Do you italicize author names in MLA? This is a common question among students and researchers who are new to the MLA citation style. The MLA Handbook provides guidelines on how to format citations and references, and understanding these rules is crucial for academic integrity and effective communication. In this article, we will delve into the specifics of MLA formatting, focusing on whether or not to italicize author names.
The MLA citation style, developed by the Modern Language Association, is widely used in the humanities and liberal arts. It aims to ensure consistency and clarity in academic writing. When it comes to formatting author names, the MLA Handbook states that authors’ names should be written in roman type (standard print) rather than italicized. This means that you should not use italics for the names of individuals who are the subjects of your research or for the authors of the works you are citing.
For example, if you are writing a paper on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, you would write “William Shakespeare” in roman type. Similarly, when citing a book by an author, such as “Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice,” you would also use roman type for the author’s name. This rule applies to all in-text citations and works cited pages.
However, there are exceptions to this rule. If an author’s name is used as a title or a part of a title, it should be italicized. For instance, in a book titled “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” the author’s name is part of the title and should be italicized: “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.”
Another exception is when the author’s name is part of a subtitle or a subtitle-like element. In such cases, the author’s name should be in roman type. For example, in a book titled “The History of the World: From the Big Bang to the Present,” the author’s name is part of the subtitle and should not be italicized: “The History of the World: From the Big Bang to the Present by James H. Billington.”
It is important to note that the MLA Handbook provides detailed guidelines on how to format citations and references, and it is essential to consult the latest edition of the Handbook for specific rules and examples. By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your academic writing is both accurate and professional.
In conclusion, do you italicize author names in MLA? The answer is no; you should write authors’ names in roman type. However, there are exceptions to this rule, such as when an author’s name is part of a title or a subtitle-like element. By understanding and applying these rules, you can effectively use the MLA citation style in your academic writing.
