Citation Guide: Author/Editor/Publisher MLA Formatting

Authors in MLA Format

Authors are formatted the same in all material formats.

• List first author with the last name first
  • Examples: Smith, John D.
  • Smith, John David.
• Two authors are separated by a comma after the first author and the word and
  • Example: Smith, John D., and Rosemary L. Jones.
• Only the first author's name is inverted. Second is formatted normally
• List up to two (2) authors; above that number, use the first and et al.
  • Example: Smith, John D., et al.

Authors that are organizations, corporations, government entities, etc.

• Do not invert or use abbreviations.
  • Examples:
    • United States Department of Commerce.
    • General Motors Corporation.
    • American Civil Liberties Union.

Editors

If an entire edited book with authored chapters is cited, the editor is listed as the author with the abbreviation "ed." after his name, or "eds." if there are more than one editor. Multiple editors are formatted the same way as authors.

• List first editor with the last name first, followed by a comma and "editor."
  • Example: Smith, John D., editor.
• Two editors are separated by a comma after the first author and the word and and are followed with a comma and "editors."
  • Example: Smith, John D., and Rosemary L. Jones, editors.
• Only the first editor's name is inverted. Second is formatted normally
• List up to two (2) editors; above that number, use the first and et al.
  • Example: Smith, John D., et al., editors.

• On the work cited page, shortened forms of publishers' names.
  • Omit articles
  • Omit Co., Inc., Ltd, Corp, etc.
  • Use UP for academic presses.(e.g. MIT P; U Arkansas P; Pennsylvania UP)
• If Publisher and author are the same corporation, then omit author and use corporation as the publisher.