How to Cite "The Norton Shakespeare"

An anthology or collection, "The Norton Shakespeare" contains the complete works of William Shakespeare, including his plays, poems and sonnets. With introductions and notes accompanying each entry and an easy-to-read format, "The Norton Shakespeare" anthology is a common text used by instructors teaching Shakespeare. Cite "The Norton Shakespeare" or a work within the text by using the Modern Language Association (MLA) format. According to Purdue University, writers and students writing about subjects such as literature and literary criticism should use MLA style.

The Entire Collection

Cite the entire anthology by first listing the editors' names followed by the abbreviation "eds." Since four people edited "The Norton Shakespeare," order the names as they appear on the cover. Write the first editor's name in the "last name, first name" format.

For example: Greenblatt, Stephen, Walter Cohen, Jean E. Howard, and Katherine Eisaman Maus, eds.

Write "The Norton Shakespeare" in italics after the editors' names and insert a period. Since "The Norton Shakespeare" has two editions, indicate which one you are referencing by writing "1st ed." or "2nd ed." after the title.

Indicate the location of publication, publishing company and year of publication. Write "New York" followed by a colon and "W.W Norton." Put in a comma and indicate the year of publication as either 1997 for the first edition or 2008 for the second edition.

Indicate the medium of publication as "Print" or "Web." Your final citation will resemble this:

Greenblatt, Stephen, Walter Cohen, Jean E. Howard, and Katherine Eisaman Maus, eds. The Norton Shakespeare. 1st ed. New York: W.W Norton, 2008. Print.

A Work in the Collection

List the author of the work, which will likely be William Shakespeare, since "The Norton Shakespeare" contains a collection of his works. Write his name as "Shakespeare, William."

Place the title of the work you are referencing in quotation marks. Italicize the anthology's name (The Norton Shakespeare) and write the edition. Use the abbreviation "Eds." before listing the four editors' names.

Identify the city of publication, publisher and year, in the same format as the previous citation. List the page range of the entry in the Norton anthology. Insert a period and indicate the publication medium.

Use this example when citing a work within "The Norton Shakespeare": Shakespeare, William. "Romeo and Juliet." The Norton Anthology. 2nd ed. Eds. Greenblatt, Stephen, Walter Cohen, Jean E. Howard, and Katherine Eisaman Maus. New York: W.W Norton, 2008. 20-30. Print.

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