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MHRA Referencing Guide: Changes from MHRA 3rd to 4th edition

The MHRA style guide offers detailed examples and formatting guidance for citing sources in humanities research. It covers books, articles, websites, and more using footnotes and bibliographies.

Changes

The most current edition of MHRA is the fourth edition, which was released in 2024. It is mostly the same as the third edition, there are only four changes that need to be noted, and they are as follows:

1. Use of 'pp.' for the page range in references of journal articles

Previously: Susan Sontag, ‘Persona’, Sight and Sound, 36 (1967), 186–212

Now: Susan Sontag, ‘Persona’, Sight and Sound, 36.4 (1967), pp. 186–212

2. Part number even for through-paginated journals

Previously: Claudia Dellacasa, ‘Troubled Religiousness in La cognizione del dolore by Carlo Emilio Gadda’, MLR, 115 (2020), 834–51

Now: Claudia Dellacasa, ‘Troubled Religiousness in La cognizione del dolore by Carlo Emilio Gadda’, MLR, 115.4 (2020), pp. 834–51, doi:10.5699/modelangrevi.115.4.0834

3. Requirement for DOIs (Digital Object Identifier) in journal references

Previously:  Roya Biggie, ‘The Botany of Colonization in John Fletcher’s The Island Princess’, Renaissance Drama, 50 (2022), 159–87

Now:  Roya Biggie, ‘The Botany of Colonization in John Fletcher’s The Island Princess’, Renaissance Drama, 50.2 (2022), pp. 159–87, doi:10.1086/722938

4. Removal of place of publication for books unless necessary.

Previously:  Susan Harrow, Zola, the Body Modern: Pressures and Prospects of Representation (London: Legenda, 2010)

Now:  Susan Harrow, Zola, the Body Modern: Pressures and Prospects of Representation (Legenda, 2010)