How do I cite from a play that has both verse and prose sections?

Citing from a play that has both verse and prose sections—whether the play is William Shakespeare’s Macbeth or August Wilson’s Fences—is no different from citing… Read More

How do I create an in-text citation for an image?

The in-text citation for any work should key to a works-cited-list entry. For examples, see our post on citing an image reproduced in a book. Read More

How do I cite clip art from a computer program like PowerPoint?

If you discuss clip art from PowerPoint or another software program in your paper and need to create a works-cited-list entry for it, provide a… Read More

If a quotation starts on one page and continues on a consecutive page or pages, should the in-text citation include the span or just the page on which the quote began?

Include the page span in your in-text citation: (62–63) (Jones 137–38) See the MLA Handbook, section 2.5.1, for how to style nonconsecutive page ranges. Read More

Do I introduce an author’s full name and the full title of a work in each chapter of a book or dissertation?

It depends on the focus of your work. In a dissertation on a single author or title—say, Gabriel Marcel’s Being and Having: An Existentialist Diary—it… Read More

How do I cite a numbered footnote?

Cite a numbered footnote or endnote in a parenthetical citation thus: Edward Wallis, the editor, notes that the poet used this technique for the first… Read More

How do I cite a source that has no author?

When a work is published without an author’s name, begin the works-cited-list entry with the title of the work. Do not use Anonymous in place… Read More

How do I cite an image reproduced in a book?

When you are citing an image reproduced in a book, it is usually sufficient to refer to it in your text and create a works-cited-list… Read More

How do I quote stage directions?

There are different traditions for formatting stage directions, even in publications of the same play. When quoting stage directions, your aim should be consistency. It… Read More

How do I cite descriptive copy or a quotation from a book cover or jacket in the text and in the works-cited list?

If you are citing descriptive copy or a quotation printed on the cover of a book, it’s preferable to incorporate the necessary details (chiefly, the… Read More