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 do I cite the keynote from a Twitter conference?

Since a Twitter conference keynote will likely span several tweets, cite it the way you would cite a Twitter thread. Follow the MLA format template. List… Read More

If I am including a publication listed by a title written in nonroman characters in my works-cited list, should I provide in my parenthetical citations the title in the original script or the transliterated title?

Use whichever method will be most useful to your reader. If you are citing a report, for example, and there is only one report listed… Read More

Should I credit the reviewers of an online article?

It is not necessary to credit the reviewers of an online article, since they may not have contributed any content, but if you wish to… 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 do I cite an essay from a database that was first published in a journal and later anthologized?

Cite the version of the essay that is contained in the database because that is the version you are using. Let’s say, for example, you… Read More

When citing an article with no DOI that appears in a database, should I provide the URL specific to my institution?

Provide the information that is most useful for your reader. If your readers are composed exclusively of people at your institution, use the institution-specific link;… Read More

Should a Norton Critical Edition be listed as a version or as a series in a works-cited-list entry?

As the following example from the MLA Handbook demonstrates, a Norton Critical Edition should be listed in the “Version” slot (107):  Wollstonecraft, Mary. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. Edited… Read More

How do I cite in my prose an untitled poem known by its number in a collection?

If you are citing an untitled poem known only by its number, a generic description of the poem can be substituted for the title in… Read More

Should italics or quotation marks be used for a character’s internal thoughts?

Styling a character’s internal thoughts in italics or with quotation marks depends on whether you are quoting from a source that shows a character’s thoughts,… Read More