How to Cite LION (Literature Online) in MLA 9 Format

What LION is and why it needs special attention in MLA 9

LION (Literature Online) is a large research database that provides access to literary works, criticism, reference entries, and scholarly articles. In MLA 9th edition, you cite LION as a container, meaning it is the database that hosts the item you used. Many students lose points because they cite LION as if it were the author or the publisher, or they omit key details like the original work’s title, the database name, or a stable link.

MLA 9 focuses on helping readers find the exact source you used, even when it sits inside a database. That is why MLA emphasizes:

• Clear author identification
• Accurate titles and containers
• A usable URL or DOI
• The access date when content is likely to change

The core MLA 9 structure for LION sources

Most LION citations follow this pattern:

Author. "Title of Source." Title of Container, other contributors, version, number, publisher, publication date, location. LION (Literature Online), URL. Accessed Day Month Year.

You will not always have every element. MLA 9 is flexible, you include what is available and relevant.

What counts as the “source” and what counts as the “container”

• Source: the specific item you read, for example an article, a poem, a short story, an encyclopedia entry.
• Container: where the source is found. With LION, there are often two containers:
  1. The journal or book that originally published the item
  2. The database that provides access, which is LION (Literature Online)

This matters because LION often hosts items that were originally published elsewhere. Listing both containers helps readers track the source in either place.

Author rules you must follow for this guide

These rules shape the first element of your Works Cited entry.

One author

• Use the author’s full first name, not initials.
• Invert the first author’s name: Last, First Middle.

Two authors

• First author inverted: Last, First Middle
• Second author in normal order: First Middle Last
• Use and between names.

Three or more authors

• List only the first author, inverted and with full first name.
• Add et al. after the first author.
• Do not list additional authors.

No author

• Start with the title.
• Do not use “Anonymous” or “n.d.”
• For alphabetizing, ignore A, An, The, but keep them in the title itself.

These rules matter because MLA Works Cited lists are alphabetized by the first element. Consistent author formatting makes your list easy to scan and prevents confusion about who wrote what.

Titles and formatting in MLA 9 for LION

Title of the source

• Use quotation marks for short works, like articles, poems, short stories, and individual entries.
• Use italics for standalone works, like books, plays published as books, and full-length collections.

Title of containers

• Containers are typically italicized, like journal titles, book titles, and database names.
• For this guide, write the database as: LION (Literature Online).

URLs, DOIs, and access dates for LION

Which link to use

Use the most stable link available in LION. If LION provides a “stable URL” or “permalink,” use that. If not, use the URL from your browser, as long as it works when pasted into a document.

Access date

MLA 9 treats access dates as optional in general, but they are often practical for databases because entries can be updated, links can change, and institutional access can affect visibility. Including an access date is a good habit for LION.

Format: Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.

Example 1: Scholarly journal article found in LION (one author)

Works Cited entry (correct MLA 9 formatting)

Smith, Jordan Michael. "Memory and Modernism in Woolf’s Late Style." Modern Fiction Studies, vol. 62, no. 3, 2016, pp. 455-478. LION (Literature Online), https://lion.chadwyck.com/examplelink. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.

Why this is correct

• Author: Full first name is used, and the name is inverted for alphabetizing.
• Title of article: In quotation marks because it is a short work.
• First container: Modern Fiction Studies is italicized because it is the journal.
• Volume, issue, year, pages: These help locate the article in the original publication.
• Second container: LION (Literature Online) is included because that is where you accessed it.
• URL and access date: The URL directs readers to the database record, and the access date documents when you retrieved it.

Practical tip

If you can find a DOI for the article, you can use it instead of a URL. A DOI is often more stable. If you use a DOI, format it as a URL, for example https://doi.org/...

Example 2: Article with two authors in LION (follow the two-author rule)

Works Cited entry (correct MLA 9 formatting)

Nguyen, Talia Rose, and Marcus Daniel Ortega. "Teaching Shakespeare with Digital Archives." Shakespeare Quarterly, vol. 71, no. 2, 2020, pp. 210-229. LION (Literature Online), https://lion.chadwyck.com/examplelink2. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.

Why this is correct

• Two-author formatting: The first author is inverted. The second author is not inverted, and the names are joined with and.
• Everything else follows the same container logic: journal first, then database.

Common pitfall to avoid

Do not write both authors inverted. This is a frequent error. MLA only inverts the first author in a Works Cited entry.

Example 3: No author, reference entry or unsigned piece in LION

Works Cited entry (correct MLA 9 formatting)

"Symbolism." The Encyclopedia of Literature, edited by Katherine Elaine Porter, 3rd ed., Literary Reference Press, 2018. LION (Literature Online), https://lion.chadwyck.com/examplelink3. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.

Why this is correct

• No author: The entry begins with the title in quotation marks.
• Container: The encyclopedia title is italicized because it is the larger work that contains the entry.
• Editor and edition: Included because they are relevant book level details.
• Publisher and year: Identify the reference work.
• Database: LION is listed as the second container.

Practical tip

For reference entries, page numbers are often missing in databases. That is acceptable. If the entry has a stable section or entry ID, use the URL and access date to make the source traceable.

Why these rules matter in MLA 9, beyond “following directions”

They improve credibility

Using full first names and consistent author formatting reduces ambiguity. It also shows care in representing authors accurately.

They help readers locate the source

LION content can appear in multiple versions and formats. Including the original container plus the database container gives readers two paths to find the work.

They support fair attribution

Databases can make it easy to lose track of who wrote what, especially when a page displays the database branding more prominently than the author. MLA’s structure keeps authorship and original publication clear.

Common pitfalls when citing LION, and how to avoid them

Pitfall 1: Treating LION as the publisher

LION is usually the database container, not the publisher of the original work. If the original journal or book has a publisher, list it in the first container details when relevant.

Pitfall 2: Missing the original container

If the item is a journal article or a chapter, do not skip the journal title or book title. The database alone is not enough for a strong citation.

Pitfall 3: Using initials for authors

For this guide, do not abbreviate first names. Use full first names whenever they are available in the record.

Pitfall 4: Overusing fields that MLA does not require

MLA does not require you to force every database field into the citation. Focus on the elements that help identification and retrieval: author, title, container, date, and location information.

Pitfall 5: Copying “Cite” tool output without checking it

Database citation generators often produce errors, such as wrong capitalization, missing containers, or incorrect author formatting. Use them as a starting point, then correct the entry.

Quick checklist for a correct LION Works Cited entry

• Author formatted correctly, full first name, first author inverted
• Title of the source in quotes for short works, italics for standalone works
• Original container included when relevant, journal or book title italicized
• Database listed as LION (Literature Online)
• URL or DOI included
• Access date included when appropriate, especially for database content

If you tell me what type of item you are citing from LION, for example a poem, a journal article, or a reference entry, and paste the bibliographic details you see, I can format a Works Cited entry that follows your exact rules.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Common Errors for Lion (Literature Online) Citations

Validation Checklist

Special Cases

What makes LION citations tricky in MLA 9

Literature Online (LION) is an aggregator database. It hosts many kinds of materials, poems, short stories, full books, encyclopedia style entries, and sometimes scans or transcriptions from print editions. MLA 9 treats databases as “containers,” which means you usually cite the work itself first, then the database where you found it. The edge cases happen when LION gives incomplete information, when it offers multiple versions of the same text, or when the item you are using is not a standard “article.”

The goal of MLA is to help a reader find the exact text you used. With LION, that means you must be careful about version, publication details, and stable links.

Core principle for LION: cite the work, then the database

In most cases, your citation has two main layers:

1. The original work (the poem, story, essay, entry, or book).
2. The database container (Literature Online), plus the URL or DOI.

This matters because LION is rarely the original publisher. If you treat LION as the publisher, you can accidentally hide the real source context, such as the book or journal where the work first appeared.

Author name edge cases in LION

Full first names, not initials

Your rule requires full first names. LION sometimes displays authors with initials or abbreviated names, especially in older records. In MLA, you should use the author’s full name when you can verify it from the record itself or a reliable source connected to the text. This matters for clarity and for distinguishing authors with similar surnames.

Pitfall: Copying “E. M. Forster” if your guide requires full first names. If you can confirm “Edward Morgan Forster,” use it.

Two authors, and, second name not inverted

LION records for criticism or reference entries can have two authors. Follow your rule: invert the first author only, then use “and” and list the second author in normal order.

Three or more authors, first author plus et al.

Some LION reference style entries, editorial introductions, or bibliographies list many contributors. Follow your rule: first author inverted with full first name, then “et al.” Do not list the rest.

No author

Some entries are unsigned, especially reference style content. If there is no author, start with the title. Do not insert “Anonymous” or “n.d.” Alphabetize by the first significant word in the title, ignoring A, An, and The.

Title and work type edge cases

When to use quotation marks vs italics

LION includes both short works and complete works.

• Use quotation marks for a poem, short story, essay, chapter, or an entry within a larger work.
• Use italics for a standalone book, a complete play, or a full collection if you are citing it as a whole.

Common pitfall: Treating everything as an “article” and putting the title in quotation marks even when it is a full book.

Works inside collections, anthologies, or edited books

Many literary works in LION are presented as part of a collection, even if you are reading a single poem or chapter. If LION provides the collection title and editor, include them as the first container. Then list Literature Online as the second container.

This matters because readers may want to locate the text in print, and because page numbers often belong to the print collection, not to LION.

Publication date problems and “version confusion”

Multiple dates in LION records

LION often shows more than one date, such as an original publication year, a reprint year, and the database release date. In MLA 9, you generally cite the date of the version you used, meaning the publication date of the container you are citing, such as the book edition or journal issue shown in the record.

Practical tip: If LION clearly identifies the source edition, cite that edition’s date. Do not invent a date, and do not default to the date you accessed the database unless it is truly the only date available.

Classic works with original date vs edition date

If you are citing a classic text, the “original” year can be historically important, but MLA citations are usually built around the edition you used. If your instructor wants the original year discussed, mention it in your prose. Keep the Works Cited focused on the version you consulted in LION.

Page numbers, line numbers, and “no pages” situations

Page numbers may be missing

Many LION texts do not show stable page numbers, especially if the text is displayed as HTML. MLA does not require page numbers if they are not available. Do not create fake page numbers.

Use line numbers for poems if provided

If LION displays line numbers, you can use them in in text citations. In the Works Cited entry, you do not need to force line numbers into the citation.

Stable identifiers

If LION provides a stable URL, a DOI, or a “Document URL,” use that. Avoid copying a long session based link that will break.

URLs and access dates in LION

Use a stable URL when possible

LION links can be unstable if you copy them from the browser address bar while logged in through a library proxy. Look for a “stable URL,” “permalink,” or a document URL in the record.

When to include an access date

MLA 9 says access dates are optional, but they are often helpful for databases that change. LION records can be updated, and universities sometimes require access dates. If you include one, put it at the end: “Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.”

Common pitfall: Using an access date instead of a publication date. Access dates never replace publication dates.

Example 1, a poem in an edited collection found in LION

Works Cited entry

Dickinson, Emily. “Because I could not stop for Death.” The Poems of Emily Dickinson, edited by Ralph W. Franklin, Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1998. Literature Online, https://www.literatureonline.com/. Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.

Why this is correct
- The author is listed with a full first name, and the first author is inverted: “Dickinson, Emily.”
- The poem title is in quotation marks because it is a short work.
- The book is italicized as the container where the poem appears, and the editor is included.
- Literature Online is the database container.
- The URL is included, and an access date is added because database content can shift.

Tip: If LION provides a specific document URL for the poem, use that instead of the database home page.

Example 2, a journal article or criticism piece in LION with two authors

Works Cited entry

Smith, Jonathan David, and Maria Elena Garcia. “Revising the Victorian Canon in Digital Archives.” Victorian Studies, vol. 52, no. 3, 2010, pp. 401-425. Literature Online, https://www.literatureonline.com/. Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.

Why this is correct
- Two authors are formatted using your rule: first author inverted with full first name, second author not inverted, joined by “and.”
- The article title is in quotation marks, and the journal title is italicized.
- Volume, issue, year, and pages are included because journal metadata is central to finding the source outside LION.
- Literature Online is listed as the database container.

Common pitfall: Inverting both authors, or using initials because the database record abbreviates names. Expand to full first names when you can verify them.

Example 3, no author, a reference entry in LION

Works Cited entry

“Romanticism.” Literature Online, https://www.literatureonline.com/. Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.

Why this is correct
- No author is listed, so the title starts the entry.
- The title is in quotation marks because it is an entry within a larger reference resource, not a standalone book.
- The database is the container, and the URL and access date help retrieval.

Practical tip: If the entry is part of a named reference work inside LION, cite that reference work as a container before listing Literature Online as the second container.

Practical tips and common pitfalls checklist

Tips

• Prefer the record’s permalink or document URL over a copied browser link.
• Capture the edition details when LION shows them, editor, publisher, year.
• If LION offers multiple versions, cite the version you actually read, and note differences in your prose if relevant.
• Keep author names consistent across your paper, especially when LION abbreviates them.

Common pitfalls

• Treating LION as the original publisher, and skipping the book or journal container.
• Using initials in author names when full first names are available and required by your guide.
• Adding “n.d.” or “Anonymous” when there is no author or no date.
• Forcing page numbers that do not exist in the database view.
• Using unstable session URLs that break for your reader.

Why these rules matter

These special case choices are not just formatting. They protect three things: accuracy, traceability, and fairness. Accuracy means you cite the correct version of a text. Traceability means a reader can find the same item, even if they do not have LION access. Fairness means authors are clearly identified, which is why full first names and consistent author formatting matter. With databases like LION, careful container and version details are what make your citation useful rather than merely decorative.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a poem I found in LION in MLA 9?

To cite a poem from LION (Literature Online) in MLA 9, start with the poem as it appears in the database, then include the database details. In your Works Cited entry, list the poet’s name, the poem title in quotation marks, the book or collection title in italics if provided, any editor or translator, the publisher and date if shown in the LION record, then the database name, LION, in italics. Add the stable URL or DOI, and include an access date if your instructor requires it or if the content is likely to change. Practical scenario, if you are analyzing a single poem for a close reading paper, cite the poem record itself, not the search results page. For guidance on MLA database citations, see the MLA Style Center, https://style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide/.

Do I need to cite the original book publication info or just LION when using a text from the database?

In MLA 9, you usually include both, the original source details when available and the database container information. LION is a container, but the text often comes from a specific print or scholarly edition, and that information helps readers identify the version you used. Practical scenario, if you quote lines from a Shakespeare play in LION and the record lists an edition editor and publication date, include that edition data before listing LION as the second container. If the record does not provide full publication facts, cite what you can and prioritize the database name, the URL, and your access date if needed. MLA’s container guidance is useful here, https://style.mla.org/containers/ and the Works Cited overview, https://style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide/.

How do I cite a scholarly article from LION, and is it different from citing a journal article on JSTOR?

Citing a scholarly article in LION is very similar to citing a journal article in other databases. Begin with the author, then the article title in quotation marks, followed by the journal title in italics, volume, issue, date, and page range if listed. After that, add the database name, LION, in italics, then the DOI or stable URL. Practical scenario, if you found a peer reviewed article about Romanticism in LION and it lists volume and issue, use those details. If LION only provides an article identifier or omits pages, omit what is missing and do not invent data. If you also accessed the same article on JSTOR, cite the version you actually used, including that database’s URL. MLA’s article citation guidance can help, https://style.mla.org/citing-journal-articles/.

What should I do if LION does not show page numbers for a text I am quoting?

If LION does not provide page numbers, MLA 9 recommends using other location markers that help your reader find the passage. Practical scenario, for poems, use line numbers if available, for plays, use act, scene, and line numbers, and for prose works, use chapter or section numbers if they are stable in the version you used. If none are available, cite the author or title in the in text citation and keep the quotation reasonably short so it remains findable. In the Works Cited entry, include the database and URL so the reader can access the same record. Avoid adding paragraph numbers unless the text itself displays them consistently. For MLA in text citation principles, see https://style.mla.org/in-text-citations/.

How do I cite an author biography or reference entry from LION in MLA format?

For an author biography, overview, or reference entry in LION, treat it like an entry in a reference work or a web page within a database. Start with the entry title in quotation marks if there is no named author, or begin with the author if one is listed. Then provide the reference work title if shown, followed by LION in italics as the database, the publisher if provided, the date of the entry or last update if available, then the URL and an access date if required. Practical scenario, if you use a LION biography to summarize an author’s career in an introduction, cite the specific biography page, not the general author landing page. If the entry has no date, omit it. MLA’s web page guidance can help with missing elements, https://style.mla.org/citing-a-website/.

Should I include the access date and the URL when citing LION sources, and what URL should I use?

Include a URL or DOI for LION sources in MLA 9 because it helps readers retrieve the exact record you used. Prefer a stable URL, permalink, or DOI from the LION record, rather than the browser address bar if it contains a temporary session string. Practical scenario, if your library login creates a long URL that expires, look for a “permalink,” “stable URL,” or “DOI” link in the citation tools or record details. Access dates are optional in MLA 9, but they are recommended when the content can change, when there is no publication date, or when your instructor asks for them. If you include an access date, format it as day month year. For MLA guidance on URLs and access dates, see https://style.mla.org/urls-and-dois/.

Last Updated: 2026-01-01
Reading Time: 10 minutes