Writers Workshop: Writer Resources
Modern Language Association (MLA): Typical Book
A typical bibliographic entry for a book has three parts: the author, title, and publication information (this last part includes the place of publication, publisher, and date of publication). The information should appear as follows:
- Geertz, Clifford. The Interpretation of Cultures. New York: Basic Books, 1973.
Each part of the entry is followed by a period. When other information is required, you will generally arrange it in the following order with a period after each additional item:
- Author's last name, first name. "Title of a part of the book." Title of the book. Name of the editor, translator, or compiler. Number of the edition used. Number(s) of the volume(s) used. Name of the series. Place of publication: name of publisher, date of publication. Page numbers. Other bibliographic information and annotation.
For additional information, please see the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (6th edition) and the MLA style website.