Question 1

How do I cite a book with no author in MLA?

Accepted Answer

If a book has no author, start the Works Cited entry with the title in italics. Follow with the rest of the standard book citation.

Example pattern: Title of Book. Publisher, Year.

In-text, use a shortened title and the page number, for example: (Beloved 14).

Question 2

How do I format a book with multiple authors in MLA?

Accepted Answer

Use full first names. For two authors, list both names joined with “and”. For three or more authors, list the first author followed by “et al.”

Example: Graff, Gerald, et al. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.

In-text citations use the first author’s last name and the page number, for example: (Graff et al. 210).

Question 3

How do I cite a book chapter in an edited book in MLA?

Accepted Answer

Begin with the chapter author and the chapter title in quotation marks. Then add the book title in italics, the editor names, the publisher, year, and the page range.

Pattern: Author. “Title of Chapter.” Title of Book, edited by Editor, Publisher, Year, pp. xx–xx.

Question 4

How do I cite a translated book in MLA?

Accepted Answer

List the original author. After the title, add “translated by” and the translator’s name, then the publisher and year.

Pattern: Author. Title of Book. Translated by Translator, Publisher, Year.

In-text citations use the original author and the page number.

Question 5

Where does the year go in an MLA book citation?

Accepted Answer

In MLA, the year appears at the end of the entry, after the publisher. Example: Author. Title of Book. Publisher, 2021.

Question 6

Do I need to include the edition or volume in MLA?

Accepted Answer

Include edition or volume information when it is shown on the book. Place it after the title and before the publisher. Example: Author. Title of Book. 2nd ed., Publisher, 2018.

Question 7

Do I need a URL for an MLA book citation?

Accepted Answer

Print books do not need a URL. Add a URL only when you read the book online or through a web platform. Example: Author. Title of Book. Publisher, 2020, site.com/page.

Question 8

How do I cite an eBook in MLA? Do I need to include the format?

Accepted Answer

For eBooks, you can add the format or platform at the end of the citation, such as “Kindle ed.” If you access the book through the web, include the URL.

Example: Author. Title of Book. Publisher, 2019. Kindle ed.

Question 9

What is the basic in-text citation format for books in MLA?

Accepted Answer

MLA uses an author–page system. In-text citations include the author’s last name and the page number.

Parenthetical example: (Morrison 45).

Narrative example: Morrison notes that memory shapes identity (45).

Question 10

How do I cite a book with an organization as the author in MLA?

Accepted Answer

Use the organization’s full name in the author position and follow the normal book format for the rest of the entry.

Example: World Health Organization. Global Report on Diabetes. WHO Press, 2016.

In-text, you also use the organization name and the page number, for example: (World Health Organization 15).

Question 11

How do I cite multiple books by the same author in MLA?

Accepted Answer

Include a shortened title in the in-text citation so readers can tell the works apart. Examples: (Morrison, Beloved 18) and (Morrison, Song 52).

Question 12

How do I cite multiple sources in one MLA in-text citation?

Accepted Answer

List each source and separate them with semicolons. Example: (Morrison 45; King 102).

Question 13

Do book titles need italics in MLA?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Book titles are italicized in the Works Cited list and when you mention them in your writing. Example:Beloved explores the lasting effects of trauma.

Question 14

Can I scan an ISBN on my phone to generate an MLA book citation in YesCite?

Accepted Answer

Yes. On mobile, a small scan icon appears next to the ISBN input. Tap it and point your camera at the ISBN barcode on the book.

After the scan succeeds, the ISBN is filled in automatically, the lookup runs, and your MLA book citation is generated so you can review and copy it.

MLA Book Citation

MLA Format for Book Works Cited Entries
9th Edition

MLA Book Examples

One author

Two authors

Three+ authors

Organization as author

No author books

Edited book

Translated book

Book with multiple editions

Chapter in an edited book

eBook / Digital edition

In-Text Citations

Basic citation styles

One Author

Two Authors

Three or More Authors

Organization as Author

No Author

Multiple sources in one citation

Quick Checklist

Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them

Using sentence case for the book title

Adding the publisher’s location

Using initials instead of full first names

Putting the year immediately after the author

Using “&” between two authors

Using “et al.” incorrectly

Forgetting to italicize the book title

Adding “pp.” for whole books

Putting edition/volume in the wrong place

Using DOI/URL when the book is print