Online Learning Support

With all automated citation systems, there will always be some corrections that will be necessary. Most of the databases, include correct citations, but EBSCOhost database citations tend to be incorrect most of the time. Clicking the cite button on the database will produce a list of different citation styles. Use the MLA style example and make the appropriate corrections. The following are corrections you may have to make in EBSCOhost databases for MLA style. 

• Check all capitalization within the entire citation. If you see parts of the record that include capitalization that is an indication that the citation will have incorrect capitalization as well (figure 1).
• You may have to fix the capitalization for the article title, so check for proper capitalization (capitalize all major words in the title and subtitle)
• Always switch EBSCOhost to the correct database title, i.e. Academic Search Complete
• Always replace the URL provided in the citation with the permalink and remove the https://. This URL is never correct.
• Add the accessed date.

Figure 1: Article from Academic Search Complete. Capitalized letters in the record may mean that the citation will be incorrect.

Here is the citation the database produces for the article above.

There are a few mistakes in this citation that need to be corrected:

1. Fix ALL CAPS to normal capitalization (unless the word is an acronym or abbreviation)
2. Change EBSCOhost to the actual name of the database, in this case Academic Search Complete.
3. Replace the URL with the permalink from the database and remove the https://.
4. Add the access date to the reference entry.

The correct reference looks like this:

Please contact one of our Librarians in person or through our Ask a Librarian if you have questions.