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MLA 9th

MLA (Modern Language Association) 9th edition is an author-page number referencing style requiring an in-text citation within the text of your document and a related entry in a works cited at the end of your document.

E-mail or personal communication - works cited

For more information on reference list format and style, see General information - basics of referencing.

Format 

Author. Personal communication with author Day Abbreviated Month Year.

Example

Kapsenberg, Barbara. Personal communication with author. 1 Nov. 2024.

Format

Author. E-mail/Text message to author. Date, Abbreviated Month, Year.

Examples

Birch, Jesper. E-mail to Radio New Zealand. 11 June 2024.

Parker, Ameila. Text message to the author. 31 Oct. 2024.

Taylor, Lorraine. E-mail to the author. 7 Nov. 2025.

E-mail or personal communication - in-text citations

Parenthetical citation: When you use another person’s ideas or words in your text, include the author’s name and page number/s in brackets, generally at the end of the sentence, e.g. ... education is a key factor (Wall 25).

Citation in prose: When you use the author’s name as part of a sentence (generally at the beginning of a sentence), include the page number in brackets at the end of the sentence, e.g. Thomas Jones discussed the appropriateness of using wet towelling ... (2).

Page numbers: When no page numbers or any other numbering is given, then no numbering is added to the citation. If there are section and/or paragraph numbers, then these can be added.

Personal author

Parenthetical citation

The email provided clear guidelines on alternative treatment options (Taylor).

Citation in prose

In the email from Lorraine Taylor, clear guidelines were given regarding alternative treatment options.