MLA Book Citation Format: A Comprehensive Guide

2021-05-22

book

When writing a research paper or other academic document, it's important to cite your sources correctly. The MLA book citation format is a widely used style for referencing books in academic writing. This guide will provide you with all the information you need to correctly cite books in MLA style.

The MLA book citation format includes the following elements:

Author's Last Name, First Name Middle Name/Initial.
Title of the Book.
Edition (if other than the first).
City of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication.

In the next section, we will discuss each of these elements in more detail and provide examples of MLA book citations.

mla book citation format

MLA book citation format is a widely used style for referencing books in academic writing.

Author's name (last, first)
Title of the book
Edition (if other than the first)
City of publication
Publisher
Year of publication
Page numbers (for specific references)

MLA book citations are used in parenthetical citations within the text of a research paper and in the works cited page at the end of the paper.

Author's name (last, first)

In MLA book citations, the author's name is listed last name first, followed by a comma and then the first name. If there are multiple authors, list them all in the same order, separated by commas. For example:

Smith, John
Jones, Mary, and John Brown

If the author's name is not known, use the title of the book in place of the author's name. For example:

The Catcher in the Rye

If the book has an editor instead of an author, list the editor's name in the same way as you would an author's name. For example:

Smith, John, ed.

If the book has both an author and an editor, list the author's name first, followed by the editor's name. For example:

Smith, John. The Catcher in the Rye. Edited by John Jones.

MLA book citations are used in parenthetical citations within the text of a research paper and in the works cited page at the end of the paper. For more information on MLA book citations, please consult the MLA Style Manual or your instructor.

Title of the book

The title of the book should be italicized in MLA book citations. If the book is part of a series, the series title should be italicized as well. For example:

To Kill a Mockingbird
The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)

If the book has a subtitle, the subtitle should be separated from the title by a colon. For example:

The Catcher in the Rye: A Novel

If the book is a translation, the original title should be included in brackets after the English title. For example:

One Hundred Years of Solitude (Cien años de soledad)

If the book is an edited collection, the title should be followed by the abbreviation "ed." For example:

The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 10th ed.

Edition (if other than the first)

If the book is a later edition other than the first, the edition number should be included in the MLA book citation after the title. The edition number should be italicized. For example:

To Kill a Mockingbird, 2nd ed.
The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1), 10th anniversary ed.

If the book is a revised edition, the word "Revised" should be included before the edition number. For example:

The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 10th revised ed.

If the book is a translation, the edition number of the original language edition should be included in brackets after the edition number of the English translation. For example:

One Hundred Years ofਹੀSoledad (Cien años de soledad), 20th ed. [10th Spanish ed.]

If the book is an edited collection, the edition number should be included after the editor's name. For example:

The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 10th ed., John Smith, ed.

City of publication

The city of publication is the city where the publisher's main office is located. It is usually, but not always, the same city where the book was printed. The city of publication should be included in the MLA book citation after the publisher's name. For example:

To Kill a Mockingbird. J.B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia.
The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1). Scholastic Press, New York.

If the book was published in multiple cities, list the first city only. For example:

The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 10th ed.. W.W. Norton & Company, New York and London.

If the city of publication is not known, use "N.p." (no place) in place of the city name. For example:

The Federalist Papers. N.p., 1788.

Publisher

The publisher is the company or organization that produces and distributes the book. The publisher's name should be included in the MLA book citation after the city of publication. For example:

To Kill a Mockingbird. J.B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia.
The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1). Scholastic Press, New York.

If the book was published by a university press, the name of the university should be included in the publisher's name. For example:

The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 10th ed.. W.W. Norton & Company, New York and London.

If the book was published by a government agency, the name of the agency should be included in the publisher's name. For example:

The Federalist Papers. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.

If the publisher is not known, use "N.p." (no publisher) in place of the publisher's name. For example:

The Communist Manifesto. N.p., 1848.

Year of publication

The year of publication is the year when the book was first published. It is usually found on the copyright page of the book. The year of publication should be included in the MLA book citation after the publisher's name. For example:

To Kill a Mockingbird. J.B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia, 1960.
The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1). Scholastic Press, New York, 2008.

If the book was published in multiple years, list the first year only. For example:

The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 10th ed.. W.W. Norton & Company, New York and London, 2018.

If the year of publication is not known, use "n.d." (no date) in place of the year. For example:

The Federalist Papers. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., n.d.

Page numbers (for specific references)

If you are referencing a specific page or range of pages in a book, you can include the page numbers after the year of publication. For example:

To Kill a Mockingbird. J.B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia, 1960, pp. 1-100.
The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1). Scholastic Press, New York, 2008, pp. 100-200.

If you are referencing a specific page or range of pages in an edited collection, you can include the page numbers after the editor's name. For example:

The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 10th ed.. W.W. Norton & Company, New York and London, 2018, pp. 300-400.

If you are referencing a specific page or range of pages in a book that has multiple volumes, you can include the volume number and page numbers after the year of publication. For example:

The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Vol. 1. J.B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia, 1845, pp. 1-100.

FAQ

This FAQ section provides answers to common questions about MLA book citations.

Question 1: What is the basic format for an MLA book citation?
Answer: The basic format for an MLA book citation includes the author's name, title of the book, edition (if other than the first), city of publication, publisher, and year of publication.

Question 2: How do I cite a book with multiple authors?
Answer: List all authors' names in the order they appear on the title page, separating each name with a comma.

Question 3: How do I cite a book with an editor instead of an author?
Answer: List the editor's name followed by "ed." in place of the author's name.

Question 4: How do I cite a book that is part of a series?
Answer: Include the series title in italics after the book title. You can also include the series number in parentheses after the series title.

Question 5: How do I cite a book that has been translated?
Answer: Include the original title in brackets after the English title. You can also include the name of the translator after the title.

Question 6: How do I cite a book that has multiple volumes?
Answer: Include the volume number after the title. You can also include the page numbers for a specific reference.

Question 7: How do I cite a book that has no publication date?
Answer: Use "n.d." (no date) in place of the year of publication.

Closing Paragraph: We hope this FAQ section has been helpful in answering your questions about MLA book citations. For more information, please consult the MLA Style Manual or your instructor.

In addition to the information provided in the FAQ section, here are a few additional tips for citing books in MLA style:

Tips

Here are a few additional tips for citing books in MLA style:

Tip 1: Use a citation generator. There are a number of free online citation generators available that can help you create MLA book citations. Simply enter the necessary information about the book, and the generator will create a citation for you.

Tip 2: Be consistent. Once you have chosen a citation style, be consistent in your use of it. This means using the same format for all of your book citations, including the order of the elements, the punctuation, and the capitalization.

Tip 3: Proofread your citations. Before you submit your paper, be sure to proofread your citations carefully. Make sure that all of the information is accurate and that the citations are formatted correctly.

Tip 4: Consult your instructor. If you have any questions about MLA book citations, be sure to consult your instructor. They will be able to help you understand the citation style and ensure that you are using it correctly.

Closing Paragraph: By following these tips, you can ensure that your MLA book citations are accurate and consistent. This will help your readers find the sources you have used and will also help you avoid plagiarism.

In conclusion, MLA book citations are an important part of academic writing. By using the correct format and including all of the necessary information, you can ensure that your citations are accurate and informative.

Conclusion

MLA book citations are an important part of academic writing. They allow readers to find the sources that you have used to support your arguments and ideas. By using the correct format and including all of the necessary information, you can ensure that your citations are accurate and informative.

The main points to remember when citing books in MLA style are as follows:

Include the author's name, title of the book, edition (if other than the first), city of publication, publisher, and year of publication.
Italicize the title of the book.
Use quotation marks around the titles of articles, short stories, and poems.
Include the page numbers for specific references.
Be consistent in your use of MLA style.

Closing Message: By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your MLA book citations are accurate and consistent. This will help your readers find the sources you have used and will also help you avoid plagiarism. MLA book citations are a valuable tool for academic writing, and they can help you to write a strong and well-researched paper.