How do I style abbreviations like LOL in a title?

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary spells LOL (as well as BTW, TMI, and other abbreviations used in text messaging) with capital letters. In a title, the term… Read More

Should the acronym of an italicized title be set in italics?

Yes. If you use an acronym in place of an italicized title, italicize the acronym, as shown in the example below: In his recent book,… Read More

How does the MLA style the name of the 2019 coronavirus?

The name of the 2019 coronavirus is styled by most organizations as either Covid-19 or COVID-19. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)… Read More

Should the abbreviation etc. be capitalized in a title?

Whether the abbreviation etc., meaning “and so forth,” should be capitalized in a title depends on its location in the title. In our publications, we… Read More

How should I form the plural of an abbreviation if the spelled-out form contains a plural term?

The plural of an abbreviation is formed by adding an s, even if the spelled-out form contains a plural term: prisoners of war (POWs) runs batted… Read More

Why does the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook include abbreviations before volume, issue, and page numbers?

The eighth edition of the MLA Handbook aims to make the style accessible to all instead of creating an insider’s code. Thus, it eliminates some of… 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

How does the MLA style 9/11, when it refers to the attacks on the United States on that date?

In our publications, we allow either September 11 or 9/11. Whichever form is chosen must be used consistently throughout a work. Read More

Should there be a space between a time and a.m. and p.m. in both prose and works-cited-list entries?

Yes. In MLA style, there should always be a space between the time and a.m. and p.m.: Responding to the MLA Style Center post “Apostrophes,”… Read More

In prose and titles, should an author use 3-D and 2-D or spell out the abbreviations?

It depends. MLA style minimizes the use of abbreviations in prose, but if in certain contexts the abbreviation is more common than the spelled out… Read More