Does the MLA abbreviate United States as U.S. or US?

In its publications, the MLA uses the abbreviation US. (Practices among publishers vary, however, and it is not incorrect to use U.S. Whichever abbreviation you… Read More

Do I use a comma before Jr. and Sr.? What about names followed by roman numerals?

In the main text of your written work, use a suffix that is an essential part of the name—like Jr. or a roman numeral—when you… Read More

Can I look at source code to determine a publication date for online materials that don’t publicize a date?

When doing so is useful to readers, specialists often supply missing publication dates, using a range of methods. For example, a medievalist with expertise in… Read More

Can I use et al. in place of translators’ names in a works-cited-list entry?

Yes. As page 22 of the MLA Handbook notes, the use of et al. for three or more authors extends to other types of creators… Read More

In a works-cited-list entry, how do I indicate that a work is forthcoming?

When documenting forthcoming publications in the list of works cited, use the word forthcoming in place of the date. Read More

How many spaces should I leave after a period?

Leave one space after a period or other concluding punctuation mark, unless your instructor prefers two spaces. Whichever spacing you choose, be sure to use… Read More

When documenting unpublished letters, should the descriptions of the letters that are used in place of a title appear in quotation marks or italics? If I am citing more than one letter written by the same person, how should I distinguish the letters in my in-text citation?

For unpublished letters, provide a generic description in place of the title (see pp. 28–29 of the MLA Handbook); do not enclose the description in… Read More

How do I cite a dissertation in MLA style?

A dissertation is a unique type of source. It is a finished, stand-alone work written under the auspices of an institution. In a change from the… Read More

When citing a print dictionary in MLA style, do I include a page number?

Yes. Cite an entry in a print dictionary like a section of a larger work. Include the page number in the “Location” element of the… Read More

How do I cite scriptural writings? And when do I use italics in referring to them?

Create a works-cited-list entry for scriptural writings as you would for any other source: follow the MLA format template. In general, begin with the title. Read More