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Published October 21, 2020. Updated November 16, 2021.
Citations are of the utmost importance in academics. Whenever you borrow an idea from another author or source, whether by directly quoting or by paraphrasing it, you must provide a citation for it. The MLA style is one way to do this.
For help writing your essay, research paper , or other project, check out these writing tips .
MLA style background
MLA is short for the Modern Language Association. The MLA is an acad e mic organization focused on the study and instruction of languages and literature. As of 2020, it reported having over 24,000 members.
Rules for citing and writing in MLA style come from the published MLA Handbook . The MLA Handbook is revised periodically. As of 2021, the Handbook is in its 9 th edition. The gui delines below follow MLA style but are not officially associated with the MLA.
The MLA style is often used in disciplines related to literature, language, history, art and theater.
Parts of MLA style
MLA style referencing has two components:
MLA in-text citations
- Full MLA citation s in a W orks C ited page
Whenever you refer to information from some other source, it is important to provide an in-text citation for it. MLA in-text citation s are reference s in the text. These short references direct the reader to the Works Cited page, where the full reference s can be found.
MLA style uses an author-page format to do this.
Example t emplate :
( Author Last Name P age Numbers )
Author Last Name “Quote” or paraphrase (Page Numbers)
If there are not page numbers (as in the case of a webpage or website), simpl y list the last name of the author.
Example s :
World leaders need to focus on climate change (Riley 22 -23 ).
Riley stated that world leaders need to focus on climate change ( 22 -23).
According one online news article, the photographed geese were endemic to the area (Shah).
Full MLA citation in a Works Cited page
The details of the sources that you cited in the text are included in the MLA W orks C ited page . Other styles may cal l this a reference list . It is different from a bibliography, as a bibliography references all the works an author used in their research, whereas a Works Cited page only references works that were cited in the text.
Example template :
Author Last Name, First N ame. “ Article Title .” Source/Container Title , Other contributors, Version, Number, P ublisher , P ublication D ate, Location .
Not every citation will have all of the details above. Use as much information as you can, and omit the sections that are not available.
Kursell, Julia. “ A Third Note: Helmholtz, Palestrina, and the Early History of Musicology. ” Isis , vol. 106, no. 2, June 2015, pp. 353-366.
There are additional examples of popular source types shown later in this article.
Core elements of MLA style citation
The MLA citation has 9 core elements. They are as follows:
Title of the source
Title of the container , other contributors , publisher , publication date .
Let’s discuss each in further detail below.
Every MLA citation begins with the author/creator ’s name. However, the number of authors or creators can vary from one to many. Different rules apply depending on the number of authors.
One author
In cases where the book or source has only one author, the last name of the author is followed by his/her first name.
Dahl, Roald.
Two authors
When a book has two authors, the name of the first author will be written in the format of the last name followed by the first name. The name of the second author is written in the normal manner, i.e., first name followed by last name .
King, Stephen, and Peter Straub
Three or more authors
In the case of three or more authors, only the name of the first author is mentioned, followed by et al. “ Et al . ” means “ and others. ”
King, Stephen, et al.
No author
When writing a citation for books or sources with no author, the reference begins with the title of the work.
Oxford English Dictionary , Oxford UP, 2018.
In MLA style, t he full title of the source is written. I f the title has a subtitle, it is also included.
- A title that is self-contained, like the name of a book or a movie, is written in italics. Self-contained titles include the title of movies, websites, albums, TV shows, journals, etc.
- A title that is a part of another , larger , title, like a poem from an anthology, an article in a journal, or a chapter from a book, is enclosed in quotation marks. Other examples include web pages, TV episodes, songs, short stories, etc.
While referencing a title, all the words except articles, short prepositions , and conjunctions are capitalized. The first and last words of a title are always capitalized, no matter what part of speech they are.
E xample :
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
A container refers to the larger body of work in which your source appears. If you are citing a self-contained source, like a book, the container is not required. However, if you are citing a chapter from a book or an article from a journal, then you have to cite the container. The container title is always written in italics.
For e xample :
The container title is followed by contributors. Usually, the role of contributors is described by “directed by , ” “translated by , ” “edited by,” etc.
E xample:
Rosa, Rodrigo. Severina . Translated by Chris Andrews, Yale University Press, 2014.
I f you are citing a source that has three or more contributors, then the first contributor’s name is followed by “ et al .”
If the source that you are citing has more than one version, then you should write the version that you used in the in-text citation.
E xample :
Schell, Jess. The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses. 3 rd ed., CRC Press, 2019.
Some sources are usually numbered. For example, TV shows that have season numbers and episode numbers , or journal articles with volume and issue numbers. Sources with numbers are cited as follows:
Hoffman, Janice, et al. “The Economics of Everyday life: Customer Relations in Business.” Journal of Business, vol. 22, no. 3, 2007, pp. 12-15.
Both books and movies can have publishers. For example, Random House and Harper Collins publish books, and Universal Pictures and Walt Disney Pictures publish movies.
Usually, the publisher ’s name is not included for sources like websites, journals, newspapers, etc.
Make sure that you include the p ublication year whenever it’s available. In cases where more than one date of publication is provided, you should use the year that’s more important to your research and/or the date of the version you are consulting.
Be sure to abbreviate mo nths longer than 4 characters.
Examples:
If no date of publication is provided, then you can use the date on which you accessed the source.
Example t emplate:
Day Mon. Year
Accessed 2 Oct. 2020.
The location will depend on the source. For example, if you are citing information from a book, then the location will be the page numbers. If you are citing a webpage, the location will be the URL of the website. Note that when including URLs, they are written without the “https://” part, except in the case of DOI addresses, in which case the “https://” is included. If you are citing an object or an event, then the location will be the city or state name , for example, The National G allery, London.
C itation templates for common sources
Now that we’ve learned about in-text citations, full citations for a Works Cited page , and the compone n ts of MLA citations , let’s look at examples and citation templates for common source types.
MLA i n-text citation template :
(Author Last Name Page Numbers)
Examples:
“Nothing ever changed without great effort” ( Pears 39-44 ) .
Ching agreed that the results would be different (107).
MLA w orks c ited entry template :
Author Last Name, First N ame. Title. Publisher, Publication Y ear .
Example:
Rowling, J.K., Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Bloomsbury, 2000.
Websites
An MLA in-text citation for a website only includes the author’s last name; no pages are needed since there are no page numbers.
MLA i n-text citation template :
(Author Last Name)
Neil deGrasse Tyson’s plan was to launch into a black hole and be “ spaghettified for science ” (Hoare).
MLA w orks c ited entry template :
Author L ast N ame, F irst N ame. “Title of the A rticle/ W ebpage.” Title of the Website, Publisher , Day Month Year format, URL.
Hoare, Callum. “ Neil deGrasse Tyson’s Plan to Launch into a B lack Hole and Be ‘Spaghettified for Science’.” Express, 21 Aug . 2020, www.express.co.uk/news/science/1325479/end-world-neil-degrasse-tyson-black-hole-spaghettification-space-new-startalk-spt.
Journal articles
MLA in-text citation template :
(Author Last Name Page Numb er)
( McLean 2)
MLA w orks c i ted entry template :
Author Last Name , F irst N ame. “Title of A rticle.” Journal Name , V olume, I ssue, D ate, P age range. Database Name , DOI/URL.
McLean, Jessica. “Learning about Feminism in Digital Spaces: Online Methodologies and Participatory Mapping.” Australian Geographer, vol. 46, no. 2 , Feb . 2016, pp. 157-177. Taylor and Francis Online, https://doi.org/10.1080/00049182.2016.1138842 .
Key takeaways
- MLA stands for the Modern Language Association.
- The MLA style uses the author-page format for in-text citations , and lists full details for citations in a works cited list .
- The default font used in MLA style is usually Times New Roman , 12 – point font .
- The margins on each side of the paper are set to one inch.
- The text is double spaced.
MLA Style Guides
MLA Format: Annotated bibliography | Abstract | Block Quote | Headings | MLA 8 vs. 9 | Outline | Page Numbers | Sample paper | Title page
Citing Sources: In-text citations | Works cited | Footnotes | Citing Multiple Authors | Citing Sources with No Authors | Using et al
MLA Citation Generator: Article | Book | Image | Interview | Journal | Movie | PDF | Textbook | Website | YouTube
Published July 14, 2021.
A parenthetical citation is a type of in-text citation that gives basic information about a cited source within parentheses.
The essential element needed in a parenthetical citation is the author’s surname . MLA does not use the year of publication in in-text citations. Parenthetical citations are generally included at the end of a sentence in which the author ’ s work is discussed.
A basic example of a parenthetical citation is given below:
- The construction and deconstruction of family troubles are debated (Cooper).
If a source has two authors, separate the surnames with and :
- (Chandler and Colvin 43)
For a source with three or more authors, use et al. after the surname of the first author:
- (Connolly et al. 112-13)
If two sources in the text are referenced for the same information, separate the two citations by a semicolon:
- (Hymer 22; MacFadyen 17)
When citing information or a quote from the author ’ s work, the location is generally noted. Location can mean the page number, timestamp, volume, paragraph, line number, etc., in the cited source. The location is especially important if using a direct quotation.
To include a page number, or any location, add it after the author’s surname:
- (Dumini 102)
If citing multiple pages, use the following style:
- (Douthwaite 174, 182–84, 197)
Some sources may not have page numbers. If citing an element other than a page number, add the label of the element in the citation:
- (Wyatt, par. 2)
Here, par. denotes paragraph. Note that a comma is used to separate the author’s name from the paragraph number.
Find more information on MLA in-text citations here .
The works-cited page lists sources used by the author. The sources are listed in alphabetical order. This page appears at the end of the research paper. The page header shows the writer’s surname and the page number on the top right side of the page. The title, Works Cited, is centered. The second and subsequent lines in a citation are indented one-half inch. The works-cited page looks like this:
Works Cited
Bennett, Jane. Vibrant Matter: A Political Ecology of Things . Duke UP, 2010.
Gleason, Sean “The Great Migration of Whys.” Departures in Critical Qualitative Research , vol. 8, no. 1, 2019, pp. 17–24. U of California P , https://doi.or/10.1525/dcqr.2019.8.1.17.
Hymes, Dell H. Language, Memory, and Selective Performance: Cultee’s “Salmon’s Myth” as Twice Told to Boas . U of Pennsylvania P, 1985.
Valentine, Kristin Bervig. “Yaqui Easter Ceremonies and the Ethics of Intense Pectatorship.” Text and Performance Quarterly , vol. 22, no. 4, 2002, pp. 280–96.
Wilson, Angela Cavender. “Grandmother to Granddaughter: Generations of Oral History in a Dakota Family.” American Indian Quarterly , vol. 20, no. 1, winter 1996, pp. 7–13. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/1184937.
An MLA in-text citation is a short notation of the source used in the text to direct the reader to the complete information on the source in the works-cited list. The in-text citation includes only the author’s name. However, if using specific information or quoting from the source, page numbers are also included. In-text citations are given in two forms: (1) as a citation in prose and (2) as a parenthetical citation.
Citation in prose
When using the author’s name for the first time, use the citation in prose . Write the author’s first and last name in the text. Afterward, include only the surname when citing the same source again. In general, middle initials are not included in in-text citations. The citation in prose appears as shown below:
First mention: John Paulis created many stories for future generations.
Subsequent mentions: Paulis focused on children of age under nine years (18).
Note: In this second example, specific information is used, so the page number is given in parenthesis.
Parenthetical Citation
If the information provided does not require the name of the source within the sentence(s), use a parenthetical citation. The author’s name is included in parenthesis. If a page number is available in the source, include it in the citation. An example of a parenthetical citation is shown below:
The landscape of the area is pictured at different altitudes (Rearden 45).
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Generate accurate citations in MLA format automatically, with MyBib!
😕 What is an MLA Citation Generator?
An MLA citation generator is a software tool designed to automatically create academic citations in the Modern Language Association (MLA) citation format. The generator will take information such as document titles, author, and URLs as in input, and output fully formatted citations that can be inserted into the Works Cited page of an MLA-compliant academic paper.
The citations on a Works Cited page show the external sources that were used to write the main body of the academic paper, either directly as references and quotes, or indirectly as ideas.
👩🎓 Who uses an MLA Citation Generator?
MLA style is most often used by middle school and high school students in preparation for transition to college and further education. Ironically, MLA style is not actually used all that often beyond middle and high school, with APA (American Psychological Association) style being the favored style at colleges across the country.
It is also important at this level to learn why it's critical to cite sources, not just how to cite them.
🙌 Why should I use a Citation Generator?
Writing citations manually is time consuming and error prone. Automating this process with a citation generator is easy, straightforward, and gives accurate results. It's also easier to keep citations organized and in the correct order.
The Works Cited page contributes to the overall grade of a paper, so it is important to produce accurately formatted citations that follow the guidelines in the official MLA Handbook .
⚙️ How do I use MyBib's MLA Citation Generator?
It's super easy to create MLA style citations with our MLA Citation Generator. Scroll back up to the generator at the top of the page and select the type of source you're citing. Books, journal articles, and webpages are all examples of the types of sources our generator can cite automatically. Then either search for the source, or enter the details manually in the citation form.
The generator will produce a formatted MLA citation that can be copied and pasted directly into your document, or saved to MyBib as part of your overall Works Cited page (which can be downloaded fully later!).
Daniel is a qualified librarian, former teacher, and citation expert. He has been contributing to MyBib since 2018.
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What is Cite This For Me’s Citation Generator?
Are you looking for an easy and reliable way to cite your sources in the MLA format? Look no further because Cite This For Me’s MLA citation generator is designed to remove the hassle of citing. You can use it to save valuable time by auto-generating all of your citations.
The Cite This For Me citation machine accesses information from across the web, assembling all of the relevant material into a fully-formatted works cited MLA format page that clearly maps out all of the sources that have contributed to your paper. Using a generator simplifies the frustrating citing process, allowing you to focus on what’s important: completing your assignment to the best of your ability.
Have you encountered an unusual source, such as a microfiche or a handwritten manuscript, and are unsure how to accurately cite this in the MLA format? Or are you struggling with the dozens of different ways to cite a book? If you need a helping hand with creating your citations, Cite This For Me’s accurate and powerful generator and handy MLA format template for each source type will help to get you one step closer to the finishing line.
Continue reading our handy style guide to learn how to cite like a pro. Find out exactly what a citation generator is, how to implement the MLA style in your writing, and how to organize and present your work according to the guidelines.
Popular MLA Citation Examples
- Archive material
- Book Chapter
- Dictionary entry
- E-book or PDF
- Image online or video
- Presentation or lecture
- Video, film, or DVD
Why Do I Need To Cite?
Whenever you use someone else’s ideas or words in your own work, even if you have paraphrased or completely reworded the information, you must give credit where credit is due to avoid charges of plagiarism. There are many reasons why.
First, using information from a credible source lends credibility to your own thesis or argument. Your writing will be more convincing if you can connect it to information that has been well-researched or written by a credible author. For example, you could argue that “dogs are smart“ based on your own experiences, but it would be more convincing if you could cite scientific research that tested the intelligence of dogs.
Second, you should cite sources because it demonstrates that you are capable of writing on an academic or professional level. Citations show that your writing was thoughtfully researched and composed, something that you would not find in more casual writing.
Lastly, and most importantly, citing is the ethical thing to do. Imagine that you spent months of your life on a paper: researching it, writing it, and revising it. It came out great and you received many compliments on your thesis and ideas. How would you feel if someone took those ideas (or even the whole paper) and turned them in as their own work without citations? You’d probably feel terrible.
All of the source material that has contributed to your work must be acknowledged with an MLA in-text citation (also known as a parenthetical citation ) and be featured in your works cited list as full references.
Create citations, whether manually or by using the Cite This For Me MLA citation generator, to maintain accuracy and consistency throughout your project.
Do I Have to Cite Everything?
When writing a research paper, any information used from another source needs to be cited. The only exceptions to this rule are everyday phrases (e.g., all the world’s a stage) and common knowledge (e.g., President Kennedy was killed in 1963).
Also, your own work does not need to be cited. That includes your opinions, ideas, and visuals (e.g., graphs, photos, etc.) you created. However, you do need to cite your own work if you have previously published it or used it in another assignment. Otherwise it’s considered self plagiarism . For example, submitting a paper that you wrote and already turned in for another class is still plagiarism, even though it is your own work.
If you have any doubts about whether or not something you’ve written requires a citation, it’s always better to cite the source. While it may be a tedious process without an MLA citation machine, attributing your research is essential in validating the statements and conclusions you make in your work. What’s more, drawing on numerous sources elevates your understanding of the topic, and accurately citing these sources reflects the impressive research journey that you have embarked on.
Consequences of Not Citing
The importance of crediting your sources goes far beyond ensuring that you don’t lose points on your assignment for citing incorrectly. Plagiarism, even when done unintentionally, can be a serious offense in both the academic and professional world.
If you’re a student, possible consequences include a failing assignment or class grade, loss of scholarship, academic probation, or even expulsion. If you plagiarize while writing professionally, you may suffer legal ramifications as well, such as fines, penalties, or lawsuits.
The consequences of plagiarism extend beyond just the person who plagiarized: it can result in the spread of misinformation. When work is copied and/or improperly cited, the facts and information presented can get misinterpreted, misconstrued, and mis-paraphrased. It can also be more difficult or impossible for readers and peers to check the information and original sources, making your work less credible.
What is the MLA Format?
The MLA format was developed by the Modern Language Association as a consistent way of documenting sources used in academic writing. It is a concise style predominantly used in the liberal arts and humanities, first and foremost in research focused on languages, literature, and culture. The 9th edition of the MLA Handbook has the most current format guidelines. It was updated to reflect the expanding digital world and how researchers and writers cite more online sources. You can find out more here .
It is important to present your work consistently, regardless of the style you are using. Accurately and coherently crediting your source material both demonstrates your attention to detail and enhances the credibility of your written work. The MLA format provides a uniform framework for consistency across a scholarly document, and caters to a large variety of sources. So, whether you are citing a website, an article, or even a podcast, the style guide outlines everything you need to know to correctly format all of your MLA citations.* The style also provides specific guidelines for formatting your research paper, and useful tips on the use of the English language in your writing.
Cite This For Me’s style guide is based on (but not associated with) the 9th edition of the Modern Language Association Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. Our MLA generator also uses the 9th edition – allowing you to shift focus from the formatting of your citations to what’s important – how each source contributes to your work.
MLA has been widely adopted by scholars, professors, journal publishers, and both academic and commercial presses across the world. However, many academic institutions and disciplines prefer a specific style of referencing (or have even developed their own unique format) so be sure to check which style you should be using with your professor. Cite This For Me supports citing in thousands of styles, so the odds are good that we have tools for the citation style you need. Whichever style you’re using, be consistent!
So, if you’re battling to get your citations finished in time, you’ve come to the right MLA citation website. The generator above will can cite any source in 7,000+ styles. So, whether your discipline uses the APA citation style, or your institution requires you to cite in the Chicago style citation , simply go to Cite This For Me’s website to find generators and style guides for ASA , IEEE , AMA and many more.
*You may need to cite a source type that is not covered by the format manual – for these instances we have developed additional guidance and MLA format examples, which we believe stick as closely as possible to the spirit of the style. It is clearly indicated where examples are not covered in the official handbook.
How Do I Create and Format MLA In-text Citations?
The MLA format is generally simpler than other referencing styles as it was developed to emphasize brevity and clarity. The style uses a straightforward two-part documentation system for citing sources: parenthetical citations in the author-page format that are keyed to an alphabetically ordered works cited page. This means that the author’s last name and the page number(s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken must appear in the text as a parenthetical citation, and a complete corresponding reference should appear in your works cited list.
Keep your MLA in-text citations brief, clear and accurate by only including the information needed to identify the sources. Furthermore, each parenthetical citation should be placed close to the idea or quote being cited, where a natural pause occurs – which is usually at the end of the sentence. Essentially you should be aiming to position your parenthetical citations where they minimize interruption to the reading flow, which is particularly important in an extensive piece of written work.
Check out the examples below…
Citation Examples
Parenthetical citation examples:
- Page specified, author mentioned in text:
If the author’s name already appears in the sentence itself then it does not need to appear in the parentheses. Only the page number appears in the citation. Here’s an MLA format example:
Sontag has theorized that collecting photographs is a way “to collect the world” (3).
- Page specified, author not mentioned in text:
Include the author’s last name and the page number(s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken in a parenthetical citation after the quote. This way of citing foregrounds the information being cited.
“To collect photographs is to collect the world” (Sontag 3).
When the author is referred to more than once in the same paragraph, you may use a single MLA in-text citation at the end of the paragraph (as long as the work cannot be confused with others cited).
On Photography posits that “to collect photographs is to collect the world.” It intensifies that sentiment by saying photography “means putting oneself into a certain relation to the world that feels like knowledge—and, therefore, like power.” (Sontag 3, 4)
- Page specified, same author, different works:
If you are citing two works by the same author, you should put a comma after the author’s surname and add a shortened title to distinguish between them. Italicize book titles, put article titles within quotation marks. As with the above examples, if you mention the author in the text, they don’t need to be included in the parenthetical MLA citation.
In the line “Ask Benjy ef I did. I aint stud’in dat winder” ( The Sound 276), Faulkner employs spelling and diction to communicate the character background of Dilsey. He’s also seen doing this in other books. For example, “He kilt her.” ( As I Lay 54).
- Page specified, two authors, same last name:
In MLA citing, if there are two authors with the same surname, be sure to include their first initial in your citation to avoid confusion.
- Page specified, two authors, same work:
Each author’s name will be included in both the parenthetical and the full source reference in your MLA bibliography.
Crowley is in fact, the snake who convinced Eve to eat the apple in the Garden of Eden (Prattchett and Gaiman 4).
- Page specified, more than two authors, same work:
For any work with three authors or more, you’ll include the last name of the first author listed and the abbreviation “et al.” which is Latin for “and others.”
“The skills required to master high-stakes interactions are quite easy to spot and moderately easy to learn” (Patterson et al. 28).
- Websites and other online sources:
The MLA formatting examples below above are for information or quotes that have specified pages, usually from a book. If you are using information from a website or online source, the author rules below still apply but a page number is not needed. Instead, just include the first bit of identifiable information that will be shown in the source’s full reference (e.g., author name, video title, website name, etc.).
“Scientists speculate that this might be due to a large chunk of nickel and iron embedded beneath the crater – perhaps the remnants of the asteroid that created it” (Ravilious).
“There’s a flag on the flag; it’s bad design” (“In Defense of Bad Flags”)
Full citations/references MLA website citation:
One of the most common sources cited are websites, so it’s useful to know how to cite a website in MLA.
Ravilious, Kate. “Terrawatch: The Mysteries of the Moon’s Largest Crater.” The Guardian , 1 Oct 2019, www.theguardian.com/science/2019/oct/01/terrawatch-the-mysteries-of-the-moons-largest-crater.
Format for books:
Franke, Damon. Modernist Heresies: British Literary History, 1883-1924 . Ohio State UP, 2008.
Sontag, Susan. On Photography . Penguin, 2008.
MLA citation format for journal articles:
Stanton, Elizabeth Cady. “Progress of the American Woman.” The North American Review , vol. 171, no. 529, 1900, pp. 904–907. JSTOR , www.jstor.org/stable/25105100.
Format for online videos:
“In Defense of Bad Flags.” YouTube , uploaded by Vlogbrothers, 4 Oct. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkpAe3_qmq0.
Works cited / bibliography example:
Unlike an MLA in-text citation, you must include all of the publication information in your works cited entries.
Franke, Damon. Modernist Heresies: British Literary History, 1883-1924. Ohio State UP, 2008.
There’s a lot of formatting needed when you cite. Luckily for you, we know where the commas go, and our MLA citation maker will help you put them there.
If citing is giving you a headache, use Cite This For Me’s free, accurate and intuitive MLA citation generator to add all of your source material to your works cited page with just a click.
How Do I Format My MLA Works Cited Page?
A works cited page is a comprehensive list of all the sources that directly contributed to your work – each entry links to the brief parenthetical citations in the main body of your work. An in-text citation MLA only contains enough information to enable readers to find the source in the works cited list, so you’ll need to include the complete publication information for the source in your works cited entries.
Your works cited page in MLA should appear at the end of the main body of text on a separate page. Each entry should start at the left margin and be listed alphabetically by the author’s last name (note that if there is no author, you can alphabetize by title). For entries that run for more than one line, indent the subsequent line(s) – this format is called a ‘hanging indentation.’
The title of the page should be neither italicized nor bold – it is simply center-aligned. Like the rest of your MLA format paper the list should be double-spaced, both between and within entries.
Sometimes your professor will ask you to also list the works that you have read throughout your research process, but didn’t directly cite in your paper. This list should be called ‘Work Cited and Consulted,’ and is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the full extent of the research you have carried out.
As long as you clearly indicate all of your sources via both parenthetical citations and an MLA format works cited list, it is very unlikely that you will lose points for citing incorrectly.
Works cited examples:
Anderson, Benedict. Imagined Communities. Verso, 1983.
Fox, Claire F. The Fence and the River: Culture and Politics at the U.S.-Mexico Border. U of Minnesota P, 1999.
Sontag, Susan. On Photography. Penguin, 2008.
MLA Style Research
When you are gathering sources in your research phase, be sure to make note of the following bibliographical items that will later make up your works cited MLA.
- Name of original source owner: author, editor, translator, illustrator, or director …
- Titles: article or newspaper title, title of publication, series title …
- Important dates: date of publication, date of composition, issue date, event date, date accessed …
- Publishing information: publisher name
- Identifying information: number of volumes, volume number, issue number, edition, chapter, pages, lines …
If you’re still in your research phase, why not try out Cite This For Me for Chrome? It’s an intuitive and easy-to-use browser extension that enables you to instantly create and edit a citation for any online source while you browse the web.
Racing against the clock? If your deadline has crept up on you and you’re running out of time, the Cite This For Me MLA citation maker will collect and add any source to your bibliography with just a click.
In today’s digital age, source material comes in all shapes and sizes. Thanks to the Cite This For Me citation generator, citing is no longer a chore. The citation generator will help you accurately and easily cite any type of source in a heartbeat, whether it be a musical score, a work of art, or even a comic strip. Cite This For Me helps to elevate a student’s research to the next level by enabling them to cite a wide range of sources.
MLA Citation Formatting Guidelines
Accurately citing sources for your assignment doesn’t just prevent the appearance of or accusations of plagiarism – presenting your source material in a clear and consistent way also ensures that your work is accessible to your reader. So, whether you’re following the MLA format citation guidelines or using the Cite This For Me citation generator, be sure to abide by the presentation rules on font type, margins, page headers, and line spacing.
For research papers, an MLA cover page or title page is not required. Still, some instructors request an MLA title page. In these cases, ask your instructor for an example of a title page so you know the format they want.
Instead of a cover page, headings are used on a paper’s first page to indicate details like the author’s name, instructor’s name, the class, and date written. Read on for more details.
General page and header formatting:
To format your research paper according to the MLA guidelines:
- Set the margins to 1 inch (or 2.5 cm) on all sides
- Choose an easily readable font, recommended Times New Roman
- Set font size to 12 point
- Set double space for your entire paper
- Indent every new paragraph by ½ inch – you can simply use your tab bar for this
- In the header section – on the top right corner of the pages – give your last name followed by the respective page number
For your headings (which replace the need for a cover page), do the following:
- On the first page, ensure that the text is left-aligned and then give your details: starting with your full name in line one, followed by the name of your teacher or professor, the course name and number, and the date in separate lines
- Center align your MLA format heading for the paper’s title – do not italicize, bold or underline, or use a period after the title
- The body of your text should start in the next line, left-aligned with an indentation
You’ll also need to include a running head on each page. It should include your last name and the page number. For example: Johnson 2. Place the running head in the upper right-hand corner of the paper, ½ inches from the top and 1 inch from the page’s right edge.
MLA Style 9th Edition - Changes From Previous Editions
It is worth bearing in mind that the MLA format is constantly evolving to meet the various challenges facing today’s researchers. Using the Cite This For Me citation generator will help you to stay ahead of the game without having to worry about the ways in which the style has changed.
Below is a list outlining the key ways in which MLA has developed since previous editions.
- Titles of independent works (such as books and periodicals) are now italicized rather than underlined .
- You are encouraged to include a source’s URL when citing a source from the internet, and you should no longer include “https://” at the beginning of the URL with the exception of DOIs.
- You are no longer required to include medium information at the end of your citation, i.e., Print, Web, etc.
- Including the city of publication is optional, and only encouraged if the version of the work changes based on location, or if it was published prior to 1900.
How Do I Cite My Sources With The Cite This For Me Citation Machine MLA?
If you’re frustrated by the time-consuming process of citing, the Cite This For Me multi-platform citation management tool will transform the way you conduct your research. Using this fast, accurate and accessible generator will give you more time to work on the content of your paper, so you can spend less time worrying about tedious references.
So if you’re having issues with accurately formatting your citations, sign up to Cite This For Me and let our MLA format generator do the grunt work for you.
To use the generator:
- Choose the type of source you would like to cite (e.g., website, book, journal & video)
- Enter the URL , DOI , ISBN , title, or other unique source information to locate your source
- Click the ‘Search’ button to begin looking for your source
- Look through the search results and click the ‘Cite’ button next to the correct source. Cite This For Me citation tool will automatically pull your sources data for you!
- Review the citation details and make sure that everything you need is included and accurate
- Click ‘Complete citation’
- Copy your fully-formatted citation into your MLA works cited list</li/>
- Repeat the same process for each source that has contributed to your work
As well as making use of the powerful generator, you can cite with our Chrome add-on or Word add-on.
Manage all your citations in one place
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Published October 1, 2015. Updated June 16, 2021.
There are many consequences for not providing a correct citation in MLA style. The biggest consequence is that without proper citations, your paper will lose marks for incorrect citations. In addition, your paper can also be considered plagiarism. The responsibility for using proper citations rests with the author of the paper. Failing to properly cite your sources implies that the information in the paper is solely yours when it is not.
While some instructors might be lenient about incorrect citations, others might not. Ultimately, this could land you in serious trouble with your school, organization, or institution. To avoid such issues, always ensure that you provide proper citations. If you are finding it difficult to provide proper citations, Chegg’s citation generator may help.
When citing multiple works by the same author, include the title (or a shortened version of the title) along with the author’s last name and page number in in-text citations.
You can include the author’s name and/or the title in the prose, or you can include all three pieces of information in the parenthetical citation.
(Last Name, Shortened Title page number)
(Sam, Notes to Live By 42)
(Sam, Pointers From a Friend 85)
If you’d like to shorten a title in parenthetical citations, the title can be condensed to the first noun phrase. In the examples above, the titles would be shortened to Notes and Pointers in the parenthetical citations.
When using MLA style to cite a source with two authors, the last names of both authors and the page number being referenced should be included in in-text citations. The names should be listed in the same order in which they appear on the works cited list and be separated by the word “and” in parenthetical citations. If mentioning the authors in the prose, be sure to use both authors’ first and last names on first reference.
Below are a template and example for how to create an in-text citation for a source with two authors in MLA style.
(Last Name 1 and Last Name 2 page number)
(Prusty and Patel 75)
When using MLA style to cite a source with more than two authors, include the last name of the first author listed on your works cited page along with “et. al” and the page number in your in-text citations.
You should only use “et. al” in your works cited list and parenthetical citations. If you include the authors’ names in your prose instead, you can list all the authors’ names or the name of the first author and a phrase like “and her co-authors,” “and others,” etc.
Below are a template and example for how to create an in-text citation for a source with more than two authors in MLA style.
(Author 1 Last Name et al. page number)
(Krishnaswamy et al. 75)
Sources may be cited for various reasons, including to provide credit to others’ ideas, to ensure that readers can find the right sources, and to improve a paper’s credibility. There are some situations when a citation might not be necessary. To avoid ambiguity, here are the situations in which you should include a citation in an MLA style paper:
- When you are directly quoting an expert or other source of information
- When you are paraphrasing a quotation, passage, or idea
- When you are summarizing another person’s ideas
- When you are specifically referencing a fact, phrase, or statistics found in another source
Things that may be considered common knowledge (like dates of historical events or widely known biographical facts) do not need to be cited. However, if you are unsure whether or not a source needs to be cited, it is always better to err on the side of caution and include a citation.
As per MLA standards, a title page is NOT required. In fact, MLA recommends using a header with all relevant information instead, including your name, instructor’s name, course name, date of submission, and title. However, when your instructor requires a title page or when you are authoring your paper as a group with other people, it is recommended to create a title page for your paper.
If you are creating a title page, you should include the below information:
- Name of the paper’s author(s)
- Names of the instructor(s)
- Course name and number
- Title of the paper
Since websites don’t usually have page numbers, include only the author’s last name within parentheses using the standard MLA format. If using a citation in prose, directly referring to the author’s name in the sentence, then there is no need to provide any additional parenthetical citation.
Plastics contribute to the single greatest pollutant source for oceans (Shimla).
Shimla states that plastics are the oceans’ greatest pollutant source. [No additional citation is needed since you include the author’s name in the citation in prose and there is no page number available.]
As per section 1.3 of the MLA 9 handbook, center the title of a paper and use double-spacing. Do NOT underline, italicize, bold, or use all capitals for the title. Instead, follow standard rules of capitalization. Any italicized words within the text (e.g., book titles or literary movements) would ALSO be italicized in the title. Don’t use a period after your paper’s title.
Usually, you nclude the paper title on your first page. Only when the instructor needs a specific title page or when the paper is a group paper necessitating a list of all authors should you provide a separate title page. Apart from these two situations, a title page is NOT required.
Below are some examples when you would need to italicize words in the title because they include names of books and/or literary movements.
Perspective Shift during the Baroque Period
Is Macbeth Relevant in 2022 and Beyond?
While the MLA handbook recommends using “an easily readable typeface” and a font size “between 11 and 13,” it also clarifies to follow a professor’s or instructor’s guidelines if they differ. The handbook advises using double-spacing and the same font and size throughout the paper.
Check with your instructor on their preferences, and in the absence of any such preference, use a decent and readable font, like Times New Roman, with font size 12, which is a good balance between readability and aesthetics. The most important thing is to use the same font and size consistently throughout your paper.
As per Sections 5 and 6 of the MLA 9 handbook, if you are referring multiple times to a single source in the same paragraph, you do not need to repeat the author’s name each time you make a reference. However, you must include the page number(s), or another applicable locator, if you are referring to different pages of the same source in the same paragraph. In the examples below, it is clear in the second sentence that you’re citing the same source, so you don’t need to include the author name again, only the page number you’re referring to.
However, if you quote or paraphrase a different source by a different author between mentions of a source by the same author in the same paragraph, you need to reintroduce the source and original author name to clarify who you’re citing.
Citation in Prose Example
According to Theodore Garner, “It is evident that Caucasian males have a proclivity toward thrift than their African counterparts” (352). This can be seen from the high saving levels over a decade (345).
Parenthetical Citation Example
“It is evident that Caucasian males have a proclivity toward thrift than their African counterparts” (Garner 352). This can be seen from the high saving levels over a decade (345).
If referring to different sources by the same author(s), include the source’s title in your in-text citation, so readers know which source you are referring to. You can style such citations in various ways, as shown below. The style remains the same for works with more than one author.
Example with the author’s name and the title in the citation in prose
Howitzer says it best when he talked about the Moonmakers in his poem (23). Howitzer does contradict himself at a later point in time in Sunchanters (46).
Example with the author’s name in prose and the title in a parenthetical citation
Shakespeare writes pessimistically about existence from Hamlet’s point of view (Hamlet 103) . In another work, Shakespeare writes, “Life is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing” ( Macbeth 55).
Example with the author’s name and the title in the parenthetical citation
A similar pessimism about existence is present in other works, for instance when Hamlet contemplates suicide (Shakespeare, Hamlet 103). Macbeth similarly claims, “Life is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing” (Shakespeare, Macbeth 55).
To format an MLA works-cited page, follow these fundamental steps:
Place the works-cited list at the end of the paper and after any endnotes, should they be used.
Set a one-inch margin all around (top, bottom, left, and right). Like the prose portion of the paper, use a left margin, not a justified margin.
Running head
Place a running head on the right side of the page in the one-inch header, one-half inch from the top of the page. The running head format includes Surname and page #. The page number continues from the last page of the prose portion of the paper.
Use an easily readable font in which the italics feature is clearly distinguishable. Use the same font as in the prose portion of the paper. Times New Roman and Helvetica are popular standard fonts. Use a font size between 11 and 13 points.
Title the heading “Works Cited”; do not use bold or italics. Align it to the center of the page. Then double-space to begin the first entry. Double-space throughout the page.
Begin the entries flush with the left margin. Indent the second and subsequent lines of each entry one-half inch from the left margin.
Arranging entries
Arrange the Works-cited-list entries alphabetically according to the name of the author, or title if there is no author. If there is more than one author, cite the author listed first on the title page of the work in the alphabetical entry.
A separate medium identification, such as “Print,” is no longer used; however, the medium usually can be identified by the information provided in the citation.
Gann, Ernest K. A Hostage to Fortune . Alfred A. Knopf, 1978.
Invest Answers [@InvestAnswers]. “Taking another run at $45,000.” Twitter , 2 Mar. 2022, twitter.com/invest_answers/status/1499033186734542850.
To include the URL in website citation in MLA style, copy the URL from the browser, but exclude the http:// or https:// unless it is used in a DOI. If the work has a DOI, it is used instead of the URL.
Woldermont, Slat. “Sharks Impacted by Great Atlantic Garbage.” The Atlantic Cleanup , 4 May 2020, www.theatlanticcleanup.com/updates/sharks-impacted-by-Great-Atlantic-Garbage.
Saunders, Judith P. “Philosophy and Fitness: Hemingway’s ‘A Clean, Well-Lighted Place’ and The Sun Also Rises .” American Classics: Evolutionary Perspectives , Academic Studies Press, 2018, pp. 204–25, https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv4v3226.15.
The 6 th , 7 th , 8 th , and 9 th editions of MLA style are available on the Cite This For Me citation generator . The default MLA edition is the 9 th edition, the most current edition.
For a webpage/website, journal article, or book, you’ll need 1-2 pieces of basic publication information. For example:
- Website : URL, page title, etc.
- Journal article : Article title, DOI number, author(s), etc.
- Book : Book title, author, date published, etc.
Using those pieces of information, you can search for the source in the Cite This For Me MLA citation generator and it will help you to create a citation.
Other source types (newspaper article, video, government document, etc.) will provide a form on which you provide all source information. Using that information, the citation generator will create a properly formatted MLA citation for you.
Omitting or making up sources are unethical actions that can lead to plagiarism. An MLA citation generator can help a writer create citations for their sources, which is an ethical step needed to avoid plagiarism.
An MLA citation generator can make it easier (and sometimes faster) for a writer to create citations versus manually making each citation. We recommend trying the Cite This For Me MLA citation generator and deciding for yourself.
Purdue Online Writing Lab College of Liberal Arts
MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics
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MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. This resource, updated to reflect the MLA Handbook (9 th ed.), offers examples for the general format of MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the Works Cited page.
Guidelines for referring to the works of others in your text using MLA style are covered throughout the MLA Handbook and in chapter 7 of the MLA Style Manual . Both books provide extensive examples, so it's a good idea to consult them if you want to become even more familiar with MLA guidelines or if you have a particular reference question.
Basic in-text citation rules
In MLA Style, referring to the works of others in your text is done using parenthetical citations . This method involves providing relevant source information in parentheses whenever a sentence uses a quotation or paraphrase. Usually, the simplest way to do this is to put all of the source information in parentheses at the end of the sentence (i.e., just before the period). However, as the examples below will illustrate, there are situations where it makes sense to put the parenthetical elsewhere in the sentence, or even to leave information out.
General Guidelines
- The source information required in a parenthetical citation depends (1) upon the source medium (e.g. print, web, DVD) and (2) upon the source’s entry on the Works Cited page.
- Any source information that you provide in-text must correspond to the source information on the Works Cited page. More specifically, whatever signal word or phrase you provide to your readers in the text must be the first thing that appears on the left-hand margin of the corresponding entry on the Works Cited page.
In-text citations: Author-page style
MLA format follows the author-page method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the page number(s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken must appear in the text, and a complete reference should appear on your Works Cited page. The author's name may appear either in the sentence itself or in parentheses following the quotation or paraphrase, but the page number(s) should always appear in the parentheses, not in the text of your sentence. For example:
Both citations in the examples above, (263) and (Wordsworth 263), tell readers that the information in the sentence can be located on page 263 of a work by an author named Wordsworth. If readers want more information about this source, they can turn to the Works Cited page, where, under the name of Wordsworth, they would find the following information:
Wordsworth, William. Lyrical Ballads . Oxford UP, 1967.
In-text citations for print sources with known author
For print sources like books, magazines, scholarly journal articles, and newspapers, provide a signal word or phrase (usually the author’s last name) and a page number. If you provide the signal word/phrase in the sentence, you do not need to include it in the parenthetical citation.
These examples must correspond to an entry that begins with Burke, which will be the first thing that appears on the left-hand margin of an entry on the Works Cited page:
Burke, Kenneth. Language as Symbolic Action: Essays on Life, Literature, and Method . University of California Press, 1966.
In-text citations for print sources by a corporate author
When a source has a corporate author, it is acceptable to use the name of the corporation followed by the page number for the in-text citation. You should also use abbreviations (e.g., nat'l for national) where appropriate, so as to avoid interrupting the flow of reading with overly long parenthetical citations.
In-text citations for sources with non-standard labeling systems
If a source uses a labeling or numbering system other than page numbers, such as a script or poetry, precede the citation with said label. When citing a poem, for instance, the parenthetical would begin with the word “line”, and then the line number or range. For example, the examination of William Blake’s poem “The Tyger” would be cited as such:
The speaker makes an ardent call for the exploration of the connection between the violence of nature and the divinity of creation. “In what distant deeps or skies. / Burnt the fire of thine eyes," they ask in reference to the tiger as they attempt to reconcile their intimidation with their relationship to creationism (lines 5-6).
Longer labels, such as chapters (ch.) and scenes (sc.), should be abbreviated.
In-text citations for print sources with no known author
When a source has no known author, use a shortened title of the work instead of an author name, following these guidelines.
Place the title in quotation marks if it's a short work (such as an article) or italicize it if it's a longer work (e.g. plays, books, television shows, entire Web sites) and provide a page number if it is available.
Titles longer than a standard noun phrase should be shortened into a noun phrase by excluding articles. For example, To the Lighthouse would be shortened to Lighthouse .
If the title cannot be easily shortened into a noun phrase, the title should be cut after the first clause, phrase, or punctuation:
In this example, since the reader does not know the author of the article, an abbreviated title appears in the parenthetical citation, and the full title of the article appears first at the left-hand margin of its respective entry on the Works Cited page. Thus, the writer includes the title in quotation marks as the signal phrase in the parenthetical citation in order to lead the reader directly to the source on the Works Cited page. The Works Cited entry appears as follows:
"The Impact of Global Warming in North America." Global Warming: Early Signs . 1999. www.climatehotmap.org/. Accessed 23 Mar. 2009.
If the title of the work begins with a quotation mark, such as a title that refers to another work, that quote or quoted title can be used as the shortened title. The single quotation marks must be included in the parenthetical, rather than the double quotation.
Parenthetical citations and Works Cited pages, used in conjunction, allow readers to know which sources you consulted in writing your essay, so that they can either verify your interpretation of the sources or use them in their own scholarly work.
Author-page citation for classic and literary works with multiple editions
Page numbers are always required, but additional citation information can help literary scholars, who may have a different edition of a classic work, like Marx and Engels's The Communist Manifesto . In such cases, give the page number of your edition (making sure the edition is listed in your Works Cited page, of course) followed by a semicolon, and then the appropriate abbreviations for volume (vol.), book (bk.), part (pt.), chapter (ch.), section (sec.), or paragraph (par.). For example:
Author-page citation for works in an anthology, periodical, or collection
When you cite a work that appears inside a larger source (for instance, an article in a periodical or an essay in a collection), cite the author of the internal source (i.e., the article or essay). For example, to cite Albert Einstein's article "A Brief Outline of the Theory of Relativity," which was published in Nature in 1921, you might write something like this:
See also our page on documenting periodicals in the Works Cited .
Citing authors with same last names
Sometimes more information is necessary to identify the source from which a quotation is taken. For instance, if two or more authors have the same last name, provide both authors' first initials (or even the authors' full name if different authors share initials) in your citation. For example:
Citing a work by multiple authors
For a source with two authors, list the authors’ last names in the text or in the parenthetical citation:
Corresponding Works Cited entry:
Best, David, and Sharon Marcus. “Surface Reading: An Introduction.” Representations , vol. 108, no. 1, Fall 2009, pp. 1-21. JSTOR, doi:10.1525/rep.2009.108.1.1
For a source with three or more authors, list only the first author’s last name, and replace the additional names with et al.
Franck, Caroline, et al. “Agricultural Subsidies and the American Obesity Epidemic.” American Journal of Preventative Medicine , vol. 45, no. 3, Sept. 2013, pp. 327-333.
Citing multiple works by the same author
If you cite more than one work by an author, include a shortened title for the particular work from which you are quoting to distinguish it from the others. Put short titles of books in italics and short titles of articles in quotation marks.
Citing two articles by the same author :
Citing two books by the same author :
Additionally, if the author's name is not mentioned in the sentence, format your citation with the author's name followed by a comma, followed by a shortened title of the work, and, when appropriate, the page number(s):
Citing multivolume works
If you cite from different volumes of a multivolume work, always include the volume number followed by a colon. Put a space after the colon, then provide the page number(s). (If you only cite from one volume, provide only the page number in parentheses.)
Citing the Bible
In your first parenthetical citation, you want to make clear which Bible you're using (and underline or italicize the title), as each version varies in its translation, followed by book (do not italicize or underline), chapter, and verse. For example:
If future references employ the same edition of the Bible you’re using, list only the book, chapter, and verse in the parenthetical citation:
John of Patmos echoes this passage when describing his vision (Rev. 4.6-8).
Citing indirect sources
Sometimes you may have to use an indirect source. An indirect source is a source cited within another source. For such indirect quotations, use "qtd. in" to indicate the source you actually consulted. For example:
Note that, in most cases, a responsible researcher will attempt to find the original source, rather than citing an indirect source.
Citing transcripts, plays, or screenplays
Sources that take the form of a dialogue involving two or more participants have special guidelines for their quotation and citation. Each line of dialogue should begin with the speaker's name written in all capitals and indented half an inch. A period follows the name (e.g., JAMES.) . After the period, write the dialogue. Each successive line after the first should receive an additional indentation. When another person begins speaking, start a new line with that person's name indented only half an inch. Repeat this pattern each time the speaker changes. You can include stage directions in the quote if they appear in the original source.
Conclude with a parenthetical that explains where to find the excerpt in the source. Usually, the author and title of the source can be given in a signal phrase before quoting the excerpt, so the concluding parenthetical will often just contain location information like page numbers or act/scene indicators.
Here is an example from O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh.
WILLIE. (Pleadingly) Give me a drink, Rocky. Harry said it was all right. God, I need a drink.
ROCKY. Den grab it. It's right under your nose.
WILLIE. (Avidly) Thanks. (He takes the bottle with both twitching hands and tilts it to his lips and gulps down the whiskey in big swallows.) (1.1)
Citing non-print or sources from the Internet
With more and more scholarly work published on the Internet, you may have to cite sources you found in digital environments. While many sources on the Internet should not be used for scholarly work (reference the OWL's Evaluating Sources of Information resource), some Web sources are perfectly acceptable for research. When creating in-text citations for electronic, film, or Internet sources, remember that your citation must reference the source on your Works Cited page.
Sometimes writers are confused with how to craft parenthetical citations for electronic sources because of the absence of page numbers. However, these sorts of entries often do not require a page number in the parenthetical citation. For electronic and Internet sources, follow the following guidelines:
- Include in the text the first item that appears in the Work Cited entry that corresponds to the citation (e.g. author name, article name, website name, film name).
- Do not provide paragraph numbers or page numbers based on your Web browser’s print preview function.
- Unless you must list the Web site name in the signal phrase in order to get the reader to the appropriate entry, do not include URLs in-text. Only provide partial URLs such as when the name of the site includes, for example, a domain name, like CNN.com or Forbes.com, as opposed to writing out http://www.cnn.com or http://www.forbes.com.
Miscellaneous non-print sources
Two types of non-print sources you may encounter are films and lectures/presentations:
In the two examples above “Herzog” (a film’s director) and “Yates” (a presentor) lead the reader to the first item in each citation’s respective entry on the Works Cited page:
Herzog, Werner, dir. Fitzcarraldo . Perf. Klaus Kinski. Filmverlag der Autoren, 1982.
Yates, Jane. "Invention in Rhetoric and Composition." Gaps Addressed: Future Work in Rhetoric and Composition, CCCC, Palmer House Hilton, 2002. Address.
Electronic sources
Electronic sources may include web pages and online news or magazine articles:
In the first example (an online magazine article), the writer has chosen not to include the author name in-text; however, two entries from the same author appear in the Works Cited. Thus, the writer includes both the author’s last name and the article title in the parenthetical citation in order to lead the reader to the appropriate entry on the Works Cited page (see below).
In the second example (a web page), a parenthetical citation is not necessary because the page does not list an author, and the title of the article, “MLA Formatting and Style Guide,” is used as a signal phrase within the sentence. If the title of the article was not named in the sentence, an abbreviated version would appear in a parenthetical citation at the end of the sentence. Both corresponding Works Cited entries are as follows:
Taylor, Rumsey. "Fitzcarraldo." Slant , 13 Jun. 2003, www.slantmagazine.com/film/review/fitzcarraldo/. Accessed 29 Sep. 2009.
"MLA Formatting and Style Guide." The Purdue OWL , 2 Aug. 2016, owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/. Accessed 2 April 2018.
Multiple citations
To cite multiple sources in the same parenthetical reference, separate the citations by a semi-colon:
Time-based media sources
When creating in-text citations for media that has a runtime, such as a movie or podcast, include the range of hours, minutes and seconds you plan to reference. For example: (00:02:15-00:02:35).
When a citation is not needed
Common sense and ethics should determine your need for documenting sources. You do not need to give sources for familiar proverbs, well-known quotations, or common knowledge (For example, it is expected that U.S. citizens know that George Washington was the first President.). Remember that citing sources is a rhetorical task, and, as such, can vary based on your audience. If you’re writing for an expert audience of a scholarly journal, for example, you may need to deal with expectations of what constitutes “common knowledge” that differ from common norms.
Other Sources
The MLA Handbook describes how to cite many different kinds of authors and content creators. However, you may occasionally encounter a source or author category that the handbook does not describe, making the best way to proceed can be unclear.
In these cases, it's typically acceptable to apply the general principles of MLA citation to the new kind of source in a way that's consistent and sensible. A good way to do this is to simply use the standard MLA directions for a type of source that resembles the source you want to cite.
You may also want to investigate whether a third-party organization has provided directions for how to cite this kind of source. For example, Norquest College provides guidelines for citing Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers —an author category that does not appear in the MLA Handbook . In cases like this, however, it's a good idea to ask your instructor or supervisor whether using third-party citation guidelines might present problems.
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MLA Format | Complete Guidelines & Free Template
Published on December 11, 2019 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on June 16, 2022 by Jack Caulfield.
The MLA Handbook provides guidelines for creating MLA citations and formatting academic papers. This quick guide will help you set up your MLA format paper in no time.
Start by applying these MLA format guidelines to your document:
- Times New Roman 12
- 1″ page margins
- Double line spacing
- ½” indent for new paragraphs
- Title case capitalization for headings
Download Word template Open Google Docs template
(To use the Google Docs template, copy the file to your Drive by clicking on ‘file’ > ‘Make a copy’)
Table of contents
How to set up mla format in google docs, header and title, running head, works cited page, creating mla style citations, headings and subheadings, tables and figures, frequently asked questions about mla format.
The header in MLA format is left-aligned on the first page of your paper. It includes
- Your full name
- Your instructor’s or supervisor’s name
- The course name or number
- The due date of the assignment
After the MLA header, press ENTER once and type your paper title. Center the title and don’t forget to apply title-case capitalization. Read our article on writing strong titles that are informative, striking and appropriate.
For a paper with multiple authors, it’s better to use a separate title page instead.
At the top of every page, including the first page, you need to include your last name and the page number. This is called the “running head.” Follow these steps to set up the MLA running head in your Word or Google Docs document:
- Double-click at the top of a page
- Type your last name
- Insert automatic page numbering
- Align the content to the right
The running head should look like this:
The Works Cited list is included on a separate page at the end of your paper. You list all the sources you referenced in your paper in alphabetical order. Don’t include sources that weren’t cited in the paper, except potentially in an MLA annotated bibliography assignment.
Place the title “Works Cited” in the center at the top of the page. After the title, press ENTER once and insert your MLA references.
If a reference entry is longer than one line, each line after the first should be indented ½ inch (called a hanging indent ). All entries are double spaced, just like the rest of the text.
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Prefer to cite your sources manually? Use the interactive example below to see what the Works Cited entry and MLA in-text citation look like for different source types.
Headings and subheadings are not mandatory, but they can help you organize and structure your paper, especially in longer assignments.
MLA has only a few formatting requirements for headings. They should
- Be written in title case
- Be left-aligned
- Not end in a period
We recommend keeping the font and size the same as the body text and applying title case capitalization. In general, boldface indicates greater prominence, while italics are appropriate for subordinate headings.
Chapter Title
Section Heading
Tip: Both Google Docs and Microsoft Word allow you to create heading levels that help you to keep your headings consistent.
Tables and other illustrations (referred to as “figures”) should be placed as close to the relevant part of text as possible. MLA also provides guidelines for presenting them.
MLA format for tables
Tables are labeled and numbered, along with a descriptive title. The label and title are placed above the table on separate lines; the label and number appear in bold.
A caption providing information about the source appears below the table; you don’t need one if the table is your own work.
Below this, any explanatory notes appear, marked on the relevant part of the table with a superscript letter. The first line of each note is indented; your word processor should apply this formatting automatically.
Just like in the rest of the paper, the text is double spaced and you should use title case capitalization for the title (but not for the caption or notes).
MLA format for figures
Figures (any image included in your paper that isn’t a table) are also labeled and numbered, but here, this is integrated into the caption below the image. The caption in this case is also centered.
The label “Figure” is abbreviated to “Fig.” and followed by the figure number and a period. The rest of the caption gives either full source information, or (as in the example here) just basic descriptive information about the image (author, title, publication year).
Source information in table and figure captions
If the caption of your table or figure includes full source information and that source is not otherwise cited in the text, you don’t need to include it in your Works Cited list.
Give full source information in a caption in the same format as you would in the Works Cited list, but without inverting the author name (i.e. John Smith, not Smith, John).
MLA recommends using 12-point Times New Roman , since it’s easy to read and installed on every computer. Other standard fonts such as Arial or Georgia are also acceptable. If in doubt, check with your supervisor which font you should be using.
The main guidelines for formatting a paper in MLA style are as follows:
- Use an easily readable font like 12 pt Times New Roman
- Set 1 inch page margins
- Apply double line spacing
- Include a four-line MLA heading on the first page
- Center the paper’s title
- Indent every new paragraph ½ inch
- Use title case capitalization for headings
- Cite your sources with MLA in-text citations
- List all sources cited on a Works Cited page at the end
The fastest and most accurate way to create MLA citations is by using Scribbr’s MLA Citation Generator .
Search by book title, page URL, or journal DOI to automatically generate flawless citations, or cite manually using the simple citation forms.
The MLA Handbook is currently in its 9th edition , published in 2021.
This quick guide to MLA style explains the latest guidelines for citing sources and formatting papers according to MLA.
Usually, no title page is needed in an MLA paper . A header is generally included at the top of the first page instead. The exceptions are when:
- Your instructor requires one, or
- Your paper is a group project
In those cases, you should use a title page instead of a header, listing the same information but on a separate page.
Cite this Scribbr article
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
Streefkerk, R. (2022, June 16). MLA Format | Complete Guidelines & Free Template. Scribbr. Retrieved March 16, 2023, from https://www.scribbr.com/mla/formatting/
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Guides & resources, complete guide to mla format.
Everything you need to know about MLA format is in this guide. Brush up on MLA basics and break down citations for multiple source types each with a real-life citation example to help you learn.
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MLA Format Citation Full Guide
MLA is a common academic formatting style developed by the Modern Language Association. It is widely used in academic papers in humanities and as a guideline for referencing original sources. In this article, our essay writer service have prepared a complete guide to cite sources according to the MLA 8th edition.
Core Components
Depending on the type of the source, its specific characteristics (e.g. unknown author’s name), and other factors, citations in MLA style may differ by their form. Further into this MLA 8 citation guide, we are going to go over all the types of sources and cases, and provide clear examples of proper referencing. But first, let’s look at core elements that are typically included in every MLA style citation:
Author name(s). “Title of the Source”. Title of container, other contributors, version, numbers, publisher, publication date, location.
Now, let’s see the specific rules that apply to each of the core elements of an MLA citation.
Author’s Name
- Always put the surname first, then separate it by a comma and list the first name and any initials (for example, Black, Jacob K.)
- If the author is unknown, you can use the name of the organization responsible or start with the title of the source (for example, The Modern Language Association. “Works Cited: A Quick Guide”... or “Works Cited: A Quick Guide”...)
- When there are 2 authors, put the first author’s name in inverted form, and follow it with the other author’s name in regular form (for example, Black, Jacob K., and Chris Thorn)
- If there are 3 or more authors, put the first author’s name in inverted form and follow it with “et al” (for example, Black, Jacob K., et al)
- You are allowed to mention online usernames or pseudonyms instead of real names (for example, Pewresearch or Digiday)
- You can also include the names of translators or editors here, but their names should be followed by their relevant titles – “editor” or “translator” (for example, Black, Jacob K., editor or Thorn, Chris, translator)
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Title of the Source
- Put the title in quotation marks when the source is part of a short work (for example, a short article)
- Larger works such as books, television shows, and websites should be italicized
- If the source’s title is unknown, replace it in your citation with a brief description, without quotation marks and not italicized (for example, Website Home Page, Review Covering Multiple Books, etc.)
Title of Container
- Can include multiple container titles when necessary
Contributors
- Only list the most relevant contributors to your work
- Before the name of each contributor, specify his/her role (for example, produced by Jacob Black)
- Refers to a specific edition, version, or revision of the source
- This part of the citation should all be in lower case
- This element refers to sources that appear in a sequence, for example, TV seasons or episodes, issues, and volumes
- When there are multiple publishers, they all need to be listed in the citation and separated with a slash (/)
Example: Oxford University Press/Cambridge University Press
Publication date
- The information you provide here depends on the source’s type
- If there is more than one publication date (e.g. the source was numerously republished) you only need to cite the date of publication of the one you have used
- In certain cases, it is appropriate to cite a date range
Depending on the type of source, this element can stand for:
- Printed source – page number(s)
- Online source – URL
- DVD – disk number
- Object – place it is held
- Performance – city and/or venue
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MLA Referencing: In-Text Citations
An in-text citation refers to the use of a direct quote or a paraphrase of information taken from another source in the body of the text. In-text citations are used to add value to your work and support your ideas.
General rules for each MLA in-text citation:
- It should correspond to its relevant reference from the works cited page.
- Every citation should contain the author’s last name and the page (or range of pages) where the specific quote or information is found in the original source.
- The author’s name can either be a part of the sentence or included in parentheses directly after the quote.
- The page number or numbers should be included in parentheses after the quote, either alone or following the author’s last name.
Example of a citation where the author’s name is a part of the sentence: To portray the attitude towards women in the American society of the ’20s, Fitzgerald has his character Daisy say “And I hope she'll be a fool — that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool” (21).
Example of a citation that doesn’t mention the author’s name in the sentence: In the novel, we see a phrase that depicts the attitude towards women in the American society of the 20's “And I hope she'll be a fool — that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool” (Fitzgerald 21).
Now, let’s take a look at how an MLA in-text citation is formed in different cases:
More than One Author
When there are 2-3 authors, you can list all the names, followed by the page number in parentheses.
MLA in text citation example: “Everything goes away, Jack Sawyer, like the moon. Everything comes back, like the moon” (King, Steven, and Straub 78).
When there are more than 3 authors, only list the last name of the first one and type “et al.”
MLA in text citation example: “He’d thought about it, why mundane kids might come to the Academy. Mundanes would have to choose to give up their parents, their families, their former lives. Unless, of course, they already had no parents and no families” (Clare et al. 39).
If the author of the source is unknown, instead of stating his last name in parentheses after the quote: make the entire title italicized, put the article or webpage in quotation marks, or the shortened title within quotation marks.
Example: In the novel Diary of an Oxygen Thief, the feeling of deep satisfaction after an obviously wrong or immoral action is described with the quote: “It’s like when you hear serial killers say they feel no regret, no remorse for all the people they killed. I was like that. Loved it.” (5)
If you didn’t include the book’s name in the sentence:
Example: In the novel ( Diary of an Oxygen Thief 5 ).
Example: According to the “MLA Citation Guide” “…” (4) or: (“MLA Citation Guide” 4)
Authors With Multiple Cited Works
If you refer to multiple works of the same author, include the author’s name and a shortened title of the particular source, along with the page number.
Example: (Fitzgerald, I’d Die for You 35)
Authors With the Same Surname
In case you refer to several works whose authors have the same surnames, when making in-text citations, put an initial before the author’s last name.
Example: (B. MacDonald 17) and (J. MacDonald 56)
No Page Number
When you are making a citation and don’t know the exact page number, use other metrics such as chapters or paragraphs.
Example: (MacDonald, ch. 4).
When there are no numbered patterns at all, mention only the name of the author.
Citing a Quote or Parenthetical
In this scenario, type “qtd. in” before the author’s name.
Example: (qtd. in Fitzgerald 65)
Citing Audio-Visual Sources
When referring to audio-visual sources, instead of the page number, you need to indicate a time stamp in the following format – hh:mm:ss.
Example: (Mitchell 01:22:12)
How to Cite Different Source Types
While the MLA Works Cited page might have highly variable entries based on their source types, in-text citations mostly look similar. The biggest change applies when the author is not known, or if the cited source is not printed. Below is a comprehensive guide on how to cite sources in MLA based on their type.
How to Cite Books in MLA Format
General rules:
- Authors’ names — when there are 2 authors, only the first one’s name needs to be inverted. The next one should be introduced by the word “and” and be in standard form. When there are more than 3 authors, you only need to indicate the first one (last and then first name) and put “et al” after it.
- Title — all words (except for small words) should start with capitalized letters, and the whole title needs to be italicized.
- Title of containers, contributors, versions, and numbers are optional elements. This information should be provided if it is valuable and relevant to the reader.
The standard MLA book citation format is as follows:
Author’s last name, first name. Title . Title of container, Contributors, Version, Numbers, Publisher, Year of Publication.
Example: Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Scribner, 2004.
How to Cite Edited and Translated Books in MLA Format
If you refer to a book that was edited or translated, there are two ways to indicate this in your citation:
- List the translator or editor in the author’s name section and specify their role (e.g. “editor” or “translator”). Choose this method if your work focuses on translation or editing.
- Add the names of translators or editors in the contributors' section of the citation.
Here are two formats you can follow:
1.Last name, first name, translator/editor. Title . Title of container, Contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Year of publication.
Example: Clarke, Alan R, translator. The Alchemist. By Paulo Coelho, HarperCollins, 1993.
2.Last name, first name. Title . Title of container, edited/translated by Contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Year of publication.
Example: Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist. Translated by A. Clarke, HarperCollins, 1993.
How to Cite E-Books in MLA Format
To cite an e-book, you should use the standard format for book citations and specify the e-book identity in the version section. Follow this template:
Author’s last name, first name. Title . Title of container, Contributors, edition, e-book Number, Publisher, Year of Publication.
Example: Troy, Ben N., et al. A Guide to Citation. 2nd ed, e-book, New York Publishers, 2010.
How to Cite Articles in MLA Format
Use the following format to cite articles from different sources, including journals, magazines, and newspapers:
Name of Author(s). “Article Title”. Title of Container, contributors, version, numbers, date of publication, location, Title of database, DOI or URL
Things to keep in mind:
- Title — the title of the article is put in quotation marks and does not need to be italicized.
- Title of container – here, you need to provide the name of the source (e.g. newspaper, magazine, or journal) where the article was published. It has to be italicized.
- Version — this section refers to types within each section of the publication.
- Numbers — in this section, you need to specify the issue number (no.) or volume number (vo.).
- Date of publication — for newspapers and magazines, specify the day, month, and year (e.g. 9 December 2012). And for journals, mention only the season and year (e.g. June 2018).
- Location — this section is devoted to the article’s page number(s).
- Title of database, DOI or URL — only included for online articles.
Online Publication
Online example: Bradshaw, Peter. “Oscars 2020 predictions: who will win?”. The Guardian , 7 Feb 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/feb/07/oscars-2020-winners-losers-predictions-peter-bradshaw.
Journal example: Gringe, Lea. “Science Fiction Works for the Development of the Aerospace Sector.” The Popularisation of Space , vol. 41, Aug. 2017, pp. 42-47.
Magazine/Newspaper
Magazine/Newspaper example: Smith, John. “Obama inaugurated as President.” Time , 21 Jan. 2009: 21-23. Print.
How to Cite Non-Print Material
While most of your references will probably be printed sources like books, articles, and others, in some cases you may also need to cite alternative non-print materials. In this part of our guide, we will focus on the general rules of citing different non-print sources and will provide a clear MLA citation example for each.
Image in MLA Format
Standard structure: Author’s last name, other names. “Title of Image”. Website Title , contributors, reproduction, number, date, URL.
Example: Gilpin, Laura. “Terraced Houses, Acoma Pueblo, New Mexico.” Library of Congress , Reproduction no. LC-USZ62-102170, 1939, https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/90716883/.
Film in MLA Format
Standard structure: Director’s name, director. “Title of film”. Contributors, Distributor , year of release. Medium
Please note: although this standard structure typically works, in some cases you may swap the title and name of the director in the case that your work focuses more on the film rather than on its director: “Title of film”. Directed by director name, contributors, Distributor , year of release. Medium
Also, note that mentioning the medium is not required in MLA 8, but you are allowed to mention it since it is useful information for the reader. If the film is taken from the Web, replace the medium with its relevant URL.
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Example: Hitchcock, Alfred, director. “Psycho”. Performances by Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh, Paramount Pictures , 1960, DVD
TV Series in MLA Format
Standard structure: “Episode Title”. Program Title , created by Name, contributors, season number, episode number. Network, Year of Publication.
Example: “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.” Game of Thrones , written by Bryan Cogman, directed by David Nutter, season 8, episode 2, HBO, 2019
Music in MLA Format
Standard structure: Author’s name(s). “Title of the Track”. Title of the Album , other contributors, version, Record Label, Year of Publication
Example: Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. “Shallow.” A Star Is Born , Interscope, 2018.
How to Cite a Web Page in MLA Format
Standard structure: Author’s last name, first name or organization title. “Title of page/document”. Title of overall webpage , date, URL.
Example: Woodford, Kate. “Outlooks and Forecasts (The Language of Predictions)”. A Blog from Cambridge Dictionary , 5 Feb 2020, https://dictionaryblog.cambridge.org/2020/02/05/outlooks-and-forecasts-the-language-of-predictions/.
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MLA Citations Worksheets
Related ela standard: l.9-10.3.a.
When we produce an informative or informational piece, we will often use the work of others to either identify facts that have been proven or just give credit where credit is due. When we use the work of others we need to cite where that source came from. The Modern Language Association (MLA) has created what is considered the standard format for reporting these sources. A standard needed to be established because it helps all the readers quickly identify how they can find and use that source, if needed. This format provides a level of consistency when used in the same subject area. Most disciplines have agreed upon a standard to best reference materials and resources that are used. This is just one of the more popular and widely used forms of citations. These worksheets will help students become familiar with putting together their own and understanding MLA citations.
MLA Citation Worksheets To Print:
MLA In-Text Citations - Circle the letter of the bibliographic citation that is written in correct style. There are two to choose from.
Citing Books with MLA - Practice writing this format correctly by filling out the worksheet below using books of your choice. Then, on the lines below each entry, write the citation.
MLA: Anthologies and Encyclopedias - Practice writing MLA citations correctly by completing the worksheet with the help of your trust reference source.
Match the Citations - Read each bibliographic citation. If it is written in correct style, write "correct" on the line. If it is incorrect, write an X on the line.
Correcting MLA Citations - Read each citation. Is it in the correct style? Find the error. Then rewrite the citation correctly.
MLA: Citing Sources from the Web - Practice writing MLA citations correctly by filling out the worksheet below using web sources of your choice.
MLA: Citing Print Periodicals - Study the example. Then, on the lines below it, write three different citations.
MLA: Citing From the Web - Underline the piece of information that is in the wrong place. Then rewrite the citation correctly.
MLA Citations: True or False - Read each statement. Write TRUE or FALSE on the line to indicate the nature of the statement.
Works with Multiple Authors - Read each bibliographic citation. If it is written in correct style, put a ? next to the citation. If it is incorrect, put an X next to the citation.
Create a Works Cited Page - Create entries for an MLA Works Cited page using the source information provided. You will need to do this with endless research papers.
More Practice For You - Circle the letter of the bibliographic citation that is written in correct style.
An In Text Citation Worksheet - Rewrite each in-text citation as indicated.
In The Thick Of It - There is a bit of a mess here for you to clean up.
Rewrites - Circle that all for yourself. Then bring it back.
What are MLA Citations?
Citations are an integral part of any written paper especially if it is research-based and incorporates ideas other than the author's original ideas. Adding citations for a work you have copied or reproduced from someone else's publication is an ethical and moral responsibility of every writer otherwise whatever they have written, will be considered as theft of someone's intellectual property. There are innumerable ways to cite a specific publication many of the citation styles are considered the standard.
However, MLA citations are the most commonly practiced citation patterns and knowhow of these is important for a student's better writing skills development for the future.
Here are some of the common aspects of MLA citation one must know about:
What Can We Cite Using MLA?
You can use this specific citation pattern to add almost all of the written or informational material that you are using in your research work in one way or the other. MLA pattern of citations can be used to cite a book, a published research paper, a magazine article, any report by a reputed and credible institute, a website's publication, newspaper articles and reports, a video, a social media post, a speech in a recording, etc.
How to Properly Format an MLA Citation?
There are a variety of ways to cite anything using the MLA style and the proper format depends upon the amount of information available and the item being cited. However, to cite using MLA, one must know the name of the author or the owner of the publication being used, the year of the publication's release, the title of that publication, the URL from where it can be accessed by anyone, and in some case the name of the publishers, the edition, the volume number, and the page number where the information being used is present.
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There are two types of MLA format citations: in-text citations and full citations. Full Citation Basics: All sources used for a project are found on the MLA format "Works Cited" page, which is generally the last portion of a project. MLA citing format often includes the following pieces of information, in this order: Author's Last name, First name.
The MLA citation has 9 core elements. They are as follows: Author Title of the source Title of the container Other contributors Version Number Publisher Publication date Location Let's discuss each in further detail below. Author Every MLA citation begins with the author/creator's name.
These are the general pieces of information that MLA suggests including in each Works Cited entry. In your citation, the elements should be listed in the following order: Author. Title of source. Title of container, Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, Location.
Complete citations are found on what MLA calls a works-cited list, which is sometimes called an MLA bibliography. All sources that were used to develop a research project are found on the works-cited list. Complete citations are also created for any quotes or paraphrased information used in the text.
MLA works cited format MLA citation format(for in-depth citation rules visit this MLA citation guideor MLA in-text citation guide) Edits & proofreading If you need more guidance, a website like EasyBib.com usually has guides and tools to help you out.
MLA Format: Everything You Need to Know and More Filled with a wide variety of examples and visuals, our Citation Machine® MLA guide will help you master the citation process. Learn how to cite websites, books, journal articles, magazines, newspapers, films, social media, and more!
It's super easy to create MLA style citations with our MLA Citation Generator. Scroll back up to the generator at the top of the page and select the type of source you're citing. Books, journal articles, and webpages are all examples of the types of sources our generator can cite automatically.
MLA Format Guide This is the total package when it comes to MLA format. Our easy to read guides come complete with examples and step-by-step instructions to format your full and in-text citations, paper, and works cited in MLA style. There's even information on annotated bibliographies.
MLA in-text citations are brief references that direct your reader to the full source entry. You include them every time you quote, block quote, paraphrase or summarize a source. The in-text citation must match the first word of the Works Cited entry—usually the author's last name.
The MLA format is generally simpler than other referencing styles as it was developed to emphasize brevity and clarity. The style uses a straightforward two-part documentation system for citing sources: parenthetical citations in the author-page format that are keyed to an alphabetically ordered works cited page.
In-text citations: Author-page style. MLA format follows the author-page method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the page number (s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken must appear in the text, and a complete reference should appear on your Works Cited page. The author's name may appear either in the ...
Scribbr's free MLA Citation Generator can help you cite your sources in MLA Style. All you need is the website URL, book ISBN, or journal article DOI, and the citation generator does the rest. Generate accurate MLA citations with Scribbr Webpage Book Video Journal article Online news article Cite
Everything you need to know about MLA format is in this guide. Brush up on MLA basics and break down citations for multiple source types each with a real-life citation example to help you learn. ... Review the fundamentals of APA format and learn to cite several different source types using our detailed citation examples. Practical guide to ...
How to Cite E-Books in MLA Format. To cite an e-book, you should use the standard format for book citations and specify the e-book identity in the version section. Follow this template: Author's last name, first name. Title. Title of container, Contributors, edition, e-book Number, Publisher, Year of Publication. Example: Troy, Ben N., et al.
MLA Citation Worksheets To Print: MLA In-Text Citations - Circle the letter of the bibliographic citation that is written in correct style. There are two to choose from. Citing Books with MLA - Practice writing this format correctly by filling out the worksheet below using books of your choice. Then, on the lines below each entry, write the ...