MLA Citation Guide (MLA 9th Edition): Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

When including URLs, use a DOI or permalink if available. The MLA Handbook encourages writers to list the available URL if there is not a DOI or permalink.

 Note: If you do not have information such as an editor's name, a volume or page numbers, omit those elements from your citation.

Format

"Title of Entry." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, Day Month Year entry was last modified, Time entry was last modified, URL of entry. Accessed Day Month Year Wikipedia entry was last viewed.

Example

"Body Image." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 16 June 2016, 7:41 pm, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_image.

 Notes:

• Wikipedia may not be considered an acceptable source for assignments. Be sure to evaluate the content carefully and check your assignment
• The date and time the article was last modified appears at the bottom of each Wikipedia article. You may include an access date as an optional element if you think it will be useful to your readers.

Format

Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Entry." Title of Encyclopedia or Dictionary, edited by Editor's First Name Last Name, Edition if given and not first edition, vol. Volume Number, Publisher Name, Date of Publication, pp. First Page - Last Page. Name of Database, permalink URL or DOI.

Example

Selby, Christine. "Assessment." Eating Disorders: An Encyclopedia of Causes, Treatment, and Prevention, edited by Justine J. Reel, ABC-CLIO, 2014, pp. 35-43. ProQuest E-book Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/knowledgecenter/detail.action?pq-origsite=primo&docID=1135401.

Format

"Title of Entry." Title of Encyclopedia or Dictionary, edited by Editor's First Name Last Name, Edition if given and not first edition, vol. Volume Number, Publisher Name, Date of Publication, pp. First Page - Last Page. Name of Database. 

Example

"Shakespeare, William." Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, World Book, 2016. Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, https://unr.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=funk&AN=SH093700&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

  Note:This example had no editor's name, edition, volume or page numbers, so these elements were left out of the citation.

Format

Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Entry." Title of Encyclopedia or Dictionary, Publication or Update Date, Name of Website. URL. Accessed Day Month Year of Access. 

Example

McLean, Steve. "The Tragically Hip." The Canadian Encyclopedia, 26 Mar. 2015, Historica Canada. www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/en/article/the-tragically-hip-emc. Accessed 27 Jun. 2016.

 Note: In this example the date of last edit is listed as publication or update date. List the full date if given in Day,  Month, Year format, abbreviating the month. Date of access is the day the website was visited.

Format

Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Entry." Title of Encyclopedia or Dictionary, edited by Editor's First Name Last Name, Edition if given and not first edition, vol. Volume Number, Publisher Name, Year of Publication, pp. First Page - Last Page.

Example

Barber, Russell J. "Anthropological Ethics." Ethics, edited by John K. Roth, Rev. ed., vol. 1, Salem Press, 2005, pp. 67-69.