MLA Format

MLA 9th Edition:

There are 3 basic elements to all citation styles. The bibliography, the in-text documentation, and the page setup. Below are examples and links to all three for the MLA 8th Edition.

#1) MLA Page Layout Template

#2) Basic Rules of In-Text (Parenthetical) Citations

Author and page number are typically required. Example: (Kaufhold 15).
You may use the page number from PDF files that are scans of the original document.
If no page number is available, you may use paragraph or section number ONLY if the paragraphs or sections were numbered by the author. Example: (Kaufhold para. 4).
If no page, paragraph, or section number exists, do not insert any extra information.
The period goes outside of the parenthesis at the end of the statement.
A signal phrase is highly recommended in the MLA format. Writers must let the reader know upfront that cited material is coming up in the text.
If no author exists, an abbreviated version of the title can be used. Example: ("Common Citations" 45).
If the author's name is in the signal phrase, the name should not repeat in the parentheses.
Quotation marks are used for titles of articles, short stories, and poems. Italics are used for titles of books, journals, and magazine titles.