Skip to Main Content

MLA Citation Guide (9th Edition): Books, Ebooks, & Book Chapters

This research guide is based on the MLA Handbook 9th edition

Books, eBooks & Course Packs

Print books

Works Cited List Citation

Author's Last Name, First Name. Title of Book: Subtitle if AnyEdition if given and is not first editionPublisher Name often shortened, Year of Publication.


Examples:

One Author

Sun, Jonny. Goodbye, Again: Essays, Reflections, and Illustrations. Harper Perennial, 2021.


Two Authors

Burke, Tarana, and Brené Brown. You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience. Random House, 2021.


Three or more authors

Pomeroy, Sarah B. et al. A Brief History of Ancient Greece: Politics, Society, and Culture. 4th ed., Oxford UP, 2019.


With author and editor

Twain, Mark. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. Edited by M. Thomas Inge, Oxford UP, 2008.


With editor(s) only

Glazebrook, Allison, and Christina Vester, editors. Themes in Greek Society and Culture: An Introduction to Ancient Greece. Oxford UP, 2017.

In-Text Citation

(Last Name Page Number)

 

Examples: 

(Sun 27)

(Burke and Brown 39)

(Pomeroy et al. 42)

(Twain 64)

(Glazebrook 56)

eBooks from Library Databases

Works Cited List Citation

Author's Last Name, First Name (of short story/article/chapter/poem)Title of Book: Subtitle if Any. Edition if given and is not first edition, Publisher Name often shortened, Year of publication. Name of Library Database.


Examples:

One Author

Block, Bruce A. The Visual Story: Creating the Visual Structure of Film, TV and Digital Media. Focal P/Elsevier, 2008. ebrary.


Two Authors

Jamsa, Kris, and Andy Anderson. HTML and Web Design: Tips and Techniques. McGraw- Hill/Osborne, 2002. EBSCO eBook and Audiobook Collection.


Three or more authors

Ziarek, Ewa Plonowska, et al. A Time for the Humanities: Futurity and the Limits of Autonomy. Fordham UP, 2008. EBSCO eBook and Audiobook Collection.

In-Text Citation

(Last Name Page Number)

 

Examples: 

(Block 25)

(Jamsa and Anderson 37)

(Ziarek et al. 41)

eBook / OER textbook posted on a website (web format)

Works Cited List Citation

Author's Last Name, First Name. Title of eBook: Subtitle if AnyWebsite, Sponsoring Organization if given, Year of Publication, URL.


Examples:

One Author

Anderson, Catherine. Essentials of LinguisticsOpen Library, eCampus Ontario, 2018, openlibrary.ecampusontario.ca/catalogue/item/?id=890fb2bb-f721-422e-88a8-121e045a19c3.


Two Authors

Miller, Michele, and Anne Greenhoe. Transition with Purpose: Pathways from English Language to Academic StudyOpen Library, eCampus Ontario, 2018, openlibrary.ecampusontario.ca/catalogue/item/?id=32d44c9a-9a65-413a-af20-5cb6b5d9a176.


Three or more authors

Illowsky, Barbara et al. Introductory StatisticsOpenStax, Rice University, 2021, openstax.org/details/books/introductory-statistics.


Edited

Martin, Ann Smart, editor. Creators, Collectors & Communities : Making Ethnic Identity Through ObjectsOpen Library, eCampus Ontario, 2017, openlibrary.ecampusontario.ca/catalogue/item/?id=27d7a65b-a1e6-4b8f-9c4d-dc5d24feae12.

In-Text Citation

(Last Name Page Number)

Note: If there are no page numbers, use the chapter number in your in-text citation.

 

Examples: 

(Anderson ch. 2)

(Miller and Greenhoe 76)

(Illowsky et al. ch. 5)

(Martin ch. 4)

eBook / OER textbook posted on a website (PDF download)

Works Cited List Citation

Author's Last Name, First Name. Title of eBook: Subtitle if AnyWebsite, Sponsoring Organization if given, Year of Publication, URL. PDF download.


Example:

Schneider, Jenifer Jasinski. The Inside, Outside, and Upside Downs of Children's Literature: From Poets and Pop-ups to Princesses and PorridgeOpen Library, eCampus Ontario, 2016, openlibrary.ecampusontario.ca/catalogue/item/?id=b542c130-899c-4178-a5b0-43204d4b9f28. PDF download.

In-Text Citation

(Last Name Page Number)

 

Example: (Schneider 24)

eBook version of print book (e.g., Kindle eBook)

Works Cited List Citation

Author's Last Name, First Name. Title of Book: Subtitle if Any. Edition if given and is not first edition, e-book ed., Publisher, Year of Publication. 


Example:

Haig, Matt. The Midnight Library. E-book ed., Harper Avenue, 2020.

In-Text Citation

(Last Name ch. Chapter Number)

 

Example: (Haig ch. 3)

Course Packs

Works Cited List Citation

Author's Last Name, First Name or Group Name. "Title of Reading." Course pack for Course Code: Course Name, compiled by Instructor's First Name Last Name, semester, Seneca College.


Example:

Poe, Edgar Allan. "The Tell-Tale Heart." Course pack for FIC200: The Short Story, compiled by Mary Smith, fall 2020, Seneca College.

In-Text Citation

(Last Name or Group Name)

 

Example: (Poe)

Short Stories, Essays, Chapters, Poems, or Articles From a Book (Anthology or Collection)

Works Cited List Citation

Last Name of Author, First Name. "Title of Short Story." Title of Book, edited by First Name Last Name if given, Publisher, Year of Publication, pp. PageNumbers.


Example:

Murakami, Haruki. "Charlie Parker Plays Bossa Nova." First Person Singular, Bond Street Books, 2021, pp. 50-74.

In-Text Citation

(Last Name Page Number)

 

Example: (Murakami 52)