The Modern Language Association (MLA) style is a widely used citation style for writing research papers, particularly in the fields of literature and the humanities. The eighth edition of the MLA Handbook, released in 2016, provides guidelines for formatting and citing sources in research papers.
One important aspect of the MLA style is the use of footnotes and endnotes. Footnotes and endnotes are notes that are placed at the bottom of the page (footnotes) or at the end of the document (endnotes), and they provide additional information or citations for the material in the main text.
There are several rules to follow when using footnotes and endnotes in an MLA-style paper:
Use footnotes or endnotes to provide additional information or to clarify a point. Footnotes and endnotes should not be used to provide information that is essential to the main argument of the paper.
Use footnotes or endnotes sparingly. Overuse of footnotes or endnotes can make a paper appear cluttered and can distract from the main points of the paper.
Use Arabic numerals to number the footnotes or endnotes. These numbers should be placed at the end of the sentence or clause in which the footnote or endnote is referenced, and they should be superscripted (raised slightly above the line of text).
Use double spacing for footnotes and endnotes, just like in the main text.
Use a separate line for each footnote or endnote, and indent the first line of each note by five spaces.
Use the same font and font size as the main text for footnotes and endnotes.
When citing sources in footnotes or endnotes, use the same format as you would in the main text. For example, if you are citing a book, you would include the author's name, the title of the book, the publication information, and the page number(s) being cited.
Use a hanging indent for the second and subsequent lines of each footnote or endnote. This means that the first line is flush with the left margin, and the remaining lines are indented five spaces.
By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your footnotes and endnotes are clear, concise, and correctly formatted according to the MLA style.
MLA 8th Edition Changes
If there are two or more notes then the title of the page is Notes and it should appear before the Works Cited page. Like bibliographic notes, MLA recommends that content notes should be used sparingly. If you use a footnote in a sentence that has a dash, make sure the footnote number is placed before the dash. MLA allows the use of either type, but stick to one or the other. But what is different about the eighth edition is that it recommends a universal set of guidelines that writers can apply to any source, in any field.
For example, you might use your own translations for some texts but not others, or you might cite different editions of a text in different ways. The logic here is basic: a style guide should offer a method that is widely applicable. So does a company. Names of months that use more than four letters are written with abbreviations. Examples of an MLA 8th edition citation for tweets: BilldeBlasio.
Adding the abbreviations vol. Avoid blurry, pixilated, or distorted images for both print and electronic documents. Examples of MLA 8th edition citations with containers: Kivisto, Peter. Works Cited Magyarody, Katherine. Labels, captions, and source information Illustrations appear directly embedded in the document, except in the case of manuscripts that are being prepared for publication. Using notes to elaborate on ideas When you mention something in passing but think more information may be useful to the reader, you can add the extra information, as well as related sources if relevant, in a note.
If the title starts with A, An, or The, exclude it from the in-text citation and include the first main word. The Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue and Purdue University, 15 Jan. If no specific version is mentioned or located, omit this information from the citation. However, their use can sometimes distract readers, and this aspect is the primary reason that MLA discourages their use in academic writing. One standard citation format that applies to every source type In previous editions of the MLA Handbook, researchers were required to locate the citation format for the source that they used. Whichever way the date is placed in one citation, the same format should be used in the other citations in your project. Although some formats, including MLA 8, discourage their use, an instructor or publisher may request writers to incorporate a specific referencing style in their writing.
Harry Potter and Voldemort final battle debate from Andrew Sims et al. Placement of Notes in the Text Use parentheses around page numbers when page numbers interrupt a sentence or are given at the end of a sentence. When comparing works cited entries in the new eighth edition with the former seventh edition, see that differences in citation style are minimal; punctuation is streamlined, volume and issue numbers are identified as such, and there is no excess information such as city of publication or media type. The Notes page should appear before the Works Cited page. Middle School: Get Me Out of Here.
Send files for illustrations in the appropriate format to your editor separately. Each of the case studies must possess at least one of these. In the works cited list, found at the end of the project, readers will be able to see the full citation in its entirety, and will be able to locate the source for themselves. This version identifies the volume 24 , the number 2 , and the page numbers 620-26 of the scholarly journal, rather than leaving those numbers without clear explanation. Here are some examples of how to number footnotes and endnotes: Sociologists have long debated the level of importance that religion held in ancient societies.
MLA Footnotes: Basic Guidelines and Key Points to Learn
However, certain publishers encourage or require note references in lieu of parenthetical references. You can also use bibliographical notes to make comments on your sources and to identify areas of further research. It is often abbreviated "ex. In fact, it is acceptable to include many contributors if they all played an important part in your research. Do not include any commas in between the two pieces of information.
If the website publisher is the same as the author and title of the web site , then include only the title of the web site. As the authors argue literacy can be complete when reading is accompanied by writing. In addition, sometimes the day and month might not be featured on a source. Along the left margin, type the endnote number and a period and add five spaces before starting your actual note. To point to an area of future research. In-Text Citation Example: Author's Last Name Morin.
In such a case, scholars embed a symbol a superscript of an Arabic number as a placeholder for notes at the end of sentences they are commenting or expounding on and recapture the symbol and the commentary in notes. Furthermore, the page number on one type of e-reader, such as a Kindle, might differ on another e-reader, like a Nook. A Walk to Remember. All the sources cited in your footnotes or endnotes must also be included in your Works Cited list. Some professors or publishers may require that you use only endnotes and footnotes because it often cleans up your essay, making it easier for the reader to focus on the argument. If citing an episode in a series, then the title of the episode will go in quotes and the series name will go in italics. For example: ³See Gilmore 151.
Citation Machine®: MLA8 Format & MLA8 Citation Generator
It is necessary to include information about both containers. Example of how to cite a movie in MLA 8: Ratatouille. Author, or compiler name if available. Examples: Parker, Sarah Jessica, actress. Directed by Danny Boyle, produced by Alex Garland, Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2002. Example: Franklin IV Wall Street Journal B8 When it comes to e-books, it can be difficult to determine the page number. Article or Chapter in a Book Last name, First name.
