Research Services: MLA

When conducting research in the Archives, note (when available) the collection name, number, series, box number, and folder number of the material you are researching. This information will be the basis of your bibliography.

Remember, you must acknowledge other authors’ works used in your paper, whether that is a direct quote, paraphrase, or idea.

Because there is no standard way to cite archival primary source documents, please consult with your instructor or publisher to determine their preference. The Chicago Manual of Style advises authors to fully identify whatever they cite, and to format citations consistently in their work.

The following are suggested examples for citing materials found in the McDaniel Archives based on the Modern Language Association (MLA) citation format.

For more general assistance with citations, please contact the McDaniel College Writing Center.

The basic components of a complete citation are as follows:

Collection name, Collection number, Series number: Series name, Box number, Folder number: Folder name, McDaniel College Archives.

Example:

Dorothy Elderdice (1892-1979) Papers, MS/2009.4, Series 1: Diaries (1903-1979), Box 1, Folder 1: Diary 1 (1903-1928), McDaniel College Archives.

In-Text

(Last name of sender, letter).

Example:

(Elderdice, letter).

Bibliography

Sender name. Letter to Recipient name. Date. Collection name, Collection number, Series number: Series name, Box number, Folder number: Folder name. McDaniel College Archives.

Example:

Elderdice, Dorothy. Letter to Her Doctor. September 20, 1956. Dorothy Elderdice (1892-1979) Papers, MS/2009.4, Series 4: Papers including Correspondence, Box 8, Folder 80: Correspondence and Notes (1920-1971), McDaniel College Archives.

In-Text

(Last name, "Title" [if known] Page number [if known]).

Examples:

(McGrath, "McGrath Study" 256).

(McGrath 256).

(McGrath).

Bibliography

Author. “Title.” Date. Collection name, Collection number, Series number: Series name, Box number, Folder number: Folder name. McDaniel College Archives.

Example:

McGrath, Earl J. “McGrath Study.” 1973. Western Maryland College Office of the President, Ralph Candler John Papers (1968-1985), RG26, RG26: Ralph John (1972-1984), Box B00094, Folder F0001050: McGrath Study, 1972-1973. McDaniel College Archives.

When citing published materials within a collection, cite the published materials both in-text and in the bibliography according to the appropriate MLA form, and append the following information to the end of the citation for the bibliography:

Collection name, Collection number, Series number: Series name, Box number, Folder number: Folder name, McDaniel College Archives. Print.

If there is a photograph number, you make want to make note of it for your reference, as some citation styles require this information if it is available.

In-Text

For in-text citations of a photograph, simply refer to the photograph in the body of the paper.

Example:

In a 1920 photograph of Elderdice, she can be seen wearing clothing typical of the period...

Bibliography

Photograph. Description/Title/Subject. Date. Collection name, Collection number, Series number: Series name, Box number, Folder number: Folder name. McDaniel College Archives.

Example:

Photograph. Dorothy Elderdice at 20 years old. 1912. Dorothy Elderdice (1892-1979) Papers, MS/2009.4, Series 6: Photographs, Box 8, Folder 80: Family Photographs. McDaniel College Archives.

In-Text

Known author:

(Author name, page number).

Example:

(Whaley, 27).

No Known Author:

("Article Title" page number)

Example:

(“Honors to Man Behind the Scenes” 27).

Bibliography

Accessed online:

Author. “Article Title.” Newspaper Title Date: page range. McDaniel College Archives. URL. Accessed on Date.

Example:

Whaley, Jay. “Honors to Man Behind the Scenes.” The Gold Bug September 27, 1960: 25-29. McDaniel College Archives. https://hoover.mcdaniel.edu/archives/FlipNP196061/. Accessed on October 15, 2015.

Accessed in the archives:

Author. “Article Title.” Newspaper Title Date: page range. McDaniel College Archives. Print.

Example:

Whaley, Jay. “Honors to Man Behind the Scenes.” The Gold Bug September 27, 1960: 25-29. McDaniel College Archives. Print.

In-Text

("Yearbook title: Year" page number).

Example:

("Aloha: 1960" 72).

Bibliography

Accessed online:

Institution name. Yearbook title. City of publication, State of publication: Year. McDaniel College Archives. URL. Accessed on Date.

Example:

McDaniel College. Aloha. Westminster, MD: 1960. McDaniel College Archives. https://hoover.mcdaniel.edu/archives/FlipYB1960/. Accessed on October 15, 2015.

Accessed in the Archives:

Institution name. Yearbook title. City of publication, State of publication: Year. McDaniel College Archives. Print.

Example:

McDaniel College. Aloha. Westminster, MD: 1960. McDaniel College Archives. Print.