MLA Style (9th Edition)
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MLA Citation Format
MLA is standard for humanities, literature, and liberal arts.
In-Text Citations
Parenthetical: (Smith 42) — author and page number, no comma
Narrative: Smith argues that "direct quote" (42).
Works Cited Entry: Book
Last, First. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.
Example: Johnson, Maria. Modern Writing Techniques. Academic Press, 2024.
Works Cited Entry: Journal Article
Last, First. "Article Title." Journal Title, vol. #, no. #, Year, pp. #-#.
MLA's Container System
MLA 9th edition uses a "container" concept. A poem might be contained in an anthology, which is contained in a database. Each container level adds information to the citation.