General Rules:
* Italicize: The full title of a book should be italicized.
* Example: *The Great Gatsby*
* Quotation Marks: If the title is part of a larger work (like a chapter or article), use quotation marks.
* Example: The chapter "The Valley of Ashes" in *The Great Gatsby* describes a desolate wasteland.
Special Cases:
* Long Titles: If a title is very long, you can abbreviate it after you've used the full title once.
* Example: *The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn* is a classic American novel. *Huckleberry Finn* follows the journey of a young boy escaping his abusive father.
* Subtitles: If a book has a subtitle, separate it with a colon and italicize the entire title.
* Example: *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring*
In-Text Citations:
* MLA Style: Use the author's last name and page number in parentheses after the quote or reference.
* Example: Fitzgerald describes the Valley of Ashes as a "fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens" (23).
* Chicago Style: Use footnotes or endnotes to cite sources.
Example Book Report:
* Title: *The Great Gatsby* by F. Scott Fitzgerald
* Introduction: F. Scott Fitzgerald's *The Great Gatsby* is a timeless novel that explores themes of love, loss, and the American Dream.
* Body Paragraph: In the chapter "The Valley of Ashes," Fitzgerald uses vivid imagery to portray a desolate wasteland. He describes the "fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens" (23).
* Conclusion: *The Great Gatsby* remains a powerful and relevant story that continues to resonate with readers today.
Important Note: Always follow the specific citation guidelines provided by your teacher or professor.