How do I create an in-text citation for a paginated, unpublished work?

Create an in-text citation for a paginated, unpublished work in the same way that you would cite any work with explicit page numbers. As the MLA… Read More

Should I insert “page 1” at the top of a one-page assignment?

Listing a page number for a one-page assignment is likely not necessary, but you should check with your instructor about pagination and other formatting matters. Read More

If I list both a page range and a DOI as locations, what punctuation do I use between them?

Insert a comma between the page range and DOI. For an example, see our post on citing a paginated journal that appears online. Read More

If a phrase is repeated throughout a work, what page number should I use when discussing the phrase?

When citing a phrase that appears more than once in a work, give the page number of the first instance in the parenthetical reference: B. Read More

Why does the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook include abbreviations before volume, issue, and page numbers?

The eighth edition of the MLA Handbook aims to make the style accessible to all instead of creating an insider’s code. Thus, it eliminates some of… Read More

I’m citing an online article that lacks page numbers. The database containing it provides the page range for the original print version. Do I include the page numbers in my entry?

Yes. Databases house digital copies of works and supply the publication information for the version of those works that have been digitized, usually in PDF… Read More

If I am citing an essay by an author in a collection, do I need to include in my works-cited-list entry the page number for the author’s biography on the contributors’ page?

No. The contributors’ page is not part of the essay, so list only the page range for the essay. Read More

How should I cite an article from a journal that uses article numbers and starts pagination anew for each article?

Omit the article number and page numbers, as shown in the example below, because the name of the author and the title of the journal… Read More

If I am citing a manuscript that displays page numbers on some pages but not on others, how do I handle my in-text citations?

As noted in the MLA Handbook, “When a source has no page numbers or any other kind of part number, no number should be given in a… Read More

How do I make clear that a paraphrase is on the same page as a quotation I’ve given in the previous sentence?

The MLA Handbook (3.5) provides techniques for making citations more concise when a source is used more than once in succession. But it notes that you should… Read More