Citations by Format

Entries in the works-cited list are created using the MLA template of core elements—facts common to most sources, like author, title, and publication date. To… Read More

Serial Commas and Serial Semicolons

by Erika Suffern

Perhaps no mark of punctuation ruffles feathers more than the serial comma Read More

How do I cite the review of a performance?

When you cite a review of a performance, provide the details for the review, not the performance. As always, follow the MLA format template. List… Read More

Is it OK to use characters’ nicknames when discussing a work in MLA style, and if so, how should I style them?

If a character is predominantly referred to by a nickname in a work, then you may use that nickname in your paper. For example, in… Read More

Is it permissible to include in a works-cited-list entry a permalink I created for a source?

Yes. The MLA Handbook notes that writers should aim to “provide their audiences with useful information about their sources” (3). If you have created a permalink for a web… Read More

When Not to Include

by Michael Kandel

On the use of include to mean are . . . Read More

Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty

Adapted from the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook. Read an adapted version of the guidelines in Spanish. Occasionally an author or public speaker is… Read More

In-Text Citations: An Overview

by Modern Language Association

In-text citations are references that direct readers to the entries for your sources Read More

How does citing a stand-alone PDF differ from citing a PDF I download from a website?

How you access an online work will affect how you document it. For example, if you access a PDF from a website, you need to… Read More

How do I cite a clip of a film on a website?

Whenever you cite a republished excerpt, you should document the work in which the excerpt appears, not the original source. Thus, to cite a scene… Read More