Constructing Reference Lists
Works Cited vs. Works Consulted
Italics or Underlining
Punctuation
MLA Style Format

• Books
• Magazine Articles
• CD-ROM Products
• Online Resources

Because one purpose of listing references is to enable readers to retrieve and use the sources, reference data must be correct and complete. Each entry usually contains the following elements: author, year of publication, title and publishing data -- all the information necessary for unique identification and library search. The best way to ensure that information is accurate and complete is to check each reference carefully against the original publication. Give special attention to spelling of proper names and of words in foreign languages, including accents or other special marks, and to completeness of journal titles, years, volume numbers, and page numbers. Authors are responsible for all information in a reference. Accurately prepared references help establish your credibility as a careful researcher (American Psychological Association 175).

A Works Cited list includes just the works you read and cited within the paper. A Works Consulted list includes all of the works you read and cited within the paper as well as any other sources you may have read or consulted while preparing to write the paper, but decided not to cite.

Many word-processing programs and computer printers permit the reproduction of italic type. In material that will be graded, edited, or typeset, the type styles of every letter and punctuation mark must be easily recognizable. LCDS generally uses italics; however, if you wish to underline rather than italicize, see what the teacher prefers.

Most publications now have the same spacing after a punctuation mark as between words on the same line; leaving only one space after a concluding punctuation mark. However, it is still acceptable to use two spaces after a punctuation mark unless the teacher requests otherwise.

WORKS CITED FORMAT/EXAMPLES BASED ON MLA* Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (*Modern Language Association)

BOOKS

1. Author's Last name, First Name.
2. Title of book.
3. Place of publication:
4. Name of publisher,
5. Copyright Date.

Eliot, Alexander. The Horizon Concise History of Greece. New York: American Heritage, 1972.

1. 1st author's Last Name, First Name, and 2nd and/or 3rd author's First Name and Last Names.
2. Title of book.
3. Place of publication:
4. Name of the publisher,
5. Date.

Grant, Michael, and Rachel Kitzinger. Civilization of the Ancient Mediterranean: Greece and Rome. New York: Scribner's,1988.

Follow the same list except name only the first author and then add et al. (which means "and others").
Andrews, William L., et al. The Oxford Companion to African American Literature. New York: Oxford UP, 1997.

If the article is signed, give the author first; if it's unsigned, give the title first.

1. Article author, if given.
2. "Chapter Title."
3. Title of Book.
4. Editor of the Book.
5. Place of publication:
6. Name of publisher,
7. Date.
8. Pages.

Garrett, Elisabeth Donaghey. "The Kitchen." At Home: the American Family, 1750-1870. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1990. 95-108.

Walker, Alice. "A Cautionary Tale and a Partisan View." Zora Neale Hurston. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1986. 63-69.

If the article is signed, give the author first; if it's unsigned, give the title first

1. Article author, if given.
2. "Article title."
3. Title of work.
4. Edition, if given.
5. Year of publication.

Bondurant, J. V. "Gandhi, Indira." Encyclopedia Americana. 1998 ed."Religious Symbolism and Iconography." The New Encyclopedia Britannica: Macropaedia. 15th ed. 1987.

When citing less familiar reference books, give full publication information.
Johnson, Thomas H. The Oxford Companion to AmericanHistory. New York: Oxford UP, 1966.

If using only one volume of a multivolume set:

1. Article author's name
2. "Article Title."
3. Title of the set.
4. Editor of set, if given.
5. Vol. # of volume used.
6. Place of publication:
7. Publisher,
8. Date.
9. Total number of volumes in set may be given at the end, but it is optional.

McVey, Ruth. "Indonesia." Lands & People. Ed. Lisa Holland. Vol. 3. Danbury, CT: Grolier, 1993. 5 vols.

If using multiple volumes of a multivolume set:

1. Author/editor.
2. Title of work.
3. Editor, if given.
4. Number of volumes used.
5. Place of publication:
6. Publisher,
7. Date.
8. Total number of volumes in set may be given at the end, but it is optional.

Bottari, Stefano. "Correggio." Encyclopedia of World Art. Ed. Robert M. Crandal et al. 5 vols. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1960. 20 vols.

1. Article author's name (if known).
2. "Article title."
3. Magazine title (no punctuation after title)
4. Publication date of magazine (date, abbreviated month, year:
5. Page number(s).

Kommando, Kim. "Be a Power Player." Popular Mechanics June 1998: 49-50.

1. Author, if known.
2. "Article title."
3. Product title. Edition, release, or version, if given.
4. Publication medium (CD-ROM).
5. Place of publication:
6. Name of publisher.
7. Year of publication.

"Bronte, Emily." Discovering Authors. Vers. 1.0. CD-ROM. Detroit: Gale, 1992.

These are the most current citation formats which have been developed by MLA and appear in the newly revised edition of its Style Handbook. In general, as many of the following items, if available, should be included when citing an online source:

1. Author of the part of the web site used.
2. "Title of the part of the web site used."
3. Title of the web site as seen on the home page
4. Date of the creation, publication, copyright, or last date updated.
5. Name of any institution that is associated with the site (often a university or organization).
6. Date that the student used the online source [day month year]
7. (Electronic Address).

"Indians: Indian-White Wars." The History Channel. 2001. A&E Television Networks. 5 Apr. 1999 (http://historychannel.com).

Viviano, Frank. "The New Mafia Order." Mother Jones Magazine May-June 1995. 14 Nov. 1998 (http://www.mojones.com/MOTHER.JONES/MJ95/viviano.html).

Portuguese Language Page. [n.d.]. U of Chicago. 1 May 1997 (http://humanities.uchicago.edu/romance.port).

"Fresco Painting." Encyclopaedia Britannica. 1999-2000. Britannica.com. 31 Mar. 2000 (http://www.britannica.com).

1. Author's name, if given
2. "Title of article or material."
3. Name of the periodical.
4. Date of periodical.
5. Number of pages, if given.
6. Name of the database.
7. Name of the subscription service.
8. Date of access.
9. <Electronic Address>

Yam, Philip. "Take Me to the Ocean." Scientific American April 2001. InfoTrac. 23 Apr. 2001. (http:// http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/mlin_w_berkcount).

If you do not find an example listed that you need, an online source that could be helpful is the University of Iowa's Journalism Resources page. Adapted from:

Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 4th ed. New York: The Modern Language Association, 1995.

"MLA Style." Modern Language Association. 31 Mar. 1999. (http://www.mla.org/main.org/ main_stl-nf.htm#sources).