How to Cite a Book Chapter in MLA
This page is a how-to guide for using individual book chapters as sources and citing them correctly in your papers. This guide will help you determine when to cite a chapter separately and teach you how to cite a chapter both in the text of your paper and in the Works Cited page.
The information below follows the guidelines of the MLA Handbook, 9th Edition, but it is not associated with the Modern Language Association.
Table of Contents
- Why You Need to Cite Sources
- When to Cite a Chapter
- How to Cite a Chapter in a Paper
- In-text citations
- Works cited citations/references
- Core elements of MLA citations
- Note on containers
- Chapter/Article in an Edited Book
- Chapter in an Anthology/Compilation/Reference
- Chapter in an Encyclopedia or Multi-volume set
- Introduction/Preface/Foreword/Afterword
- Work Cited
Why You Need to Cite Sources
To write successful papers, you need to do research on your topic, and you include that research in your papers using citations. Citing a source in your paper means that you are using other people’s expertise to support your ideas. You “borrow” the credibility of these experts to increase your own credibility as a researcher. According to the Modern Language Association’s Handbook, “By giving credit to the precursors whose ideas they work with, scholars allow future researchers interested in the history of a conversation to trace the line of inquiry back to its beginning” (95).
In other words, when you cite sources properly, you are establishing and demonstrating your credibility as a researcher, and you ensure that you are not plagiarizing the material. This improves your writing and makes it more persuasive. The citations also allow readers to distinguish the information found in sources from your original thoughts on the topic.
When to Cite a Chapter
The main reason writers will cite a chapter of a book instead of the whole book is when the chapter is written by an author(s) different from the book’s editor(s). An editor compiles a selection of articles written by other experts in the field.
If the author of the book wrote all of the chapters, you do not need to cite the chapters separately even if the chapters have names, and can instead use the standard format for citing a book in MLA. You should, however, include page numbers.
How to Cite a Chapter in a Paper
You can use information from your research in three ways:
- Paraphrase – Take the information from a specific sentence, paragraph, or section of the chapter and rewrite it in your own words.
- Summarize – Take a larger view of the section or the chapter and rewrite it in your own words.
- Quote – Use the exact words written by the author and enclose the words in quotation marks.
With all the above methods of citing research in your paper, you need to follow that information with an in-text citation and create a corresponding reference for the source on the Works Cited page.
In-text citations
Creating correct in-text citations within your text are important. Each in-text citation
- Alerts your reader that you are using information from an outside source.
- Usually appears in parentheses at the end of a sentence.
- Is short and only has enough information to help the reader find the complete reference listed in the Works Cited page at the end of the paper.
An in-text citation in the Modern Language Association (MLA) style has two parts (227-228):
- Name of the author or authors
- A page number
- While many online sources do not have a page number, academic journals almost always do, even when they are available online.
In most cases, the in-text citation is at the end of the sentence in parentheses. When you cite the author’s name in your text, you don’t have to repeat it in the parentheses at the end. Do not separate the author’s name and the page number with a comma. See below for examples.
Works cited citations/references
In-text citations are helpful, but they do not give a lot of information on the source. That’s where your works cited citations come in handy. The works cited citations are designed to provide enough information so that your reader can find the original source, if needed. Every full citation follows the core elements outlined below.
Core Elements of MLA Citations
The outline for any MLA citation follows this format. Please note the punctuation at the end of each section.
| Works Cited | |
|---|---|
| Author(s). | The first author’s name is printed inverted with the last name first followed by a comma and the first name. The second author’s name is listed in normal order with no comma. For three or more authors, list only the first author’s name followed with et al. |
| “Title of Source.” | The title should be listed exactly as it appears in the source with each main word capitalized. Titles of individual works that are part of a larger whole (including chapters) are written in quotation marks. The section titles Introduction, Preface, Foreword, and Afterword are not enclosed in quotation marks. |
| Title of 1st Container, | This is usually the title of the book or journal which includes the chapter you are citing. These titles are printed in italics. |
| Other Contributors, | Editors’ names are always listed first name first. |
| Version, | Can be volume number or edition. |
| Number, | Used when the version is divided into separate sections. |
| Publisher, | Company or organization that makes the work available to the public. |
| Publication Date, | Date the work in its current edition or format was made available. |
| Location. | Depends on the medium of publication. Print sources will usually have page numbers. Online sources will have a URL, a DOI, or a permalink. |
Note on Containers
The 9th edition of the official Handbook uses a term for citing references that was first introduced in the 8th edition: containers.
In books that have individual chapters written by different authors, the book is considered the container because it contains parts of a larger whole. The title of the first container, the book name, is printed in italics and follows the chapter name.
When accessing book chapters through a database, the database is considered the second container. This title is also printed in italics.
Below, let’s look at how to cite different types of chapters.
Chapter/Article in an Edited Book
An edited book contains chapters that are written by authors different from the editor. When citing from a book that has been edited by someone other than the writer of the chapter, the chapter writer’s name is cited first, followed by the title of the chapter. The chapter is the source article, and the book is the first container. The editor’s name follows the name of the book.
Example citations for a chapter in an edited print book
| Works Cited | |
|---|---|
| Structure |
Author Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Chapter.” Book Title, edited by Editor Name, publisher, year, page number(s). |
| Example |
Craig, Jacob, et al. “Against the Rhetoric and Composition Grain: A Microhistorical View.” Microhistories of Composition, edited by Bruce McComisekey, UP of Colorado, 2016, pp. 284-306. |
| In-text examples | |
|---|---|
| Example #1 | The field of rhetoric and composition is similar to other disciplines in that it finds its origin stories in the competing grand narratives usually found in a given philosophy or ideology (Craig et al. 284). |
| Example #2 | Craig et al. points out that the field of rhetoric and composition is similar to other disciplines in that it finds its origin stories in the competing grand narratives usually found in a given philosophy or ideology (284). |
| Example #3 | As noted by Craig et al., “Like other disciplines, rhetoric and composition finds its origin stories in competing grand narratives, most of them situated in a given philosophy or ideology” (284). |
Example citations for the same chapter accessed through an online source/database
| Works Cited | |
|---|---|
| Structure |
Author Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Chapter.” Book Title, edited by Editor Name, publisher, year, page number(s). Name of Database, URL or DOI. Access date (supplemental). |
| Example |
Craig, Jacob, et al. “Against the Rhetoric and Composition Grain: A Microhistorical View.” Microhistories of Composition, edited by Bruce McComisekey, UP of Colorado, 2016, pp. 284-306. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt19zbzwq.14. |
| In-text examples | |
|---|---|
| Example #1 | The field of rhetoric and composition is similar to other disciplines in that it finds its origin stories in the competing grand narratives usually found in a given philosophy or ideology (Craig et al. 284). |
| Example #2 | Craig et al. points out that the field of rhetoric and composition is similar to other disciplines in that it finds its origin stories in the competing grand narratives usually found in a given philosophy or ideology (284). |
| Example #3 | As noted by Craig et al., “Like other disciplines, rhetoric and composition finds its origin stories in competing grand narratives, most of them situated in a given philosophy or ideology” (284). |
Chapter in an Anthology/Compilation/Reference
Anthologies or compilations are collected works of literature such as poems or stories. An anthology can contain a selection of work from one author or from many authors. The editor of the book chooses the pieces to include and usually writes a foreword or introduction. When citing work from an anthology or compilation, the original creator of the work is listed first, followed by the title of the piece. The anthology is the first container and is listed in italics after the name of the individual piece. The editor’s name follows the name of the book.
Example of citations from a chapter in an anthology
| Works Cited | |
|---|---|
| Structure |
Author Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Chapter.” Book Title, edited by Editor Name, publisher, year, page number(s) OR DOI/permalink/URL (without http://). |
| Example |
Dungy, Camille T. “Is all Writing Environmental Writing?” Best American Essays 2019, edited by Rebecca Solnit, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019, pp. 70-76. |
| In-text examples | |
|---|---|
| Example #1 | We can see what our current society values by looking at what we value in our art (Dungy 70). |
| Example #2 | Camille Dungy points out that we can see what our current society values by looking at what we value in our art (70). |
| Example #3 | Camille Dungy says that “What we do and do not value in our art reveals what we do and do not value in our times” (70). |
Chapter in an Encyclopedia or Multivolume Set
Encyclopedias are reference works that provide summaries of information from all branches of knowledge or all branches of knowledge in a particular field. Entries in an encyclopedia often have a title, but no author listed. When citing a section of an encyclopedia, the section or chapter name is listed first. The name of the encyclopedia is the first container. The publisher of the encyclopedia follows its name.
Encyclopedia sections often do not have author names. If no author is listed, start the citation with the section name. Online sources will also not have page numbers, so omit them as well.
Examples of citations from an encyclopedia
| Works Cited | |
|---|---|
| Structure |
Author Last Name, First Name (if available). “Title of the Chapter.” Encyclopedia Name, publisher, publication date, page number(s) OR DOI/permalink/URL (without http://). Access Date (supplemental). |
| Example |
“Halloween.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 26 February 2020, www.britannica.com/topic/Halloween. Accessed 5 Mar. 2020. |
| In-text examples | |
|---|---|
| Example #1 | Early American colonists forbid the celebration of Halloween. However, some festivals did develop in the 1800s that marked the end of harvest and incorporated elements of Halloween (“Halloween”). |
| Example #2 | According to Encyclopedia Britannica, early American colonists forbid the celebration of Halloween. However, some festivals did develop in the 1800s that marked the end of harvest and incorporated elements of Halloween (“Halloween”). |
| Example #3 | Encyclopedia Britannica says, “Along with other festivities, the celebration of Halloween was largely forbidden among the early American colonists, although in the 1800s there developed festivals that marked the harvest and incorporated elements of Halloween” (“Halloween”). |
Multivolume sets can have one title for the entire set and may have individual titles for each volume. When citing these sources, cite the title of the entire multi-volume set followed by the volume number.
Example of citations from a multivolume work
| Works Cited | |
|---|---|
| Structure |
Author Last Name, First Name. Multivolume Work Name. Vol. #, publisher, year, page number(s) OR DOI/permalink/URL (without http://). |
| Example |
Durant, William and Ariel. The Story of Civilization. Vol. 5, Simon and Schuster, 1967, p. 422. |
| In-text examples | |
|---|---|
| Example #1 | Coleridge’s range was varied, moving from idealism to disaster in the areas of love and morals, and literature and philosophy (Durant 422). |
| Example #2 | In their far-ranging work, The Story of Civilization, William and Ariel Durant say that Coleridge’s range was varied, moving from idealism to disaster in the areas of love and morals, and literature and philosophy (422.) |
| Example #3 | According to William and Ariel Durant, “[Coleridge] ran the gamut from idealism to disaster in love and morals, in literature and philosophy” (422). |
Introduction/Preface/Foreword/Afterword
Books that are edited or are part of an anthology or compilation often have additional sections that are written by the book’s editor or another writer. These pieces can be an introduction, a preface, or a foreword, which is at the beginning of the book, or an afterword, which is at the end. When citing information from one of these sections, the writer of that section is listed first, followed by the name of the section (Introduction, Preface, etc.). This section name is not enclosed in quotation marks. The title of the book is the first container, and it is listed in italics after the section name. The editor’s name follows the name of the book.
Examples of Citations from an Introduction/Preface/Foreword/Afterword
| Works Cited | |
|---|---|
| Structure |
Author Last Name, First Name. Introduction. Book Title, edited by Editor Name (if applicable), publisher, year, page number(s) OR DOI/permalink/URL (without http://). |
| Example |
Hunter, John C. Introduction. Renaissance Literature: An Anthology of Poetry and Prose, 2nd ed., Wiley-Blackwell, 2009, pp. 1-17. |
| In-text examples | |
|---|---|
| Example #1 | In the history of literature, the most pressing issues of a society did not become the subject of art (Hunter 5). |
| Example #2 | Hunter notes that in the history of literature, the most pressing issues of a society did not become the subject of art (5). |
| Example #3 | Hunter says “As so often elsewhere in the history of literature, the most pressing and immediate issues in a society are not the ones that become the subject of art” (5). |
Work Cited
MLA Handbook. 9th ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2021.
Published October 31, 2011. Updated June 19, 2021.
Written by Catherine Sigler. Catherine has a Ph.D. in English Education and has taught college-level writing for 15 years.
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- How do I cite a book chapter in MLA style when the book includes an editor and/or translator?
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To cite a book chapter in MLA style with an editor and/or a translator, you need to have basic information including the authors, chapter title, editors and/or translators, publication year, book title, publisher, and page numbers. The templates for in-text citations and a works-cited-list entry of a book chapter (edited and translated) and examples are given below:
In-text citation template and example:
For citations in prose, use the first name and surname of the author on the first occurrence. For subsequent citations, use only the surname. In parenthetical citations, always use only the surname of the author(s).
Citation in prose:
First mention: Chris Rojek states that ….
Subsequent occurrences: Rojek confirms ….
Parenthetical:
….(Rojek)
Works-cited-list entry template and example:
Enclose the chapter title in double quotation marks and use title case. The title of the book is given in italics and title case.
Template:
Surname, First Name. “Title of the Chapter.” Title of the Book, edited and translated by Name of the Editor(s)/Translator(s), Publisher, Publication Date, page range.
Example:
Rojek, Chris. “Indexing, Dragging and the Social Construction of Tourist Sights.” Touring Cultures: Transformations of Travel and Theory, edited and translated by Chris Rojek and John Urry, Routledge, 1997, pp. 52–74.
- How do I cite a chapter in an edited book in MLA style?
-
To cite a chapter in an edited book in MLA style, you need to have basic information including the authors, chapter title (unique title and/or generic label), editors, publication year, book title, publisher, and page numbers. The templates for in-text citations and works-cited-list entries for a chapter in an edited book written by a single author and some examples are given below:
In-text citation template and example:
For citations in prose, use the first name and surname of the author on the first occurrence. For subsequent citations, use only the surname. In parenthetical citations, always use only the surname of the author(s).
Citation in prose:
First mention: Gayatri Gopinath ….
Subsequent occurrences: Gopinath ….
Parenthetical:
….(Gopinath).
Works-cited-list entry template and example:
Include the unique chapter title in title case and enclose it in double quotation marks. If the chapter does not have a unique title and instead uses a generic label, do not enclose it in quotation marks.
Include the book title in title case and in italics.
Templates:
Surname, First Name. Generic Label. Title of the Book, edited by Editor(s) Name, Publisher, Publication Date, page range.
Surname, First Name. “Unique Chapter Title.” Title of the Book, edited by Editor(s) Name, Publisher, Publication Date, page range.
Surname, First Name. “Unique Chapter Title.” Generic Label. Title of the Book, edited by Editor(s) Name, Publisher, Publication Date, page range.
Notice that the last template uses a chapter with both a unique chapter title and a generic label. In this case, use the unique chapter title first and enclose it in double quotation marks and follow it with the generic label (as shown in the third example below).
Examples:
Gopinath, Gayatri. Introduction. Political Emotions, edited by Ann Cvetkovich et al., Routledge, 2010, pp. 167–92.
Gopinath, Gayatri. “Archive, Affect, and the Everyday: Queer Diasporic Re-Visions.” Political Emotions, edited by Ann Cvetkovich et al., Routledge, 2010, pp. 167–92.
Gopinath, Gayatri. “Archive, Affect, and the Everyday: Queer Diasporic Re-Visions.” Introduction. Political Emotions, edited by Ann Cvetkovich et al., Routledge, 2010, pp. 167–92.