If you are a student or a researcher, you may come across a situation where you need to cite a PDF book according to Modern Language Association (MLA) style. With the increasing number of electronic books available in PDF format, it is essential to know the correct way of citing them in your assignment or research paper to avoid plagiarism and give credit to the original author. In this blog post, we will discuss the guidelines provided by MLA for citing a PDF book.
Video Tutorial:
What’s Needed
To create a citation for a PDF book, you will need the following information:
- Author’s name(s)
- Title of the book
- Title of the website or publisher
- Date of publication
- Date of access
- URL or doi (if available)
It is essential to include all the above information to create a complete citation. If any of the above information is missing, you should do your best to find it before citing the PDF book.
What requires your focus?
Before we dive into the methods of citing a PDF book, it is important to understand that focus and attention to detail are essential. Even small mistakes in citing the author’s name or publication date can lead to plagiarism or incorrect attribution of the source.
Method 1: Citing a PDF book with no DOI (Direct Object Identifier)
If the PDF book you want to cite does not have a DOI, follow the following steps to create an MLA citation:
- Start with the author’s name, last name first, followed by a comma and then the first name.
- In quotation marks, add the book title.
- The title of the website or publisher should come next, italicized and followed by a comma.
- Add the publication date in day-month-year format, followed by a comma.
- Add the word "Web," followed by a comma to indicate that it is a web publication.
- Add the date you accessed the PDF book in the format day-month-year, followed by a comma.
- Add the URL of the website or publisher where the PDF book is located.
Example:
Smith, John. "The Causes of Global Warming." ABC Publishers, 15 April 2020, Web, 20 July 2021, https://www.abcpublishers.com/the-causes-of-global-warming.pdf.
Pros:
- Easy to follow
- Works for PDFs on websites that don’t have a DOI
Cons:
- Doesn’t work for PDFs with a DOI
Method 2: Citing a PDF book with a DOI (Direct Object Identifier)
If the PDF book you want to cite has a DOI, you can follow the following steps to create an MLA citation:
- Start with the author’s name, last name first, followed by a comma and then the first name.
- In quotation marks, add the book title.
- Add the publisher’s name, followed by a comma and the publication date in the format day-month-year.
- Add the DOI. If there are multiple DOI numbers, use the first one listed.
Example:
Smith, John. "The Causes of Global Warming." ABC Publishers, 15 April 2020. doi:10.1234/5678.
Pros:
- Works for PDFs with a DOI
Cons:
- Doesn’t work for PDFs without a DOI
Method 3: Citing a PDF book through a database
If you access a PDF book through an online database like JSTOR, follow the following steps to create an MLA citation:
- Start with the author’s name, last name first, followed by a comma and then the first name.
- In quotation marks, add the book title.
- Add the publisher’s name, followed by a comma and the publication date in the format day-month-year.
- Add the name of the database in italics, followed by a comma.
- Add the word "Web" followed by a comma.
- Add the date you accessed the PDF book in the format day-month-year, followed by a comma.
- Add the URL of the online database.
Example:
Smith, John. "The Causes of Global Warming." ABC Publishers, 15 April 2020. JSTOR, Web, 20 July 2021. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1234567.
Pros:
- Works for referencing PDF books accessed through online databases
Cons:
- May not work if you accessed the PDF book through a different database
Why Can’t I Just Copy and Paste the Citation?
Copying and pasting a citation from another source can lead to errors in the citation, causing your work to be labeled as plagiarized. It can also be a violation of copyright laws, as the citation may be considered an illegal reproduction. Therefore, it is essential to create a citation by following the guidelines provided by MLA and paying attention to details.
Implications and Recommendations
Creating a citation for a PDF book according to MLA guidelines is essential to give credit to the original author and to avoid plagiarism. It is crucial to pay attention to details and follow the guidelines provided in this blog post to ensure the accuracy of the citation.
FAQs:
Q.1. What if I cannot find some of the required information for the citation?
A.1. Contact the publisher or website to obtain the information or use the information that is available to you.
Q.2. Can a PDF book have multiple DOIs?
A.2. Yes, some PDF books may have more than one DOI. In this case, use the first one listed.
Q.3. Do I have to include the URL for a PDF book with a DOI?
A.3. No, if the PDF book has a DOI, you do not have to include the URL.
Q.4. Can I include only the author’s last name in the citation?
A.4. No, you must include the author’s first name as well.
Q.5. What if the PDF book has multiple authors?
A.5. List all the authors’ names in the same order as they are listed on the PDF book and separate them with commas.
In Conclusion
By following the guidelines provided by MLA, you can create accurate citations for PDF books. It is essential to pay attention to details and include all the required information to avoid plagiarism and give credit to the original author. Remember, a citation is your way of acknowledging the work of others, and it is an essential part of any academic or research paper.