How to cite an eBook in MLA

MLA ebook citation

To cite an eBook in a reference entry in MLA style 9th edition include the following elements:

  1. Author(s) name: Give the last name and name as presented in the source (e. g. Watson, John). For two authors, reverse only the first name, followed by ‘and’ and the second name in normal order (e. g. Watson, John, and John Watson). For three or more authors, list the first name followed by et al. (e. g. Watson, John, et al.)
  2. Title of the eBook: Titles are italicized when independent. If part of a larger source add quotation marks and do not italize.
  3. Version: Give a description of the electronic format the eBook comes in such as ePub version or Kindle version.
  4. Publisher: If the name of an academic press contains the words University and Press, use UP e.g. Oxford UP instead of Oxford University Press. If the word "University" doesn't appear, spell out the Press e.g. MIT Press.
  5. Year of publication: Give the year of publication as presented in the source.

Here is the basic format for a reference list entry of an eBook in MLA style 9th edition:

Author(s) name. Title of the eBook. Version, Publisher, Year of publication.

Take a look at our works cited examples that demonstrate the MLA style guidelines in action:

Examples

An eBook with one author

Gilbert, Elizabeth. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear. Kobo version, Penguin, 2015.

An eBook with one author retrieved from a digital archive

King, Stephen. The Shining. Epub version, Internet Archive, 1977.

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