Correctly citing a book in MLA format (9th edition) is a fundamental skill for students and researchers in the humanities. The Modern Language Association updated its guidelines to prioritize a universal set of "core elements" rather than a rigid list of rules for every possible source type. This approach makes it easier to cite traditional print books, e-books, and digital scans found in online databases.

To cite a book in MLA format for a Works Cited page, the basic formula is: Author's Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year. For an in-text citation, use the author's last name and the page number in parentheses, such as (Smith 42).

This guide provides an exhaustive breakdown of how to apply these rules to various scenarios, ensuring your academic papers meet the highest standards of integrity and clarity.

The Core Elements of MLA Citation

The 9th edition of the MLA Handbook revolves around a "template of core elements." These elements are the building blocks of any citation. When you are citing a book, you collect the specific details available on the title page and the copyright page.

1. Author

The author is the person or organization primarily responsible for the work. In the Works Cited list, the author's name is inverted (Last Name, First Name).

2. Title of Source

For a book, the title is always italicized and written in title case, meaning you capitalize most words except for minor articles, prepositions, and conjunctions.

3. Title of Container

A "container" is the larger work that holds the source. While a standalone novel doesn't usually have a container, an essay within an anthology does. The title of the container is also italicized.

4. Other Contributors

This includes editors, translators, or illustrators. They are listed after the title, preceded by a description of their role (e.g., "translated by" or "edited by").

5. Version

If the book is a second edition or a revised version, this information must be included.

6. Number

Used primarily for multi-volume sets. You would list it as "vol. 1."

7. Publisher

The entity responsible for producing the book. You can omit words like "Company," "Inc.," or "Co." but keep "Press" (often abbreviated as "P" or "UP" for University Press).

8. Publication Date

The year the book was published. If multiple years are listed, use the most recent one.

9. Location

For a print book, the location is usually not required in the Works Cited list, but for a chapter in a book, it refers to the page range (pp. 10-25). For an e-book, it might be a DOI or a URL.

How to Cite a Book with One Author

The most common citation involves a single author. The focus here is on punctuation: a period follows the author's name and the book title, while a comma separates the publisher and the year.

Template: Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.

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

In this example, "Gleick, James" is the author, "Chaos: Making a New Science" is the title, "Penguin" is the publisher, and "1987" is the year. Note that the city of publication is no longer required for books published after 1900.

Citing Books with Multiple Authors

When a book has more than one author, the formatting of the names changes to ensure the list remains easy to alphabetize while acknowledging all contributors.

Two Authors

For two authors, the first author's name is inverted, but the second author's name remains in the standard "First Name Last Name" format.

Example: Dorris, Michael, and Louise Erdrich. The Crown of Columbus. HarperCollins Publishers, 1999.

Three or More Authors

If a book has three or more authors, you only list the first author's name (inverted) followed by the Latin abbreviation "et al." (meaning "and others").

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

Citing Books with No Author or Corporate Authors

Sometimes, a book is published by an organization or has no credited author.

Corporate Authors

If a book is written by a government agency, a professional association, or a corporation, use the organization's name as the author. However, if the organization is also the publisher, skip the author element and begin the entry with the title.

Example (Organization as Author): American Allergy Association. Allergies in Children. Random House, 1998.

Example (Organization as Author and Publisher): The MLA Handbook. 9th ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2021.

No Author

If there is no author or organization credited, start the citation with the title of the book.

Example: Encyclopedia of Indiana. Somerset, 1993.

How to Cite Translated or Edited Books

In the humanities, we often cite works that have been translated from another language or compiled by an editor.

Translated Books

If you are focusing on the work itself, list the author first, then the title, followed by "translated by" and the translator's name.

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

Edited Collections (Anthologies)

When citing an entire collection of essays or stories, list the editor(s) as the author.

Example: Hill, Charles, editor. Visions of Reality. Oxford UP, 2015.

If you are citing a specific chapter or work within that anthology, the format changes to include the chapter title in quotation marks.

Example: Harris, Muriel. "Talk to Me: Engaging Reluctant Writers." A Guide to Writing Centers, edited by John Smith, Allyn and Bacon, 2000, pp. 24-34.

Citing E-Books and Books Found Online

In the digital age, many researchers access books via Kindle, PDF, or scholarly databases like JSTOR or ProQuest.

E-Books (Kindle or E-Reader)

If you read the book on an e-reader, specify that it is an "e-book" or "Kindle ed." in the version or location element.

Example: Silva, Daniel. The Order. Kindle ed., HarperCollins, 2020.

Books in Online Databases

If you access a book through a library database, you must include the name of the database in italics and the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) or URL at the end of the citation.

Example: Zunshine, Lisa. Strange Concepts and the Stories They Make Possible. Johns Hopkins UP, 2008. Project MUSE, https://muse.jhu.edu/book/31.

Rules for In-Text Citations (Parenthetical Citations)

In-text citations point your reader to the full entry in your Works Cited list. MLA uses an author-page system.

Basic In-Text Citation

Place the author's last name and the page number in parentheses at the end of the sentence before the period.

Example: The study of chaos theory became a mainstream scientific pursuit in the late 20th century (Gleick 12).

Using a Signal Phrase

If you mention the author's name in the sentence itself, you only need to provide the page number in the parentheses.

Example: According to James Gleick, chaos theory represents a new way of looking at nature (12).

Citing Multiple Authors In-Text

  • Two Authors: (Dorris and Erdrich 45)
  • Three+ Authors: (Wysocki et al. 110)

Citing a Book with No Author

Use a shortened version of the title in quotation marks or italics (depending on how it appears in the Works Cited list).

Example: The history of the region is well-documented (Encyclopedia 210).

How to Format the Works Cited Page

The Works Cited page is the final part of your essay. Proper formatting is essential for professional-looking papers.

General Page Layout

  1. Header: Center the title "Works Cited" at the top of the page. Do not bold, italicize, or put it in quotation marks.
  2. Alphabetical Order: Arrange all entries alphabetically by the first letter (usually the author's last name).
  3. Double Spacing: The entire page should be double-spaced.
  4. Hanging Indent: This is the most common mistake. The first line of each entry is flush with the left margin. Every subsequent line of that same entry must be indented 0.5 inches.

How to Create a Hanging Indent in Microsoft Word

  1. Highlight your citations.
  2. Right-click and select "Paragraph."
  3. Under "Indentation," look for the "Special" dropdown menu.
  4. Select "Hanging."

Advanced Formatting: Title Case and Punctuation

MLA is very specific about the "look" of your citations.

Title Case Rules

Capitalize the first word, the last word, and all principal words (nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs). Do not capitalize:

  • Articles: a, an, the
  • Prepositions: against, as, between, in, of, to
  • Coordinating Conjunctions: and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet

Punctuation with Elements

Each element in the core template is followed by a specific punctuation mark:

  • Period after Author.
  • Period after Title.
  • Comma after Container, Contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, and Date.
  • Period at the very end of the citation.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in MLA Book Citations

Even seasoned writers occasionally slip up on the finer points of MLA style. Based on years of grading and editing, here are the most frequent errors:

  1. Including the City of Publication: Since the 8th edition, the city of publication is generally omitted for modern books. Only include it for books published before 1900 or if the publisher has international offices and the city is relevant to the version of the work.
  2. Using "p." or "pp." for Single Volumes: In the Works Cited list, you only use "pp." for page ranges (like chapters). For a whole book, you don't list total pages.
  3. URL Overload: When citing online books, omit the "http://" or "https://" prefix unless your instructor specifically asks for it. However, the 9th edition generally recommends keeping the full URL for clarity in digital-first papers.
  4. Incorrect Et Al. Punctuation: Remember that "al" is an abbreviation for alii, so it always needs a period ("et al."), while "et" does not.

What is a Container in MLA?

The concept of a "container" can be confusing. Think of it as a Russian nesting doll. The "source" is the specific thing you read (a chapter). The "container" is what holds it (the book). Sometimes there is a second container (the database like JSTOR).

  • Source: "The Raven"
  • Container 1: The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe
  • Container 2: Google Books

When you have multiple containers, you list the information for the first container, then repeat the process for the second.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about MLA Book Citations

How do I cite a book with multiple publishers?

If a book lists two or more publishers that are equally responsible for the work, list them all, separated by a forward slash (/).

What do I do if the book has no publication date?

If no date is provided, look for the most recent copyright date (e.g., © 2022). If absolutely no date can be found, you can leave it out, though this is rare for modern books.

How do I cite a republished book?

If you are using a version of a book that was originally published years ago (like a classic novel), you can include the original publication year immediately after the title to provide historical context. Example: Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. 1818. Penguin, 2003.

Should I use the ISBN in the citation?

No, MLA format does not require the ISBN (International Standard Book Number) in the Works Cited list.

How do I cite a book with an edition?

List the edition number after the title, followed by "ed." Example: The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 10th ed., W.W. Norton, 2018.

Can I use citation generators?

While tools like EasyBib or Zotero are helpful, they often make mistakes with capitalization and punctuation. Always double-check your generated citations against the core elements template provided in this guide.

Summary

Mastering the MLA book citation requires attention to detail and an understanding of the 9th edition's flexible "core elements" system. Whether you are citing a classic print novel or a digital scan from a library database, the goal is to provide enough information so that your reader can locate the exact same source.

Remember the basic order: Author, Title, Publisher, and Year. Keep your Works Cited page in alphabetical order, use hanging indents, and ensure your in-text citations correspond directly to your list. By following these guidelines, you ensure that your research is credited properly and that your writing maintains a professional, academic tone.