s name.
5. Titles:
• Italicize titles of books, journals, and websites.
• Use quotation marks for titles of articles, chapters, essays, and web pages.
• Capitalize all major words in titles (title case).
6. Publication Information:
• Include the publisher’s name, but omit terms like “Company,” “Inc.,” and
“Limited.”
• For journals, include volume and issue numbers, year of publication, and page
range.
• For eBooks, indicate the eBook format (e.g., Kindle ed.) if applicable.
7. Dates:
• Use the format of Day Month Year for publication dates (e.g., 23 Oct. 2024).
• For online sources, include the access date if the content is likely to change.
 8. Digital Object Identifier (DOI) and URLs:
• For online articles and books, include a DOI when available.
• Use a stable URL for online sources, and omit “http://” or “https://” at the
beginning of the URL.
• If the URL is excessively long or complicated, a shortened link is acceptable.
9. Annotation (if required):
• If an annotated bibliography is required, provide a brief summary and evaluation
of each source following its citation.
10. Consistency:
• Ensure consistency in punctuation, capitalization, and indentation throughout the
bibliography.
• Follow the same formatting rules across different types of entries.

Important Points to Remember

• Hanging Indent: The first line of each citation is flush left, and subsequent lines
are indented 0.5 inches.
• Avoiding Plagiarism: Proper citations are crucial to avoid plagiarism; ensure
every source cited in-text is included in the bibliography.
• Citing Online Resources: Be cautious about the reliability and credibility of online
sources. Use established databases and reputable websites.
• Use of Abbreviations: Use standard abbreviations (e.g., “UP” for University
Press, “P” for page).
• Proofreading: Double-check entries for errors in spelling, punctuation, and
formatting before submission.

By adhering to these guidelines, you can create a well-structured and properly formatted
bibliography in MLA 9 style that meets academic standards.