MLA Guide: Books

One author:

Works Cited

Leave off any titles or degrees associated with a name (Ph.D., Sir, or even Saint). A "Jr." or "III," etc., goes after the full name and is enclosed in commas: Pepin, Theophilus W., III, Literature . . . . If the year of publication is not indicated in the front material of the book, use the most recent copyright date. If your author is responsible for more than one book (or other publication) in your Works Cited page, use three hyphens instead of repeating that person's name. 

For instance, following the listing above, ---, trans. Writings of Bernard of Cluny would indicated that Ronald E. Pepin is the translator of this book. (Use "ed." to indicate that he is the editor of a text.) Do not use the three-hyphens trick if the author's name is used in combination with another author (co-author).

In-text Citation

According to Pepin, virtually anyone could find himself the object of satirical writing in the twelfth century (18).

Author is not identified in the text:

Works Cited

Anzaldua, Gloria. Borderlands/La Frontera: 
       The New Mestiza. San Francisco:
        Spinsters/ Aunt Lute, 1987.

In-text Citation

In defiance of the Aztec rulers, the macehvales (the common people) continued to worship fertility and agricultural female deities" (Anzaldua 33).

More than three authors:

Works Cited

Shields, J., et al. The History of English Alley. Hartford: Merganser Press, 1997.

or

Shields, J., Darling, C.W., Villa, V.B., and Farbman, E. The History of English Alley.
          Hartford: Merganser Press, 2000.

In-Text Citation

During the late 1990s, what was already known as English Alley also became known as a hotbed of byzantine intrigue (Shields et al. 170).

Anonymous book or corporate author

Works Cited

Toilet Training and the Feral Child. Philadelphia: Franklin, 2000.

National Boosters of Small Appliances. Hair-Dryer Safety and the Three-Pronged
          Plug. New York: Booster Press, 2000.

*** Do not use "Anonymous" or "Anon" to alphabetize publications without a listed author. Use the title instead, ignoring the articles a, an, and the.

Book Part

When citing a foreword, introduction, preface, afterword, etc., begin your citation with the name of the person who wrote the foreword (or whatever it is), then the word Foreword (or whatever it is), not underlined or italicized, followed by the title of the work, its author and the other publication information (including the page numbers that include the piece you are citing):

Works Cited

Pepin, Ronald E. Foreword. The Saints of Diminished Capacity: Selected Poems, 1972-2000. By Charles Darling. Hartford: Capital Press, 1997. ii-ix.

(If Charles Darling had written his own foreword, only his last name would appear after the word "By.") Use this same pattern for an introduction, preface, or afterword. If the introduction or foreward has an actual title, include that title in quotation marks between the author's name and the word Foreward or Introduction (or whatever):

Works Cited

Pepin, Ronald E. "Excellence: A New Chapter in Post-Modern American Verse."

     Foreword. The Saints of Diminished Capacity:
     Selected Poems, 1972-2000. By Charles Darling.
     Hartford: Capital Press, 1997. ii-ix.