If I am citing a commonly studied play that does not use line numbers, should I cite act and scene only?

Yes. And if you think it would help your readers, you may also provide the page number in your in-text citation. You may also want… Read More

Is there a way to avoid back-to-back parentheses when a block quotation ends with a parenthetical and the quotation is followed by a parenthetical reference?

The best way to avoid multiple punctuation is to rewrite if possible. Let’s say you are citing the passage from an e-book without stable pagination. Read More

If I am discussing a story collection that uses line numbers, should the page numbers or the line numbers be cited?

In general, the page numbers should be cited. Line numbers, if provided, are most helpful to readers for citations of “commonly studied poems and verse… Read More

How do you cite a working paper in MLA style?

A working paper is a draft or an early version of a piece of writing, usually one that either has been or will be submitted… Read More

If I am discussing two authors with the same last name, do I always need to provide the first name when I refer to the authors in my prose?

If you discuss two authors who have the same last name, provide both the first and last names at first mention. Thereafter, provide both the… Read More

How do I cite an edition of a work that contains the original text and a modernized version?

If you are citing an edition that contains two versions of a single work, such as a No Fear edition of one of Shakespeare’s plays,… Read More

Do I need to provide a citation each time I refer to a character’s name?

No. You generally only need to provide a citation if you mention a character’s name in a summary of the work (or portions of it)… Read More

How do I indicate that the data in a table I have created come from several sources?

Indicate the sources of your data in a note beneath the table or figure. If that is too cumbersome, give the sources in an endnote… Read More

In my in-text citations, how do I distinguish between several advertisements known by a description?

In your works-cited-list entries for the advertisements, begin each description differently. For example, if you are describing product advertisements, instead of beginning each description with… Read More

Should a film be cited by its title or the director’s name?

Films are collaborative works, so how you cite them depends on the focus of your discussion. If you are focusing on the director’s choices, begin… Read More