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Citations Education

Harvard Format and Referencing Guide Made Simple

The Harvard format, also known as the Harvard referencing style, is a system for citing sources in academic writing. It is characterized by using author-date in-text citations and a comprehensive reference list at the end of the document. This system ensures that readers can easily locate the sources referenced within the text. This guide is developed in line with the book Pears, R. and Shields, G. (2016) Cite Them Right: The Essential Referencing Guide. 10th ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave.

The following guidelines should be followed when using the Harvard format:

  • Arial 12 pt. font (unless the instructions require a different font)
  • 1” (2.54 cm) margins from all sides (This applies to APA, MLA, and Chicago Style)
  • Alphabetical order of sources at the end of a document according to the author’s surname or title (if no author). If you have cited more than one item by the same author, they should be listed chronologically (earliest first) and by letter (1996a 1996b) if more than one item has been published in the same year.
  • No indentation is required on the reference list on a Harvard-formatted paper.
  • Sentence case capitalization for book/article/chapter titles
  • Single quotation marks in the reference list

Title Page

On the title page of a Harvard-styled paper, the following guidelines should be followed:

  • Your title should be inserted in the upper half of the first page.
  • You should not use more than 12 words for your title
  • Use upper and lower case (avoid abbreviations and redundant words).
  • The title page should be double-spaced.
  • Insert the author’s name below the title.
  • Insert the educational institution below the author’s name.
  • In the header of the Harvard-style paper, you must include your surname and the page number, just like in MLA format.
Harvard Cover Page Layout.

Headings

As a rule, two types of subheadings are used when formatting a paper at Harvard:

Level 1 – Centered, Capitalized, Not Bold, Not Italicized

Level 2 – Flush Left, Italicized, Capitalized, Not Bold

Harvard Heading Levels

Reference List Rules

The Harvard reference list is inserted at the end of your paper; any source that you use needs to be included in the reference page and cited in the text.

  • Do not forget to invert authors’ names, such as last name and initials. Example: Lankshear, C. and Knobel, M..
  • The reference list is always alphabetized by the first word in the reference entry (from A to Z).
  • When alphabetizing titles or group names as authors, go by the first significant word (disregard a, an, the)
  • In the titles of your sources (except journal, magazine, and database titles), use sentence case capitalization.
  • Italicization is applied to titles of books and periodical journals.
  • Single quotation marks are used for the titles of articles and book chapters.
Example of Harvard Reference List

General book format

Harvard referencing style of books follows the following general format.

Last Name, Initials. (Publication Date) Title of book. City: Publisher.

Single author

Sebold, A. (2002) The Lovely Bones. London: Hachette.

Two or three authors

Lankshear, C. and Knobel, M. (2006) New literacies: everyday practices and classroom learning. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Four or more authors

Evans, J. et al. (2003) Equal subjects, unequal rights: Indigenous peoples in British settler societies. Manchester: Manchester University Press.

Note:

  • List only the first author, while others are represented by “et al.”

Corporate Author

Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and New Zealand (2016) AASB 128 investments in associates and joint ventures. Sydney: Pearson Education.

Unknown author

The Oxford dictionary of abbreviations (1998) Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Multiple works by the same author

King, S. (2008) The Shining. New York, NY: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.

King, S. (2010) Insomnia. London: Hachette.

Note:

  • On the Reference list, works by the same author are arranged by year of publication, with the earliest work first.

Multiple works published in the same year by the same author

King, S. (2008a) The shining. New York, NY: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.

King, S. (2008b) The stand. New York, NY: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.

Note:

  • Both in the in-text citations and on the Reference list, works published in the same year by the same author should be distinguished by adding an alphabetical designator to the publication date.

Different editions

Feldman, R. (2011) Understanding psychology. 10th in. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Note:

  • When using any edition of the book other than the first one, use the publication date of that particular edition and make sure to add the edition number to the entry on the Reference list.

Author with an editor

Howells, W. D. (1968) Their wedding journey. Edited by John K. Reeves. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.

Note:

  • Write editor(s) full first name(s) followed by last name.

Editor with no author

Baker, R. (ed.) (1986) The Norton Book of Light Verse. New York, NY: W. W. Norton.

Note:

  • Use either (ed.) for one editor or (eds.) for two or more.

Translated book

Homer (1997) The Odyssey. Translated by R. Fagles. Introduction and notes by B. Knox. London: Penguin Books.

Note:

  • Make sure to mention all contributors, such as translators, editors, co-authors, or illustrators

if mentioned on the book’s cover page.

Multi-volume book

Ersoy, A., Górny, M. and Kechriotis, V. (2010) Discourses of Collective Identity in Central and

Southeast Europe 1770–1945: Texts and Commentaries (3 vols.). Budapest: Central European University Press.

If you cite a separate volume, use the following format:

Ersoy, A., Górny, M. and Kechriotis, V. (2010) Discourses of Collective Identity in Central and Southeast Europe 1770–1945: Texts and Commentaries. Part 1: Modernism: The Creation of Nation-States. Budapest: Central European University Press.

Collected works

Jung, C.G. (1989–1995) Gesammelte werke (24 vols). Olten: Walter Verlag.

Chapter in an edited book

Johnson, J.L. and Repta, R. (2012) ‘Sex and gender: beyond the binaries’, in Oliffe, J.L. and Greaves, L.J. (eds.) Designing and conducting gender, sex, and health research. Los Angeles: SAGE Publishing, pp. 17–37.

Note:

  • Use either (ed.) for one editor or (eds.) for two or more.
  • Remember to include chapter page numbers at the end of the entry.

E-book

Marr, A. (2012) A history of the world. Available at: http://www.amazon.co.uk/kindle-ebooks (Downloaded: 22 June 2018).

Book found online

Salinger, J.D. (1951) Catcher in the Rye. Available at:

09&FileName=Catcher%20In%20The%20Rye.pdf (Accessed: 24 November 2018).

The Bible

When citing the bible in the Harvard referencing style, the following format is followed:

Book of the Bible. (Year) Title of the Bible, Edition (if applicable). Publisher.

Example:

Matthew 5: 3–12, Holy Bible. New International Edition.

Note:

  • Mention the Book of the Bible first (not in italics), then chapter: verse, ‘Holy Bible.” (not in Italics) and the version of the Bible you have read.
  • Do not include the place of publication or publisher.

The Torah

Torah. Shernot 3: 14.

Note:

  • Mention “Torah.” first (not in italics), then the book, followed by the chapter: verse.

The Qur’an

Qur’an 20: 24 (2010) Translated by Abdel Haleem, M.A.S. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Note:

  • Mention “Qur’an” first (not in italics), then Surah or chapter: verse, year of publication, translator, and place of publication: publisher.

Journal article

The format that the Harvard referencing style follows when citing a journal article is as follows:

Author(s) Last Name, First Initial(s). (Year) ‘Title of the article,’ Title of the Journal, Volume(Issue), Page numbers.

Examples:

Smith, J. (2020) ‘The impact of social media on mental health’, Journal of Psychology, 12(3), pp. 45-67.

Breslau, J. and Engel, C. (2016) ‘Information and communication technologies in behavioral health: a literature review with recommendations for the airforce’, RAND Health Quarterly, 5(4), pp. 17-18.

Note:

  • If a journal has no issue, it should be omitted.
  • If an article is printed on one page, “p.” should be used instead of “pp.”
  • If there is a colon in the title of an article, do not capitalize the subtitle.
  • Capitalize all the words except conjunctions and articles only in the journal-titles.

Journal article (no author)

‘Perioperative blood salvage’ (2006) Vox Sanguinis, 91(2), pp. 185-192.

Online journal article with doi

Williams, J. (2000) ‘Tools for achieving sustainable housing strategies in rural Gloucestershire’, Planning Practice & Research, 15(3), pp.155–174. doi: 10.1080/02697450020000131

Online journal article without doi

Springborn, M. (2015) ‘Accounting for behavioral responses during a flu epidemic using home television viewing’, BMC Infectious Diseases, 15(21). Available at: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2334/15/21 (Accessed: 24 November 2018).

Magazine article in print

Biello, D. (2011) ‘Coal fires burning bright,’ Scientific American, 304(March), p. 14.

Note:

  • Enter month(s) in brackets in the issue number field.

Online magazine article

Rosner, H. (2018) ‘Palm oil is unavoidable. Can it be sustainable?’, National Geographic, (December). Available at: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/12/palm-oil-products[1]borneo-africa-south-america-environment-impact/ (Accessed: 4 December 2018).

Newspaper article in print

O’Sallivan, J. (2016) ‘Sanders, Clinton fight on credentials’, The Boston Globe, 4 February, p. 3.

Note:

  • Make sure that you add a full publication date (year, day, and month) with no shortenings. Do not forget that it should be separated by the article and newspaper titles.
  • Capitalize all words except conjunctions and articles only for the name of a newspaper.

Newspaper article without author

The Independent (2014) ‘Google Doodle honors Emmeline Pankhurst,’ 15 July, p.1.

Note:

  • When no author is given, the title of the newspaper becomes the author.

Online newspaper/magazine article

Baker, P. and Stolberg, S.G. (2018) ‘Bush’s coffin arrives at the capitol, where the former President will lie in state’, The New York Times: Politics, 3 December. Available at:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/03/us/politics/trump-george-bush-capitol.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage (Accessed: 4 December 2018).

Note:

  • When referencing a section of a newspaper where page numbers may be the same as in the main part of the paper or absent, mention the section (e.g., Newspaper: Section).

Full conference proceedings

Gretzel, U., Law, R. and Fuchs, M. (eds.) (2010) Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism. Lugano, Switzerland, 10-12 February. Vienna: Springer.

Paper from a published conference proceedings

Tran, C.K., Tseng, C.D. and Lee, T.F. (2016) ‘Improving the face recognition accuracy under varying illumination conditions for local binary patterns and local ternary patterns based on Weber-Face and singular value decomposition’, 3rd International Conference on Green Technology and Sustainable Development (GTSD) conference proceedings. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 24-25 November. Danvers: Conference Publishing Services, pp. 5-9.

Note:

  • Make sure to include the location and date of the conference, followed by the place of publication and publisher.
  • If an article is printed on one page, “p.” should be used instead of “pp.”

Paper from conference proceedings available online

Mendes, L. and Romão, T. (2011) ‘Children as teachers’, Proceedings of the 8th international conference on advances in computer entertainment technology, Lisbon, Portugal, 8–11 November. doi: 10.1145/2071423.2071438

Dissertation/thesis in print

Smith, W.B. (2012) Data structures and principles of programming. PhD thesis. University of Calgary.

Note:

  • Make sure to include the degree statement and degree awarding body (for example, “PhD thesis. the University of Calgary.”)

Online dissertation/thesis

Deines, T. (2007) Global warming coverage in the media: trends in a Mexico City newspaper. PhD Thesis. Kansas State University. Available at: http://krex.k[1]state. edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/2097/497/TinaDeines2007.pdf?sequence=4 (Accessed: 24 November 2018).

Note:

  • If the thesis is available online, provide a current link and fill in the date that you last accessed the document.

Document on World Wide Web

When citing a document on a website in Harvard referencing style, you should include the author’s name, the year of publication, the title of the document, and the URL where the document is available along with the date you accessed it.

Example:

Folkman, J. (2013) Top 9 leadership behaviors that drive employee commitment. Available at: http://zengerfolkman.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/ZFA-9-Behaviors.pdf (Accessed: 24 November 2018).

Note:

  • Be sure not to use quotation marks for the title of a page but make it italicized.

Document on World Wide Web (no author)

Seven Steps for effective leadership development (2012) Available at: http://www.oracle.com/us/media1/steps-effective-leadership-dev-1657106.pdf (Accessed: 24 November 2018).

Web page with neither author nor title

https://www.brookes.ac.uk (2014) (Accessed: 24 November 2018).

Web page with neither author, title, nor date

 https://www.brookes.ac.uk (no date) (Accessed: 24 November 2018).

Image on World Wide Web

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (2016) Available at: https://fthmb.tqn.com/oYE4xPDfBJJLBn8LcdE[1]6rz6Gng=/768×0/filters:no_upscale () /about/hierarchy-of-needs-56a791433df78cf772972cac.png  (Accessed: 24 November 2018).

Blog

Witt, D. (2017) ‘When facing pressure, don’t just try to survive: learn to thrive’. Weblog, 25 January. (Accessed: 24 November 2018).

Note:

  • Be sure to add the entire date when the blog post was published.

Facebook

Tynemouth outdoor pool (2012) [Facebook] 29 August. Available at: http://www.facebook.com/ (Accessed: 24 November 2018).

Twitter

Fry, S. (2012) [Twitter] 13 January. Available at: http://twitter.com/stephenfry (Accessed: 24 November 2018).

Computer programs

TechSmith Corporation (2012) Camtasia Studio (Version 3) [Computer program]. Available at: http://techsmith.com/download.html (Accessed: 24 November 2018).

Films and video recordings

Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) Directed by Michael Moore [Film]. Santa Monica, Calif: Lions Gate Films.

Note:

  • Add either [Film] or video record medium in square brackets (for example, [DVD], [Blu-ray])

YouTube videos

Leponline (2008) Ask the experts – plastering a wall. Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9wpcellxCU (Accessed: 24 November 2018).

Television programs

The Apprentice (2012) BBC One Television, 23 June.

‘Asylum of the Daleks’ (2012) Doctor Who, Series 33, episode 1. BBC One Television, 1 September.

Note:

  • If an episode is cited, enter the title first in single quotes.

Grand Designs (2011) Channel 4 Television, 28 September. Available at: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/grand-designs/episode-guide/series-7/episode-30 (Accessed: 24 November 2018).

Note:

  • If you cite a TV program available online, make sure to provide a link and state the date of access.

Newspaper interview

Riley, B. (2008) ‘The life of Riley’. Interview with Bridget Riley. Interview by Jonathan Jones for The Guardian, 5 July.

Television interview

Blair, A. (2003). Interview with A. Blair. Interview by Jeremy Paxman for Newsnight, BBC Two

Television, 2 February.

Interview published on the internet

Obama, B. (2008). Interviewed by Terry Moran for ABC News, 19 March. Available at: http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Vote2008/Story?id=4480133 (Accessed: 24 November 2018).

Press releases/announcements

Google Inc. (2012) Google Maps heads north … way north [Press release]. 23 August. Available at: http://www.google.com/intl/en/press (Accessed: 24 November 2018).

Lectures and course materials

When referencing lecture notes and course resources in the Harvard style, it is important to include key details such as the lecturer’s name, year, the title of the lecture or resource, course title, institution, and URL (if available online).

The following is an example of how lecture notes and course materials can be cited in the Harvard referencing style:

Stellar, V. (2016) ‘Introduction to Java Week 5 Lecture’. MIT6_092IAP10: Access control, class scope, packages, Java API. Available at: https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and[1]computer-science/6-092-introduction-to-programming-in-java-january-iap-2010/download[1]course-materials/ (Accessed: 24 November 2018).

Note:

  • Module code and title are to be separated by a colon and written in Italics.

PowerPoint presentations

‘Module 1: The Accounting’ (2012) [PowerPoint presentation]. ACC5203. Available at:

http://usqstudydesk.usq.edu.au (Accessed: 24 November 2018).

Note:

  • Add [PowerPoint presentation] as a supplement after the title
  • If there is no author, put the title in the first place.

Messages from course discussion boards

Thomas, D. (2008) ‘Word count and referencing style.’ Frequently Asked Questions discussion board, in PHYS 2011: Housing Studies. Available at: http://duo.dur.ac.uk/ (Accessed: 14 October 2012).

Lectures/seminars/webinars/PowerPoint presentations/videoconferences

Brown, T. (2012) Contemporary furniture [Lecture to BSc Design Year 4], DE816: Design for

Industry. Northumbria University. 21 April.

Electronic discussion groups and bulletin boards

Peters, W.R. (2013) International finance questions, British Business School Librarians Group discussion Iist, 11 March. Available email: lisbusiness@jiscmail.com.

Note:

  • Mention “Available email: email address”.

Entire discussion groups or bulletin boards

Photography news Iist (2013). Available email: pnl@btinfo.net. (Accessed: 24 November 2018).

Acts and statutes

When citing acts and statutes in Harvard referencing style, you should include the title of the act, the year it was enacted, the chapter number, the location where it is available (usually a website), and the date you accessed it. Here’s a guideline based on the provided example:

Example:

Health and Social Care (Control of Data Processing) Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (2016), c. 12. Available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nia/2016/12/contents (Accessed: 24 November 2018).

Legal material papers

Harvard referencing style provides a guideline on how to cite legal materials. The following is an example of how to cite a legal paper on Harvard referencing style.

Example:

Parliament. House of Commons (2000) Compensating victims of violent crime, Session 1999-2000. (HC 1999-2000 472). London: The Stationery Office.

Law Commission reports and consultation papers.

Law Commission (2017) 13th Programme of Law Reform. (Law Com No 377, HC 640). London: The Stationery Office.

Departmental publications

Ministry of Justice (2011) Sentencing statistics quarterly brief: July to September 2010, England and Wales (Provisional data). Available at:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/218041/sentencing-statistics-brief-july-sept-2010 .pdf (Accessed: 24 November 2018).

Legal reports (cases)

‘R v K (M) (R v Gega, MK v R)’ (2018) EWCA Crim 667. BAILII [Online]. Available at:

http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/2018/667.html (Accessed: 7 December 2018).

In Harvard referencing style, in-text citations include the author’s last name and the year of publication. If you are directly quoting or referring to a specific part of the source, include the page number as well. Here are some general guidelines and examples for in-text citations

One author/editor

A book with one author is in-texted as follows in Harvard referencing style:

Direct quote: A personal tone is established on the very first page: “In my junior high yearbook, I had a quote from a Spanish poet” (Sebold, 2002, p. 5).

Paraphrasing: The narrator reveals a lot of personal details throughout the story (Sebold, 2002).

Note: use page numbers only when summarizing an idea from a particular page.

Two or three authors/editors

A book with two or three authors is in-texted as follows in Harvard referencing style:

Direct quote: Lankshear, Smith, and Knobel (2006, p. 17) argue that “The cultural and critical facets of knowledge integral to being literate are considerable.”

Paraphrasing: Literacy encompasses many aspects of knowledge (Lankshear, Smith and Knobel,2006, p. 17).

Four or more authors/editors

Direct quote: Evans et al. (2003, p. 137) state that the Australian colonists aimed “to eliminate the political rights of Aborigines” in the late 19th century.

Paraphrasing: Between 1870 and 1890, many efforts have been made to constrict the rights of the indigenous populations (Evans et al., 2003, p. 137).

Corporate Author

Direct quote: The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and New Zealand (2016, p. 18) claims that “the relief in AASB 128 should apply to the ultimate Australian entity”.

Paraphrasing: The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and New Zealand (2016, p. 18) explains the use of the relief in AASB 128.

A source with no author/editor

Direct quote: The Oxford Dictionary of Abbreviations (1998, p. ix) explains that in the pronunciation guide, “Unstressed syllables are not preceded by stress marks”.

Paraphrasing: It is common for unstressed syllables not to be preceded by stress marks (The Oxford Dictionary of Abbreviations, 1998, p. ix).

Multiple sources

Paraphrasing: In both works, the author uses remote locations to emphasize the feeling of helplessness (King, 2008; King, 2010).

Same year/same author

Paraphrasing: In both works, the author uses remote locations to emphasize the feeling of helplessness (King, 2008a; King, 2008b).

Same work, different editions

Paraphrasing: Despite the structural similarities between the two editions, there are still some differences in the topics covered (Feldman, 2008; 2011).

A source quoted in another work

Direct quote: “Green’s study (1999) (cited in Farmer, 2003, p. 13), unlike many of its predecessors, explores the “macro-logics of power” without sacrificing ethnographic depth.”

Note: you can either use a direct quote from the later work that quotes the earlier source or use a

paraphrase to summarize the original idea from the primary source that is addressed in the secondary source. Both cases require you to acknowledge the use of secondary sources in the work you are using for reference.

The Bible

Either direct quote or paraphrasing: (Matthew 5: 3–12)

The Torah

Either direct quote or paraphrasing: (Shernot 3: 14)

The Qur’an

Either direct quote or paraphrasing: (Qur’an 20: 24)

Journal article

Direct quote: “Despite the lack of solid research evidence to date, ICTs hold promise in addressing the challenges of mental health care” (Breslau and Engel, 2016, p. 17).

Paraphrasing: Breslau and Engel (2016, p. 17) state that, in the future, ICTs could be used to diagnose and treat patients with mental dysfunctions and illnesses.

Journal article (no author)

Direct quote: The DUP leader states that the upcoming Assembly election “should not be seen as a referendum on her handling of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme” (‘Assembly election: most important vote since 1998’, 2017, para. 2).

Newspaper article without author

Paraphrasing: The Independent (2014) states that …

Web page

Direct quote: “The key sign of central diabetes insipidus is extreme thirst and excessive urination” (WebMD, 2016, para. 3).

Paraphrasing: It is a common misconception that the disease called central diabetes insipidus is related to diabetes and is caused by metabolic dysfunction (WebMD, 2016, para. 1).

Video or film

Direct quote: “The front lines of the invasion moved west to the nations of the Ohio Valley: The Lenape, Shawnee, Miami, and others” (500 nations, 1995).

Lecture

Direct quote: As stated by Stellar (2016, p. 13), the classification of public and public class “applies to any field or method.”

Paraphrasing: The main reason for the importance of imposing access control is the need to protect the private information of students and staff (Stellar, 2016, p, 16).

Government publication

Direct quote: A recent review of the cooperation practices used in PFRAs and the local universities revealed that “about half of the research users indicated that they obtained a high or very high level of value from the collaboration” (Department of Education, Science and Training, 2004, p. 4).

Paraphrasing: The review outlines the opportunities to enhance the cooperation between PFRAs and the universities (Department of Education, Science and Training, 2004)

How do I reference a source with multiple authors?

Include all authors in the in-text citation if the source has more than one author

How do I reference a source without page numbers?

If the source doesn’t have page numbers, don’t include any in your citation.

How do I reference a secondary source?

If you’re referencing a title through a secondary source, you can include the details of the book you read in your reference at the end.

What’s the difference between a reference list and a bibliography?

The reference list and bibliography aren’t counted in your word count, but in-text citations are.

QUICK QUOTE

Approximately 250 words

Categories
Citations Education

MLA Format and Citation Style Guide 9th Edition Made Easy

The MLA Format and Citation Style Guide 9th Edition is an authoritative resource provided by the Modern Language Association for writers and researchers. This guide offers comprehensive instructions on formatting academic papers and properly citing sources according to MLA standards. The 9th edition, updated to reflect current practices and technologies, includes guidelines for in-text citations, the works cited list, and overall document formatting. It is widely used in the humanities, especially literature, languages, and cultural studies, ensuring uniformity and professionalism in scholarly writing.

MLA General Principles of Formatting

  • Use Times New Roman 12 pt. font (unless the instructions require a different font), double-spaced.
  • Set 1-inch (2.54 cm) margins (all sides). This format applies to APA, Chicago, Harvard, Vancouver, OSCOLA, and AMA.
  • Page numbers have to be located in the upper-right corner.
  • The last name should be in the upper-right header preceding the page number.
  • MLA does not require a title page (but one may be included if required).
  • In bibliographical entries, lines other than the first one are indented.
  • On the first page, it is necessary to provide the MLA header in the top left corner (for papers without a title page):

Title Page

The title page of MLA format contains student information and the paper’s title, as shown below.

MLA student information and title guide.

Headings

Headings in the paper must be formatted the following way:

Heading Level 1: bold, flush left

Heading Level 2: italics, flush left

Works Cited List

All sources used in papers written following MLA style should be mentioned under the “Works Cited” heading on a separate page. Each entry is written separately, and it consists of core elements that are included in a specific order. Some optional elements may also be added, depending on the situation.

Works Cited List in MLA format
The Core Elements

Below is the list of the core elements in the order they should appear on a reference page.

1. Author

2. Title of source

3. Title of container

4. Other contributors

5. Version

6. Number

7. Publisher

8. Publication date

Author

The author’s last name is followed by a comma, and all other full names as they are mentioned in the work. The element ends with a period in the reference list, such as Jameson or Carl. The in-text variant is (Jameson 44).

Title of Source

Title is the next element after the author, and it is in italics (e.g., book or journal titles) or in quotation marks, not italicized (e.g., article titles). Every word in this entry and Title of Container is capitalized apart from articles and prepositions.

Title of Container

This constituent indicates if the work was a part of a larger volume or journal.

Other Contributors

This element states other contributors. Such descriptions precede their names:

adapted by

directed by

edited by

illustrated by

introduction by

narrated by

performance by

translated by

Version

Version is commonly referred to as an edition and may appear in the reference list entry as 8th ed.

Number

This element shows the volume used (vol. 2) or issue number of a journal (vol. 4, no. 3).

Publisher

This information can be found on the source’s copyright page, which shows the publisher’s name followed by a comma. When an organization is both author and publisher of a work, the organization’s name is given only once, usually as the publisher. No author is stated.

Publication Date

This element indicates when the publication was produced (South-Western Cengage Learning, 2010). These aspects are the most common elements used in MLA citation style, but their format depends on the type of publication and citation (in-text or reference list).

Works Cited

General book format

Structure:

Author’s Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Publication Date.

Explanation on how to cite a book in MLA 9th Edition.

One author

Example:

Sepetys, Ruta. Salt to the Sea. Philomel Books, 2016.

Two authors

The second author should appear as they are mentioned in the book.

Example:

Grey, Ann, and Erin Bell. History on Television. Routledge, 2013.

Three or more authors

If there are three or more authors, the first author must be followed by “et al.”

Example:

White, Karen, et al. The Forgotten Room. Berkley, 2016.

Corporate/organization author

The corporation’s name should start the line and appear in the text instead of the author.

Example:

World Trade Organization. From GATT to the WTO: The Multilateral Trading System in the New

Millennium. Kluwer Law International, 2000.

Unknown author

Example:

Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather. Oxford UP, 2011.

Note:

• “University” and “Press” in the names of academic presses are abbreviated to “U” and “P”.

Two or more works by the same author

Three (3) hyphens and a period at the beginning of the following line represent the same author’s name.

Example:

Borroff, Marie. Language and the Poet: Verbal Artistry in Frost, Stevens, and Moore. U of Chicago P,

1979.

—. Pearl: A New Verse Translation. W. W. Norton, 1977.

Two or more works by the same author in the same year

Example:

Jones, Cal. Assessing Hypotheses. U of Western Sydney, 1999.

—. Forming Hypotheses. U of Western Sydney, 1999.

Author with an editor

The editors’ names should appear as it is presented in the book.

Example:

Howells, William Dean. Their Wedding Journey. Edited by John K. Reeves, Indiana UP, 1968.

Author with a translator

Example:

Eco, Umberto. The Prague Cemetery. Translated by Richard Dixon, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 2010.

Editor with no author

Example:

Baker, Russell, editor. The Norton Book of Light Verse. W. W. Norton, 1986.

Work in an anthology (chapter in a book)

Example:

Arnold, Matthew. “Sweetness and Light.” Cultural Theory: An Anthology, edited by Imre Szeman and

Timothy Kaposy, Wiley-Blackwell, 2011, pp. 12–17.

Edition other than the first

Example:

Tortora, Gerald J., and Bryan H. Derrickson. Principles of Anatomy and Physiology. 14th ed., Wiley

Global Education, 2013.

Multivolume work

Some book series may consist of several volumes. When citing such, it is necessary to state the volume of the book where the information was taken from. However, if the volume has its own name, it is formatted as a book.

Example:

Priestley, Joseph. Experiments and Observations on Different Types of Air. Vol. 2, Johnson, 1775.

Encyclopedia/dictionary

This entry should not include information about the publisher or page number.

Example:

“Activist Media.” A Dictionary of Journalism. 2nd ed., 2016.

Foreword, introduction, preface, or afterword

Example:

Priestley, Joseph. Preface. Experiments and Observations on Different Types of Air, by Priestley, vol. 2, Johnson, 1775, pp. v–xxviii.

Online book

The basic book format is used here, followed by the name of the electronic library (italicized) and the URL.

Example:

Gikandi, Simon. Ngugi wa Thiong’o. Cambridge UP, 2000. ACLS Humanities E-book, hdl.handle.net/2027/heb.07588.0001.001

NB!

  • Omit https:// or https:// from URLs unless you want to hyperlink them or it’s a DOI link.
  • If a URL runs more than three full lines, truncate to the host.

For example, hdl.handle.net/2027/heb.07588.0001.001 may become hdl.handle.net

Citing Articles in Periodicals

This section focuses on articles in journals, magazines, and newspapers. The month has to be

abbreviated if used (Jan., Feb., or Mar., except June, July, and Sept.). In general, the citation will look like this:

Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of an Article.” Title of Periodical, vol. #, no. #, YYYY, pp. #-#.

Scholarly journal article

Example:

Zhang, Qun. “Lean Six Sigma: A Literature Review.” Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, vol. 3, no. 10, 2012, pp. 599–605.

Note:

• Use “p.” if the article is located on one page.

Scholarly journal article (no author)

Example:

“Understanding Benefits and Limitations of Six Sigma.” International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, vol. 2, no. 1, 2012, pp. 1–9.

Magazine article

Example:

Park, Alice. “The Story about a Viral Photo of Opioid Overdose.” Time, 24 Jan. 2017, p. 45.

Baker, Aryn. “A Climate Solution Lies Deep Under the Ocean—But Accessing It Could Have Huge Environmental Costs.” Time, 13 Sept. 2021, time.com/6094560/deep-sea-miningenvironmental-costs-benefits.

Newspaper article

Example:

Mathews, David. “From Draft Town to Gray Skies.” The Chicago Defender, 28 Apr. 2015, pp. 2–6.

Timsit, Annabelle, et al. “Los Angeles school board to vote on vaccine mandate for students.” The Washington Post, 09 Sept. 2021, www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/09/08/covid-delta variant-live-updates

Editorial in newspaper

An editorial is cited like any article in a periodical, but it is necessary to state that it is an “Editorial” after the work’s title.

Example:

“Who’s Afraid of Betsy DeVos.” Editorial. The Wall Street Journal, 17 Jan. 2017, p. 10.

Letter to the editor

Example:

“Rebellion against the Weird.” Letter. The Guardian, 27 Jan. 2017, p. 12.

It uses principles similar to those of an editorial in a newspaper and states the type of publication—A letter.

Book or film review

To cite a review, include the title of the review (if available), then the phrase “Review of,” and provide the title of the work (in italics for books, plays, and films; in quotation marks for articles, poems, and short stories). Finally, provide performance and/or publication information.

Examples:

Review Author. “Title of Review (if there is one).” Review of Performance Title by Author/Director/Artist/Editor. Title of Periodical, Day Month Year, page.

Seitz, Matt Zoller. “Life in the Sprawling Suburbs, If You Can Really Call It Living.” Review of Radiant City, directed by Gary Burns and Jim Brown. New York Times, 30 May 2007, p. E1.

Weiller, K. H. Review of Sport, Rhetoric, and Gender: Historical Perspectives and Media Representations, edited by Linda K. Fuller. Choice, Apr. 2007, p. 1377.

Article in an online journal

Example:

Dufresne, Christopher, et al. “Broad-Scale Genetic Diversity of Cannabis for Forensic Applications.” PLoS ONE, vol. 12, no. 1, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0170522.

If the article can also be found in print, it is necessary to mention page numbers.

Example:

Dufresne, Christopher, et al. “Broad-Scale Genetic Diversity of Cannabis for Forensic Applications.” PLoS ONE, vol. 12, no. 1, 2017, pp. 458–471, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0170522.

Article from an online database (or other electronic subscription service)

Cite online databases (e.g., LexisNexis, ProQuest, JSTOR, ScienceDirect) and other subscription services as containers. Thus, provide the database title italicized before the DOI or URL. If a DOI is not provided, use the URL instead. Provide the date of access if you wish.

Examples:

Chan, Evans. “Postmodernism and Hong Kong Cinema.” Postmodern Culture, vol. 10, no. 3, May 2000. Project Muse, https://doi.org/10.1353/pmc.2000.0021

Langhamer, Claire. “Love and Courtship in Mid-Twentieth-Century England.” Historical Journal, vol. 50, no. 1, 2007, pp. 173–96. ProQuest, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0018246X06005966.

Article in an online magazine/newspaper

Example:

Kwakkel, Erik. “The Beauty of the Injured Book.” Medieval Fragments, 02 May 2014, medievalfragments.com/2014/05/02/the-beauty-of-the-injured-book.

PDF of an online journal article

Example:

Jamali, Hamid R. and Majid Nabavi. “Open access and sources of full-text articles in Google Scholar in different subject fields.” Scientometrics, vol. 105, no. 3, 2015, pp.1635-1651. ResearchGate, www.researchgate.net/publication/280303439_Open_access_and_sources_of_fulltext_articles_in_Google_Scholar_in_different_subject_fields. PDF download.

General format

Editor, author, or compiler name (if available). Name of Site. Version number, Name of institution/organization affiliated with the site (sponsor or publisher), date of resource creation (if available), URL, DOI, or permalink. Date of access (mentioned only if there is no publication date!).

Entire website

When citing an entire website, it is necessary to provide the full URL (without https://) and the date when the source was accessed.

Example:

Starbucks: Coffee and Espresso. Starbucks Coffee Company, 2016, www.starbucks.com/.

Felluga, Dino. Guide to Literary and Critical Theory. Purdue U, 28 Nov. 2003, www.cla.purdue.edu/english/theory/.

Page from the website (no publication date)

Example:

Pereira, Rachel. “How to Make an Interesting Art Piece Using Tree Branches.” eHow, www.ehow.com/how_2227693_art-piece-using-tree-branches.html. Accessed 24 Jan. 2017.

In this case, only the date of access is known.

Page from the website with an unknown author

Example:

“Antibiotic Resistant STDs: FAQs.” WebMD, 12 Jan. 2017, www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/antibioticresistant-std-faq.

Image from website

This format can be used when citing famous paintings, sculptures, and artworks that are available online. Provide the artist’s name, the work of art italicized, the date of creation, and the institution and city where the work is housed. Follow this initial entry with the name of the website in italics and the date of access.

Example:

Van Gogh, Vincent. Starry Night. 1889. The Museum of Modern Art, New York. MoMA Learning, www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/vincent-van-gogh-the-starry-night-1889.

If the work is cited on the web only, provide the artist’s name and the title in quotation marks, and follow the website citation format. If the work is posted via a username, use that username for the author.

Example:

Burtinsky, Edward. “Silver Lake Operations #16. Lake Lefroy, Western Australia.” Picture Stories, National Geographic, 11 Jan. 2017, www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/proof/2017/01/edward-burtynsky-earth-humanlandscapes/.

Entire blog

The date can usually be found at the bottom of the web window, along with the copyright information.

Example:

Daniels, Clair. Easy Recipes. 2016, www.easyrecipes.com.

Single blog entry

Example:

Daniels, Clair. “Pumpkin Pie.” Easy Recipes, 25 Apr. 2016, www.easyrecipes.com/04/25/2016/pumpkinpie.

Video or film

If there is a general discussion of a film, the film title should be followed by the names of creators and performers. The name of the distributor is also required.

Example:

Die Hard. Directed by John McTiernan, Twentieth Century Fox, 1988.

Television Episode

Examples:

“The Iron Throne.” Game of Thrones, season 8, episode 6, HBO, 19 May 2019.

“Tradition.” Grey’s Anatomy, created by Shonda Rhimes et al., season 17, episode 15, ABC, 20 May 2021.

Podcast/YouTube

The video’s name is followed by the hosting website’s name (italicized). The uploader’s name or username should be mentioned along with the download date.

Example:

“Planet Earth II Continues: Official Trailer.” YouTube, uploaded by BBC Earth, 25 Nov. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8yo_Sp-rGY.

Social Media

Structure:

Author [@author’s handle]. “Title.” Social Media Platform, DD Mon. Year, link.

Examples:

APA Style [@APAStyle]. “A new way to master APA Style is here!” Facebook, 01 Sept. 2021, www.facebook.com/APAStyle/posts/6734360253256004.

APA Style [@APAStyle]. “The Mastering APA Style Student Workbook engages users online with interactive questions to learn and apply principles of #7thEdition #APAStyle and scholarly writing.” Twitter, 01 Sept. 2021, twitter.com/APA_Style/status/1433128273068838920.

If the title is too long, you can shorten it, but ensure that the identification of the work is unambiguous.

Dissertation

The main elements of a dissertation citation are the same as those of a book. Conclude with an indication of the document type (e.g., “PhD dissertation”). The degree-granting institution may be included before the document type (though this is not required). If the dissertation was accessed through an online repository, include it as the second container after all the other elements.

Example:

Bishop, Karen Lynn. Documenting Institutional Identity: Strategic Writing in the IUPUI Comprehensive Campaign. 2002. Purdue U, PhD dissertation.

Dissertation available online

Mitchell, Mark. The Impact of Product Quality Reducing Events on the Value of Brand-Name Capital: Evidence from Airline Crashes and the 1982 Tylenol Poisonings. 1987. PhD dissertation. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses.

Citing Learning Environment

Lecture

The city must be mentioned if a lecture or other live performance is cited. However, this should be left out if it is already in the name of the event. The name of the organization should follow the name of the meeting. The speech title is enclosed in quotation marks. A lecture or other address heard in person may be indicated as such at the end of the entry.

Example:

Atwood, Margaret. “Silencing the Scream.” Boundaries of the Imagination Forum. MLA Annual Convention, 29 Dec. 1993, Royal York Hotel, Toronto. Lecture.

Government publication

If the author is unknown, mention the government and the department. The name of the publishing office must follow the title of the document.

Example:

Great Britain, Ministry of Transport. Increasing Security in London Airports: Strategies for Future. Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 2003.

In-Text Citations

The main scheme for an in-text citation is the first name that appears in the source listing (usually an author’s name) followed by a page number, which is always put in parentheses.

A source without page numbers or any other form of explicit, fixed part numbering must be cited as a whole: include in the text or in parentheses enough information for the reader to find the corresponding entry in the works-cited list—usually the author’s last name.

An author named in a signal phrase

Mention the author in the sentence, and end the sentence with a page number for paraphrased information:

Example: According to Barton, teenagers are influenced by marketing campaigns in social media (68).

The author is not named in a signal phrase.

Note that there is no comma between the author’s name and the page number. Example: Teenagers are influenced by social media marketing campaigns (Barton 68).

Unknown author

If the author is unknown, the title that appears first in the source entry should be used with the same formatting and punctuation. If it is too long, reduce to the first several words in parentheses:

Example: Many young people attended Woodstock in the 1970s (Readings on the Past Century 89).

Example: Readings on the Past Century: Music and Protest mentions that many young people attended Woodstock in the 1970s (89).

Unknown page number

If there is no page number and the source is not divided by chapters, paragraphs, or other sections, do not include it in the in-text citation. Do not count unnumbered paragraphs or other parts.

Example: Young parents tend to have higher levels of stress for their children than experienced couples (Ford).

More than one work by the same author

When you are referring to more than one work by an author, it is necessary to state a shortened version of the title. The examples show how to represent an article (title is in quotation marks):

Example: (Kotler, “Kotler on Marketing” 65), (Kotler, “Marketing Management” 76).

However, when the author’s last name is used in the sentence, the in-text reference will be formatted this way:

Example: (“Kotler on Marketing” 65), (“Marketing Management” 76).

Titles are provided in italics for books.

Two authors

When making a reference to two co-authors, it is necessary to use “and” to connect their last names.

Example: (Grey and Bell 45).

Three or more authors

If the Works Cited entry shows that a work has three or more than three authors, “et al.” is used starting from the first quote or reference.

Example: (White et al. 456).

Corporate Author

If the author is an organization or corporate entity, include its full name in the in-text citation. If you refer to the organization often, mention the title in full at least once and use an abbreviation in the subsequent in-text citations.

Example: (World Trade Organization 56).

Authors with the same last name

To differentiate between authors with the same last name in in-text citations, use their initials.

Example: (R. Smith 45), (J. Smith 56).

Encyclopedia

When citing an encyclopedia or a part of it, it is necessary to put the article in quotation marks as it is stated in the reference list entry.

Example: (“Activist Media” 5).

Multivolume work

When citing information from different volumes, it is necessary to indicate a volume number. However, this is not necessary if only one volume is used.

Example: (Priestley 1: 45).

Two or more works in the same parentheses

It is necessary to use a semicolon to divide references and list them in alphabetical order.

Example: (Clark 45; Roberts 65).

Indirect sources

Provide the author of the original source in a signal phrase and include a citation of the secondary source in parentheses. Note that only the secondary source has to be included in the Works Cited.

Example: Smith argues that “personalistic systems provide the most accurate representation of a patient’s identity” (. Jones 82).

An entire work/website

When citing an entire website, book, or any other long source, the title will be shortened and presented in

italics (if the author is unknown).

Example: (Starbucks).

Work in anthology

A work in an anthology is cited using the principles of general MLA format. In this case, the information in parentheses will reflect the last name of the author of the short work, along with the page number.

Example: (Arnold 12).

Government publication

Governmental publications are cited as corporate authors. In this case, the in-text citation must include the full name of the department and the page or paragraph number.

Example: (United States Department of Labor 5).

Dissertation

If the author is known, use common citation rules.

Example: (Jameson 65).

Lecture

In most cases, the information about the lecturer is known.

Example: (Green 1).

Multimedia sources

Sometimes, it will be necessary to reference various multimedia sources such as a video, film, podcast, YouTube video, or image. For sources that have a particular length, it may be necessary to state particular minutes that the quotation or text refers to, such as (00:01:23-00:01:56). However, this is not a requirement.

Video or film

General rules for MLA referencing are applied when citing a video or a film. In the first example below, the title of the film is italicized as in the Works Cited (refer to example 1 in Works Cited). In the second example, the last name of the director is provided (refer to example 2 in Works Cited).

Example: (Die Hard) or (McTiernan).

Podcast/YouTube

Citing this type of source also depends on how it appears on the Works Cited page. In this case, it is reasonable to state the author (user name) if known or provide the title of the work in quotation marks.

Example: (Andersen 00:01:23-00:01:56).

Image from website

In the case of a picture or photograph, if the author is known, it is reasonable to state the author, such as (Gogh) or (Burtinsky). With an unknown author, present it the same way as it is stated in Works Cited.

What is the latest edition of the MLA Handbook?

The latest edition is the 9th edition, published in 2021.

How do I format block quotes in MLA?

Indent block quotes one inch from the left margin. Do not use quotation marks, and double-space the text.

Can I use footnotes in MLA format?

Yes, but it is not necessary. MLA allows the use of footnotes or endnotes for supplementary information. However, in-text citations are the primary method for citing sources.

How do I cite a source with no author in MLA?

Use a shortened title of the work in place of the author’s name. For example, (“Impact of Global Warming” 45).

What if multiple works by the same author are cited?

Include a shortened title of the work along with the author’s last name and page number. For example, (Smith, Art of Writing 123).

How should I format the works cited page?

Center the title “Works Cited” at the top of the page, and use a hanging indent for each entry. Alphabetize entries by the author’s last name.

QUICK QUOTE

Approximately 250 words

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