Where do I place a note number in relation to punctuation?

To determine where to place a note number in relation to punctuation, follow the guidance in section 7.4 of the MLA Handbook. Whenever possible, a… Read More

How do I list copublishers in the Publisher element?

As noted in the MLA Handbook, if a source lists two or more publishers, include each of them in the Publisher element, separating them with… Read More

How do I punctuate elliptical constructions?

Elliptical constructions occur when you write two related independent clauses, typically separated by a semicolon, and you omit a word or words from the second… Read More

Where do I place the period when the Title of Source element ends with a single and a double closing quotation mark?

A period is always used after the Title of Source element in a works-cited-list entry, as described in section 5.120 of the MLA Handbook (217). Read More

How do you style the possessive form of acronyms?

To form the possessive of any acronym, including those ending in "S," add an apostrophe and an "s." Read More

How do I indicate that a line has been omitted from a run-in poetry quotation?

Use three ellipsis points bracketed by forward slashes to indicate that one or more lines have been omitted from a run-in poetry quotation. Read More

Should I add a serial comma when I reproduce the title of a source?

If the title displayed on the title page of your source contains a serial comma, include the comma when you reproduce the title. For example,… Read More

In works-cited-list entries, why is there sometimes a period before the edition number and sometimes a comma?

According to the MLA format template, periods appear in a works-cited-list entry after the author, after the title, and at the end of each container… Read More

Should punctuation following a link be included in the linked text?

Publishers practices vary. On the MLA’s websites, when linked text is distinguished with color and underlining, the MLA does not link the punctuation—including quotation marks—before… Read More

How do I indicate that material in square brackets is part of the original text?

Normally, when you quote from a source, your reader is to assume that any styling, such as italics or punctuation in the quotation, is in… Read More