How do you cite an encyclical letter?

Encyclical usually refers to a letter sent by the pope to the bishops of the Catholic Church. The term originates from the wide circulation such… Read More

How do I style a percentage at the start of a sentence?

Since you should never begin a sentence with a numeral, you should first try to reword the sentence. If you find it unwieldy to reorder… Read More

How do I cite an illustration on an unnumbered page if there is no figure number?

In some cases, the unnumbered page is counted as a page but not numbered as such. If the unnumbered page is between 117 and 119,… Read More

How do I cite a poem by line numbers if the numbering of the lines begins again at each section?

Provide the section number as well as the line number:  As Wordsworth writes in his series of sonnets The River Duddon, “Child of the clouds!… Read More

How do I cite a quotation that I use in the title of my paper?

If you include a quotation in the title of your paper, you should discuss the quotation in the body of your essay. Do not place… Read More

If I cite sources with the same lead author but different coauthors, do I use et al.?

Yes. In MLA style, when a work has more than two authors or editors, the works-cited-list entry provides the name of the lead author or… Read More

If my paraphrase consists of several sentences, should a citation for the original source appear after each sentence?

No. The citation should appear only after the final sentence of the paraphrase. If, however, it will be unclear to your reader where your source’s… Read More

Is a compound subject a noun phrase for the purposes of abbreviating a title, or should I just use the first noun?

As section 3.2.1 of the MLA Handbook explains, when you need to shorten a title for a parenthetical citation, “give the first noun and any preceding… Read More

If the author of a work is given as a division of an organization, do I still omit an author and list only the organization as publisher in my works-cited-list entry?

The MLA Handbook notes, “When a work is published by an organization that is also its author, begin the entry with the title, skipping the author… Read More

What pronoun should I use if I do not know the gender identity of the person I am writing about?

Do not use a pronoun in such cases. If a last name is given, repeat the person’s last name on subsequent mentions in your paper. Read More