If Publishing is part of a publisher’s name on the title page of my source, should I include that word as part of the publisher’s name in my works-cited-list entry?

The MLA Handbook recommends omitting business words like Company, Corporation, and Incorporated (1.6.3) because the publisher can generally be identified without them. In our editorial practice, we… Read More

How do I cite a periodical that I am using over a range of dates?

How you cite a periodical that you are using over a range of dates depends on whether you are borrowing any material from it. If… Read More

How do I abbreviate the name of a corporate author in my in-text citation?

Use either the first few words of the name or, if not cumbersome, the entity’s initials. For example, Institute of Medicine (US) Standing Committee on… Read More

If I am citing an online version of a sacred text and each chapter is on a separate web page, must each web page be listed in the works-cited list?

No. You do not need to provide a separate works-cited-list entry for each hymn, chapter, or surah cited if there are several and they all… Read More

How do I cite raw data from a survey or poll I created? How do I cite published data?

Citing Data You Collected In a report on data collected from a survey you designed and distributed, clarify the data source in the body of… Read More

If a website has a director rather than an author, should I organize my works-cited-list entry under the director’s name?

In general, you should list your entry for a website under the name of the creator. The creator may be an author, an editor, or… Read More

How do I cite a letter from a personal collection that is not addressed to me?

Follow the MLA format template. List the author of the letter in the “Author” slot and provide a description of the letter in the “Title… Read More

How do I cite published song lyrics from a musical?

To cite published song lyrics, follow the MLA format template. Note that the way you cite published lyrics will depend on how you accessed them… Read More

How do I cite lyrics I heard from a song in a musical?

To cite lyrics you heard from a song in a musical, follow the MLA format template. Note that how you cite the lyrics will depend… Read More

If I cite a poem posted to a blog by someone who is not the poem’s author, do I need to write “posted by” and the blogger’s name in the “Other contributors” slot?

It depends on whether the person posting the poem is responsible for the blog as a whole.  If the blogger is responsible for the entire… Read More