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Citing Information: MLA 9th ed.

MLA 9th ed.

MLA 9th Edition

MLA Handbook 9th Edition makes it easier to cite both online and print sources with two major changes:

  • The 9 core elements
  • The container system

The core elements can be applied to any resource and are listed in the following:

Core Elements of MLA Style 8th Edition

Keep in mind that every citation does not have to include all of the core elements. If one does not apply to your resource then you move on to the next element.

The container system is used when a work is housed within another, whether it is a journal, book, or database. You repeat the core elements 3-9 for the container as well. The following is an example, using the MLA Practice Template:

Completed MLA Template Example

The citation from the template will then be written in your "Works Cited" page like this:

Citation from MLA Template

All of the examples in this guide will use the names of the core elements to identify the parts of the citation. MLA does allow for some optional elements to give more information about your resource, which will be explained in the example.