MLA: Finding and Creating Citations

Note that this page has three tabs. Be sure to click on each tab before clicking the Next button so you don't miss critical information.

Finding Citations in Library Databases

Many of us create citations by writing them ourselves following a guide or by using citation tools such as MyBib Links to an external site.. To do both of these successfully, we must be able to identify the type of source we're looking at since the citation style for books differs greatly from scholarly articles, newspaper articles, and websites. Citations for interviews, YouTube videos, and blogs are even more different.

But if we use library databases to find sources for our research, we can often get both a full-text copy of the article AND a citation in whichever format we want. This document shows how to find citations in some of the library's most popular databases Links to an external site.. For additional help locating citations, please contact the Highline College Librarians.

Now click the Using MyBib to Create Citations tab.

Using MyBib to Create Citations

There are various free tools that can help us create citations and reference pages. MyBib Links to an external site. is one tool that's very easy to use.

When we first access MyBib, it gives us instructions on how to get started, making it very easy to use. Just follow the instructions on the screen.

There are a few things to remember that will help us make better MLA citations using MyBib.

1. Both article titles and journal names in MLA must be in what is called "title case" meaning that all important words are capitalized. For example, The Journal of the American Medical Association. MyBib may not capitalize all words in the article title, so we need to check carefully.
2. If the article has a DOI number (which is a unique number for that article), we don't need to include the URL for the article. If there is no DOI, then it's best to use the permalink (short for permanent link) from the library database where we found the article. (If we found the article on the web, then we use the web address (URL) for the article.) There are different ways to find the permalink for an article from a  library database, depending on which database we used. Below are instructions for two common database companies, EBSCO and ProQuest, and this guide will show you how to find permalinks in other Highline College Library databases.

EBSCO Databases

1. In an EBSCO database, first click the Permalink button in the right menu.
2. Then copy the permalink.
3. Paste it into the URL field in the MyBib tool.

ProQuest Databases

1. In a ProQuest database, first click the Abstract/Details tab.
2. Then copy the Document URL.
3. Paste it into the URL field in the MyBib tool.

Now click the Finding and Citing Images for Posters, Presentations, and Brochures tab.

Finding and Citing Images for Posters, Presentations, and Brochures

Below are some resources to help us cite our resources in presentations, brochures, and posters.

• Finding and Citing Images for Posters and Presentations Links to an external site.
• MLA Citations in a Brochure Download MLA Citations in a Brochure

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