How do I cite an oral history interview republished in a reader or textbook?

To cite an oral history interview republished in a reader or textbook, treat the textbook as your source, since that is where you found the… Read More

The citation tool at our library does not follow the MLA’s guidelines for capitalizing titles. What should we do?

Many citation tools generate entries that do not accord with MLA style, so writers are advised to use caution when using these tools and to… Read More

How do I indicate that I am citing an album in 33 rpm format?

List album formats, if needed, in the optional-element slot at the end of your works-cited-list entry: Sinatra, Frank. The Voice: Columbia Years, 1943-1952. Columbia Records, 1986. Read More

If a phrase is repeated throughout a work, what page number should I use when discussing the phrase?

When citing a phrase that appears more than once in a work, give the page number of the first instance in the parenthetical reference: B. 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 do I cite a work with disputed authorship?

If a pseudonym is listed on the work, you may refer to the author in your prose by the pseudonym: The title page of the… Read More

Should the comma after an italicized element appear in italics?

Publishers differ in their practice. In its publications, the MLA’s preference is not to italicize commas that appear after italicized elements. However, we are open… 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 should I style paragraphs in a block quotation?

In a block quotation that includes more than one paragraph, indent the beginning of the paragraphs after the first one, even if your source uses… Read More

How should I format examples for a linguistics paper?

For guidance on styling linguistics papers, consult the “Unified Style Sheet,” published by the Linguistics Society of America. For phonetic symbols, consult the website of… Read More