MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (MLA Style) is one of two style manuals most often used in writing research papers and bibliographies. MLA Style is widely used in the humanities. The other manual is Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

According to MLA Style (6th edition, 2003), the citation for an electronic source should include the same information that would be listed for a print source or as much of that information as is available in the electronic format. The date the web site was accessed and the web address (placed in angle brackets) should be included at the end of the citation.

Citations in MLA Style should be double-spaced. The second and subsequent lines of a citation should be indented one-half inch (or five spaces) from the left margin. Titles should be underscored.

Below are sample citations using MLA Style (6th edition). Refer to the style manual for complete documentation. Milner Library copies are located in Floor 1, 2, and 6 reference collections at call number LB 2369 .G53 2003.

Document within a scholarly project or information database

Painter, Neil Irvin. "Truth, Sojourner." Encyclopaedia Britannica. Britannica.com. 10 Mar. 2004

<http://search.eb.com/blackhistory/>.

Humphreys, Cindy. "Early-onset Alzheimers." MayoClinic.com. MayoClinic.com. 4 Mar. 2004

<http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?objectid=F70880C2-73AF 4EF3A3C5730F138D167>.

“The College-Savings Superpage.” SmartMoney.com. 2004. smartmoney.com. 15 Mar. 2004

<http://www.smartmoney.com/college/investing/index.cfm?story=supertable1>.

CNN.com. 2004. Cable News Network. 15 Mar. 2004 <http://www.cnn.com/>.

Ghose, Ajit K. "Global Inequality and International Trade." Cambridge Journal of Economics. 28.2

(2004): 229-252. 5 Mar. 2004 <http://cje.oupjournals.org/current.shtml#ARTICLES>.

Bailey, Ann. " Federal Crop Insurance Premiums to Rise.” AgWeek. 1 Mar. 2004. 5 Mar. 2004

<http://www.grandforks.com/mld/agweek/business/industries/agriculture/8075037.htm>.

To cite an article or abstract retrieved from an online service such as Academic Search Elite, JSTOR, or PsycINFO follow the standard MLA format for referencing articles. Include the name of the database (underlined) from which the material was retrieved, the name of the service through which the database was accessed, the library through which the database was made available, and the date of access. If known, include the web address of the database service home page in angle brackets immediately after the date of access.

Kirkpatrick, John. "Heracles, Cercopes, and Paracomedy.” Transactions of the American Philological

Association 132.1 (2002): 29-61. Project Muse. Milner Lib., Illinois State U. 9 Mar. 2004

< http://muse.jhu.edu/search/>.

Iwamoto, Derek. "Tupac Shakur: Understanding the Identity Formation of Hyper-Masculinity of a

Popular Hip-Hop Artist." The Black Scholar 33.2 (2003): 44-49. First Search Milner Lib.,

Illinois State U. 9 Mar. 2004 <http://newfirstsearch.oclc.org/>.

Barrie, Douglas. “Air War over Moscow.” Aviation Week & Space Technology 60.5 (2004): 50-52.

EBSCO Milner Lib., Illinois State U. 9 Mar. 2004 <http://web24.epnet.com>.