MLA-Style Guidelines and Models
for Documenting Internet Sources
Version 1.3

These guidelines and models are based upon Janice Walker s "MLA-Style Citations of Electronic Sources (Endorsed by the Alliance for Computers and Writing)," Vers. 1.0; it is revised as recommended by Andrew Harnack and Gene Kleppinger in "Beyond the MLA Handbook: Documenting Sources on the Internet" <http://www.csc.eku.edu/honors/beyond-mla>.

Style Sheet Contents

1. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) Sites
2. World Wide Web (WWW) Sites
3. Telnet Sites
4. Synchronous Communications
5. GOPHER Sites
6. Listserv messages
7. Newsgroup (USENET) messages
8. E-mail messages
9. Linkage data

1. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) Sites

• the author's name (if known)
  
• the full title of the document in quotation marks
  
• the date of publication (if available)
  
• the abbreviation ftp
• the address of the ftp site, with no closing punctuation
  
• the full path to follow to find the paper, with no closing punctuation
  
• the date of access in parentheses
  

Model:

Bruckman, Amy. "Approaches to Managing Deviant Behavior in Virtual
     Communities." ftp ftp.media.mit.edu pub/asb/papers/deviance-chi-94
     (4 Dec. 1994). 

• A URL, enclosed in angle brackets, may be used instead of the command-pathway elements

Model:

Bruckman, Amy. "Approaches to Managing Deviant Behavior in Virtual
     Communities." <ftp://ftp.media.mit.edu/pub/asb/papers/deviance-chi-94>
     (4 Dec. 1994). 

2. World Wide Web (WWW) Sites

• the author's name (if known)
• the full title of the document in quotation marks
• the title of the complete work if applicable in italics
• the date of publication or last revision (if available)
• the full http address (URL) enclosed within angle brackets
• the date of visit in parentheses

Model:

Burka, Lauren P.  "A Hypertext History of Multi-User Dimensions."
     MUD History. 1993.  <http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/1pb/mud-history.html>
     (5 Dec. 1994). 

3. Telnet Sites

• the author's name (if known)
• the title of the document (if shown) in quotation marks
• the title of the full work if applicable in italics
• the date of publication (if available), followed by a period
• the complete telnet address, with no closing punctuation
• directions to access the publication
• the date of visit in parentheses

Model:

Gomes, Lee.  "Xerox's On-Line Neighborhood: A Great Place to Visit."
     Mercury News. 3 May 1992.  telnet lamba.parc.xerox.com 8888,
     @go #50827, press 13 (5 Dec. 1994).

4. Synchronous Communications

• the name of the speaker(s) (if known)
• type of communication (i.e., Group Discussion, Personal Interview)
• the address if applicable
• the date in parentheses

Models:

Harnack, Andrew.  Group Discussion.  telnet moo.du.org/port=8888 (4 Apr. 1996).

WorldMOO Christmas Party.  telnet world.sensemedia.net 1234 (24 Dec. 1994).

5. GOPHER Sites

• the author's name
• the title of the document in quotation marks
• any print publication information, italicized where appropriate
• the gopher path followed to access the information, with slashes to indicate menu selections, or full http address (URL) enclosed within angle brackets
• the date of access in parentheses

Model:

Quittner, Joshua.  "Far Out: Welcome to Their World Built of MUD."
     Published in Newsday 7 Nov. 1993.  gopher University of
     Koeln/About MUDs, MOOs, and MUSEs in Education/Selected Papers/newsday
     (5 Dec. 1994).

6. Listserv messages

• the author's name (if known)
• the author's e-mail address, enclosed in angle brackets
• the subject line from the posting in quotation marks
• the date of publication
• the address of the listserv, enclosed in angle brackets
• the date of access in parentheses

Model:

Seabrook, Richard H. C. <seabrook@clark.net> "Community and Progress."
     22 Jan. 1994.  <cybermind@jefferson.village.virginia.edu> (22 Jan. 1994).

To cite a file archived at a listserv or Web address, provide the following information after the publication date:

• the list address (rather than a particular message-author's address) as the source of a list message, enclosed in angle brackets
• the appropriate address for the list's archive (indicated by via), enclosed in angle brackets
• the date of access in parentheses

Model:

Seabrook, Richard H. C. <seabrook@clark.net> "Community and Progress."
     22 Jan. 1994.  <cybermind@jefferson.village.virginia.edu>
     via <listserv@jefferson.village.edu> (29 Jan. 1994).

7. Newsgroup (USENET) messages

• the author's name (if known)
• the author's e-mail address, enclosed in angle brackets
• the subject line from the posting in quotation marks
• the date of publication
• the name of the newsgroup, enclosed in angle brackets
• the date of access in parentheses

Model:

Slade, Robert.  <res@maths.bath.ac.uk> "UNIX Made Easy."
     26 Mar. 1996. <alt.books.reviews> (31 Mar. 1996).

8. E-mail messages

• the author's name
• the author's e-mail address, enclosed in angle brackets
• the subject line from the posting in quotation marks
• the date of publication
• the kind of communication (i.e., personal e-mail, distribution list, office communication)
• the date of access in parentheses

Model:

Franke, Norman.  <franke1@llnl.gov>  "SoundApp 2.0.2."
     29 Apr. 1996.  Personal e-mail.  (3 May 1996).

9. Linkage data

• the author's name (if known)
• the title of the document
• linkage to linked site by using the abbreviation Lkd. (meaning "linked from")
• the title of the source document to which it is linked, in italics
• additional linkage details, if applicable, prefaced with the word at
• the URL for the source document, enclosed in angle brackets
• the date of access in parentheses

Model:

Miller, Allison.  "Allison Miller's Home Page."  Lkd. EKU Honors Program
     Home Page, at "Personal Pages." <http://www.cwsc.edu/honors>
     (11 Nov. 1995).

SOURCE: "Beyond the MLA Handbook: Documenting Electronic Sources on the Internet" by Andrew 
Harnack and Gene Kleppinger, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY