The editorial style of the Modern Language Association (MLA) is used by students and scholars in the Humanities: English Literature, etc.
For students, the most important aspect of the style is the method for documenting sources you have used in your papers. You must provide a complete list of the sources you cite at the end of your paper, your Works Cited list.
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Ask your instructor to confirm which Edition of the MLA citation guidelines they want you to use.
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For information about the new MLA Handbook Ninth Edition, see:
This guide combines information adapted from the MLA 8th and 9th edition from Alexandrea Flynn of Camosun College Library. With her permission. Content has been added, reformatted and edited for use by College of New Caledonia Students.
We now use a universal set of elements that can be applied to any format type.
You may not need to include all of the elements, but the elements used must appear in the same order as shown in the list on the right, using the punctuation marks indicated.
The biggest change is that missing information is no-longer indicated in the citation. For practice templates and more information visit the MLA's online Quick Guide
The 9th edition of the MLA Handbook does not make drastic changes from the 8th edition, instead they have expanded on the number of examples provided and added more illustrations with expanded advice on writing, and manuscript formatting.
New advice on using inclusive language can be found in chapter 3, pages 89 to 93.
New section on Annotated Bibliographies is on page 226: chapter 5 - section 132.
Chapter 7: Notes, is new and provides advice on using bibliographic notes, content notes and how to style them. Notes are not required and only used at the author’s discretion to provide additional information or commentary.
Element changes: Other Contributor(s) is now just Contributor.
‘Optional elements’ are now called Supplemental, and advice is provided for when to use it and where it should appear in your citation, which is after title of source & location. Supplemental elements are always followed by a period.