MLA Handbook

Relied on by generations of writers, the MLA Handbook is published by the Modern Language Association and is the only official, authorized book on MLA style. The new, ninth edition builds on the MLA's unique approach to documenting sources using a template of core elements--facts, common to most sources, like author, title, and publication date--that allows writers to cite any type of work, from books, e-books, and journal articles in databases to song lyrics, online images, social media posts, dissertations, and more. With this focus on source evaluation as the cornerstone of citation, MLA style promotes the skills of information and digital literacy so crucial today.

The many new and updated chapters make this edition the comprehensive, go-to resource for writers of research papers, and anyone citing sources, from business writers, technical writers, and freelance writers and editors to student writers and the teachers and librarians working with them. Intended for a variety of classroom contexts--middle school, high school, and college courses in composition, communication, literature, language arts, film, media studies, digital humanities, and related fields--the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook offers

New chapters on grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, numbers, italics, abbreviations, and principles of inclusive languageGuidelines on setting up research papers in MLA format with updated advice on headings, lists, and title pages for group projectsRevised, comprehensive, step-by-step instructions for creating a list of works cited in MLA format that are easier to learn and use than ever beforeA new appendix with hundreds of example works-cited-list entries by publication format, including Web sites, YouTube videos, interviews, and moreDetailed examples of how to find publication information for a variety of sourcesNewly revised explanations of in-text citations, including comprehensive advice on how to cite multiple authors of a single workDetailed guidance on footnotes and endnotesInstructions on quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, and avoiding plagiarismA sample essay in MLA formatAnnotated bibliography examplesNumbered sections throughout for quick navigationAdvanced tips for professional writers and scholars