MLA 8 Regulation Citation Generator
Citing a regulation (administrative agency rule or executive order) under the Modern Language Association (8th Edition) framework requires combining MLA 8 (Modern Language Association)'s punctuation hierarchy with the specific metadata of the source. To construct a compliant entry, researchers must collect the regulation title or subject, Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) or Federal Register volume, agency abbreviation, section/page number, and year of codification. In the body of your paper, MLA 8 (Modern Language Association) utilizes author-page parenthetical citations without a comma or "p." label, such as (Morrison 142), which links directly to an entry organized in alphabetical order by the first element of the Works Cited entry (author surname or title).
When formatting a regulation in MLA 8 (Modern Language Association), pay close attention to contributor names and capitalization. Specifically, MLA 8 (Modern Language Association) enforces inverting the first author (Last, First) and using "et al." immediately whenever a source has three or more contributors, and applies headline-style Title Case for all works—placing self-contained works in italics and works that are part of a larger container in double quotation marks. MLA 8th edition introduced the universal 9-element "Container System" where punctuation (periods after author and title, commas between container elements) is completely standardized. Furthermore, if your regulation does not display an individual creator, the rule is straightforward: begin with the regulation title or CFR citation; credit the issuing government agency in the authority or publisher slot if required by your style.
For digital and online regulation references, MLA 8 (Modern Language Association) stipulates omitting the "http://" or "https://" protocol prefix from URLs while including full permalink or doi: strings. Note whether the regulation is already codified in the C.F.R. or is still a proposed/uncodified rule published in the Federal Register. Using the client-side MLA 8 (Modern Language Association) Regulation generator below, you can automatically parse URLs, DOIs, or ISBNs and apply these exact Citation Style Language (CSL) rules locally in your browser with zero server tracking.
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Critical Errors to Avoid
- Source-Specific Pitfall: Citing an agency press release about a rule instead of the official codified regulation in the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) or Federal Register (Fed. Reg.).
- Title & Author Formatting: Failing to apply MLA 8 (Modern Language Association)'s requirement of headline-style Title Case for all works—placing self-contained works in italics and works that are part of a larger container in double quotation marks, or violating the contributor rule (inverting the first author (Last, First) and using "et al." immediately whenever a source has three or more contributors).
- Locator & Sorting Mismatch: Ordering the bibliography incorrectly instead of using alphabetical order by the first element of the Works Cited entry (author surname or title), or neglecting MLA 8 (Modern Language Association)'s link rule for a regulation (omitting the "http://" or "https://" protocol prefix from URLs while including full permalink or doi: strings).
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Frequently Asked Questions
What information do I need to cite a regulation in MLA 8 (Modern Language Association)?
To cite a regulation according to Modern Language Association (8th Edition) standards, you need the regulation title or subject, Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) or Federal Register volume, agency abbreviation, section/page number, and year of codification. Our generator formats these elements using headline-style Title Case for all works—placing self-contained works in italics and works that are part of a larger container in double quotation marks.
How do I cite a regulation with no author in MLA 8 (Modern Language Association)?
When a regulation has no named individual author, begin with the regulation title or CFR citation; credit the issuing government agency in the authority or publisher slot if required by your style. The MLA 8 (Modern Language Association) engine automatically adjusts both the full reference entry and the in-text citation (author-page parenthetical citations without a comma or "p." label, such as (Morrison 142)) when the author field is left blank.
How are in-text citations formatted for a regulation in MLA 8 (Modern Language Association)?
In MLA 8 (Modern Language Association), in-text references use author-page parenthetical citations without a comma or "p." label, such as (Morrison 142). In the final reference list, your regulation entries must be arranged in alphabetical order by the first element of the Works Cited entry (author surname or title).
Do I need to include a URL or access date for an online regulation in MLA 8 (Modern Language Association)?
Under Modern Language Association (8th Edition) guidelines, online regulation citations follow omitting the "http://" or "https://" protocol prefix from URLs while including full permalink or doi: strings. Note whether the regulation is already codified in the C.F.R. or is still a proposed/uncodified rule published in the Federal Register.