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books are written works or compositions that have been published. they are no longer restricted to paper and have evolved into the online realm.
You are reading: How to cite books
Below are examples of how to cite different types of books in MLA 9. If you need a different citation style, there is also a guide to citing a book in APA.
citing a book in mla (print)
see screenshot | quote your book
cite a book found on a website or database in mla
many books are now online. Popular sites or databases that contain eBooks include Google Books, Project Gutenberg, and Ebsco.
cite your book
See Also: Brad Taylor – Book Series In Order
*keep “https:” at the beginning of the url only when quoting a doi.
See Also: Roxanne St. Claire – Book Series In Order
digital sources without page numbers means that page numbers should not be included in the in-text citation.
(surnames) or surnames
(austen and grahame-smith) or austen and grahame-smith
See Also: Roxanne St. Claire – Book Series In Order
citing an ebook in mla (found through an ereader)
E-readers are electronic devices that display electronic books. kindles and nooks are some of the most popular e-readers available today. people can buy or borrow e-books and read them on their e-readers.
cite your ebook
See Also: Brad Taylor – Book Series In Order
*keep “https:” at the beginning of the url only when quoting a doi.
See Also: Roxanne St. Claire – Book Series In Order
Because e-book page numbers can vary based on e-reader, text preferences, and other factors, you should not include a page number. this is because there is no consistent page number. you can include section numbers (sec, sec) or chapter numbers (ch, ch) instead, if they exist and you think they would be helpful.
(last name, chapter or section #) or last name (chapter or section #)
(austen and grahame-smith, ch. 1) or austen and grahame-smith (ch. 1)
See Also: Roxanne St. Claire – Book Series In Order
cite a translated or edited book in mla
cite your book
(last name page #) or last names (page #)
(murakami 27) or murakami (27)
See Also: Roxanne St. Claire – Book Series In Order
quote a book chapter in mla
cite your book
*In the citation example above, The Queen’s Body: Gender and Rule in the Courtly World, 1500-2000 is an edited book that includes a chapter by Louis Montrose. the title of the chapter she wrote is in quotation marks (“isabel through the looking glass: imagining the queen’s two bodies”).
See Also: Roxanne St. Claire – Book Series In Order
(last name page #) or last name (page #)
See Also: Carl Hiaasen’s Official Web Site
(monrose 62) or montrose (62)
See Also: Roxanne St. Claire – Book Series In Order
cite a book with multiple authors in mla
2 authors
cite your book
(first name and second name page #) or first name and second name (page #)
(charaipotra and clayton 63) or charaipotra and clayton (63)
See Also: Roxanne St. Claire – Book Series In Order
3+ authors
*et al. is Latin for “and others”.
cite your book
(Last name 1st and other page numbers) or Last name 1st and others. (page number)
(mathews et al. 17) or matthew et al. (17)
See Also: Roxanne St. Claire – Book Series In Order
See Also: Roxanne St. Claire – Book Series In Order
Published October 20, 2011. Updated May 9, 2021.