Why are internal capital letters retained in titles of websites in MLA style?
When special typography is strongly associated with a brand, we retain it (e.g., SoundCloud, YouTube). The Chicago Manual of Style supports this practice, advising, “[N]ames that… Read More
On Crafting Topic Sentences: “The Age of ‘The Age of Innocence,’” by Elif Batuman
When composing an essay, make sure that your topic sentences point your work in the right direction Read More
Are medical terms such as Staphylococcus aureus and their acronyms italicized only at first instance?
Medical terms such as Staphylococcus aureus are italicized at each instance, but acronyms for these terms (in this case, MRSA), are always set in roman… Read More
Should a project labeled “thesis” that is submitted for a doctoral degree in the United Kingdom be referred to as a PhD thesis or a PhD dissertation in my works-cited list?
In the United States, the written project submitted by a candidate for a doctoral degree is called a dissertation. In the United Kingdom, it is… Read More
Should I reproduce emojis in my essay?
In general it is not necessary to reproduce emojis. However, if an emoji is important to a point you are making in your essay, you… Read More
How should the term Black Lives Matter be styled?
We follow our colleagues at The Chicago Manual of Style and capitalize the term Black Lives Matter. No italics or quotation marks are necessary. Read More
How do I cite a press release?
How you cite a press release depends on its format and where you found it. As always, follow the MLA format template. If you… Read More
What date should I give in the header of my paper—the date I started the paper, the date I finished it, or the due date?
Follow your teacher’s instructions, but if you do not receive guidance, list the date you finished writing the paper. Read More
How do I cite an article in an electronic textbook?
If you are citing an article from an electronic version of a textbook that does not have page numbers, do not provide page numbers in… Read More
If I am analyzing the lyrics of a song performed by a cover band, how do I credit the lyricist-composer?
List the lyricist-composer in the “Other contributors” element in your works-cited-list entry: Peter, Paul, and Mary. “Blowin’ in the Wind.” Music and lyrics… Read More