How to Cite a Short Story in MLA Format
The Modern Language Association's (MLA) guidelines are the preferred style of professors and English teachers for citing literature in papers and essays. Short stories in particular are simple to format in MLA. All you need is some basic publication information.
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Instructions
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Type the author's last name followed by the page number in brackets when citing a reference or quotation from a short story within your paper, as follows: (Hemingway 2). The citation belongs at the end of a sentence where you referenced the short story. If the author's name is unknown, replace it with the title of the short story in quotation marks, as so: ("Hills Like White Elephants" 2).
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Repeat only the page number in the next in-text citation if the author referred to is the same. For example, if you quote from Hemingway multiple times in a row, you only need to write the page number in brackets, as follows: (3). As soon as you cite another author, include her name, and if you switch from another author back to Hemingway, include Hemingway's name again, to avoid confusion.
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Format the Works Cited page at the end of the essay as follows:
Author's last name, author's first name. "Title." Title of anthology or collection where you found the story, if applicable, in italics. Ed. Editor's Name. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Page range of entry. Medium of Publication.
Leave out any information that is missing or not applicable. If the author is unknown, simply begin with the title.
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Tips & Warnings
The Modern Language Association sometimes makes changes to its style guidelines. Check their website for updates.
