MLA 9 Style Guide: Supplemental Elements

The works cited entry is based on the core elements template, but sometimes more information needs to be added.

This additional description or information is called a Supplemental Element.

Add these supplemental elements to the regular template.

The first type of Supplemental Element is for information specific to the Title of Source. This additional information applies specifically to the Source, but not to the Container. Examples include:

• Interviewer
• Original publication date
• Generic description for something that in the source has its own title, such as
  • Introduction
  • Afterward

The other type of Supplemental Element is for information specific to the Container as a whole. Examples include:

• Access date for online sources
• Publication medium, such as
  • PDF download
  • Transcript
  • Lecture
• Publication history, such as original publication date for a reprint

Supplemental Element Specific to the Title of Source

1. Create a new sentence after the Title of Source.
2. Separate more than one supplemental element with a comma.
3. Put a period at the end.

Supplemental Element Specific to the Title of Container

1. Create a new sentence after all of the elements for the Container have been entered.
2. Separate more than one supplemental element with a comma.
3. Put a period at the end.

These examples show where a Supplemental Element fits inside the bigger works cited entry.

Title of Source Supplemental Element

In this chart, there are three plays from the same book.

• The play is the Title of Source.
• Each play was translated a person different than the editors of the book. They are the Supplemental Element because they are unique to each play.
• All the plays are in the same Container, in this case an ebook. 

Also interesting in these examples:

• Plays stand alone as Sources, so their titles are italicized.
• These authors are from a culture that always lists last name first. So their names can be written exactly as printed without a comma.

Title of Container Supplemental Element

In this chart, each source has a notable characteristic about its Container.