How to Do A Bibliography: Citing Sources in MLA Style
Based on the Modern Language Association Handbook (Reference LB 2369.G53), abbreviated below as MLA.
BOOK EXAMPLES
For detailed, full citation style discussion, a list of all elements (in order), and punctuation rules, see MLA 4.6.1, etc. For endnotes or footnotes see MLA B.1. For the in-text citation option, see MLA 5.
PART ONE
Your Bibliography or List of Works Cited:
Coppa, Frank J. The Modern Papacy since 1789: An Ecclesial
Perspectiven. London: Longman, 1998.
Your Paper's Endnote or Footnote:
12. Frank J. Coppa, The Modern Papacy since 1789: An Ecclesial
Perspective, (London: Longman, 1998) 120.
Subsequent reference in the paper:
16. Coppa 210. Ibid. and op cit. are not recommended in MLA
In-text citation in the text of your paper:
(Coppa 120) or simply (120) if author clearly indicated in your paper.
PART TWO
Your Bibliography (book in a numbered series):
Guelich, Robert B. A Commentary on Mark's Gospel. Word Biblical
Commentary. 34. Dallas: Word Books, 1990.
Your Paper' Endnote or Footnote:
15. Robert B. Guelich, A Commentary on Mark's Gospel, Word Biblical
Commentary 34 (Dallas: Word Books, 1990) 199.Subsequent reference:
Single work cited: 15. Guelich 234.
Several works cited: 15. Guelich, Commentary 234.In-text citation:
(Guelich 199) or (199)
PART THREE
Bibliography (books with editors, subsequent editions, multi-volume sets):
Henz, Otto, and Edith Jones, eds. The Hope of the Christian: A History
of Theological Promise. Rev. ed. Vol. 2. Collegeville: Liturgical
Press, 1995.
Endnote or footnote:
3. Otto Henz and Edith Jones, eds., The Hope of the Christian: A History
of Theological Promise, rev. ed., vol. 2 (Collegeville: Liturgical
Press, 1995) 32-35.In-text citation:
(Henz 32-35)
PARTS OF BOOKS
Encyclopedia entry
Authors often listed at end of article; cite unsigned articles by title
Bibliography (entry author, set editor, multi-volume):
Klauck, Hans-Josef. "Lord's Supper." The Anchor Bible Dictionary. Ed.
David Noel Freedman. Vol. 2. New York: Doubleday, 1992.
Endnote or footnote:
8. Hans-Josef Klauck, "Lord's Supper," The Anchor Bible Dictionary, ed.
David Noel Freedman, vol. 2 (New York: Doubleday, 1992) 485.In-text citation:
(Klauck 485)
Note quotations around entry title. From the book be sure to record publishing data and editor from title page of the whole work. Also note the normal word order of the editor element, as above
Bibliography {authors, editor, multi-volume):
Essay in a collection.
Many items indexed in the ATLA Religion Database are essys that are a contribution to a published as a 'collection.' Cite as a "part" of a collected work, using quotation marks around the essay title. Be sure to correctly cite the whole book data in which the essay appears.
Ewbank, Michael B, and H. Aityni. "The Difference Diversity Makes."
Saints, Sovereigns, and Scholars. Ed. Robert A. Herrera. Vol. 2.
New York: Peter Lang, 1993.
Endnote or footnote:
11. Michael B. Ewbank and H. Aityni, "The Difference Diversity Makes,"
Saints, Sovereigns, and Scholars, ed. Robert A. Herrera, vol. 2.
(New York: Peter Lang, 1993) 13-14.In-text:
(Ewbank 16-17)
Bible Commentary in a larger work
(See Books above for series volume by individual author) In a larger work, individual commentaries are often by separate contributors, not the set editor.Bibliography:
Weems, Renita J. "Song of Songs." The New Interpreter's Bible. Vol. 5.
Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1997.
JOURNAL & MAGAZINE ARTCILES
For detailed, full citation style discussion, a list of all elements (in order), and punctuation rules, see MLA 4.7. For endnote or footnote, see MLA B.1. For in-text citation option, see examples at
MLA 5. 4. For rules on citing non-continuous pagination, weekly magazines, and other cases, see MLA 4.7 and B.1.6.
PART ONE
Your Bibliography or Works Cited (a scholarly article):
Dommel, F. William, and Duane Alexander. "The Convention of Human Rights
and Biomedical Ethics." Kennedy Institute for Ethics Journal 7.3 (1997): 259-77.
Your Paper's Endnote or Footnote:
67. F. William Dommel and Duane Alexander, ?The Convention of Human Rights
and Biomedical Ethics," Kennedy Institute for Ethics Journal 7.3 (1997): 261.In-text:
(Dommel 261)
PART TWO
Bibliography (a newspaper article):
"Tenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops: Working
Groups." L'Osservatore Romano 31 Oct. 2001: 5-9.
Endnote or footnote:
20 "Tenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops: Working
Groups," L'Osservatore Romano 31 Oct. 2001: 6.
BOOK REVIEWS
Book reviews are cited like articles except, you must cite by book reviewer, not the author of book reviewed. Note "Rev. of" style, standing for Review of. Author of book itself is listed after title of book, with "by" added before the name in normal order..
Bibliography:
Lefebure, Leo D. Rev. of The Divine Matrix: Creativity of East and
West, by Joseph Bracken. New Theology Review 10.1 (1997): 120-22.
ELECTRONIC SOURCES
Online guide: <http://english.ttu.edu/kairos/1.2/inbox/mla_archive.html>. See MLA Handbook 4.8
and 4.9. Practical rules of citation are still forming. If not all elements can be found, provide as many as possible. In any case, if available to you, it may well easier to cite the hard copy version of an article.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Cite as a web page if used exclusively from a full-text online source, that is to say, not in a standard published form. In many cases the web version is an exact surrogate of the printed version in the journal. Many authorities recognize this and allow citation AS IF to the print version, as long as contents by page number are identified in the online version. If there are no page numbers in the e-version, it is prudent to cite as a web page, as below. Consult your instructoir if in any doubt.
Holtzman, Henry. "The Birth of the Messiah." Catholic Biblical Quarterly. 45 (1998): 799-807. Religious Periodicals/ ProQuest. University of St. Thomas Libraries. 5 March 2001.
<full web location address>.
Note date accessed information in addition to pulication date. Note the < > symbols around the full http url) terminated by a period.
World Wide Web document (add document date and date accessed by user)
John Paul II. Letter to Families. 1994. 23 Nov. 2000.
<full web location address>.
Material from a CD-ROM or non online or web service (add version, format, and producer)
"Logos Bible Map: Old Testament Israel." Logos Bible Software. Vers.
2.0b. CD-ROM. Logos Research Systems, 1995-96.
MLA STYLE FOR SEMINARY PAPERS IN THEOLOGY
THE BIBLE
Simply cite by Scripture abbreviation and chapter/verse parenthetically in the text. Do not use an endnote. In the bibliography list the Bible as given on the title page, making sure the version- ranslation is indicated even if not on the title page proper. When citing more than one Bible version in your paper, consult your instructor. Follow Bible abbreviations as in MLA 6.7.1.
IN PAPER:
(Gen 22:10)
(1 Cor 13:5)
IN BIBLIOGRAPHY:
The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. New York: Oxford
University, 1996.
CHURCH DOCUMENTS
Some flexibility is common in church document citation, depending on audience and items in question.
If a document is issued by a group or organization, rather than by a person in authority, use the title page information as far as practicable. Cite the group from the title page, preferring an English name if given. A document published under overall authority of the Church is cited only by title -- if in doubt, ask your instructor.. See examples below. Honorifics like "Pope," "Father", or "Cardinal" are not added after or before a name.
It is very important that a first citation be complete. Subsequently, the more standard texts can be
cited, in text of your paper even if using endnotes, by the customary Latin title (first few words) if this is well known, clear to your readers, etc.
Very often the paragraph or section number is preferred over a page number. But it can also be acceptable to use paper number citations in the actual printed edition used. See MLA 5.4.8 on page numbers taken from copy. Your instructor may ask for section numbers alone; be sure to ask if in doubt. If in doubt, ask your instructor or advisor for guidance.
Bibliography:
John Paul II. Encyclical Letter, Evangelium Vitae: On the Value and
Inviolability of Human Life. Washington: United States Catholic
Conference, 1995.
First endnote or footnote:
12 John Paul II, Encyclical Letter, Evangelium Vitae: On the Value and
Inviolability of Human Life (Washington: United States Catholic
Conference, 1995) 7; par. 13.
Subsequent reference: If actual copy used does not include the Latin title on the title page, it can be indicated by note or comment.
Endnote:
13 Evangelium Vitae 24; par. 4.
In-text: (Evangelium Vitae par. 4) or even (EV 4) if clear to your readers.
Other first use examples as models:
Catechism of the Catholic Church: Revised in Accordance with the
Official Latin Text Promulgated by Pope John Paul II. 2nd ed.
[Vatican City]: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1997.
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Letter to the Bishops of the
Catholic Church on Some Aspects of Christian Meditation.
Washington: United States Catholic Conference, 1989.
Tanner, Norman P., ed. Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils. 2 vols.
London: Sheed & Ward; Washington: Georgetown University Press, 1990.
NOTE: MLA 4.6.10 provides a method for noting documents in a collection (like Tanner above). Consult
your instructor or advisor about other ways of citing individual documents in collections.
One example:
13 Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen
Gentium, Tanner 2 869-870; sec. 7.
WARNING!
The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity uses the Modern Language Association (MLA) style, based on the MLA Handbook (Ireland Library Reference LB 2369.G53). If you are writing about the Bible, consult your instructor about style. This handout is intended as a brief guide, not a substitute for the Handbook. Furthermore, your instructor's requirements ALWAYS take precedence.
Although examples of both the in-text and endnote methods are given, most Seminary faculty prefer endnotes (or equivalent footnotes). Follow principles of common sense, clarity, and consistency. Consult your instructor if in doubt. For help, pleasde contact Jan Malcheski, Theology Reference Librarian at Ireland Library.
