In MLA citation style, a container is where a source 'lives'. For instance, if you are using an article form a journal in a database, the journal is the 'container' for the article, and the database is the 'container' for the journal. All of the relevant information for your source and its containers should be found in a works cited entry on your Works Cited page of your paper. In all citation examples, make sure you are paying attention to the punctuation and how different parts of the text of the entries are emphasized (italics and quotation marks).
Works Cited List:
Name of Company That Owns the Product advertisement. Name of Magazine, Journal, or Newspaper Where Advertisement Was Accessed, Date, Page number of advertisement.
Example:
Louis Vuitton advertisement. Vogue, Dec. 2015, p. 5.
In-Text Citation:
(Advertisement for Company Name).
Example:
(Advertisement for Louis Vuitton).
Works Cited List:
"Title of Commercial." Website Name, uploaded by Name of Uploader if different from website name, Day Month Year posted, URL. Accessed Day Month Year viewed (optional, add if there is no upload/publication date).
Examples:
"Honda 'Paper’." YouTube, uploaded by Honda, 20 Sept. 2015, youtu.be/fLCEd8xk1BE.
"Reverse Selfie - Dove." Ogilvy, www.ogilvy.com/work/reverse-selfie. Accessed 15 July 2021.
In-Text Citation:
("Title of Commercial").
Examples: ("Honda 'Paper'").
("Reverse Selfie - Dove").
Works Cited List:
Author's Last Name, First Name. Title of Book: Subtitle. Edition if given, Publisher Name, Year of publication.
Example:
Kirsh, Steven J. Children, Adolescents, and Media Violence: A Critical Look at the Research. 2nd ed., Sage, 2006.
In-Text Citation:
Citation in prose
Signal phrase, "Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (23).
Example:
Kirsh contends that, "direct quote or paraphrase" (23).
Parenthetical citation
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Author's Last Name Page Number).
Example:
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Kirsh 23).
*Note: For a more in-depth look at in-text citations, please see the in-text citations page on this guide.
Works Cited List:
Last Name of Author, First Name, and First Name of author Last Name. Title of Book: Subtitle, Edition if given, Publisher Name, Year of publication.
Example:
Wykes, Maggie, and Barrie Gunter. The Media and Body Image: If Looks Could Kill. Sage, 2005.
In-Text Citation:
Citation in prose
Signal phrase, "Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (23).
Example:
Wykes and Gunter contend that, "direct quote or paraphrase" (23).
Parenthetical citation
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Author's Last Name and Author's Last Name Page Number).
Example:
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Wykes and Gunter 23).
*Note: For a more in-depth look at in-text citations, please see the in-text citations page on this guide.
Works Cited List:
Last Name, First Name of First Author, et al. Title of Book: Subtitle, Edition if given, Publisher Name, Year of publication.
Example:
Nickels, William, et al. Understanding Canadian Business. 9th ed., McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2016.
In-Text Citation:
Citation in prose
Signal phrase, "Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (23).
Example:
Nickels, et al. contend that, "direct quote or paraphrase" (23).
Parenthetical citation
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (First Author's Last Name, et al. Page Number).
Example:
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Nickel, et al. 23).
*Note: For a more in-depth look at in-text citations, please see the in-text citations page on this guide.
Works Cited List:
Name of Corporate Author. Title of Book: Subtitle, Edition if given, Publisher, year of Publication.
Example:
Calgary Educational Partnership Foundation. Employability Skills: Creating My Future, Nelson, 1996.
In-Text Citation:
Citation in prose
Signal phrase, "Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (23).
Example:
Calgary Educational Partnership Foundation contends that, "direct quote or paraphrase" (23).
Parenthetical citation
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (shortened Corporate Author Name Page Number).
Example:
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Calgary Educational 23).
*Note: For a more in-depth look at in-text citations, please see the in-text citations page on this guide.
Works Cited List:
Author's Last Name, First Name. Title: Subtitle. Edition if given, eBook or specific provider (using the abbreviation "ed." for "edition"), Publisher, year of publication.
Example:
Beard, Mary. SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome. Nook ed., Liveright Publishing, 2015.
*Note: For eBooks with two to three or more authors see: physical books section on multiple authors..
In-Text Citation:
Citation in prose
Signal phrase, "Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (23).
Example:
Beard contends that, "direct quote or paraphrase" (23).
Parenthetical citation
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Author's Last Name Page Number).
Example:
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Beard 23).
*Note: For a more in-depth look at in-text citations, please see the in-text citations page on this guide.
Works Cited List:
Author's Last Name, First Name. Title: Subtitle. Edition if given, Publisher, year of publication. Name of library database. URL.
Example:
Block, Bruce. The Visual Story : Creating the Visual Structure of Film, TV, and Digital Media, Taylor & Francis Group, 2020. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/gvltec/detail.action?docID=6267023.
*Note: For eBooks with two to three or more authors see: physical books sections on multiple authors.
In-Text Citation:
Citation in prose
Signal phrase, "Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (23).
Example:
Block contends that, "direct quote or paraphrase" (23).
Parenthetical citation
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Author's Last Name Page Number).
Example:
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Block 23).
*Note: For a more in-depth look at in-text citations, please see the in-text citations page on this guide.
Works Cited List:
Author's Last Name, First Name. Title: Subtitle. Edition if given, Publisher Name, year of publication, Website Name, URL. Access Date.
Example:
Henty, George Alfred. The Cat of Bubastes: A Tale of Ancient Egypt. Blackie and Son, 1889. HathiTrust Digital Library, babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015073478847. Accessed 6 July 2016.
*Note: For eBooks from websites with two to three or more authors see: physical books sections on multiple authors..
In-Text Citation:
Citation in prose
Signal phrase, "Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (23).
Example:
Henty contends that, "direct quote or paraphrase" (23).
Parenthetical citation
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Author's Last Name Page Number).
Example:
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Henty 23).
*Note: For a more in-depth look at in-text citations, please see the in-text citations page on this guide.
Works Cited List:
Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Short Story, Essay, or Article." Title of Book: Subtitle, edited by Editor's First Name and Last Name, Edition if given, Publisher, year of publication, Page or page range used.
Example:
Ross, Colin. "The Story of Grey Owl." Fiction/Non-Fiction: A Reader and Rhetoric, edited by Garry Engkent and Lucia Engkent, 2nd ed., Thomson Nelson, 2006, pp. 327-333.
*Note: The first author's name listed is the author of the article/chapter/essay/short story.
In-Text Citation:
Citation in prose
Signal phrase, "Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (23).
Example:
Ross contends that, "direct quote or paraphrase" (23).
Parenthetical citation
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Author's Last Name Page Number).
Example:
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Ross 23).
*Note: For a more in-depth look at in-text citations, please see the in-text citations page on this guide.
Works Cited List:
Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Name of Journal, vol. Volume Number, no. Issue Number, Year, pp. range. "Course Packet for" followed by the course name and number, compiled by Instructor's First Name Last Name, Institution Name, page range in course packet. Course Packet.
Example:
Marlow, Susan. "Gender and Entrepreneurship." International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, vol.19, no.1, 2013, pp. 114-124. Course Packet for BUS101: Cultural Entrepreneurship: A Reader, compiled by Estelle Williams, Seneca College, 2015, pp. 32-42. Course Packet.
In-Text Citation:
Citation in prose
Signal phrase, "Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (23).
Example:
Marlowe contends that, "direct quote or paraphrase" (23).
Parenthetical citation
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Author's Last Name Page Number).
Example:
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Marlowe 23).
*Note: For a more in-depth look at in-text citations, please see the in-text citations page on this guide.
Works Cited List:
Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Short Story." Year of publication of short story. Course Packet for Course name and number, compiled by Instructor's First Name Last Name, Institution Name, Year, pp. page numbers in course packet. Course Packet.
Example:
Enberg, Susan. "Wednesday Rain." 2014. Course Packet for EAC150: College English, compiled by Walter Dey, Seneca College, 2015, pp. 5-32. Course Packet.
In-Text Citation:
Citation in prose
Signal phrase, "Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (23).
Example:
Enberg contends that, "direct quote or paraphrase" (23).
Parenthetical citation
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Author's Last Name Page Number).
Example:
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Enberg 23).
*Note: For a more in-depth look at in-text citations, please see the in-text citations page on this guide.
Blackboard
Works Cited List Citation:
Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of Handout". Course Name, Blackboard, URL
Example:
Peterson, Rachel. "Library Resources." LIB101. Blackboard, https://blackboard.institution.edu.
Face-to-Face
Works Cited List Citation:
Instructor's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Lecture." Name of Course, Date lecture occurred, University/College. Class lecture.
Example:
Peterson, Rachel. "Library Resources." LIB 101, 20 sept. 2023, Greenville Technical College. Class lecture.
In-Text Citation:
Citation in prose
Signal phrase, "Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (slide 23).
Example:
In "Library Resources" Peterson contends that, "direct quote or paraphrase".
Parenthetical citation
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Author's Last Name).
Example:
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Peterson).
*Note: For a more in-depth look at in-text citations, please see the in-text citations page on this guide.
Works Cited List Citation:
Instructor Last Name, First Name. Title of slide. Course title and number. Date of presentation, Institution Name, Slide number.
Example:
Peterson, Rachel. How to Use Library Databases. LIB 101. 24 Sept. 2023, Greenville Technical College, Slide 2.
In-Text Citation:
Citation in prose
Signal phrase, "Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (slide 23).
Example:
Peterson contends that, "direct quote or paraphrase" (slide 23).
Parenthetical citation
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Author's Last Name Slide Number).
Example:
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Peterson slide 23).
*Note: For a more in-depth look at in-text citations, please see the in-text citations page on this guide.
Dictionary Entry
Print dictionary:
Works Cited List:
"Entry title with its part of speech and (definition # in parenthesis)." Title of Dictionary, edition information, publication information, p. number.
Example:
“Content, N. (4).” Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th ed., Merriam-Webster, 2003, p. 269.
Online Dictionary, date of publication only:
Works Cited List:
"Title of Entry with its part of speech an (definition number in parentheses)." Title of Dictionary, date of publication, web address.
Example:
“Content, N. (1).” Merriam-Webster, 2020, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/content.
Online Dictionary w/ edition information:
Works Cited List:
"Entry Title with its part of speech and (definition # in parenthesis)." Title of Dictionary, publication information including date of publication, web address.
Example:
“Emoticon, N.” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, Mar. 2022, www.oed.com/view/Entry/249618.
Encyclopedia Entry
Works Cited List:
"Title of Entry." Title of Encyclopedia, editor and edition information if given, Publication information, page or page range.
Example:
“Patanjali.” Benét’s Reader’s Encyclopedia, edited by Bruce Murphy, 4th ed., HarperCollins Publishers, 1996, p. 782.
*Note: If encyclopedia is online, add its web address at the end of the entry, as with a dictionary.
Wikipedia (make sure you get instructor approval before using this web source)
In-Text Citation (dictionary & encyclopedia):
Citation in prose:
Signal phrase including dictionary/encyclopedia name in italics, quote or paraphrase of entry ("Title of entry in quotation marks").
Example:
In The Oxford English Dictionary it states, quote or paraphrase of definition/entry ("Title of entry in quotation marks").
Parenthetical citation:
("Title of entry in quotation marks").
Example:
("Emoticon, N. (1)").
Email or Text message
Works Cited List:
Author Last Name, First Name. E-Mail to email recipient. date in day, month, year formal.
Example:
Zamora, Estelle. E-mail to Penny Kinkaid. 3 May 2018.
*Note: Citing text messages follows the same format as citing emails.
Interview (published):
Works Cited List:
Online source
Interviewee Last Name, First Name. "Title of interview." Title of Publication, date in day, month, year format, website URL.
Example:
Nguyen, Viet Thanh. “Viet Thanh Nguyen: By the Book.” The New York Times, 30 Jan. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/01/30/books/review/viet-thanh-nguyen-by-the-book.html. Interview.
Print source
Interviewee Last Name, First Name. "Title of Interview." Interview by First Name, Last Name. Title of Book, editor information, if given, Publication information, date, page or page range.
Example:
Hurlbert, Claude. “Where Meaning and Being Gathers.” Interview by Krystia Nora et al. Teachers on the Edge: The WOE Interviews, 1989–2017, edited by John Boe et al., Routledge, 2017, pp. 368–86.
Unpublished Interview (generally a personal interview conducted by you)
Interviewee Last Name, First Name. Interview. Conducted by Interviewer name, date, day, month, year format.
Example:
Salter, Margaret. Interview. Conducted by Susan Lang, 22 Oct. 2002.
In-Text Citation (all):
Citation in prose
Signal phrase, "Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (23).
Example:
Zamora says that, "direct quote or paraphrase" (23).
Parenthetical citation
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Salter).
Example:
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Hurlbert 23).
*Note: For a more in-depth look at in-text citations, please see the in-text citations page on this guide.
How Can I Tell if I'm Looking at a Journal Article?
Not sure whether your article is from a journal? Look for these characteristics:
What is a DOI?
DOI Numbers for Journal Articles
Some electronic content like journal articles are assigned a unique number called a Digital Object Identifier (DOI). The DOI gives your reader a way to find an article you used as a source even if they don't have access to the specific database or other access point you used to find it. If a DOI is provided for a journal article, include it after the page numbers of the article as: DOI: doi link goes here.
If there is no DOI, use the permalink (a permanent web address) if provided. Do not use the address in your computer browser's address bar unless there is neither a DOI or a permalink. If you are using the URL, instead of using DOI: doi link here, use Retrieved from: webpage URL here.
Where do I find an article's DOI?
If you are using a source found in a library database, the DOI will generally be a part of the starter citation. If you are using a source from the internet, the DOI can usually be found under the title of the article (once you've clicked on the link for that article.)
Journal article from a database with a DOI:
Works Cited List:
Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article: Subtitle if Any." Name of Journal, vol. no., Issue no., Date of Publication, page range. Name of Database, doi:DOI number.
Example:
Guillen, Jorge. "Does Financial Openness Matter in the Relationship Between Financial Development and Income Distribution in Latin America?" Emerging Markets Finance & Trade, vol. 52, no. 5, 2016, pp. 1145-1155. Business Source Premier, doi:10.1080/1540496X.2015.1046337.
Journal article from a database with a permalink (a stable URL):
Works Cited List:
Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article: Subtitle." Name of Journal, vol. no., Issue number, year of publication, page range. Name of Database, permalink or stable URL. date accessed in day, month, year format.
Example:
Priest, Graham. “What Is Philosophy?” Philosophy, vol. 81, no. 316, 2006, pp. 189–207. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/4127433. Accessed 12 May 2025.
Journal article with multiple authors:
Two Authors
Works Cited List:
Author's Last Name, First Name and Second author's First Name, Last Name. "Title of Article: Subtitle." Name of Journal, vol. no., Issue number, date of publication, page range. Name of Database, permalink. date accessed in day, month, year format.
Example:
Knox, Krysta N., and Michael F. TenEyck. "Beauty is Only skin deep: An Examination of Physical Attractiveness, Attractive Personality, and Personal Grooming on Criminal Justice Outcomes." PLoS ONE, vol. 18, no. 10, 11 Oct. 2023, p. e0291922. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0291922. Accessed 12 May 2025.
Three or more authors
When a source has three or more authors, list the first author's name in last name, first name format, and the term 'et al.' (Latin for 'and others).
Works Cited List:
First Author Last Name, First Name, et al. "Title of article in quotation marks." Title of Journal in italics, vol. number, issue number, date of publication, page range. Database name in italics, DOI or permalink. 12 May 2025.
Example:
Reynolds, Travis William, et al. “Now What Do People Know About Global Climate Change? Survey Studies of Educated Laypeople.” Risk Analysis: An International Journal, vol. 30, no. 10, Oct. 2010, pp. 1520–38. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1539-6924.2010.01448.x. Date accessed in day, month, year format.
Journal article from a website:
Works Cited List:
Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of article in quotation marks." Title of Journal in italics. vol. number, issue number, publication date or season, page range, DOI or URL. Date accessed in day, month, year format.
Example:
Adam, David. "Supportive? Addictive? Abusive? How AI Companions Affect Our Mental Health." Nature. vol. 641, issue 8062, 08 May 2025, pp. 296-298, doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-01349-9. Accessed 12 May 2025.
*Note: When using sources from the web, you are responsible for finding all of the information needed for a correctly formatted citation. Websites rarely have starter citation generators.
Journal article in print:
Works Cited List:
Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of article in quotation marks." Journal Title in italics, vol. number, issue number, publication information, page range.
Example:
Davis, Gregson. “Forging a Caribbean Literary Style: ‘Vulgar Eloquence’ and the Language of Césaire’s Cahier d’un retour au pays natal.” The South Atlantic Quarterly, vol. 115, no. 3, 2016, pp. 457–67.
Journal article with a corporate, or group, author
Works Cited List:
Corporation or group Name. "Title of article in quotation marks." Title of Journal in italics, vol. number, issue or season, publication date, page range.
Example:
MLA Committee on Community Colleges. “Considering Community Colleges: Advice to Graduate Students and Job Seekers.” ADE Bulletin, no. 131, spring 2002, pp. 53–57.
In-Text Citation:
Citation in prose
Signal phrase, "Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (23).
Example:
In "Does Financial Openness Matter" Guillen contends that, "direct quote or paraphrase" (1150).
Parenthetical citation
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Author's Last Name Page Number).
Example:
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (MLA Committee 54).
*Note: For a more in-depth look at in-text citations, please see the in-text citations page on this guide.
How Can I Tell if I'm Looking at a Magazine Article
Not sure whether your article is from a magazine? Look for these characteristics:
Popular magazines:
Trade magazines:
Although more and more magazine articles are being given DOIs, there's still a good chance that there won't be one for you to use in your citation. If the article is from a database it will have a permalink (a stable URL). If the article is from a website and no permalink is available (look for a 'share' button, or 'permalink' button), use the web address in the address bar of your browser. Make sure you include the date you accessed the article at the end of your citation.
Magazine article from a database:
Works Cited List:
Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article: Subtitle if Any." Title of Magazine, Date of Publication, page range. Name of Database. Permalink or stable URL.
Example:
Weinstein, Becca. “Trying Before Buying.” Psychology Today, vol. 45, no. 3, May 2012, pp. 46–47. EBSCOhost, research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=3c29ea73-9917-3c6b-93ec-096d6b9d57a4.
Articles with multiple authors
Two authors
Works Cited List:
Author's Last Name, First Name, and Second Author's First Name Last Name, and Third Author's First Name Last Name. "Title of Article: Subtitle." Title of Magazine, Date of Publication, page range. Name of Database. URL or permalink
Example:
Bosch, James Vanden, and David Crump. "Divorce and the Congregation." Books and Culture, Mar.-Apr. 2012, p. 22. Academic OneFile. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A282837661/AONE?u=gvltec_main&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=2b72c381
Three or more authors
When a source has three or more authors, list the first author's name in last name, first name format, and the term 'et al.' (Latin for 'and others).
Works Cited List:
First Author's Last Name, First Name, et al. "Title of article in quotation marks." Title of Magazine in italics, vol. number, issue number, publication date, page range. Database name in italics, DOI or permalink.
Example:
Atwoli, Lukoye, et al. “COP27 Climate Change Conference: Urgent Action Needed for Africa and the World.” Nutrition & Dietetics, vol. 80, no. 2, Apr. 2023, pp. 112–15. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1111/1747-0080.12783.
Magazine article in print
Works Cited List:
Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of article in quotation marks." Magazine title in italics, publication date information, page range.
Example:
Deresiewicz, William. “The Death of the Artist—and the Birth of the Creative Entrepreneur.” The Atlantic, Jan.-Feb. 2015, pp. 92–97.
In-Text Citation:
Citation in prose
Signal phrase, "Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (23).
Example:
Atwoli et al. contend that, "direct quote or paraphrase" (114).
Parenthetical citation
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Author's Last Name Page Number).
Example:
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Bosch and Crump 22).
*Note: For a more in-depth look at in-text citations, please see the in-text citations page on this guide.
How Can I Tell if I'm Looking at a Newspaper Article?
Not sure whether your article is from a newspaper? Look for these characteristics:
Newspaper article from a database
Works Cited List:
Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article: Subtitle if Any." Name of Newspaper [city of newspaper if city name not in name], Date of Publication, page range. Name of Database.
Example:
Schmidt, Sarah. "Companies Fail the Test; Junk Food Marketing Aimed at Kids Faulted." The Gazette [Montreal], 10 Mar. 2010, p. A.11. Canadian Newsstand.
Newspaper article from a website
Works Cited List:
Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article: Subtitle if Any." Title of website, Name of Newspaper, Date of Publication, URL. Accessed date.
Example:
Morrison, Malcolm. "TSX Recovers on Greece News." thestar.com, Toronto Star, 23 June 2011, https://www.thestar.com/business/economy/2011/06/23/tsx_recovers_on_greece_news.html. Accessed 7 June 2016.
Newspaper article in print
Works Cited List:
Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of article in quotation marks." Newspaper Title in italics, publication date, section of paper article was found in, page range.
Example:
Soloski, Alexis. “The Time Has Come to Play Othello.” The New York Times, 20 Nov. 2016, Arts and Leisure sec., p. 5.
In-Text Citation:
Citation in prose
Signal phrase, "Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (23).
Example:
Schmidt contends that, "direct quote or paraphrase" (A11).
Parenthetical citation
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Author's Last Name Page Number).
Example:
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Morrison).
*Note: For a more in-depth look at in-text citations, please see the in-text citations page on this guide.
Scripture published with an editor
Works Cited List:
Title of work in italics. editor's name, followed by the term 'general editor', Publisher name, date.
Example:
The New Jerusalem Bible. Henry Wansbrough, general editor, Doubleday, 1985.
Scripture with translator listed
Works Cited List:
Title of work in italics. Translated by translator's name, Publisher name, date.
Example:
The Qur’an. Translated by M. A. S. Abdel Haleem, Oxford UP, 2015.
Scripture with version listed
Works Cited List:
Title of work in italics. Version name, Publisher name, date.
Example:
The Bible. Authorized King James Version, Oxford UP, 1998.
In-Text Citation:
Citation in prose
Signal phrase, "Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (23).
Example:
In the book of Genesis, this fruit is described as "direct quote or paraphrase" (The New Jerusalem Bible).
Parenthetical citation
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (source in italics).
Example:
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (The Qur'an).
*Note: For a more in-depth look at in-text citations, please see the in-text citations page on this guide.
Blog Post
Works Cited List:
Author's Last Name, First Name or Username if real name not provided. "Title of Blog Post." Name of Blog, Blog Network/Publisher if given, Day Month Year of blog post, URL of blog post. Access Date.
Example:
Naish, Darren. "If Bigfoot Were Real." Tetrapod Zoology, Scientific American Blogs, 27 June 2016, blogs.scientificamerican.com/tetrapod-zoology/if-bigfoot-were-real/. Accessed 28 June 2016.
Facebook Post
Works Cited List:
Author Last Name, First Name or Account Name. Description of Post. Social Media Outlet, Day Month Year of Post, Time of Post, URL. Accessed Day Month Year post was viewed.
Example:
Rick Mercer Report. Spread the Net Challenge Winners 2016. Facebook, 23 Mar. 2016, 9:00 a.m., www.facebook.com/rickmercerreport. Accessed 26 June 2016.
Podcast
Works Cited List:
Host's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Podcast Episode." Title of Podcast, Episode Number if Given, Web Site or network Hosting If Different From Podcast Title, Day Month Year of Episode, URL of episode. Accessed Date.
Example:
Orton, Tyler, and Patrick Blennerhassett. "Lessons From the Brexit." BIV Podcast, Episode 18, Business Vancouver, 28 June 2016, www.biv.com/article/2016/6/biv-podcast-episode-18-lessons-brexit/. Accessed 2 July 2016.
Streaming Video
From a website
Works Cited List:
Last Name, First Name of video creator or Username of Creator. "Title of Video." Title of the Hosting Website, Day Month Year of Publication, URL of video. Accessed date.
Example:
Sethi, Ramit. "How to Write a Winning Resume, With Ramit Sethi." YouTube, 23 June 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0fjkKCsM1w. Accessed 28 June 2016.
From a library database
Works Cited List:
"Title of Video." Publisher/Production Company, Date. Title of Library Database.
Example:
"Secret Life of Twins." BBC, 2015. Films on Demand.
X (formerly Twitter)
Works Cited List:
X Username (First Name Last Name if Known). "The entire post word-for-word." X, Day Month Year of Post, Time of , URL.
Example:
@ReallyVirtual (Sohaib Athar). "Helicopter hovering above Abbottad at 1AM is a rare event." X, 4 Jan. 2013, 3:58 p.m. x.com/reallyvirtual/status/64780730286358528?lang=en.
*Note: Write out the actual post in the citation and keep spelling and grammar the same as in the original, even if there are errors. When quoting the post, in brackets beside grammatical and spelling errors in the original, write [sic] in square brackets to indicate the errors are not your own. E.g., if the post was "It isn't you're fault the media is violent", write: "It isn't you're [sic] fault the media is violent."
TikTok
Works Cited List:
Author Name [handle in brackets]. "Title of post in quotation marks." Social Media Platform in italics, year, URL.
Example:
Lilly [@uvisaa]. "If u like dark academia there's a good chance you've seen my tumblr #darkacademia." Tiktok, 2020, www.tiktok.com/@uvisaa/video/6815708894900391173.
In-Text Citation:
Citation in prose
Signal phrase, "Direct quote or paraphrase from source" ("Title of post in quotation marks").
Example:
Lily, in their TikTok post, contends that, "direct quote or paraphrase" ("If u like dark academia").
Parenthetical citation
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Author handle/name).
Example:
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" ( Orton and Blennerhasset).
*Note: For a more in-depth look at in-text citations, please see the in-text citations page on this guide.
As per MLA style guidelines, there are differences between inserting visuals in your paper (which should be done sparingly), and referring to visuals in your paper. (Visuals: tables, paintings, pictures & illustrations, graphs, etc.) When inserting a visual into your paper, it should be as close to the relevant text as possible.
**Visuals inserted into your paper DON'T contribute to the page/word count of your paper, nor can they be used to explain ideas.
Table
Give the chart a title ('Table'), followed by a number, and a label, describing the information in the chart. Below the chart, there should be a caption including source information about the table.
If the caption for the table provides complete source information, and the source of the table is not cited in the body of your paper, no works cited entry for the table itself is needed.
All other types of visuals, including paintings, photos, graphs, charts, maps, etc., should be labeled as 'Figure' (abbreviation: 'Fig.'), given a numerical designation, and captioned below the inserted material. If the caption for the material provides complete source information, and the source of the material is not cited in the body of your paper, no works cited entry for the material itself is needed.
**The bibliographic information in the caption should contain all of the elements of a works cited page citation, with the author or creator's name in first name, last name format.
Example (painting):
When you are referring to an piece of visual material in your paper, it will need both a works cited and in-text entry.
Paintings
Works Cited List:
A painting viewed in person:
Artist's last name, first name. Title of Painting. date, viewing location, geographic location.
Example:
Bearden, Romare. The Train. 1975, Museum of Modern Art, New York City.
A Painting viewed online:
Artist's Last Name, First Name. Title of Painting. date. website.
Example:
Bearden, Romare. The Train. 1975. MoMA, www.moma.org/collection/works/65232.
A painting viewed in a book:
Artist's Last Name, First Name. Title of Painting. date, location of painting. Title of Book, by author, publication information, date, page number.
Example:
Velázquez, Diego. An Old Woman Cooking Eggs. Circa 1618, Scottish National Gallery. The Vanishing Velázquez: A Nineteenth-Century Bookseller’s Obsession with a Lost Masterpiece, by Laura Cumming, Scribner, 2016, p. 27.
Photographs
Works Cited List:
A photograph viewed in person:
Artist's Last Name, Frist Name. Title of Photograph. date, location of painting, geographical location.
Example:
Cameron, Julia Margaret. Alfred, Lord Tennyson. 1866, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.
A photograph viewed online:
Artist's Last Name, Frist Name. Title of Photograph. date. Title of Collection, web address.
Example:
Silver, Walter. Factory. 1986. New York Public Library Digital Collections, digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/51fd9310-ea71-0131-8221-58d385a7bbd0.
Photograph viewed in a book:
Artist's Last Name, First Name. Title of Photograph. date. Title of Book, by Author Name, contributors if any, Institution Name, date of exhibition if provided, page or reference number (fig., plate, etc.).
Example:
Adams, Ansel. Cathedral Rocks, Yosemite Valley. Circa 1949. Yosemite and the Range of Light, by Ansel Adams, introduction by Paul Brooks, New York Graphic Society / Museum of Modern Art, 1979, fig. 10.
Website by a corporate/group author
Works Cited List:
Name of Website in italics. Name of Corporation or Group affiliated with the site, date of creation or last update of site in day, month, year format, URL.
Example:
Folgerpedia. Folger Shakespeare Library, 21 July 2020, folgerpedia.folger.edu/Main_Page.
Website by a known author
Works Cited List:
Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of webpage in quotation marks." Title of Website, date of creation/update of site, URL. Access date if no creation/update information available.
Example:
Mabillard, Amanda. "Horatio." Shakespeare Online, 2000, shakespeare-online.com/playanalysis/horatiochar.html. Access date 13 May 2025.
Website or Page Without an Author
Works Cited List:
"Title of Page or Document in Quotation Marks." Title of Website in italics, Name of Organization Affiliated with the Website, Date of creation/update, URL. Accessed date if no creation/update information available.
*Note: Check the 'about' section of a website or page (usually at the bottom of the page) for authorial information.
In-Text Citation:
Citation in prose
Signal phrase, "Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Author name).
Example:
In "Horatio" the idea is put forth that, "direct quote or paraphrase" (Mabillard).
Parenthetical citation
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" (Author's last name or "shortened title of webpage" in quotation marks).
Example:
"Direct quote or paraphrase from source" ("Folgerpedia", 2020).
*Note: For a more in-depth look at in-text citations, please see the in-text citations page on this guide.
No Author
If no author or creator is provided, start the citation with the title/name of the item you are citing instead.
Note: an author/creator won't necessarily be a person's name. It may be an organization or corporation, for example Health Canada or a username on a site such a YouTube.
Anonymous
If and only if an item is signed as being created by Anonymous, use "Anonymous" where you'd normally put the author's name.
Alphabetical Order in References List
When putting works in alphabetical order, ignore initial articles such as "the", "a", or "an". For example the title The Best of Canada would be alphabetized as if it started with the word Best instead of the word The.
If a title begins with a number, alphabetize it as if the number was spelled out. For example: the book 5 Ways to Succeed in Business would be alphabetized under F as if it had started with the word "five".
No Date
Do not use 'n.d.' (for 'no date') unless your instructor specifically asks you to. Instead, add the date that you accessed the work at the end of the citation. Access date is given by putting the word "Accessed" followed by the date in day, month, year format. For example Accessed 20 Aug 2016.
If You Can't Find the Database Name
If you are using one of the database Powersearch functions, your results list can include sources from all of the databases from that specific database provider (in this case, EBSCO or Gale).
For results in EBSCO, the database information can be found under the title in the results list:
For results in Gale, the name of the database can be found underneath the description in the results list:
If it is ambiguous or says something like "searching 12 databases" and you can't tell which one database it is from, enter the name of the database provider (e.g. Proquest, EBSCO, etc.) as the database.
No Page Numbers
Not all sources will have pagination. If page numbers are not listed, leave them out of the citation.
 |
 |
 |