MLA Style focuses on core elements and containers:
Each Entry in the list of works cited is composed of facts common to most works - the MLA core elements.
They are assembled in a specific order:
The concept of containers is crucial to MLA style.
When the source being documented forms part of a larger whole, the larger whole can be thought of as a container that holds the source.
For example, a short story may be contained in an anthology. The short story is the source, and the anthology is the container.
Core Elements:
Last name, then comma, and then first name.
Example:
Ocean, Frank.
Core Elements:
Last name, then comma, and then first name (for leading author), and first name then last name (for co-author).
Example:
Molina, Juana, and Stephen Wilkinson.
Core Elements:
Only list the leading author's name followed by et al.
Example:
Hynes, Dev, et al.
Core Elements:
For a corporation, government department, university, or any organization that takes authorship responsibility, simply list their name in full.
Example:
World Wide Fund for Nature.
Core Elements:
Begin the citation with the title of the resource.
Example:
"Adele Left Devastated by Pizza Ban." World Entertainment News Network, 12 Aug. 2016. Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, libproxy.howardcc.edu/login?url=https://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=PPTH&sw=w&u=colu91149&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA460503421&asid=3e652e44cab8904e8f7b0fc0006d6e2f.
Core Elements:
Authors for television and movies have their name followed by their role.
Example:
Cronenberg, David, director.
Core Elements:
Put quotation marks around, and type smaller works (e.g., articles, chapters, television episodes, songs, poems, etc.) in title case (the first letter of each word is capitalized--except for conjunctions, articles, and prepositions that are not the first words in either the title and/or subtitle). Follow the original capitalization of organizations with their names (e.g., WebMD).
Example:
"Don't Call Jazz America's Classical Music."
Core Elements:
Italicize and type larger works (e.g., academic journals, magazines, newspapers, books, television shows, etc.) in title case (the first letter of each word is capitalized--except for conjunctions, articles, and prepositions that are not the first words in either the title and/or subtitle). Follow the original capitalization of organizations with their names (e.g., WebMD).
Example:
Mo' Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove
Core Elements:
If the participation of other individuals, besides the author(s), played a relevant part in the creation of the resource you are discussing: They can be listed under other contributors, preceded by a description of their role.
Examples:
Adapted by Noah Hawley
Edited by Toni Morrison
Translated by Gregory Rabassa
Illustrated by Virgil Finlay
Performance by Aubrey Plaza
Cinematography by Shigeyoshi Mine
Core Elements:
Forward slashes should go in-between multiple pieces of information where a comma would cause confusion (i.e., an overabundance of core elements).
Examples:
Morgan Creek Productions / Telefilm Canada / Mantle Clinic II
watercolor / pen and ink
Core Elements:
Day Month Year
Journals and books, include year only.
Examples:
29 Nov. 2016
2017
Core Elements:
Day Month Year
Websites with no publication date, use either an update or copyright date.
Ancient texts with no publication date (e.g., works from Homer or Plato), use the translation date.
If an approximate date or date range can be inferred, use square brackets with either circa preceding the date or a question mark after the date.
If there really is no perceivable date, do not include any date information whatsoever (not even an abbreviation designating that there is no date).
Examples:
24 Mar. 2017
[circa 1930]
[1849?]
The History Teaching Institute. "Loyalists and Loyalism in the American Revolution." The History Teaching Institute @ The Ohio State University, hti.osu.edu/history-lesson-plans/united-states-history/loyalists.
Core Elements:
When page numbers are listed, preface them with p. for a single page and pp. for multiple pages.
Examples:
p. 101
pp. 78-83
Core Elements:
Provide a direct link to the resource complete with the library portal preceding it (i.e., libproxy.howardcc.edu/login?url=).
Examples:
libproxy.howardcc.edu/login?url=https://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=PPGB&sw=w&u=colu91149&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA361713542&asid=66c8c5c108faef76c946daa80d08d0a4
Core Elements:
Provide a direct link to the resource when obtained from a website, and subtract the "https://" before the URL.
Example:
pitchfork.com/features/article/10018-does-college-radio-even-matter-anymore/
Core Elements:
DOIs (when available) are preferred to URLs. Put "doi:" before a DOI with no space in-between them.
Example:
doi:10.2307/823452