Archivist and Humanities Librarian
Coordinator of Archives and Special Collections
Coordinator of Archives and Special Collections
Quick Style Guides
Use these quick guides for examples of how to cite common types of sources in APA, MLA, CSE, and Chicago styles.
- APA Quick Citation GuidePenn State guide for APA references with examples. This is the most common style used in the social sciences.
- MLA Quick Citation GuidePenn State guide for MLA references with examples. This is the most common style used in the humanities.
- CSE Quick Citation GuidePenn State guide for CSE references with examples. This is a common style used in the sciences.
- Chicago-Style Citation Quick Guidefrom the publisher. This is a common style used in history and the humanities
MLA Style
This guide contains examples of common citation formats in MLA (Modern Language Association) Style, based on the 9th edition (2021) of the MLA Handbook. MLA style is widely used in the humanities, especially in writing on language and literature.
For information on the 8th edition of the MLA Handbook, see the MLA Quick Guide 8th edition.
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The 9th edition of the MLA Handbook recommends using the following core elements in every citation. If elements are missing from the source, they should be omitted from the citation.
Author.
Title of source.
Title of container,
Other contributors,
Version,
Number,
Publisher,
Publication date
Location.
Note: MLA recommends using hanging indentation for the second and subsequent lines of each entry.
For more information and examples, see the following resources
- MLA Style CenterFind answers to common MLA questions and other great resources from the Modern Language Association. Includes practice templates and sample papers.
