How to Cite a Book Chapter in MLA 9 Format

What counts as a “book chapter” in MLA 9

In MLA 9, a book chapter citation is used when you are citing a part of a book rather than the whole book. This includes:

• A chapter in an edited collection (each chapter has its own author, and the book has an editor).
• An essay or short work inside an anthology.
• A chapter in a book written by a single author, if you are focusing on one chapter or section rather than the entire book.

MLA treats the chapter as the “source within a source.” The chapter title is the title of the part, and the book is the container that holds it. This is why your citation usually has two titles, one for the chapter and one for the book.

Core MLA 9 format for a chapter in an edited book

Use this format when the chapter has its own author and the book has an editor.

Works Cited format (edited book chapter):
Chapter Author Last, First Middle. "Title of Chapter." Title of Book, edited by Editor First Last, Publisher, Year, pp. page range.

Key points in this format

• The chapter title goes in quotation marks.
• The book title is italicized.
• The editor comes after the book title, introduced by edited by.
• The page range uses pp. (example: pp. 45-62).
• Publisher and year come near the end, as part of the container information.

Core MLA 9 format for a chapter in a book by a single author

Use this when the whole book is written by one author and you are citing a specific chapter.

Works Cited format (chapter in a single author book):
Book Author Last, First Middle. "Title of Chapter." Title of Book, Publisher, Year, pp. page range.

In this case, there is no editor element. The chapter is still the part, and the book is still the container.

Author rules you must follow (and why they matter)

Your rules about author names affect how every chapter citation begins. They matter because MLA Works Cited entries are alphabetized, and the opening element determines where the source appears in your list. They also matter because accurate naming is part of ethical citation, it helps readers locate sources, and it avoids confusion between authors with similar names.

1) Use full first names, not initials

Rule: Author names must use full first names, not initials.
Why it matters: Full names make it easier to identify the correct author, especially in fields where many authors share a last name. It also respects author identity and improves clarity for readers.

2) Invert the first author’s name

Rule: The first author is always inverted, Last, First Middle.
Why it matters: Inversion supports alphabetical ordering in the Works Cited list. It also creates a consistent pattern that readers recognize quickly.

3) Two authors: use “and,” second author not inverted

Rule: For two authors, use and between names. The second author stays in normal order.
Why it matters: This is the MLA standard for readability. It clearly signals a two person collaboration without making the entry harder to scan.

4) Three or more authors: first author plus “et al.”

Rule: For three or more authors, list the first author only, then add et al.
Why it matters: Long author lists can overwhelm a Works Cited page. MLA uses “et al.” to keep citations clean while still crediting the group.

5) No author: begin with the chapter title

Rule: If there is no author, start with the title. Do not use “Anonymous” or “n.d.”
Why it matters: MLA prioritizes information that helps readers locate the work. A made up author label does not help. Starting with the title keeps the entry accurate and searchable.

Example 1: Chapter in an edited collection (one chapter author)

Works Cited entry:
Nguyen, Alicia Marie. "Language and Power in Community Schools." Perspectives on Urban Education, edited by Daniel Robert Ortiz, Beacon Press, 2021, pp. 73-92.

Why this is correct

• Nguyen, Alicia Marie is inverted and uses a full first name.
• The chapter title, "Language and Power in Community Schools," is in quotation marks because it is a part of a larger work.
• The book title, Perspectives on Urban Education, is italicized as the container.
• The editor appears after the book title, introduced by edited by.
• Publisher and year follow, then the page range with pp..

Practical tip

If you are using information from only a few pages, you still list the full chapter page range in the Works Cited entry. Then, in your in-text citation, you cite the specific page you used.

Example 2: Chapter with two authors (use “and,” second name not inverted)

Works Cited entry:
Patel, Rina Sophia, and Marcus Elijah Reed. "Mapping Migration Narratives." Studies in Contemporary Diaspora, edited by Helena Grace Morrison, Rivergate Academic, 2019, pp. 201-224.

Why this is correct

• First author is inverted: Patel, Rina Sophia.
• Second author is not inverted: Marcus Elijah Reed.
• The word and connects the two authors.
• Chapter title is in quotation marks, book title is italicized.
• Editor, publisher, year, and page range are included in the correct order.

Common pitfall to avoid

Do not invert the second author’s name. Writing “Reed, Marcus Elijah” here would break MLA’s two author formatting rule and make the entry look inconsistent.

Example 3: Chapter with three or more authors (use “et al.”)

Works Cited entry:
Santos, Gabriela Maria, et al. "Climate Policy and Local Action." Handbook of Environmental Governance, edited by Thomas Andrew Keller, Northlake Press, 2023, pp. 310-338.

Why this is correct

• Only the first author is listed in full and inverted: Santos, Gabriela Maria.
• Because there are three or more authors, the citation uses et al. after the first author only.
• The rest of the entry follows the chapter in edited book structure.

Common pitfall to avoid

Do not list multiple authors and then add “et al.” Your rule requires only the first author followed by “et al.” for three or more authors.

How to format titles and punctuation correctly

Chapter titles

• Put chapter titles in quotation marks.
• Capitalize major words (title case), such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.

Book titles

• Italicize the book title.
• Use title case.

Punctuation pattern to follow

• Author ends with a period.
• Chapter title ends with a period inside the quotation marks.
• Book title is followed by a comma.
• The final element usually ends with a period.

Following this punctuation pattern matters because MLA format is partly about consistency. Consistency helps your reader quickly identify each piece of information and it helps your work look professional.

Practical tips for getting chapter citations right

• Check whether the chapter has its own author. If yes, cite the chapter. If no and you are citing the whole book’s author, you may be citing the book instead.
• Use the book’s title page and copyright page. These pages are usually the most reliable for editor names, publisher, and year.
• Always include page ranges for print chapters. If page numbers are missing because you used an ebook, you may need an alternative locator, but do not invent page numbers.
• Keep your Works Cited entry focused on the chapter. The chapter author belongs at the start, not the editor.

Common pitfalls (quick checklist)

• Using initials instead of full first names.
• Forgetting to invert the first author’s name.
• Inverting the second author in a two author chapter.
• Listing all authors when there are three or more instead of using “et al.”
• Italicizing the chapter title instead of putting it in quotation marks.
• Leaving out the editor for an edited collection.
• Confusing the chapter author with the editor and putting the editor first.

If you want, I can also provide matching in-text citation examples for each Works Cited entry, using the same author rules you listed.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Common Errors for Book Chapter Citation Mla Citations

Validation Checklist

Special Cases

What counts as a “book chapter” in MLA 9

In MLA 9, a “book chapter” citation usually means you are citing a part of a larger book, such as a chapter in an edited collection, an essay in an anthology, an introduction, a foreword, or a single chapter from a book that has its own title and page range. The key idea is that you are citing a container. The chapter is the part you used, the book is the larger work that contains it.

A standard MLA 9 Works Cited entry for a chapter in an edited book looks like this:

Chapter Author. "Chapter Title." Book Title, edited by Editor Name, Publisher, Year, pp. page range.

Your special cases and edge cases happen when any of those pieces are missing, unusual, or need extra detail to help readers locate the chapter.

Why these rules matter

MLA citations are not only about “correctness.” They help a reader do three practical things:

1. Identify the exact part you used, not just the whole book.
2. Locate it quickly, especially when books have multiple editions, multiple editors, or different formats.
3. Verify your information, which supports your credibility.

Your author name rules matter for the same reasons. Using full first names improves clarity, and inverting only the first author keeps your Works Cited list easy to scan and alphabetize.

Core structure, then the edge cases

The basic pattern you build on

For most chapters in edited books, use:

• Author of the chapter (not the editor), then a period
• "Title of the chapter" in quotation marks, then a period inside the quotes
• Book title in italics, followed by a comma
• edited by Editor Name, followed by a comma
• Publisher, followed by a comma
• Year, followed by a comma
• pp. page range, then a period

When something is unusual, you usually do not “invent” new formatting. You add the missing piece if you have it, or you adjust the entry so the reader can still find the chapter.

Special cases and edge cases for MLA 9 book chapter citations

1) Chapter in a book with no editor listed

If the book is not presented as an edited collection, you usually omit the “edited by” part. This is common when you cite a chapter from a single-author book, even though you are only using one chapter.

Practical tip: If the book has one author and you are citing a chapter, the chapter author and the book author are the same. You can still cite the chapter title in quotes, then the book title in italics.

2) Chapter title is missing, or the chapter is numbered only

Sometimes a book has “Chapter 3” without a unique title. If there is no chapter title, you can use a descriptive label in place of the title, such as “Chapter 3” or “Introduction”. Use quotation marks because you are still citing a part of a book.

Common pitfall: Do not make up a creative title. Use the wording that appears in the book, or use a neutral label that matches what the book uses.

3) You are citing an introduction, foreword, preface, or afterword

These are classic edge cases because they often have different authors than the main book. Treat them like chapters.

• If the introduction has an author, cite that person as the chapter author.
• If the introduction is by the same person as the book author, it still works as a chapter citation.

Practical tip: These sections often use Roman numerals for pages. MLA allows that. Cite the page range exactly as shown, such as pp. xi-xviii.

4) Chapter has two authors, or three or more authors

Apply your required author rules.

• Two authors: First author inverted, second author normal order, use and.
• Three or more authors: First author inverted, then et al. Do not list the remaining authors.

Common pitfall: Do not invert the second author in a two-author chapter, and do not list multiple authors before et al. if there are three or more.

5) Chapter has no author

If the chapter has no listed author, start with the chapter title in quotation marks. This is a common case in reference books, anthologies, and textbooks where chapters are not credited to an individual.

Practical tip: For alphabetization, ignore A, An, and The at the start of the title, but do not delete them from the citation itself.

6) The book has an editor, and the editor is also the author of the chapter

This happens in edited collections where an editor contributes a chapter. The person can appear twice, once as chapter author and once as editor, because those roles help the reader understand the structure of the book.

Common pitfall: Some writers try to avoid repetition by removing the editor field. Do not do that if the book is clearly edited, because the editor is part of the container information.

7) Multiple editors, or an editor with a role label

If there are multiple editors, list them in the “edited by” element. Use the names as shown in the book, and keep full first names.

If the book uses another role label, such as “translated by,” “compiled by,” or “introduction by,” MLA treats these as contributors. Include the role that matches what you see.

Practical tip: Put role phrases in lowercase, such as “edited by,” “translated by.”

8) Republished chapters, or chapters reprinted from earlier sources

Sometimes a chapter is reprinted from an earlier publication. MLA lets you add optional information if it helps, but the most important thing is still the chapter title, the container book, and the page range you used.

If your instructor expects original publication details, you can add them as supplemental information, but do not let that replace the main container details for the book you actually consulted.

9) Page numbers are missing (common with ebooks)

If you use an ebook that does not provide stable page numbers, omit the page range. If the ebook provides location numbers or chapter numbers, you can use them in your in-text citation when needed, but in the Works Cited entry you typically focus on the container and version.

Common pitfall: Do not invent page numbers based on your screen.

10) Different editions, versions, or volumes

If the book is a later edition, or part of a multivolume set, that information can matter because page numbers and chapter organization may change.

• Include the edition if it is listed, such as “2nd ed.”
• Include the volume if relevant, such as “vol. 2.”

Practical tip: Edition and volume information usually appears after the book title and before the publisher.

Examples with detailed explanations (MLA 9, using your author rules)

Example 1, Standard chapter in an edited collection (one chapter author, one editor)

Works Cited entry:

Nguyen, Minh Anh. "Rethinking Urban Water Systems." Climate Futures in Practice, edited by Samantha Joy Miller, Greenfield Press, 2022, pp. 81-104.

Why it is formatted this way:
- The chapter author, Minh Anh Nguyen, is listed first and inverted, so it alphabetizes under Nguyen.
- The chapter title is in quotation marks because it is a part of a larger work.
- The book title is italicized because it is the container.
- “edited by Samantha Joy Miller” identifies the editor, which matters in edited collections because readers often search by editor.
- The page range tells the reader exactly where the chapter appears.

Common pitfalls to avoid:
- Do not italicize the chapter title.
- Do not invert the editor’s name unless the editor is the first element of the entry, which it is not here.

Example 2, Two authors for the chapter (apply the two-author rule)

Works Cited entry:

Ramirez, Elena Sofia, and Jordan Lee. "Community Archives and Local Memory." Methods in Public History, edited by Priya Nandini Shah, Harbor Academic, 2021, pp. 155-176.

Why it is formatted this way:
- The first author is inverted, Ramirez, Elena Sofia.
- The second author is in normal order, Jordan Lee.
- “and” joins the two authors, as MLA prefers.
- Everything else follows the chapter in edited book pattern.

Common pitfalls to avoid:
- Do not write “Lee, Jordan” here, only the first author is inverted.
- Do not replace “and” with an ampersand.

Example 3, No author for the chapter (start with the chapter title)

Works Cited entry:

"Photosynthesis in Desert Plants." Encyclopedia of Plant Adaptations, edited by Hannah Elise Carter, Stonebridge Reference, 2019, pp. 233-240.

Why it is formatted this way:
- There is no chapter author, so the entry begins with the chapter title in quotation marks.
- The book title remains italicized as the container.
- The editor is still included because the encyclopedia is organized and credited that way.
- Page numbers matter a lot in reference works, so include them when available.

Common pitfalls to avoid:
- Do not use “Anonymous” or “n.d.”
- Do not move the book title to the front just because it is an encyclopedia, the chapter title is the part you used.

Practical tips for getting book chapter citations right

• Match the title exactly as it appears, including capitalization and subtitles. MLA uses title case for English titles.
• Use the role labels that the book provides, such as edited by, translated by, or introduction by.
• Check whether you are citing the chapter author or the editor. The chapter author is the author of the part you used.
• Keep your punctuation consistent. Period after the author, period after the chapter title, commas between container elements.
• Use full first names whenever you can find them on the title page or in the contributor list, since your guide requires full names.

Quick checklist of common mistakes

• Italicizing the chapter title instead of putting it in quotation marks.
• Inverting the second author in a two-author chapter.
• Listing all authors when there are three or more, instead of using et al. after the first author.
• Omitting the editor in an edited collection.
• Making up a chapter title when the book only uses a number or a section label.
• Adding “n.d.” or “Anonymous” when information is missing, instead of starting with the title.

If you want, share one of your real chapter sources (a photo of the title page and the chapter’s first page also works), and I can format the Works Cited entry and point out which edge case rules apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a chapter from an edited book in MLA 9?

To cite a chapter in an edited book in MLA 9, start with the chapter author, then the chapter title in quotation marks. Next, give the book title in italics, followed by “edited by” and the editor’s name. Add the publisher, year, and the chapter page range. End with a DOI or stable URL if you used an online version. Example: Last Name, First Name. “Chapter Title.” Book Title, edited by First Name Last Name, Publisher, Year, pp. xx-xx. If you are citing a chapter you read in a course anthology, the editor is usually on the title page. In your in-text citation, use the chapter author’s last name and the page number, not the editor’s name. More help: https://style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide/ and https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_page_books.html

How do I cite a chapter from a book with a single author (not edited)?

If the book has one author and you are citing a specific chapter, MLA usually has you cite the whole book, then use page numbers in your in-text citations to point to the chapter. This works well because the chapter author and the book author are the same. Example Works Cited entry: Last Name, First Name. Book Title. Publisher, Year. Then in your paper: (Last Name 145) to show you used a page in the chapter. If your instructor requires a chapter-level entry, you can format it like a chapter in an edited book, but omit “edited by.” However, many MLA guides prefer the whole-book approach for single-author books. Practical scenario, you cite Chapter 6 of a history monograph for one quote, cite the book, then cite the page in-text. More guidance: https://style.mla.org/citing-a-book/ and https://style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide/

What if the chapter I used is from an ebook or a database like JSTOR or ProQuest?

For an ebook or a chapter accessed through a database, cite the chapter like a chapter in an edited book, then add the container information for the platform. After the chapter page range, include the database or website name in italics, then a DOI or stable URL. Include an access date only if your instructor or context calls for it, or if the content is likely to change. Practical scenario, you download a PDF chapter from JSTOR, use the PDF page numbers for “pp.,” then add JSTOR and the stable URL. If there are no page numbers, use chapter or section identifiers in your writing, and avoid inventing page ranges. More help: https://style.mla.org/citing-an-ebook/ and https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_page_electronic_sources.html

Do I list the editor or the chapter author first, and who goes in the in-text citation?

List the chapter author first in Works Cited when you are citing a chapter from an edited collection. The editor appears later, after the book title, introduced by “edited by.” This is a common confusion point because the editor’s name is prominent on the cover, but MLA treats the chapter author as the primary author of the piece you used. In-text citations should match the first element of the Works Cited entry, so you cite the chapter author’s last name and the page number, for example (Nguyen 52). Practical scenario, you cite an essay by Rivera in a book edited by Chen, your in-text citation is (Rivera 52), not (Chen 52). If you cite the whole edited book, then the editor can move to the author position. More help: https://style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide/ and https://style.mla.org/citing-an-edited-collection/

How do I cite a chapter when there are multiple authors, translators, or a corporate author?

For multiple chapter authors, list them in the order shown in the source. Use “and” before the last author. Example: Lopez, Maria, and David Kim. “Chapter Title.” Book Title, edited by…, Publisher, Year, pp. xx-xx. If the chapter is translated, include “translated by” after the chapter title or after the book title, depending on what you are citing, and then name the translator. If a corporation wrote the chapter, use the organization as the author, for example World Health Organization. In-text citations use the first author’s last name, or the organization name, plus the page number. Practical scenario, a policy chapter credited to a government agency should be cited under that agency, not under the editor. More help: https://style.mla.org/citing-translations/ and https://style.mla.org/author/

What if I cannot find page numbers, or the chapter is reprinted in an anthology?

If the chapter has no page numbers, which is common in some ebooks or web-based readers, do not create your own page range. If the platform provides stable location numbers, you can use them in your in-text citations if your instructor accepts them. Otherwise, cite by chapter number, section heading, or paragraph number if available, and keep the reference clear in your prose. For reprints in anthologies, cite the chapter or essay you used, then include the original publication details if they are relevant and provided, followed by the anthology as the container. Practical scenario, you cite a classic essay reprinted in a literature anthology, you cite the essay, then the anthology editor, publisher, year, and pages of the reprint. More help: https://style.mla.org/reprints/ and https://style.mla.org/no-page-numbers/

Last Updated: 2025-12-31
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