Citing Online Articles from ProQuest & similar online databases.

Examples given here are based on The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (7th ed., 2009) and other credible sources.

The current MLA requirements for citing articles in a database are much simpler than before. In particular, MLA no longer requires an Internet address (URL). Some instructors may ask for more information than MLA requires. In case of doubt or ambiguity, always ask your instructor or a reference librarian.

ProQuest

Magazine, newspaper and scholarly journal citations are similar, whether for print or online. Articles which appeared in print, but which you found or used online, begin with citation data :

Author's Last name, First name. "Title of Article in Quotes, Proper Nouns and Significant Words Capitalized." Title of periodical italicized Date of publication volume number (and issue number if scholarly): page numbers. Name of database italicized. Web. Day Month Year of access.

EXAMPLE: ProQuest magazine article

Bertman, Stephen. "Hyperculture–Stress: How Fast Times Are Transforming America." Vital Speeches of the Day 15 Jan. 1999: 204-208. ProQuest. Web. Day Month Year You Accessed Article.

EXAMPLE: ProQuest journal article

Schaefer, Bradley E. "Meteors That Changed the World." Sky and Telescope 98.6 (2005): 68-75. ProQuest. Spokane Falls Community College Library, Spokane, WA. Web. Day Month Year You Accessed Article.

EXAMPLE: ProQuest Newspaper article

Henneberger, Melinda. "Author Reveals Much about Others and Little of Herself." New York Times 6 Dec. 1999, East Coast late ed.: A16. ProQuest. Web. Day Month Year You Accessed Article.

Gale Literary databases

EXAMPLE: Article Reprinted in Contemporary Literary Criticism

Ferranti, Jennifer. "Grisham's Law." The Saturday Evening Post Mar./Apr. 1997: 42– . Contemporary Literary Criticism Select. Gale Group. Spokane Falls Community College Library, Spokane, WA. Day Month Year You Accessed Article <http://galenet.galegroup.com/>.

EXAMPLE: Entry from Contemporary Authors

"Willa Sibert Cather." Contemporary Authors. Gale Group. Spokane Falls Community College Library, Spokane, WA. Day Month Year You Accessed Article <http://galenet.galegroup.com/>.

MLA style requires a hanging indent for references, as shown in these examples.

Use double spacing for references, and only one space following a period. As of 2009, MLA requires underlining for titles of independent works as a whole (e.g. books, films).

For more complete information see the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, pp. 229-30, available at the Reference Desk or Reserve 808.027 MLA HAN 2009. Copies are available for purchase in the college bookstore. The MLA site at www.mla.org answers "Frequently Asked Questions" about MLA style.