Mastering MLA Citation: How to Properly Cite Sources from a Book

Citing sources accurately is a fundamental aspect of academic writing, providing credibility and acknowledgment to the original authors. In Modern Language Association (MLA) style, citing from a book requires adherence to specific guidelines. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to cite sources from a book in MLA format.

Basic Format:

In how to mla a book, citing a book follows a standard format:

Author’s Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Publication Year.

Author’s Name: Begin the citation with the author’s last name, followed by a comma and the author’s first name or initials.
Title of Book: Italicize the book’s title and capitalize the first letter of important words.mla citation for book Place a period at the end.
Publisher: Mention the name of the publisher, followed by a comma.
Publication Year: Indicate the year of publication, followed by a period.

In-text Citation:

When quoting or paraphrasing from a book within your text, it’s crucial to provide proper in-text citations to avoid plagiarism. Here’s the basic structure:

(Author’s Last Name Page Number)

For instance:

(Smith 45)
According to Smith, "..." (45).

If you mention the author's name in the sentence:

Smith argues that "..." (45).

If there are multiple authors:

(Smith and Johnson 23)
(Smith et al. 56)

For sources with no page numbers, use paragraph numbers or section headings, if available. If neither is present, omit the page number from the in-text citation.

Works Cited Page:

The Works Cited page is a list of all the sources cited in your work. Entries for books should follow this format:

Author’s Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Publication Year.

For example:

Smith, John. The Art of Writing. ABC Publishing, 2019.

If the book has multiple authors, list them in the same order as they appear on the title page. If there are more than three authors, include the first author’s name followed by “et al.”

For edited books, include the editor's name after the book title and indicate their role by using "edited by" or "edited."

Smith, John, editor. The Art of Writing. ABC Publishing, 2019.

For online books, include the URL or DOI (Digital Object Identifier) at the end of the citation.

Smith, John. The Art of Writing. ABC Publishing, 2019, how to cite from a book mla

Special Cases:

If citing a specific chapter or section from an edited book, include the chapter author's name, title of the chapter, editor's name, book title, publisher, publication year, and page range. For instance:

Doe, Jane. "Chapter Title." Edited by John Smith, Book Title, Publisher, Publication Year, pp. 30-45.

Remember to use hanging indentation for the Works Cited page, where the first line of each entry is flush left, and subsequent lines are indented.

In conclusion, mastering MLA citation for books involves understanding the basic format, creating accurate in-text citations, and compiling a detailed Works Cited page. Proper citation not only acknowledges the original source but also enhances the credibility of your work in academic writing.

Mastering MLA Citation: How to Properly Cite Sources from a Book Citing sources accurately is a fundamental aspect of academic writing, providing credibility and acknowledgment to the original authors. In Modern Language Association (MLA) style, citing from a book requires adherence to specific guidelines. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to cite sources from a book in MLA format. Basic Format: In <a href="https://bookwritingonline.com/how-to-cite-the-norton-field-guide-to-writing-online-book/">how to mla a book</a>, citing a book follows a standard format: Author’s Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Publication Year. <ol> <li>Author’s Name: Begin the citation with the author’s last name, followed by a comma and the author’s first name or initials.</li> <li>Title of Book: Italicize the book’s title and capitalize the first letter of important words.<a href="https://bookwritingonline.com/how-to-cite-the-norton-field-guide-to-writing-online-book/">mla citation for book</a> Place a period at the end.</li> <li>Publisher: Mention the name of the publisher, followed by a comma.</li> <li>Publication Year: Indicate the year of publication, followed by a period.</li> </ol> In-text Citation: When quoting or paraphrasing from a book within your text, it’s crucial to provide proper in-text citations to avoid plagiarism. Here’s the basic structure: (Author’s Last Name Page Number) For instance: <ul> <li>(Smith 45)</li> <li>According to Smith, "..." (45).</li> </ul> If you mention the author's name in the sentence: <ul> <li>Smith argues that "..." (45).</li> </ul> If there are multiple authors: <ul> <li>(Smith and Johnson 23)</li> <li>(Smith et al. 56)</li> </ul> For sources with no page numbers, use paragraph numbers or section headings, if available. If neither is present, omit the page number from the in-text citation. Works Cited Page: The Works Cited page is a list of all the sources cited in your work. Entries for books should follow this format: Author’s Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Publication Year. For example: Smith, John. The Art of Writing. ABC Publishing, 2019. If the book has multiple authors, list them in the same order as they appear on the title page. If there are more than three authors, include the first author’s name followed by “et al.” For edited books, include the editor's name after the book title and indicate their role by using "edited by" or "edited." Smith, John, editor. The Art of Writing. ABC Publishing, 2019. For online books, include the URL or DOI (Digital Object Identifier) at the end of the citation. Smith, John. The Art of Writing. ABC Publishing, 2019, <a href="https://bookwritingonline.com/how-to-cite-the-norton-field-guide-to-writing-online-book/">how to cite from a book mla</a> Special Cases: If citing a specific chapter or section from an edited book, include the chapter author's name, title of the chapter, editor's name, book title, publisher, publication year, and page range. For instance: Doe, Jane. "Chapter Title." Edited by John Smith, Book Title, Publisher, Publication Year, pp. 30-45. Remember to use hanging indentation for the Works Cited page, where the first line of each entry is flush left, and subsequent lines are indented. In conclusion, mastering MLA citation for books involves understanding the basic format, creating accurate in-text citations, and compiling a detailed Works Cited page. Proper citation not only acknowledges the original source but also enhances the credibility of your work in academic writing.

#16 Mastering MLA Citation: How to Properly Cite Sources from a Book