University of Portland Clark Library

Thursday, February 23: The Clark Library is closed today.

MLA Style (9th Edition) Citation Guide: Books & Ebooks

  • Introduction to MLA Style
  • Journal Articles
  • Magazine/Newspaper Articles
  • Books & Ebooks
  • Government & Legal Documents
  • Biblical Sources
  • Secondary Sources
  • Videos/DVDs/TV Shows
  • How to Cite: Other
  • 9th Edition Updates
  • Additional Help

Table of Contents

Book in print, book with editor(s) but no author, translated book, chapters, short stories, essays, or articles from a book (anthology or collection), an introduction, preface, foreword, or afterword, article in a reference book (e.g. encyclopedias, dictionaries).

Note: For your Works Cited list, all citations should be double spaced and have a hanging indent.

A "hanging indent" means that each subsequent line after the first line of your citation should be indented by 0.5 inches.

Authors/Editors

An author can be a person but can also be an organization, or company. These are called group or corporate authors.

If you are citing a chapter from a book that has an editor, the author of the chapter is listed first, and is the name listed in the in-text citation.

Capitalize the first letter of every important word in the title. You do not need to capitalize words such as: in, of, or an.

If there is a colon (:) in the title, include what comes after the colon (also known as the subtitle).

You have the option to use the shortened name of the publisher by abbreviating "University" and "Press" (e.g. Oxford UP, not Oxford University Press).

You also have the option to remove articles (A, An, The), business abbreviations (e.g. Co., Inc.) and descriptive words (e.g. Books, House, Press, Publishers).

The format of all dates is: Date Month (shortened) Year. e.g. 5 Sept. 2012.

Whether to give the year alone or include a month and day depends on your source: write the full date as you find it there.

If no date is listed, omit it unless you can find that information available in a reliable source. In that case the date is cited in square brackets. e.g. [2008]

Page Numbers

Page number on your Works Cited page (but not for in-text citations) are now proceeded by p. for a single page number and pp. for a range of page numbers. E.g. p. 156 or pp. 79-92.

Access Date

Date of access is optional in MLA 8th/9th edition; it is recommended for pages that may change frequently or that do not have a copyright/publication date.

Last Name, First Name.  Title of Book . City of Publication, Publisher, Publication Date.

Note :  The city of publication should only be used if the book was published before 1900, if the publisher has offices in more than one country, or if the publisher is unknown in North America.

Works Cited List Example:

Kurlansky, Mark. Salt: A World History . Walker, 2002.

In-Text Citation Example:

(Author's Last Name Page Number)

Example: (Kurlansky 10)

Two Authors

Last Name, First Name of First Author, and First Name Last Name of Second Author.  Title of Book: Subtitle if Any.  Edition if given and is not first edition, Publisher Name often shortened, Year of publication. 

Note: Only the first author listed appears in "Last Name, First Name" format. Authors' names are separated by a comma. Before the last author to be listed, add the word "and."

 Jacobson, Diane L., and Robert Kysar.  A Beginner's Guide to the Books of the Bible,  Augsburg, 1991.

 (Author's Last Name and Author's Last Name Page Number)

 Example: (Jacobson and Kysar 25)

Three or More Authors

Last Name, First Name of First Author, et al.  Title of Book: Subtitle if Any.  Edition if given and is not first edition, Publisher Name often shortened, Year of publication. 

Note:  If you have three or more authors list only the first author's name followed by et al. instead of listing all authors names. For example Smith, John, et al. The first author is the first name listed on the work you are citing, not the first name alphabetically.

Nickels, William, et al.  Understanding Business.  9th ed., McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2016. 

(First Author's Last Name et al. Page Number)

Example: (Nickels et al. 5)

eBook from a Library Database

Last Name, First Name of First Author, et al.  Title of Book: Subtitle if Any.  Edition if given and is not first edition, Publisher Name often shortened, Year of publication.  Name of eBook Database,  doi:DOI number/URL/Permalink.

Calhoun, Craig. Sociology in America: A History . U of Chicago P, 2008.  ProQuest Ebook Central , ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/up/detail.action?docID=408466&pq-origsite=primo.  

 (Author's Last Name Page Number)

 Example: (Calhoun 53)

eBook for Kindle or other eBook Reader

Note:  The MLA uses the term "eBook" to refer to publications formatted specifically for reading with an eBook reader device (e.g., a Kindle) or a corresponding web application, which will not have URLs or DOIs. Citations will be very similar to physical book citations; just add the word "eBook" in the "version" slot of the MLA template (i.e., after the author, the title of the source, the title of the container, and the names of any other contributors).

Silva, Paul J.  How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing , eBook, American Psychological Association, 2007.

 Example: (Silva 30)

Note : When no page numbers are listed on an eBook, cite the chapter number instead in your in-text citation. Example: (Smith ch. 2).  

Last Name of editor, First Name, editor(s).  Title of Book: Subtitle if Any.  Edition if given and is not first edition, Publisher Name often shortened, Year of Publication.

 Wolfteich, Claire E., editor. Invitation to Practical Theology: Catholic Voices and Visions . Paulist, 2014. 

 (Last name page number)

 Example: (Wolfteich 103)

Electronic Materials

(More than one editor)

Kidwell, Jeremy, and Sean Doherty, editors. Theology and Economics: A Christian Vision of the Common Good.  eBook, Palgrave Macmillan, 2015. 

(Last name page number)

Example: (Kidwell and Doherty 103)

If you want to emphasize the work rather than the translator, cite as you would any other book. Add “translated by” and follow with the name(s) of the translator(s).

Boitani, Piero. The Bible and Its Rewritings . Translated by Anita Weston, Oxford UP, 1999.

Example: (Boitani 89)

Augustine. The Confessions of St. Augustine . Translated by Edward Bouverie Pusey, eBook, Floating Press, 1921.

Example: (Augustine 65) 

Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Short Story, Essay, or Article."  Title of Book: Subtitle if Any,  edited by Editor's First Name and Last Name, Edition if given and is not first, Publisher Name often shortened, Year of publication, Page numbers of the essay, article, or short story. 

Boys, Mary C. “Learning in the Presence of the Other: Feminisms and the Interreligious Encounter.” Faith and Feminism: Ecumenical Essays , edited by Diane B. Lipsett, Westminster John Knox Press, 2014, pp. 103-114.

Note:  The first author's name listed is the author of the chapter/essay/short story.

Note: If there is no editor given you may leave out that part of the citation.

Example: (Boys 110)

When citing an introduction, a preface, a foreword, or an afterword, write the name of the author(s) of the piece you are citing. Then give the name of the part being cited, which should not be italicized or enclosed in quotation marks; in italics, provide the name of the work and the name of the author of the introduction/preface/foreword/afterword. Finish the citation with the details of publication and page range.

Farrell, Thomas B. Introduction.  Norms of Rhetorical Culture , by Farrell, Yale UP, 1993, pp. 1-13.

(Farrell 5)

If the writer of the piece is different from the author of the complete work, then write the full name of the principal work's author after the word "By." For example, if you were to cite Hugh Dalziel Duncan’s introduction of Kenneth Burke’s book Permanence and Change, you would write the entry as follows:

Duncan, Hugh Dalziel. Introduction.  Permanence and Change: An Anatomy of Purpose,  by Kenneth Burke, 1935, 3rd ed., U of California P, 1984, pp. xiii-xliv.

(Duncan xiv)

For entries in encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference works, cite the entry name as you would any other work in a collection but do not include the publisher information. Also, if the reference book is organized alphabetically, as most are, do not list the volume or the page number of the article or item.

"Ideology."  The American Heritage Dictionary , 3rd ed., Dell, 1997, p. 369.

("Ideology" 369)

Online Reference book

Isaacson, Joel. "Monet, Claude." Grove Art Online , Oxford Art Online , www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T059077.

  • << Previous: Magazine/Newspaper Articles
  • Next: Government & Legal Documents >>
  • Last Updated: Feb 20, 2024 3:07 PM
  • URL: https://libguides.up.edu/mla

Fresno State Library

Citation Help

  • About Citing and Citation Styles

MLA Style Online Resources

Mla style books.

  • Other Citation Styles
  • Citing Artificial Intelligence Tools
  • Citation Managers

MLA (Modern Language Association) Style is most commonly used for papers in the liberal arts and humanities.

QUICK LINKS:  *Links to Purdue OWL MLA 9th Edition*

MLA General Format

In-text Citations

Footnotes & Endnotes

Works Cited Page

Sample Works Cited Page

Sample Paper

QUICK GUIDE:

Fresno State library MLA Citation Guide (4-page pdf)   *MLA 8th Edition - update pending*

F resno State Library’s MLA Quick Guide is based on the 8th edition. *Only use it if your instructor has specified MLA 8th edition.* The handout is being updated, and you can get the updated information in the print handbook or on the Purdue OWL web site.  TUTORIALS:

MLA Style Essay Format (walks you through the basics of setting up your paper in Word)

Cover Art

  • << Previous: About Citing and Citation Styles
  • Next: APA 7th >>
  • Last Updated: Feb 23, 2024 11:06 AM
  • URL: https://guides.library.fresnostate.edu/citationhelp

ENGL 8005: Intro to the Environmental Humanities

  • Bibliography & Citation Resources
  • Tools for Access

Citation Managers

In order to organize and manage your citations, consider using a Citation Manager like Zotero . More information on Zotero and other citation managers can be found on the Citation Managers Guide . 

MLA & Chicago Style Manuals & Citation Help

MLA and Chicago are both popular citation styles for English language and literature. Below are resources that can help you when you're formatting your bibliography and papers using either MLA or Chicago notes & bibliography style. Some professors (or publishers, if you are writing an article to be published) may prefer a different style, such as Chicago author/date style, so always check before you format and submit your work. Ask a librarian if you have questions about citation styles. 

  • MLA Handbook Plus This link opens in a new window The ninth edition builds on the MLA’s unique approach to documenting sources using a template of core elements that allows writers to cite any type of work, from books, e-books, and journal articles in databases to song lyrics, online images, YouTube videos, dissertations, and more.
  • The Chicago Manual of Style (17th ed) Online Edition Use link in Virgo record to access the online edition of the guide.
  • Purdue OWL: Chicago Formatting & Style Guide A great resource for seeing how to cite different types of sources using Chicago style. (I don't recommend their citation generator, just the information about how to cite different sources)
  • Purdue OWL: MLA Formatting & Style Guide An essential resource from Purdue University with examples and advice for creating in-text citations and bibliographies using MLA style.
  • The MLA Style Center - Using MLA Format The official website on MLA style. This site will show you how to document sources, set up your paper, and improve your writing.
  • Chicago Manual of Style Guidelines: Quickstudy Digital Guide A short guide on rules of Chicago style. See the last section for recommendations and examples on creating citations.

how to mla cite an essay in a book

Sample Citations in MLA Style

Scholarly Article Citation

General Format:  

Author (last name, first name). "Title of Article." Journal Title , volume number (vol. #), issue number (no. #), year, pages (pp. #-#). 

Example:  Shin, John. “Negative Dialectics in Mrs. Dalloway.” English Studies , vol. 102, no. 5, 2021, pp. 552-62.

Essay in an Edited Book

General Format: 

Essay Author (last name, first name). "Title of Essay." Title of Book Collection , edited by Name of Editor(s), Publisher, year, pages (pp. #-#). 

Example: 

Saint-Amour, Paul K. "Mrs. Dalloway: Of Clocks and Clouds." A Companion to Virginia Woolf, edited by Jessica Berman,        Wiley-Blackwell, 2016, pp. 74-94.   

Sample In-Text Citations MLA style

General in-text citation: (Author page number(s))

Example: (Shin 563). 

If I have more than one article by Shin in my Works cited, I would add part of the title (to identify which  work you are referring to): 

Example: (Shin, "Negative Dialectics," 563). 

When citing an essay from a book collection, use the essay author in the citation (not the editor(s) name(s)). 

Citation after quotation:    "Here is my quotation" (cite). 

Example: According to Shin, "Woolf leaves the reader without a resolution to this competitive dialectic between private and public" (554). 

Or paraphrase of information (cite). 

Example: Clarissa's consciousness is filled with a mixture of concerns both public and private (Shin 556). 

Sample Citations in Chicago Style

General note format:  

1. Author name, "Title of Article," Journal Title volume number ,  issue number (year): page(s) referred to. 

1. David S. King, “Mutilation and Dismemberment in the Chanson de Roland, a Question of Faith,”  Romance Notes 45,     no. 3 (2005): 253. 

General bibliography format: 

Author last name, First name. "Article Title." Journal title volume number, issue number (year): full pages of article. 

King, David S. “Mutilation and Dismemberment in the Chanson de Roland, a Question of Faith.”  Romance Notes 45,     no. 3 (2005): 247-263. 

Chapter from a Single-Authored Book

General note format: 

2. Author, "Title of Chapter," in  Title of Book (City of Publication: Publisher, year), page(s) referred to. 

2. Simon Gaunt, “Monologic Masculinity: The Chanson de Geste,” in  Gender and Genre in Medieval French Literature ( Cambridge:  Cambridge University Press,1995), 25. 

Author last name, First name. "ChapterTitle." In Book Title , full chapter pages. City of Publication: Publisher, year. 

Gaunt, Simon. “Monologic Masculinity: The Chanson de Geste.” In  Gender and Genre in Medieval French Literature , 22-70. Cambridge:  Cambridge University Press,1995.  

  • << Previous: Home
  • Next: Tools for Access >>
  • Last Updated: Feb 22, 2024 10:34 AM
  • URL: https://guides.lib.virginia.edu/engl8005
  • 434-924-3021
  • [email protected]
  • Ask a Librarian
  • UVA Alderman Library P.O. Box 400113 160 McCormick Road Charlottesville, VA 22904

About the Library

  • Staff Directory
  • Fellowships

Using the Library

  • Library Use Policies
  • Off-Grounds Access
  • ITS Computing Accounts
  • Accessibility Services
  • Emergency Information
  • UVA Privacy Policy
  • Tracking Opt-out

Other Sites

  • Cavalier Advantage
  • Library Staff Site

how to mla cite an essay in a book

Home / Guides / Citation Guides / MLA Format / How to Cite an E-book in MLA

How to Cite an E-book in MLA

E-book – A written work or composition that has been digitized and is readable through computers or e-readers (Kindles, iPads, NOOK, etc.).

Citing an e-book in MLA is similar to the regular format for citing a book in MLA  with added information about the e-book edition and the name of the e-reader device if applicable.

Citing an E-Book

Note: Some e-books may be available for download through your library.

Note: Since the page numbers of an e-book can vary across e-reader, text preferences, and other factors, you should not include a page number. This is because a consistent page number does not exist. You can include section numbers (sec., secs.) or chapter numbers (ch., chs.) instead, if they exist and you feel it would be helpful.

E-Book Citation Structure

Last, First M. Book Title . E-book ed., Publisher, year of publication. Name of e-reader device.

Screen Shot 2014-03-31 at 5.39.34 PM

E-Book Citation Example

Stoker, Bram. Dracula . E-book ed., Dover Publications, 2000. Kindle.

E-Book In-text Citation Structure

(Author Last Name)

E-Book In-text Citation Example

Creating MLA in-text citations? See this  MLA in-text citation guide .

MLA Formatting Guide

MLA Formatting

  • Annotated Bibliography
  • Bibliography
  • Block Quotes
  • et al Usage
  • In-text Citations
  • Paraphrasing
  • Page Numbers
  • Sample Paper
  • Works Cited
  • MLA 8 Updates
  • MLA 9 Updates
  • View MLA Guide

Citation Examples

  • Book Chapter
  • Journal Article
  • Magazine Article
  • Newspaper Article
  • Website (no author)
  • View all MLA Examples

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

It’s 100% free to create MLA citations. The EasyBib Citation Generator also supports 7,000+ other citation styles. These other styles—including APA, Chicago, and Harvard—are accessible for anyone with an EasyBib Plus subscription.

No matter what citation style you’re using (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.) the EasyBib Citation Generator can help you create the right bibliography quickly.

Yes, there’s an option to download source citations as a Word Doc or a Google Doc. You may also copy citations from the EasyBib Citation Generator and paste them into your paper.

Creating an account is not a requirement for generating MLA citations. However, registering for an EasyBib account is free and an account is how you can save all the citation you create. This can help make it easier to manage your citations and bibliographies.

Yes! Whether you’d like to learn how to construct citations on your own, our Autocite tool isn’t able to gather the metadata you need, or anything in between, manual citations are always an option. Click here for directions on creating manual citations.

If any important information is missing (e.g., author’s name, title, publishing date, URL, etc.), first see if you can find it in the source yourself. If you cannot, leave the information blank and continue creating your citation.

It supports MLA, APA, Chicago, Harvard, and over 7,000 total citation styles.

In general, a book (either authored or edited) is a printed version and may contain multiple editions. An e-book, on the other hand, is published online in multiple formats, e.g., epub, Kindle, and Nook.

For citing books in MLA format, the author names, the editor names (if it is an edited book), publisher name (city of publication is not required), edition, and published year details are needed.

For e-books, you should mention that you are referencing the e-book edition in the reference list entry.

Samples of in-text citations and works-cited-list entries for a book and an e-book are shown below.

In-text citations and work-cited-listed entries for a book

In-text citation template and example:

Author Surname (Page)

Roberts…(743)

Parenthetical:

(Author Surname Page)

(Roberts 743)

Works cited entry template and example:

Surname, First Name. Title of the Book . Publisher, Publication Date.

Roberts, Douglas A. Handbook of Research on Science Education . Routledge, 2013.

In-text citations and work-cited-list entries for an e-book

Author Surname

Lavonen et al.

(Author Surname)

(Lavonen et al.)

Note that page numbers are not included unless the pagination is the same as the print version of the book.

Works cited entry template and examples:

Surname, First M. Title of the Book . E-book or E-reader ed., Publisher, Publication Date.

Lavonen, Jari, et al. Learning Science: The Value of Crafting Engagement in Science Environments . E-book ed., Yale UP, 2020.

Note that if the e-book is published on a website, after the publication date, the name of the website is included in italics (if applicable), followed by the stable URL or DOI. For example:

Rotenberg, Robert.  Landscape and Power in Vienna . Johns Hopkins UP, 1995.  ACLS Humanities Ebook , hdl.handle.net/2027/heb.32489.

To cite an e-book, you will need to have basic information including the book’s author or editor, publication year, title, and publisher. The templates for in-text citations and works cited list entries of an e-book along with examples are given below.

In-text citation template and example

In parenthetical citations of an e-book, use the author’s surname without a page number.

(Author’s Last Name)

Works cited list template and example

Author’s Surname, First Name. Title of the Book . E-Book ed., Publisher, publication date. Name of e-reader device.

Baldwin, James. No Name in the Street . E-Book ed., Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2007. Kindle.

Use “E-Book ed.” after the title of the book. The name of the e-reader device can be included at the end of the citation as supplemental information.

MLA Citation Examples

Writing Tools

Citation Generators

Other Citation Styles

Plagiarism Checker

Upload a paper to check for plagiarism against billions of sources and get advanced writing suggestions for clarity and style.

Get Started

movie title in an essay APA

How to Write a Movie Title in an Essay APA?

how to mla cite an essay in a book

Ever struggled with adding a movie title to your APA style essay? No worries – it's simpler than you think! The American Psychological Association has a straightforward approach, and we're here to break it down for you. 

In this guide, our APA paper writing service will not only walk you through the process but also ensure that your references are presented uniformly across various papers and disciplines. By following APA guidelines, you not only adhere to academic standards but also facilitate clear communication in your writing. So, let's dive into the basics and make your APA formatting a breeze.

how to mla cite an essay in a book

How to Write Movie Titles in APA: Consider the Following

When it comes to incorporating a film name into your APA style essay, precision is the name of the game. Here are some helpful steps for the process:

  • Italicization : You may have been wondering whether or not should movie titles be italicized in APA. The answer is - always. This rule applies whether you are mentioning the heading in the text or including it in your references page. Example : In the film The Shawshank Redemption,...
  • Capitalization: Capitalize all major terms in the heading, but avoid capitalizing articles (a, an, the), conjunctions (and, but), and prepositions (in, on, under). Example: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
  • Punctuation: Place commas and periods inside the quotation marks. For example, I thoroughly enjoyed watching Casablanca, a timeless classic.
  • Reference Page Entry: When listing the movie on your references page, follow this format: Last Name, First Initial. (Director), Title [italicized], Production Company. Example : Spielberg, S. (Director), Jurassic Park [italicized], Universal Pictures.
  • In-Text Citations: For in-text citations include the last name of the director and the year of release in parentheses. Example: ( Spielberg, 1993)
  • Multiple Directors: If a film has multiple directors, list them with an ampersand (&) between their names. Example: ( Coen & Coen, 1998)
  • No Author: If there's no individual author or director, use the production company as the author in your reference. Example : Pixar. (2003). Finding Nemo [italicized].

How to Write Movie Titles in APA

Writing Movie Titles in APA-Style Essays in Upper Case 

When it comes to writing a movie title in essays, choosing the right style is crucial, and uppercase is a common choice that brings a touch of formality to your writing. APA style, a prevalent choice in scholarly articles and academia, particularly in the behavioral and social sciences, provides specific guidelines for this.

  • Capitalize Major Words: Nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns—all fall under the category of major words and should be capitalized. Additionally, any term of four letters or longer should be capital letters.
  • Minor Words in Lowercase: Conjunctions and prepositions of three letters or shorter, as well as articles, are in lowercase.
  • Proper Names: Always capitalize proper names, regardless of their length.
  • First Word in Title and Subtitle: Capitalize the first word in both the heading and subheading, even if it is an article like 'A' or 'The.'
  • After Colon and Em Dash: The first term after a colon or em dash is capitalized.
  • Words with Hyphens: If a major word is hyphenated, both parts are capitalized.
  • Movie Titles in Quotes or Italics APA : When referencing a heading in the body of your paper, use either quotation marks or italics.

Final Thoughts

Formatting movie headings is a small but important part of your essay. Whether you go with APA style or any other, just be consistent. Keep it simple; keep it steady. Consistency is your best friend here. So, whether it's italics or capital letters, stick with it throughout. It's the little things that add that pro touch to your essay.

So, as you wrap up your writing, think of it as rolling the credits on your cinematic masterpiece. The consistency in formatting, like a great ending scene, leaves a lasting impression. It's these little things that turn your paper into a pro-level production!

Frequently asked questions

She was flawless! first time using a website like this, I've ordered article review and i totally adored it! grammar punctuation, content - everything was on point

This writer is my go to, because whenever I need someone who I can trust my task to - I hire Joy. She wrote almost every paper for me for the last 2 years

Term paper done up to a highest standard, no revisions, perfect communication. 10s across the board!!!!!!!

I send him instructions and that's it. my paper was done 10 hours later, no stupid questions, he nailed it.

Sometimes I wonder if Michael is secretly a professor because he literally knows everything. HE DID SO WELL THAT MY PROF SHOWED MY PAPER AS AN EXAMPLE. unbelievable, many thanks

You Might Also Like

How to Write an Essay in APA Format

New Posts to Your Inbox!

Stay in touch

Generate accurate MLA citations for free

  • Knowledge Base
  • How to cite a PDF in MLA

How to Cite a PDF in MLA | Format & Examples

Published on January 14, 2021 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on June 16, 2022.

MLA doesn’t treat PDFs as their own source type. When you want to cite a PDF, you should determine what type of source it contains (e.g. a book or journal article) and cite it in the appropriate format.

If you feel it’s relevant, you may mention in your reference that the source was accessed as a PDF by adding “PDF file.” Note that you can write “PDF download” instead if you link to a page where the PDF can be downloaded (rather than directly to the PDF).

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

upload-your-document-ai-proofreader

Table of contents

Citing a book in pdf form, citing a journal article, citing a newspaper or magazine article, citing a report, frequently asked questions about mla citations.

Extracts from books (or sometimes entire books) are commonly encountered as PDFs online. You can recognize them by the inclusion of a copyright page or title page.

To cite an online book like this, list the usual information for a book, followed by the name of the site where it was found and a URL or DOI .

Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services

Discover proofreading & editing

Journal articles usually indicate the volume, issue, and name of the journal. It’s best to include a  DOI to provide a stable link to the article, but if no DOI is available, you can include the URL of the PDF instead.

A PDF scan of a print newspaper or magazine article will usually include the page numbers, which you can use in your citation, optionally including a link and specifying the PDF format if you think it’s relevant.

Reports are issued by organizations and governments. They sometimes have a report number and are often attributed to the organization rather than an individual author. If the organizational author is the same as the publisher, only include it once.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

If a source has no author, start the MLA Works Cited entry with the source title . Use a shortened version of the title in your MLA in-text citation .

If a source has no page numbers, you can use an alternative locator (e.g. a chapter number, or a timestamp for a video or audio source) to identify the relevant passage in your in-text citation. If the source has no numbered divisions, cite only the author’s name (or the title).

If you already named the author or title in your sentence, and there is no locator available, you don’t need a parenthetical citation:

  • Rajaram  argues that representations of migration are shaped by “cultural, political, and ideological interests.”
  • The homepage of The Correspondent describes it as “a movement for radically different news.”

In MLA style citations , format a DOI as a link, including “https://doi.org/” at the start and then the unique numerical code of the article.

DOIs are used mainly when citing journal articles in MLA .

The fastest and most accurate way to create MLA citations is by using Scribbr’s MLA Citation Generator .

Search by book title, page URL, or journal DOI to automatically generate flawless citations, or cite manually using the simple citation forms.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2022, June 16). How to Cite a PDF in MLA | Format & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved February 22, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/mla/pdf-citation/

Is this article helpful?

Jack Caulfield

Jack Caulfield

Other students also liked, how to cite a newspaper article in mla, how to cite a journal article in mla style, how to cite a book in mla, what is your plagiarism score.

How do I cite one person’s testimony in a congressional hearing?

Your source for congressional testimony may be a transcript, audio recording, or video recording of all or part of a hearing. Style each source using the MLA format template . Note that, depending on your source, the person whose testimony you are citing may or may not be listed in the Author element of your entry.

Hearing Transcript Miriam Nisbet, director of the Office of Government Information Services, testified to a “strong interest in updating regulations” to use “plainer” language (United States, Senate 11). Work Cited United States, Senate, Committee on the Judiciary. We the People: Fulfilling the Promise of Open Government Five Years after the Open Government Act . U.S. Government Printing Office, 2013, www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/CHRG-113shrg90863.pdf. 113th Congress, 1st session, 90-863 PDF.
Transcript of One Person’s Testimony The general counsel for the Associated Press testified in favor of the proposed portal for FOIA requests (Kaiser 7).  Work Cited Kaiser, Karen. Testimony of Karen Kaiser, General Counsel, the Associated Press, on behalf of the Sunshine in Government Initiative before the Committee on the Judiciary United States Senate on “Ensuring an Informed Citizenry: Examining the Administration’s Efforts to Improve Open Government.” 6 May 2015, www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/05-06-15%20Kaiser%20Testimony.pdf.
Video Excerpt Jeanne H. Schmedlen’s testimony about federal partnerships with state humanities councils highlighted the activities of Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Speakers Bureau (“NEA Hearing” 02:30–03:45). Work Cited “NEA Hearing: Jeanne H. Schmedlen.” YouTube , uploaded by Committee on Education and the Workforce Democrats, 9 May 2008, www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBV_NuQMfgM.

For further guidance on citing government sources, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook .

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

MLA Works Cited: Other Common Sources

OWL logo

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. This resource, updated to reflect the MLA Handbook (8 th ed.), offers examples for the general format of MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the Works Cited page.

Several sources have multiple means for citation, especially those that appear in varied formats: films, DVDs, television shows, music, published and unpublished interviews, interviews over e-mail, published and unpublished conference proceedings. The following section discusses these sorts of citations as well as others not covered in the print, periodical, and electronic sources sections.

Use the following format for all sources:

Author. Title. Title of container (self contained if book), Other contributors (translators or editors), Version (edition), Number (vol. and/or no.), Publisher, Publication Date, Location (pages, paragraphs URL or DOI). 2 nd container’s title, Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, Location, Date of Access (if applicable).

An Interview

Interviews typically fall into two categories: print or broadcast published and unpublished (personal) interviews, although interviews may also appear in other, similar formats such as in e-mail format or as a Web document.

Personal Interviews

Personal interviews refer to those interviews that you conduct yourself. List the interview by the name of the interviewee. Include the descriptor Personal interview and the date of the interview.

Smith, Jane. Personal interview. 19 May 2014.

Published Interviews (Print or Broadcast)

List the interview by the full name of the interviewee. If the name of the interview is part of a larger work like a book, a television program, or a film series, place the title of the interview in quotation marks and place the title of the larger work in italics. If the interview appears as an independent title, italicize it. For books, include the author or editor name after the book title.

Note: If the interview from which you quote does not feature a title, add the descriptor, Interview by (unformatted) after the interviewee’s name and before the interviewer’s name.

Gaitskill, Mary. Interview with Charles Bock. Mississippi Review , vol. 27, no. 3, 1999, pp. 129-50.

Amis, Kingsley. “Mimic and Moralist.” Interviews with Britain’s Angry Young Men , By Dale Salwak, Borgo P, 1984.

Online-only Published Interviews

List the interview by the name of the interviewee. If the interview has a title, place it in quotation marks. Cite the remainder of the entry as you would other exclusive web content. Place the name of the website in italics, give the publisher name (or sponsor), the publication date, and the URL.

Note: If the interview from which you quote does not feature a title, add the descriptor Interview by (unformatted) after the interviewee’s name and before the interviewer’s name.

Zinkievich, Craig. Interview by Gareth Von Kallenbach. Skewed & Reviewed , 27 Apr. 2009, www.arcgames.com/en/games/star-trek-online/news/detail/1056940-skewed-%2526-reviewed-interviews-craig. Accessed 15 May 2009.

Speeches, Lectures, or Other Oral Presentations (including Conference Presentations)

Start with speaker’s name. Then, give the title of the speech (if any) in quotation marks. Follow with the title of the particular conference or meeting and then the name of the organization. Name the venue and its city (if the name of the city is not listed in the venue’s name). Use the descriptor that appropriately expresses the type of presentation (e.g., Address, Lecture, Reading, Keynote Speech, Guest Lecture, Conference Presentation).

Stein, Bob. “Reading and Writing in the Digital Era.” Discovering Digital Dimensions, Computers and Writing Conference, 23 May 2003, Union Club Hotel, West Lafayette, IN. Keynote Address.

Panel Discussions and Question-and-Answer Sessions

The MLA Handbook makes a distinction between the formal, rehearsed portion of a presentation and the informal discussion that often occurs after. To format an entry for a panel discussion or question-and-answer session, treat the panel members or speakers as authors by listing them first. If these people are formally listed as panelists, indicate this by following their names with a comma and the title "panelist(s)." Follow with the title of the discussion, or, if there is no title, a simple description. In the latter case, don't capitalize the description. Follow this with the title of the conference or event. End with the date and the location.

Bavis, Jim and Stein, Tammi, panelists. Panel discussion. Dawn or Doom Conference, 4 Nov. 2018, Stewart Hall, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.

Treat recorded discussions as instances of the appropriate medium (e.g., if you want to cite a recording of a panel discussion hosted on YouTube, cite it the same way you would cite an ordinary online video ).

Published Conference Proceedings

Cite published conference proceedings like a book. If the date and location of the conference are not part of the published title, add this information after the published proceedings title.

Last Name, First Name, editor. Conference Title , Conference Date and Location, Publisher, Date of Publication.

To cite a presentation from published conference proceedings, begin with the presenter’s name. Place the name of the presentation in quotation marks. Follow with publication information for the conference proceedings.

Last Name, First Name. “Conference Paper Title.” Conference Title that Includes Conference Date and Location , edited by Conference Editor(s), Publisher, Date of Publication.

A Painting, Sculpture, or Photograph

Provide the artist's name, the title of the artwork in italics, and the date of composition. Finally, provide the name of the institution that houses the artwork followed by the location of the institution (if the location is not listed in the name of the institution, e.g. The Art Institute of Chicago).

Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV . 1800, Museo del Prado, Madrid.

If the medium and/or materials (e.g., oil on canvas) are important to the reference, you can include this information at the end of the entry. However, it is not required.

For photographic reproductions of artwork (e.g. images of artwork in a book), treat the book or website as a container. Remember that for a second container, the title is listed first, before the contributors. Cite the bibliographic information as above followed by the information for the source in which the photograph appears, including page or reference numbers (plate, figure, etc.).

Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV . 1800, Museo del Prado, Madrid. Gardener's Art Through the Ages , 10 th ed., by Richard G. Tansey and Fred S. Kleiner, Harcourt Brace, p. 939.

If you viewed the artwork on the museum's website, treat the name of the website as the container and include the website's publisher and the URL at the end of the citation. Omit publisher information if it is the same as the name of the website. Note the period after the date below, rather than the comma: this is because the date refers to the painting's original creation, rather than to its publication on the website. Thus, MLA format considers it an "optional element."

Goya, Francisco.  The Family of Charles IV . 1800 . Museo del Prado,  museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-family-of-carlos-iv/f47898fc-aa1c-48f6-a779-71759e417e74.

A Song or Album

Music can be cited multiple ways. Mainly, this depends on the container that you accessed the music from. Generally, citations begin with the artist name. They might also be listed by composers or performers. Otherwise, list composer and performer information after the album title. Put individual song titles in quotation marks. Album names are italicized. Provide the name of the recording manufacturer followed by the publication date.

If information such as record label or name of album is unavailable from your source, do not list that information.

Morris, Rae. “Skin.” Cold, Atlantic Records, 2014. Spotify , open.spotify.com/track/0OPES3Tw5r86O6fudK8gxi.

Online Album

Beyoncé. “Pray You Catch Me.” Lemonade, Parkwood Entertainment, 2016, www.beyonce.com/album/lemonade-visual-album/.

Nirvana. "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Nevermind , Geffen, 1991.

Films or Movies

List films by their title. Include the name of the director, the film studio or distributor, and the release year. If relevant, list performer names after the director's name.

Speed Racer . Directed by Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski, performances by Emile Hirsch, Nicholas Elia, Susan Sarandon, Ariel Winter, and John Goodman, Warner Brothers, 2008.

To emphasize specific performers or directors, begin the citation with the name of the desired performer or director, followed by the appropriate title for that person.

Lucas, George, director. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope . Twentieth Century Fox, 1977.

Television Shows

Recorded Television Episodes

Cite recorded television episodes like films (see above). Begin with the episode name in quotation marks. Follow with the series name in italics. When the title of the collection of recordings is different than the original series (e.g., the show Friends is in DVD release under the title Friends: The Complete Sixth Season), list the title that would help researchers to locate the recording. Give the distributor name followed by the date of distribution.

"The One Where Chandler Can't Cry." Friends: The Complete Sixth Season , written by Andrew Reich and Ted Cohen, directed by Kevin Bright, Warner Brothers, 2004.

Broadcast TV or Radio Program

Begin with the title of the episode in quotation marks. Provide the name of the series or program in italics. Also include the network name, call letters of the station followed by the date of broadcast and city.

"The Blessing Way." The X-Files . Fox, WXIA, Atlanta, 19 Jul. 1998.

Netflix, Hulu, Google Play

Generally, when citing a specific episode, follow the format below.

“94 Meetings.” Parks and Recreation, season 2, episode 21, NBC, 29 Apr. 2010. Netflix, www.netflix.com/watch/70152031.

An Entire TV Series

When citing the entire series of a TV show, use the following format.

Daniels, Greg and Michael Schur, creators. Parks and Recreation . Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2015.

A Specific Performance or Aspect of a TV Show

If you want to emphasize a particular aspect of the show, include that particular information. For instance, if you are writing about a specific character during a certain episode, include the performer’s name as well as the creator’s.

“94 Meetings.” Parks and Recreation, created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, performance by Amy Poehler, season 2, episode 21, Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2010.

If you wish to emphasize a particular character throughout the show’s run time, follow this format.

Poehler, Amy, performer. Parks and Recreation. Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2009-2015.

Begin with the title of the episode in quotation marks. Provide the name of the series in italics. Then follow with MLA format per usual.

“Best of Not My Job Musicians.” Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! from NPR, 4 June 2016, www.npr.org/podcasts/344098539/wait-wait-don-t-tell-me.

Spoken-Word Albums such as Comedy Albums

Treat spoken-word albums the same as musical albums.

Hedberg, Mitch. Strategic Grill Locations . Comedy Central, 2003.

Digital Files (PDFs, MP3s, JPEGs)

Determine the type of work to cite (e.g., article, image, sound recording) and cite appropriately. End the entry with the name of the digital format (e.g., PDF, JPEG file, Microsoft Word file, MP3). If the work does not follow traditional parameters for citation, give the author’s name, the name of the work, the date of creation, and the location.

Beethoven, Ludwig van. Moonlight Sonata . Crownstar, 2006.

Smith, George. “Pax Americana: Strife in a Time of Peace.” 2005. Microsoft Word file.

Council of Writing Program Administrators, National Council of Teachers of English, and National Writing Project. Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing . CWPA, NCTE, and NWP, 2011, wpacouncil.org/files/framework-for-success-postsecondary-writing.pdf.

Bentley, Phyllis. “Yorkshire and the Novelist.” The Kenyon Review , vol. 30, no. 4, 1968, pp. 509-22. JSTOR , www.jstor.org.iii/stable/4334841.

IMAGES

  1. 3 Ways to Cite a Book in MLA Style

    how to mla cite an essay in a book

  2. How to Cite an Author in MLA Format: 5 Steps (with Pictures)

    how to mla cite an essay in a book

  3. Easy Ways to Cite Multiple Authors in MLA: 6 Steps (with Pictures)

    how to mla cite an essay in a book

  4. 022 How To Cite An Essay In Book Mla Example ~ Thatsnotus

    how to mla cite an essay in a book

  5. 3 Ways to Cite a Book in MLA Style

    how to mla cite an essay in a book

  6. Citing an Anthology in MLA Works Cited Pages

    how to mla cite an essay in a book

VIDEO

  1. Creating a Works Cited

  2. How to Cite Podcast Episodes MLA Works Cited

  3. How to Cite MLA Style

  4. Narrative Works Cited

  5. Works Cited

  6. What info do I need to make an MLA Works Cited entry?

COMMENTS

  1. MLA Works Cited Page: Books

    The basic form for a book citation is: Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. City of Publication, Publisher, Publication Date. * Note: the City of Publication should only be used if the book was published before 1900, if the publisher has offices in more than one country, or if the publisher is unknown in North America. Book with One Author

  2. How to Cite an Essay in MLA

    The guidelines for citing an essay in MLA format are similar to those for citing a chapter in a book. Include the author of the essay, the title of the essay, the name of the collection if the essay belongs to one, the editor of the collection or other contributors, the publication information, and the page number (s). Citing an Essay

  3. How to Cite a Book in MLA

    How to Cite a Book in MLA | Format & Examples Published on June 28, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on January 17, 2024. An MLA book citation always includes the author (s), title (italicized), publisher, and publication year in the Works Cited entry.

  4. Student's Guide to MLA Style (2021)

    Knowledge Base MLA Style Student's Guide to MLA Style (2021) | Citation & Format MLA style citations are commonly used by students and academics in the humanities. This guide follows the 9th edition (the most recent) of the MLA Handbook, published by the Modern Language Association in 2021. To cite sources in MLA style, you need

  5. MLA Formatting and Style Guide

    Purdue OWL Research and Citation MLA Style MLA Formatting and Style Guide MLA Formatting and Style Guide MLA Formatting and Style Guide The following overview should help you better understand how to cite sources using MLA 9 th edition, including how to format the Works Cited page and in-text citations.

  6. How to Cite a Book

    To cite a book, you need a brief in-text citation and a corresponding reference listing the author's name, the title, the year of publication, and the publisher. The order and format of information depends on the citation style you're using. The most common styles are APA, MLA, and Chicago style.

  7. How to Cite a Book in MLA

    In MLA, a basic book citation includes the following information: Author's name Title of book Publisher of the book Year published Additional information is needed when citing: Books on websites or books in databases Name of website or database URL E-books Name of e-book device Translated or edited books Name of the translator or editor Chapters

  8. How to Cite a Book

    To create a basic works-cited-list entry for a book, list the author, the title, the publisher, and the publication date. You may need to include other elements depending on the type of book you are citing (e.g., an edited book, a translation) and how it is published (e.g., in print, as an e-book, online).

  9. MLA Style (9th Edition) Citation Guide: Books & Ebooks

    If you are citing a chapter from a book that has an editor, the author of the chapter is listed first, and is the name listed in the in-text citation. Titles Capitalize the first letter of every important word in the title. You do not need to capitalize words such as: in, of, or an.

  10. How to Cite a Book in MLA Format, with Examples

    When citing a book in MLA format, include the author's name, the title of the book, the publisher's name, publication date, and sometimes the place of publication. The way you cite a book using MLA format can vary depending on the type of work you're citing. For example, an e-book citation requires additional elements, like the source URL.

  11. How do I cite an authored work contained in another ...

    To cite an essay with an author in a textbook with authors rather than editors, follow the MLA format template and list the authors of the textbook in the "Other contributors" slot:. Graff, Gerald. "Disliking Books." From Inquiry to Academic Writing: A Practical Guide, by Stuart Greene and April Lidinsky, 2nd ed., Bedford / St. Martin's, 2012, pp. 22-26.

  12. MLA

    Fresno State Library's MLA Quick Guide is based on the 8th edition. *Only use it if your instructor has specified MLA 8th edition.* The handout is being updated, and you can get the updated information in the print handbook or on the Purdue OWL web site. TUTORIALS: MLA Style Essay Format (walks you through the basics of setting up your paper ...

  13. How to Cite a Book Chapter in MLA

    If the author of the book wrote all of the chapters, you do not need to cite the chapters separately even if the chapters have names, and can instead use the standard format for citing a book in MLA. You should, however, include page numbers. How to Cite a Chapter in a Paper You can use information from your research in three ways:

  14. MLA: Citing Within Your Paper

    How do I format an MLA In-Text Citation? An in-text citation can be included in one of two ways as shown below: 1. Put all the citation information at the end of the sentence: 2. Include author name as part of the sentence (if author name unavailable, include title of work): Each source cited in-text must also be listed on your Works Cited page.

  15. MLA In-text Citations

    Revised on May 19, 2022. An MLA in-text citation provides the author's last name and a page number in parentheses. If a source has two authors, name both. If a source has more than two authors, name only the first author, followed by " et al. ". If the part you're citing spans multiple pages, include the full page range.

  16. Bibliography & Citation Resources

    When citing an essay from a book collection, use the essay author in the citation (not the editor(s) name(s)). Citation after quotation: "Here is my quotation" (cite). Example: According to Shin, "Woolf leaves the reader without a resolution to this competitive dialectic between private and public" (554). Or paraphrase of information (cite).

  17. PDF MLA 8th ed. Sample Paper

    MLA. style is in-text citation. In this style, you place the author's last name and the page number where the information came from in parentheses. This is the example sentence (Rogers 16). If you have already provided the author's name in the sentence you are citing, you may leave their name out of the in-text citation and simply include

  18. MLA Format

    MLA format for academic papers and essays MLA Format | Complete Guidelines & Free Template Published on December 11, 2019 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on January 17, 2024 by Jack Caulfield. The MLA Handbook provides guidelines for creating MLA citations and formatting academic papers.

  19. How do I cite an e-book in MLA style?

    Use the Version element to specify that the work you are citing is an e-book—that is, a book that lacks a URL and that you use software to read on a personal device or computer. MLA Handbook. 9th ed., e-book ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2021. E-books may have been published in different file formats (e.g., EPUB or, for some ...

  20. How to Cite an eBook in MLA

    E-book - A written work or composition that has been digitized and is readable through computers or e-readers (Kindles, iPads, NOOK, etc.).. Citing an e-book in MLA is similar to the regular format for citing a book in MLA with added information about the e-book edition and the name of the e-reader device if applicable.. Citing an E-Book. Note: Some e-books may be available for download ...

  21. MLA Works Cited: Electronic Sources (Web Publications)

    Best Practices for Managing Online Sources Because online information can change or disappear, it is always a good idea to keep personal copies of important electronic information whenever possible. Downloading or even printing key documents ensures you have a stable backup.

  22. How to Write a Movie Title in an Essay APA?

    Formatting movie headings is a small but important part of your essay. Whether you go with APA style or any other, just be consistent. Keep it simple; keep it steady. Consistency is your best friend here. So, whether it's italics or capital letters, stick with it throughout. It's the little things that add that pro touch to your essay.

  23. How to Cite a PDF in MLA

    If a source has no author, start the MLA Works Cited entry with the source title.Use a shortened version of the title in your MLA in-text citation.. If a source has no page numbers, you can use an alternative locator (e.g. a chapter number, or a timestamp for a video or audio source) to identify the relevant passage in your in-text citation. If the source has no numbered divisions, cite only ...

  24. How do I cite one person's testimony in a congressional hearing?

    Your source for congressional testimony may be a transcript, audio recording, or video recording of all or part of a hearing. Style each source using the MLA format template.Note that, depending on your source, the person whose testimony you are citing may or may not be listed in the Author element of your entry.

  25. Government Surveillance Depicted in 1984 by George Orwell

    (Check your in-text citations against your Works Cited and make sure that every text you cite in your paper also appears in your Works Cited.) Complete the first draft of your paper following MLA format. Make sure to include citations for all paraphrases, summaries, complete quotes, and embedded quotes. This is on the book "1984" by George Orwell

  26. MLA Works Cited: Other Common Sources

    If the name of the interview is part of a larger work like a book, a television program, or a film series, place the title of the interview in quotation marks and place the title of the larger work in italics. If the interview appears as an independent title, italicize it. For books, include the author or editor name after the book title.