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MLA Style Guide, 8th ed.

This guide provides tips and examples for MLA style formatting of papers and citations.

Social Media and Email

Facebook Post

If messages are short and untitled, reproduce the full text in quotation marks in place of a title. Include a time posted with the date if it is listed. If a pseudonym is used and you know the real name of an author, you may add it in a parenthesis.

Examples

Hanks, Tom. "NFL Hall of Fame. Stabler is in. At last. The Snake called his own plays. "Throw deep, baby." Hanx." Facebook, 6 Aug. 2016, 8:23 a.m., www.facebook.com/TomHanks/photos/a.130476361320.129864.129453496320/10154157836456321/?type=3&theater. Accessed 15 Sept. 2016.

Obama, Michelle. "An open letter from the First Lady to parents on talking to your kids about Newtown: http://OFA.BO/jYtt6J." Facebook, 21 Dec. 2012, 9:29 a.m., www.facebook.com/michelleobama/posts/10152361162480578. Accessed 15 Dec. 2016.


Tweet

If messages are short and untitled, reproduce the full text in quotation marks in place of a title. Include a time posted with the date if it is listed. If a pseudonym is used and you know the real name of an author, you may add it in a parenthesis.

Examples

@abananasfoster (Amanda Foster) "Learning all about nested containers in the new MLA 8th edition. Loving the "Practice template" in the back - #mla8th." Twitter, 9 June 2016, 11:24 a.m., www.twitter.com/abananasfoster/status/740927611904397313. Accessed 9 June 2016.

@persiankisi. "We have report of large street battles in east & west of Tehran now - #Iranelection." Twitter, 23 June 2009, 11:15 a.m., www.twitter.com/persiankiwi/status/2298106072. Accessed 6 May 2016.


Email

Use the subject line in quotation marks as the title.

Examples

Bond, Emily. "Re: MLA Style Guide, 8th ed." Received by Andi Adkins, 15 Sept. 2016.

Perez, Rochelle. "RE: Schedule." Received by Emily Bond, 25 Aug. 2016.