The Modern Language Association (MLA) style is one of the major formatting styles used in academic writing, particularly in the humanities. When writing a research paper, especially one relying heavily on sources, it’s important to properly cite content and format the bibliography. The MLA format for bibliographies calls for a very specific presentation of entries and guidelines for layout and spacing. Following the MLA style shows academic integrity by giving proper credit and allows readers to follow up on sources if desired.
The goal of the MLA bibliography is to provide readers with enough information to locate and retrieve any source cited. With that in mind, the general format is as follows for all types of sources:
Last name, First name. “Title of Source.” Container, Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, Location.
Some key aspects of the basic MLA bibliography format include:
List sources alphabetically by author’s last name. For sources without an author, arrange alphabetically by title ignoring any initial articles (A, An, The).
Double space the entire bibliography and use a hanging indent for each entry so that the first line of a citation is flush left and any additional lines are indented 0.5 inches.
Italicize titles of longer published works like books, published brochures, musical albums, films, long poems, TV shows, comic books, plays, and opera. Use quotation marks for titles of shorter works like articles, essays, poems, chapters, songs, web pages, etc.
Include publication information for print sources including city of publication and publisher name. For online sources include date accessed.
Use standard abbreviations for things like edition (2nd ed.), issue (no.), volume (vol.), etc.
Add contributors like authors, editors, translators, illustrators, etc. after the title and separated by a comma.
Indicate which medium a work is hosted on, for example, Periodical, Web, Performance, etc.
Capitalize major words in titles of containers like journals or magazines but sentence case for article/chapter titles.
Here are some examples of how to format sources in an MLA bibliography:
Book
Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. Publisher, Year Published.
Eagleton, Terry. Literary Theory: An Introduction. U of Minnesota P, 1983.
Article in Journal
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Title of Journal, vol. #, no. #, Publication Date, pages.
Mukherjee, Neel. “How to Format MLA Bibliography: Step-by-Step Guide.” Online Library, vol. 50, no. 3, 2020, pp. 23-45.
Chapter or Part in Edited Book
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Chapter or Part.” Title of Book, edited by Editor’s Name(s), Publisher, Year Published, Page Range.
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Edited by Joseph Beller and Laurence DeBarge, Harcourt, 2016, pp. 11-23.
Newspaper Article
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Name of Newspaper, Date of Publication, Edition.
Smith, John. “MLA Bibliography Format: The Complete Guide.” The New York Times, 10 Jan. 2023, late ed., p. A3.
Web Page
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Web Page.” Name of Website, Publisher/Sponsor of Site, Date of Publication, URL. Date Accessed.
Carlisle, Jan. “Writing a Research Paper in MLA Style.” OWL Purdue, Purdue U, 8 Aug. 2023, owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_formatting_and_style_guide.html. Accessed 12 Oct. 2023.
Film
Title. Directed by Director’s Name(s), Performance by Actor’s Name(s), Studio/Distributor, Year of Release.
Citizen Kane. Directed by Orson Welles, performance by Orson Welles, RKO Radio Pictures, 1941.
Poem or Song
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Song.” Title of Album, Label, Year Published.
Gershwin, George. “Summertime.” Porgy and Bess, Decca Records, 1952.
Email/Interview
Lastname, Firstname. “Subject of Correspondence/Interview.” Communication Medium, Date.
Smith, John. “MLA Bibliography Format Interview.” Email, 10 Oct. 2023.
For unpublished manuscripts, lectures, interviews, and personal communications, the format is slightly different – see MLA guidelines for specifics.
The key aspects of any MLA style bibliography are consistency, readability, and providing enough details for the reader to identify the source. By alphabetizing, double spacing, and ensuring hanging indents, the information is clearly organized. Titles are properly formatted and publisher/date information establishes credibility. Overall, following these guidelines ensures academic integrity and aids readers in their own research journeys. Masters and doctoral students especially need to demonstrate command of MLA style in their research papers. With practice, constructing a proper MLA bibliography becomes second nature.