Published on
February 11, 2021
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
December 27, 2023.
To cite federal laws (also commonly referred to as statutes or acts) in APA Style, include the name of the law, “U.S.C.” (short for United States Code), the title and section of the code where the law appears, the year, and optionally the URL.
The year included is when the law was published in the source consulted, not when it was passed, amended, or supplemented.
APA format
Name of Law, Title number U.S.C. § Section number (Year). URL
Published on
February 4, 2021
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
December 27, 2023.
Legal citations (e.g. court cases, laws) in APA Style look somewhat different from other APA citations. They generally don’t list authors, and abbreviations are used to make them more concise.
Citations for court cases refer to reporters, the publications in which cases are documented. To cite a court case or decision, list the name of the case, the volume and abbreviated name of the reporter, the page number, the name of the court, the year, and optionally the URL.
The case name is italicized in the in-text citation, but not in the reference list. In the reference, specify only a single page number—the page where the coverage of that case begins—instead of a full page range.
Published on
February 1, 2021
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
December 27, 2023.
To cite a print magazine article in APA Style, list the author’s name, the publication date, the article title, the magazine name, the volume and issue numbers if available, and the page range of the article.
Our free APA Citation Generator can help you create accurate citations for magazine articles.
Published on
January 26, 2021
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
June 16, 2022.
To cite the Constitution of the United States in MLA style, include information about where you accessed it in the Works Cited entry. In the in-text citation, use article/amendment and section numbers instead of page numbers.
The example below shows how to cite an online version of the constitution.
MLA format
Page Title. Website Name, Publisher, Day Month Year, URL. orURL.
The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription. National Archives, U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, 4 May 2020, www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript.
Published on
January 22, 2021
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
June 16, 2022.
The works of Shakespeare, like many plays, have consistently numbered acts, scenes, and lines. These numbers should be used in your MLA in-text citations, separated by periods, instead of page numbers.
The Works Cited entry follows the format for a book, but varies depending on whether you cite from a standalone edition or a collection. The example below is for a standalone edition of Hamlet.
If you cite multiple Shakespeare plays in your paper, replace the author’s name with an abbreviation of the play title in your in-text citation.
MLA format
Shakespeare, William. Play Title. Edited by Editor first name Last name, Publisher, Year.
Published on
January 21, 2021
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
June 16, 2022.
MLA in-text citations of the Bible differ from other book citations in that they list the book, chapter, and verse rather than the page number.
In the Works Cited entry, it’s important to list the version of the Bible you used, not just “The Bible.” Include a URL if you accessed an online version of the Bible.
MLA format
Bible Title. Edited by Editor first name Last name, Publisher, Year, URL.
Published on
January 14, 2021
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
June 16, 2022.
MLA doesn’t treat PDFs as their own source type. When you want to cite a PDF, you should determine what type of source it contains (e.g. a book or journal article) and cite it in the appropriate format.
If you feel it’s relevant, you may mention in your reference that the source was accessed as a PDF by adding “PDF file.” Note that you can write “PDF download” instead if you link to a page where the PDF can be downloaded (rather than directly to the PDF).
If you’re unsure about the source type, look for clues in the PDF (e.g. the name of the larger publication it comes from), or ask the instructor who provided you with it. This article gives examples of citations for several source types you might encounter in PDF form.
Published on
January 14, 2021
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
June 16, 2022.
To cite a newspaper article in MLA style, list the author, title, name of the newspaper, date of publication, and URL (for online articles) or page number (for print articles). Use the interactive example below to explore the format.
Published on
January 11, 2021
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
June 16, 2022.
To cite an episode of a TV show in MLA style, list the episode title, the name of the show (in italics), the names and roles of any relevant contributors, the season and episode numbers, main production or distribution company, and year.
In an in-text citation, cite the name of the episode in quotation marks. You can use a timestamp to highlight a specific moment in the episode.
MLA format
“Episode Title.” TV Show Title, created by Creator first name Last name, season Number, episode Number, Production Company or Distribution Company, Year.
