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How to Make a Book in MLA

Most publishers require that books follow a style or formatting guideline, such as that of the Modern Language Association (MLA) or the American Psychological Association (APA). MLA is the preferred format for publications in disciplines known as the humanities, especially those relating to language and literature. In order to write a book in MLA format, you must follow certain documentation guidelines for your internal citations and your Works Cited list.

Instructions

    • 1

      Cite all sources internally by listing the author's last name and the page number of the citation in parenthesis, immediately following the quote. Do not separate the author's last name and the page number with any punctuation mark. If the author you are citing is also cited for a different publication within your book, you need to distinguish which publication is being cited. List the author's last name, followed by a comma. Use a condensed version of the title in the parenthetical citation, followed by the page number.

    • 2

      List all the works you used in your research at the end of your publication in a section clearly marked as the bibliography, also known as the Works Cited page. In the bibliography, provide a full citation in MLA format. This typically includes the author's name, the title of the work, the publisher, the city of publication and the year of publication. If there are multiple authors or an editor or translator, then you need to include this information. If you are citing a source other than a book, such as a journal article, include the article's title, the title of the publication, and the volume number, issue number and page numbers of the article.

    • 3

      List all the works you consulted in the bibliography, even if you didn't cite them in your text. List these source with full citations in MLA format.

    • 4

      Cite books as follows: Author last name, Author first name. Title (in italics). City of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication.

    • 5

      Cite encyclopedia entries as follows: Author last name, Author first name. "Title of Entry." Encyclopedia Title (in italics). Edition. Year of Publication.

    • 6

      Cite an article or essay in a book as follows: Author last name, Author first name. "Title of Article." Title of Book (in italics). Editor. City of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Page Numbers.

    • 7

      Cite an article or essay in a journal as follows: Author last name, Author first name. "Title of Article." Journal Title (in italics). Volume number, Issue Number (Year). Page numbers.

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