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MLA Style: Basics

This guide is intended to help you cite sources in MLA style, avoid plagiarism, learn what MLA style is and includes, find examples of MLA style, lead you to campus resources that can help you cite sources in MLA, and more.

Formatting Dates


In your MLA works cited list, present dates day month year. Month names that are longer than four letters should be abbreviated.

Abbreviation List

  • January = Jan.
  • February = Feb.
  • March = Mar.
  • April = Apr.
  • May = May
  • June = June
  • July = July
  • August = Aug.
  • September = Sept.
  • October = Oct.
  • November = Nov.
  • December = Dec.

See Appendix 1 pp. 295 of the MLA Handbook for more information.

Example

If a webpage has a date of October 24, 2015, the date format in the works cited list would be: 24 Oct. 2015.