Just like our favorite software or fashions, the Modern Language Association ‘s (MLA) citation style has updated to reflect new resources available, as well as changing trends in humanities writing. The very first MLA guide (only one page long!) was published in 1951. Today, the Modern Language Association’s Handbook for Writers of Research Papers is 290 pages long, and covers everything from articles (a, an, the) to Yahoo!
While much of the style is the same as the 6th edition you might be familiar with—yes, papers must still be written in 12-point font with 1 inch margins rather than 18- or 20-point, sorry term paper assignees—but there have been some significant changes as well, particularly with citations for electronic formats.
Here are the highlights:
- Italics—Chaos! Rioting in the streets! Peanut butter and pineapple on the same sandwich! Both the APA (American Psychological Association) and the MLA have managed to agree on something—all book, magazine, newspaper, website, and database titles are now italicized, not underlined.
- Web resources (databases and open websites)—Web addresses are no longer required for citations of online resources…unless they are. The language on this requirement is particularly squishy, so here’s the direct quote:
“In the past, this handbook recommended including URLs of Web sources in works-cited-list entries. Inclusion of URLs has proved to have limited value, however… You should include a URL as supplementary information only when the reader probably cannot locate the source without it or when your instructor requires it” (182).
- N.pag.—While this looks like it might be some trendy slang, it is actually the new abbreviation for citing items with no page numbers.
- Medium—Is that source you’re citing a dead tree (paper) publication, or dependant on the will of the internet connection? Now all citations are to have a marker at the end indicating their publishing medium. The two big ones are “Print” and “Web” respectively.
- Fuzzy Kitten Clause—all creators of Works Cited lists are required to spend at least 5 minutes immediately after completing their citations cuddling the cutest, fuzziest kitten they can find. If you are allergic to cats, the Handbook points out that hypo-allergenic pets make a good substitute, but iguanas are not really acceptable. Completing this task will help dispel the majority of the irritation caused by following the rest of the new style requirements. (Happy April Fool’s!)
