Guidelines for Citing Press Releases in MLA Format- A Comprehensive Guide

How do you cite a press release in MLA format?

Citing a press release in MLA format is an essential skill for researchers and writers who need to reference external sources in their academic work. Press releases are often used to disseminate information about newsworthy events, company announcements, and other significant developments. Proper citation not only gives credit to the original source but also helps readers locate the information if they wish to verify it or use it in their own research. In this article, we will guide you through the process of citing a press release in MLA format, including the in-text citation and the Works Cited list entry.

In-text Citation

When citing a press release in MLA format within the text of your paper, you should include the author’s name and the date of the release. If the author’s name is not available, you can use the company or organization’s name. The in-text citation should be placed at the end of the sentence where the information from the press release is mentioned. Here’s an example:

According to a press release from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), new regulations will be implemented to reduce air pollution by 2025 (EPA, 2023).

In this example, “EPA, 2023” serves as the in-text citation. The year of the press release is included because it is not always possible to find the exact date of the release.

Works Cited List Entry

To complete the citation, you will need to include a Works Cited list entry for the press release. The format for the Works Cited list entry is as follows:

Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Press Release.” Company or Organization Name, Date of Release. Website Name, URL. Date of Access.

Here’s an example of a Works Cited list entry for a press release:

Smith, John. “New Product Launch.” XYZ Corporation, March 15, 2023. Company Website, www.companywebsite.com. Accessed March 20, 2023.

In this example, “Smith, John” is the author’s name, “New Product Launch” is the title of the press release, “XYZ Corporation” is the company or organization name, and “March 15, 2023” is the date of the release. The URL and the date of access are also included to provide additional information for readers.

Formatting Considerations

When citing a press release in MLA format, it’s important to pay attention to formatting details. Here are some key points to remember:

– Use a hanging indent for the Works Cited list entry, with the second and subsequent lines indented one half-inch from the margin.
– Capitalize the first word in the title of the press release and any proper nouns.
– Use quotation marks around the title of the press release.
– If the press release is available on a specific page number, include the page number in parentheses after the title.

By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your citation of a press release in MLA format is accurate and complete. Proper citation not only demonstrates academic integrity but also provides readers with the necessary information to locate and verify the source.