In my works-cited-list entry, should I spell out College in a publisher’s name?

In our editorial practice, when a work is published by a college, we spell out College in the works-cited-list entry: Trustees’ Report. Smith College, 2012. If you prefer, you… Read More

My paper is included in conference proceedings. If I refer to other papers included in the proceedings, do I need to create works-cited-list entries?

No. You do not need to document the other papers, but you should make clear in your prose that the other papers are included in… 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

If I use Google Translate to help me understand sources, do I need to create a works-cited-list entry for it?

No, but if you are relying on Google Translate, we recommend that you alert your instructor as early as possible. If you are unable to talk… Read More

How do I create an in-text citation for a note or marginalia by an editor or translator in a work listed under the author’s name?

If you are citing an editor’s or translator’s note for a work listed under the author’s name, create a works-cited-list entry for the work as a… Read More

If I paraphrase information from a source and then refer to that information again later in my paper, do I need to credit the source again?

If you paraphrase information from a source and cite that source appropriately, you do not need to cite subsequent references to that information. For example,… Read More

How do I cite an unpublished student paper?

A works-cited-list entry for an unpublished student paper should include the author, title of the paper (in quotation marks), and date. The name of the… Read More

Is it permissible to include in a works-cited-list entry a permalink I created for a source?

Yes. The MLA Handbook notes that writers should aim to “provide their audiences with useful information about their sources” (3). If you have created a permalink for a web… Read More

How do I cite the Homeric hymns?

The Homeric hymns refer to poems that were once attributed, mistakenly, to the ancient Greek poet Homer. They are Homeric only in the sense that… Read More

How does one cite library realia?

Cite library realia—that is, objects related to classroom teaching—the same way you would cite materials in a physical archive. Read more on citing materials from… Read More