Are Encyclopedia Titles Italicized?
Yes for the title of an encyclopedia in MLA-style citation contexts; an individual encyclopedia entry title is put in quotation marks. This answer is style-scoped: distinguish the whole reference work from an individual entry, and follow another required citation style when applicable.
Yes for the title of an encyclopedia in MLA-style citation contexts; an individual encyclopedia entry title is put in quotation marks.
Key details
Important caveats
Scope Boundary
This answer is style-scoped: distinguish the whole reference work from an individual entry, and follow another required citation style when applicable.
Further guidance
Example
MLA-style invented example: “Mangrove” appears in *Encyclopedia of Coastal Ecology*. The entry is quoted; the encyclopedia title is italicized.
Practical Application
In MLA-style citation contexts, italicize the encyclopedia title as the whole reference work and place an individual encyclopedia-entry title in quotation marks.
Reader Check
Identify whether you are naming the reference work or the specific entry. They are different levels of the source.
Recommendation
In MLA-style work, italicize the encyclopedia title and put a cited entry title in quotation marks.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- MLA Works Cited Page: Books (opens in a new tab)Purdue OWL · MLA-oriented guidance and examples treating an anthology or collection as a whole book/container title, supporting italics for the anthology title.