MLA Style Citations for Books
 | In the earlier posts, we talked about:
In the earlier posts, we looked at the citation formats prescribed by the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition (2020). Starting with this post, we will look at the citation formats prescribed by the Modern Language Association in its MLA Handbook, 8th Edition. |
You can find detailed information on the MLA Style at The MLA Style Centre website.
While APA style uses the author-date referencing style, the MLA style uses author-page number referencing style. However, as in the case of APA style citations, the MLA style citation also has two components:
- An in-text citation using the author-page style within the main text at the point where the content is referenced. The in-text citation can take one of two forms:
- Narrative citation. If the author’s name appears in the text, then include the page number in parentheses immediately after the quote.
For example:
Balzotti says, “Novice writers focus on the end results of effective writing, but experienced writers start with asking questions” (7).
- Parenthetical citation. If you are quoting, paraphrasing, summarising or in anyway referencing content from the source without mentioning the author name, the author name and page number are included in parentheses at the end of the content.
For example:
Novice writers focus on the end results of effective writing, but experienced writers start with asking questions (Balzotti 7).
- Narrative citation. If the author’s name appears in the text, then include the page number in parentheses immediately after the quote.
- Full details of the source in the Works Cited list that appears as a separate section at the end of the document.
Every source cited in the text must have a corresponding entry in the Works Cited list and every entry in the Works Cited list must have been cited in the text.
Do not include sources that you have referred but not cited in the Works Cited list. All such sources are included in a separate section called Bibliography.
Citing a Book Using the MLA Style
The Format for In-text Citations
| Narrative Citation | Parenthetical Citation |
|---|---|
| Last name of author mentioned (page number or page range) at the end of the quoted content. | (Last name of authors Page number) at the end of the quoted content |
| Example | |
| Balzotti says, “Novice writers focus on the end results of effective writing, but experienced writers start with asking questions” (7). | Novice writers focus on the end results of effective writing, but experienced writers start with asking questions (Balzotti 7). |
The Format for Full Citations Appearing in the Works Cited List
The general format for the full citation as mentioned in the Works Cited list is:
Authors List. Book Title. Edition, Publisher name, Publication Date, Page Number(s)
In the Authors List:
- If there is only one author, the name is written as Last Name, First Name Middle Initial.
- If there are two authors:
- the first author’s name is written as Last Name, First Name Middle Initial
- the second author’s name is written as First Name Middle Name/Initial. Last Name
- If there are three or more authors, the author list is written as first author’s Last Name, First Name Middle Initial, et al.
Examples of MLA Style Citations for Books
| Number of Authors | 1 |
| Narrative Citation | According to Balzotti, novice writers focus on the end results of effective writing, whereas experienced writers start by asking questions (7). |
| Parenthetical Citation | Novice writers focus on the end results of effective writing, but experienced writers start with asking questions (Balzotti 7). |
| Works Cited Entry | Balzotti, Jon. Technical Writing Essentials. 2nd ed., Brigham Young University, 2018, p.7. |
| Number of Authors | 2 |
| Narrative Citation | Pringle and O’Keefe say that to create a content outline, we must start by creating a list of tasks that the user will perform (110). Note: Use and to separate author names. |
| Parenthetical Citation | When you create an outline for content, you usually start by putting together a list of tasks that the user will perform (Pringle and O’Keefe 110). Note: Use and to separate author names. |
| Works Cited Entry | Pringle, Alan S, and Sarah S O’Keefe. Technical Writing 101: A Real-World Guide to Planning and Writing Technical Content. Scriptorium, 2009, p. 110. |
| Number of Authors | 3 or more |
| Narrative Citation | According to Dick et al., psychomotor skill is a combination of intellectual and motor skills (77). Note: Use the format last name of the first author et al. |
| Parenthetical Citation | Psychomotor skills usually require a combination of intellectual and motor skills (Dick et al. 77). Note: Use the format last name of the first author et al. |
| Works Cited Entry | Dick, Walter, et al. The Systematic Design of Instruction. 8th ed., Pearson, 2015. |
