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Mla 8th ed. style guide: dissertations, theses.

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Essential Elements

Citations for dissertations/master's theses should include the following:

1. Name of Author 

2. Title of dissertation/thesis (italicized)

3. Date of Publication

5. Institution granting the degree (optional)

6. Description of the work (optional)

7. Database and URL if accessed through a database or repository

Sample Citation - Dissertations

Dissertations

The institution granting the degree and description of the work are optional. If you accessed the work online, include that information. 

Miller, Ryan. Understanding the Process of Multisensory Integration. 2016. Wake Forest U,  	PhD dissertation. WakeSpace, wakespace.lib.wfu.edu/handle/10339/59318.

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Citation Help for MLA, 8th Edition: Master's Thesis or Project

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Panasuk, Noel. What Variables Appear to Work in Stress Management Programs in      the Workplace and How Effective are These Programs?  MS Thesis, The College of      St. Scholastica, 2008.

Explanation

Author: Panasuk, Noel. Last name first, followed by first and middle names. End with a period.   

Title & subtitle of the book: What Variables Appear to Work in Stress Managment Programs in the Workplace and How Effective are These Programs? The title and subtitle are separated by a colon. Capitalize all important and proper words. Place in Italics and end with a period or if it has a question mark in the title, that is sufficient.    Status of Publishing: MA Thesis, Use the words MA Thesis followed by a comma. If it is a project, then use the words MA project. If it is a doctoral dissertation, use the word Dissertation. Name of Institution Where Degree was Granted: The College of St. Scholastica, The full name of the college or university followed by a comma. Year of Publication: 2008. List the year of publication, which appears on the title page or the title page verso (back side of title page). End citation with a period. 

[Th e above information is based on   Purdue OWL .]

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Dissertation and Theses: Unpublished

Dissertation and theses: published, contact kelly.

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General, Electronic:

Last-name, First-name. “Title of Dissertation.” Diss. Place of Study, Year. Title of Database . Web. Date Month Year of Access.

Forrester, Pearl. “Psychological Distress and Repeated Television Viewing.” Diss. Miskatonic University, 1990. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses . Web. 13 May 2010.

General, Print:

Last-name, First-name. “Title of Dissertation.” Diss. Place of Study, Year. Print.

Forrester, Pearl. “Psychological Distress and Repeated Television Viewing.” Diss. Miskatonic University, 1990. Print.

General Rule:

Author's Last-name, First-name. Title of Disstertaion . Diss. Place of Study, Year. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Format.

Diamond, Oscar. How to Care for Your Diabetic Cat . Diss. West Virginia University, 1999. New York: Knopf, 2000. Print.

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Citing dissertations in MLA 8

Create a new citation.

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To cite a dissertationin MLA 8 style, you need to know basic information including the author, title of the dissertation, and name of the university/institution.

The templates and examples below are based on the MLA Handbook , 8th edition (not associated with this guide). On this page, you will learn how to cite the following:

Citing a dissertation accessed from a database

Citing an unpublished dissertation

If you’re trying to cite a dissertation in MLA 8 style, the Chegg Writing citation generator could help. Also, help protect your paper against accidental plagiarism with the Chegg Writing plagiarism checker and grammar checker .

Citing a dissertation accessed from a database in MLA 8

Parenthetical in-text citation template and examples:

(Author Surname)

Works cited entry template and examples:

Surname, First Name. Title of the Dissertation . Year Awarded. Name of the University, PhD dissertation. Name of the Database , URL. Accessed Day Month Year.

Yam, Mei. Does Culture Matter in Body Image? The Effects of Subjective and Contextual Culture on Body Image among Bicultural Women . 2013. U of Michigan, PhD dissertation. Deep Blue Documents , hdl.handle.net/2027.42/97941 . Accessed 3 Dec. 2022.

Citing an unpublished dissertation in MLA 8

Surname, First Name. Title of the Dissertation . Year Awarded. Name of the University, PhD dissertation.

Horton, Earnest Aaron. Charles Mingus and the Paradoxical Aspects of Race as Reflected in His Life and Music . 2007. U of Pittsburgh, PhD dissertation.

Please note that this guide is not officially associated with the MLA.

MLA8 Citation Examples

how to cite a dissertation mla 8

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Journal Article examples

Articles from magazines, newspapers, encyclopedias, and the web, book and anthology examples, dissertations and theses, social media and non-textual sources, additional resources.

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MLA 8 and 9 (the new MLA)

The MLA Handbook,  8th edition, has abandoned the "print" v. "web" designations, and now uses a universal set of guidelines for all sources focusing on "containers" of information. The 9th edition of the handbook continues the same format and provides additional examples.

  • A useful practice template for creating source citations is linked in the Help Resources in the right column below.
  • For experienced users of MLA, check out the link to "What's New in the Eighth Edition" for a summary of changes.

Journal article with a DOI (Digital Object Identifier):

Kincaid, Jamaica. "In History."  Callaloo,  vol. 24, no. 2, Spring 2001, pp. 620-26. Project Muse , doi:10.1353/cal.2001.0097.

Journal article from a database:

Capperdoni, Alessandra. "Why the Avant-Garde? The Function of the Letter in Canadian Avant-Garde Poetics."  Canadian Literature , no. 210/211, Autumn/Winter 2011, pp. 97-114.  Academic Search Complete , search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=73785263&site=ehost-live

Journal article in print (more than 2 authors):

Cooper, Stewart E., et al. "Professional Preparation and Continuing Education for Beginning, Entry, Midlevel, and Senior Consulting Psychologists." Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research , vol. 59, no. 1, 2007, pp. 1-16.

Journal article reprinted in a book series:

Bergmann, Harrier F. "‘A Piercing Virtue': Emily Dickinson in Margaret Drabble's The Waterfall ." Contemporary Literary Criticism, edited by,  Jeffrey W. Hunter, vol. 129, Gale, 2000, pp. 124-29. Originally published in  Modern Fiction Studies , vol. 36, no. 2, Summer 1990, pp. 181-93.

Journal article from an online repository or other open access site:

Shehan, Constance L., and Amanda B. Moras. “Deconstructing Laundry: Gendered Technologies and the Reluctant Redesign of Household Labor.” Michigan Family Review , vol. 11, no. 1, 2006, pp. 39-54. hdl.handle.net/2027/spo.4919087.0011.104.

Print magazine article:

Kates, Robert W. “Population and Consumption: What We Know, What We Need to Know.” Environment , Apr. 2000, pp. 10-19.

Online magazine article:

Deresiewicz, William. “The Death of the Artist—and the Birth of the Creative Entrepreneur.” The Atlantic , 28 Dec.2014,  www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/01/the-death-of-the-artist-and-the-birth-of-the-creative-entrepreneur/383497/.

Print newspaper article:

Ruhe, Pierre. "Pouring it On: Heat Churns in a Vicious Cycle." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution , main edition, 8 Aug. 2008, p. A1.

Online newspaper article (no author):

“The Scientists Speak.” New York Times , 20 Nov. 2007, nyti.ms/25n2Pf9.

Newspaper article from a library database:

Jeromack, Paul. “This Once, A David of the Art World Does Goliath a Favor.” New York Times,  late edition, 13 July 2002, p. B7. LexisNexis Academic , www.lexisnexis.com/lnacui2api/api/version1/getDocCui?lni=468H-Y5C0-01CN-H2CR&csi=270944,270077,11059,8411&hl=t&hv=t&hnsd=f&hns=t&hgn=t&oc=00240&perma=true.

Article in multi-volume encyclopedia:

Schroth, Gwen. "Scheduling." Encyclopedia of Education , edited by James W. Guthrie, 2nd ed., vol. 6, Macmillan Reference USA, 2003, pp. 2095-99.

Blog post or web article:

Hollmichel, Stefanie. "The Reading Brain: Differences between Digital and Print."  So Many Books , 25 Apr. 2013, somanybooksblog.com/2013/04/25/the-reading-brain-differences-between-digital-and-print/.

Books in print:

Wieder, Alan. Teacher and Comrade: Richard Dudley and the Fight for Democracy in South Africa . State U of New York P, 2008.

Eggins, Suzanne, and Diana Slade.  Analyzing Casual Conversation . Cassell, 1997.

Quirk, Randolph, et al.  A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language . Longman,1985.

Ebook from a library database:

Coutinho, Steve. An Introduction to Daoist Philosophies . Columbia UP, 2014. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost) , search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=658170&site=ehost-live.

Book chapter in an edited volume:

Bordo, Susan. “The Moral Content of Nabokov’s Lolita .” Aesthetic Subjects , edited by Pamela R. Matthews and David McWhirter, U of Minnesota P, 2003, pp. 125-52.

Stand-alone work (e.g., a play) in an anthology:

Euripides. The Trojan Women .  Ten Plays , translated by Paul Roche, New American Library, 1998, pp. 457-512.

Dissertation from ProQuest database:

Njus, Jesse. Performing the Passion: A Study on the Nature of Medieval Acting . 2010. Northwestern U, PhD dissertation. ProQuest, search.proquest.com/docview/305212264?accountid=13965.

Print master's thesis:

Remedios, Richard E. Defining My Process: My Journey Through the MFA Acting Program at the University of South Carolina . 2007. U of South Carolina, Master's thesis.

@USC. "GO GAMECOCKS." Twitter , 13 Mar. 2022, 7:52 p.m., twitter.com/USC/status/1503157124217675780.

YouTube video:

"This is How Social Media is Destroying Your Life - The Fake Reality." YouTube , uploaded by MotivationGrid, 16 Jul. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2Tq2gvGt80.

Online image with URL and access date:

Van Gogh, Vincent. The Potato Eaters . 1885. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam. Van Gogh Museum , artsandculture.google.com/asset/the-potato-eaters-vincent-van-gogh/7gFcKarE9QeaXw. Accessed 20 Mar. 2022.

Streaming film:

The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till , directed by Keith Beauchamp, Shout Factory, 2005, Kanopy . sc.kanopy.com/video/untold-story-emmett-louis-till. Accessed 20 Mar. 2022.

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MLA 9th Edition Style Guide: Dissertation/Thesis

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Njus, Jesse. Performing the Passion: A Study on the Nature of Medieval Acting . 2010. Northwestern U,

MA thesis.  ProQuest , search.proquest.com/docview/305212264?accountid=7432.

Dissertation

PhD dissertation.  ProQuest , search.proquest.com/docview/305212264?accountid=7432.

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Dissertation (thesis): how to cite in MLA (8th ed.)?

Create a spot-on reference in mla 8 and 9, basic rules.

MLA Style allows referencing different types of works such as dissertations, master’s theses, etc. following the same template. The information required for creating such a reference includes the name of the author, work title, name of the university or other educational institution, year of publication, and type of work (PhD dissertation, master’s thesis, and so on).

In addition, for a dissertation or thesis accessed by means of a database, the title of the database should be given. For publications accessed online, the URL address and the date of access should be provided.

How to cite in a bibliography

Reference template:

Last Name , First Name Middle Name . Work Title . Year . University , work type . Database , URL . Accessed date of access .

Examples of references in works cited:

Baker, Rachael Dawn. The Use of Novel Cell-Penetrating Peptide Chimeras to Disrupt Cellular Function in Human Cancer Cell Lines and Observations upon Human DNA Mismatch Repair . 2007. University of Wolverhampton, PhD dissertation.

Sanghoon, Kim. Nonlinear Active Metamaterial Surfaces . 2017. University of California, PhD dissertation. eScholarship , escholarship.org/uc/item/4p6652hn . Accessed 11   Aug. 2020.

Peterson, Jessica M. Funny in a Man's World: Women Comedians' Use of Political Satire at the White House Correspondents' Dinner . 2017. University of South Dakota, master's thesis. Open PRAIRIE , www.openprairie.sdstate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2174&context=etd . Accessed 10   June 2020.

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  • How to cite a PDF in MLA

How to Cite a PDF in MLA | Format & Examples

Published on January 14, 2021 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on March 5, 2024.

MLA doesn’t treat PDFs as their own source type. When you want to cite a PDF, you should determine what type of source it contains (e.g. a book or journal article) and cite it in the appropriate format. You can use our free MLA Citation Generator to do this easily.

If you feel it’s relevant, you may mention in your reference that the source was accessed as a PDF by adding “PDF file.” Note that you can write “PDF download” instead if you link to a page where the PDF can be downloaded (rather than directly to the PDF).

If you’re unsure about the source type, look for clues in the PDF (e.g. the name of the larger publication it comes from), or ask the instructor who provided you with it. This article gives examples of citations for several source types you might encounter in PDF form.

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Table of contents

Citing a book in pdf form, citing a journal article, citing a newspaper or magazine article, citing a report, frequently asked questions about mla citations.

Extracts from books (or sometimes entire books) are commonly encountered as PDFs online. You can recognize them by the inclusion of a copyright page or title page.

To cite an online book like this, list the usual information for a book, followed by the name of the site where it was found and a URL or DOI .

MLA format Last name, First name. . Publisher, Year. . DOI or URL. PDF file or PDF download.
Kosofsky Sedgwick, Eve. . Duke University Press, 2003. . www.bu.edu/honoringeve/files/2009/09/paranoid-reading-and-reparative-reading.pdf. PDF file.
(Kosofsky Sedgwick 126)

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Journal articles usually indicate the volume, issue, and name of the journal. It’s best to include a  DOI to provide a stable link to the article, but if no DOI is available, you can include the URL of the PDF instead.

MLA format Last name, First name. “Article Title.” , vol. Volume, no. Issue, Month Year, pp. Pages, DOI or URL. PDF file or PDF download.
McCabe, David P., and Castel, Alan D. “Seeing Is Believing: The Effect of Brain Images on Judgements of Scientific Reasoning.” , vol. 107, no. 1, pp. 343–352. castel.bol.ucla.edu/publications/McCabeCastelCogn.pdf.
(McCabe and Castel 348)

A PDF scan of a print newspaper or magazine article will usually include the page numbers, which you can use in your citation, optionally including a link and specifying the PDF format if you think it’s relevant.

MLA format Last name, First name. “Article Title.” , Day Month Year, pp. Pages, URL, PDF file or PDF download.
Brodeur, Michael Andor. “Opera Is Taking Entirely New Forms. Its Survival May Depend on It.” , 7 Jan. 2021, pp. 14–15.
(Brodeur 14)

Reports are issued by organizations and governments. They sometimes have a report number and are often attributed to the organization rather than an individual author. If the organizational author is the same as the publisher, only include it once.

MLA format Last name, First name or Organization Name. . Publisher, Year. Report no. Number. URL, PDF file or PDF download.
Bedford, Denise A. D. . Washington State Department of Transportation, 2017. Report no. WA-RD 896.4. www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/896-4.pdf, PDF file.
(Bedford 3)

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If a source has no author, start the MLA Works Cited entry with the source title . Use a shortened version of the title in your MLA in-text citation .

If a source has no page numbers, you can use an alternative locator (e.g. a chapter number, or a timestamp for a video or audio source) to identify the relevant passage in your in-text citation. If the source has no numbered divisions, cite only the author’s name (or the title).

If you already named the author or title in your sentence, and there is no locator available, you don’t need a parenthetical citation:

  • Rajaram  argues that representations of migration are shaped by “cultural, political, and ideological interests.”
  • The homepage of The Correspondent describes it as “a movement for radically different news.”

In MLA style citations , format a DOI as a link, including “https://doi.org/” at the start and then the unique numerical code of the article.

DOIs are used mainly when citing journal articles in MLA .

The fastest and most accurate way to create MLA citations is by using Scribbr’s MLA Citation Generator .

Search by book title, page URL, or journal DOI to automatically generate flawless citations, or cite manually using the simple citation forms.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2024, March 05). How to Cite a PDF in MLA | Format & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved June 7, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/mla/pdf-citation/

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Citation Guide (MLA 9th Edition) UNDER CONSTRUCTION

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Citation Templates

Print versions, electronic versions.

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Dissertations and theses

Dissertations and theses are written to fulfil an academic degree requirement, usually at the Masters or PhD level. They usually have only 1 author.

For the most part, treat them like books with supplemenal elements.

  • Since dissertations and theses are often re-worked into articles and books, it is important to note when your source was written to fulfill an academic degree requirement
  • The publisher is the degree-granting instution
  • Do not include the program, department, school, division, or similar information
  • Usually placed before the container of the online repository which houses the publication
  • Automatic citation generators often treat online theses and dissertations as websites or journal articles, so will be missing the key information

Author's Last Name, First Name. Title of Book: Subtitle. Publication Date. University name, Degree conferred .

Author's Last Name, First Name. Title of Book: Subtitle. Publication Date. University name, Degree conferred . Online Repository , URL.

In-Text Citation

(Author's Last Name ##)

Replace ## with page number(s) for quotes or where the idea is discussed.

Smith, Kate Elizabeth. The Influence of Audrey Hepburn and Hubert de Givenchy on American Fashion, 1952-1965 . 2001. Michigan State University, MA Thesis.

Austin, Katherine. Rasquache Baroque in the Chicana/o Borderlands . 2012. McGill U, PhD thesis. eScholarship , https://escholarship.mcgill.ca/concern/theses/8p58ph61j. Accessed 6 Jan. 2023.

  • eScholarship is McGill University's online repository of dissertations and theses
  • Followed McGill's lead and used "thesis" instead of "dissertation"

Grullon, Jaymi Leah. Campy Musical Black Queer Forms: Finding Utopia in Lil Nas X's World of "Montero ". St. John's University, MA Thesis. St. John's Scholar , https://scholar.stjohns.edu/theses_dissertations/477

  • St. John's Scholar is the university's online repository of dissertations and theses

Hutchinson, Jennifer. Emotional Response to Climate Change Learning: An Existential Inquiry . 2021. Antioch University, Antioch University, Doctoral dissertation. EBSCOhost , search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,sso&db=ddu&AN=29DBEAFBF585BC45&site=eds-live&scope=site.

  • Found record in OwlCat, so used EBSCOhost as the repository
  • Could be more specific and replace the EBSCOhost info with: OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center , http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1602019356792951.
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What is Cite This For Me’s Citation Generator?

Are you looking for an easy and reliable way to cite your sources in the MLA format? Look no further because Cite This For Me’s MLA citation generator is designed to remove the hassle of citing. You can use it to save valuable time by auto-generating all of your citations.

The Cite This For Me citation machine accesses information from across the web, assembling all of the relevant material into a fully-formatted works cited MLA format page that clearly maps out all of the sources that have contributed to your paper. Using a generator simplifies the frustrating citing process, allowing you to focus on what’s important: completing your assignment to the best of your ability.

Have you encountered an unusual source, such as a microfiche or a handwritten manuscript, and are unsure how to accurately cite this in the MLA format? Or are you struggling with the dozens of different ways to cite a book? If you need a helping hand with creating your citations, Cite This For Me’s accurate and powerful generator and handy MLA format template for each source type will help to get you one step closer to the finishing line.

Continue reading our handy style guide to learn how to cite like a pro. Find out exactly what a citation generator is, how to implement the MLA style in your writing, and how to organize and present your work according to the guidelines.

Popular MLA Citation Examples

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Why Do I Need To Cite?

Whenever you use someone else’s ideas or words in your own work, even if you have paraphrased or completely reworded the information, you must give credit where credit is due to avoid charges of plagiarism. There are many reasons why.

First, using information from a credible source lends credibility to your own thesis or argument. Your writing will be more convincing if you can connect it to information that has been well-researched or written by a credible author. For example, you could argue that “dogs are smart“ based on your own experiences, but it would be more convincing if you could cite scientific research that tested the intelligence of dogs.

Second, you should cite sources because it demonstrates that you are capable of writing on an academic or professional level. Citations show that your writing was thoughtfully researched and composed, something that you would not find in more casual writing.

Lastly, and most importantly, citing is the ethical thing to do. Imagine that you spent months of your life on a paper: researching it, writing it, and revising it. It came out great and you received many compliments on your thesis and ideas. How would you feel if someone took those ideas (or even the whole paper) and turned them in as their own work without citations? You’d probably feel terrible.

All of the source material that has contributed to your work must be acknowledged with an MLA in-text citation (also known as a parenthetical citation ) and be featured in your works cited list as full references.

Create citations, whether manually or by using the Cite This For Me MLA citation generator, to maintain accuracy and consistency throughout your project.

Do I Have to Cite Everything?

When writing a research paper, any information used from another source needs to be cited. The only exceptions to this rule are everyday phrases (e.g., all the world’s a stage) and common knowledge (e.g., President Kennedy was killed in 1963).

Also, your own work does not need to be cited. That includes your opinions, ideas, and visuals (e.g., graphs, photos, etc.) you created. However, you do need to cite your own work if you have previously published it or used it in another assignment. Otherwise it’s considered self plagiarism . For example, submitting a paper that you wrote and already turned in for another class is still plagiarism, even though it is your own work.

If you have any doubts about whether or not something you’ve written requires a citation, it’s always better to cite the source. While it may be a tedious process without an MLA citation machine, attributing your research is essential in validating the statements and conclusions you make in your work. What’s more, drawing on numerous sources elevates your understanding of the topic, and accurately citing these sources reflects the impressive research journey that you have embarked on.

Consequences of Not Citing

The importance of crediting your sources goes far beyond ensuring that you don’t lose points on your assignment for citing incorrectly. Plagiarism, even when done unintentionally, can be a serious offense in both the academic and professional world.

If you’re a student, possible consequences include a failing assignment or class grade, loss of scholarship, academic probation, or even expulsion. If you plagiarize while writing professionally, you may suffer legal ramifications as well, such as fines, penalties, or lawsuits.

The consequences of plagiarism extend beyond just the person who plagiarized: it can result in the spread of misinformation. When work is copied and/or improperly cited, the facts and information presented can get misinterpreted, misconstrued, and mis-paraphrased. It can also be more difficult or impossible for readers and peers to check the information and original sources, making your work less credible.

What is the MLA Format?

The MLA format was developed by the Modern Language Association as a consistent way of documenting sources used in academic writing. It is a concise style predominantly used in the liberal arts and humanities, first and foremost in research focused on languages, literature, and culture. The 9th edition of the MLA Handbook has the most current format guidelines. It was updated to reflect the expanding digital world and how researchers and writers cite more online sources. You can find out more here .

It is important to present your work consistently, regardless of the style you are using. Accurately and coherently crediting your source material both demonstrates your attention to detail and enhances the credibility of your written work. The MLA format provides a uniform framework for consistency across a scholarly document, and caters to a large variety of sources. So, whether you are citing a website, an article, or even a podcast, the style guide outlines everything you need to know to correctly format all of your MLA citations.* The style also provides specific guidelines for formatting your research paper, and useful tips on the use of the English language in your writing.

Cite This For Me’s style guide is based on (but not associated with) the 9th edition of the Modern Language Association Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. Our MLA generator also uses the 9th edition – allowing you to shift focus from the formatting of your citations to what’s important – how each source contributes to your work.

MLA has been widely adopted by scholars, professors, journal publishers, and both academic and commercial presses across the world. However, many academic institutions and disciplines prefer a specific style of referencing (or have even developed their own unique format) so be sure to check which style you should be using with your professor. Cite This For Me supports citing in thousands of styles, so the odds are good that we have tools for the citation style you need. Whichever style you’re using, be consistent!

So, if you’re battling to get your citations finished in time, you’ve come to the right MLA citation website. The generator above will can cite any source in 7,000+ styles. So, whether your discipline uses the APA citation style, or your institution requires you to cite in the Chicago style citation , simply go to Cite This For Me’s website to find generators and style guides for ASA , IEEE , AMA and many more.

*You may need to cite a source type that is not covered by the format manual – for these instances we have developed additional guidance and MLA format examples, which we believe stick as closely as possible to the spirit of the style. It is clearly indicated where examples are not covered in the official handbook.

How Do I Create and Format MLA In-text Citations?

The MLA format is generally simpler than other referencing styles as it was developed to emphasize brevity and clarity. The style uses a straightforward two-part documentation system for citing sources: parenthetical citations in the author-page format that are keyed to an alphabetically ordered works cited page. This means that the author’s last name and the page number(s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken must appear in the text as a parenthetical citation, and a complete corresponding reference should appear in your works cited list.

Keep your MLA in-text citations brief, clear and accurate by only including the information needed to identify the sources. Furthermore, each parenthetical citation should be placed close to the idea or quote being cited, where a natural pause occurs – which is usually at the end of the sentence. Essentially you should be aiming to position your parenthetical citations where they minimize interruption to the reading flow, which is particularly important in an extensive piece of written work.

Check out the examples below…

Citation Examples

Parenthetical citation examples:

  • Page specified, author mentioned in text:

If the author’s name already appears in the sentence itself then it does not need to appear in the parentheses. Only the page number appears in the citation. Here’s an MLA format example:

Sontag has theorized that collecting photographs is a way “to collect the world” (3).

  • Page specified, author not mentioned in text:

Include the author’s last name and the page number(s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken in a parenthetical citation after the quote. This way of citing foregrounds the information being cited.

“To collect photographs is to collect the world” (Sontag 3).

When the author is referred to more than once in the same paragraph, you may use a single MLA in-text citation at the end of the paragraph (as long as the work cannot be confused with others cited).

On Photography posits that “to collect photographs is to collect the world.” It intensifies that sentiment by saying photography “means putting oneself into a certain relation to the world that feels like knowledge—and, therefore, like power.” (Sontag 3, 4)

  • Page specified, same author, different works:

If you are citing two works by the same author, you should put a comma after the author’s surname and add a shortened title to distinguish between them. Italicize book titles, put article titles within quotation marks. As with the above examples, if you mention the author in the text, they don’t need to be included in the parenthetical MLA citation.

In the line “Ask Benjy ef I did. I aint stud’in dat winder” ( The Sound 276), Faulkner employs spelling and diction to communicate the character background of Dilsey. He’s also seen doing this in other books. For example, “He kilt her.” ( As I Lay 54).

  • Page specified, two authors, same last name:

In MLA citing, if there are two authors with the same surname, be sure to include their first initial in your citation to avoid confusion.

  • Page specified, two authors, same work:

Each author’s name will be included in both the parenthetical and the full source reference in your MLA bibliography.

Crowley is in fact, the snake who convinced Eve to eat the apple in the Garden of Eden (Prattchett and Gaiman 4).

  • Page specified, more than two authors, same work:

For any work with three authors or more, you’ll include the last name of the first author listed and the abbreviation “et al.” which is Latin for “and others.”

“The skills required to master high-stakes interactions are quite easy to spot and moderately easy to learn” (Patterson et al. 28).

  • Websites and other online sources:

The MLA formatting examples below above are for information or quotes that have specified pages, usually from a book. If you are using information from a website or online source, the author rules below still apply but a page number is not needed. Instead, just include the first bit of identifiable information that will be shown in the source’s full reference (e.g., author name, video title, website name, etc.).

“Scientists speculate that this might be due to a large chunk of nickel and iron embedded beneath the crater – perhaps the remnants of the asteroid that created it” (Ravilious).

“There’s a flag on the flag; it’s bad design” (“In Defense of Bad Flags”)

Full citations/references MLA website citation:

One of the most common sources cited are websites, so it’s useful to know how to cite a website in MLA.

Ravilious, Kate. “Terrawatch: The Mysteries of the Moon’s Largest Crater.” The Guardian , 1 Oct 2019, www.theguardian.com/science/2019/oct/01/terrawatch-the-mysteries-of-the-moons-largest-crater.

Format for books:

Franke, Damon. Modernist Heresies: British Literary History, 1883-1924 . Ohio State UP, 2008.

Sontag, Susan. On Photography . Penguin, 2008.

MLA citation format for journal articles:

Stanton, Elizabeth Cady. “Progress of the American Woman.” The North American Review , vol. 171, no. 529, 1900, pp. 904–907. JSTOR , www.jstor.org/stable/25105100.

Format for online videos:

“In Defense of Bad Flags.” YouTube , uploaded by Vlogbrothers, 4 Oct. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkpAe3_qmq0.

Works cited / bibliography example:

Unlike an MLA in-text citation, you must include all of the publication information in your works cited entries.

Franke, Damon. Modernist Heresies: British Literary History, 1883-1924. Ohio State UP, 2008.

There’s a lot of formatting needed when you cite. Luckily for you, we know where the commas go, and our MLA citation maker will help you put them there.

If citing is giving you a headache, use Cite This For Me’s free, accurate and intuitive MLA citation generator to add all of your source material to your works cited page with just a click.

How Do I Format My MLA Works Cited Page?

A works cited page is a comprehensive list of all the sources that directly contributed to your work – each entry links to the brief parenthetical citations in the main body of your work. An in-text citation MLA only contains enough information to enable readers to find the source in the works cited list, so you’ll need to include the complete publication information for the source in your works cited entries.

Your works cited page in MLA should appear at the end of the main body of text on a separate page. Each entry should start at the left margin and be listed alphabetically by the author’s last name (note that if there is no author, you can alphabetize by title). For entries that run for more than one line, indent the subsequent line(s) – this format is called a ‘hanging indentation.’

The title of the page should be neither italicized nor bold – it is simply center-aligned. Like the rest of your MLA format paper the list should be double-spaced, both between and within entries.

Sometimes your professor will ask you to also list the works that you have read throughout your research process, but didn’t directly cite in your paper. This list should be called ‘Work Cited and Consulted,’ and is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the full extent of the research you have carried out.

As long as you clearly indicate all of your sources via both parenthetical citations and an MLA format works cited list, it is very unlikely that you will lose points for citing incorrectly.

Works cited examples:

Anderson, Benedict. Imagined Communities. Verso, 1983.

Fox, Claire F. The Fence and the River: Culture and Politics at the U.S.-Mexico Border. U of Minnesota P, 1999.

Sontag, Susan. On Photography. Penguin, 2008.

MLA Style Research

When you are gathering sources in your research phase, be sure to make note of the following bibliographical items that will later make up your works cited MLA.

  • Name of original source owner: author, editor, translator, illustrator, or director …
  • Titles: article or newspaper title, title of publication, series title …
  • Important dates: date of publication, date of composition, issue date, event date, date accessed …
  • Publishing information: publisher name
  • Identifying information: number of volumes, volume number, issue number, edition, chapter, pages, lines …

If you’re still in your research phase, why not try out Cite This For Me for Chrome? It’s an intuitive and easy-to-use browser extension that enables you to instantly create and edit a citation for any online source while you browse the web.

Racing against the clock? If your deadline has crept up on you and you’re running out of time, the Cite This For Me MLA citation maker will collect and add any source to your bibliography with just a click.

In today’s digital age, source material comes in all shapes and sizes. Thanks to the Cite This For Me citation generator, citing is no longer a chore. The citation generator will help you accurately and easily cite any type of source in a heartbeat, whether it be a musical score, a work of art, or even a comic strip. Cite This For Me helps to elevate a student’s research to the next level by enabling them to cite a wide range of sources.

MLA Citation Formatting Guidelines

Accurately citing sources for your assignment doesn’t just prevent the appearance of or accusations of plagiarism – presenting your source material in a clear and consistent way also ensures that your work is accessible to your reader. So, whether you’re following the MLA format citation guidelines or using the Cite This For Me citation generator, be sure to abide by the presentation rules on font type, margins, page headers, and line spacing.

For research papers, an MLA cover page or title page is not required. Still, some instructors request an MLA title page. In these cases, ask your instructor for an example of a title page so you know the format they want.

Instead of a cover page, headings are used on a paper’s first page to indicate details like the author’s name, instructor’s name, the class, and date written. Read on for more details.

General page and header formatting:

To format your research paper according to the MLA guidelines:

  • Set the margins to 1 inch (or 2.5 cm) on all sides
  • Choose an easily readable font, recommended Times New Roman
  • Set font size to 12 point
  • Set double space for your entire paper
  • Indent every new paragraph by ½ inch – you can simply use your tab bar for this
  • In the header section – on the top right corner of the pages – give your last name followed by the respective page number

For your headings (which replace the need for a cover page), do the following:

  • On the first page, ensure that the text is left-aligned and then give your details: starting with your full name in line one, followed by the name of your teacher or professor, the course name and number, and the date in separate lines
  • Center align your MLA format heading for the paper’s title – do not italicize, bold or underline, or use a period after the title
  • The body of your text should start in the next line, left-aligned with an indentation

how to cite a dissertation mla 8

You’ll also need to include a running head on each page. It should include your last name and the page number. For example: Johnson 2. Place the running head in the upper right-hand corner of the paper, ½ inches from the top and 1 inch from the page’s right edge.

how to cite a dissertation mla 8

MLA Style 9th Edition - Changes From Previous Editions

It is worth bearing in mind that the MLA format is constantly evolving to meet the various challenges facing today’s researchers. Using the Cite This For Me citation generator will help you to stay ahead of the game without having to worry about the ways in which the style has changed.

Below is a list outlining the key ways in which MLA has developed since previous editions.

  • Titles of independent works (such as books and periodicals) are now italicized rather than underlined .
  • You are encouraged to include a source’s URL when citing a source from the internet, and you should no longer include “https://” at the beginning of the URL with the exception of DOIs.
  • You are no longer required to include medium information at the end of your citation, i.e., Print, Web, etc.
  • Including the city of publication is optional, and only encouraged if the version of the work changes based on location, or if it was published prior to 1900.

How Do I Cite My Sources With The Cite This For Me Citation Machine MLA?

If you’re frustrated by the time-consuming process of citing, the Cite This For Me multi-platform citation management tool will transform the way you conduct your research. Using this fast, accurate and accessible generator will give you more time to work on the content of your paper, so you can spend less time worrying about tedious references.

So if you’re having issues with accurately formatting your citations, sign up to Cite This For Me and let our MLA format generator do the grunt work for you.

To use the generator:

  • Choose the type of source you would like to cite (e.g., website, book, journal & video)
  • Enter the URL , DOI , ISBN , title, or other unique source information to locate your source
  • Click the ‘Search’ button to begin looking for your source
  • Look through the search results and click the ‘Cite’ button next to the correct source. Cite This For Me citation tool will automatically pull your sources data for you!
  • Review the citation details and make sure that everything you need is included and accurate
  • Click ‘Complete citation’
  • Copy your fully-formatted citation into your MLA works cited list</li/>
  • Repeat the same process for each source that has contributed to your work

As well as making use of the powerful generator, you can cite with our Chrome add-on or Word add-on.

Manage all your citations in one place

Create projects, add notes, cite directly from the browser.

Sign up to Cite This For Me – the ultimate citation management tool

Published October 1, 2015. Updated June 16, 2021.

There are many consequences for not providing a correct citation in MLA style. The biggest consequence is that without proper citations, your paper will lose marks for incorrect citations. In addition, your paper can also be considered plagiarism. The responsibility for using proper citations rests with the author of the paper. Failing to properly cite your sources implies that the information in the paper is solely yours when it is not.

While some instructors might be lenient about incorrect citations, others might not. Ultimately, this could land you in serious trouble with your school, organization, or institution. To avoid such issues, always ensure that you provide proper citations. If you are finding it difficult to provide proper citations, Chegg’s citation generator may help.

When citing multiple works by the same author, include the title (or a shortened version of the title) along with the author’s last name and page number in in-text citations.

You can include the author’s name and/or the title in the prose, or you can include all three pieces of information in the parenthetical citation.

(Last Name, Shortened Title page number)

(Sam, Notes to Live By  42)

(Sam, Pointers From a Friend  85)

If you’d like to shorten a title in parenthetical citations, the title can be condensed to the first noun phrase. In the examples above, the titles would be shortened to  Notes  and  Pointers in the parenthetical citations.

When using MLA style to cite a source with two authors, the last names of both authors and the page number being referenced should be included in in-text citations. The names should be listed in the same order in which they appear on the works cited list and be separated by the word “and” in parenthetical citations. If mentioning the authors in the prose, be sure to use both authors’ first and last names on first reference.

Below are a template and example for how to create an in-text citation for a source with two authors in MLA style.

(Last Name 1 and Last Name 2 page number)

(Prusty and Patel 75)

When using MLA style to cite a source with more than two authors, include the last name of the first author listed on your works cited page along with “et. al” and the page number in your in-text citations.

You should only use “et. al” in your works cited list and parenthetical citations. If you include the authors’ names in your prose instead, you can list all the authors’ names or the name of the first author and a phrase like “and her co-authors,” “and others,” etc.

Below are a template and example for how to create an in-text citation for a source with more than two authors in MLA style.

(Author 1 Last Name et al. page number)

  (Krishnaswamy et al. 75)

Sources may be cited for various reasons, including to provide credit to others’ ideas, to ensure that readers can find the right sources, and to improve a paper’s credibility. There are some situations when a citation might not be necessary. To avoid ambiguity, here are the situations in which you should include a citation in an MLA style paper:

  • When you are directly quoting an expert or other source of information
  • When you are paraphrasing a quotation, passage, or idea
  • When you are summarizing another person’s ideas
  • When you are specifically referencing a fact, phrase, or statistics found in another source

Things that may be considered common knowledge (like dates of historical events or widely known biographical facts) do not need to be cited. However, if you are unsure whether or not a source needs to be cited, it is always better to err on the side of caution and include a citation.

As per MLA standards, a title page is NOT required. In fact, MLA recommends using a header with all relevant information instead, including your name, instructor’s name, course name, date of submission, and title. However, when your instructor requires a title page or when you are authoring your paper as a group with other people, it is recommended to create a title page for your paper.

If you are creating a title page, you should include the below information:

  • Name of the paper’s author(s)
  • Names of the instructor(s)
  • Course name and number
  • Title of the paper

Since websites don’t usually have page numbers, include only the author’s last name within parentheses using the standard MLA format. If using a citation in prose, directly referring to the author’s name in the sentence, then there is no need to provide any additional parenthetical citation.

Plastics contribute to the single greatest pollutant source for oceans (Shimla).

Shimla states that plastics are the oceans’ greatest pollutant source. [No additional citation is needed since you include the author’s name in the citation in prose and there is no page number available.]

As per section 1.3 of the MLA 9 handbook, center the title of a paper and use double-spacing. Do NOT underline, italicize, bold, or use all capitals for the title. Instead, follow standard rules of capitalization. Any italicized words within the text (e.g., book titles or literary movements) would ALSO be italicized in the title. Don’t use a period after your paper’s title.

Usually, you nclude the paper title on your first page. Only when the instructor needs a specific title page or when the paper is a group paper necessitating a list of all authors should you provide a separate title page. Apart from these two situations, a title page is NOT required.

Below are some examples when you would need to italicize words in the title because they include names of books and/or literary movements.

Perspective Shift during the Baroque Period

Is Macbeth Relevant in 2022 and Beyond?

While the MLA handbook recommends using “an easily readable typeface” and a font size “between 11 and 13,” it also clarifies to follow a professor’s or instructor’s guidelines if they differ. The handbook advises using double-spacing and the same font and size throughout the paper.

Check with your instructor on their preferences, and in the absence of any such preference, use a decent and readable font, like Times New Roman, with font size 12, which is a good balance between readability and aesthetics. The most important thing is to use the same font and size consistently throughout your paper.

As per Sections 5 and 6 of the MLA 9 handbook, if you are referring multiple times to a single source in the same paragraph, you do not need to repeat the author’s name each time you make a reference. However, you must include the page number(s), or another applicable locator,  if you are referring to different pages of the same source in the same paragraph. In the examples below, it is clear in the second sentence that you’re citing the same source, so you don’t need to include the author name again, only the page number you’re referring to.

However, if you quote or paraphrase a different source by a different author between mentions of a source by the same author in the same paragraph, you need to reintroduce the source and original author name to clarify who you’re citing.

Citation in Prose Example

According to Theodore Garner, “It is evident that Caucasian males have a proclivity toward thrift than their African counterparts” (352). This can be seen from the high saving levels over a decade (345).

Parenthetical Citation Example

“It is evident that Caucasian males have a proclivity toward thrift than their African counterparts” (Garner 352). This can be seen from the high saving levels over a decade (345).

If referring to different sources by the same author(s), include the source’s title in your in-text citation, so readers know which source you are referring to. You can style such citations in various ways, as shown below. The style remains the same for works with more than one author.

Example with the author’s name and the title in the citation in prose

Howitzer says it best when he talked about the Moonmakers in his poem (23). Howitzer does contradict himself at a later point in time in Sunchanters (46).

Example with the author’s name in prose and the title in a parenthetical citation

Shakespeare writes pessimistically about existence from Hamlet’s point of view (Hamlet 103) . In another work, Shakespeare writes, “Life is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing” ( Macbeth 55).

Example with the author’s name and the title in the parenthetical citation

A similar pessimism about existence is present in other works, for instance when Hamlet contemplates suicide (Shakespeare, Hamlet 103). Macbeth similarly claims, “Life is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing” (Shakespeare, Macbeth 55).

To format an MLA works-cited page, follow these fundamental steps:

Place the works-cited list at the end of the paper and after any endnotes, should they be used.

Set a one-inch margin all around (top, bottom, left, and right). Like the prose portion of the paper, use a left margin, not a justified margin.

Running head

Place a running head on the right side of the page in the one-inch header, one-half inch from the top of the page.  The running head format includes Surname and page #. The page number continues from the last page of the prose portion of the paper.

Use an easily readable font in which the italics feature is clearly distinguishable. Use the same font as in the prose portion of the paper. Times New Roman and Helvetica are popular standard fonts. Use a font size between 11 and 13 points.

Title the heading “Works Cited”; do not use bold or italics. Align it to the center of the page. Then double-space to begin the first entry. Double-space throughout the page.

Begin the entries flush with the left margin. Indent the second and subsequent lines of each entry one-half inch from the left margin.

Arranging entries

Arrange the Works-cited-list entries alphabetically according to the name of the author, or title if there is no author. If there is more than one author, cite the author listed first on the title page of the work in the alphabetical entry.

A separate medium identification, such as “Print,” is no longer used; however, the medium usually can be identified by the information provided in the citation.

Gann, Ernest K. A Hostage to Fortune . Alfred A. Knopf, 1978.

Invest Answers [@InvestAnswers]. “Taking another run at $45,000.” Twitter , 2 Mar. 2022, twitter.com/invest_answers/status/1499033186734542850.

To include the URL in website citation in MLA style, copy the URL from the browser, but exclude the http:// or https:// unless it is used in a DOI. If the work has a DOI, it is used instead of the URL.

Woldermont, Slat. “Sharks Impacted by Great Atlantic Garbage.” The Atlantic Cleanup , 4 May 2020, www.theatlanticcleanup.com/updates/sharks-impacted-by-Great-Atlantic-Garbage.

Saunders, Judith P. “Philosophy and Fitness: Hemingway’s ‘A Clean, Well-Lighted Place’ and The Sun Also Rises .” American Classics: Evolutionary Perspectives , Academic Studies Press, 2018, pp. 204–25, https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv4v3226.15.

The 6 th , 7 th , 8 th , and 9 th editions of MLA style are available on the Cite This For Me citation generator . The default MLA edition is the 9 th edition, the most current edition.

For a webpage/website, journal article, or book, you’ll need 1-2 pieces of basic publication information. For example:

  • Website : URL, page title, etc.
  • Journal article : Article title, DOI number, author(s), etc.
  • Book : Book title, author, date published, etc.

Using those pieces of information, you can search for the source in the Cite This For Me MLA citation generator and it will help you to create a citation.

Other source types (newspaper article, video, government document, etc.) will provide a form on which you provide all source information. Using that information, the citation generator will create a properly formatted MLA citation for you.

Omitting or making up sources are unethical actions that can lead to plagiarism. An MLA citation generator can help a writer create citations for their sources, which is an ethical step needed to avoid plagiarism.

An MLA citation generator can make it easier (and sometimes faster) for a writer to create citations versus manually making each citation. We recommend trying the Cite This For Me MLA citation generator and deciding for yourself.

Citation guides

All you need to know about citations

How to cite a PhD thesis in MLA

MLA PhD thesis citation

To cite a PhD thesis in a reference entry in MLA style 9th edition include the following elements:

  • Author(s) name: Give the last name and name as presented in the source (e. g. Watson, John). For two authors, reverse only the first name, followed by ‘and’ and the second name in normal order (e. g. Watson, John, and John Watson). For three or more authors, list the first name followed by et al. (e. g. Watson, John, et al.)
  • Thesis title: Titles are italicized when independent. If part of a larger source add quotation marks and do not italize.
  • Year of publication: Give the year of publication as presented in the source.
  • University: Give the name of the institution.
  • Degree: Type of degree.

Here is the basic format for a reference list entry of a PhD thesis in MLA style 9th edition:

Author(s) name . Thesis title . Year of publication . University , Degree .

Take a look at our works cited examples that demonstrate the MLA style guidelines in action:

A PhD thesis with one author

Confait, Marina Fatima . Maximising the contributions of PHD graduates to national development: the case of the Seychelles . 2018 . Edith Cowan U , PhD thesis .
Bowkett, David . Investigating the ligandability of plant homeodomains . 2015 . Oxford U , PhD thesis .

mla cover page

This citation style guide is based on the MLA Handbook (9 th edition).

More useful guides

  • MLA 8th ed. Style Guide: Dissertations, Theses
  • MLA, 8th Edition: Master's Thesis or Project
  • How do I cite a dissertation in MLA style?

More great BibGuru guides

  • MLA: how to cite a video game
  • Chicago: how to cite a 10-k report
  • Chicago: how to cite a TV show episode

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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / MLA Format / How to write abstracts in MLA

How to write abstracts in MLA

Abstracts are usually between 100-250 words or around 5-7 sentences depending on the type. They can include short descriptions of your motivations, objective, methods, findings, discussion, and conclusion of the paper. You can also include why you wrote the paper and why readers should be interested.

APA abstracts have different formatting from MLA abstracts, so do not to use their rules interchangeably.

Why do you need an abstract?

Abstracts allow for a quick summary of your paper for other researchers. Busy researchers don’t have time to read everything, so they rely on the abstract to help them decide whether or not they will read the paper.

Although MLA style doesn’t require an abstract, the MLA style abstract is the most commonly used style in the humanities. If you are writing a paper for a class in literature, religion, philosophy, or other similar subjects, you should use MLA style. Check with your professor to see if an abstract is required for your paper.

Different types of abstracts

There are two different types of abstracts: descriptive and informative.

  • Descriptive abstracts are approximately 100 words and give a brief overview of the paper. They do not include a full analysis and may not include the results and/or conclusions.
  • Informative abstracts are longer and are approximately 150-250 words. They are a condensed version of your writing that contains information from every part of the paper.

How to write an abstract in MLA style

To write a high-quality abstract in MLA style, you will need an explanation of what research was done and what the outcomes were. Write in a clear, simple, and direct style. The abstract gives readers the information they need to decide whether to read the complete paper or not.

Here are some guidelines for writing a great abstract in MLA style:

  • Finish the paper first. While it may be tempting to get a head start on your abstract, you should complete your paper before writing the abstract.
  • Review your paper for key points and take notes. One way to take notes is to write one sentence for each paragraph. You should not copy directly from your text since your abstract should have different words and phrases. You do not need to include every detail, and in fact, you should avoid doing so. If you have an outline of your paper, use that as a guide to writing your abstract.
  • Give a detailed account of the research methods used in the study and how the results were obtained.
  • Provide an account of your findings and what you found as a result of your research.
  • If your findings have larger implications, include them in the abstract.
  • Condense those main points by summarizing the “who, what, where, and when” of your paper.
  • If you don’t have an outline, organize information in the same order as in the paper.
  • Write a rough draft of your abstract. Begin your abstract with a clear statement about your thesis and why your readers should care about what you’ve written. Then turn your notes into sentences.
  • Avoid using long complicated sentences in your abstract along with ambiguous and unnecessary words and phrases. Remember that your abstract needs to be simple and easy to read.
  • Do not include citations or footnotes in your abstract.
  • Add transitions to show clear connections between ideas and create a smooth flow to your writing.
  • Revise your abstract until it is 5-7 sentences or 250 words or less. Limit the length to one or two paragraphs.
  • Proofread your abstract several times to make sure it is free of errors. People will stop reading if they see mistakes, and it will damage your credibility.

Format for an MLA abstract

  • Use one-inch margins.
  • Double-space the abstract.
  • Place the abstract after the title and before the main body of the paper.
  • Use one space after punctuation marks.
  • Indent the first line of the paragraphs ½ inch from the left margin.
  • Use 12-point font such as Times New Roman or Arial.
  • Spell out acronyms.
  • Include italics instead of quotation marks if you reference a long work in the abstract.

MLA abstract examples

Descriptive abstracts.

  • Example 1 on Cannon’s “From Literacy to Literature: Elementary Learning and the Middle English Poet.”
  • Example 2 on Sealy-Morris’s “The Rhetoric of the Paneled Page: Comics and Composition Pedagogy.”

Informational abstracts

  • Example 1 on O’Neill’s “The Personal Public Sphere of Whitman’s 1840s Journalism.”

Works cited

Cannon, Christopher. “From Literacy to Literature: Elementary Learning and the Middle English Poet.”  PMLA , vol. 129, no. 3, 2014, pp. 349–364.  JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/24769474.

MLA Handbook . 9th ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2021.

O’Neill, Bonnie Carr. “The Personal Public Sphere of Whitman’s 1840s Journalism.”  PMLA , vol. 126, no. 4, 2011, pp. 983–998.   JSTOR , www.jstor.org/stable/41414171.

Sealey-Morris, Gabriel. “The Rhetoric of the Paneled Page: Comics and Composition Pedagogy.”  Composition Studies , vol. 43, no. 1, 2015, pp. 31–50.   JSTOR , www.jstor.org/stable/43501877.

Wallace, Joseph. “How to Write an Abstract.”  MLA Style Center , Modern Language Association of America, 5 Dec. 2018, style.mla.org/how-to-write-an-abstract/.

Published October 25, 2020. Updated July 18, 2021.

By Catherine Sigler. Catherine has a Ph.D. in English Education and has taught college-level writing for 15 years.

MLA Formatting Guide

MLA Formatting

  • Annotated Bibliography
  • Bibliography
  • Block Quotes
  • et al Usage
  • In-text Citations
  • Paraphrasing
  • Page Numbers
  • Sample Paper
  • Works Cited
  • MLA 8 Updates
  • MLA 9 Updates
  • View MLA Guide

Citation Examples

  • Book Chapter
  • Journal Article
  • Magazine Article
  • Newspaper Article
  • Website (no author)
  • View all MLA Examples

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