Research Guides: Citation Style Guides: MLA

SMC Library's MLA Style Guide

Download the Library's MLA Style Guide as a PDF

See the Official MLA Handbook

Consult the MLA Handbook online:

MLA Handbook Plus This link opens in a new window
MLA Handbook Plus is the e-book version of the official MLA Handbook, with instructions for formatting your research project and citing your sources in your text and in your list of works cited. The Handbook also contains guidance on punctuation and spelling, inclusive language, avoiding plagiarism, and using footnotes/endnotes.

Sample Papers in MLA Style, from the Modern Language Association
See actual essays formatted in MLA style.
MLA Style FAQs, answered by the Modern Language Association
Advice on how to cite pretty much anything.

Consult the MLA Handbook in print:

MLA Handbook (print) by The Modern Language Association of America
Call Number: REF 808.02 M699
ISBN: 9781603293518
Publication Date: 2021

Additional MLA Style Guides

Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) MLA Formatting and Style Guide
Purdue OWL provides sample MLA citations for many different kinds of things you may be citing.
MLA Format: Everything You Need to Know, by EasyBib
EasyBib's guide to MLA Format shows you what your paper and Works Cited page should look like, how to quote and paraphrase, and more.

Video Guides to MLA Style

This video gives some of the basics of the overall structure of MLA citations and essay formatting:

And this video goes into more depth about the elements of the citations in your Works Cited:

Note: the latest edition of MLA recommends including http:// at the beginning of a URL, contrary to the older advice in these videos. All other advice remains the same.