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How to Cite an Essay in a Collection of Essays

Citing an essay in a collection of essays or anthology requires following a very specific format when using both MLA (Modern Language Association) and APA (American Psychological Association) style. According to the Purdue Online Writing Lab, writers should use APA style when writing about the social sciences and MLA style for the humanities and liberal arts. Check with the latest style guidelines before citing an essay in an anthology since the guidelines are often changed.

Write the author's last name followed by a comma, the first name and a period. After the period, write the name of the essay in quotations, placing the period inside the last quotation. Remember to capitalize the first letter of each word in the essay title except for articles such as "an" and "the."

Look at the title of the anthology and write it in italics after the essay title, followed by a period. If you are hand writing the citation, underline the title instead of using italics. Use the abbreviation "Ed." before writing the editor's name. Use a period after writing the editor's name.

Write the location of publication followed by a colon and the publisher's name. Then use a comma and write the year of publication. If the location is a known or common city such as London or Nashville, you do not need to write the state or country. When writing the publisher's name, use abbreviations when possible. For example, write "UP" for "University Press" and "U of Chicago" for "University of Chicago."

List the page ranges for the essay, for example, "7-10" followed by a period. Then write the medium of publication. If the anthology was online, write "web" or if it was a physical book, write "Print." End the citation with a period.

Follow this example offered by the Purdue Online Writing Lab: Harris, Muriel. "Talk to Me: Engaging Reluctant Writers." A Tutor's Guide: Helping Writers One to One. Ed. Ben Rafoth. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2000. 24-34. Print.

Write the author's last name followed by a comma and his first initial and a period. Place the year of publication in parentheses and write the period outside the parentheses.

Write the title of the essay, ending with a period. Only capitalize the first letter in the first word of the title. Starting with the word "In" write the editor's name followed by "(Ed.)," a comma and the title of the anthology. Italicize or underline the anthology's title and end with a period.

Place the page numbers of the essay in parentheses followed with a period. Write the place of publication, a colon, the publisher and a period.

Use the example offered by the Concordia University Libraries website as a model: Bjork, R. A. (1989). Retrieval inhibition as an adaptive mechanism in human memory. In H. L. Roediger III, & F. I. M. Craik (Eds.), Varieties of memory & consciousness (pp. 309-330). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

Need help with a citation? Try our citation generator .

• Purdue Online Writing Lab: MLA Style Documentation; Feb. 2011
• Concordia University Libraries: APA Style Documentation; March 2011

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

MLA Works Cited Page: Books

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When you are gathering book sources, be sure to make note of the following bibliographic items: the author name(s), other contributors such as translators or editors, the book’s title, editions of the book, the publication date, the publisher, and the pagination.

The 8 th  edition of the MLA handbook highlights principles over prescriptive practices. Essentially, a writer will need to take note of primary elements in every source, such as author, title, etc. and then assort them in a general format. Thus, by using this methodology, a writer will be able to cite any source regardless of whether it’s included in this list.

Please note these changes in the new edition:

• Commas are used instead of periods between Publisher, Publication Date, and Pagination.
• Medium is no longer necessary.
• Containers are now a part of the MLA process. Commas should be used after container titles.
• DOIs should be used instead of URLS when available.
• Use the term “Accessed” instead of listing the date or the abbreviation, “n.d."

Below is the general format for any citation:

Author. Title. Title of container (do not list container for standalone books, e.g. novels), Other contributors (translators or editors), Version (edition), Number (vol. and/or no.), Publisher, Publication Date, Location (pages, paragraphs URL or DOI). 2 nd  container’s title, Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, Location, Date of Access (if applicable).

Basic Book Format

The author’s name or a book with a single author's name appears in last name, first name format. The basic form for a book citation is:

Last Name, First Name. Title of Book . City of Publication, Publisher, Publication Date.

* Note: the City of Publication should only be used if the book was published before 1900, if the publisher has offices in more than one country, or if the publisher is unknown in North America.

Book with One Author

Gleick, James. Chaos: Making a New Science . Penguin, 1987.

Henley, Patricia. The Hummingbird House . MacMurray, 1999.

Book with More Than One Author

When a book has two authors, order the authors in the same way they are presented in the book. Start by listing the first name that appears on the book in last name, first name format; subsequent author names appear in normal order (first name last name format).

Gillespie, Paula, and Neal Lerner. The Allyn and Bacon Guide to Peer Tutoring . Allyn and Bacon, 2000.

If there are three or more authors, list only the first author followed by the phrase et al. (Latin for "and others") in place of the subsequent authors' names. (Note that there is a period after “al” in “et al.” Also note that there is never a period after the “et” in “et al.”).

Wysocki, Anne Frances, et al. Writing New Media: Theory and Applications for Expanding the Teaching of Composition . Utah State UP, 2004.

Two or More Books by the Same Author

List works alphabetically by title. (Remember to ignore articles like A, An, and The.) Provide the author’s name in last name, first name format for the first entry only. For each subsequent entry by the same author, use three hyphens and a period.

Palmer, William J. Dickens and New Historicism . St. Martin's, 1997.

---. The Films of the Eighties: A Social History . Southern Illinois UP, 1993.

Book by a Corporate Author or Organization

A corporate author may include a commission, a committee, a government agency, or a group that does not identify individual members on the title page.

List the names of corporate authors in the place where an author’s name typically appears at the beginning of the entry.

American Allergy Association. Allergies in Children . Random House, 1998.

When the author and publisher are the same, skip the author, and list the title first. Then, list the corporate author only as the publisher.

Fair Housing—Fair Lending. Aspen Law & Business, 1985.

Book with No Author

List by title of the book. Incorporate these entries alphabetically just as you would with works that include an author name. For example, the following entry might appear between entries of works written by Dean, Shaun and Forsythe, Jonathan.

Encyclopedia of Indiana . Somerset, 1993.

Remember that for an in-text (parenthetical) citation of a book with no author, you should provide the name of the work in the signal phrase and the page number in parentheses. You may also use a shortened version of the title of the book accompanied by the page number. For more information see the In-text Citations for Print Sources with No Known Author section of In-text Citations: The Basics .

A Translated Book

If you want to emphasize the work rather than the translator, cite as you would any other book. Add “translated by” and follow with the name(s) of the translator(s).

Foucault, Michel. Madness and Civilization: A History of Insanity in the Age of Reason . Translated by Richard Howard, Vintage-Random House, 1988.

If you want to focus on the translation, list the translator as the author. In place of the author’s name, the translator’s name appears. His or her name is followed by the label, “translator.” If the author of the book does not appear in the title of the book, include the name, with a “By” after the title of the book and before the publisher. Note that this type of citation is less common and should only be used for papers or writing in which translation plays a central role.

Howard, Richard, translator. Madness and Civilization: A History of Insanity in the Age of Reason . By Michel Foucault, Vintage-Random House, 1988.

Republished Book

Books may be republished due to popularity without becoming a new edition. New editions are typically revisions of the original work. For books that originally appeared at an earlier date and that have been republished at a later one, insert the original publication date before the publication information.

For books that are new editions (i.e. different from the first or other editions of the book), see An Edition of a Book below.

Butler, Judith. Gender Trouble . 1990. Routledge, 1999.

Erdrich, Louise. Love Medicine . 1984. Perennial-Harper, 1993.

An Edition of a Book

There are two types of editions in book publishing: a book that has been published more than once in different editions and a book that is prepared by someone other than the author (typically an editor).

A Subsequent Edition

Cite the book as you normally would, but add the number of the edition after the title.

Crowley, Sharon, and Debra Hawhee. Ancient Rhetorics for Contemporary Students . 3rd ed., Pearson, 2004.

A Work Prepared by an Editor

Cite the book as you normally would, but add the editor after the title with the label "edited by."

Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre,  edited by Margaret Smith, Oxford UP, 1998.

Note that the format for citing sources with important contributors with editor-like roles follows the same basic template:

...adapted by John Doe...

Finally, in the event that the source features a contributor that cannot be described with a past-tense verb and the word "by" (e.g., "edited by"), you may instead use a noun followed by a comma, like so:

...guest editor, Jane Smith...

Anthology or Collection (e.g. Collection of Essays)

To cite the entire anthology or collection, list by editor(s) followed by a comma and "editor" or, for multiple editors, "editors." This sort of entry is somewhat rare. If you are citing a particular piece within an anthology or collection (more common), see A Work in an Anthology, Reference, or Collection below.

Hill, Charles A., and Marguerite Helmers, editors. Defining Visual Rhetorics . Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2004.

Peterson, Nancy J., editor. Toni Morrison: Critical and Theoretical Approaches . Johns Hopkins UP, 1997.

A Work in an Anthology, Reference, or Collection

Works may include an essay in an edited collection or anthology, or a chapter of a book. The basic form is for this sort of citation is as follows:

Last name, First name. "Title of Essay." Title of Collection , edited by Editor's Name(s), Publisher, Year, Page range of entry.

Some examples:

Harris, Muriel. "Talk to Me: Engaging Reluctant Writers." A Tutor's Guide: Helping Writers One to One , edited by Ben Rafoth, Heinemann, 2000, pp. 24-34.

Swanson, Gunnar. "Graphic Design Education as a Liberal Art: Design and Knowledge in the University and The 'Real World.'" The Education of a Graphic Designer , edited by Steven Heller, Allworth Press, 1998, pp. 13-24.

Note on Cross-referencing Several Items from One Anthology: If you cite more than one essay from the same edited collection, MLA indicates you may cross-reference within your works cited list in order to avoid writing out the publishing information for each separate essay. You should consider this option if you have several references from a single text. To do so, include a separate entry for the entire collection listed by the editor's name as below:

Rose, Shirley K, and Irwin Weiser, editors. The Writing Program Administrator as Researcher . Heinemann, 1999.

Then, for each individual essay from the collection, list the author's name in last name, first name format, the title of the essay, the editor's last name, and the page range:

L'Eplattenier, Barbara. "Finding Ourselves in the Past: An Argument for Historical Work on WPAs." Rose and Weiser, pp. 131-40.

Peeples, Tim. "'Seeing' the WPA With/Through Postmodern Mapping." Rose and Weiser, pp. 153-67.

Please note: When cross-referencing items in the works cited list, alphabetical order should be maintained for the entire list.

Poem or Short Story Examples :

Burns, Robert. "Red, Red Rose." 100 Best-Loved Poems, edited by Philip Smith, Dover, 1995, p. 26.

Kincaid, Jamaica. "Girl." The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Short Stories , edited by Tobias Wolff, Vintage, 1994, pp. 306-07.

If the specific literary work is part of the author's own collection (all of the works have the same author), then there will be no editor to reference:

Whitman, Walt. "I Sing the Body Electric." Selected Poems, Dover, 1991, pp. 12-19.

Carter, Angela. "The Tiger's Bride." Burning Your Boats: The Collected Stories, Penguin, 1995, pp. 154-69.

Article in a Reference Book (e.g. Encyclopedias, Dictionaries)

For entries in encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference works, cite the entry name as you would any other work in a collection but do not include the publisher information. Also, if the reference book is organized alphabetically, as most are, do not list the volume or the page number of the article or item.

"Ideology." The American Heritage Dictionary.  3rd ed. 1997. 

A Multivolume Work

When citing only one volume of a multivolume work, include the volume number after the work's title, or after the work's editor or translator.

Quintilian. Institutio Oratoria . Translated by H. E. Butler, vol. 2, Loeb-Harvard UP, 1980.

When citing more than one volume of a multivolume work, cite the total number of volumes in the work. Also, be sure in your in-text citation to provide both the volume number and page number(s) ( see "Citing Multivolume Works" on our in-text citations resource .)

Quintilian. Institutio Oratoria . Translated by H. E. Butler, Loeb-Harvard UP, 1980. 4 vols.

If the volume you are using has its own title, cite the book without referring to the other volumes as if it were an independent publication.

Churchill, Winston S. The Age of Revolution . Dodd, 1957.

An Introduction, Preface, Foreword, or Afterword

When citing an introduction, a preface, a foreword, or an afterword, write the name of the author(s) of the piece you are citing. Then give the name of the part being cited, which should not be italicized or enclosed in quotation marks; in italics, provide the name of the work and the name of the author of the introduction/preface/foreword/afterword. Finish the citation with the details of publication and page range.

Farrell, Thomas B. Introduction. Norms of Rhetorical Culture , by Farrell, Yale UP, 1993, pp. 1-13.

If the writer of the piece is different from the author of the complete work , then write the full name of the principal work's author after the word "By." For example, if you were to cite Hugh Dalziel Duncan’s introduction of Kenneth Burke’s book Permanence and Change, you would write the entry as follows:

Duncan, Hugh Dalziel. Introduction. Permanence and Change: An Anatomy of Purpose, by Kenneth Burke, 1935, 3rd ed., U of California P, 1984, pp. xiii-xliv.

Book Published Before 1900

Original copies of books published before 1900 are usually defined by their place of publication rather than the publisher. Unless you are using a newer edition, cite the city of publication where you would normally cite the publisher.

Thoreau, Henry David. Excursions . Boston, 1863.

Italicize “The Bible” and follow it with the version you are using. Remember that your in-text (parenthetical citation) should include the name of the specific edition of the Bible, followed by an abbreviation of the book, the chapter and verse(s). (See Citing the Bible at In-Text Citations: The Basics .)

The Bible. Authorized King James Version , Oxford UP, 1998.

The Bible. The New Oxford Annotated Version , 3rd ed., Oxford UP, 2001.

The New Jerusalem Bible. Edited by Susan Jones, Doubleday, 1985.

A Government Publication

Cite the author of the publication if the author is identified. Otherwise, start with the name of the national government, followed by the agency (including any subdivisions or agencies) that serves as the organizational author. For congressional documents, be sure to include the number of the Congress and the session when the hearing was held or resolution passed as well as the report number. US government documents are typically published by the Government Printing Office.

United States, Congress, Senate, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearing on the Geopolitics of Oil . Government Printing Office, 2007. 110th Congress, 1st session, Senate Report 111-8.

United States, Government Accountability Office. Climate Change: EPA and DOE Should Do More to Encourage Progress Under Two Voluntary Programs . Government Printing Office, 2006.

Cite the title and publication information for the pamphlet just as you would a book without an author. Pamphlets and promotional materials commonly feature corporate authors (commissions, committees, or other groups that does not provide individual group member names). If the pamphlet you are citing has no author, cite as directed below. If your pamphlet has an author or a corporate author, put the name of the author (last name, first name format) or corporate author in the place where the author name typically appears at the beginning of the entry. (See also Books by a Corporate Author or Organization above.)

Women's Health: Problems of the Digestive System . American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2006.

Your Rights Under California Welfare Programs . California Department of Social Services, 2007.

Dissertations and Master's Theses

Dissertations and master's theses may be used as sources whether published or not. Unlike previous editions, MLA 8 specifies no difference in style for published/unpublished works.

The main elements of a dissertation citation are the same as those for a book: author name(s), title (italicized) , and publication date. Conclude with an indication of the document type (e.g., "PhD dissertation"). The degree-granting institution may be included before the document type (though this is not required). If the dissertation was accessed through an online repository, include it as the second container after all the other elements.

Bishop, Karen Lynn. Documenting Institutional Identity: Strategic Writing in the IUPUI Comprehensive Campaign . 2002. Purdue University, PhD dissertation.

Bile, Jeffrey. Ecology, Feminism, and a Revised Critical Rhetoric: Toward a Dialectical Partnership . 2005. Ohio University, PhD dissertation.

Mitchell, Mark. The Impact of Product Quality Reducing Events on the Value of Brand-Name Capital: Evidence from Airline Crashes and the 1982 Tylenol Poisonings.  1987. PhD dissertation.  ProQuest Dissertations and Theses.

List the names of corporate authors in the place where an author’s name typically appears at the beginning of the entry if the author and publisher are not the same.

Fair Housing—Fair Lending. Aspen Law & Business, 1985.

How do I cite an essay from a multivolume work when each volume has a different title?

Note: This post relates to content in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook . For up-to-date guidance, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook .

Multivolume works can seem complex and difficult to cite because they present the writer with an abundance of bibliographic information—some essential, some optional—that can be managed in a variety of ways. But you cite these works just as you would any other work: follow the MLA format template . Keep in mind also that you can use  optional elements .

Let’s say you want to cite André Berger’s essay “Climate Model Simulations of the Geological Past,” which appears in an edited collection titled  The Earth System: Physical and Chemical Dimensions of Global Environmental Change. The Earth System  is volume 1 of  Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Change , published in five volumes.

Cite the volume independently from the multivolume work.

Begin by listing the author and the title of the essay. Then list the title of the individual volume as the title of the container, the names of the volume’s editors in the “Other contributors” slot, the publisher, the publication date, and the page numbers for the essay:

Berger, André. “Climate Model Simulations of the Geological Past.” The Earth System: Physical and Chemical Dimensions of Global Environmental Change , edited by Michael C. MacCracken and John S. Perry,  Wiley, 2002,  pp. 296-301.

Include the multivolume work as a second container.

In a second container, list the title of the multivolume work and any relevant publication details. Here, the general editor appears in the “Other contributors” slot, the edition appears in the “Version” slot, and the number of the individual volume appears in the “Number” slot. Note that you include the publisher and publication date as part of container 2 (not, as above, as part of container 1), since it is the last relevant container the information applies to:

Berger, André. “Climate Model Simulations of the Geological Past.”  The Earth System: Physical and Chemical Dimensions of Global Environmental Change , edited by Michael C. MacCracken and John S. Perry, pp. 296-301.  Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Change , general editor, Ted Munn, 2nd ed., vol. 1, Wiley, 2002.  

In the optional-element slot at the end of the entry, you could list the total number of volumes (5) and, if applicable, a series name and number ( World Environmental Issues 23) :

Berger, André. “Climate Model Simulations of the Geological Past.”  The Earth System: Physical and Chemical Dimensions of Global Environmental Change , edited by Michael C. MacCracken and John S. Perry, pp. 296-301.  Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Change , general editor, Ted Munn, 2nd ed., vol. 1, Wiley, 2002. 5 vols., World Environmental Issues 23.

Treat facts about the multivolume work as optional information.

An alternative method for citing this type of work is to follow method 1 and then use the optional-element slot at the end of the entry to indicate that  The Earth System  is volume 1 of  Encyclopedia of Global Environment al Change.  You can then provide any additional pertinent details you choose, like the general editor’s name:

Berger, André. “Climate Model Simulations of the Geological Past.” The Earth System: Physical and Chemical Dimensions of Global Environmental Change , edited by Michael C. MacCracken and John S. Perry, 2nd ed., Wiley, 2002, pp. 296-301. Vol. 1 of Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Change , general editor, Ted Munn.

In the examples above, some bibliographic information is essential and some is optional.

Method 1 shows a works-cited-list entry that provides all the essential information: the work you cite and the publication facts for the work it appeared in.

Methods 2 and 3 present optional information. In method 2, the container system is used to supply this information. In method 3, the final optional-element slot supplies it. Whether to use method 2 or 3 will depend on what information you believe your reader needs to understand your use of the source.

Citing Special Collections materials in Chicago/Turabian style: Citing Primary Materials in Special Collections

Citing primary sources.

This guide contains the following sections (click to link directly to the section you need)

Citing Primary Sources - Overview

Citing manuscript collections in print and online, citing oral histories in special collections, citing maps, citing photographs, citing previously published magazine and newspaper articles found in manuscript collections.

This page includes citation examples for different kinds of primary sources using the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) , 16th edition, and Kate Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations , 8th edition. This guide shows how to create an initial citation, a subsequent note, and a bibliography entry for primary sources.

Materials covered include:

• Manuscript & Document Collections
• Oral Histories
• Maps and Illustrations
• Photographs
• Digitized materials from our website

A word about "Preferred Citation" and "Citation" information in Special Collections' finding aids: 

Nearly all Special Collections finding aids include basic citation information. Sometimes it's labeled "Preferred Citation," and other times it's  labeled "Citation."  This information typically includes the following information:

• the name of the collection (such as "Ernest A. Mills Family Collection")
• the name of the repository - D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections
• the location of the repository - University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC 28804

The other details needed for a citation (such as the name of the item, the author of the item, and the box and folder number) will emerge during your research.

If you have any questions about citing materials from Special Collections, ask one of the Special Collections staff or your professor .

From the finding aid for the Frank Coxe Papers:

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item],Frank Coxe Papers, D.H. Ramsey Library, Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville 28804

From the finding aid for the Carolina Mountain Club Archives:

Carolina Mountain Club Archive , D.H. Ramsey Library, Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville 28804.

Example 1: Citing a document from a manuscript collection

Look at the citation information from the Carolina Mountain Club finding aid above. This has basic information about the collection, repository, and location of repository that you will need for your citation, but you will also add more information as you conduct your research . 

For instance, you might be working with the Carolina Mountain Club Archives, and you want to cite a specific document, the "Certificate of Incorporation of the Carolina Mountain Club" which is dated September 2, 1924. You found this document in Folder 19 in Box 15. There is a corporate author, the Carolina Mountain Club. (For more detailed information on citing manuscript collections, see the "Manuscript Collections" section of the Chicago Manual of Style , 16th edition, sections 14.232-14.242, pp. 749-752.)

So you have your document and you want to cite it. Now what? Let's take a look at how this would work:

Note (First mention, full reference):

        1. Carolina Mountain Club , " Certificate of Incorporation of the Carolina Mountain Club," 2 September 1924, Box 15, Folder 19, Carolina Mountain Club Archives, D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC.      

• Note that this is a full reference. The first line is indented.
• If the author is an individual, their name should be listed with the first name then last name (Frank Coxe).
• Sometimes you will not have an author. In this case, start the note with the name or title of the item.
• If the item has a specific title, as this one does, then that title is in quotation marks. If the item does not have a title but only a description it does not go in quotation marks.
• If the item does not have a date use the phrase n.d. (for no date) 
• Use a comma after all the elments in the note and a period at the end of the note. 

Note (Subsequent mentions, shortened reference):     

        7. Carolina Mountain Club , " Certificate of Incorporation."

• The shortened reference refers to a work that has already been cited in full form but not in a note immediately preceding it (which takes the ibid form ).
• The first line is indented, but the note only requires the author's name and the title of the document (which is sometimes shortened).

Bibliography:

• The first line is not indented, but the second line and all following lines are indented.
• Use a period after the collection name, after the repository name, and at the end of the bibliography entry.
• While the note included the item or document being cited, the bibliography does not include specific items -- unless only one item from a collection is cited. Then you would list the individual item in addition to the collection, repository, and repository location.
• For instance, if you cited two or more items from this collection, then you would use the bibliography entry as listed above.
• If you cited only one item from this collection then your bibliography entry would look like this:

Example 2: Citing a personal letter from a manuscript collection

Look at the citation information from the Frank Coxe Papers finding aid above. This has basic information about the collection, repository, and location of repository that you will need for your citation, but you will also add more information as you conduct your research . 

Let's say you're working with the Frank Coxe Papers and you find a letter you want to cite. The letter is from A. B. Harris to Frank Coxe, and it was written on March 25, 1889. You found this letter in Folder 6 in Box 2. While this is similar to the Carolina Mountain Club example above it varies in how you cite the names of individuals and how you cite the actual letter. 

        1. A. B. Harris to Frank Coxe,  25 March 1889, Box 2, Folder 6, Frank Coxe Papers, D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC.      

• Since the author is an individual rather than a corporate author, his name should be listed with the first name then last name (A.B. Harris). The same holds true for the recipient of the letter (Frank Coxe).
• Sometimes you will not have a date. In this case, use the phrase n.d.
• Use a comma after every element of the note and a period at the end of the note. 
• After you’ve listed one full reference, any other footnote/endnote citing this specific source will use a shortened reference or ibid.

  Note (Subsequent mentions, shortened reference):     

       7. A. B. Harris to Frank Coxe , 25 March 1889, Coxe Papers. 

  Bibliography:

Coxe, Frank., Papers .  D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections. University of North Carolina at Asheville,        Asheville, NC.      

• Because this collection contains the papers of an individual, the collection name is listed with the person's last name first, followed by a comma, then the first name, then a comma, then "Papers," then a period: Coxe, Frank., Papers .
• While the note cites an individual item or document, the bibliography entry does not list specific items -- unless only one item from a collection is cited . In that case the bibliography will include the individual item in addition to the collection, repository, and repository location.
• In other words, if you cited two or more items from the Frank Coxe Paper, then you would use the bibliography entry as listed above.
• If you cited only one item from the Frank Coxe Papers in your paper, then your bibliography entry would look like this:

Harris, A. B., and Frank Coxe. Letter of 25 March 1889. Frank Coxe Papers.  D. H.        Ramsey Library Special Collections. University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC.

Example 3: Citing an online document from a manuscript collection

The Chicago Manual of Style states that "It should be noted that citations of collections consulted online... will usually be the same as citations of physical collections, aside from the addition of a URL or DOI." (14.232, p 749)

How does this work?

Let's say you are researching the building of the Battery Park Hotel and using the Frank Coxe Papers. You find this doucment in the Western North Carolina Heritage website (which is part of Special Collections at UNC Asheville):  "Specificiations for Standard Hydraulic Passenger Elevator to be manufactured by Otis Brothers & Co." The document is dated February 24, 1886, and is a digitized document from the Frank Coxe Papers. The corporate author is Otis Brothers & Co. The URL is http://cdm15733.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15733coll5/id/13. 

Here's how you would cite this:

• Use a comma after every element in the note and a period at the end of the note. 

       7. Otis Brothers, Coxe Papers. 

• It does not include the URL.
• Use a period after each element in the bibliography.

Special Collections contains over 600 Oral Histories. Often an oral history may have a tape recording or CD of the actual interview.  Sometimes it may have a transcript of the interview as well.

In Chicago style, the kinds of oral histories we have in Special Collections are treated as unpublished interviews. (For more detailed information, see section 14.218-14.223 of the Chicago Manual of Style, 16th ed., pp 744-746)

Citing an oral history

Look at this oral history in Special Collections: Hugh Creasman Oral History.   Looking at the information about the oral history, you'll note that the oral history is with Hugh Creasman, he was interviewed by Louis D. Sliveri on August 16, 1976, and that the oral history is part of the Louis D. Silveri Oral History Collection.

According to the Chicago Manual of Style, "unpublished interviews are best cited in text or in notes, although they may occasionally appear in bibliographies." (14.219, p. 744). Check with your professor about whether you should include a bibliography entry for an oral history.    This example will show both a note and an bibliography entry.

        8. Hugh Creasman ,   interview by Louis Silveri,  16 August 1976, transcript, Louis Silveri Oral History Collection, Ramsey Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC.

• Use commas after all elements and a period at the end of the note.
• Many oral histories are not part of a collection. If so, omit the collection part of the citation.
• There may either be a transcript or recording. Cite whichever you used.

Note (Subsequent Mentions):

Shortened reference:

        10. Creasman,  interview .

• The first line is indented, and the note only requires the interviewee's last name, the title of the article (sometimes shortened), and a specific page reference.

Bibliography (As noted above, check with your professor before making a biblography entry for an oral history. ) 

Creasman, Hugh .   Interview by Louis Silveri.  16 August 1976 . T ranscript.   Louis Silveri Oral History Collection.       Ramsey Library Special Collections. University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC.

• The first line is not indented, but the second line and all following lines are indented. 
• The interviewee's last name is listed first, unlike the note, where it is First Name Last Name.
• Use periods after all parts of the bibliography (except the comma between "University of North Carolina at Asheville" and "Asheville, NC.")

Sometimes your research will involve using maps that you will need to cite. In terms of citations, the library has two different types of maps that require different different citations.

• One type of map is a published map , such as the topographical maps in the map case on the second floor.  
• The second type are unpublished maps that are part of manuscript collections in Special Collections.
• This section will show you how to cite both published and unpublished maps.

Citing a published map

Suppose you are writing a paper about the history of the exploration of Mt. Mitchell and you are using a topographic map from the map case on the second floor of the library.  You look at the map and note that it's a US Geological Survey map that was published by the Tennessee Valley Authority.  Further inspection of the map shows the following information: 

• U.S. Geological Survey (author - who created/authored the map)
• Mt. Mitchell Quadrangle, North Carolina, 200-SE (the title of the map)
• 1946 (the publication date)
• Scale 1:24,000
• Tennessee Valley Authority, Maps and Surveys Division, Knoxville, TN (the publisher and place)

The format for citing published maps and illustrations is the same (see Chicago Manual of Style,16th ed. , 14-165, p. 726) 

        1. U.S. Geological Survey, Mt. Mitchell Quadrangle, North Carolina [map], (Knoxville, TN: Tennessee Valley Authority, 1946)

• Use a comma after the author's name, a comma after the map title, and the format in brackets with a comma after it. The next section is in parentheses, and includes the place of publication followed by a colon, the publisher followed by a comma, and the publication date. 

       7. U.S. Geological Survey ,  Mt. Mitchell Quadrangle. 

• Use period after all elements except the place of publication, which takes a colon between it and the publisher.

Citing a unpublished map from a manuscript collection

Special Collections contains hundreds of unpublished maps that can only be found in manuscript collections. Citing a map is like citing a document in a manuscript collection, and follows the same guidelines as above for "Citing a document in a manuscript collection."  Here's an example:

For instance, you are using the Carolina Mountain Club Archives to research a paper about Linville Gorge. You find a hand-drawn map of a hike to Shortoff Mountain. While this map has no actual title written on it, it is important to describe the item so it can be easily identified. There is no date on it and you found it in Folder 9 in Box 8.  There is a corporate author, the Carolina Mountain Club. Let's take a look at how this would work:

        1. Carolina Mountain Club , Hiking map to Shortoff Mountain,  n.d., Box 8, Folder 9, Carolina Mountain Club Archives, D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC.      

• Because this is part of the Carolina Mountain Club archives and no specific author is noted on the map, use the "Carolina Mountan
• Note that because Hiking map to Shortoff Mountain is a description of the item rather than a title, is not in quotation marks. If the map actually had the title " Hiking map to Shortoff Mountain" on it, then you would put it in quotation marks as a title.
• The map does not have a date. In this case, use the phrase n.d.
• Use a comma after the author's name, a comma after the document title, and a comma after the date, a comma after the box and file number, a comma after the collection name, a comma after the repository name, and a period at the end of the note. 

       7. Carolina Mountain Club , Hiking map to Shortoff Mountain.

• Use a period after the collection name, after the respository name, and after the author's name, and at the end of the bibliography entry.
• While the note included the item or document being cited, the bibliography does not include specific items -- unless only one item from a collection is cited. Then you would list the individual item in addition to the collection, respository, and repository location. For instance, if you cited two or more items from the Carolina Mountain Club Archives, then you would use the bibliography entry as listed above. If you cited only the one document listed in the bibliography above and no more documents, then your bibliograhy entry would look like this:

Photographs are a bit different in Chicago/Turabian style because they are cited in notes only and not in the bibliography.

You will need to use the following elements in your citation (Turabian, 8th ed., 17.8.1.1)

• Name of the photographer (if known)
• Title of the photograph in italics
• Date of photograph (preceded by ca. [ circa ] in italics if approximate, or n.d. if unknown)
• Name of the repository that houses the photograph

How to cite a photograph

Suppose you are researching the history of Tryon, NC. You find a photograph of a Catholic Church in Tryon, NC, in the R. Henry Scadin Collection that you want to use in your paper. You find this information about the photograph:

The photographer is R. Henry Scadin, and the photograph is labeled "Catholic Church, Tryon, NC," it's photograph number 958, and it's in Box 33. There is no date on the photograph. Here's how you would do the citation:

• The title and photograph number are in italics. If it does not have a title, use "untitled" and describe the photograph in your narrative. 
• The photograph does not have a date. In this case, use the phrase n.d.
• Use a comma after the photographer's name, a comma after the photograph title, a comma after the date, a comma after the box and file number, a comma after the collection name, a comma after the repository name, and a period at the end of the note. 

  7. R. Henry Scadin, Catholic Church. 

• The first line is indented, but the note only requires the photographer's name and the title of the photograph (which is sometimes shortened).

There is no bibliography entry for a photograph.

   How to cite a photograph in an online collection 

Citing a photograph from an online, digitized collection is the same as citing a regular photograph, with the addition of adding the URL and an access date. 

• Name of the online collection
• Date accessed

You are writing a paper about Asheville in the early 20th century, and you want to use a photograph of President Theodore Roosevelt when he spoke at Pack Square in 1902.  You find a photograph of Roosevelt's talk in the Western North Carolina Heritage website, and you have this information:

The photographer is H. W. Pelton, the photograph is titled "Pack Square Crowds greet President Theodore Roosevelt." It's from the E. M. Ball Collection. The date is 1902, and the URL is http://cdm15733.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/Photographs/id/639.  You accessed it on November 5, 2014.

            4. H. W. Pelton, Pack Square Crowds Greet President Theodore Roosevelt , 1902, E. M. Ball Collection, accessed November 5, 2014,  http://cdm15733.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/Photographs/id/639

• The photograph title is in italics. If it does not have a title, use "untitled" and describe the photograph in your narrative. 
• Use a comma after the photographer's name, a comma after the photograph title, a comma after the date, a comma after the accession date, and a period at the end of the note. 

Sometimes you will find newspaper clippings, magazine articles, or academic journal articles in a manuscript collection. How do you cite these? When citing a newspaper, magazine, or journal in a manuscript collection, it's good to also provide information about the article, such as the title of the article, the name of the newspaper, the author of the article, and the date it was published. Sometime you might not have all this information, especially if the article was clipped out of the newspaper, but you can use what information you do have to describe the article as completely as possible. Let's take a look at a few examples of how this would work.

Example 1: Citing a newspaper article or clipping from a manuscript collection

Look at the citation information from the Carolina Mountain Club Archives finding aid above. This has basic information about the collection, repository, and location of repository that you will need for your citation, but you will also add more information about the newspaper article. 

Let's say you're working with the Carolina Mountain Club Archives and you find a newspaper article that you need for your research. You find an article that you want to cite, and you are able to identify a lot of information about it.  The article is "Are Dogwoods Doomed?" by Clarke Morrison. It was published in The Asheville Citizen on September 14, 1990. It was in Box 9, Folder 3 of the Carolina Mountain Club Archives. To cite this, what you end up doing is using the citation style for a newspaper article and adding it to the manuscript citation - thereby providing information about both the original article and the manuscript collection where you found it.

        1. Clarke Morrison , "Are Dogwoods Doomed?,"   The Asheville Citizen , September 14, 1990,   Box 9, Folder 3,   Carolina Mountain Club Archives ,  D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC.       

• Note that this describes the information about the newspaper article, then describes the collection information.

       7. Morrison ,  "Dogwoods," Carolina Mountain Club Archives .

Carolina Mountain Club Archives. D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections.        University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC.        

• In other words, if you cited two or more items from the Carolina Mountain Club Archives, then you would use the bibliography entry as listed above.
• If you cited only one item from the  Carolina Mountain Club Archives in your paper, then your bibliography entry would look like this:

Morrison, Clarke . "Are Dogwoods Doomed? . "   The Asheville Citizen. September 14, 1990. Carolina Mountain Club        Archives. D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections.   University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC.

Example 2: Citing a newspaper article with missing information

Sometimes you will find a newspaper or magazine article that has been clipped from the original paper or magazine. All you have is an article - you don't have the author, publication date, or even what newspaper published the article. If you add no information at all the reader may wonder who wrote the article, what paper it was in, and when it was published. However, Chicago style allows for comments in footnotes and endnotes (CMOS, 14.32) that you can use to explain this, and the commentary is inserted at the end of the note.

Let's assume you're working with the Carlina Mountain Club Archives. You find a clipping of a newspaper article titled "Hiking the Appalachian Trail" in Box 9, Folder 3, but it does not list an author or publication date, and you can't tell what paper it was published in. Your citation would look like this:     

Note (First mention, full reference) :

        1. "Hiking the Appalachian Trail,"  Box 9, Folder 3,   Carolina Mountain Club Archives,   D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC.   Newspaper clipping missing author, publication date, and name of newspaper.     

• Note that this describes the information about the newspaper article, then describes the collection information. The additional phrase at the end clarifies why the information about the artilce is incomplete. 
• Use a comma after every element of the note and a period after the repository location. Use a period after the commentary phrase. 

       7 . " Hiking the Appalachian Trail,"  Carolina Mountain Club Archives.

 Bibliography:

Carolina Mountain Club Archives.   D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections.           University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC .        

• If you cited only one item from the Carolina Mountain Club Archives in your paper, then your bibliography entry would look like this: 

"Hiking the Appalachian Trail." Carolina Mountain Club Archives. D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections.                       University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC 

Head of Special Collections & University Archivist

• Last Updated: Apr 19, 2023 10:44 AM
• URL: https://library.unca.edu/CMOSSpecialCollections

Home / Guides / Citation Guides / MLA Format / How to Cite an Essay in MLA

How to Cite an Essay in MLA

The guidelines for citing an essay in MLA format are similar to those for citing a chapter in a book. Include the author of the essay, the title of the essay, the name of the collection if the essay belongs to one, the editor of the collection or other contributors, the publication information, and the page number(s).

Citing an Essay

Mla essay citation structure.

Last, First M. “Essay Title.” Collection Title, edited by First M. Last, Publisher, year published, page numbers. Website Title , URL (if applicable).

MLA Essay Citation Example

Gupta, Sanjay. “Balancing and Checking.” Essays on Modern Democracy, edited by Bob Towsky, Brook Stone Publishers, 1996, pp. 36-48. Essay Database, www . databaseforessays.org/modern/modern-democracy.

MLA Essay In-text Citation Structure

(Last Name Page #)

MLA Essay In-text Citation Example

Click here to cite an essay via an EasyBib citation form.

MLA Formatting Guide

MLA Formatting

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

Citation Examples

• Book Chapter
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• Website (no author)
• View all MLA Examples

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To cite your sources in an essay in MLA style, you need to have basic information including the author’s name(s), chapter title, book title, editor(s), publication year, publisher, and page numbers. The templates for in-text citations and a works-cited-list entry for essay sources and some examples are given below:

In-text citation template and example:

For citations in prose, use the first name and surname of the author on the first occurrence. For subsequent citations, use only the surname(s). In parenthetical citations, always use only the surname of the author(s).

Citation in prose:

First mention: Annette Wheeler Cafarelli

Subsequent occurrences: Wheeler Cafarelli

Parenthetical:

….(Wheeler Cafarelli).

Works-cited-list entry template and example:

The title of the chapter is enclosed in double quotation marks and uses title case. The book or collection title is given in italics and uses title case.

Surname, First Name. “Title of the Chapter.” Title of the Book , edited by Editor(s) Name, Publisher, Publication Year, page range.

Cafarelli, Annette Wheeler. “Rousseau and British Romanticism: Women and British Romanticism.” Cultural Interactions in the Romantic Age: Critical Essays in Comparative Literature , edited by Gregory Maertz. State U of New York P, 1998, pp. 125–56.

To cite an essay in MLA style, you need to have basic information including the author(s), the essay title, the book title, editor(s), publication year, publisher, and page numbers. The templates for citations in prose, parenthetical citations, and works-cited-list entries for an essay by multiple authors, and some examples, are given below:

For citations in prose, use the first name and surname of the author (e.g., Mary Strine).

For sources with two authors, use both full author names in prose (e.g., Mary Strine and Beth Radick).

For sources with three or more authors, use the first name and surname of the first author followed by “and others” or “and colleagues” (e.g., Mary Strine and others). In subsequent citations, use only the surname of the first author followed by “and others” or “and colleagues” (e.g., Strine and others).

In parenthetical citations, use only the author’s surname. For sources with two authors, use two surnames (e.g., Strine and Radick). For sources with three or more author names, use the first author’s surname followed by “et al.”

First mention: Mary Strine…

Subsequent mention: Strine…

First mention: Mary Strine and Beth Radick…

Subsequent mention: Strine and Radick…

First mention: Mary Strine and colleagues …. or Mary Strine and others

Subsequent occurrences: Strine and colleagues …. or Strine and others

…. (Strine).

….(Strine and Radick).

….(Strine et al.).

The title of the essay is enclosed in double quotation marks and uses title case. The book or collection title is given in italics and uses title case.

Surname, First Name, et al. “Title of the Essay.” Title of the Book , edited by Editor(s) Name, Publisher, Publication Year, page range.

Strine, Mary M., et al. “Research in Interpretation and Performance Studies: Trends, Issues, Priorities.” Speech Communication: Essays to Commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Speech Communication Association , edited by Gerald M. Phillips and Julia T. Wood, Southern Illinois UP, 1990, pp. 181–204.

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Anthologies in APA: Citing an anthology, compilation, or multi-authored textbook Last Updated: Aug 28, 2020 Views: 5932

Anthologies are collections of multiple works either by the same author or organized around the same theme. How you cite an anthology in the seventh edition of the American Psychological Association (APA) style depends on whether you are citing the entire anthology or a specific work within it. 

An entire anthology/edited book

Treat the editor of the anthology as its author, i.e. Editor's Last Name, First Initials. (Eds.). (Year of Publication). Title of book. Publisher.

Example Citation

Potter, P. A., Perry, A. G., Kerr, J. C., & Wood, M. J. (Eds.). (2009). Canadian fundamentals of nursing.   Mosby/Elsevier Canada.

A single work included in the anthology/edited book

Place the author of the work first, and include information about the editor of the anthology later in the citation, i.e. Author’s Last Name, First Initials. (Year of anthology’s publication). Title of work in anthology. In First Initial. Last Name of the anthology editor (Ed.), Title of anthology (page numbers).  Publisher.

Blake, W. (1990). The Tyger. In R. Scholes, N. R. Comley, C. H. Klaus, & D. Staines (Eds.), Elements of literature (pp 487-488). Oxford University Press.

Pen and the Pad has a good explanation of these citations.

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APA Style Guide: 7th Edition

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Anthologies have an editor or editors for the entire work and separate authors for each story, essay or poem. You must cite and reference every story, essay or poem that you use in your paper separately , unless you are referring generally to the entire work.

Formatting Examples

• Reference Format
• In-text Citation Format
• Author, A. A. = Author's surname followed by first and middle initials, when available.
• Start the reference with the author of the story, essay, or poem.
• Follow the title with the editor(s) first initial and last name and "Ed." for one editor or "Eds." for multiple.
• Always include the original publication date of the story, essay, or poem.

Examples of formatting an in-text citation for this item are outlined below:

Remember, in-text citation formatting changes depending on a number of factors .

See  Number of Authors , Publication Date , and  Page/Paragraph Number or Heading  for more information.   

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MLA CITATION FORMAT (MLA Handbook, 8th ed., p. 20)

• Title of Source
• Title of Container (larger work, such as an anthology)
• Other Contributors
• Publication Date
• Date of access (recommended for online resources)

Entire Website

The website of the Library of Congress connects users to content areas created by the Library’s many experts. In some cases, content can be posted without a clear indication of author, title, publisher, or publication date. Look for available clues and give as much information as possible, including the URL and date accessed.

MLA Citation Format (MLA Handbook, 8th ed.)

• Name of the author, compiler, director, editor, narrator, performer, or translator of the work (when the site is also the publisher omit here and instead place in publisher section)
• Title of the work (italicized if the work is independent; in roman type and quotation marks if the work is part of a larger work)
• Title of the overall website (italicized), if distinct from item 2
• Version or edition used
• Publisher or sponsor of the site; omit if not available.
• Date of publication; omit if not available.
• DOI or URL (DOI is encouraged and “http://” is left out)

Examples: Last name, First name. “Section of Website.” Title of the Website, Other Contributors, Version, Number, Name of publisher or sponsor, Date of publication, DOI or URL. Day Month Year of access. opt. URL.

Library of Congress. United States Government, 10 Feb 2012, www.loc.gov/. Accessed 16 Feb. 2017.

Articles and Essays

Articles and essays include examples that illustrate collection themes. Many collections include specific items, such as timelines, family trees or scholarly essays, which are not primary source documents. Such content has been created to enhance understanding of the collection. If no author is named, in most cases The Library of Congress may be cited as the author.

MLA Citation Format: (MLA Handbook, 8th ed.)

• Author last name, author first name
• Title (italicized if independent; in roman type and quotation marks if the work is part of a larger work)
• Title of the overall website (italicized)
• Version or edition
• Publisher; omit if not available
• Date of publication (day, month, year); omit if not available
• Date of access

Examples: Last name, First name. Title. Title of the Website, Version or edition, Publisher,. Day Month Year of publication, URL. Day Month Year of access.

Brief History of the National Parks. Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/collection/national-parks-maps/special-presentation/. Accessed 10 Feb. 2012.

Cartoons and Illustrations

Cartoons and illustrations included in newspapers, magazines or other periodicals often represent the historical perspectives and opinions of the time of publication. This illustration, Join or Die from the May 9, 1754, Pennsylvania Gazette, was published by Benjamin Franklin and expresses his views about the need for the colonies to join forces to confront their mutual concerns with England. This is often referred to as the first political cartoon.

MLA Citation Format: (MLA Handbook,8th ed.)

• Artist last name, artist first name
• Title of work (in quotation marks)
• Format (cartoon or illustration)
• Title of Container (website or database) italicized
• Newspapers: Name of Print Publication date, page numbers (mark as pp. #)
• Journals: Volume number, date of publication, page number (mark as pp. #)
• Books: City: Name of Publisher, date of publication, page numbers if being referenced (mark as pp. #).
• DOI or URL.

Examples: Last Name, First Name. “Title.” Illustration. Newspaper title, [Location], Day Month Year of publication, page number, opt. URL. Day Month Year of access.

Franklin, Benjamin. "Join or Die." Illustration. The Pennsylvania Gazette, 9 May 1754, Library of Congress , www.loc.gov/item/2014647887/. Accessed 16 Feb. 2017.

Films and other moving images offer visual tools for studying not only the technology of a time, but also the prevailing social attitudes.

• Film Title (quotation marks)
• Director Name or relevant creator name, e.g., Dir. John Doe
• Title of Container (original producer) italicized, original production date.
• Version (if it is edited—e.g., director’s cut)
• Number (if within a set of episodes or section—e.g., part two)
• Title of database or website (italicized)
• Publication Date (omit if not shown)
• Location (DOI, URL)

Examples: “Film Title.” Directed by First name Last Name, Distributor, version, number, Title of the Website , Day Month Year, URL. Day Month Year of access.

Filmed by Frederick S. Armitage. “Bargain Day, 14th Street, New York.”, American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, 1905. Library of Congress,10 Aug. 2012, www.loc.gov/item/00694373. Accessed 16 Feb. 2017.

Government Publications

Many government publications originate through executive departments, federal agencies, and the United States Congress. Many of the documents are chronicled records of government proceedings, which become part of the Congressional Record. These documents are often posted without a clear indication of author, title, publisher or copyright date. Look for available clues and give as much information as possible, including date accessed.

• Name of government
• Name of agency
• Title of the publication (italicized)
• Publisher, year published.
• Title of the database or website (italicized)
• Congressional information or location (if applicable)

Examples: Government. Agency name. Title of Publication, page numbers. Publisher, Year published. Title of the Website. URL. Congressional information or location (opt.). Location. Day Month Year of access.

United States, House of Representatives. Annals of Congress, pp. 747-48. Gales and Seaton, 1849. Library of Congress . memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ ampage?collId=llac&fileName=llac003.db&recNum=370. Proceedings, 2nd Congress, 2nd session. Accessed 16 Feb. 2017.

Manuscripts

The Library of Congress online collections include letters, diaries, recollections, and other written material. One example is this letter from Helen Keller to Mr. John Hitz. Helen describes her trip to Chicago to visit the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893.

MLA Citation Format: (MLA Handbook, 8th ed.).

• Title (italicized, or quotation marks for a minor work)
• Date of composition (omit if not shown; for uncertain dates place a question mark—e.g. 1870?)
• Name of library, institution, or collection which houses the work, followed by the location
• Form of the material (version) – (Manuscript or Typescript)
• Publisher or website (italicized)

Examples: Last name, First name. “Title.” Date. Institution, city. Form of the material. Title of the Website. URL. Day Month Year of access.

Keller, Helen. “Letter to John Hitz 29 Aug. 1893.” 1893, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Typescript. Library of Congress. www.loc.gov/item/magbellbib004020. Accessed 16 Feb. 2017.

Maps and Charts

Maps are far more than just maps of cities and towns. They document historical places, events, and populations, as well as growth and changes over time. This map is from the Library of Congress online collections.

• Cartographer or Creator
• Title (italicized; in roman type and quotation marks if the work is part of a larger work)
• Title of Container (if part of a larger work, include that title, italicized, after the format)
• Format (map or chart)
• Publisher date

Cartographer. Title, Title of Container, Other Contributors, Map. Publisher, date, Location, Title of the Website, URL. Day Month Year of access.

Map of the West Coast of Africa from Sierra Leone to Cape Palmas, including the Colony of Liberia, Map. Finley, 1830. Library of Congress , www.loc.gov/item/96680499. Accessed 10 Feb. 2012.

Historic newspapers provide a glimpse of historic time periods. The articles, as well as the advertising, are an appealing way to get a look at the regions of the country or the world and the issues of the day.

• Author last name, author first name (if applicable)
• Title of article (in quotation marks)
• Name of newspaper (italicized), city of publication if needed, such as local, less-known newspapers (square brackets, not italicized)
• Version or Edition
• Issue Number
• Date of Access

“Free Education While You Wait For Orders Home.” The Stars and Stripes, 6 Dec. 1918. Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/sn88075768/1918-12-06/ed-1 . Accessed 10 Feb. 2012.

Oral History Interviews

MLA Citation Format: ( MLA Handbook , 8th ed.).

• Interviewee last name, first name
• Title of the interview (if any) In quotations if it is part of a publication, in italics if published independently. Use Interview without quotes or italics if there is no title
• Name of interviewer if known
• Publisher: Title of the database or website (italicized)
• Date of interview

Examples: Last name, First name. “Title of Interview.” By Name of Interviewer, Day Month Year of Interview. Title of the Website, URL. Day Month Year of access.

Patton, Gwendolen M. “Gwendolyn M. Patton oral history interview conducted by Joseph Mosnier. in Montgomery, Alabama, 2011-06-01.” Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/afc2010039_crhp0020/. Accessed 16 Feb. 2017.

Photographs

Photographs and drawings appear in many of the Library of Congress digitized historical collections.

• Title (italicized)
• Date of composition
• Version (photograph)
• Title of Container (name of the institution it is housed), country or state.
• Date published URL or DOI

Examples: Last name, First name. Title. Date of composition, Photograph, Institution, Country. Title of the Website, Date published on site, URL. Day Month Year of access.

Askew, Thomas E. Four African American women seated on steps of building at Atlanta University, Georgia. 1899 [or 1900] Photograph, Library of Congress, Washington D.C., www.loc.gov/item/2018667213/. Accessed 26 Feb. 2024.

Sound Recordings

This recording of Thomas Mann performing Haste to the Wedding is an example of Anglo-American dance music on the dulcimer recorded in July, 1937.

• Creator last name, creator first name
• Title (quotation marks)
• Title of Container (e.g. album—italicized)
• Any additional performers are listed here – first name followed by last name
• Indicate the original audio format (CD, audiocassette, etc.)
• Manufacturer and year published/issued
• When citing a performance, list the date of the performance here, with the abbreviation “rec.” preceding the date

Examples: Last name, First name. “Song title.” Perf. First name Last name, Manufacturer, Year, Rec. Day Month Year Original format. Title of the Website, URL. Day Month Year of access.

Mann, Thomas. “Haste to the Wedding.” Rec. July 1937 by Sydney Robertson Cowell, 78 rpm. Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/2017700868/. Accessed 10 Feb. 2012.