Three Guides on the Path to Publication: Style Manuals, In-House Guides, and Style Sheets

Learn about the differences between a style manual, an in-house guide, and a style sheet Read More

How do I cite the epilogue of a Shakespeare play in my prose?

You should follow the edition you are using when you construct your citations. Some editions make the epilogue part of the last act of the… Read More

How are notes numbered and placed in the MLA’s books?

In edited collections of essays, the MLA places notes at the end of each essay and restarts note numbering at 1. We follow the same… Read More

“Scary” Punctuation: The Origins, Use, and Abuse of Scare Quotes

An MLA editor explains the origins of scare quotes Read More

On Integrating Critical Works: Adam Wilson’s “Good Bad Bad Good: What Was the Golden Age of TV?”

Integrating critical works into a paper is challenging. Read More

If a tweet contains an emoji, should I include the emoji when I use the text of the tweet as a title?

Emojis do not need to be included in the titles of tweets. If the emoji is important to the meaning of the tweet, you should… Read More

If a podcast episode is hosted by a guest host, how do I include the regular host’s name in my work-cited-list entry?

You should not include the regular host’s name in the work-cited-list entry. Include the guest host’s name in the “Author” slot of the entry, since… Read More

How do I indicate that I prepared the figures included in my paper?

Unless otherwise indicated, the reader should assume that you are the author of the figures in your paper. Provide a label (e.g., “Fig. 1”) and… Read More

Versus or Against?

Writers often misuse the term versus Read More

In a block quotation, can I reverse the order of two sentences if I separate them with an ellipsis?

No. Sentences in a block quotation cannot be reversed because, as the MLA Handbook notes, “[a] quotation should never be presented in a way that could cause… Read More