FAQ

How do I cite multiple works by the same author?

If you are citing multiple works by the same author, identify which source you are citing from by including a comma after the author’s name, followed by the title (or a shortened version of the title) e.g. (Austen, Pride ).

Where should I put my in-text citations?

In-text citations should usually be placed at the end of a sentence.

Manga scholar Mike Hill notes that "the influence of Disney can be seen in the character designs and storytelling techniques used in many manga" (34).

If you quote or paraphrase from two different pages in the same source you can include these in one in-text citation, separated by a colon:

In the period from 1979 to 1999, Hong Kong's film production averaged 133 films annually, while the mainland made less than 100 films per year in the 1980s (127; 134).

If you quote or paraphrase from different sources in one sentence, you can also include these in one in-text citation, separated by a colon:

In a recent study, it was found that "music can have a positive impact on memory recall" and this has been subsequently backed up by research (Green 67; Wang 89).

If you quote or paraphrase from different sources in one sentence, you can place the in-text citation directly after the quotations if needed to link the quotation more clearly to the correct source. You can also do this to clearly distinguish your ideas from those of others.

According to Yip, video game arcades were a common sight in the city (45), while Mak makes the point that "people of all ages were flocking to arcades" (211).

Where can I can include the original publication date of a work?

MLA allows for optional elements to be included, such as the date of original publication. This should be included after the title and preceded by a full-stop.

How do I cite an author’s name if I only know the initials?

In some situations it may be acceptable to cite an author using their initials onlt.

See also MLA Style Guide here and here.

How do I cite multiple quotes from the same source in the same paragraph?

These should be separated by a comma, or a hyphen for consecutive pages e.g

(Camus 45, 56, 88-89)

How do I cite multiple quotes from the same source in the same paragraph?

These should be separated by a comma, or a hyphen for consecutive pages e.g

(Camus 45, 56, 88-89)

What should I do if I can't find an author for a source?

Is it acceptable to use an organisation name as an author?

Don't use the organisation name as the author if you're citing a dictionary or encyclopedia.

It is stated in the MLA Handbook that, “When a work is published by an organization that is also its author, begin the entry with the title, skipping the author element, and list the organization only as publisher” (25).

But when the author of a work is a division or committee of the organization, list the division or committee as the author, and list the organization as the publisher

Don't reverse the name for organisations e.g.

correct: United Nations

incorrect: Nations, United.

You can abbreviate the name of an organisation if you use it multiple times. Spell it out the first time you use it.

Organisation names in in-text citations can be abbreviated to the first noun phrase e.g.

Potato Society of Guernsey >>> Potato Society

I'm writing my extended essay in Spanish. Should I still use MLA?

Yes. The only major difference is that you should label your works cited list:

Obras Citadas

Use the organisation as the author	Leave out the author and start the reference with the article title
A Report Written and Published by Different Corporate Entities	Company report
A Report with One or More Authors	New Agency Report e.g. Reuters
Band Name	Dictionary
Government	Encyclopedia (e.g. Wikipedia or Britannica)
YouTube Channel	An article from the Economist