MLA (8th edition) Citation and Style Guide

Citing and Formatting FAQs (Continued) Santa Ana College | Nealley Library

Getting Started
WHAT ARE FOOTNOTES?

Footnotes are notes placed at the bottom of a page. They cite references or
This abbreviated guide provides tips and
comment on a designated part of the text above it. For example, say you want to guidelines for citing sources and formatting
add an interesting comment to a sentence you have written, but the comment is not a paper using the MLA style. If you do not
directly related to the argument of your paragraph. In this case, you could add the
find the information you need in this
symbol for a footnote. Then, at the bottom of the page you could reprint the symbol
and insert your comment. Here is an example: handout, you will want to consult the more
extensive MLA Handbook (shown on the
right) or ask a reference librarian for
assistance.

 What is MLA?
Copies of the MLA Handbook
MLA stands for the Modern Language are available at Nealley Library!
Association, which publishes the official
MLA Handbook. The MLA Handbook is the authoritative source for
the MLA style of documenting sources and formatting papers. The
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FOOTNOTES AND ENDNOTES? MLA style is used by writers in the arts, humanities, business, and
The only real difference is placement -- footnotes appear at the bottom of the political science. The most current version of the MLA Handbook is
relevant page, while endnotes all appear at the end of your document. If you want the eighth (8th) edition.
your reader to read your notes right away, footnotes are more likely to get your
reader's attention. Endnotes, on the other hand, are less intrusive and will not
 How can I find a copy of the MLA Handbook?
interrupt the flow of your paper.
Nealley Library provides copies of the MLA Handbook for use within
IF I CITE SOURCES IN THE FOOTNOTES (OR ENDNOTES), HOW'S THAT
the library and for checkout. To find out where copies of the MLA
DIFFERENT FROM A BIBLIOGRAPHY/WORKS-CITED PAGE?
Sometimes you may be asked to include these -- especially if you have used a Handbook are located within the library, use the Nealley Library
parenthetical style of citation. A "works cited" page is a list of all the works from online catalog at www.sac.edu/library (select “Find Books”) or ask a
which you have borrowed material. Your reader may find this more convenient than
librarian at the reference desk for assistance.
footnotes or endnotes because he or she will not have to wade through all of the
comments and other information in order to see the sources from which you drew  What if I have further questions about MLA?
your material. A "works consulted" page is a complement to a "works cited" page,
Librarians at the reference desk are happy to assist you in person or
listing all of the works you used, whether they were useful or not.
by phone at (714) 564-6708.
Plagiarism.org. “Quoting Material.” Plagiarism.org, plagiarism.org/citing-sources/quoting- MLA tips and examples

material. Accessed 10 Sept. 2016.

"MLA (8th edition) Citation and Style Guide " by J. King & A. Knight, Santa Ana College is licensed under CC BY 4.0

16 1
 Basic Concepts of Citing Sources

 What does it mean to cite sources?

The information on this page is provided by the Modern Language Association’s MLA Style Center website, as cited below.
To cite a source means to credit the information and ideas of others
shared in your work. For example, you may decide to include a statis-
tic or a theory developed by a scholar in your paper. Whether you

NOTE: List citations alphabetically, according to the first name or element listed for each citation.
directly quote (word-for-word) an information source or share some-
one else’s idea in your own words, you need to credit the original

Modern Language Association. “Formatting a Research Paper.” MLA Style Center Website, 2016,
author or creator.
 Why do I need to cite sources?
Aside from your professors requiring that you cite your sources,

How to format the Works Cited list at the end of your paper:
citing sources allows readers or audiences of your work to see what
information sources you consulted or considered in your research.
Also, since citations include author, title, and other important publi-
cation information, your readers can look up your sources if they
wish to explore them further on their own. Citing your sources isn’t
just something to do to get a good grade; you could be potentially
introducing new sources of information and ideas to your reader/
audience. Another way to look at citing sources involves seeing each

http://style.mla.org/formatting-papers/
source as a unique perspective or voice that you incorporate with
your own ideas. Through your research, you are communicating your
unique understanding of a topic, based on the information sources
you’ve discovered. What’s more, you’re making a contribution to a
larger conversation related to your research topic.

Questions? Ask a librarian!

Nealley Librarians are happy to assist you with
questions you have about citing sources and formatting your
research projects. Visit the reference desk
or call (714) 564-6708.

2 15
 Core Elements of MLA

Below are the core elements of MLA citations necessary for properly citing
print and electronic (online) resources, including books, articles, websites,

NOTE: A separate title page is not necessary unless your instructor requires one.
and other information sources.
These elements are listed in the order they should appear in your citations.
Please keep in mind that each information source and citation is unique. Not

How to format the second page and subsequent pages of your paper:
every element listed below may be available for the different information
sources you reference in your research.

Containers
Core Elements Containers hold a collection of infor-
mation. For example, books can con-
tain collections of poems, essays, or
How to format the first page of your paper:

chapters and websites can contain

articles and postings. If you were to
cite a short story contained in a book
or anthology, the short story would be
considered the source (2), and the
anthology the container (3) (Modern
Language Association). Another ex-
ample of containers includes periodi-
cals (e.g., journals, magazines, and
Paper Formatting Tips

newspapers) that contain collections

of articles. In most cases, you will be
citing a specific article you read within
a periodical (e.g., an article from the
Los Angeles Times). In which case, the
title of the article would count as the
For additional information about title of source (2), and the title of the
containers, see pp. 30-36 in the periodical (Los Angeles Times) would
MLA Handbook (8th ed.). be listed as the container (3).

Modern Language Association. “Works Cited: A Quick Guide.” MLA Style Center Website,
14 2016, style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide/ 3
 Identifying Book Citation Elements Citing and Formatting FAQs

Core Elements WHAT IS QUOTING?

Taking the exact words from an original source is called quoting. You should quote
material when you believe the way the original author expresses an idea is the most
Coates, Ta-Nehisi effective means of communicating the point you want to make. If you want to
borrow an idea from an author, but do not need his or her exact words, you should
try paraphrasing instead of quoting.
Chapter or essay title (for anthologies or
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I QUOTE?
edited book compilations) Most of the time, paraphrasing and summarizing your sources is sufficient (but
remember that you still have to cite them!). If you think it’s important to quote
something, an excellent rule of thumb is that for every line you quote, you should
have at least two lines analyzing it.
Book title (Between the World and Me)
HOW DO I INCORPORATE QUOTATIONS IN MY PAPER?
Most of the time, you can just identify a source and quote from it, as in the first
Sample book cover Book editor(s), information, if available example above. Sometimes, however, you will need to modify the words or format
of the quotation in order to fit in your paper. Whenever you change the original
Book edition information, if available words of your source, you must indicate that you have done so. Otherwise, you
would be claiming the original author used words that he or she did not use. But be
Copyright /publication date Volume and issue number, if available careful not to change too many words! You could accidentally change the meaning
and publisher of the quotation and falsely claim the author said something they did not.
information is often found
within the first few Spiegel & Grau
WHAT'S A WORKS CITED PAGE?
pages of the book.
A works cited page or bibliography is a list of all of the sources you have used in the
process of researching your work. In general, a bibliography should include:
2015

 the authors' names

Page numbers (for citing a specific chapter), URL  the titles of the works
or DOI (digital object identifier) for e-resources  the names and locations of the companies that published your copies of the
sources
 the dates your copies were published
Book Citation the page numbers of your sources (if they are part of multi-source volumes)
(as it should appear in a Works Cited list)
OK, SO WHAT'S AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY?
Coates, Ta-Nehisi. Between the World and Me. Spiegel & Grau, An annotated bibliography is the same as a bibliography with one important
difference: in an annotated bibliography, the bibliographic information is followed
2015. by a brief description of the content, quality, and usefulness of the source.
(FAQ’s Continued on page 16)
4 13
 In-Text Citation Examples Citation Examples for Works Cited Page

Author’s name in text with Galeano asserts that the rise in coffee The following examples demonstrate how full citations should appear within the
quotation prices, world wide, “did nothing to ease works cited page, located at the end of your paper or project. For tips on how to
the chronic poverty of Brazilian coffee format your works-cited page, please see p. 15 in this guide.
workers “ (280). Referencing Print Books
Author name in text Angela Davis’ book Are Prisons Obsolete?
without quotation provides a history of the development of Basic Form
the U.S. prison system (22-45). Name of author or editor. Title of the Book. Publisher name, Year published.

Author name in citation with Poetry can be used as an inspirational Book (One Author)
page number learning tool (Williams 78). Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Levine-Scholastic, 2004.

Book (Two or Three Authors)

Author name in citation without The blog, “EducationQuest,” provides a
page number (for when no page variety of self-care tips for college students Kirkpatrick, Jim and Paul Caldwell. Eating Disorders: Everything You Need to Know.
numbers are provided) (Ourada). Firefly Books, 2004.

Two source authors in citation For fuller understanding, readers should Book (More than Three Authors)
research the relevant culture and history Ellis, David B. et al. Becoming a Master Student. Houghton Mifflin, 2006.
(Said and Do 6).
Book (Corporate Author)
Quotation found in indirect Octavia Butler writes, “destiny is to take
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
source (for quoting a source cited root among the stars” (qtd. in Brown and
in another source) Imarisha 1). Disorders: DSM5. 5th Ed. American Psychiatric Association, 2013.

Video source (note– you must The music video for M.I.A.’s song Article in a Reference Book
include the time slot from which “Borders,” depicts refugees climbing wire “Civil Disobedience.” Encyclopedia Americana. International Edition. Scholastic
you are quoting; here, the time is fences in a desert and positioned to spell
from minute, 1 minute, 26 sec- Library, 2004.
out “Life” (00:01:26-00:01:29).
onds. to 1 minute, 29 secs.)
Multivolume Work

Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Avoiding Plagiarism Frey, R. J. “Bulimia Nervosa.” The Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders. Ed E.

It is important to credit the information sources you use that provide new Thackeray and M. Harris. Vol. 1. Gale Group, 2003. pp. 153-62.
ideas to you for your research. Whether you directly quote (word-for-word) Quick Formatting Tips for the Works Cited Page:
something from an information source (even online sources) or paraphrase
 Begin the Works Cited list on a new page at the end of your paper or project.
another’s idea you in your own words , you must provide an in-text (or
parenthetical) citation.  Citations should be double-spaced.
Writing assistance is available at the SAC Learning Center.  Second and subsequent lines of citations should be indented 1/2 inch from
Sign up online at: http://sac.edu/AcademicProgs/HSS/LearningCenter the first line. This is called a “hanging indent” and there are many YouTube
12 videos that demonstrate this. 5
 Citation Examples (Continued) In-Text (Parenthetical) Citations

What Are In-Text Citations?

Referencing Print Periodical Articles
Basic Form: In-text (parenthetical) citations appear throughout your paper or project and credit
ideas and direct quotes you borrow from different information sources. In-text cita-
Name of author or editor (if given). “Title of the article.” Publication title, Volume,
Number (if applicable), Date Month Year: Page number. tions are shortened versions of the full citations you provide at the end of your pa-

Magazine or Newspaper Article per or project in the works cited list.

Carroll, Aaron E. “Sorry, There’s Nothing Magical About Breakfast.” New York Times, Example
23 May 2016: C8.
In-text citation:
Journal Article
According to a recent article published in Mother Jones, thousands of people
Lorence, Mark. “School of Minecraft.” School Library Journal, Vol. 61, no. 4, 2015, pp.
nationwide have actively protested the construction of the Dakota Access
26-30.
Pipeline in solidarity with Standing Rock Sioux tribal members (Sammon).

Referencing Online Sources Corresponding works cited entry:

Online Book, Basic Form Sammon, Alexander. “The Next Keystone? Protesters Try to Stop Another
Huge Oil Pipeline.” Mother Jones, 26 Aug. 2016,
Name of author or editor. Title of the Book. Database or sponsor. Publisher name,
Year published. www.motherjones.com/environment/2016/08/dakota-access-bakken-
pipeline-protesters-sioux. Accessed 4 Sept. 2016.
eBook

Poe, Edgar Allan. The Murders in the Rue Morgue. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost), Basic Rules for In-Text Citations
Generic NL Freebook Publisher, 1993.
 When possible, include the author’s last name and page number of the
Magazine Article from a Library Database
information source. Example: (Davis 25)
Zirin, Dave. “Time for the NCAA to Pay.” The Progressive, Jun. 2014, pp. 42. Opposing
Viewpoints in Context. search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?  Many online or electronic sources do not include page numbers. In these
direct=true&db=mth&AN=96327384&site=ehost-live cases, provide enough information in-text (e.g., author and title of work) to
Journal Article Basic Form connect your reader to the full citation in the works cited list.

Name of author or editor. “Title of the Article.” Publication title Volume Number,  For online sources, do not include URLs (website addresses) in-text. Instead,
Issue Number, year of publication, page numbers. Database. URL or DOI
include the first item of the full citation in the work’s cited list (e.g., author’s
Journal Article from a Library Database
last name or name of authoring organization).
Washington, Myra. “The Post-Racial Mystique: Media and Race in the Twenty-First
For a more detailed explanation and examples of in-text citing,
Century.” Black Scholar, Vol. 46, no. 2, 2016, pp. 66-69. Psychology and please see pp. 116-128 of the official MLA Handbook (8th ed.).
6 Behavioral Sciences Collection. tinyurl.com/z3zblco 11
 Citation Examples (Continued) Citation Examples (Continued)

Other Sources Referencing Online Sources (Cont.)

Newspaper Article from a Library Database

Interview
Smith, Barbara S. “Reframing the Conversation on Growing Old.” Sarasota Herald
Bag, Alice. Personal Interview. 2 Sep. 2016.
Tribune [Sarasota, FL], 12 May 2015, pp. E.8. ProQuest Newsstand.
DVD, BluRay, or VHS
tinyurl.com/zq4mlrl
The Jungle Book. Directed by Jon Favreau, Performances by Neel Sethi and Bill
Encyclopedia Article from a Library Database
Murray. Walt Disney Pictures, 2016.
Howard, Lillie. “Zora Neale Hurston.” Dictionary of Literary Biography: Afro-
Lecture, Speech, Reading
American Writers from the Harlem Renaissance to 1940. Ed. Trudier Harris.
Obama, Barack Hussein. “Obama Presidential Address.” Presidential Inauguration of Gale, 1987. Literature Resource Center. tinyurl.com/jg4hrbd
the United States of America. Washington D.C. 24 Feb. 2009.
Web Site Basic Form
Performance
Name of author or editor (if given). “Title of Work.” Title of Web Site. Publisher or
Wheeldon, Christopher. “An American in Paris.” Segerstrom Center for the Arts. container of site, day month and year of publication – use n.d. if no date is
25 Apr. 2017. available. URL . Date Accessed.

Netflix (or Hulu, Google Play, Amazon Video, HBOGO, etc.) Website

“AKA Smile.” Jessica Jones, season 1, episode 13, Marvel Television, 20 Nov. 2015. Anders, Charlie J. “Prince Was One of the Greatest Fantasy Storytellers of All Time.”
Netflix, www.netflix.com/watch/80002324?trackId=13752289&tctx=0% i09.com. Gizmodo, 21 Apr. 2016. io9.gizmodo.com/prince-is-not-dead-
2C12%2C7bc7a5fc-52e6-41ea-95dc-70d28bb074d7-121219242 1772302841. Accessed 6 May 2016.

Blog
Additional Citation Tips & Examples
McSweeney, Kelly. “How Tiny ‘Natural Nanobots’ Attack Cancerous Cells.” ZDNet, 6
 View the official MLA Handbook (8th ed.) — copies are Sep. 2016. www.zdnet.com/article/tiny-robots-attack-cancer/. Accessed
available for checkout at the SAC Nealley Library. Ask a
reference librarian for assistance. 14 Sep. 2016.

 Visit the extensive, online MLA guide created by Purdue Tweet

University’s Online Writing Lab at:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01 @neiltyson. “There’s more than 300 metric tons of it embedded in every 500-
meter metallic asteroid that orbits the Sun. #ThatsGold.” Twitter, 18 Aug.
2016, 6:17 PM. twitter.com/neiltyson/status/766443843759722496
10 7
8
Identifying Article Citation Elements

The example below is from an article found within a library database and shows how to identify citation elements
(article title, author, periodical title, page numbers, etc.) necessary for properly citing articles published in
journals, newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. A sample works-cited entry is also provided (under “Final
Works-Cited-List Entry”). A similar citation structure would be used for a print article (omitting the URL).

3b

1 2

3a

6 8 9

3b

A URL is not necessary for print articles.

3a

Modern Language Association. “Formatting a Research Paper.” MLA Style Center Website, 2016,
9

https://style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide-journal/

MLA Style Guide (8th ed.) AK & JK /Fall 2016