How do I create an in-text citation for a note or marginalia by an editor or translator in a work listed under the author’s name?

If you are citing an editor’s or translator’s note for a work listed under the author’s name, create a works-cited-list entry for the work as a… Read More

If I am citing a song whose lyrics are derived from a poem, do I need to credit the poem in my citation?

No, but you could indicate in a note that the song was originally a poem. … Read More

If I am discussing two authors with the same last name, do I always need to provide the first name when I refer to the authors in my prose?

If you discuss two authors who have the same last name, provide both the first and last names at first mention. Thereafter, provide both the… Read More

How do you alphabetize a works-cited-list entry that begins with a title starting with an article?

As the MLA Handbook notes, titles should be alphabetized in works-cited lists “letter by letter, ignoring any initial A, An, or The or the equivalent in other languages” (115). Read More

How do I cite a photograph found on a website in the text and in my works-cited list?

Cite a photograph found on a website the same way you would cite any work of art found online. See our post on citing images… Read More

How do I cite an online lecture from a course I’m taking remotely?

If your instructor wants you to cite quotations from video or audio recordings of lectures posted online, cite them as you would any online lecture. Read More

How do I cite material posted to a social media site like TikTok?

Below are examples of how to cite a video and a profile from TikTok. For explanations, see our post on citing social media. Video An… 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

If I am citing an essay by an author in a collection, do I need to include in my works-cited-list entry the page number for the author’s biography on the contributors’ page?

No. The contributors’ page is not part of the essay, so list only the page range for the essay. Read More

I’m citing a chat message. Do I include a URL if it’s not publicly resolvable?

No; it’s not likely to be useful to your reader. Read more on URLs and on citing chat messages. Read More