MLA

University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez CampusEnglish Writing Center

What is MLA?MLA stands for Modern Language

Association

The MLA documentation uses “brief parenthetical citations in the text” that are reference of a text in the “alphabetical list of works cited that appears at the end of the work” (Modern Language Association).

These parenthetical citations allow proper credit to be given to a person’s ideas as well as reinforce the writer’s argument.

Who uses MLA and Why?MLA style is used in the Humanities. It is

especially used “in writing on Language and Literature” (Modern Language Association).

Why use the MLA style:Avoid plagiarismBuilds credibility for the writer by providing

sources.It is simple to use and organizes your paper

coherently.

Basic FormatAll writing must be in a basic and understandable font.

The one that is recommended and usually requested by professors is Times New Roman 12.

The alignment is left. Do not justify the paper.

Margins are one inch from all sides.

Indentation is half an inch from the margin.

Page numbers are written plain and placed in the upper right corner; Last name page number (Gomez 1)

First PageMLA doesn’t use a cover page.

The information that would be presented in a cover page are placed in the left corner of the first page:

Your Name (Juan Lopez)

Professor and their last name (Professor Gomez)

Full course name and number (English 3201)

day Month year (8 May 2010)

The title is in the center and it is in plain text. ( not italicized, underlined or bold)

Example

Parenthetical Citation These are used to attribute the original writing

when you summarize, paraphrase and or quote. 1

In MLA these consist of a open parenthesis [ ( ], the author’s last name [Austen] the page number, line number, or act [1] and closed parenthesis [)]“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single

man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife” (Austen 1).

Other Parenthetical In-text CitationProse: Author’s last name and page number

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife” ( Austen 1).

Poetry: Author’s last name and line number “I have been happy- and I love the theme: / Dreams! in their vivid coloring of life”

(Poe 28-29).

Plays: Author’s last name, act number, scene number and line number (if it’s written in verse) or page number (if it’s written in prose) “O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?” (Shakespeare 2.2.35)

Parenthetical CitationsWhen there are more than one work by the same

author being cited one must provide a shorten version of the title.

For example Adventures of Huckleberry Finn would be shorten to Huck Finn.

This is accepted because the reader would still have a clear idea.

The parenthetical citation then would be: “ The Widow Douglas she took me for her son, and allowed she would sivilize me; but it was rough living in the house all the time”(Twain Huck Finn 2).

In-Text CitationBlended

Are when the text is smaller than three lines of text. The quotation is joined to the structure of a sentence in quotation marks .The narrator of Pride and Prejudice remarks that “a

single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife” ( Austen 1).

Blended quotations in PoetryA solidus (/) is use to separate lines.

The speaker of “Annabel Lee” declares that “ the moon never beams without bringing me dreams / Of the beautiful Annabel Lee” (Poe 34-35).

Block quotationsBlock

Are when the text is more than four lines. These are set apart from the paragraph and indented one inch from the left margin. They are not put in quotation marks.

Example:The narrator of “The Tell-Tale Heart” confesses that:

It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain, but, once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye!(Poe 303)

Quotation Marks vs. Italics

Songs Short Stories Essays Short Poems One Act Plays

Titles of sections from longer works

Articles in newspapers, magazines, or journals

• Quotation marks are used in titles of short or minor works:

• Italics are use for long works that consist of smaller sections

NovelMulti-act PlayCD’sT.V. Series

MoviesNewspapers Magazines or journals

Works Cited PageBasic Rules:

The Works Cited page goes on a separate page at the end of the paper.

Entries must be of texts cited and/or referenced in your main text.

Label the page Works Cited if you are only listing the works cited.

Label Works Cited and Consulted if you include all the works you have referenced

List AlphabeticallyDouble space, but do not skip spaces between entries.Indent, half an inch, the second and following lines of

citations creating a hanging indent.

Works Cited PageThe Medium of Publication, form, must be

provided. Example: Print, Web and etc.

URLs for Web entries are optional and

depend on the professors preference.

Most months are abbreviated: January - Jan. February - Feb. March - Mar. April - Apr. May - May June - June

July - July August - Aug. September - Sept. October - Oct. November - Nov.

December - Dec.

Common Works CitedBook:

Author’s last name, First name. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Medium of Publication.

Austen, Jane.  Pride and Prejudice. New York; Penguin, 2005. Print.When there are more than one work by the same

author one will use ---.Austen, Jane. Emma. New York: Barnes and Nobles Classic, 2004. Print.---.  Pride and Prejudice. New York; Penguin, 2005. Print.

Publications on the Web:Editor, author, or compiler name (if available). “Name

of Webpage (if applicable).” Name of Site. Version number. Name of institution/organization affiliated with the site (sponsor or publisher), date of resource creation (if available). Medium of publication (Web). Date of access.

Example of a Webpage on a Website: Russell, Tony, Allen Brizee, and Elizabeth Angeli. "MLA

Formatting and Style Guide." ThePurdue OWL. Purdue U Writing Lab, 4 Apr. 2010. Web. 8 Mar. 2011. Note: If the date of publication is not available use n.d.

If a publisher or sponsor is not available use n.p.

Work in an Anthology or Reference Book: An anthology is a compilation of text arranged

by an editor.A reference book is a group of concise entries.

Example: Dictionary, Atlas, Encyclopedia and etc.

Author’s last name, First name. "Title of Essay." Title of Anthology. Ed. Editor's Name(s). Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. Page range of entry. Medium of Publication.

Poe, Edgar A. “The Tale-Tell Heart.” The Collected Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. New York: Modern Library, 1992. 303-306. Print.

Recorded Films or MoviesTitle. Dir. Name of director. Perf. Name of main performers. the distributor, the release year. Medium.(DVD, VHS, laserdisc).Inception. Dir. Christopher Nolan. Perf. Leonardo DiCaprio, Kent

Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Tom Hardy, Ellen Page and Michael Caine. Warner Bros., 2010. DVD. Sound Recordings

Generally, the artist name but it might begin with the composers (comp.) or performers (perf.). Otherwise, list composer and performer information after the album title. Song titles go in quotation marks and album names are italicized.

Artist name or composer or performer. “song.” Album title. recording manufacturer, publication date (or n.d., if date is unknown). Medium. (e.g. CD, LP, Audiocassette).The Beatles. “Strawberry Fields Forever.” Love. Capitol Records, 20 Nov. 2006. CD.

Translations:Official Translations:

It is when the text used is a translation from the original.

Author’s last name, First name. Trans. Translator’s name. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Medium of Publication.Sturluson, Snorri. Trans. Jesse Byock. The Prose Edda:

Norse Mythology. New York: Penguin, 2005. Print.If you are citing the translators word choice or notes

his name goes before the authors. Jesse Byock, trans. The Prose Edda: Norse Mythology. By SnorriSturluson. New York: Penguin, 2005. Print.

Translations:Unofficial Translation:

It is when the text used is in its original language and the person writing the essay makes their own translation. In these cases the translation is not recognized by MLA and the citation would be as if it were an ordinary book.

MLA mandates that the original text should not be manipulated when citing. Any changes must be done trough brackets []. Therefore, if a person wishes to translate a section they can make a note with the translation or add the translation in brackets.

Additional ReferenceFor more information on Summarizing,

Paraphrasing and/or Quoting view the “Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing” (Driscoll and Brizee) at OWL Purdue.