MLA Works Cited
A complete list of sources referenced in a paper, presented at the end of the document. Each entry provides detailed publication information so readers can locate the original source.
Explore MLA Works Cited entries →
MLA Citation (9th Edition)
Generate MLA citations and learn the rules of MLA 9th edition.
Journal article
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What is MLA citation style?
MLA citation style is a standardized system for acknowledging sources in academic writing, developed by the Modern Language Association. It is primarily used in literature, language studies, and other humanities disciplines.
MLA citations focus on clearly identifying authors and page numbers within the text, while providing full source details in a Works Cited list at the end of a paper.
MLA citations consist of two main parts
MLA In-text Citations
Brief references placed within the text that point readers to the corresponding Works Cited entry. MLA in-text citations typically include the author’s name and relevant page number.
Explore MLA in-text citations →MLA Works Cited entries
MLA Works Cited entries provide full publication details for all sources cited in a paper. The Works Cited list appears at the end of the document and allows readers to locate each source referenced in the text.
In MLA 9th edition, Works Cited entries are built from a set of core elements. The required elements and their order may vary depending on the type of source.
Common MLA Works Cited formats
While MLA citation follows a consistent structure, formatting details differ by source type. Books, websites, and journal articles each require specific elements.
MLA Book Citation
Used for print books and ebooks, including authored books, edited collections, and chapters within edited volumes.
Typical elements include the author, book title, publisher, and publication year.
View an example of this format in use:
MLA Website Citation
Used for webpages and online articles published on websites, including organizational pages and blog posts.
Common elements may include the author or organization, page title, website name, publication date, and URL.
View an example of this format in use:
MLA Journal Citation
Used for scholarly articles published in academic journals and periodicals.
Journal article entries typically include the article title, journal title, volume and issue information, page range, and DOI or stable URL.
View an example of this format in use:
MLA in-text citations
MLA in-text citations appear within the body of a paper to credit the source of an idea, paraphrase, or quotation.
In MLA 9th edition, most in-text citations use the author and page number format, helping readers connect citations in the text to the corresponding entry in the Works Cited list.
Two ways to write MLA in-text citations
Parenthetical citation
Parenthetical citation places the author and page number in parentheses, usually at the end of a sentence.
(Taylor 42)
Narrative citation
Narrative citation integrates the author’s name into the sentence, with the page number shown in parentheses.
Taylor (42)
Common author scenarios
One author
For a work by one author, include the author’s last name and the relevant page number.
(Taylor 42)
Two authors
For two authors, include both last names. Use “and” between names.
(Taylor and Nguyen 42)
Three or more authors
For works with three or more authors, include the first author’s last name followed by “et al.” and the page number.
(Taylor et al. 42)
For detailed rules and examples, see MLA in-text citation with multiple authors .
No author
When no author is listed, use a shortened title in quotation marks and the page number.
("Climate Trends" 42)
Tip: Every MLA in-text citation should match a full entry in the Works Cited list.
Common MLA citation mistakes
MLA citation errors often come from small formatting details that are easy to overlook. Use the checks below to review both your in-text citations and your Works Cited entries before you submit.
In-text citations and Works Cited entries do not match
Applies to: In-text citations & Works Cited
In MLA style, every in-text citation must correspond to a Works Cited entry, and every Works Cited entry must be cited in the text.
How to check: Review your Works Cited list one entry at a time and confirm each source appears at least once in the text. Then scan your paper for in-text citations and confirm each one points to a matching Works Cited entry.
Missing page numbers in in-text citations
Applies to: In-text citations
MLA in-text citations usually require a page number. Omitting the page number is a common error, especially when citing print sources.
How to check: Review each in-text citation and confirm a page number is included whenever the source provides one. For sources without page numbers, confirm the citation still clearly identifies the source.
Using the publication year in MLA in-text citations
Applies to: In-text citations
MLA does not use the author and year format. Including a publication year in an MLA in-text citation reflects APA style, not MLA.
How to check: Scan your in-text citations for years in parentheses. If a year appears, remove it and use the author name and page number instead.
Incorrect use of “et al.”
Applies to: In-text citations
A common MLA error is listing all authors in some citations and using “et al.” in others for the same source.
How to check: For works with three or more authors, confirm that every in-text citation uses the first author’s last name followed by “et al.” consistently throughout the paper.
Putting a URL or full webpage title inside an in-text citation
Applies to: In-text citations
MLA in-text citations should be brief. URLs and full webpage titles do not belong in the text. When there is no author, use a shortened title instead.
How to check: Search your document for URLs inside parentheses. Replace any URLs with the author name or a shortened title and include a page number when available.
Incorrect title formatting in Works Cited entries
Applies to: Works Cited
MLA uses different formatting for titles depending on the source. Article and webpage titles use quotation marks, while book and journal titles use italics.
How to check: Review each Works Cited entry and confirm titles are formatted correctly based on the type of source. Do not italicize article or webpage titles.
Incorrect capitalization in titles
Applies to: Works Cited
MLA titles use title case. Using sentence case is a common mistake influenced by APA formatting.
How to check: Confirm that major words in titles are capitalized, including nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Do not capitalize articles, prepositions, or conjunctions unless they appear at the beginning of the title.
Missing or incorrect container information
Applies to: Works Cited
MLA citations rely on containers such as websites, journals, and edited collections. Omitting container details makes the source difficult to identify.
How to check: Review each Works Cited entry and confirm the container name appears after the title of the source and is formatted correctly.
Inconsistent author name formatting
Applies to: Works Cited
MLA Works Cited entries list authors as last name, first name. Mixing full first names with initials creates inconsistent formatting.
How to check: Confirm that every author name in the Works Cited list follows the same format and does not switch between initials and full names.
Including access dates when they are not needed
Applies to: Works Cited
MLA does not require access dates for most sources. Including them unnecessarily can clutter an entry without adding value.
How to check: Add an access date only when the content is likely to change or when no publication date is available.
Tip: Use this section as a final review. If a citation looks unusual, verify the source details before you submit your work.
MLA 9th Edition Citation Rules
A concise overview of essential MLA 9th edition citation rules for in-text citations and Works Cited entries.
Author rules
- For a work by one author, include the author’s last name and the relevant page number.
- For two authors, include both last names joined by and.
- For works with three or more authors, use the first author’s last name followed by et al..
- When no author is listed, use a shortened title in quotation marks.
Page number rules
- MLA in-text citations usually include a page number when one is available.
- Do not include p. or pp. in in-text citations.
- If a source has no page numbers, omit the page number and ensure the citation still clearly identifies the source.
Title formatting rules
- Article and webpage titles use quotation marks.
- Book, journal, and website titles use italics.
- Titles use title case, capitalizing major words.
Container rules
- Many MLA citations include one or more containers, such as a website or journal.
- The container name follows the title of the source and is formatted appropriately.
- Container details may include volume, issue, publisher, date, and location, depending on the source.
URL and access date rules
- Include a URL for online sources when available.
- MLA does not require access dates for most sources.
- Add an access date only when content is likely to change or when no publication date is provided.
Works Cited formatting rules
- Arrange Works Cited entries alphabetically by the first author’s last name.
- Format author names as last name, first name.
- Use a hanging indent for each Works Cited entry.
Use this section as a quick check. If a citation does not follow one of the rules above, review the full Works Cited entry or consult the detailed MLA guidelines.
MLA Citation Examples
Common MLA in-text and Works Cited examples for quick comparison and verification.
MLA In-text Citation Examples
One author
Parenthetical citation
(Taylor 42)
Narrative citation
Taylor (42)
Two authors
Parenthetical citation
(Taylor and Nguyen 42)
Narrative citation
Taylor and Nguyen (42)
Three or more authors
Parenthetical citation
(Taylor et al. 42)
Narrative citation
Taylor et al. (42)
No author
Parenthetical citation
("Climate Trends" 42)
MLA Works Cited Examples
Book
Taylor, James A. Understanding Climate Change. Greenfield Press, 2020.
Journal article
Ryczkowski, Jan. “Selective Catalysis in Environmental Systems.” Applied Catalysis A: General, vol. 106, no. 1, 1993, pp. N3–N4. https://doi.org/10.1016/0926-860x(93)80167-o
Website
World Health Organization. “Climate Change.” World Health Organization, 12 Oct. 2023, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/climate-change-and-health.
When Should You Use an MLA Citation Generator
MLA citations often require judgment calls about authorship, titles, containers, and page numbers. Using an MLA citation generator can help reduce errors caused by incorrect interpretation of these elements.
Why MLA citations are easy to misinterpret in practice
Under the MLA 9th edition guidelines published by the Modern Language Association, MLA citation follows a flexible, element based structure rather than a single fixed template.
Correct formatting depends on identifying which elements apply to a source and how they relate to each other.
In real world sources, the following situations are common:
- Unclear or missing author information
- Sources without page numbers
- Web content with ambiguous titles and containers
- Sources that combine multiple formats, such as articles hosted on websites
These situations often require interpretation rather than memorization of rules, which increases the likelihood of inconsistent or incorrect citations.
Scenarios where MLA citations commonly go wrong
MLA citation errors frequently occur in the following cases:
- Choosing the wrong title format, quotation marks versus italics
- Misidentifying the container for a source
- Including page numbers where none exist, or omitting them when required
- Applying APA style conventions, such as publication years, to MLA citations
In these cases, the issue is not lack of effort, but uncertainty about how MLA elements should be applied.
When using an MLA citation generator is the safer choice
Using an MLA citation generator is recommended when:
- Source information is incomplete or ambiguous
- It is unclear how many containers a source requires
- You are unsure whether a page number should be included
- Consistency across multiple citations is important
In these situations, an automated tool helps apply MLA rules consistently without relying on guesswork.
How YesCite handles MLA citation data
YesCite follows a strict data integrity approach when generating MLA citations:
Source elements are preserved as provided, not inferred or artificially completed.
When citation data is incomplete or unclear, YesCite will:
- Maintain the original structure of the source
- Clearly indicate missing or unavailable elements
- Generate citations using only verified information under MLA 9th edition rules
This approach helps prevent citations that appear correct in format but misrepresent the original source.
When manual MLA citation may still be appropriate
Manual MLA citation can be reasonable when the source is straightforward, the format is familiar, and all required information is clearly available.
An MLA citation generator does not replace understanding MLA principles. Its value lies in reducing interpretation errors when sources do not fit neatly into a single category.
Related MLA Guides
In-text citation scenarios
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