If a web page has a copyright date but no publication date, should I list the copyright date in my works-cited-list entry?

Yes. For an example, see our post on citing the Style Center‘s works-cited quick guide. Read More

What date should I give in the header of my paper—the date I started the paper, the date I finished it, or the due date?

Follow your teacher’s instructions, but if you do not receive guidance, list the date you finished writing the paper. Read More

How should commas be used with dates in my prose?

In the day-month-year style, do not use commas: School started on 4 September 2018. In the month-day-year style, use a comma to set off the… Read More

When should commas be used with introductory phrases that include dates?

A comma may generally be omitted from an introductory phrase of two or three words, but consider using a comma when you wish to emphasize… Read More

In reference to centuries, when should I use a hyphen with early and late?

MLA style generally hyphenates elements of a compound adjective and does not use a hyphen for a noun phrase. a poet of the early nineteenth… 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 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

What should I do if the web source I am citing does not list a publication date?

If the web source you are citing does not list a publication date, omit the “Publication date” element from your entry. You may, however, wish… Read More

Should I use BC and AD or BCE and CE for era designations?

The choice of era designations is up to the writer. In our publications, we prefer to use BCE (before the common era) and CE (common era),… Read More

What is the advantage of MLA-style date format over the format recommended by the International Standards Organization (ISO)?

The International Standards Organization recommends writing dates with numerals in year-month-day format (e.g., 2018-10-24) because it is useful when people need to convey information across… Read More