How do I cite search results as evidence?

Search results are not a work, so no works-cited-list entry is needed. If you are referring to the results as evidence, you can simply name… Read More

Do I always need to indicate in my works-cited-list entry that a work I am citing was streamed through an app?

No. If the app is the work, as in the following examples, you do not need to indicate in your works-cited-list entry that you are citing… Read More

I have had an essay accepted for publication. In my works-cited list, if there are two or more works by the same author, after the first entry should I use three hyphens or a 3-em dash in place of the author’s name?

Publishers usually have preparation guidelines, so you should ask your publisher what is preferred. The MLA accepts manuscripts with either hyphens or 3-em dashes. If… Read More

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

Unless otherwise indicated, the reader should assume that you are the author of the tables in your paper. Provide the source of a table’s data… Read More

Should I italicize titles not written in the Latin alphabet?

No. Note that there are many languages in the world that do not have an italic font—Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Armenian, for example. Arabic sometimes uses a… Read More

Making the Transition from High School to College Essay Writing

Unlike my high school essays, my college papers consist largely of my own ideas and analysis . . . Read More

If the author, publisher, and name of a website are all the same, do I need to list the author or publisher?

As the MLA Handbook explains, in some cases, you may omit the name of a publisher from your works-cited-list entry—for example, if you are citing… Read More

How do I style geographic terms such as north and south in MLA style?

MLA style follows The Chicago Manual of Style (8.47) for geographic terms. For example, we capitalize north, south, east, and west when the terms refer to regions or cultures:… Read More

When is a comma used before et al. in MLA style?

In MLA style, a comma is generally only used before et al. in the “Author” slot of works-cited-list entries when the author’s first and last… Read More

How do I punctuate parenthetical citations that include an author’s name and “introduction”?

Separate the items with a comma: You Must Change Your Life is “a portrait of two artists fumbling through the desultory streets of… Read More