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MLA Style Guide Eighth Edition

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Title of Source. The title is usually taken from an authoritative location in the source such as the title page. It is the name of the source you are using. Capitalize the following parts of speech in a title: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, subordinating conjunctions (although, because, unless, after, until, when, where, while, etc.). Do not capitalize articles, prepositions, coordinating conjunctions, the "to" in infinitives if they appear in the middle of the title. A colon separates the title from the subtitle unless it ends in a question mark or exclamation. Titles should be italicized or enclosed in quotation marks. Titles that are independent and self-contained (e.g., books) and titles of containers (e.g., anthologies) should be italicized. Titles that are contained in larger works (e.g., short stories) should be in quotation s. Exceptions to the above rule are: 1) Scripture (Genesis, Bible, Gospels, Upanishads, Old Testament, Talmud, etc.) Titles of individualized scripture writings, however, should be italicized and treated like any other published work.(e.g. The Interlinear Bible) 2) Names of laws, acts and political documents (Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence, Magna Carta, Treaty of Marseilles, etc.) 3) Musical compositions identified by form, number, and key (Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A, op. 92) 4) Series titles (Critical American Studies, Bollingen Series, etc.) 5) Conferences, seminars, workshops, and courses (MLA Annual Convention, English 110)

The title of the work follows the author and ends with a period . Mitchell, Margaret. Gone With the Wind . New York: Macmillan, 1961.

A sub-title is included after the main title . Joyce, Michael. Othermindedness: The Emergence of Network Culture. U of Michigan P, 2000. Baron, Sabrina Alcorn et al., editors. Agent of Change: Print Culture Studies after Elizabeth L. Eisenstein. U of               Massachusetts P /Center for the Book, Library of Congress, 2007.

The title of a story, poem or essay in a collection, as part of a larger whole, is placed in quotation marks . Dewar, James A., and Peng Hwa Ang. "The Cultural Consequences of Printing and the Internet." Agent of Change: Print             Culture Studies after Elizabeth L. Eisenstein. U of Massachusetts P /Center for the Book, Library of Congress,             2007, pp. 365-77. 

Independent work in a collection When a work that is normally independent (such as a novel or play) appears in a collection, the work's title remains in italics. Euripides. The Trojan Women . Ten Plays, translated by Paul Roche, New American Library, 1998, pp. 457-512.

The title of a periodical (journal, magazine, or newspaper) is in italics and the title of the article is in quotation marks. Goldman, Anne. "Questions of Transport: Reading Primo Levi Reading Dante." The Georgia Review, vol. 64, no. 1, 2010           pp. 69-88. Note: This rule applies to all media forms such as the title of a television series, an episode in a television series, a song or piece of music in an album, a posting or article on a web page. See examples below. Television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer . Created by Joss Whedon, performance by Sarah Michelle Gellar, Mutant Enemy, 1997-2003. Episode in a television series "Hush." Buffy the Vampire Slayer , created by Joss Whedon, performance by Sarah           Michelle Gellar, season 4, episode 10, Mutant Enemy, 1997-2003. Web site Hollmichel, Stefanie. So Many Books . 2003-13, somanybooksbkog.com Note: When giving a URL, omit http and https. Posting of an article on a web site Hollmichel, Stefanie. "The Reading Brain: Differences Between Digital and Print."           So Many Books, 25 April 2013, somanybooksblog.com/2013/04/25/the-reading-brain-differences-between-digital-           and-print/. A song or piece of music in an album Beyonce. "Pretty Hurts." Beyonce , Parkwood Entertainment, 2013,           www.beyonce.com/album/beyonce/?media_view=songs.

Untitled Source In the place of the title, provide a generic description of the source without italics or quotation marks. Capitalize the first word in the title and any proper nouns in it. Mackintosh, Charles Rennie. Chair of Stained Oak. 1897-1900, Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Comment or review of a title in an online forum Jeane. Comment on "The Reading Brain: Differences Between Digital and Print." So Many Books, 25 Apr. 2013,            10:30 p.m., somanybooksblog.com/2013/04/25/the-reading-brain-differences-between-digital-and-            print/#comment-83030

Review of a title in an online forum Mackin, Joseph. Review of The Pleasures of Reading of an age of Distraction , by Alan Jacobs. New York Journal of Books, 2 June 2011, www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/            pleasures-reading-age-distraction.

Tweet Reproduce the full text without changing anything and enclose within quotation marks. @persiankiwi."We have report of large street battles in east and west of Tehran now. - #Iranelection." Twitter ,            23 June 2009, 11:15 a.m., twitter.com/persianwiki/status/2298106072.

E-mail message Use subject as the title. Subject is enclosed in quotation marks. Boyle, Anthony T. "Re: Utopia." Received by Daniel J. Cayhill, 21 June 1997.

Introduction, Preface, Foreword, or Afterword Capitalize the term in the works cited list but do not italicize or enclose in quotation marks. The term need not be capitalized in in-text discussion. Felstiner, John. Preface. Selected Poems and Prose of Paul Celan , by Paul Celan, translated by Felstiner              W.W. Norton, 2001, pp.xix-xxxvi.

Translations of Titles Place translations of titles for foreign works in square brackets in the works cited list. The translation appears next to the title.

Shortened titles The first time a title is mentioned in your work, it should appear in full. If the title is repeated in the work, it can be shortened to a familiar one (e.g., Skylark for Ode to a Skylark).

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MLA Style: Basics

Formatting titles.

The second core element in bibliographic citations is the title of the source. Titles in English should be presented in title or headline case and either in quotation marks or italicized. End this core element with a period.

What do you mean 'either in quotation marks OR italicized'?

In general, the titles of longer works are italicized and the titles of shorter works are enclosed in quotation marks. [2.106] Books, movies, podcasts, musical albums, an journals are all italicized. Poems, YouTube videos, podcast episodes, song titles, and journal, newspaper and magazine articles are all enclosed in quotation marks.

Works without titles

If the work doesn't have a title, don't skip this element. Instead, write your own concise description of the source. Descriptions of works are not included in quotation marks. [5.28] Some untitled short works, like poems, use the first line as a title. In this case, include the first line as presented in the work and include it in quotation marks [5.29]

Shortening Titles

Very long titles can be shortened in your works cited list. Make sure you retain enough of the title for your reader to understand which source you're citing, and note that you've shortened the title with ellipses. The period or comma that ends the core element comes after these ellipses. [5.26]

What is title case?

Title or headline case is when you capitalize nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, subordinating conjunctions, and the first word of a title. Don't capitalize prepositions, coordinating conjunctions, the to in infinitives, or articles. [2.90]

What about titles in languages other than English?

Capitalize only the first letter of the first word of the title and words normally capitalized in prose. [2.91]

For additional guidance, consult the MLA handbook.

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  • Capitalization and Styling for Titles (MLA)
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Capitalization of Titles in MLA

Capitalizing titles.

When you are writing the title of a work in an MLA-formatted paper, the rules can appear confusing. However, they are simple once you get used to working with them. If the title on the cover and title page do not match, use the one from the title page. You will probably capitalize most of the words in the title.

Here is what you capitalize:

  • The first and last word of the title
  • Verbs and adverbs
  • Nouns and pronouns
  • Subordinating conjunctions (for example,  as ,  because ,  if )

Here is what you don't capitalize:

  • a, an, and, but, nor, the, so, to, yet
  • prepositions (words like  as, between,  or  in )

If you are not sure what part of speech a word is, online dictionaries such as  Merriam-Webster  will tell you.

Note : There are two exception to the capitalization rules. First, capitalize any word if it's the last word in the title. For example, you would write the book title  Island Between  with  between  capitalized even though it's a preposition. The second exception is that you capitalize anything that follows a colon. Here is an example:  Citations: A Study of Good Practices . Normally, you wouldn't capitalize  a , but in this case you would.

Capitalizing Quotes

According to MLA style, how you capitalize words in quotes depends upon the context.

Quotes in Text

Whenever you quote a text, you may need to change the capitalization used in the quote. If your sentence before the quote uses a word like  says ,  states ,  writes , etc., you will want to capitalize the first word you quote. If you do change a lower case word to upper case, put the capitalized letter in brackets. This tells your reader that you changed the text a little. Here is an example:

Original sentence: Cats are affectionate, and dogs are playful.

Example one: Smith says "Cats are affectionate."

Example two: Smith says "[D]ogs are affectionate."

If your sentence uses a word that isn't  says ,  writes , etc., you will want to make the first word of the quote lower case, unless it is a proper noun like someone's name. Here is an example:

Example one: Smith's research determined that "[c]ats are affectionate."

Example two: Smith noted that "dogs are affectionate."

Block Quotes

The first word of block quotes are always capitalized, and brackets used if you have to change the first word from lower case to capitalized.

Styling Titles in MLA

How to style a title in mla.

When using the MLA citation method, there are two different ways to style titles you write in your text. They will be either italicized or in quotation marks. As a general rule, complete works (like a book, play, or movie) would be italicized, but works that appear inside another work (such as a short story that appears in an anthology of stories, or an article from a scholarly journal) will be put in quotation marks. Here is an example:

Smith's short story "The Happy Dog" first appeared in his book of collected stories  Dog and Cat Tales .

There are exceptions, however. If a work would normally be italicized, but appears inside another work, it stays italicized. For example, a publisher may print a collection of short novels or plays inside one large book. Because novels and plays are normally italicized, they stay italicized even though they're part of a larger work.

Here is a brief list of what is italicized, and what is put in quotation marks:

Books

Short Stories
Plays Poems and Songs
Newspapers and Journals Articles from Newspapers and Journals
Movies and Television Shows Book Chapters
Whole Websites Web Pages
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are essay titles italicized mla

Formatting Titles

by Purdue Global Academic Success Center and Writing Center · Published October 2, 2020 · Updated November 5, 2020

are essay titles italicized mla

Let’s face it: For whatever reason, formatting titles can be confusing, especially if you think about all the titles that need proper formatting–the title placed on the title page of a paper, the title of a journal article mentioned in the body of a paper, the title of a newspaper or a website on the list of references. There are titles of books and titles of chapters in those books; titles of blogs and titles of blog entries. Some titles are italicized and some are put in quotation marks. Titles on the list of references require formatting–some titles use title case, some sentence case; some titles are italicized and some are not. And then there are those situations where titles are used in in-text citations–some titles are truncated and italicized; some are put in quotation marks–you get the idea. 

First off, I am not going to address how to format titles when citing in the paper or listing on the list of references—those are formatting guidelines for another time. I am going to focus on titles on the title page, the first page of the paper, and within a paper. Here is what you need to keep straight:

Titles require special capitalization called title case. Title case requires one to

  • capitalize the first letter of the first and last words of a title;
  • capitalize the first letter of all verbs;
  • capitalize all words of four or more letters;
  • capitalize the first letter of all other words except a, an, the, short conjunctions such as “for, and, but,” and prepositions of fewer than four letters (words like “up, in, off”);
  • capitalize the first letter of a word following a colon or dash;
  • capitalize the first letter of a subtitle. 

When a title appears on the title page of an APA Style 7th edition student paper, that title should be centered, bolded, and in title case—no need to use all caps, no need to italicize or underline, and no need to use quotation marks or place a period at the end. 

Simply type out the title using title case and bold it–that’s it.

On the first page of the essay, center and repeat the title, bold it, and use title case. Again, do not use any special formatting. Do not use a bigger font size or style. Do not underline or italicize and so forth. Just use title case, bold, and center the title on the first page of the essay.

Easy enough, right?

Titles that appear within an essay require special formatting in addition to title case. If the title is for an article—content that is part of a greater whole—then the title should have quotation marks around it. If the title is for a book, journal, newspaper, or some other whole work, then the title is italicized.

Let’s say you have an article titled “The New Coffee Culture” that appears in the journal Studies in Popular Culture . Let’s also say that for whatever reason, you name both titles in the body of your paper. The article “The New Coffee Culture” appears in the journal Studies in Popular Culture , so the article is content that appears in a greater whole, right? 

Both titles would be in title case. The article “The New Coffee Culture” would have quotation marks around it, and the title of the journal, Studies in Popular Culture , would be italicized. 

I hope this blogcast clarifies exactly what you need to do when formatting titles in typical usage situations in APA style. 

Until next week–

Kurtis Clements

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  • Writing Tips

A Quick Guide to Source Titles in MLA Referencing

4-minute read

  • 2nd November 2020

If you’re using MLA style for a piece of academic writing, you’ll need to make sure you format source titles correctly. But how should you write titles in MLA referencing? In this post, we explain what you need to know.

Capitalization of Titles in MLA

MLA style uses a form of title case for source titles. This means capitalizing:

  • The first and last word of all titles and subtitles
  • Nouns, pronouns, and verbs
  • Adverbs and adjectives
  • Subordinating conjunctions

However, you should not capitalize articles , prepositions , or coordinating conjunctions in the middle of a title. For example:

The Secret of Success: How to Achieve Your Goals Quickly

After the Storm: Why the Weather Is Changing

Are Dogs People? Animal Psychology and Personhood

The one exception is untitled sources! For a poem with no title or a social media message , for instance, you would quote the first few words in place of a title. And, in this case, you would use the same capitalization as shown in the source you’re quoting. For example:

In Iqbal’s 2014 poem “The colours and the sound,” she examines…

For all other English-language sources, though, make sure to use title case.

Italics or Quote Marks?

Most source titles in MLA are either italicized or placed in quote marks:

  • Italics – Use italics for standalone publications (e.g., books) or for “container” publications (e.g., journals, websites, newspapers).
  • Quote marks – Use quote marks for titles of shorter works that appear in a container volume (e.g., articles in journals, poems in an anthology).

For example, we’d italicize Scientific American (i.e., the title of a magazine). But we’d put the title of an article from this magazine in quote marks:

Published in Scientific American in September 2020, the article “Water on Mars: Discovery of Three Buried Lakes Intrigues Scientists” (O’Callaghan 14) generated new interest in the question of whether life ever existed on Mars. In particular, it raised the question of…

However, there are some exceptions to the rules above! In MLA style, titles of the following should be written without either italics or quote marks :

  • Generic references to holy books (e.g., Bible, Quran)
  • Laws and other legislation (e.g., Treaty of Versailles, Equality Act 2010)
  • Musical compositions that are identified in terms of their form, number, and key (e.g., Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67)
  • Names of book series (e.g., Contemporary World Series, Bollingen Series)
  • Conferences, workshops, and courses (e.g., Annual MLA Conference)

Keep an eye out for these types of titles in your writing.

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Shortened Titles in MLA

In MLA style, the first time you mention a source in the text, give the full title (although you may want to omit a non-essential subtitle for brevity):

Haddon is known for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time .

But if you mention a source repeatedly in your work, you can shorten the title after the first mention to minimize repetition.

If the relationship between the full title and the shortened version is obvious, you can switch to it with no introduction:

In The Curious Incident , the protagonist…

If the abbreviation is less obvious, though, make sure to introduce it in parentheses when you give the full source title. For instance:

Beyond Good and Evil (BGE) was an important work for Nietzsche… Notably, BGE clarifies many elliptical arguments from his previous work.

Always give the full source title and subtitle in the Works Cited list, though.

Titles of Non-English Sources

Finally, MLA has two key guidelines on non-English sources:

  • Unless you are sure your readers will understand the title of a source in a language other than English, give a translation in parentheses.
  • Use sentence case , not title case, and follow the capitalization conventions for the language of the source (e.g., if it is French, use French-style capitalization rather than English).

For example, if you named a French-language book, you would write:

In Le conflit des interprétations: Essais d’herméneutique ( The Conflict of Interpretations: Essays in Hermeneutics ), we see Ricoeur’s…

Note, too, that the English translation follows the standard MLA capitalization style. It is only the non-English title that you should write in sentence case, so make sure to use title case for the English version.

Expert MLA Proofreading

If you want to be sure you’ve presented source titles correctly in your work, get in touch with our MLA experts, who are always ready to help. Try our free proofreading trial today to find out more.

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The Art of Italicizing Essay Titles: A Writer's Guide

are essay titles italicized mla

When you're knee-deep in the world of academic or professional writing, the question of whether to italicize essay titles can be as perplexing as choosing the right metaphor for your conclusion. It's a detail that might seem small, but in the realm of effective writing, it's a significant one. In this article, we'll unravel the mystery surrounding the italicization of essay titles, ensuring your essays not only read well but also look the part.

Understanding When to Italicize Essay Titles

The decision to italicize an essay title is not just a stylistic choice, but one that's guided by established conventions in writing. Generally, the rule of thumb in academic and professional writing is to italicize the titles of longer works and to use quotation marks for shorter works. But, as with any rule, there are nuances to understand.

Italicizing Long Works

In most style guides, including APA, MLA, and Chicago, the titles of longer works like books, plays, movies, and, yes, standalone essays, are italicized. This helps to distinguish them from shorter pieces, like articles or poems, which are typically enclosed in quotation marks.

Examples for Better Understanding

  • The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
  • Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
  • A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf

Short Works: Quotation Marks

On the flip side, shorter works, such as articles from journals, chapters from books, or individual poems, are generally enclosed in quotation marks. This distinction helps to immediately signal to the reader the length and context of the work being referenced.

Clear Examples

  • "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost
  • "Self-Reliance" by Ralph Waldo Emerson

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are essay titles italicized mla

Navigating Exceptions and Variations

Of course, in the English language, exceptions are as common as commas. Some style guides have specific rules for certain types of works. For instance, in journalism, essay titles are often placed in quotation marks, regardless of their length. Always consider the style guide you are adhering to and the context of your writing.

Tips for Perfect Formatting

  • When in doubt, refer to the specific style guide required for your writing.
  • Remember, consistency is key. Stick to one style throughout your document.
  • If you're self-publishing or not bound by a specific style guide, choose a format and be consistent with it.

Advanced Considerations: Digital Writing and SEO

In the digital age, formatting decisions can also impact how your content performs online. While search engines don't specifically rank for italicization, the clarity and professionalism of well-formatted titles can influence reader engagement and sharing.

Embracing Digital Best Practices

  • In blog posts or online articles, clarity is crucial. If your platform doesn't support italicization, using quotation marks is an acceptable alternative.
  • Consider your audience; online readers often scan content, so clear formatting is key.

Whether you're a student, a professional writer, or just someone looking to polish their writing skills, understanding when and how to italicize essay titles is a valuable part of your writing toolkit. It's not just about following rules; it's about communicating with clarity and precision.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do i italicize essay titles in apa format.

Yes, in APA format, the titles of longer works like essays are italicized.

Should essay titles be italicized in MLA format?

Yes, in MLA format, standalone works like essays should be italicized.

What if I'm writing a blog post?

In a blog post, if italicization is not available, using quotation marks is acceptable. The key is clarity and consistency.

How do I handle essay titles in a handwritten document?

In handwritten documents, underlining is traditionally used in place of italics.

Are there any online tools to help with formatting?

Yes, there are various online writing tools and platforms that can assist with formatting, including italicization.

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IRSC Libraries Home

MLA Style Guide, 8th & 9th Editions: Title of source

  • Works Cited entries: What to Include
  • Title of source
  • Title of container
  • Contributors
  • Publication date
  • Supplemental Elements
  • Book with Personal Author(s)
  • Book with Organization as Author
  • Book with Editor(s)
  • Parts of Books
  • Government Publication
  • Journal Article
  • Magazine Article
  • Multivolume Works
  • Newspaper Article
  • Other Formats
  • Websites, Social Media, and Email
  • About In-text Citations
  • In-text Examples
  • How to Paraphrase and Quote
  • Citing Poetry
  • Formatting Your MLA Paper
  • Formatting Your Works Cited List
  • MLA Annotated Bibliography
  • MLA 9th Edition Quick Guide
  • Submit Your Paper for MLA Style Review

Title of source (Works Cited)

The title of source is the second core element in the Works Cited entry. In general, the title of a work is taken from the title page of the publication.

  • Capitalize all principal words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.). Do not capitalize articles, prepositions, or conjunctions when they fall in the middle of a title.
  • Separate a subtitle with a colon and a space.
  • Italicize titles if the source is self-contained and independent. Titles of books, plays, films, periodicals, databases, and websites are italicized.
  • Place titles in quotation marks if the source is part of a larger work. Articles, essays, chapters, poems, webpages, songs, and speeches are placed in quotation marks.
  • Example of a journal article title which includes the title of a book: "Unbearable Weight of Authenticity: Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God and Theory of 'Touristic Reading'."
  • Example of a journal article title which includes the title of a short story: "Individualism in O'Connor's 'A Good Man is Hard to Find'."

Danticat, Edwidge.  Brother, I'm Dying.   Knopf , 2007.  

Chapter title in a book or anthology : 

Howard, Rebecca Moore. “Avoiding Sentence Fragments.” Writing Matters: A Handbook for Writing and Research, 2nd ed., McGraw Hill, 2014, pp. 600-10.

Journals, Magazines, and Newspapers:

Houtman, Eveline. “Mind-Blowing: Fostering Self-Regulated Learning in Information Literacy Instruction.” Communications in Information Literacy, vol. 9, no. 1, 2015, pp. 6-18. www.comminfolit.org/index.php?journal=cil&page=article&op=view&path%5B%5D=v9i1p6&path%5B%5D=203​.

Meade, Rita.  "It's Not Too Late to Advocate."  S crewy Decimal,  1 June 2016, www.screwydecimal.com/2016/06/its-not-too-late-to-advocate.html.

Entire Website:

Meade, Rita. Screwy Decimal .   2010-16, www.screwydecimal.com/.

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are essay titles italicized mla

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MLA Guide 9th ed.

  • Formatting the Author and Title
  • Citing a Book or Ebook
  • Citing Part of a Book or Ebook
  • Citing a Journal Article
  • Citing a Magazine or Newspaper Article
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  • Citing an Online Video or Image
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  • MLA Style Center This link opens in a new window
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"Author." MLA Handbook. 8th ed. , MLA, 2016, pp. 21-25.

"Title." MLA Handbook. 8th ed. , MLA, 2016, pp. 25-29.

Formatting the Author

Authors Rule Examples
No Author If no author given, skip the author and start with the title of source.  
1 Author Last Name, First Name. Smith, John.
2 Authors Last Name, First Name, and First Name Last Name. Smith, John, and Mary Fields.
3+ Authors Last Name, First Name of First Author, et al. Smith, John, et al.
Association or Company Use the name of the association or company as the author. If a work is written and published by an organization, list the organization as publisher only.  Initial articles (a, an, the) should be omitted.  American Cancer Society.
Editor or other role If the role of that person or group is something other than creating the work’s main content (as the author), follow the name with a label that describes the role. Only do this in the author field if it is important to highlight this person; otherwise use the Other Contributors field. Nunberg, Geoffrey, editor.

Formatting the Title

Source Rule: Italics or "quotation marks" Example
Entire Book self-contained works
Collection of Essays self-contained works .
Essay, story, or poem Contained in a larger work (book, website, etc.) use "quotation marks" "The Cultural Consequences of Printing."
Play plays even if they are in a larger work. .
Article from Journal, Magazine, or Newspaper Contained in a larger work (book, website, etc.) use "quotation marks" "Literary History and Sociology."
Entire Journal, Magazine, or Newspaper self-contained works .
Entire Website self-contained works .
Website Article Contained in a larger work (book, website, etc.) use "quotation marks" "Free Will."
Song Contained in a larger work (book, website, etc.) use "quotation marks" "Pretty Hurts."
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Are Essay Titles Italicized? A Guide for APA and MLA Titles

  • by Michael Smart
  • January 16, 2024
  • Custom Essay writing

Are Essay Titles Italicized

Have you ever written an essay and then question yourself whether you have used italics appropriately in the titles? Is the use of italics something that worries you to the extent of avoiding them?

Well, you are not alone because many students do not fully understand how to apply them in their essays, particularly in the titles. 

This article will explain when to use italics in your essay and how to appropriately write them. However, before exploring this, it is important to note whether essay titles are italicized or not.

Are Essay Titles Italicized?

The answer to this question depends on the type of words in the title. Essay titles can be italicized. In case you have a title that includes names of vehicles, large works, television series, or movies, you should use italics when mentioning them.

Essay titles can be italicized if the words represent a literary work or are a quote that needs to be represented in italics. Essay titles can also be italicized if all the words or some of them represent certain non-English wordings that are not in the English dictionary.

Literary words are works of literature. Titles of plays, books, and other forms of works of art should also be italicized within the title to set them apart from the surrounding text. 

When writing an essay, you will be required by your instructor to format it academically in either APA or MLA since the two formats are the most commonly used.

Instances When to Italicize Titles in an Essay

1. when words need to be emphasized within the title.

As we have noted, italics are used to set a word or phrase apart from other text within the title.

When the word or phrase is set apart, it means that the reader will easily notice it and even prioritize its meaning compared to the rest of the words.

when to italicize essay titles

Therefore, if you have a word or words that need to be emphasized within the title of your essay, you can italicize them.

There are some words or phrases that you will include in your title and you wish your readers to take note of them.

They can be part of the essay’s keywords that you might explain from a different perspective to that of the readers.

However, it should be noted that emphasizing words using italics within the title is not commonly used in academic writing. 

2. When including Publication Names in your Title

Imagine you are writing an essay in which you are required to conduct an in-depth analysis of an article or case study within a publication.

In this case, you may need to include the name of the publication within your title to instantly communicate to the reader what the paper is all about. Such publication names include:

3. Standalone Works in the Essay Title

When you are including the title of a standalone work like complete plays and books, you should italicize them. Titles of sacred texts should also be italicized when they are included in the title of your essay. This is especially the case when analyzing the complete works in your essay.

For example, if your essay is analyzing a specific Harry Potter book, the title will appear like this: Elements of Style in  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows .

When it comes to places like Romeo and Juliet, your title will look like this: Elements of Style in  Romeo and Juliet .

For sacred or religious texts like the King James Version of the Bible, the title may appear like this: Understanding the Meaning from the Language used in  King James Bible . 

4. When Writing Titles of Creative Works

In case you are required or find yourself in a situation where you need to include the title of creative work in the title of your essay, you should italicize it. This should only include titles of standalone creative works. Such include: 

5. When Using Foreign and Unfamiliar Words

In case you have an essay title that requires you to include a foreign word, you should italicize it. The same case applies to words that you are not familiar with or words that are technical. 

6. When Referring to Legal Cases

When you are writing an essay that explores or analyzes a legal case, you should include the name of the case within the title of your essay to separate it from the rest of the text. For example, “Analyzing the Outcomes of the Case of  Brown v. Board of Education ”. 

How to Write Titles in an APA Essay?

Titles in an APA essay will utilize a unique system of headings that help in classifying and separating the different sections in your essay. They take levels. Note that the aforementioned instances of italicization will still apply on the different levels. 

Writing essay Titles in APA

The first level or the main topic of your APA essay will be centered, boldface, and with a title-case heading.

Remember to capitalize the first word, all the principle words, and the last word in the title.

Avoid capitalizing prepositions (“above”, “on”, “to”, “below”, etc.), articles (“an”, “a”, and “the”), and coordinating conjunctions (“for”, “nor”, “and”, “but”, “so”, “or”, and “yet”).

The paragraph will be left justified with the first sentence indented. 

The second level of the title should not be centered on your paper.

It should be flush left or it should begin at the left side of your page with no indentation.

It should also be typed in bold with a title case heading. The paragraph will also start from the left side of your paper with an indentation.

The third level of your titles should also begin at the left side of your page with no indentation. It should be boldface with a title case heading. However, the third level of your title should be italicized. The paragraph begins from the left side of your page with an indentation. 

The fourth level of your titles should be indented, boldface, and with a title-case heading. This level is not italicized. However, it ends with a period because the text of the paragraph that follows should continue on the same line as that of the title level. 

The fifth level of an APA title should also be indented, boldface, and with a title-case heading. However, this level is italicized. It also ends with a period since the next paragraph will start on the same line. 

How to Write Titles for MLA Essay

Titles in an MLA essay have different levels with the first level being centered, boldface, and with a title, case heading. The second level should be written in the same way as the first level with the only difference being that the second level is flushed to the left side of the paper. 

MLA Essay Titles

The third level should begin at the left side of your page with no indentation.

It should be boldface with a title case heading.

The third level of your title should be italicized.

The fourth level should be indented, boldface, and with a title, case heading.

This level is not italicized. However, it ends with a period.

The fifth level should also be indented, boldface, and with a title, case heading. This level is italicized. It also ends with a period. 

In MLA, you should also capitalize the first word, all the principle words, and the last word in the title. Don’t capitalize prepositions, articles, and coordinating conjunctions.

Read our guide on how to write good essay titles to get further insight and tips that will help you sharpen your writing skills.

are essay titles italicized mla

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MLA Style Guide

  • How Do I Format My Paper?
  • How Do I Format My Works Cited Page?
  • In-Text Citations
  • Using Numbers

Guidelines for Formatting your Paper

  • Double space your paper including the header and the Works Cited
  • Use Times New Roman, size 12.
  • Leave only one space after punctuation marks at the end of sentences.
  • Use italics for the titles of books or magazines. Enclose poems or articles in quotation marks.
  • Create a header on the first page of your paper, which is right justified your last name and page number.  
  • your teacher’s name
  • the name of the class (AP US History)
  • the date your paper is due. (Day-Month-Year)
  • Skip a line between the header and the title.
  • The title should define the assignment or the topic of the paper. It should not be the title of the book, poem, essay, or short story about which you are writing. Your title should not be bolded, underlined or italicized. Type your title in the same font, size, and style as the rest of your paper.

If you are not sure whether your paper is formatted correctly, talk to your teacher or a librarian!

Example of a Properly Formatted Paper

  Example of an MLA Formatted First Page

 Jane Smith

 Ms. Federman

 AP US History

 28 August 2017

 Title is Centered and Not Underlined

       After you write your title, hit Enter to move to a new line and start your paper.While your title will be centered on the page, your

paper will be left-justified. Be sure to indent each paragraph. When you finish a paragraph, hit Enter to start a new paragraph on the

next line. Do not add extra spaces between paragraphs! You can do this by hitting the button or pressing the space bar five times.

You should always double-space your work, as well. You can set this by using the menu in Word.

On page two, and all subsequent pages, number your pages on the top right hand side of your paper with your last name and page number. The page header should appear on every page of your paper except the first page. 

  Example of MLA Formatted Second and Subsequent Pages    

     To make a header for your name and the page number, click on the tab at the tool bar of Microsoft Word. Click on

. Click on . Choose . Check off the box so your page numbers start

on page two. Go to page two and insert your last name before the number 2. Don't put a page number on page one.  See the

example at the top right of this box.

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Styling Titles of Online Works

Note: This post relates to content in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook . For up-to-date guidance, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook .

To determine whether to style a work on a website in italics or quotation marks, you must consider the work’s length, genre, and context. Long works and works that are self-contained and independent are generally styled in italics. Short works and works that form part of a larger work are generally styled in quotation marks. 

Online Works Styled in Italics

A website is an independent work and is thus styled in italics: 

Eaves, Morris, et al., editors. The William Blake Archive . 1996-2014, www.blakearchive.org/blake/.

Book-length works like novels and nonfiction studies are normally independent, so even if the version you consult is contained within another independent work, such as a database, it is still styled in italics:

Gikandi, Simon. Ngugi wa Thiong’o . Cambridge UP, 2000.  ACLS Humanities E-book , hdl.handle.net/2027/heb.07588.0001.001.
Radcliffe, Anne. The Novels of Mrs. Anne Radcliffe: Complete in One Volume . Hurst, Robinson, 1824. Google Books , books.google.com.

Plays are treated as independent works, even when they are contained within another independent work, such as a website:

Shakespeare, William. Othello . Edited by Jessica Slights, modern ed.,   Internet Shakespeare Editions , U of Victoria, internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/Library/Texts/Oth/. Accessed 12 Nov. 2017.

Movies and Television Series

Movies and television series are normally independent, so they too are styled in italics, even when they are contained within a website:

Richardson, Tony, director.  Sanctuary . Screenplay by James Poe, performances by Lee Remick and Yves Montand, Twentieth Century Fox, 1961.  YouTube , uploaded by LostCinemaChannel, 17 July 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMnzFM_Sq8s.
Victoria . PBS , WGBH Educational Foundation, 2017, www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/shows/victoria/. 

Videos on Online Sharing Sites

If an online video seems to be an independent work, style it in italics like a movie:

Slip Slip Knit (SSK). YouTube , uploaded by TheKnitWitch, 14 Feb. 2007, www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGwcYW3GG3M.

Works of Art

The same is true of works of art: they are normally independent so are styled in italics even when they are contained within a museum’s website:

Bearden, Romare.  The Train. 1975.  MOMA , www.moma.org/collection/ works/65232?locale=en.

Online Works Styled in Quotation Marks

Songs and Music Videos

Songs are normally styled in quotation marks because they are short and often originally contained in albums. If you know that a song was originally released on its own, however, you may style it in italics. A music video is the visual equivalent of a song so is styled in quotation marks. To make clear to your reader that you are citing a video, include “Video” in the optional-element slot at the end of the entry:

Beyoncé. “Pretty Hurts.” Beyoncé , Parkwood Entertainment, 2013, www.beyonce.com/album/beyonce/?media_view=songs.
Beyoncé. “Pretty Hurts.”  Beyoncé , www.beyonce.com/video/. Video.

Television Episodes

Television episodes are short and originally part of a series, so they are styled in quotation marks: 

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Unaired Pilot 1996.” YouTube , uploaded by Brian Stowe, 28 Jan. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR3J-v7QXXw.

Essays, Articles, and Blog Posts

A short-form piece of writing that is part of a larger independent work is styled in quotation marks:

Danticat, Edwidge. “Edwidge Danticat: Dawn after the Tempests.” The New York Times , 6 Nov. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/11/06/travel/       edwidge-danticat-hurricane-irma-maria-tourist-grenada.html. Goldman, Anne. “Questions of Transport: Reading Primo Levi Reading Dante.” The Georgia Review , vol. 64, no. 1, 2010, pp. 69-88. JSTOR , www.jstor.org/stable/41403188. Lang, James. “Will They Remember Writing It?” Chronicle Vitae ,  Chronicle of Higher Education, 7 Nov. 2017, chroniclevitae.com/news/    1939-will-they-remember-writing-it.

A story is generally considered a short work and often published as part of a collection or in a magazine, so it too is styled in quotation marks:

Poe, Edgar Allan. “The Masque of the Red Death.” The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe, edited by James A. Harrison, vol. 4, Thomas Y. Crowell, 1902, pp. 250-58.  HathiTrust Digital Library , babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924079574368;view=1up; seq=266. Enright, Anne. “The Hotel.”  The New Yorker , 6 Nov. 2017, www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/11/06/the-hotel.

Poems–except for epic poems such as  Paradise Lost –are usually styled in quotation marks, even if they are published by themselves on a website rather than as part of a collection:

Shelley, Percy Bysshe. “Matilda Gathering Flowers.”  Poetry Foundation , 2017, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/92195/matilda-gathering-flowers.

By convention, lectures are styled in quotation marks, so they are styled thus when contained in a website:

Allende, Isabel. “Tales of Passion.”  TED: Ideas Worth Spreading , Jan. 2008, www.ted.com/talks/isabel_allende_tells_tales_of_passion?language=en. 

15 Comments

Annette velasquez 15 march 2019 at 04:03 pm.

Do I use italics for the name of a published government report?

Your e-mail address will not be published

Jennifer A. Rappaport 17 March 2019 AT 08:03 AM

Yes. You can find examples on pages 104-05 of the eighth edition of the handbook.

sue 12 December 2019 AT 08:12 PM

What about YouTube channels which have several episodes? For example, the episode "Why do prime numbers make these spirals?" is on the YouTube 3blue1brown channel.

Is YouTube italicized? What about 3blue1brown?

Thank you, Sue

Jennifer A. Rappaport 13 December 2019 AT 07:12 AM

Thanks for your question. YouTube is always italicized in MLA style since it's the name of a Web site. Video titles can be styled in italics or quotation marks. We style them in italics if they video seems to be a stand-alone work. Since television and podcast episodes are set in quotation marks, it seems logical style a video episode in quotation marks as well.

Arathi 13 January 2020 AT 12:01 PM

When iam citing an film uploaded on YouTube should I start the entry with the title of the film or the name of the director ?

Jennifer A. Rappaport 15 January 2020 AT 07:01 AM

Thanks for your question. See our post on this topic: https://style.mla.org/cite-film-by-title-or-director/

Arathi 01 February 2020 AT 02:02 PM

Please suggest the way to cite a review with a unique title.

Jennifer A. Rappaport 02 February 2020 AT 08:02 PM

Thanks for your question. Please see the example in this Style Center post: https://style.mla.org/citing-an-amazon-review/.

Rebecca Suzanne Call 29 September 2021 AT 05:09 PM

This is a fantastic presentation. Any chance you have an updated (MLA 9) version? Thanks!

Sami khan 01 November 2021 AT 12:11 PM

Kindly guide me that how can I cite an Act in my paper. For example I have mentioned American Wilderness Act in my thesis but I do jot know how to cite it.

Laura Kiernan 08 November 2021 AT 01:11 PM

Thank you for your question; please see our post on documenting legal works .

Janet Cara 16 January 2022 AT 12:01 PM

Is Date Accessed still used?

Celia Cooley 25 February 2022 AT 10:02 PM

Would a short film (such as the Pixar shorts) be italicized or put in quotation marks?

Debbie Abilock 06 May 2022 AT 12:05 PM

What about this titled short work "Faces I'll Never Forget" within an anthology of short works "Tiny Love Stories: 'We Slow-Danced on the Sidewalk' as part of a larger project Modern Love? https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/03/style/tiny-modern-love-stories-we-slow-danced-on-the-sidewalk.html?

Lisa Jacques 07 December 2022 AT 07:12 PM

In the body of a persuasive essay, do you place quotes around the title of the article or italicize it?

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MLA Works Cited: Other Common Sources

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This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Several sources have multiple means for citation, especially those that appear in varied formats: films, DVDs, television shows, music, published and unpublished interviews, interviews over e-mail, published and unpublished conference proceedings. The following section discusses these sorts of citations as well as others not covered in the print, periodical, and electronic sources sections.

Use the following format for all sources:

Author. Title. Title of container (self contained if book), Other contributors (translators or editors), Version (edition), Number (vol. and/or no.), Publisher, Publication Date, Location (pages, paragraphs URL or DOI). 2 nd container’s title, Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, Location, Date of Access (if applicable).

An Interview

Interviews typically fall into two categories: print or broadcast published and unpublished (personal) interviews, although interviews may also appear in other, similar formats such as in e-mail format or as a Web document.

Personal Interviews

Personal interviews refer to those interviews that you conduct yourself. List the interview by the name of the interviewee. Include the descriptor Personal interview and the date of the interview.

Smith, Jane. Personal interview. 19 May 2014.

Published Interviews (Print or Broadcast)

List the interview by the full name of the interviewee. If the name of the interview is part of a larger work like a book, a television program, or a film series, place the title of the interview in quotation marks and place the title of the larger work in italics. If the interview appears as an independent title, italicize it. For books, include the author or editor name after the book title.

Note: If the interview from which you quote does not feature a title, add the descriptor, Interview by (unformatted) after the interviewee’s name and before the interviewer’s name.

Gaitskill, Mary. Interview with Charles Bock. Mississippi Review , vol. 27, no. 3, 1999, pp. 129-50.

Amis, Kingsley. “Mimic and Moralist.” Interviews with Britain’s Angry Young Men , By Dale Salwak, Borgo P, 1984.

Online-only Published Interviews

List the interview by the name of the interviewee. If the interview has a title, place it in quotation marks. Cite the remainder of the entry as you would other exclusive web content. Place the name of the website in italics, give the publisher name (or sponsor), the publication date, and the URL.

Note: If the interview from which you quote does not feature a title, add the descriptor Interview by (unformatted) after the interviewee’s name and before the interviewer’s name.

Zinkievich, Craig. Interview by Gareth Von Kallenbach. Skewed & Reviewed , 27 Apr. 2009, www.arcgames.com/en/games/star-trek-online/news/detail/1056940-skewed-%2526-reviewed-interviews-craig. Accessed 15 May 2009.

Speeches, Lectures, or Other Oral Presentations (including Conference Presentations)

Start with speaker’s name. Then, give the title of the speech (if any) in quotation marks. Follow with the title of the particular conference or meeting and then the name of the organization. Name the venue and its city (if the name of the city is not listed in the venue’s name). Use the descriptor that appropriately expresses the type of presentation (e.g., Address, Lecture, Reading, Keynote Speech, Guest Lecture, Conference Presentation).

Stein, Bob. “Reading and Writing in the Digital Era.” Discovering Digital Dimensions, Computers and Writing Conference, 23 May 2003, Union Club Hotel, West Lafayette, IN. Keynote Address.

Panel Discussions and Question-and-Answer Sessions

The MLA Handbook makes a distinction between the formal, rehearsed portion of a presentation and the informal discussion that often occurs after. To format an entry for a panel discussion or question-and-answer session, treat the panel members or speakers as authors by listing them first. If these people are formally listed as panelists, indicate this by following their names with a comma and the title "panelist(s)." Follow with the title of the discussion, or, if there is no title, a simple description. In the latter case, don't capitalize the description. Follow this with the title of the conference or event. End with the date and the location.

Bavis, Jim and Stein, Tammi, panelists. Panel discussion. Dawn or Doom Conference, 4 Nov. 2018, Stewart Hall, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.

Treat recorded discussions as instances of the appropriate medium (e.g., if you want to cite a recording of a panel discussion hosted on YouTube, cite it the same way you would cite an ordinary online video ).

Published Conference Proceedings

Cite published conference proceedings like a book. If the date and location of the conference are not part of the published title, add this information after the published proceedings title.

Last Name, First Name, editor. Conference Title , Conference Date and Location, Publisher, Date of Publication.

To cite a presentation from published conference proceedings, begin with the presenter’s name. Place the name of the presentation in quotation marks. Follow with publication information for the conference proceedings.

Last Name, First Name. “Conference Paper Title.” Conference Title that Includes Conference Date and Location , edited by Conference Editor(s), Publisher, Date of Publication.

A Painting, Sculpture, or Photograph

Provide the artist's name, the title of the artwork in italics, and the date of composition. Finally, provide the name of the institution that houses the artwork followed by the location of the institution (if the location is not listed in the name of the institution, e.g. The Art Institute of Chicago).

Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV . 1800, Museo del Prado, Madrid.

If the medium and/or materials (e.g., oil on canvas) are important to the reference, you can include this information at the end of the entry. However, it is not required.

For photographic reproductions of artwork (e.g. images of artwork in a book), treat the book or website as a container. Remember that for a second container, the title is listed first, before the contributors. Cite the bibliographic information as above followed by the information for the source in which the photograph appears, including page or reference numbers (plate, figure, etc.).

Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV . 1800, Museo del Prado, Madrid. Gardener's Art Through the Ages , 10 th ed., by Richard G. Tansey and Fred S. Kleiner, Harcourt Brace, p. 939.

If you viewed the artwork on the museum's website, treat the name of the website as the container and include the website's publisher and the URL at the end of the citation. Omit publisher information if it is the same as the name of the website. Note the period after the date below, rather than the comma: this is because the date refers to the painting's original creation, rather than to its publication on the website. Thus, MLA format considers it an "optional element."

Goya, Francisco.  The Family of Charles IV . 1800 . Museo del Prado,  museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-family-of-carlos-iv/f47898fc-aa1c-48f6-a779-71759e417e74.

A Song or Album

Music can be cited multiple ways. Mainly, this depends on the container that you accessed the music from. Generally, citations begin with the artist name. They might also be listed by composers or performers. Otherwise, list composer and performer information after the album title. Put individual song titles in quotation marks. Album names are italicized. Provide the name of the recording manufacturer followed by the publication date.

If information such as record label or name of album is unavailable from your source, do not list that information.

Morris, Rae. “Skin.” Cold, Atlantic Records, 2014. Spotify , open.spotify.com/track/0OPES3Tw5r86O6fudK8gxi.

Online Album

Beyoncé. “Pray You Catch Me.” Lemonade, Parkwood Entertainment, 2016, www.beyonce.com/album/lemonade-visual-album/.

Nirvana. "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Nevermind , Geffen, 1991.

Films or Movies

List films by their title. Include the name of the director, the film studio or distributor, and the release year. If relevant, list performer names after the director's name.

Speed Racer . Directed by Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski, performances by Emile Hirsch, Nicholas Elia, Susan Sarandon, Ariel Winter, and John Goodman, Warner Brothers, 2008.

To emphasize specific performers or directors, begin the citation with the name of the desired performer or director, followed by the appropriate title for that person.

Lucas, George, director. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope . Twentieth Century Fox, 1977.

Television Shows

Recorded Television Episodes

Cite recorded television episodes like films (see above). Begin with the episode name in quotation marks. Follow with the series name in italics. When the title of the collection of recordings is different than the original series (e.g., the show Friends is in DVD release under the title Friends: The Complete Sixth Season), list the title that would help researchers to locate the recording. Give the distributor name followed by the date of distribution.

"The One Where Chandler Can't Cry." Friends: The Complete Sixth Season , written by Andrew Reich and Ted Cohen, directed by Kevin Bright, Warner Brothers, 2004.

Broadcast TV or Radio Program

Begin with the title of the episode in quotation marks. Provide the name of the series or program in italics. Also include the network name, call letters of the station followed by the date of broadcast and city.

"The Blessing Way." The X-Files . Fox, WXIA, Atlanta, 19 Jul. 1998.

Netflix, Hulu, Google Play

Generally, when citing a specific episode, follow the format below.

“94 Meetings.” Parks and Recreation, season 2, episode 21, NBC, 29 Apr. 2010. Netflix, www.netflix.com/watch/70152031.

An Entire TV Series

When citing the entire series of a TV show, use the following format.

Daniels, Greg and Michael Schur, creators. Parks and Recreation . Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2015.

A Specific Performance or Aspect of a TV Show

If you want to emphasize a particular aspect of the show, include that particular information. For instance, if you are writing about a specific character during a certain episode, include the performer’s name as well as the creator’s.

“94 Meetings.” Parks and Recreation, created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, performance by Amy Poehler, season 2, episode 21, Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2010.

If you wish to emphasize a particular character throughout the show’s run time, follow this format.

Poehler, Amy, performer. Parks and Recreation. Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2009-2015.

Begin with the title of the episode in quotation marks. Provide the name of the series in italics. Then follow with MLA format per usual.

“Best of Not My Job Musicians.” Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! from NPR, 4 June 2016, www.npr.org/podcasts/344098539/wait-wait-don-t-tell-me.

Spoken-Word Albums such as Comedy Albums

Treat spoken-word albums the same as musical albums.

Hedberg, Mitch. Strategic Grill Locations . Comedy Central, 2003.

Digital Files (PDFs, MP3s, JPEGs)

Determine the type of work to cite (e.g., article, image, sound recording) and cite appropriately. End the entry with the name of the digital format (e.g., PDF, JPEG file, Microsoft Word file, MP3). If the work does not follow traditional parameters for citation, give the author’s name, the name of the work, the date of creation, and the location.

Beethoven, Ludwig van. Moonlight Sonata . Crownstar, 2006.

Smith, George. “Pax Americana: Strife in a Time of Peace.” 2005. Microsoft Word file.

Council of Writing Program Administrators, National Council of Teachers of English, and National Writing Project. Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing . CWPA, NCTE, and NWP, 2011, wpacouncil.org/files/framework-for-success-postsecondary-writing.pdf.

Bentley, Phyllis. “Yorkshire and the Novelist.” The Kenyon Review , vol. 30, no. 4, 1968, pp. 509-22. JSTOR , www.jstor.org.iii/stable/4334841.

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How to Cite a Journal Article in MLA | Format & Examples

Published on April 16, 2019 by Courtney Gahan . Revised on March 5, 2024.

An MLA Works Cited entry for a journal article contains the author(s); article title; journal name; volume and issue; month and year; page range; and a DOI if accessed online. In the in-text citation, include the author’s last name and the page number.

You can also use our free MLA Citation Generator to create accurate MLA citations for journal articles.

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Table of contents

Citing an online journal article, articles with multiple authors, articles in special issue journals, frequently asked questions about mla style.

When citing an online journal article, first look for a DOI , as this is more stable and less likely to change than a URL. A DOI should be formatted as a full link beginning with “https://”, even if not listed as such on the page with the article.

If there is no DOI, you can add a URL instead. If the article is in PDF form, you can optionally note this in your reference .

Citing an article in a database

For sources that you accessed via a database, include the database name along with the DOI or permanent URL.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

In MLA style, up to two authors are included in citations. List them in the order they appear in the source, separated by commas, and don’t invert the second author’s name.

MLA journal citation: 2 authors
MLA format Author last name, First name, and Author first name last name. “Article Title.”  , vol. Volume, no. Issue, Month Year, Page range. DOI or URL.
Eve, Martin Paul, and Joe Street. “The Silicon Valley Novel.”  , vol. 27, no. 1, May 2018, pp. 81–97. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306197318755680.
(Eve and Street 84)

If an article has three or more authors, include only the first author’s name, followed by  “ et al. ”

MLA journal citation: 3+ authors
MLA format Author last name, First name, et al. “Article Title.”  , vol. Volume, no. Issue, Month Year, Page range. DOI or URL.
Steffen, Will, et al. “The Trajectory of the Anthropocene: The Great Acceleration.”  , vol. 2, no. 1, Jan. 2015, pp. 81–98. https://doi.org/10.1177/2053019614564785.
(Will et al. 92)

Special issue journals focus on a specific theme, are written by a specific group of authors, or are compiled from a special event.

In these cases, include the special issue name, the phrase “special issue of,” and the journal’s regular name. If the special issue lists editors or other contributors, their names should also be included.

The title of an article is not italicized in MLA style , but placed in quotation marks. This applies to articles from journals , newspapers , websites , or any other publication. Use italics for the title of the source where the article was published. For example:

Use the same formatting in the Works Cited entry and when referring to the article in the text itself.

If a source has two authors, name both authors in your MLA in-text citation and Works Cited entry. If there are three or more authors, name only the first author, followed by et al.

Number of authors In-text citation Works Cited entry
1 author (Moore 37) Moore, Jason W.
2 authors (Moore and Patel 37) Moore, Jason W., and Raj Patel.
3+ authors (Moore et al. 37) Moore, Jason W., et al.

In MLA style citations , format a DOI as a link, including “https://doi.org/” at the start and then the unique numerical code of the article.

DOIs are used mainly when citing journal articles in MLA .

Some source types, such as books and journal articles , may contain footnotes (or endnotes) with additional information. The following rules apply when citing information from a note in an MLA in-text citation :

  • To cite information from a single numbered note, write “n” after the page number, and then write the note number, e.g. (Smith 105n2)
  • To cite information from multiple numbered notes, write “nn” and include a range, e.g. (Smith 77nn1–2)
  • To cite information from an unnumbered note, write “un” after the page number, with a space in between, e.g. (Jones 250 un)

You must include an MLA in-text citation every time you quote or paraphrase from a source (e.g. a book , movie , website , or article ).

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Gahan, C. (2024, March 05). How to Cite a Journal Article in MLA | Format & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved August 30, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/mla/journal-citation/

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IMAGES

  1. Are Essay Titles Italicized in MLA?

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  2. Title page in MLA style

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  3. How to Write Article Titles in MLA Format

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  5. MLA Citation Style Overview

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  6. Are Essay Titles Italicized? A Guide for APA and MLA Titles

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COMMENTS

  1. MLA Titles

    Use quotation marks around the title if it is part of a larger work (e.g. a chapter of a book, an article in a journal, or a page on a website). All major words in a title are capitalized. The same format is used in the Works Cited list and in the text itself. Place in quotation marks. Italicize.

  2. Formatting

    Your Works Cited list will be the last page of your essay. Consult the OWL handout on MLA for further instructions. Note, however, the following minor things about MLA format: Titles of books, plays, or works published singularly (not anthologized) should be italicised unless it is a handwritten document, in which case underlining is acceptable ...

  3. MLA Formatting and Style Guide

    MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. This resource, updated to reflect the MLA Handbook (9th ed.), offers examples for the general format of MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the Works Cited page.

  4. Title

    Titles should be italicized or enclosed in quotation marks. Titles that are independent and self-contained (e.g., books) and titles of containers (e.g., anthologies) should be italicized. ... Conferences, seminars, workshops, and courses (MLA Annual Convention, English 110) The title of the work follows the author and ends with a period ...

  5. If the title of an essay I am citing is also the ...

    If the title of an essay consists solely of the title of a work normally styled in italics, the title of the work should be both italicized and enclosed in quotation marks: In the essay "The Portrait of a Lady," about Henry James's novel The Portrait of a Lady, the author provides a detailed character study of …

  6. Punctuation with Titles

    Titles and Subtitles. Section 1.2.1 of the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook says, "Use a colon and a space to separate a title from a subtitle, unless the title ends in a question mark or an exclamation point. Include other punctuation only if it is part of the title or subtitle.". The handbook provides the following examples:

  7. Are article titles italicized in MLA?

    The title of an article is not italicized in MLA style, but placed in quotation marks. This applies to articles from journals, newspapers, websites, or any other publication. Use italics for the title of the source where the article was published. For example:

  8. MLA In-text Citations

    Follow the general MLA rules for formatting titles: If the source is a self-contained work (e.g. a whole website or an entire book), put the title in italics; if the source is contained within a larger whole (e.g. a page on a website or a chapter of a book), put the title in quotation marks.

  9. Research Guides: MLA Style: Basics: Formatting Titles

    In general, the titles of longer works are italicized and the titles of shorter works are enclosed in quotation marks. [2.106] Books, movies, podcasts, musical albums, an journals are all italicized. Poems, YouTube videos, podcast episodes, song titles, and journal, newspaper and magazine articles are all enclosed in quotation marks.

  10. Capitalization and Styling for Titles (MLA)

    When using the MLA citation method, there are two different ways to style titles you write in your text. They will be either italicized or in quotation marks. As a general rule, complete works (like a book, play, or movie) would be italicized, but works that appear inside another work (such as a short story that appears in an anthology of ...

  11. Formatting Titles

    Some titles are italicized and some are put in quotation marks. Titles on the list of references require formatting-some titles use title case, some sentence case; some titles are italicized and some are not. ... Titles that appear within an essay require special formatting in addition to title case. If the title is for an article—content ...

  12. A Quick Guide to Source Titles in MLA Referencing

    Most source titles in MLA are either italicized or placed in quote marks: Italics - Use italics for standalone publications (e.g., books) or for "container" publications (e.g., journals, websites, newspapers). Quote marks - Use quote marks for titles of shorter works that appear in a container volume (e.g., articles in journals, poems ...

  13. The Art of Italicizing Essay Titles: A Writer's Guide

    Italicizing Long Works. In most style guides, including APA, MLA, and Chicago, the titles of longer works like books, plays, movies, and, yes, standalone essays, are italicized. This helps to distinguish them from shorter pieces, like articles or poems, which are typically enclosed in quotation marks.

  14. MLA Style Guide, 8th & 9th Editions: Title of source

    Italicize titles if the source is self-contained and independent. Titles of books, plays, films, periodicals, databases, and websites are italicized. Place titles in quotation marks if the source is part of a larger work. Articles, essays, chapters, poems, webpages, songs, and speeches are placed in quotation marks.

  15. Formatting the Author and Title

    Italicize self-contained works: The Awakening. Collection of Essays: Italicize self-contained works: The Norton Introduction to Literature. Essay, story, or poem: Contained in a larger work (book, website, etc.) use "quotation marks" "The Cultural Consequences of Printing." Play: Italicize plays even if they are in a larger work. Romeo and Juliet.

  16. If a book title within an essay title is not italicized in the source

    Yes. A title within a title should be styled according to the guidelines in section 1.2.4 of the MLA Handbook, regardless of how a title within a title is styled in the source. For example, the title of an essay about Gone with the Wind is styled in EBSCOHost as follows: "Painfully Southern": "Gone with the Wind," the Agrarians, and the Battle for the New South

  17. PDF Formatting Titles of Texts in MLA Style

    In general, a title is placed in quotation marks if the source is part of a larger work. A title is italicized if the source is self-contained and independent. • Use quotation marks for a short story/essay/poem from an anthology/collection; episodes of television series; song titles; articles from journals; and a posting/article from a Web site.

  18. General Format

    Double space again and center the title. Do not underline, italicize, or place your title in quotation marks. ... These sections may include individual chapters or other named parts of a book or essay. Essays. MLA recommends that when dividing an essay into sections you number those sections with an Arabic number and a period followed by a ...

  19. Are Essay Titles Italicized? A Guide for APA and MLA Titles

    Essay titles can be italicized. In case you have a title that includes names of vehicles, large works, television series, or movies, you should use italics when mentioning them. Essay titles can be italicized if the words represent a literary work or are a quote that needs to be represented in italics. Essay titles can also be italicized if all ...

  20. LibGuides: MLA Style Guide: How Do I Format My Paper?

    Skip a line between the header and the title. The title should define the assignment or the topic of the paper. It should not be the title of the book, poem, essay, or short story about which you are writing. Your title should not be bolded, underlined or italicized. Type your title in the same font, size, and style as the rest of your paper.

  21. Styling Titles of Online Works

    Styling Titles of Online Works. by Jennifer Rappaport. Note: This post relates to content in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook. For up-to-date guidance, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook. To determine whether to style a work on a website in italics or quotation marks, you must consider the work's length, genre, and context.

  22. MLA Works Cited: Other Common Sources

    If the name of the interview is part of a larger work like a book, a television program, or a film series, place the title of the interview in quotation marks and place the title of the larger work in italics. If the interview appears as an independent title, italicize it. For books, include the author or editor name after the book title.

  23. How to Cite a Journal Article in MLA

    If an article has three or more authors, include only the first author's name, followed by " et al. ". MLA journal citation: 3+ authors. MLA format. Author last name, First name, et al. " Article Title.". Journal Name, vol. Volume, no. Issue, Month Year, Page range. DOI or URL. MLA Works Cited entry.