Make MLA Style Work for You: Create Your Own House Style
Just as publishers often develop a “house style” sheet, so too can teachers . . . Read More
Posts related to using sources
Commonsense MLA 8: Documentation for the Reader
I read The MLA Handbook from cover to cover, and you should too . . . Read More
How do I document a source when I can’t use a works-cited-list entry or an endnote?
Sometimes, a source needs to be cited in a piece of prose that doesn’t lend itself to the kind of documentation appropriate for research papers. Read More
How do I cite an image found through an online search engine like Google Images?
To cite an image found through Google using the image-search function, you must identify the website—that is, the container—where the image was posted. For example,… Read More
How do I credit the creator of subtitles in my works-cited-list entry?
To credit the creator of subtitles, follow the MLA format template. If you substantively refer to or quote from the subtitles while discussing other aspects… Read More
How do I distinguish works by an author that have the same title?
The eighth edition of the MLA Handbook recommends brevity and clarity in an in-text citation (116)—brevity so that a reference won’t obstruct the flow of… Read More
What should I do if my source does not include one of the core elements on the MLA template?
As the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook explains, “An element should be omitted from the entry if it’s not relevant to the work being… Read More
How do I cite wall text accompanying artwork at a museum?
To cite wall text, follow the MLA format template. Provide a description of the wall text as the title of the source. This may include… Read More
Can an MLA list of works cited be divided into subheads like “primary sources” and “secondary sources”?
Subheads are not necessary in works-cited lists for most student work or essay-length publications but can be useful in some lengthy or complex publications geared… Read More
How do I cite a term in an online or print dictionary that lists several numbered definitions?
Follow the MLA format template and begin with the headword (as it appears) as the title of the source. Note that this may include parts… Read More