What percent of a source may I directly quote in my paper?

Writers, including student writers, should quote only what is necessary to make their point. Relying on a percentage to determine what’s necessary is unlikely to… Read More

How do I abbreviate the name of a corporate author in my in-text citation?

Use either the first few words of the name or, if not cumbersome, the entity’s initials. For example, Institute of Medicine (US) Standing Committee on… Read More

If I am citing an online version of a sacred text and each chapter is on a separate web page, must each web page be listed in the works-cited list?

No. You do not need to provide a separate works-cited-list entry for each hymn, chapter, or surah cited if there are several and they all… Read More

If a website has a director rather than an author, should I organize my works-cited-list entry under the director’s name?

In general, you should list your entry for a website under the name of the creator. The creator may be an author, an editor, or… Read More

How do I cite a letter from a personal collection that is not addressed to me?

Follow the MLA format template. List the author of the letter in the “Author” slot and provide a description of the letter in the “Title… Read More

How do I cite published song lyrics from a musical?

To cite published song lyrics, follow the MLA format template. Note that the way you cite published lyrics will depend on how you accessed them… Read More

How do I cite lyrics I heard from a song in a musical?

To cite lyrics you heard from a song in a musical, follow the MLA format template. Note that how you cite the lyrics will depend… Read More

If I cite a poem posted to a blog by someone who is not the poem’s author, do I need to write “posted by” and the blogger’s name in the “Other contributors” slot?

It depends on whether the person posting the poem is responsible for the blog as a whole.  If the blogger is responsible for the entire… Read More

How do I style percentages?

The general guideline is to use the percentage symbol with numerals and to use the word percent with spelled-out numbers. In statistical copy that calls… Read More

How do I cite a scene deleted from a play?

Cite the version of the scene you consulted, whether a typescript from an archive, an online resource, an appendix to a print edition, or a… Read More