Republished Translated Chapter in MLA

• Tomas Elliott (Ph.D.)
• Published on 10/09/2024
• Updated on04/13/2025

It requires precision and clarity of understanding the structure to quote a republished translated chapter of an edited book. The Modern Language Association (MLA) style emphasizes citing the original author and translator as well as details regarding the edited volume where the chapter is included.

In this guide, we will talk about how to cite a translated chapter of a republished book in MLA format so that each element is done in the proper way.

KEY ELEMENTS OF THE CITATION

You need to understand the specific elements which are utilized while citing a chapter in translation before we get into the structure. These are:

• Chapter Author: Begin with the last name of author, comma, then first name or initials. Two authors: First author, then “and” preceded by the second. Three or more authors: First author’s name and “et al.”
• Organizations: Full name in full, not abbreviated.
• Chapter Title: Chapter title in quotation marks with major words capitalized according to MLA capitalization.
• Translator: The person who translated the chapter into the language of the republished book.
• Book Title: The title of the entire book in italics, followed by details of the volume editor(s).
• Original Publication Date: The date the chapter was initially published.
• Version: If required, the edition of the republished book, e.g., “2nd ed.” or “rev. ed.”.
• Publisher: Name of publishing house which published the book in its re-published form.
• Re-publication Date: Date when the book in translation was re-published.
• Page Range: Page number range where the chapter appears in the edited volume.
• DOI or URL: If the book is available electronically, give a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) or URL of the chapter or book.

COMPLETE CITATION EXAMPLE

Be Careful with Language Differences: If the source material was originally composed in a language other than the language of the translation, ensure that the translator’s name and other bibliographic details are accurate and correctly reflect the appropriate language conventions. This is particularly important when citing works by authors whose names may be non-Western. Check Online Availability: Before finalizing your citation, see if the chapter is available online through a legitimate source. If it is, add the DOI or a stable URL to the end of the citation. Not only does this give credibility, but it also makes it easier for readers to access the source. Pay Attention to Publication Details: Ensure that you accurately record all publication details, including the original date of publication and the re-publication date. These dates are crucial for achieving the context of the chapter’s translation and its historical background. If the book has been updated or revised in the republished edition, ensure that you include this in the citation as it can affect the interpretation of the text. Use Title Case for Titles: When referencing titles, be sure to use title case, where you capitalize the first word and the last word of the title, along with all principal words in between. These principal words include nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and subordinating conjunctions (such as “because,” “although”). Minor words such as articles (a, an, the), prepositions (in, on, of), and coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or) should be in lowercase except when they are the first or last word of the title.