Introduction
When preparing a research paper in MLA style, you need to create a Works Cited list at the end of the paper. The MLA has created a different format for each type of book, article, and almost every other conceivable source.
MLA Seventh Edition has important differences from the Sixth Edition. Be sure you know which your instructor wishes you to use.
Brief information for a monthly magazine article from EBSCOhost:
I'll Do It Tomorrow. (cover story) By: Gura, Trisha. Scientific American Mind, 2008, Vol. 19 Issue 6, p27-33, 7p, 5 color; (AN 35855233) Notes: This title is held locally.
-- This magazine is held in print 'locally' at the CBC Library (Pasco campus), as well as online in full text in EBSCOhost.
1. Follow the basic MLA format for a monthly magazine (periodical) article in print (MLA 5.4.6) if you choose to read the print version (note that for magazine and newspaper articles you do NOT cite the volume and issue numbers):
Author's name. "Title of the Article." Name of the Periodical Date of publication: page numbers. Print.
Example citation of a print article in a monthly magazine
Gura, Trisha. "I'll Do It Tomorrow." Scientific American Mind Dec. 2008: 27-33. Print.
2. Drop the word 'Print' and add information about the database at the end of the citation if you chose to read the electronic full text of the magazine article (MLA 5.4.6) from an online database (MLA 5.6.4):
Author's name. "Title of the Article." Name of the Periodical Date of publication: page numbers (use + if end page is not included). Database name. Web. Date of access.
Example citation of a monthly/bimonthly magazine article from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier:
Gura, Trisha. "I'll Do It Tomorrow." Scientific American Mind Dec. 2008: 27-33. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Aug. 2009.
3. Follow the format for a Nonperiodical Web Publication (MLA 5.6.2) if you read an article on the magazine's own website, since websites are typically updated on an irregular basis, but add information about the print publication if necessary for clarity.
Author's name. "Title of the Article." Title of Publication Date of Publication: pages (or 'n. pag.' if page numbers are not included). Title of the website. Web. Date of access.
Example citation of a Web article -- this article appears with a different title in the print and web versions; the website uses the promotional title from the print magazine cover. This is a clear demonstration of the importance of specifying not only the source of the article (Scientific American Mind, December 2008) but the site and medium.
Gura, Trisha. "Procrastinating Again? How to Kick the Habit." Scientific American Mind Dec. 2008: n. pag. Scientific American. Web. 17 July 2009.
Brief information for a scholarly journal article from EBSCOhost:
Changing institutional culture: Ethnic studies in the monocultural midwest. By: Ottenheimer, Harriet. Kansas Quarterly, 1993, Vol. 25 Issue 2, p121, 7p; (AN 9410310807) Notes: The Library does not subscribe to this title in paper.
-- This article is only available from the CBC Library online, in full text in EBSCOhost.
Basic MLA format for a scholarly journal (MLA 5.4.2) in an online database (MLA 5.6.4):
Author's name. "Title of the Article." Journal Title Volume.Issue (Year of publication): page numbers. Database name. Web. Date of access.
Example citation of a scholarly journal article in EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier (Notice the citation information in EBSCOhost gives the total number of pages but not the ending page number, so just cite the starting page number, a plus sign and period for any article over one page):
Ottenheimer, Harriet. "Changing Institutional Culture: Ethnic Studies in the Monocultural Midwest." Kansas Quarterly 25.2 (1993): 121+. Academic Search Premier. Web. 7 Apr. 2005.
NOTE: EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier and ProQuest are databases that contains journal articles, magazine articles, newspaper articles, editorials, book reviews, etc. Please choose the appropriate formats for different types of articles.
WARNING: Many of our databases now offer an automatic citation creation feature. These can save you some work, but you must check the citations carefully – they don't always get it entirely right.
- Verify that they are using the required edition of MLA.
- Be sure the author is last name first.
- Check titles – you should only capitalize the first letter of each principal word.
- Most importantly, make sure the automatic citation didn't use the scholarly journal form (volume.number – i.e. 47.2) when it should show a magazine form (day mon. year – i.e. 7 Apr. 1998).
More Example MLA Citations from CBC Library’s Online Databases:
ProQuest: given below are examples from a magazine and newspaper, requiring you to use a date, not the volume and issue numbers even if they are listed. You abbreviate the month, except for May, June, and July. If you don't have the name of an individual database, just identify the service (ProQuest).
Monthly Magazine
Mitchell, E. Mark. "Numerous Citations." Analog Science Fiction & Fact Jan.-Feb. 2007: 149-183. Humanities Module, ProQuest. Web. 6 Dec. 2006.
Daily Newspaper
Pesznecker, Scott. "Thousands Caught in Speed Trap." Herald [Everett] 16 Nov. 2006: 1. Washington State Newsstand, ProQuest. Web. 6 Dec. 2006.
CQ Researcher (weekly magazine):
Clark, Charles S. "The FBI Under Fire." CQ Researcher 11 Apr. 1997. CQ Researcher Online. Web. 26 Oct. 2001.
FACTS.com: this Facts on File service provides CBC with two main databases, World News Digest and Issues & Controversies in American History:
"Awards: Wallace Stevens Award." World News Digest. Facts On File, 21 Sept. 2006. Web. 6 Dec. 2006.
Hill, Raymond P. "Scopes Trial." Issues & Controversies in American History. Facts On File, 31 Mar. 2006. Web. 6 Dec. 2006.
Gale Virtual Reference - includes web versions of both "widely used reference books...that frequently appear in new editions" and more "specialized reference works" (MLA 5.5.7):
"Moldova." Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations. 11th ed. 2004. Gale Virtual Reference. Web. 23 Aug. 2009.
-- Has appeared frequently since the first edition in 1960; reference articles are unsigned so the article title appears first in the citation.
Bram, Jean Rhys. "Moon." Encyclopedia of Religion. Ed. Lindsay Jones. Vol. 9. 2nd ed. Detroit: Macmillan, 2005. Gale Virtual Reference. Web. 23 Aug. 2009.
-- A scholarly, specialized work with lengthy signed articles.
EBSCO ebook Collection: EBSCO ebook Collection provides an electronic copy of the book, including page numbers as they appeared in the original. The copy is transcribed, however, so information regarding the database must be included in your citation.
Long, Judy A. Legal Research Using The Internet. Albany: Delmar Health Care, 2000. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 26 Oct. 2001.
Oxford Reference: provides both signed and unsigned articles in reference books. Unsigned articles are listed without the author, and familiar reference books don't require full publication info, only edition and year. Works do not include city of publication.
Unsigned /Familiar
"Schizophrenia." The Concise Oxford English Dictionary. 12th ed. 2008. Oxford Reference. Web. 24 Aug. 2009.
Signed/Less Familiar
"Schizophrenia." A Dictionary of Psychology. Ed. Andrew M. Colman. Oxford UP, 2009. Oxford Reference. Web. 24 Aug. 2009.
MLA Handbook:
Modern Language Association. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 7th ed. New York: Modern Lang. Assn. of Amer., 2009. Print.
-- CBC Library Pasco, Ready Reference, Call Number LB2369.G53 2009. An online version is available in the library. Consult the reference librarians for assistance.
Other Writing Handbooks:
Hacker, Diana. A Writer's Reference. 6th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2007. Print. Updated online by Documenting Sources in MLA Style: 2009 Update-A Hacker Handbooks Supplement.
-- CBC Library Pasco, Ready Reference, Call Number PE1408. H2778 2007.