MLA 9 Citation: Format, Rules & Examples for Students

Books are some of the most common sources students cite in MLA papers, especially in English, literature, history, rhetoric, and humanities courses.

MLA book citation helps readers find the exact work you used and connect your in-text citations to the Works Cited page. This guide explains how to cite a book in MLA style, how author-page citations work, and how to handle edited books, ebooks, and books with multiple authors.

Quick Answer to MLA Book Citation

An MLA book citation usually includes the author’s name, book title, publisher, and publication year. The full citation appears on the Works Cited page, while the in-text citation usually includes the author’s last name and page number.

Basic MLA book citation format:

Author Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.

Example Works Cited entry:

Miller, Rebecca. Writing About Literature. Beacon Academic Press, 2023.

Example in-text citation:

Close reading helps students connect language, structure, and meaning in a text (Miller 42).

There is no comma between the author’s last name and the page number in MLA in-text citations.

What Information Do You Need for an MLA Book Citation?

Before creating an MLA book citation, gather the source details from the title page and copyright page, not just the book cover. The cover may shorten the title or leave out important publication information.

For official examples, students can compare their entries with the MLA Style Center’s guide to creating a Works Cited entry for a book.

How MLA In-Text Citations for Books Work

MLA uses author-page in-text citations. That means the citation usually includes the author’s last name and the page number where the quoted or paraphrased material appears.

Parenthetical citation:

Literature often reveals social conflict through character choices and narrative structure (Johnson 87).

Narrative citation:

Johnson argues that literature often reveals social conflict through character choices and narrative structure (87).

If the author’s name appears in the sentence, do not repeat it in parentheses. Include only the page number.

For books without page numbers, such as some ebooks, use a chapter, section, or other stable locator only if it is clearly provided and useful. Do not invent page numbers.

Basic MLA Book Citation Format

The standard MLA format for a book by one author is:

Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.

Example:

Carter, Daniel. Reading American Fiction. Northview Press, 2021.

This entry begins with the author’s last name so readers can match it to the in-text citation (Carter 56). The book title is italicized because a book is a standalone work. The publisher and year come after the title.

MLA no longer requires the city of publication for most modern books. Include it only when your instructor requires it or when it is needed for a special source type.

Complete MLA Book Citation Example

Here is a complete example for a book used in a college paper.

Source information:

• Author: Rebecca Miller

• Book title: Writing About Literature

• Publisher: Beacon Academic Press

• Year: 2023

• Page cited: 42

Sentence in the paper:

Close reading helps students connect language, structure, and meaning in a text (Miller 42).

Works Cited entry:

Miller, Rebecca. Writing About Literature. Beacon Academic Press, 2023.

This citation is correct because the in-text citation includes the author’s last name and the page number. The Works Cited entry begins with the same author’s last name, so readers can easily find the full source. The book title is italicized, the publisher follows the title, and the publication year appears at the end.

A common mistake would be writing (Miller, 42) with a comma. MLA does not use a comma between the author and page number.

MLA Citation for a Book With Two Authors

When a book has two authors, include both names in the Works Cited entry and in the in-text citation.

Works Cited entry:

Parker, Elena, and Marcus Lee. Writing Across Cultures. Academic Press, 2022.

In-text citation:

Cultural context can shape how students interpret literary themes (Parker and Lee 64).

In the Works Cited entry, the first author is written last name first. The second author is written in normal order. In the in-text citation, use both last names.

MLA Citation for a Book With Three or More Authors

For a book with three or more authors, MLA uses the first author’s name followed by et al.

Works Cited entry:

Nguyen, Anna, et al. Research and Writing in the Humanities. College Press, 2021.

In-text citation:

Humanities research often depends on careful interpretation of primary and secondary sources (Nguyen et al. 118).

The phrase et al. means “and others.” It allows the citation to stay readable when a source has many authors.

MLA Citation for an Edited Book

If you cite a whole edited book, begin with the editor’s name and add editor or editors after the name.

Works Cited entry:

Thompson, Laura, editor. Modern Essays on American Literature. Beacon Academic Press, 2020.

In-text citation:

The collection presents several approaches to American literary analysis (Thompson 15).

If you cite a specific chapter or essay inside an edited book, cite the chapter author instead of the editor.

MLA Citation for a Chapter in an Edited Book

A chapter in an edited book has its own format because the chapter is part of a larger container.

Format:

Chapter Author Last Name, First Name. “Title of Chapter.” Title of Book, edited by Editor Name, Publisher, Year, pp. page range.

Example:

Patel, Anika. “Community and Identity in Contemporary Fiction.” Modern Essays on American Literature, edited by Laura Thompson, Beacon Academic Press, 2020, pp. 88–109.

In-text citation:

Contemporary fiction often uses community relationships to explore identity (Patel 91).

This example is correct because the chapter author is the person responsible for the part being cited. The edited book title is the container.

MLA Citation for an Ebook

Ebooks are cited much like print books, but you may include the ebook platform or format if it matters.

Works Cited entry:

Morrison, Toni. Beloved. Vintage International, 2004. Kindle ed.

In-text citation:

Morrison’s novel connects memory, trauma, and family history through layered narrative voices (Morrison ch. 3).

If your ebook has stable page numbers, use them. If it does not, use chapter numbers or another stable locator only when helpful. Many instructors prefer citations that help readers find the passage reliably.

MLA Book Citation vs. APA Book Citation

MLA and APA both cite books, but they format them differently.

A common mistake is using APA punctuation in MLA. If your assignment requires MLA, use author-page citations and a Works Cited page.

Common MLA Book Citation Mistakes

Tips for Checking an MLA Book Citation

Before submitting your paper, check that every in-text citation matches the first word of a Works Cited entry. If your paper cites (Miller 42), the Works Cited page should include an entry beginning with Miller.

Next, check the book title. It should be italicized and written in title case. Major words should be capitalized.

Then confirm the publisher and year from the copyright page. Avoid using online bookstore descriptions as your main source for citation details, because they may list editions or publication dates differently.

Finally, check whether you cited a whole book or one chapter from an edited book. The format changes depending on which part you actually used.

FAQ About MLA Book Citation

How do you cite a book in MLA?

Use the author’s last name and first name, the italicized book title, publisher, and year. Example: Miller, Rebecca. Writing About Literature. Beacon Academic Press, 2023.

What does an MLA in-text citation for a book look like?

It usually includes the author’s last name and page number, such as (Miller 42). Do not use a comma between the name and page number.

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

List both authors in the Works Cited entry and in the in-text citation. Example: (Parker and Lee 64).

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

Start with the chapter author, then the chapter title in quotation marks, the book title in italics, the editor, publisher, year, and page range.

Do MLA book citations include the city of publication?

Usually, no. MLA does not require the city of publication for most modern books unless your instructor asks for it or the source type requires it.

How do you cite an ebook in MLA?

Cite the author, title, publisher, and year. Include the ebook platform or format if it helps identify the version, especially when page numbers differ from print editions.

Conclusion

An MLA book citation connects a brief author-page citation in your paper to a full Works Cited entry at the end. The basic format is simple, but details such as multiple authors, edited books, chapters, ebooks, and page numbers can change the citation. Before submitting your assignment, check that every in-text citation matches the Works Cited page, book titles are italicized, and MLA punctuation is used consistently.