Is it acceptable to use superscript for the letters following a numeral when I am listing numbered editions?

When listing numbered editions (e.g., 2nd, 3rd, 4th), most publishers, including the MLA, do not set the letters after the numeral superscript, but an instructor… Read More

Is it acceptable to use the abbreviation cf. in MLA style?

In MLA style, cf. may be used in parenthetical citations, but writers should take care not to use the abbreviation, meaning “compare” (from the Latin “confer”),… Read More

I’m citing an online article that lacks page numbers. The database containing it provides the page range for the original print version. Do I include the page numbers in my entry?

Yes. Databases house digital copies of works and supply the publication information for the version of those works that have been digitized, usually in PDF… Read More

How do I cite the keynote from a Twitter conference?

Since a Twitter conference keynote will likely span several tweets, cite it the way you would cite a Twitter thread. Follow the MLA format… Read More

If I am including a publication listed by a title written in nonroman characters in my works-cited list, should I provide in my parenthetical citations the title in the original script or the transliterated title?

Use whichever method will be most useful to your reader. If you are citing a report, for example, and there is only one report listed… Read More

How should mathematical theories be cited in my prose and in my works-cited list?

It depends on whether the theory can be considered common knowledge. When you discuss a complex mathematical theory, you should cite a source that explains… Read More

Should I credit the reviewers of an online article?

It is not necessary to credit the reviewers of an online article, since they may not have contributed any content, but if you wish to… Read More

When citing a work on a website, should I use the original publication date or the last-updated date?

As the MLA Handbook notes, “When a source carries more than one date, cite the date that is most meaningful or most relevant to your use of… Read More

How do I cite an essay from a database that was first published in a journal and later anthologized?

Cite the version of the essay that is contained in the database because that is the version you are using. Let’s say, for example, you… Read More

When citing an article with no DOI that appears in a database, should I provide the URL specific to my institution?

Provide the information that is most useful for your reader. If your readers are composed exclusively of people at your institution, use the institution-specific link;… Read More