How to Format Multiple Publishers in MLA

• Hannah Berry (Ph.D.)
• Published on 03/13/2025

The Modern Language Association (MLA) provides guidelines on how to cite sources with multiple publishers in a works-cited entry. According to the MLA Handbook, when a source lists two or more publishers, all of them must be included in the Publisher element, separated by a forward slash. The proper formatting ensures clarity and maintains consistency in academic writing.

FORMATTING MULTIPLE PUBLISHERS

When listing multiple publishers, separate them with a forward slash without adding spaces if each publisher’s name is a single word. However, if one or more of the publishers’ names consist of multiple words, a space must be added on either side of the slash.

Example 1: Single-Word Publishers

If a book is copublished by Routledge and Springer, both names are listed without spaces around the slash:

Jameson, Fredric. Postmodernism, or, The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism. Routledge/Springer, 1991.

Since both publishers have a single-word name, no space is required around the slash.

Example 2: Multiple-Word Publishers

When one or more of the publishers have names consisting of multiple words, spaces must be included on either side of the slash:

Plath, Sylvia. The Collected Poems. Harper & Row / Faber and Faber, 1981.

In this example, “Harper & Row” and “Faber and Faber” are both multi-word publishers, so spaces are placed around the slash.

IMPORTANCE OF INCLUDING MULTIPLE PUBLISHERS

Including all publishers is necessary to give proper credit to all entities involved in the publication of a source. This practice ensures that citations are complete and reflect the source’s full publishing history. It is particularly relevant for books that have been copublished internationally, translated, or reissued by multiple publishing houses.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

• If the publishers are listed on different parts of the title page or copyright page, they should still be included in the citation.
• If a book is republished with different publishers in different regions, cite the publishers as they appear in the edition used.
• If an organization serves as a co-publisher, its name should be included alongside the other publisher(s) in the same format.

Example 3: Poetry Anthology with Multiple Publishers

If a poetry anthology is published by two different publishers, such as Penguin Books and W. W. Norton, the citation should reflect both:

Hughes, Langston, editor. Poetry of the Harlem Renaissance. Penguin Books / W. W. Norton, 1994.

Since both publishers have names consisting of multiple words, spaces are added around the slash.

Maintain the Order of Publishers: List the publishers in the order in which they appear in the source. Do not rearrange them alphabetically unless specified by the source. Check for Parent or Subsidiary Publishers: If a publisher is a subdivision of another, only the primary publisher should be listed, unless both are explicitly credited on the title page. Use Proper Capitalization: Follow MLA capitalization rules, ensuring that publisher names are correctly formatted according to standard title capitalization.”U of Chicago P” rather than “university of chicago press.” Use Standard Abbreviations for University Presses: In MLA format, university presses are abbreviated using “U” for “University” and “P” for “Press.” For example, “Cambridge University Press” is abbreviated as “Cambridge UP,” and “Oxford University Press” is abbreviated as “Oxford UP.” However, other publishers should be written out in full unless MLA guidelines specify an abbreviation.