Published on June 28, 2019 by Shona McCombes. Revised on June 16, 2022. An MLA book citation always includes the author(s),
title (italicized), publisher, and publication year in the Works Cited entry. If relevant, also include the names of any editors or translators, the edition, and the volume. “University Press” should be abbreviated to “UP” in a Works Cited entry. The in-text citation gives the author’s last name and a page number in parentheses. Use this format if the book’s chapters are written by different authors, or if the book is a collection of self-contained works (such as stories, essays, poems
or plays). A similar format can be used to cite images from books or dictionary entries. If you cite several chapters from the same book, include a separate Works Cited entry for
each one. Start the Works Cited entry with the author and title of the chapter, followed by the book’s title, editor, publisher, and date, and end with the page range on which the chapter appears. If there are two editors, give the full names of both. If there are more than two editors, follow the same rules as for
citing multiple authors: name only the first editor followed by et al. If you are citing a work from a book with no named editor (e.g. a collection of a single author’s poems or plays), use the same format, but leave out the editor element.
Citing a whole collection or anthologyIf you refer to a whole collection without citing a specific work within it, follow the standard book citation format. Include the editor(s) where the author would usually go, with a label to identify their role.
Editions of booksIf the book cover or title page specifies an edition, add the edition number or name, followed by the abbreviation “ed.”, after the title. Note that versions of the Bible are treated slightly differently.
Including the original publication dateClassic books are often published and republished many times. If the original publication date is relevant or necessary to put the source in context, you can also include this directly after the title.
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See an example Multi-volume booksIf you cite only one volume of a multi-volume work, include the volume number in the Works Cited entry. If you cite more than one volume of the book, cite them as a single work and specify the total number of volumes in your Works Cited entry. In this case, the in-text citations must include the volume number as well as the page number.
Translated booksIf the book is translated, include the translator’s name after the title.
E-books and online booksThe citation format for an e-book depends on how you accessed it. Books accessed onlineIf you accessed the book via a website or database, use the standard MLA book citation format, followed by the name of the website or database and a link to the book. Look for a DOI, stable URL or permalink. If the book was accessed as a PDF, you may note this in your reference.
Downloaded e-booksIf you downloaded the book onto an e-reader device or app, you only have to add “E-book ed.” after the title. If the e-book does not have page numbers, use an alternate locator, such as a chapter or section heading, in your in-text citation. Do not use locators that are specific to the device (e.g. Kindle locations).
Where to find information for a book citationThe title, author, publisher, and publication year are usually found on the book’s title page. You might have to check the copyright page for the publisher and publication year. Note that the copyright date is not always the same as the publication date. If several different years appear on the copyright page, use the most recent one. If the book has any editors or translators named on the cover page, include them in the citation after the book’s title.
Frequently asked questions about MLA styleHow do you write a book title in MLA? In MLA style, book titles appear in italics, with all major words capitalized. If there is a subtitle, separate it from the main title with a colon and a space (even if no colon appears in the source). For example: Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance The format is the same in the Works Cited list and in the text itself. However, when you mention the book title in the text, you don’t have to include the subtitle. The title of a part of a book—such as a chapter, or a short story or poem in a collection—is not italicized, but instead placed in quotation marks. If a source has two authors, name both authors in your MLA in-text citation and Works Cited entry. If there are three or more authors, name only the first author, followed by et al.
When should I cite a book chapter in MLA? In MLA Style, you should cite a specific chapter or work within a book in two situations:
If you cite multiple chapters or works from the same book, include a separate Works Cited entry for each chapter. How do I cite information from a footnote in MLA style? Some source types, such as books and journal articles, may contain footnotes (or endnotes) with additional information. The following rules apply when citing information from a note in an MLA in-text citation:
Sources in this articleWe strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below. This Scribbr article
Is this article helpful?You have already voted. Thanks :-) Your vote is saved :-) Processing your vote... How do you reference an excerpt from a book?Citing an Excerpt Originally Published in a Book
List the name of the author of the excerpt in the following format: Smith, L. List the publication date of the book in which the excerpt now appears, in parentheses. For example: (2010). List the title of the excerpt.
How do you cite a quote from an excerpt from a book?In-text citations include the last name of the author followed by a page number enclosed in parentheses. "Here's a direct quote" (Smith 8). If the author's name is not given, then use the first word or words of the title. Follow the same formatting that was used in the works cited list, such as quotation marks.
How do you put an excerpt in a paper MLA?Formatting Block Quotations
The entire block quotation should be indented one inch from the left margin. The first line of the excerpt should not be further indented, unless you are quoting multiple paragraphs—in which case the first line of each quoted paragraph should be further indented 0.25 inches.
How do you inIn-text citations: Author-page style
MLA format follows the author-page method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the page number(s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken must appear in the text, and a complete reference should appear on your Works Cited page.
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