In this section, you will find answers to frequently asked questions about MLA style. For detailed formatting requirements in MLA style, see our section MLA Style and Formatting Guide.
My teacher asked me to write an MLA style text. Where can I find out more about MLA formatting?
You can read the detailed requirements for MLA style formatting in our MLA Style and Formatting Guide section. You can also contact the MLA Style Center. Here you will find guidelines for the design and formatting of research papers, documentation, assistance with writing papers, term papers and essays in MLA style.
Can I use Works Cited Page and Quotes in my PowerPoint presentation? If yes, how to do it?
MLA recommends that you include quotes on every slide in your presentation that provides information from your source. It can be any data:
- Quotes.
- Paraphrasing.
- Statistical data.
- Summary.
- Images.
The Works Cited Page should be located at the end of the presentation, on the last slide. Sources of information can be presented in the form of URLs, or in printed form on leaflets, which you will distribute to the audience before the presentation.
What is a DOI?
DOI is a digital identifier for an object. It consists of several numbers and letters that indicate the location of a Noline article or another source from the Internet. Scientific articles from journals have their own personal DOI. You can find the article on DOI, even has the URL changed. If your source has a DOI, it is better to use it instead of a URL. For instance:
Khalil, Radwa and others. How Knowledge of Ancient Egyptian Women Can Influence Today’s Gender Role: Does History Matter in Gender Psychology? Front. Psychol., 05 January 2017, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.02053.
What is a container?
The 8th edition of the MLA Manual states that the container is the larger unit in which the source is located. If you are citing a story or verse from an anthology, the individual production will be the source and the anthology will be the container. It is better to highlight the name of the container in italics followed by a comma. Further there is more detailed information about the container (publisher, year of publication, pages).
If you refer to a TV series episode, the container will be the name of the series, and the content will be the episode name, season number, etc. For example:
The Wolf and the Lion. Season 1, Episode 5. Game of Thrones. HBO, May 15, 2011.
“Game of Thrones” is a container.
The container can be a website that contains articles and publications, as well as other sources within other sources:
A Biography of the Titanic: Reuse, Rumors and Myths Constant Sinking and Resurrections Through Stories Spectacular. University of Hyderabad, 10.33774/coe-2020-14mwb, https://www.cambridge.org/engage/coe/article-details/5ec0c64defb5f00018e79b36. Accessed May 18, 2020.
Do I have to provide a URL if I am using online sources in my list of cited works?
8th edition of The MLA Handbook recommends specifying the URL if you have taken the source from the Internet. This is necessary so that readers can easily find the source on the Internet by reference. Just in case, check this information with your teacher. Some teachers advise against specifying a URL.
How do I cite e-books or Kindle books?
An e-book is a version. It must be indicated in the source after the title, and before the information about the publication. If you know the type of e-book you are using (for example, Kindle or online e-library), be sure to include it. Do not use device-specific numbering systems because they will differ from device to device. If the book has chapters or sections, you can identify a part of the book.
For instance:
Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Kindle ed., Pottermore Publishing, December 8, 2015.
How to quote a tweet correctly?
The title will be the full text of your tweet. Enclose the title in quotation marks, then include the date, time, and URL.
@loudposittivity. “Don’t accept anyone’s definition of your life; define yourself.” Twitter, May 27, 2019 12:17 PM, https://twitter.com/loudposittivity/status/1133029562953142273.
If you know the real name of the author, please put it in brackets after the nickname. In principle, this information is optional, but you can enter it if your readers want it. For instance:
@lclambeck (Linda Lambek). “Outcome of #bridgeport School Funding: State Legislature lacks political will to do the right thing.” Twitter, June 7, 2016 5:59 pm, twitter.com/lclambeck/status/ 752985641261162496.