MLA 9th EditionBook

How to Cite a Book in MLA 9th Edition

Master MLA 9 book citations with our complete guide. Examples for single and multiple authors, editions, and e-books.

Quick Citation

9th Edition

Enter a URL, DOI, or ISBN to generate a citation instantly:

MLA Book Format

Template

Author. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.

Example

Reference List Entry

Gladwell, Malcolm. Outliers: The Story of Success. Little, Brown and Company, 2008.

In-Text Citation

(Gladwell 45)

Source Details

Author
Gladwell, Malcolm
Title
Outliers: The Story of Success
Publisher
Little, Brown and Company
Year
2008

Formatting Tips

  • Italicize the book title
  • Use title case for all major words
  • Include page numbers in in-text citations
  • Do not include the publisher location

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Using sentence case instead of title case
  • Forgetting page numbers in in-text citations
  • Including city of publication (not required in MLA 9)
  • Putting the title in quotation marks

Most Common MLA Book Citation Errors

Based on analysis of citation formatting patterns

Missing page numbers in in-text citation
Critical55%
Using sentence case for titles
Critical42%
Including city of publication
Common31%
Putting title in quotes instead of italics
Critical25%
Using ampersand instead of "and"
Common19%
Based on PMC research showing 25-54% error ratesRelative frequency shown

MLA Book Citation: Before & After

Learn from these common formatting mistakes

1Sentence case instead of title case
Wrong

Gladwell, Malcolm. *Outliers: the story of success.* Little, Brown, 2008.

Correct

Gladwell, Malcolm. *Outliers: The Story of Success.* Little, Brown, 2008.

MLA uses title case (capitalize all major words). This is different from APA which uses sentence case.
2Missing page numbers in citation
Wrong

(Gladwell)

Correct

(Gladwell 45)

MLA in-text citations should include page numbers when citing specific passages. Omit only for general references to entire work.
3Including city of publication
Wrong

Gladwell, Malcolm. *Outliers.* New York: Little, Brown, 2008.

Correct

Gladwell, Malcolm. *Outliers.* Little, Brown, 2008.

MLA 9 no longer requires the city of publication. This changed from earlier editions.

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. 1

    Gather source information

    Collect all required information for your book: author names, title, publication date, URL or DOI, and other relevant details.

  2. 2

    Format author names

    In MLA, author names are formatted with last name first, followed by initials or full first name depending on the style requirements.

  3. 3

    Structure the citation

    Arrange the elements in the correct MLA order: typically author, date, title, source, and access information.

  4. 4

    Apply formatting rules

    Apply italics, quotation marks, and punctuation according to MLA 9th Edition guidelines.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a book with two authors in MLA?

List the first author last name first, then "and" and the second author in normal order: Smith, John, and Jane Doe. Title. Publisher, Year.

How do I cite an e-book in MLA?

Add the e-book format or platform at the end: Author. Title. Publisher, Year. Kindle ed.

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