IMPORTANT! For space reasons, the examples here are not formatted according to MLA guidelines. When formatting your citation:
Double-space within and between each entry.
When citing widely used reference books, such as Encyclopaedia Britannica and World Book Encyclopedia, it is not necessary to include publication information. If the article is signed, give the author's name first. If the article is not signed, start with the title.
When citing articles from a subject encyclopedia or other specialized reference book, such as Encyclopedia of Child Abuse or the Dictionary of Art, include the publication information. If the articles are in alphabetical order, it is not necessary to include the volume or page numbers. If they are not in alphabetical order, include the page numbers and, if there is more than one volume, include the volume number.
General Encyclopedia
Doumato, Eleanor Abdella. "Saudi Arabia." World Book Encyclopedia. 2004. Print.
Subject Encyclopedia. Article in a multi-volume work, in alphabetical order:
Warner, Michelle. "Rwanda: Genocide, Aftermath of." Encyclopedia of African History. Ed. Kevin Shillington. New York: Fitzroy Dearborn, 2005. Print.
Subject Encyclopedia. Article in a multi-volume work, not in alphabetical order:
Howard, Maurice. "Renaissance Style." Encyclopedia of Visual Art. Vol. 4. London: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1989. 641-658. 10 vols. Print.
Subject Encyclopedia. Article in a single-volume work, in alphabetical order:
Bynoe, Yvonne. "QueenLatifah." Encyclopedia of Rap and Hip Hop Culture. Westport: Greenwood Press. 2006. Print.
Subject Encyclopedia. Article in a single volume work, not in alphabetical order:
Malin, David. "Cave Photography." Focal Encyclopedia of Photography. Ed. Michael R. Peres. 4th ed. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2007. 523. Print.
Articles cited from online reference databases, such as Encyclopaedia Britannica Online or History Resource Center, should include the same information as printed material. You also include the name of the database in italics, publisher, the medium (Web) and the date the article is accessed. the web address (URL) is no longer required.
Article with no author:
"Khoikhoin." Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. 2004. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Web. 24 Nov. 2008.
“Haiti.” Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations. 12th ed. Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2007. History Resource Center: The Modern World, Web. 1 Feb. 2010.
Article, with author:
Kareiva, P.M. "Systems Ecology." AccessScience: McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and TechnologyOnline. McGraw-Hill, Web. 22 Nov. 2008.