How to Cite a Book in MLA 9th Edition

General Format

The standard MLA 9 format for a book citation is: Author Last Name, First Name. *Title of Book*. Publisher, Year. For books with two authors: Last Name, First Name, and First Name Last Name. *Title*. Publisher, Year. For books with three or more authors: Last Name, First Name, et al. *Title*. Publisher, Year.

Worked Example

Single author: Rowling, J. K. *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*. Bloomsbury, 1997. Two authors: Strunk, William, and E. B. White. *The Elements of Style*. 4th ed., Longman, 2000. Three or more authors: Wynbrandt, James, et al. *The Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders and Birth Defects*. Facts on File, 2008.

Common Mistakes

1. **Using the wrong author name order** -- Only the first author's name is inverted (Last, First). Subsequent authors appear in normal order (First Last). 2. **Forgetting the container structure** -- MLA 9 uses a container system. If citing a chapter in an edited book, the book is the container and follows the chapter title. 3. **Omitting the edition or volume** -- If the book has an edition number or volume, include it after the title: *Title*. 4th ed., Publisher, Year.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a translated book in MLA 9?

Include the translator after the title using "Translated by": Author Last, First. *Title*. Translated by First Last, Publisher, Year.

Do I need to include the city of publication in MLA 9?

Generally no. MLA 9 only requires the city of publication if the publisher is not well known or if the book was published before 1900.

How do I handle a book with no author?

Start the citation with the title. Alphabetize the entry by the first significant word of the title (ignoring A, An, The).