The Standard Order
1. Author's Name
2. Title of the article
3. Title of the Publication or Periodical
4. Series Number or Name
5. Volume Number (for a scholarly journal)
6. Issue Number
7. Date of Publication
8. Page Numbers
9. Medium of Publication*
Previously, within the Works Cited page, the medium of publication was not required as part of the citation. However, because of the broader scope of sources available to students now, it is important to include the medium.Most of the time you will use "Print" or "Web", but there are many others to be aware of. (Television, Radio, CD, Audiocassette, LP, Film, Videocassette, Slide Program, DVD, Sound Filmstrip, Laser Disc, Performance, Vocal Scores, Private Collection, Reading, Address, E-Mail, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, PDF File, MP3 File, etc.)
EXAMPLES
An Article from a Scholarly Journal
Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Title of Publication volume.number (date): page number(s). Medium.
Rosenthal, Justine A. "For Profit Terrorism: The Rise of Armed Entrepreneurs." Studies in Conflict & Terrorism. 31.6 (June 2008): 481-98. Print.
Bradford, John F. "Shifting the Tides Against Piracy in Southeast Asian Waters." Asian Survey 48.3 (May/June 2008): 473-91. Print.
An Article from a Magazine
The publication information should include the full date of the magazine. However, it should not include the issue or volume number, even if it is printed in the issue. After the date, you should include a colon followed by the pages used and the medium. If the pages you are citing are not consecutive, only include the first page number and a plus (+) sign without a space in between.
Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Title of Magazine date: page numbers(s). Medium.
Beinart, Peter. "Patriot Games." Time. 7 July 2008: 26-34. Print.
Berger, John. "Hawai'i's Favorite Aunty." Hawaii. June 2008: 48+. Print.
An Article from A Newspaper
For local newspapers, unless the city of publication is part of the newspaper's name, add the city name (in brackets and not underlined) after the title . The title should not include any introductory title (New York Times, NOT The New York Times). If there is an edition named on the masthead, be sure to include that in the citation as different editions contain different material. The city name is not necessary for national newspapers. For page numbers, if the article is more than one page, list only the first page followed by a "+".
Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article" Title of Newspaper [City] date, edition, section: page number(s). Medium.
Chiang, Faith. "The Power of Reading: Parents Rank It No. 1." Ke Alaka'i [Brigham Young University-Hawaii] 22 May 2008: 16. Print.
Kiely, Kathy. "6 Things Obama Must Do Between Now and Nov. 4." USA Today 29 Aug. 1 Sept. 2008, Weekend Edition, A:1+. Print.
McCartney, Robert J. "East Germany Opens Berlin Wall and Borders, Allowing Citizens to Travel Freely to the West." The Washington Post 10 Nov. 1989, Final Edition, A:1. Print.
A Review
First, list the name of the reviewer. If the review itself has a title, list that next in quotation marks. Second, type "Rev. of" followed by the title of the work being reviewed, followed by ", by" and the name of the author of the reviewed work. Then list the standard information about the periodical. Remember that if the reviewed work is a book, the title will be underlined; if it is a different medium, it will be in quotations.
Last Name, First Name. "Title of Review." Rev. of Title, by First Name Last Name. Title of Periodical date: page number(s). Medium.
Abdo, Geneive. "Islamic Democracy." Rev. of The Fall and Rise of the Islamic State, by Noah Feldman, and Islam and the Secular State: Negotiating the Future of Shari'a, by Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im. The Washington Post 11-17 Aug. 2008, National Weekly Edition: 38-39. Print.
Vincendeau, Ginette. Rev. of Chanteuse in the City: The Realist Singer in French Film, by Kelley Conway. Film Quarterly 61.4 (Summer 2008): 82-3. Print.
An Abstract from an Abstract Journal
Citing an abstract is basically putting two citations together-- one for the original work and one for the journal from which the abstract was found. The MLA Handbook states, "If you are citing an abstract, begin the entry with the publication information for the original work. Then add the relevant information for the journal from which you derived the abstract.
Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Title of Journal volume.number (date): page number(s). Title of Abstract Journal volume.number (date): page number(s). Medium.
Wigfall, V., E. Monck, and J. Reynolds. "Putting Programme into Practice: The Introduction of Concurrent Planning into Mainstream Adoption and Fostering Services." The British Journal of Social Work 36.1: 41-55. Social Work Abstracts 42.2: 209. Print.
An Editorial
In addition to normal article citation format, add the word "Editorial." after the title of the editorial and before the title of the periodical.
Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Editorial. Title of Periodical. date: page number(s). Medium.
Zuckerman, Mortimer B. "Fix Congress's Housing Fix." Editorial. U.S. News & World Report 7-14 July 2008: 72, 71. Print.
A Letter to the Editor
In addition to normal article citation format, add the word "Letter." after the title of the letter (if given) and before the title of the periodical.
Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Letter. Title of Periodical date: page number(s). Medium.
Mikelsen, Shelly. "Fighting Malaria." Letter. Smithsonian Aug. 2007: 12. Print.
Takashi, Ryuga. Letter. National Geographic June 2008: 9. Print.
If you are citing a response to a letter, then, after the author's name (if given), write "Reply to letter of" followed by the name of the author of the original letter.
Last Name, First Name. Reply to letter of First Name Last Name. Title of Periodical date: page number(s). Medium.
Editor. Reply to letter of Shelly Mikelsen. Smithsonian Aug. 2007: 12. Print.
Reply to letter of Ryuga Takashi. National Geographic June 2008: 9. Print.
A Series of Articles
Some articles come in series published in more than one issue of a periodical. If each article in the series has the same title, and is just designated by part 1, part 2, etc, then a single citation can be used for the entire series. Just add the volume, number, date, and page number(s) for each subsequent article. However, if each article in the series has its own unique, individual title, then each one will need its own entry, but you can add a brief description to the end to note that it is part of a series.
Last Name, First Name. "Title of Series." Title of Periodical volume.number (date): page number(s). Medium.
Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Title of Periodical volume.number (date): page number(s). Medium. Pt. of a series, Title of Series.*
Steinhilber, Kristine. "Ye Olde Manors of London." London 31.7 (July 2008): 113-17. Print.
Steinhilber, Kristine. "Worcestershire." London 31.8 (Aug. 2008): 115-16. Print. Pt. 2 of a series, "Ye Old Manors of London."
* note that the title of the series is not in italics.
A Special Issue of a Periodical
You can cite either the entire periodical or an article within the periodical. Just add "Spec. issue of" before the title of the periodical. If citing the entire issue, include the entire range of pages Otherwise, only include the page range of the article.
Last Name, First Name. Title of Special Issue. Spec. issue of Title of Periodical. date OR volume.number: page number(s). Medium.
China Now. Spec. Double Issue of Newsweek 7 Jan. 2008: 1-112. Print.
Carney, James and Michael Grunwald. "Honor." The Republicans. Spec. issue of Time 8 Sept. 2008: 26-35. Print.