mla citation alphabetical order generator

Alphabetizer: Online Alphabetical Order Sorter for Reference Lists

Do you need a list alphabetizer? We know that students often write their papers in a hurry when every minute counts. So, we offer you this free alphabetical order generator! It is a great tool to sort alphabetically your References, Works Cited Page, and Bibliography. Apply any format you need, be it A to Z, Z to A, or by the last names of authors.

How Our List Alphabetizer Works?

Improving an essay has never been so easy with our list alphabetizer organizer! First of all, you don't need to create an account. So, you can be our guest. The algorithm we've written is user-friendly because your comfort is our top priority. With an ABC order tool, you may sort list alphabetically completely automatically. Just put your numbers in order. We can offer many options. Now, let's look at how our alphabetical name sorter works.

You may copy and paste your text into a particular alphabetical list organizer field. It will take a few seconds!

Define how to sort and what formatting to use for the results. Manage other fields to alphabetize a list online.

After you click the alphabetize button, our software will put the words in alphabetical order. Just copy them.

Sort Alphabetically Online and Enjoy Various Benefits

How often were you trying to make an order in your paper? Were you spending a lot of time doing this on your own? Try to sort list online using the latest advanced technology. We are sure when you sort alphabetically online, you will be definitely satisfied with the results. Here are some benefits of using our tool.

We created a free online alphabetizer accessible to everyone. All you need for instant results — open the StudyCrumb website and start working.

Our alphabetical order tool provides the best quality! You will receive an accurate and ready-to-use list for your paper in a few seconds.

Auto alphabetize a list of references or works cited. Be sure we will save the formatting and citation guideline rules you applied.

StudyCrumb's alphabet sorter is an automated solution. We do not collect or share any personal data. No one will find that you used it.

Need Expert Help?

Looking for something more than a source alphabetizer online? We have an extensive database of academic experts who provide top-quality writing and editing services. Just choose the type of assistance you need, and we will handle the rest.

Backed by qualified writers, we deliver unique academic papers tailored to clients' specific needs. Have an expert create a customized paper and format the references from the ground up.

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Who Can Use an Alphabetical Order Generator?

An alphabetical order word organizer can be used by anyone who works with text — whether you write papers, articles, or research. Let’s see who uses our tool for creating a list in alphabetical order most frequently.

Academic writing style requires you to provide references from A to Z in order. It can be challenging doing this if you combine sources from various resources. Alphabetize works cited generator is the best solution! Use APA reference alphabetical order generator to ensure the quality of citations.

Our ABC order sorter provides vast support for academics or scientists who work with massive databases. They usually need to create a reference list for each paper and article. The alphabetical order list maker will manage this task successfully!

Spend less time making list orders, references, and orders for tables and graphs. Use our instrument and get instant results quickly in a few seconds. Another group of professionals who often alphabetize sources is researchers.

It does not matter what type of text you are working with. Our tool can help make this work more accessible. For example, you can ​​put names in alphabetical order, organize lists in essays, and ensure that it was done correctly.

You have a list of words to put in alphabetical order or check if the writer did it right. Our tool is the most effective for such tasks. Do not rely on your manual work. Trust new technological solutions. We will become your best helper.

Universal ABC Order Generator: 1 Alphabetical Sorter – Many Options

An automatic alphabetizer sorter is one of the frequently used academic tools that help save time. Improve your paper quality and create accurate lists for various assignments. It covers different aspects of any writing work. So, make your academic journey more accessible. You can specify the data you need to remove and choose the appropriate result format. Create various types of sorting — from ABC to XYZ or randomize your list with an online ABC order machine. Use our ABC order word sorter to ensure the quality of the final work version.

Put Words in Alphabetical Order

Our word alphabetizer is the best tool for editing text or managing any type of data you need to systemize. To put these words in alphabetical order just make some simple steps. Copy and insert them into the specific field, choose the settings you need and get results. We developed advanced settings to ensure our clients get the best and the most accurate results. Use this tool for improving your assignments, checking lists, and systemizing references in your academic paper.

Organize Names in Alphabetical Order

For creating a list of names in alphabetical order select your text and copy it to our tool. You may have a random list of people you need to systematize. It can be easy if you have only three-five names on this list. But what if you have 100+? How to deal with this case? Need to systematize names, save the suitable citation format, add numbers or capitalize names? We created ​​an alphabetical order generator for names specifically for such cases!

Alphabetize Works Cited List

Every student and academic researcher knows how long it can take to manage cited works. And you shouldn’t lose any specific details from a defined citation style. Our works cited alphabetizer for words is the best solution for academic writers. You may work with APA or MLA style and care about all formatting rules to follow. We created works cited page alphabetical order tool to ensure accuracy with your text. You can remove duplicates, brackets, or punctuation. Manage your list in advance.

Alphabetize List of References

References are the next part of your work that will be checked by your professor. So, you should put list in alphabetical order correctly. Imagine you spent days on the paper and did not get an A because of mistakes in the reference list. That’s why you need to run our tool. At the same time, check on duplicates and, if necessary, remove some common mistakes. Try references in alphabetical order arranger and see how easy your work can be.

Alphabetize Bibliography in ABC Order

Bibliography alphabetical order is required for application to fellowship or PhD degree. To do it right, trust StudyCrumb! We work with numerous academic tools and offer professional writing help. We created a bibliography alphabetical order sorter for anyone who struggles with academic assignments or works with texts. Use our tool even before launching research or as a part of your student paper. It will be a million times you will need to put bibliography in alphabetical order, clean the data, manage some links, or add additional information.

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Free Alphabetizer Tool: Put in Alphabetical Order With Ease!

Our text alphabetizer program is based on AI and machine learning algorithms. It ensures the quality of systemizing lists, accuracy, and the possibility of improving the tool. Use it as a last name alphabetizer machine if you have a random list of managed names. You may think that putting words in alphabetical order online is not a big deal. But imagine that the program lost one item in the list, changed formatting, or mixed first and last names. For example, a reference list alphabetizer online for citations is critical for the best university grade or to submit an article for an academic journal. Have 100+ references for paper — put this in alphabetical order first. Delete duplicates and edit them with our tool. Be sure that your work will be appropriately evaluated. We created a tool to put a list in alphabetical order maker. We all were students and some of us work in academia. So, we all want to make education more accessible for everyone.

Why You May Need an Alphabetical Word Sorter?

With a word sorter alphabetical tool from StudyCrumb, your study can become a real joy! It is a simple and intuitive instrument. Use it to make the process of writing an essay a bit easier. When creating a bibliography section, one needs to put words into alphabetical order. That's just a fact that is plain and simple. Our sorting algorithm is quick and efficient just like essay writing help by StudyCrumb. You can have an indefinite number of words and points organized within seconds.  Why our clients use ABC word sorter:

• Create a list words in alphabetical order very fast. It will take a few seconds!
• Save time — trust tech solutions to ​​alphabetize words. There is no need to do it manually.
• Ensure accuracy of final references, check duplicates and add or delete some information.
• Manage a massive amount of data. For sorting and editing a list with 100 or more items, use an alphabetical word organizer by StudyCrumb.
• Improve paper or article with automated tools if you have a detailed list of various points.
• Check someone's/other students’ work and have a time limit.
• Can not focus on a task for a long time but needs to systemize a long list of items.
• Automate and store lists for research or tables before running analytical tools.

Intuitive Auto Alphabetizer App for Everyone

Why do millions of students, academics, and writers worldwide choose our alphabetize app daily? The reason is the simplicity and user-friendly interface we offer. Need a citation alphabetizer list? Just copy and paste your text, manage settings and generate the text. What can be easier to use? We added some settings to our bibliography alphabetizer you may need. For example, choose what removal data should be. It can be HTML formatting in case you need clean text. You may remove duplicates or brackets, add numbers or capitalize some words. We have an ongoing dialogue with our clients and improve the tool based on requests.  StudyCrumb is a leader in providing academic tools like text editors, uppercase to lowercase tool, citation makers, word counter , and other essential things for academia. It is famous as our instrument offers many additional options for students simplifying the whole research process. We know what our clients want, as we also have educational and academic backgrounds. It helped create the alphabetizer generator for any type of complicated tasks and assignments. Try it! Get your custom-sorted list now!

Alphabetical Order Organizer for Lists

Our alphabetical organizer generator can create various lists for any situation or case. It covers different students' assignments and helps with writing applications. For example, the bibliography alphabetical organizer free tool became considerable support in case you apply for a fellowship or research project. Save time and get an organized list of references in a few seconds or hire an annotated bibliography writer .  The alphabetical citation organizer we developed helps make an order in research papers, articles, and essays. Imagine you have hundreds of names as well as citations and need to manage them properly. How to do it manually? It will take a long time. But we know how to accelerate this work. Try our tool for an alphabetical order list. Why is it an effective software solution? It can sort your lists, references, and bibliography items in ABC or XYZ order. It can provide a random list if you run giveaways for social media or need to generate random lists for research. Moreover, our alphabetical list maker can sort lists by the second name even if you have the first name in the list. We are 100% sure that our tool can be the perfect solution for complicated tasks. It is free, easy, and safe!

How to Alphabetize My List With Alphabetical Order Sorter for Papers?

“Alphabetize for me the list of items — first and second names.” This is the most common request we receive from our clients. What can we do to meet their expectations? Let's look at how algorithms for alphabetical paper sorter work and how to get instant results in a moment! We can introduce one of the most professional tools for alphabetical order lists creation.  First, enter your text into the first field. This is a list of items without order or editing. Then figure out what setting you need for the best results. Choose how to sort your list — run ABC sorter or choose XYZ order. You may choose to randomize this list or sort by the last name or buy term paper at StudyCrumb. Our online alphabetical sorter for papers is effective for any type of list you're working with. Try our coursework writing service or see how our tool sorts names, items, or reference lists! The next step is to choose how to format the list — with blank space, commas, semicolons, or a new line. You can add numbers or roman numerals, minor or capital letters to your list. Also, you will need to define how your original list was formatted. The last setting is the possibility to remove something from your list. For example, duplicates, punctuation, bracket, or HTML formatting.

Alphabetize Generator: Why StudyCrumb's Alphabetical Arranger?

An alphabetize online tool from StudyCrumb has many options here to choose from. This is why it's so popular among students. Using such an alphabetizing generator will save you more time to focus on the main task like proving your point of view in an essay or researching a paper. If you strive for sublime result, buy a research paper online . Get your custom-sorted list now! Our tool is available for everyone and free to use.  Why choose an AI-programmed tool to arrange in alphabetical order any list?

• Save your time Our software will put these in alphabetical order on any list. You don't need to do it manually.
• Ensure clarity The tool will put citations in alphabetical order. It will help make your paper more substantial and valuable.
• Complete complicated orders We added advanced settings to make your list management more accurate.

We have a solid reputation to provide advanced tools for academics and students. We are pro-team in all academic topics. It helped us create the most popular instruments for students and teachers. Our service also focuses on custom help with your assignments.  How to alphabetize a bibliography? How to manage a reference list? How to improve the text? All answers are on the StudyCrumb website.

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FAQ About Our Alphabetical Order Calculator

If you are looking for how to put works cited in alphabetical order, check our FAQ section first. We tried to cover the most critical students' questions.

1. How to put citations in alphabetical order?

To alphabetize citations lists you need our tool. This is the best way to ensure the quality and accuracy of your work. Our alphabetical order machine is simple and you can access it from any place 24/7. Insert your list, manage settings — choose what you need and click the generate button. You will have your alphabetical order citations in a few seconds. All you need to do is to copy it and paste it into your paper.

2. Do I need to register to use Work Cited alphabetical order sorter?

Using the work cited alphabetical order generator, you don't need to register or share any personal data with us. For example, to use an alphabetical order sorter for bibliography, open the website, insert your list of references, manage some settings, and click generate. We ensure the safety of your search. This tool is free and will be accessible in the future.

3. Can I put my name in alphabetical order using alphabetical list maker?

Yes, you can use an alphabetical name organizer to manage a list of names. It is easy to understand and apply to any type of name list. You can choose how to sort your list in settings. Moreover, even if you have first and second names, you can sort the list by each index.

4. Is this alphabetize tool unlimited?

Our automatic alphabetical order word organizer tool can be used as many times as needed. There are no limitations. We understand that you may have several lists in your paper — our tool is free to use unlimited times. Do not waste your time sorting the list manually. Our agency can do it in seconds.

Other Tools You May Like

StudyCrumb offers you more than just an alphabetizer. We’ve designed a whole bundle of free writing tools that can improve your academic experience. Check them out below!

• Alphabetize ABC
• Alphabetize XYZ
• Alphabetize by Last Name
• Blank Space
• Custom separator

• Untitled Bibliography current
• Create new list

Bibcitation is a free citation generator that creates bibliographies, references and works cited. Automatically generate MLA, APA, Chicago and other citations and create an accurate bibliography in one click.

No citations yet

Our Complete Guide to Citing in MLA 9 Format

In academia, citations help you avoid plagiarism and demonstrate your credibility as a researcher. The MLA format is widely used for this purpose, particularly for writing papers in literature and humanities.

Our comprehensive MLA guide will walk you through the process of citing various types of sources in MLA, as well as formatting your Works Cited list. With plenty of specific examples and step-by-step instructions, you'll be able to master the art of MLA citation in no time.

Get ready to master the art of MLA citations!

Discover More Bibcitation Guides

Mla format overview.

The Modern Language Association (MLA) citation format is a widely used citation style for academic papers in the humanities and liberal arts. Designed to provide a clear and consistent method of citing sources, the MLA format helps writers avoid plagiarism and give proper credit to their sources. This citation style uses two main components: in-text citations and the Works Cited page.

In-text citations appear within the body of the paper, providing a brief reference to the source, usually including the author's last name and the page number where the information was found. In-text citations correspond to the full citation found on the Works Cited page, which is organized alphabetically by the author's last name.

The Works Cited page in the MLA citation format provides a comprehensive list of all sources used in the paper, offering detailed information about each source to help readers locate them. The format varies slightly based on the type of source, such as a book, journal article, or website. The MLA citation style prioritizes clarity and simplicity, making it easy for both writers and readers to understand and navigate the sources used in a paper.

Insert MLA In-text Citations

In the MLA citation format, in-text citations are brief references within the body of a paper that guide readers to the full citation in the Works Cited page. They typically include the author's last name and the page number where the information was found. Here you can find detailed examples of in-text citations in the MLA format:

Basic in-text citation: The most common in-text citation includes the author's last name and the page number(s) in parentheses, placed at the end of the sentence before the period. For example: (Smith 42) .

Multiple authors: If a source has two authors, include both last names in the citation, separated by "and." For example: (Smith and Johnson 58) . If a source has three or more authors, include the first author's last name followed by "et al." For example: (Smith et al. 22) .

Multiple works by the same author: If citing multiple works by the same author, include a shortened version of the title to differentiate between the sources. For example: (Smith, "A Journey into the Universe" 12) and (Queen, Rose Water 35) .

No author: If the source has no author, use a shortened version of the title in quotation marks for articles or in italics for longer works, such as books or websites. For example: ("Article Title" 5) or ( Book Title 32) .

Citing multiple sources in one sentence: If referencing multiple sources in one sentence, separate each citation with a semicolon. For example: (Smith 42; Bart 78) .

Indirect citations (quotations within a source): If citing a quotation from a source that is itself quoting another source, use the abbreviation "qtd. in" before the indirect source. For example: (qtd. in Smith 15) .

Electronic sources without page numbers: When citing electronic sources without page numbers, use the author's last name only or a shortened version of the title if no author is available. For example: (Smith) or ("Article Title") .

Audiovisual sources: If citing a film, television show, or other audiovisual source, use the title (italicized) and a timestamp (hours, minutes, and seconds) instead of a page number. For example: ( Citizen Kane 01:22:15) .

For long quotations, use a block quote format. Indent the entire quotation one inch from the left margin and do not use quotation marks. Place the in-text citation after the closing punctuation.

Smith emphasizes the importance of proper citation:

Citing sources correctly is essential for maintaining academic integrity and avoiding plagiarism. By giving credit to the original authors, you demonstrate respect for their work and allow readers to locate the sources you used. (25)

Format Your MLA Works Cited

A Works Cited page is an essential part of any research paper or academic work using the MLA citation format. It provides a comprehensive list of all sources cited in the paper, allowing readers to locate and verify the sources used.

Here are detailed instructions on how to format a Works Cited page in MLA format:

• Choose placement and title: The Works Cited page should begin on a separate page at the end of your paper. Center the title "Works Cited" (without quotation marks) at the top of the page. Do not bold, italicize, or underline the title.
• Use correct spacing and margins: Use double-spacing throughout the Works Cited page. Maintain 1-inch margins on all sides of the page. The first line of each citation should be flush with the left margin. Indent any additional lines by 0.5 inches (a hanging indent).
• Organize citations: Sort the list of sources in alphabetical order by the author's last name. If a source does not have an author, use the title to alphabetize the entry. Ignore articles ("a," "an," "the") when alphabetizing by title.
• Format entries correctly: Follow the general format for each source type (e.g., books, articles, websites) as specified in the MLA Handbook. Include the author's name, the title of the work, the container (if applicable), and other relevant information such as the publisher, publication date, and location.
• Don't forget about punctuation and capitalization: Use title case for titles, capitalizing the first word, the last word, and all other major words. Use punctuation marks consistently, following the guidelines in the MLA Handbook.
• Check for accuracy: Be sure to check each reference for accuracy, including spelling and punctuation, as well as proper capitalization and italics.

Remember to consult the MLA Handbook for specific guidelines and examples for various source types. As you add sources to your Works Cited page, be sure to double-check the formatting to ensure consistency and accuracy.

Cite Books in MLA

To cite a book in your Works Cited list, follow this format:

For example:

If the book is an edited volume, use the word "editor" or "editors" after the editor's name, depending on whether it is a single or multiple editors.

Citing an edited book:

For books with multiple editions, specify the edition after the title, using ordinal numbers (e.g., "2nd ed.").

Citing a book with multiple editions:

If a book is part of a series or multivolume set, include the volume number after the title, preceded by "vol." In cases where a book has no author, the citation should begin with the title.

When citing a book that has been translated, include the translator's name after the title, preceded by the word "Translated by."

Citing a translated book:

When citing a specific chapter or essay within an edited book or anthology, start with the author's name, followed by the title of the chapter or essay in quotation marks, then the title of the book, the editor's name, and the page numbers of the cited section.

Citing a specific portion of a book:

These examples cover various scenarios and exceptions for citing books in MLA format. Remember to consult the MLA Handbook for more information and specific guidelines when formatting your citations.

Cite Journal Articles in MLA

When citing a journal article in MLA format, follow this template:

For the journal articles that you accessed online, from JSTOR or a different online database, make sure to include the DOI or the URL if the DOI is unavailable.

Citing a journal article accessed online:

If an article has two authors, include both authors' names separated by "and."

Citing an article with two authors:

If an article has three or more authors, list only the first author, followed by "et al."

Citing an article with three authors:

In some cases, the journal article may not have an official author or some other elements, like the volume or issue number. In this situation, the title of the article is used in place of the author's name, while the volume and issue are omitted.

Citing an article without an author, volume or issue number:

Cite Websites in MLA

Citing a webpage on your MLA Works Cited page? Use the following format:

However, web pages may often not have an identified author. In this situation, the title of the article is used in place of the author's name. For example:

Citing a web page without an author:

When citing a website with an organization as the author, you can use the organization's name as both the author and the website name if they are the same.

Citing a website with an organization as the author:

If no publication date is available, use the abbreviation "n.d." (no date).

Moreover, for online sources without a publication date or for sources that can be updated or changed without notice (like web pages), it is recommended to include the "Accessed" date. This provides a clearer timeline of when the researcher viewed the material and ensures accuracy, as the content might have been updated or removed since that date. Using the "Accessed" date is especially useful for materials that are subject to change or when a source's stability cannot be guaranteed.

Cite Book Chapters in MLA

Citing a book chapter in MLA format requires you to include the chapter author and the book editor(s). The format is:

If the book is a translation, include the translator's name after the editor's name (if any), preceded by the phrase "translated by."

Citing a chapter in a translated book:

If the chapter has a unique title within a larger work, such as a play within an anthology or a collection of works by different authors, include the title of the larger work in italics, followed by the editor's name (if any) and the page numbers of the cited section.

Citing a chapter from a collection of works:

If the book is a multivolume set, include the volume number after the book title and edition (if available), preceded by "vol."

For chapters with supplementary materials or appendices, include the relevant page numbers or identifiers in the citation.

Cite Ebooks in MLA

Citing an ebook in MLA format follows similar guidelines to citing a printed book, but with a few additional details. The basic format for citing an ebook is as follows:

If the ebook has a DOI (Digital Object Identifier), the citation should include it at the end of the reference.

Citing an ebook with a DOI:

If your ebook was only available on a tablet, e-reader, or a reading app such as Kindle, all you need to do is to include the words "E-book ed."after the title.

Citing an ebook from a personal device:

In some scenarios, additional elements need to be included in the citation. If the ebook is part of a series, provide the series name and volume number after the publisher and before the publication date.

If the ebook is a translation, include the translator's name after the editor's name (if available), preceded by the phrase "translated by." For ebooks with supplementary materials, include the relevant page numbers or identifiers in the citation.

Cite Magazine Articles in MLA

To cite a magazine article in your MLA Works Cited page, use the following format:

If the magazine article is found online, you should also provide the URL or DOI at the end of the citation.

If the magazine is published seasonally (e.g., Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall) rather than monthly, include the season and year as the publication date (e.g., Winter 2021).

Cite Newspaper Articles in MLA

For newspaper articles, the MLA citation format is similar to magazine articles:

If the article is found online, include the URL or the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) if available, but do not include the page numbers.

If the newspaper isn't widely recognized or is a local paper, include the name of the city in parentheses following the newspaper's title.

If the article is available in both print and digital formats, the citation should be identical for both, but for digital articles, you should also include a DOI or a URL at the end of the citation.

Cite Conference Papers in MLA

To cite published conference proceedings in MLA, use the following format:

After the author's name, make sure to include the title of the paper in quotation marks, followed by the title of the conference (italicized), the date and location of the conference, and any relevant publication information (for instance, whether the paper has been published).

When a conference paper is part of a published conference proceedings, include the editor's name (if available) preceded by "edited by," the title of the proceedings (italicized), the publisher, and the publication date.

For online conference papers, provide the URL or DOI (if available) at the end of the citation.

Citing an edited conference paper available online:

Remember that each specific conference paper may require additional information or variations in the citation format.

Cite Audio & Visual Media in MLA

For audiovisual materials like films, television series, and YouTube videos, include the contributor(s) most relevant to your source, such as the director, or if not available, then producer, or writer. The MLA citation format for films materials is:

However, there are some exceptions to this format. When citing a TV-show episode, make sure to include the show title, as well as the season and episode numbers.

Citing a TV-show episode:

If you’re looking to cite a song, your citation should include the song title, as well as the name of the album and format (if applicable), or URL or DOI (if available).

Citing a song:

Remember that different scenarios and exceptions may require you to adapt these structures. Always consult the MLA Handbook for more information and specific guidelines when formatting your citations for audio and visual materials.

Cite Podcasts in MLA

To cite a podcast episode in MLA format, use the following citation structure:

If the podcast episode does not have an episode number, omit it from the citation.

If you need to cite a specific guest on the podcast, include their name and the description "guest" after the title of the podcast.

Keep in mind that you may need to adapt your citation based on the specific information available for the podcast and the focus of your discussion.

Cite Social Media Posts in MLA

For social media posts, use the following format in your MLA Works Cited:

Citing an Instagram post:

If the account name and its corresponding handle are similar (e.g., @aliciakeys and Alicia Keys), it is generally recommended to exclude the handle when including a URL in the entry. However, if you are not providing a URL, such as when referencing a mobile version of the site, it is advisable to include the handle, as it can assist your reader in locating the specific post.

Citing a Twitter post:

Citing a Facebook post:

Moreover, if you are accessing a post on the mobile version of a social media site and the copyright date is not visible, it is recommended to include the date you accessed the post as an additional element at the end of the entry.

Cite Images & Artworks in MLA

To cite an online image or artwork in your MLA citation list, the format is:

For digital images or artwork viewed online, begin with the artist's name, the title of the artwork in italics, the date of creation (if known), the website hosting the artwork or the name of the database, and the URL or DOI (if available).

Citing an image or artwork viewed online:

In cases where the creation date or author name is unknown, you can make adjustments to the citation format to account for the missing information.

If the creation date of the artwork is unknown, you can use the abbreviation "n.d." (no date) in place of the date.

If the author of the artwork is unknown, you can start the citation with the title of the artwork in italics. If it's necessary to provide context or specify that the author is unknown, you can use the term “Unknown Artist”, “Anonymous” or “Anon.”.

Citing an artwork with an unknown author and creation date:

Remember that citation requirements may vary depending on the context and the focus of your work. Always consult the MLA Handbook for more information and specific guidelines when formatting your citations with unknown information.

Cite Theses & Dissertations in MLA

When citing a thesis or dissertation in your MLA paper, use the following format:

For a digital thesis or dissertation, begin with the author's name, the title of the work in italics, the year of completion, the institution where the work was completed, the description of the work as a thesis or dissertation, and the URL or DOI (if available).

Citing a thesis or dissertation published online:

Cite Databases & Data Sets in MLA

When citing datasets or statistical data, include the author, publication year, title of the dataset, version, publisher, and the DOI or URL in your MLA Works Cited page:

If you are citing a specific work within a database or using data from a data set, you should first cite the work or the data following the appropriate citation format for that type of source (e.g., a journal article, a book, a newspaper article), and then add the database or data set as a supplementary source at the end of the citation.

Cite Mobile Applications in MLA

Citing mobile applications in MLA format requires the author, the app's release year, the app's title, the version, and the platform in your reference list entry:

Keep in mind that you may need to modify these examples based on the specific information available for the mobile application and the focus of your discussion.

Cite Classical Works

Citing classical works in MLA format involves various scenarios, depending on factors such as the type of source (print or digital), the specific edition or translation being cited, and the availability of specific information (author, title, date, etc.).

Keep in mind that classical works often have unique citation requirements due to their historical context and the numerous editions, translations, or versions available.

Here is the general structure for citing classical works in MLA format:

N.B. When referencing classical works, the original publication year is often unknown or irrelevant; instead, provide the year of the translation or version you are using in parentheses, followed by a period.

Cite Legal Documents

For a legal document as the main focus of your MLA citation, provide the title of the document in italics, the document number or code, the name of the authority issuing the document, the publication date, and the URL or DOI (if available).

For court cases , the citation structure is a bit different:

When citing the Constitution , you can use the following format: Title of Constitution, jurisdiction or authority, publication date, URL or DOI (if available).

For more information and examples on how to cite different government documents in the MLA format, we suggest that you follow these guidelines from the MLA Style Center.

Cite Online Lectures & TED Talks

When citing online lectures, webinars, or TED Talks, include the speaker, the date, the title of the talk, and the URL in your APA reference list entry:

Cite Course Materials & Lectures in MLA

Course materials are considered unique academic sources and should be cited according to the guidelines for educational or instructional materials. Here is the general structure for citing course materials in MLA format:

Cite Personal Communications in MLA

In MLA format, personal communications, such as interviews, emails, letters, or personal conversations, are considered unpublished sources and are not typically included in the Works Cited list because they cannot be accessed by your readers.

Instead, you should provide a parenthetical citation within the text of your document, giving credit to the source.

When citing personal communications in your text, mention the source of the communication, the type of communication (e.g., email, letter, personal interview, etc.), and the date the communication took place.

Here is the general structure for citing personal communications in MLA format:

(Source's Last Name, Type of Communication, Date)

Keep in mind that you should only cite personal communications in the body of your text, as they cannot be accessed by your readers and, therefore, should not be listed in the Works Cited page.

• Personal interview: According to John Smith , the use of renewable energy has increased dramatically in the last decade (personal interview, 7 May 2023) .
• Email: Jane Doe mentioned in an email that her research findings support the use of electric vehicles to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (12 April 2023) .
• Letter: She recently expressed her concerns about the environmental impact of deforestation (Sarah Johnson, letter, 10 June 2022) .

Always ensure that you have the permission of the person you are citing to include their personal communication in your work, as this information is not publicly accessible and may involve privacy concerns.

MLA Style: Final Notes

As you can see, the MLA citation format provides a consistent and clear method for citing various types of sources in your research. By mastering the MLA citation style, you will not only make your work more professional but also help your readers easily locate the sources you have used.

We hope this comprehensive guide on MLA citation style has provided you with a solid foundation for citing sources in your research. Remember that Bibcitation is here to help you with your academic needs, offering accurate and easy-to-use tools.

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Avoid plagiarism — quickly check for missing citations and check for writing mistakes., your ultimate mla format guide & generator, what is mla.

MLA stands for the Modern Language Association , an organization that focuses on language and literature.

Depending on which subject area your class or research focuses on, your professor may ask you to cite your sources in MLA style. This is a specific way to cite, following the Modern Language Association's guidelines. There are other styles, such as APA format and Chicago citation style , but MLA format is often used for literature, language, liberal arts, and other humanities subjects. This guide extensively covers this format but is not associated with the organization.

What is MLA Citing?

The Modern Language Association Handbook is in its 9th edition and standardizes the way scholars document their sources and format their papers. When everyone documents their sources and papers in the same way, it is simple to recognize and understand the types of sources used for a project. Readers of your work will look at your citations not only to understand them but possibly to explore them as well.

When you're borrowing information from a source and placing it in your research or assignment, it’s important to give credit to the original author. This is done by creating an MLA citation. Depending on the type of information you're including in your work, you may place citations in the body of your project and in a works-cited list at the end of your project.

The handbook explains how to create MLA citations. This page summarizes the information in the handbook’s 9th edition.

There is also a section below on a recommended way to create an MLA header. These headers appear at the top of your assignment’s pages. Check with your instructor on whether they prefer a certain MLA format for the header.

What is MLA Format?

The 9th edition is the most recent and updated version for MLA citations. Released in April 2021, the citation format differs slightly from previous versions. This update follows the 2016 update for the 8th edition that contained many significant changes from previous editions.

For the 8th edition, the biggest difference and most exciting update was the use of one standard format for all source types. In previous versions, scholars were required to locate the citation format for the specific source that they used. There were different formats for books, websites, periodicals, and so on. After 2016, using one universal MLA citation format allowed scholars to spend less time trying to locate the proper format to document their sources and focus more on their research .

Other updates included the addition of “containers.” A container provides details on a work contained within a larger work. For example, books contain chapters, albums contain songs, and journals contain journal articles. The source is the larger work, such as a website, while the container is a smaller work within that source, such as a short story on the website.

MLA now encourages you to add DOIs or URLs to citations. Use a DOI instead of a URL when it’s available. According to the MLA 9th edition, you can usually leave out http:// or https:// from URLs unless you want to hyperlink them. For DOIs, use http:// or https:// before the DOI: https://doi.org/xx.xxxx/xxx.xxxx.xxxx).

Social media pseudonyms and usernames can replace the real name of the author. Volume and issue numbers are now abbreviated as “vol.” and “no.” Cities of publication and the source’s medium (such as print or web) are no longer included in citations. For academic presses/publishers, with the words “university” or “press,” shorten “university” to “U”, and “press” to “P” (Cambridge UP). Lowercase seasons when using them in the date field of a citation (spring 2021 not Spring 2021).

Bibliography vs. Works Cited - What's the Difference?

You may have heard the two terms, "Bibliography" and "Works Cited" thrown around interchangeably. The truth is that they are two different words with two completely different meanings.

A bibliography is a list of sources that the writer recommends for further reading. A works-cited list is a list of sources that were included in the author's writing.

Want to suggest some books and websites to your reader? Create an MLA format bibliography by creating a list of full citations and label the page as "Bibliography."

Did you use any quotes or place any paraphrases in your writing? Create in-text citations and place them in the body of your work. Then, create a list of full citations and place them at the end of the project. Label the page as "Works Cited."

The good news is that references in MLA bibliography format and regular works-cited lists are structured the exact same way.

Citing Basics

When adding information to your project from another source, you are required to add an MLA citation. 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. "Title of Source." Title of Container , Other contributors, Version, Numbers, Publisher, Publication Date, Location.

For more information about each individual element and for proper formatting rules, see the sections below on author names, titles, containers, names of other contributors, source versions, numbers, publishers, publication dates, and locations.

Find more in-depth rules regarding the works-cited list in MLA format on the page down below, along with a sample page.

Don't forget, our BibMe MLA citation generator is an MLA formatter that helps you create your citations quickly and easily!

Citation Components

The author's name is generally the first item in a citation (unless the source does not have an author). The author's name is followed by a period.

If the source has one author , place the last name first, add a comma, and then the first name.

MLA format:

Lee, Harper.

Fitzgerald, F. Scott.

If your source has two authors , place them in the same order they're shown on the source. The first author is in reverse order, add a comma and the word "and", then place the second author in standard form. Follow their names with a period.

Monsen, Avery, and Jory John.

For three or more authors , only include the first listed author's name. Place the first author's name in reverse order (Last name, First name) place a comma afterwards, and then add the Latin phrase "et al."

Borokhovic, Kenneth A., et al.

For social media posts, it's acceptable to use a screen name or username in place of the author's name. Start the citation with the user's handle.

@TheOnion. "Experts Warn Number of Retirees Will Completely Overwhelm Scenic Railway Industry by 2030." Twitter , 9 Oct. 2017, 9:50 a.m., twitter.com/TheOnion/status/917386689500340225.

No author listed? If there isn't an author, start the citation with the title and skip the author section completely.

Citations do not need to always start with the name of the author. When your research focuses on a specific individual that is someone other than the author, it is appropriate for readers to see that individual's name at the beginning of the citation. Directors, actors, translators, editors, and illustrators are common individuals to list at the beginning. Again, only include their name in place of the author if your research focuses on that specific individual.

To include someone other than the author at the beginning of the citation, place their name in reverse order, add a comma afterwards, and then the role of that individual followed by a period.

Fimmel, Travis, performer. Vikings . Created by Michael Hirst, History Channel, 2013-2016.

Gage, John T., editor. The Promise of Reason: Studies in the New Rhetoric . SIU Press, 2011.

Here's a helpful table to refer to when structuring author names:

Titles and Containers:

Titles follow the name of the author and are written in title capitalization form.

If you're citing a source in its entirety, such as a full book, a movie, or a music album, then place the title in italics.

Franzen, Jonathan. The Corrections . Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2001.

Rufus Du Sol. Bloom . Sweat It Out! 2016.

If you're citing a source, such as a chapter in a book, a song on an album, or an article in a journal or website, then place the title of the piece in quotations and add a period afterwards. Follow it with the title of the full source, in italics, and then add a comma. This second portion is called the container . Containers house smaller works, such as songs, in larger comprehensive works, such as albums.

Examples with containers:

Wondering what to do with subtitles? Place a colon in between the title and subtitle. Write both parts in title capitalization form.

Nasar, Sylvia. A Beautiful Mind: The Life of Mathematical Genius and Nobel Laureate John Nash . Simon and Schuster, 2001.

If the source does not have a title , give a brief description and do not use quotation marks or italics.

Israel, Aaron. Brooklyn rooftop acrylic painting. 2012, 12 W 9th Street, New York City.

For a tweet , the full text of the tweet is placed where the title sits.

@LOCMaps. "#DYK the first public zoo to open in the US was the #Philadelphia Zoo? #50States." Twitter , 9 Feb. 2017, 3:14 p.m., twitter.com/LOCMaps/status/829785441549185024.

For email messages, the subject of the email is the title. Place this information in quotation marks.

Rabe, Leor. "Fwd: Japan Itinerary." Received by Raphael Rabe, 11 Feb 2017.

Citations with Two Containers:

It is possible for a source to sit in a second or larger container. A journal article sits in its first container, which is the journal itself, but it can also sit in a larger container, such as a database. A song can sit in its first container, which is the album it's found on. Then it can sit in its next container, which could be Spotify or iTunes.

It is important to include the second container because the content on one container may differ from content from another container.

MLA citing with two containers should be formatted like this:

Author's Last name, First name. "Title of Source." Title of Container , Other Contributors, Version, Numbers, Publisher, Publication Date, Location. Title of Second Container , Other Contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication Date, Location.

In most cases, for the second container, only the title of the second container and the location is needed. Why? For readers to locate the source themselves, they'll most likely use the majority of the information found in the first part of the citation.

Examples of Citations with 2 Containers:

Sallis, James, et al. "Physical Education's Role in Public Health: Steps Forward and Backward Over 20 Years and Hope for the Future." Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport , vol. 83, no. 2, Jun. 2012, pp. 125-135. ProQuest , ezproxy.nypl.org/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1023317255?accountid=35635.

Baker, Martha. "Fashion: Isaac in Wonderland." New York Magazine , vol. 24, no. 3, 21 Jan. 1991, pp. 50-54. Google Books , books.google.com/books?id=PukCAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PP1&dq=magazine&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q=magazine&f=false.

Remember, BibMe has an MLA works-cited generator that creates citations for you quickly and easily!

Format for Other Contributors:

In MLA citing, when there are other individuals (besides the author) who play a significant role in your research, include them in this section of the citation. Other contributors can also be added to help individuals locate the source themselves. You can add as many other contributors as you like.

Start this part of the citation with the individual's role, followed by the word "by". Notice that when adding other contributors after a period, you capitalize the first letter of the individual's role. When adding other contributors after a comma, you lowercase the first letter of the individual’s role.

Gaitskill, Mary. "Twilight of the Superheroes." The Scribner Anthology of Contemporary Short Fiction: 50 North American Stories Since 1970, edited by Lex Williford and Michael Martone, Simon and Schuster, 2012, pp. 228-238.

The Incredibles . Directed by Brad Bird, produced by John Walker, Pixar, 2004.

Gospodinov, Georgi. The Physics of Sorrow . Translated by Angela Rodel, Open Letter, 2015.

Format for Versions:

Sources can come in different versions. There are numerous bible versions; books can come in versions (such as numbered editions), and even movies and songs can have special versions.

When a source indicates that it is different than other versions, include this information in the citation. This will help readers locate the exact source that you used for your project.

The Bible . Lexham English Version, Logos, 2011, lexhamenglishbible.com.

Crank, J. The Mathematics of Diffusion . 2nd ed., Clarendon, 1979.

Afrojack. "Take Over Control." Beatport , performance by Eva Simons, extended version, 2011, www.beatport.com/track/take-over-control-feat-eva-simons-extended/1621534.

Format for Numbers:

Any numbers related to a source that isn't the publication date, page range, or version number should be placed in the numbers position of the citation. This includes volume and issue numbers for journal articles, volume or series numbers for books, comic book numbers, and television episode numbers, to name a few.

When including volume and issue numbers, use the abbreviation “vol.” for volume and “no.” for number.

Zhai, Xiaojuan, and Jingjing Wang. "Improving Relations Between Users and Libraries: A Survey of Chinese Academic Libraries." The Electronic Library , vol. 34, no. 4, 2016, pp. 597-616. ProQuest Research Library , ezproxy.nypl.org/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.i.ezproxy.nypl.org/docview/1841764839?accountid=35635.

"Chestnut." Westworld , directed by Richard J. Lewis, season 1, episode 2, Warner Bros., 2016.

Publishers:

The publisher produces the source. In the citation, place the publisher before the date of publication. Include the publisher for any source type except websites when the name of the publisher is the same as the name of the website. Also, it’s not necessary to include the name of publishers for newspapers, magazines, or journal articles, since the name of the publisher is generally insignificant.

When sources have more than one publisher that share responsibility for the production of the source, place a slash between the names of the publishers.

Use the abbreviation “UP” when the name of the publisher includes the words “University Press.”

Cambridge UP

Publication Dates:

When including the date that the source was published, display the amount of information that is found on the source, whether it's the full date, the month and year, or just the year.

If the date includes a season rather than a month, make sure to lowercase the season (spring 2021 not Spring 2021). Do not capitalize the season.

2 Nov. 2016 or Nov. 2, 2016

When multiple dates are shown on the source, include the date that is most relevant to your work and research.

Abbreviate months longer than 4 letters.

The location refers to the place where the source can be found. This can be in the form of a URL, page number, disc number, or physical place.

When citing websites in MLA, include DOIs or URLs. Copy the DOI or URL directly from the address bar or link in your browser window. If a DOI number is present, use it in place of a URL. You can usually leave out http:// or https:// from URLs unless you want to hyperlink them. For DOIs, use http:// or https:// before the DOI: https://doi.org/xx.xxxx/xxx.xxxx.xxxx.

For page numbers, use the abbreviation “p.” when referring to only one page, and “pp.” for a range of pages.

In-Text & Parenthetical Citation Basics:

When using a direct quote or paraphrasing information from a source, add an in-text or parenthetical citation into the body of your work. Direct quotes are word-for-word quotes pulled from a source and added to your project. A paraphrase is when you take a section of information from a source and put it in your own words. Both direct quotes and paraphrases require an in-text or parenthetical citation to follow it.

Format your parenthetical or in-text citation in MLA as follows:

"Direct quote" or paraphrase (Author's last name and page number).

Author's last name said that "Direct Quote" or paraphrase (page number).

*See the comprehensive section below on MLA in-text citations for further clarification and instructions.

MLA In-Text and Parenthetical Citations

What is an in-text citation or parenthetical citation.

You used information from websites, articles, books, and other sources for your paper, right? Hopefully, you did, because the best research and writing projects validate claims using information from other sources.

The purpose of an in-text citation is to give the reader a brief idea about where you found the information used in your writing.

When you place a line of text, word for word (called a direct quote), or an idea (called a paraphrase) from another source into your writing, you, the writer, must display:

• who created that information (the original author's name)
• the page number you found it on

Check out this example:

"A main clause has to have a finite verb " (Cameron 94).

No author? No problem! Include the title, and if it's lengthy, shorten it.

The major thing to keep in mind is that whichever information you include in the in-text or parenthetical citation, whether it's the author's name or the title, it needs to match the first word in the full citation. The full citation is found on the “Works Cited” page in MLA.

Format your parenthetical and MLA in-text citation as follows:

"Direct quote" or Paraphrase (Author's last name and page number). This is an MLA parenthetical citation as the author's name is in parentheses.

Author's Last Name states, "Direct Quote" or paraphrase (page number). This is an MLA citation in prose as the author's name is in the prose of your sentence.

"Jim never got back with a bucket of water under an hour—and even then somebody generally had to go after him" (Twain 8).

Twain went on to say, “Jim never got back with a bucket of water under an hour—and even then somebody generally had to go after him” (8).

Other things to keep in mind:

If your in-text citation comes from a website or another source that does not have page numbers, use the following abbreviations:

• If the source has designated paragraph numbers, use par. or pars.
• If the source has designated sections, use sec. or secs.
• If the source has designated chapters, use ch. or chs.
• If the source has designated lines, use line or lines.

Example in MLA formatting:

Gregor's sister is quite persuasive, especially when she states to her parents, "It'll be the death of both of you, I can see it coming. We can't all work as hard as we have to and then come home to be tortured like this, we can't endure it" (Kafka, ch. 3).

• If there aren't page, paragraph, section, or chapter numbers, only include the author's name in the in-text or parenthetical citation.
• If the original source is an audio or video recording, after the author's name or title, place a timestamp.

The girl's affection towards Marley is clear when she blushes upon his arrival and shares that she would like to accompany him to the theater ( Tales of Times Ago 12:45).

• Two authors : place both names in the reference.

Malcolm and Knowles state... (12).

The smaller the class size, the more attention a student receives, which greatly impacts learning (Malcolm and Knowles 12).

• Three or more authors : place all three names in the in-text citation. It's also acceptable to use the phrase, "and others," or another cohesive term. For parenthetical citations, use the abbreviation et al.

Smith, Baker, and Klein share that.... (78). OR Smith and others share that.... (78).

Many lizards, including the Carolina anole, only eat when they're hungry. They'll ignore food until their body sends a signal to eat (Smith et al. 78).

• Authors with the same last name : Include the first initial of the author’s first name in the in-text or parenthetical citation.

One study shows that the average time spent on homework is 52 minutes (R. Brown 17). However, a more recent study, released in 2018, found that the average student spends 42 minutes completing homework (S. Brown 966).

• Quoted text : Share in the text that the quote comes from another individual.

Lawrence shares his insight by stating that “instructions need to be shared, not assumed” (Young 55).

Common Examples:

Citations for books:.

The basic entry for a book consists of the author's name, the book title, the publisher, and the year published.

Author's Last name, First name. Book Title . Publisher, Year Published.

MLA book citation example:

Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein . Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor & Jones, 1818.

The first author's name should be reversed, with a comma after the last name and a period after the first name (or any middle name). The name should not be abbreviated and should be written exactly as it appears on the title page.

For a book written by two authors:

• List them in order as they appear on the cover or title page.
• Only the first author's name should be reversed, while the second author's name is written in normal order. Separate author names by a comma, and place the word "and" before the second author's name.

Smith, John, and Bob Anderson. The Sample Book . Books For Us, 2017.

• For books with three or more authors, only include the first author, followed by a comma and the abbreviation "et al."

Campbell, Megan, et al. The Best Noun Book . Books For Us, 2017.

The full title of the book, including any subtitles, should be italicized and followed by a period. If the book has a subtitle, the main title should be followed by a colon (unless the main title ends with a question mark or exclamation point).

The Best Books for Kids: A Complete Anthology.

Publication information can generally be found on the title page of a book. If it is not available there, it may also be found on the copyright page. State the name of the publisher.

If you are citing a specific page range from the book, include the page(s) at the end of the citation.

Smith, John, and Bob Anderson. The Sample Book . Books For Us, 2017, pp. 5-12.

When a book has no edition number/name present, it is generally a first edition. If you have to cite a specific edition of a book later than the first, see the section below on citing edited books.

Citations for Translated Books:

If the translation is the focus of your project, include the translator's name at the beginning of the citation, like this:

Translator's Last name, First name, translator. Title . By Original Author's First name Last name, Publisher, Year published.

If it's not the actual translation that is the focus, but the text itself, include the translator's name in the "other contributors" position, like this:

Original Author's Last name, First name. Title . Translated by First Name Last name. Publisher, Year published.

Citations for E-Books:

E-books are formatted differently than print books. Why? Some e-books have different, or extra, information than print books. In addition, e-book pages are often numbered differently. Since the content and format may differ from print books, e-book citations are structured differently. When citing an e-book from a website, format the e-book citation with the website title and URL. When citing an e-book in a digital book format, which lacks a URL or that requires software on an e-reader device, include “e-book ed.” for the Version element of the citation. If you know that the e-book file format (EPUB, MOBI, etc.) varies depending on the e-book publication, you may also include the file format as a supplemental element at the end of the entry.

Format for an e-book found on the Internet:

Author's Last name, First name. Title of E-Book . Publisher, Year Published. Title of Website , URL.

Rodgers, Tara. Pink Noises: Women on Electronic Music and Sound . Duke UP, 2010. Google Books , books.google.com/books?id=syqTarqO5XEC&lpg=PP1&dq=electronic%20music&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q=electronic%20music&f=false.

Format for an e-book found on an e-reader:

Author's Last name, First name. Title of E-book. . E-Book ed., Publisher, Year Published.

Rodgers, Tara. Pink Noises: Women on Electronic Music and Sound . E-book ed., Duke UP, 2010. EPUB.

Author's Last name, First name. Title of E-book. E-Book ed., Publisher, Year Published. File Format.

Rodgers, Tara. Pink Noises: Women on Electronic Music and Sound . E-Book ed., Duke UP, 2010. EPUB.

Citations for Chapters in Books:

Individual chapters are cited when a writer uses a book filled with many chapters, each written by different authors. When citing a specific chapter in a book or an anthology, structure the citation like this:

Last name, First name of Chapter's Author. "Title of Chapter." Title of Book , Other Contributors and their roles, Version (if there's a specific edition), Publisher, Year Published, Page or Page Range.

Levi-Strauss, Claude. "The Structural Study of Myth." Literary Adverb Theory: An Anthology , edited by Julie Rivkin and Michael Ryan, 3rd ed., Wiley Blackwell, 2017, pp. 178-195.

Citations for Edited Books:

If your book is not a first edition, you should note this in the citation. If the book is a revised edition or an edition that includes substantial new content, include the number, name, or year of the edition and the abbreviation "ed." after the book title. "Revised edition" should be abbreviated as "Revised ed." and "Abridged edition" should be "Abridged ed." The edition can usually be found on the title page, as well the copyright page, along with the edition's date.

Author's Last name, First name, editor. Title of Book . Numbered ed., Publisher, Year Published.

Ferraro, Gary, and Susan Andreatta, editors. Cultural Anthropology: An Applied Perspective . 10th ed., Cengage Learning, 2014.

Smith, John. The MLA Sample Paper Book . Revised ed., Books For Us, 2017.

If your edited book has more than one author, refer to the directions above under the heading "Authors."

Also, BibMe.org helps you create your citations with more than one author quickly and easily! Try our MLA formatter!

Citations for Websites:

Wondering how to cite a website in MLA? The most basic entry for an MLA website citation consists of the author name(s), page title, website title, sponsoring institution/publisher, date published, and the DOI or URL.

Author's Last name, First name. "Title of Individual Web Page." Title of Website , Publisher, Date, DOI or URL.

Fosslien, Liz, and Mollie West. "3 Ways to Hack Your Environment to Help You Create." Huffpost Preposition Endeavor , Huffington Post, Dec. 7, 2016, www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/3-ways-to-hack-your-environment-to-help-you-create us 580f758be4b02444efa569bc.

The first author's name should be reversed, with a comma placed after the last name and a period after the first name (or any middle name). The name should not be abbreviated and should be written exactly as it appears on the website.

For a page with two or more authors, list them in the order they appear on the website. Only the first author's name should be reversed, with the others written in normal order. Separate author names by a comma, and place the word "and" before the last author's name. For pages with three or more authors, only include the first author, followed by the abbreviation "et al."

If no author is available, begin the citation with the page title.

The page title should be placed within quotation marks. Place a period after the page title within the quotation marks. The page title is followed by the name of the website, which is italicized, followed by a comma.

After the website title, include the sponsoring institution or publisher followed by a comma. The sponsoring institution/publisher can usually be found at the bottom of the website, in the footer. If the name of the publisher is the same as the name as the website, do not include the publisher information in your citation. In MLA format, it is not recommended to include duplicate information for a website.

Next, state the publication date of the page.In some cases, a specific date might not be available, and the date published may only be specific to a month or even a year. Provide whatever date information is available.

End the citation with the URL. You can usually leave out http:// or https:// from URLs unless you want to hyperlink them. For DOIs, use http:// or https:// before the DOI: https://doi.org/xx.xxxx/xxx.xxxx.xxxx. End the entire citation with a period.

Looking for an MLA formatter to create your website citations quickly and easily? Check out the BibMe MLA citation machine! Our MLA format website creates your citations in just a few clicks.

Citations for Online Journal Articles:

The most basic entry for a journal consists of the author name(s), article title, journal name, volume number, issue number, year published, page numbers, name of website or database where the article was found, and URL or Direct Object Identifier (DOI).

Author's Last name, First name. "Title of Journal Article." Title of Journal , vol. number, issue no., Date, Page Range. Database or Website Name , URL or DOI.

Snyder, Vivian. "The Effect Course-Based Reading Strategy Training on the Reading Comprehension Skills of Developmental College Students." Research and Teaching in Developmental Education , vol. 18, no. 2, spring 2002, pp. 37-41. *JSTOR , www.jstor.org/stable/42802532.

*According to MLA 9th edition, lowercase seasons (spring 2002 not Spring 2002). Do not capitalize seasons.

Most online journal articles have two containers. The first is the journal that the article is in, and the second is the website or database the journal is in.

The first author's name should be reversed, with a comma after the last name and a period after the first name (or any middle name). The name should not be abbreviated and should be written exactly as it appears in the journal.

For an article written by two authors, list them in the order they appear in the journal. Only the first author's name should be reversed, while the second is written in normal order. Separate author names by a comma, and place the word "and" before the second author's name.

Krispeth, Klein, and Stewart Jacobs.

For articles with three or more authors, include the name of the first author in the citation, followed by a comma and the abbreviation "et al."

Jones, Langston, et al.

The article title should be placed within quotation marks. Place a period after the article title within the quotation marks, unless the article title ends with a question mark or exclamation mark. The article title is followed by the name of the journal, which is italicized.

Include the volume number of the journal, but use the abbreviation "vol." You may also need to include the issue number, depending on the journal. Use the abbreviation "no." before the journal's issue number.

Jones, Robert, et al. "Librarianship in the Future." Libraries Today , vol. 5, no. 2, Mar. 2017, pp. 89-103. Database Life , www.dbl.com/6854.

You can usually leave out http:// or https:// from URLs unless you want to hyperlink them. For DOIs, use http:// or https:// before the DOI: https://doi.org/xx.xxxx/xxx.xxxx.xxxx. If the article has a DOI, use the DOI instead of the URL.

Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs)

Simply put, a Digital Object Identifier (usually abbreviated as “DOI”) is an identification number or source link for a document or file. It’s a system that is widely used by journals today. The DOI is comprised of symbols, numbers, and letters.

Example: https://doi:10.1038/s41586-019-1805-z.

This unique number system is very beneficial to readers and authors since it can be used to immediately locate an exact document, even if a host web page or database has altered an article’s URL.

How do I find an article’s DOI?

In print or PDF form, the first place to check is the front page of the article. If it is an online article, look for the DOI near the top of the article, at the very end of the article, or wherever citation information is located. Here are a few examples:

Here is an example from The New England Journal of Medicine:

Here is an example from the bottom of a Nature article:

Where in a citation is the DOI included?

If a DOI for an article exists, place it at the end of the citation. Here’s an example for the New England Journal of Medicine article previously shown:

Thomas, Cristina, et al. “Facing Uncertainty.” New England Journal of Medicine , vol. 381, no. 23, 2019, pp. 2253–2259, https://doi:10.1056/nejmcps1906037.

Citations for Blogs:

Blogs can be good sources to use for research papers and projects since many are regularly updated and written by influencers and experts.

Blogs can belong to a single individual, a group of people, or a company. Most entries for a blog include a title for that day’s entry, the date it was posted, and the information.

To cite a blog, you’ll need the following pieces of information: * The author’s name(s) or the name of the company who posted the blog * The title of the individual blog post * The title of the blog * The name of the publisher (if it differs from the name of the author(s) or title of the blog) * The date the blog post was posted * The website address (URL) for the blog post

Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Blog Post.” Title of Blog , Publisher, Date Published, URL.

BibMe. “How to Spell in English: British vs. American.” BibMe Blog, www.bibme.org/blog/writing-tips/how-to-spell-in-english-british-vs-american/.

Notice in the above example, the date is missing. If there is no date shown on the blog post, omit it from the full citation.

Williams, Lindsay. “How to Get the Most from Your Online Language Lessons with a Tutor.” Lindsay Does Languages , 2019 Feb. 12, www.lindsaydoeslanguages.com/how-to-get-the-most-from-your-online-language-lessons-with-a-tutor/.

Cite a blog post in the text of the paper using this format:

(Author’s Last name) OR Author’s Last name...

Since there isn’t a page number, only use the author’s last name.

Citations for Newspapers:

The most basic entry for a newspaper consists of the author name(s), article title, newspaper name, publication date, page numbers, and sometimes a URL if found online. Omit volume numbers, issue numbers, and the names of publishers from newspaper citations.

Format if found on a website:

Author's Last name, First name. "Title of Article." Title of Newspaper's Website , Publication Date, URL.

Format if found on a database:

Author's Last name, First name. "Title of Article." Title of Newspaper , Publication Date, Page or Page Range (if available). Title of Database , URL.

MLA format example:

This example is for a print newspaper:

Hageman, William. "Program Brings Together Veterans, Neglected Dogs." Chicago Tribune , 4 Jan. 2015, p. 10.

The full article title should be placed within quotations. Next, state the name of the newspaper in italics.

Towards the end of the citation, include the page numbers on which the article appears with a period. Cite all inclusive page numbers --- if the article spans pages that are not consecutive, cite only the first page, followed by a plus sign.

Don't forget, the BibMe citation generator in MLA creates citations for you quickly and easily! Also, check out BibMe Plus paper checker, which scans your paper for correct usage of language elements. Have a determiner out of place in your writing? A pronoun spelled incorrectly? An overused adjective ? No worries, BibMe Plus has you covered!

Citations for Photographs:

The most basic entry for a photograph consists of the photographer's name, the title of the photograph, the title of the book, website, or collection where the photograph can be located, the publisher of the photograph or publication where the image was located, the date the photograph was posted or taken, and the page number, location of the museum (such as a city and state), or URL if found online.

Photographer's Last name, First name. "Title of the Photograph." Title of the Book, Website, Collection, or other type of publication where the photograph was found , Date photograph was taken, Page Number (if applicable), Location (such as a city and state if necessary) where the photograph can be found, or URL.

Begin with the name of the photographer or main contributor (if available). This person's name should be reversed, with a comma placed after the last name and a period after the first name (and any middle name).

For a photograph taken from a publication or website, include the title of the photograph in quotation marks followed by a period. If the photograph does not have a formal title, create a description. If you make your own description, only include a capital at the beginning of the description and at the beginning of any proper nouns. Do not place the description in italics or quotation marks.

Place the title of the publication in italics immediately following the description, followed by a comma.

Digital Image/Photograph found online:

Photograph of the Hudson Area Public Library. JMS Collective , 19 Apr. 2016, www.jmscollective.com/hudson-ny-3/historic-hudson-armory-now-public-\ library/.

*Note that the above photograph does not have a formal title, so the photograph citation contains a description instead.

Photograph or Image viewed in a museum:

Vishniac, Roman. "Red Spotted Purple." Roman Vishniac's Science Work , early 1950s - late 1960s, International Center of Photography at Mana, New Jersey.

Photograph or Image found in a book:

Barnard, Edwin. Photograph of Murray Street, Hobart. Exiled: The Port Arthur Convict Photographs , National Library of Australia, 2010, p. 20.

Citing Social Media in MLA Format:

It's not uncommon to see social media posts included in research projects and papers. Most social media citations use the following structure:

@Username (First name Last name, if known, and differs from handle). "Text of post." Social Media Platform , Date posted, URL.

If the post is a photo or image instead of text, include a description of the image. Only capitalize the first letter in the description and the first letter for any proper nouns. Do not place the description in quotation marks.

If the post is long or includes emojis or links, it is acceptable to include only the beginning of the tweet with an ellipsis at the end of the included portion.

Citing a Twee:

@BibMe. "Need help with MLA essay format? Here are 6 steps to getting it done..." Twitter , 3 Dec. 2018, twitter.com/bibme/status/1069682724716204032.

Citing a Facebook Post:

DeGeneres, Ellen. "Holiday party goals..." Facebook , 21 Dec. 2018, www.facebook.com/ellentv/photos/a.182755292239/10157188088077240/?type=3&theater.

Citing an Instagram Post:

@dualipa. "A lil Hollywood glam brunch! Thank you @variety for by Breakthrough Artist of the Year award and thank you for your continuous support...." Instagram , 2 Dec. 2018, www.instagram.com/p/Bq33SC2BAsr/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link.

Citations for Music:

Citing a Song from the Internet:

To cite this type of source, structure the reference as follows:

Singer's Last Name, First name OR Band Name. "Title of Song." Title of Website or Service , Other Contributors and their roles (if applicable), Version, Date Published, URL.

Lopez, Jennifer. "Us." Spotify , 2 Feb. 2018, open.spotify.com/track/2MMvonKGALz6YOJwaKDO3q.

Citing a song from an album or downloaded:

Singer's Last name, First name OR Band Name. "Title of Song." Title of Album , Other Contributors and their roles (if applicable), Version, Publisher, Date Published or Released.

Lopez, Jennifer. "On the Floor." LOVE? , performance by Pitbull, Island, 2011.

Citations for Films:

The most basic entry for a film consists of the title, director, publisher, and year of release. You may also choose to include the names of the writer(s), performer(s), and the producer(s), depending on who your research focuses on. You can also include certain individuals to help readers locate the exact source themselves.

Example of a common way to cite a film:

Film Title . Directed by First name Last name, performance by First Name Last Name, Publisher, Year.

BibMe: The Movie . Directed by John Smith, performance by Jane Doe, New York Stories, 2017.

If your research focuses on a specific individual, you can begin the citation with that individual's name (in reverse order) and their role. Format it the same way as you would an author's name.

Doe, Jane, performer. BibMe: The Movie . Directed by John Smith, New York Stories, 2017.

If the film is dubbed in English or does not have an English title, use the foreign language title in the citation, followed by a square bracket that includes the translated title.

Citas gobiernan el mundo [ Citations Rule the World ]. Directed by Sara Paul, Showcase Films, 2017.

If the film was found online, such as YouTube or another site, include the name of the website and the URL.

Last name, First name of Individual who posted the video OR Account name. "Film Title." Website Title , other individuals and their roles (if applicable), Publisher, Year Published, URL.

The New York Public Library. "2018 National Book Awards Finalists at NYPL." YouTube , 15 Nov. 2018, youtu.be/edJqg3NuF2Q.

*Note that the New York Public Library was not listed as the publisher of the video. Adding "The New York Public Library" in the citation twice is not necessary.

Since the citation has two titles included (the title of the film and the title of the website), the title of the film is placed in quotation marks and the title of the website is in italics.

Citations for TV/Radio:

The most basic MLA format citation for a radio/TV program consists of the individuals responsible for the creation of the episode (if they're important to your research), the episode title, program/series name, broadcasting network or publisher, the original broadcast date, and the URL.

"The Highlights of 100." Seinfeld , NBC, 2 Feb. 1995.

If your research focuses on a specific individual from a TV or radio broadcast, include their name at the beginning of the citation in the author position.

If relevant, you may also choose to include the names of personnel involved with the program. Depending if the personnel are relevant to the specific episode or the series as a whole, place the personnel names after the program/series name. You may cite narrator(s) preceded by "narrated by", writer(s) preceded by "written by", directors preceded by "directed by", performer(s) preceded by "performance by", and/or producer(s) preceded by "produced by" and then the individual names. Include as many individuals as you like. Write these personnel names in normal order --- do not reverse the first and last names.

"The Highlights of 100." Seinfeld , directed by Andy Ackerman, written by Peter Mehlman, NBC, 2 Feb. 1995.

Also include the name of the network on which the program was broadcasted, followed by a comma.

State the date on which your program was originally broadcasted, followed by a period. When including the URL, follow the date with a comma and place the URL at the end, followed by a period to end the citation. You can usually leave out http:// or https:// from URLs unless you want to hyperlink them.

Citations for Lectures:

The most basic entry for a lecture consists of the speaker's name, presentation title, date conducted, and the name and location of the venue.

Speaker's Last name, First name. Title of Lecture . Date Conducted, Venue, Location.

Pausch, Randy. Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams . 18 Sept. 2007, McConomy Auditorium, Pittsburgh.

Begin the citation with the name of the speaker. This person's name should be reversed. If the lecture has a title, place it in the citation in italics, followed by a period. State the date on which the lecture was conducted, followed by a comma. Conclude your citation with the location/venue name and the city in which it occurred, separated by a comma.

Citations for Encyclopedias

The most basic entry for an encyclopedia consists of the author name(s), article title, encyclopedia name, publisher, and year published.

Last Name, First Name. "Article Title." Encyclopedia Name , Publisher, Year Published.

Smith, John. "Internet." Encyclopedia Britannica , 2012.

Notice that the name of the publisher was not included in the example above. Only include the name of the publisher if it differs from the name of the encyclopedia. Encyclopedia Britannica is the name of the encyclopedia AND the name of the publisher. It is not necessary to include Encyclopedia Britannica twice in the citation.

If there are no authors for the article, begin the citation with the article title instead.

"Media." World Book Encyclopedia , 2010.

If the encyclopedia arranges articles alphabetically, do not cite the page number(s) or number of volumes. If articles are not arranged alphabetically, you may want to include page number(s) and/or volume number, which is preceded by the abbreviation "vol." The volume should be cited after the encyclopedia name (or any edition), and before any publication information. After the publication year, include the page numbers on which the article appears, along with a period. Cite all inclusive page numbers --- if the article spans pages that are not consecutive, cite only the first page, followed by a plus sign.

Saunders, Bill. "Treasure." Encyclopedia Britannica , vol. 18, 2012, p. 56.

If the encyclopedia entry is found on a website, use the following structure:

Last name, First name. "Encyclopedia Entry." Title of Encyclopedia Website , Publisher, Year published, URL.

Citations for Magazines:

The most basic entry for a magazine consists of the author name(s), article title, magazine name, the volume and issue numbers (if available), publication date, page numbers, and URL if found online.

Last name, First name. "Article Title." Magazine Name , vol. number, issue no., Publication Date, Page Numbers or URL.

Print example:

Pratt, Sybil. "A Feast of Tradition." BookPage , Oct. 2017, p. 8.

Online example:

Geagan, Kate. "Sweeter Swaps: How to Choose Sustainable Sweeteners." Clean Eating , no. 83, Nov./Dec. 2018, pp. 36-37. Flipster , cleaneating.eoncontent.ebscohost.com/1927216#&pageSet=19.

The first author's name should be reversed, with a comma placed after the last name and a period after the first name (or any middle name). The name should not be abbreviated and should be written exactly as it appears in the magazine.

For an article written by two or more authors, list them in the order as they appear on the title page. Only the first author's name should be reversed, while the others are written in normal order. Separate author names by a comma, and place the word "and" before the last author's name. For articles with three or more authors, only include the first author, followed by the abbreviation "et al."

The full article title should be placed within quotations. Unless there is punctuation that ends the article title, place a period after the title within the quotations. Next, state the name of the magazine in italics.

If volume and issue numbers are available, include them in the citation. Use the abbreviations “vol.” and “no.” before the volume number and issue number.

Example: vol. 6, no. 1

The date the magazine was published comes directly after the volume and issue number. Use whichever date the magazine includes, whether it's a complete date, a period spanning two months, a season (lowercased), or just a month and year. Follow this information with a comma.

Include the page number(s) on which the article appears. Cite all inclusive page numbers --- if the article spans pages that are not consecutive, cite only the first page, followed by a plus sign.

If the magazine article was found online, include the DOI or URL. Use a DOI instead of a URL when it is available. You can usually leave out http:// or https:// from URLs unless you want to hyperlink them. For DOIs, use http:// or https:// before the DOI: https://doi.org/xx.xxxx/xxx.xxxx.xxxx. End the citation with a period.

Citations for Interviews:

Begin your citation with the name of the person interviewed. This person's name should be reversed, with a comma placed after the last name and a period after the first name (or any middle name).

For an interview that has been broadcast or published, if there is a title, include it after the name of the person interviewed.

Jolie, Angelina. "Being a Mother." Interview conducted by Steve Kroft, 60 Minutes , CBS, 3 Feb. 2009.

If there is no title, use the word "Interview" in place of a title and do not use quotation marks or italics. If the interviewer's name is known, add it, preceded by "Conducted by", after the word "Interview". Do not reverse the interviewer's name.

Jenkins, Lila. Interview. Conducted by Jessica Grossman. 5 Mar. 2017.

For published interviews found online, include the title of the website after the title of the interview. In addition, add the URL at the end of the citation.

Michaels, Jamye. "Fighting to Survive." Women's Magazine of Life , 2 Nov. 2016, www.womensmagazine.com/fightingtosurvive.com.

Citations for Dissertations and Theses:

In order to obtain a degree, most colleges and universities require students to submit a dissertation or thesis towards the end of their academic track. Dissertations and theses are lengthy essays or in-depth research projects that relate to the scope of the student’s learning.

For example, if a student is close to obtaining their Master’s in Library Science, the student could study and write about the Internet searching habits of elderly individuals, or perhaps focus on the research skills of economically disadvantaged adults.

Upon completion, this individual assignment is often presented to the main directors, committee members, or professors at the school for approval.

A dissertation is generally assigned to students who are completing their doctorate degree, and many graduate schools require students to hand in a thesis to obtain a master’s degree.

Since so much research and work went into these scholarly projects, and new ideas and conclusions are often produced, many colleges and universities publish the completed papers. You can find these projects on many school websites and databases.

Here’s one way you can reference a dissertation or thesis:

Author’s Last Name, First name. Title of Dissertation or Thesis . Year Completed. University or College, Degree Abbr. Database , DOI or URL.

Kim, Kee Han. Development of an Improved Methodology for Analyzing Existing Single-Family Residential Energy Use . 2014. Texas A & M U, PhD. ProQuest , https://ezproxy.nypl.org/socabs/docview/1665251619/abstract/E9D36166E31040AEPQ/1?accountid=35635.

Fletcher, Marissa. Influences of Nutrition and Pathogenicity from a Microbial Diet on Immunity and Longevity in Caenorhabditis Elegans . 2012. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, PhD. DSpace@MIT , https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/120633.

Using Visuals

Including a visual in your project is a great way to make information come to life, as visuals can complement written work and enhance understanding.

Photographs, maps, charts, graphs, line drawings, musical scores, and tables are images that can be included in a project.

Follow these directions to add an image to your research paper:

• Images should be placed close to where they’re mentioned in the text.
• Provide a brief explanation about the image in the written portion of the paper, but do not write out all data shown in the image. Doing so would make the image unnecessary. (See the visual “Table example” at the end of this section.)

Correct example: Table 1 shows commonly used words in Shakespeare’s plays and their English translation.

Incorrect example: Table 1 shows commonly used words in Shakespeare’s plays and their English translation. Brave translates to handsome , character means a letter or word , egal means equal , fancy is a term for desire , and honest translates to pure .

• Tables are titled Table X, figures are Fig. X, and examples are Ex. X.
• Any type of image that includes an illustration is considered a “Figure”.
• Musical scores or sheet music are considered “Examples”.
• If the information below the image contains all of the source information, a full reference on the “Works Cited” page is not necessary.
• Double space everything.
• The image should have the same 1-inch margins as the rest of the paper.

Check out the examples below to see how tables, figures, and musical scores are arranged.

Table Example:

Figure Example:

Musical score example:

Your “Works Cited” Page

An MLA "Works Cited" or MLA "Work Cited" page contains all of the citations for a project.

• This page sits on its own and is found at the end of a project.
• If there is only one citation on the page, title the page: Work Cited. While it might seem silly to have a full page dedicated to one citation, a “Work Cited” page in MLA is still necessary. If there are multiple citations on the page, title the page: Works Cited.
• Double space the entire list of works cited.
• Include the writer's last name and the page number, at the top right corner of the page.
• Every in-text or parenthetical citation in the body of the project should correspond with its full citation listed on the MLA “Works Cited” or “Work Cited” page.
• All full citations in MLA formatting have a hanging indent. This means that the first line of the citation sits flush against the left margin. The second line, and any subsequent lines, are indented in another half inch. If you need a visual, all full citations on this page have a hanging indent.
• Citations are listed in alphabetical order by the first letter found in the citation.
• If there are multiple sources by the same author, only include the author's name in the first citation. For each citation afterwards, MLA formatting requires you to include three dashes and a period. Organize the citations by the title.

Example of a Works-Cited List with Multiple Works by Same Author:

Riggs, Ransom. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children . Quirk, 2011.

---. Tales of the Peculiar . Dutton, 2016.

• When alphabetizing by titles, ignore “A,” “An,” and “The,” and use the next part of the title.
• If the title starts with a number, place the title where it would belong if the number was spelled out.

MLA formatting example:

1492: The Year Our World Began would be alphabetized under F (for fourteen)

Sample Works Cited:

Formatting Your Header:

The first page of your MLA format paper should include a header. An MLA cover page, or MLA title page, that sits on its own isn't necessary or recommended.

MLA heading format includes the following pieces of information, styled like this, in this order:

Your professor or teacher's name

The class and/or course number

Date of submission

• Double space everything on the page.
• In the top right corner, include your last name and the page number.
• The title should be centered in the middle of the page.
• Use any type of font that is easy to read for the entire paper.
• MLA paper format requires 12-point font, or another size close to it.

Sample MLA Header:

Using BibMe.org to Create Citations for your MLA Works Cited Page or MLA Bibliography

Wondering how to use MLA format? The BibMe automatic MLA format generator formats your citations for you. Enter a title, web address, ISBN number, or other identifying information into the MLA format template to automatically cite your sources. If you need help with BibMe.org or our citation machine in MLA, click here on more styles .

Try This Out:

The BibMe service is an extremely helpful resource that helps you create your citations for your project, but there's more. The BibMe service also has a feature that will help to proofread your entire MLA format essay. The BibMe Plus paper checker scans for proper spelling, punctuation, language elements, and syntax. It will tell you if a language element, such as a preposition , conjunction , or interjection , is a bit off. It also has a built-in plagiarism checker , which scans papers for instances of accidental plagiarism. Try it out now!

More Information:

Here's more information on the previous handbooks. There's further good information here , including MLA format examples and examples of MLA in-text citations.

Background Information and History:

The Modern Language Association was developed in 1883 and was created to strengthen the study and teaching of languages and literature. With over 25,000 current members worldwide, the Modern Language Association continuously strives to keep its members up-to-date on the best practices, methods, and trends related to language and literature. The Modern Language Association boasts an annual conference, journal, an online communication platform, numerous area-focused committees, and one of its most popular publications, the MLA Handbook, now in its 9th edition.

Updated June 25, 2021

Edited and written by Elise Barbeau and Michele Kirschenbaum. Elise is a citation expert and has her master’s degree in public history/library science. She has experience in digital marketing, libraries, and publishing. Michele is a certified library media specialist who loves citations and teaching. She’s been writing about citing sources since 2014.

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Copy the information below in your paper according to the Guide on the right. Use your own page numbers.

APA 7 In-text citation guide

In-text citations are required when you use someone else's ideas, theories or research in your paper.

Quick Guide

Examples: (choose depending if author and/or date is mentioned in text)

Quotation :

• "The bones were very fragile" (Cole, 2019, p. 13).
• Cole (2019) found that "The bones were very fragile" (p. 33).
• In 2019, Cole found that "The bones were very fragile" (p. 33).

Paraphrase :

• The bones broke easily because they were porous (Cole, 2011).
• Cole (2011) discovered that the bones broke easily.
• In 2011, Cole found that the bones were easily broken (p. 33).

Note: APA style encourages the inclusion of page numbers for paraphrases, but it is not mandatory. Include page or paragraph numbers if it will help reader find the information.

No authors : Use the title in place of author. Shorten title if needed. Use double quotation marks for title of an article, a chapter, or a web page. Use italics for title of a periodical, a book, a brochure or a report.

• the observations found ("Arctic Voyage," 2014)
• the book Vitamin Discoveries (2013)

Two authors : Within the text use the word  and .  If the authors' names are within parentheses use the  &  symbol.

• Cole and Dough (1998) argued ...
• ...if they were left to their own devices.(Cole & Dough, 1998)

Three or more authors:   Include only the last name of the first author followed by "et al."

(Wasserstein et al., 2017)

Spell out the name in full the first time and abbreviate subsequent times only if abbreviation is well known.

• First time: American Psychological Association (2020) explained...
• Second time: APA (2020) proved ...

When quoting always provide author, year and specific page citation or paragraph number for nonpaginated material.

If the quotation is less than 40 words incorporate it into the text and enclose the quotation with quotation marks. Cite the source immediately after the close of the quotation marks.

If the authors are named in the text, they do not have to be used in the citation.

In fact, "a neurosis is characterized by anxiety" (Kristen & Warb, 2012, p. 157).

"A neurosis is characterized by anxiety," according to Kristen and Warb's (2012, p. 157) longitudinal study.

If the quotation is over 40 words, you must indent the entire quotation and start the quotation on a new line. No quotation marks are required. Cite the quoted source after the final punctuation mark.

Alberta is occasionally divided into two regions, Northern Alberta and Southern Alberta. The majority of Alberta's population is located in large urban cities, mostly located in the South. Alberta is Canada's most populous province of all three Canadian Prairie provinces. Edmonton is the Capital of Alberta. (Hern, 1996, p. 22)

Paraphrasing

APA style encourages the inclusion of page numbers, but it is not mandatory. Include page or paragraph numbers if it will help reader find the information.

• (Reiton, 2003, para. 3)

If the document does not contain page numbers, include paragraph numbers.

• (Reiton, 2003, para. 3).   

If neither is available omit page and paragraph numbers.  Do not count paragraph numbers.  

When paraphrasing from multiple sources, include all authors name in parentheses in alphabetical order.

• (Cole, 2006; Mann & Arthur, 2011; Zigmung, 2000).

APA In-Text Citation Guide

• "The bones were very fragile" (Cole, 2011, p. 13).
• Cole (2011) found that "The bones were very fragile" (p. 33).
• In 2011, Cole found that "The bones were very fragile" (p. 33).

Note: APA style encourages the inclusion of page numbers for paraphrases, but it is not mandatory. Include page or paragraph numbers if it will help reader find the information.)

Two or more authors : Within the text use the word  and .  If the authors' names are within parentheses use the  &  symbol.

Three to five authors : Include all authors' last names the first time the citation is used.  If you use the same citation again within the same paragraph, use only the first last name followed by 'et al'.  If you used the citation again omit the year. 

• First time:   Cole, Dough and Ferris (1998) explained...
• Second time:  Cole et al. (1998) proved ...
• Third time:  Cole et al. demonstrated...

Six or more authors:   Include only the last name of the first author followed by "et al."

(Wasserstein et al., 2010)

• First time: American Psychological Association (1998) explained...
• Second time: APA (1998) proved ...

Alberta is occasionally divided into two regions, Northern Alberta and Southern Alberta. The majority of Alberta's population is located in large urban cities, mostly located in the South. Alberta is Canada's most populous Province of all three Canadian prairie provinces. Edmonton is the Capital of Alberta. (Hern, 1996, p. 22)

In-Text Citations Parenthetical Citations

In-text citations are called parenthetical references in MLA. This involves placing information about the source in parentheses after a quote or a paraphrase. The information in the parenthetical references must match the corresponding information in the list of works cited.

The purpose of parenthetical references is to indicate to readers not only what works you used, but what you used from each source and where in the source you found the material. This can be done by inserting a parenthetical reference in your text at the spot where you have used the source's ideas or words.

You should keep parenthetical references as brief and as few as clarity and accuracy permit.

General Guidelines

• The Soviets were surrounded by enemies (Waters 119).
• Waters argues that the Soviets were surrounded by enemies (119).

Authors – Identification of source

• (Natl. Research Council 15)
• Do not use abbreviations such as ed. or trans.
• ("The evolving internet")
• (Black and Mondoux 123)
• (Eddison, Zhu, and Lalonde)
• (Becker et al. 13)
• (Becker, Lafontaine, Robins, Given, and Rush 13)
• (Feder, The Birth of a Nation 124)

Location of passage within source

• give relevant page number if available
• give volume and page number in a multivolume work
• if citing entire work omit page numbers
• (Louis par. 20)
• film, television, broadcasts cannot be cited by numbers

Placement of parenthetical reference in text

• Cole found that "The bones were very fragile" (33-34).

Alberta is occasionally divided into two regions, Northern Alberta and Southern Alberta. The majority of Alberta's population is located in large urban cities, mostly located in the South. Alberta is Canada's most populous Province of all three Canadian prairie provinces. Edmonton is the Capital of Alberta. (Herick 22)

• In Chicago style, footnotes or endnotes are used to reference pieces of work in the text.
• To cite from a source a superscript number is placed after a quote or a paraphrase.
• Citation numbers should appear in sequential order.
• Each number then corresponds to a citation, a footnote or to an endnote.
• Endnotes must appear on an endnotes page. The page should be titled Notes (centered at top). This page should appear immediately before the bibliography page.
• Footnotes must appear at the bottom of the page that they are referred to.  

Example:   Cole found that "The bones were very fragile" (33-34). 1

Each superscript then refers to a numbered citation in the footnotes or endnotes.

Footnotes/endnotes:

The first time the in-text reference is cited you must include, author's first name, author's last name, title, place of publication, publisher name, year and referenced pages. e.g.

1. James Smith, The first and last war , (New York, Hamilton, 2003), 2.

If the citation has already been cited it may be shortened to author's last name, shortened title, and page referenced number. e.g.

2. Smith, The first , 220-221.

If the citation has been referenced immediately prior, the note may be shortened even further to ibid with the page number. e.g.

3. Ibid., 786.

For each author-date citation in the text, there must be a corresponding entry in the reference list under the same name and date.

An author-date citation in running text or at the end of a block quotation consists of the last (family) name of the author, followed by the year of publication of the work in question. In this context, author may refer not only to one or more authors or an institution but also to one or more editors, translators, or compilers. No punctuation appears between author and date. Abbreviations such as ed. or trans. are omitted.

(Woodward 1987)

(Schuman and Scott 1987)

When a specific page, section, equation, or other division of the work is cited, it follows the date, preceded by a comma. When a volume as a whole is referred to, without a page number, vol. is used. For volume plus page, only a colon is needed. The n in the Fischer and Siple example below indicates "note" (see 14.164 ). The last example shows how one might cite a section of a work that contains no page or section numbers or other numerical signposts—the case for some electronic documents (see 15.8 ).

(Piaget 1980, 74)

(LaFree 2010, 413, 417–18)

(Johnson 1979, sec. 24)

Fowler and Hoyle 1965, eq. 87)

(García 1987, vol. 2)

(García 1987, 2:345)

(Barnes 1998, 2:354–55, 3:29)

(Fischer and Siple 1990, 212n3)

(Hellman 1998, under "The Battleground")

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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / MLA Format / MLA Works Cited Page

MLA Works Cited Page

What is a works cited page.

The works cited page is a list of all the sources cited within the body and notes of your paper. A works cited page should begin on its own page after the end of the paper content and should list all the entries in alphabetical order by the first item in each entry (usually the author’s name). It should be included in order to give full credit to the sources used and avoid plagiarism, as well as to allow the reader to easily locate each source if needed. Papers in MLA format should always have a works cited page.

It is not necessary to include sources that you consulted but did not directly reference in the works cited list – it should only include the sources you directly quoted or paraphrased. Each in-text citation should therefore have a corresponding entry in the works cited list.

Creating an MLA Works Cited Page:

Citing sources in mla.

• Bibliography vs. Works Cited — What’s the Difference?
• Formatting the Works Cited Page
• Heading & Title Format
• Organizing the References in the List
• Formatting Author Names
• Formatting Author Names in Other Languages
• Title Rules: Capitalization, Italics, and Quotation Marks

Let’s get started with an explanation of what exactly a works cited page is and why creating one is necessary!

Note: This guide is not affiliated with the Modern Language Association. It was developed by EasyBib.com’s in-house librarians to serve as a quick guide and snapshot of some of the guidelines found in the MLA Handbook, 9th ed.

When students and scholars create a research paper, they seek out information in books, websites, journal articles, and many other types of sources. The information from these sources, combined with the scholar’s own thinking and knowledge, aid in the formation of a final project.

However, simply placing information from books, websites, journal articles, newspaper articles, and other source types into a project without a reference is not acceptable. Without a reference or citation, it’ll look like the paper’s author came up with everything themselves!

That means it’s necessary to call out when information is included from outside sources and originated elsewhere.

An MLA works cited page shows all the sources that were consulted and included in a project. Each source has a corresponding in-text citation within the paper.

In-text & parenthetical citations

In the body of a research project, add a short reference next to a quote or paraphrased information that came from a source. This is called a citation in prose or a parenthetical citation.

In-text Citation Example:

Langdon’s expertise is revealed in Chapter 1, when he is introduced to a group of university students. “Our guest tonight needs no introduction. He is the author of numerous books: The Symbology of Secret Sects , The Art of the Illuminati , The Lost Language of Ideograms , and when I say he wrote the book on Religious Iconology, I mean that quite literally. Many of you use his textbooks in class” (Brown 8).

In the example above, the writer displays that the quote was taken from Brown’s book, on page 8.

Even though this information is helpful, the brief reference to Brown and page 8 isn’t enough information to truly understand the origin of the quote. Other relevant information, such as the full name of the author, the title of the book, the publisher, and the year the book was published is missing.

Where can the reader find that information? In the MLA works cited list!

Full references in the works cited list

The MLA works cited list is the final page of a research project. Here, the reader can take the time to truly understand the sources included in the body of the project. The reader can turn to the MLA works cited list, look for “Brown” and see the full reference, which looks like this:

Brown, Dan. The DaVinci Code . Knopf Doubleday, 2003.

Included in the above reference is the full name of the author (Dan Brown), the title of the source ( The DaVinci Code ), the publisher of the book (Knopf Doubleday), and the year the book was published (2003).

The information provided in the reference supplies the reader with enough information to seek out the original source themselves, if he or she would like.

Works Cited Example:

Bibliography vs. Works cited – What’s the difference?

Quite often, the two terms are used interchangeably. While similar, they have some unique differences.

The remainder of this guide focuses on the placement, organization, and styling guidelines for the MLA works cited list.

Another commonly used reference style is APA. If your teacher or professor requests your references be made in APA citation style, check out this page on APA format .

Here’s more information on how to develop an MLA in-text citation and APA in-text citation .

Formatting the MLA works cited page

The reference page is the final page of a research paper and starts on its very own page.

If your project isn’t an actual research paper, but a slideshow, video, or another type of project, follow the same guidelines as above. Place the works cited list on the final slide, page, or screen of the project.

Here are the recommended guidelines for margins, spacing, and page numbers taken from the MLA Style Center’s web page “Formatting a Research Paper.”

Margins in MLA:

• Place one inch margins around the entire document.
• The only exception is the “running head.” See the “Running Head” section below to learn more about the margins of this component.
• Most word processing programs automatically default to one inch margins. In the page setup settings, you can view and modify the size of the margins.

Spacing in MLA:

• Double space the entire page. The title, references, and other components should all have double spaces.

It is not necessary to create double spaces manually by pressing the “enter” or “return” key in between each and every line. Your word processing program can automatically adjust the line spacing for you. Look for a section in the settings area called “Line spacing” or “Paragraph spacing.” You should be able to click or check off “double spacing.”

Page numbers in MLA:

• The reference list is the final page(s) of a research paper.
• If the conclusion of a research project is on page 7, page 8 would be the first page of the reference list. If the list runs onto the next page after that, it would be page 9.

For more information regarding how to display the page numbers, see the section below titled, “Running Head.”

While an APA reference page  is very different from a Modern Language Association style works cited, note that  APA bibliography pages also use double spacing throughout and 1 inch margins.

Heading & title format in MLA

This next section focuses on how to properly label and format the page numbers and title.

Running head

The running head is found at the top of every page of the research project. It’s also included on the reference list.

The running head displays the name of the writer or author of the research project + page number .

There is one space between the author’s name and the page number. Here is an MLA works cited page example of a running head:

The above is an example of a running head that would be seen on page 8 of a research project. The writer’s last name is Kleinman.

General running head guidelines:

• It is placed in the top right corner of every page.
• It sits half of an inch from the top of the page and along the right side’s one inch margin.

Reminder : If the concluding sentence of the research project is on page 10, the reference list starts on page 11. Even though the reference page starts on its own page, the numbering throughout the entire project includes the reference page.

Title of the page

Below the running head is the title of the page, which should either be “Work Cited” or “Works Cited.”

• Only 1 reference = “Work Cited”
• Multiple references =”Works Cited”

Whether you’re making an MLA work cited page or an MLA works cited page, here are some general rules to follow:

• Align the title to the center of the document
• Add a one-inch margin below the top edge of the paper
• Do not bold, italicize, or underline the title
• The title should be the same size and style as the rest of the document (12-point font)
• Place a double space between the title and the first citation on the page

Here’s a sample MLA works cited running head and title:

If you’re reading through this page, but have yet to determine your research paper topic, look no further! We have thorough guides on historical individuals to rev up your brainstorming engine! Check out our guides on Abraham Lincoln , Muhammad Ali , and Marilyn Monroe .

Organizing the references in the MLA works cited list

Hanging indent formatting.

• The full citation entries run along the left side of the paper, along the one inch margin.
• Double space each line.
• Each MLA work cited entry has a hanging indent, meaning the first line of the full reference starts along the one inch margin and any additional lines after the first are indented in one and a half inches from the left margin.

Hanging indent example:

Organizing the Works Cited Entries

There are two options: alphabetical order and non alphabetical order.

Alphabetical order

The majority of references are organized in alphabetical order by the first item in the reference, which is usually an author’s last name. When a source doesn’t have an author, the title is placed first in the reference. Many films and movies, for instance, begin with the title, since no author is present.

Either way, whether the reference starts with the last name of the author, or a title, the entries are placed in alphabetical order.

Works cited MLA example, organized in alphabetical order.

Benjamin, Chloe. The Immortalists . Penguin, 2018.

Black Panther. Directed by Ryan Coogler, performance by Chadwick Boseman, Marvel Studios, 2018.

Egan, Jennifer. Manhattan Beach . Scribner, 2017.

Non-alphabetical order

The majority of reference lists are organized in alphabetical order. However, it is acceptable to only organize “annotated bibliographies” in alphabetical order, chronological order, or subject order.

Here’s more information about the organization and creation of an MLA annotated bibliography .

Formatting Author Names in MLA

If you need help structuring or formatting the author’s name (or multiple authors’ names) in your references, this section will help.

Let’s start with the proper structure for one author’s name (taken from Section 5.6 of the official Handbook ). If the source you’re attempting to cite was created by one individual author, structure the name as follows:

Last name, First name.

The last name of the author is placed at the start of the reference, followed by a comma, and the first name of the author. Conclude this information with a period.

One author with a middle name or middle initial

Work Cited Examples:

• Burroughs, William S.
• Yeats, W. B.
• Alcott, Louisa May.

Wondering how to organize two or more works by Louisa May Alcott in your paper? It may be tricky to determine how to alphabetically arrange the references, since each MLA work cited entry begins with Louisa May Alcott.

Citing multiple sources with the same author To create a proper MLA works cited list when there are multiple sources by the same author, place the references in alphabetical order by the title. Only include the author’s name in the first reference. In place of the author’s name in subsequent entries, place three dashes, followed by a period. (Follows rules from Section 5.126 of the Handbook .)

Below is a visual representation of a properly organized and structured MLA style works cited list. All three sources in this MLA works cited page example are by the author, Louisa May Alcott.

Alcott, Louisa May. “Eight Cousins.” Project Gutenberg , 2018, www.gutenberg.org/files/2726/2726-h/2726-h.htm.

– – -. Little Women. Bantam Classics, 1983.

– – -. Rose in Bloom . CreateSpace, 2018.

Citing a Source with Two Authors in MLA

According to section 5.7 of the official Handbook , the first listed author’s name on the source is the first author seen in the reference. The second listed author’s name on the source is the second author placed in the reference.

The first author’s name is placed in reverse order, followed by a comma and the word “and.” The second author’s name is listed in standard order, followed by a period.

Last name, First name of Author 1, and First name Last name of Author 2.

Work Cited Examples

Brust, Steven, and Emma Bull.

Jory, John, and Mac Barnett.

Citing multiple sources with the same co-authors When there are multiple sources on a reference list by the same co-authors, organize those specific references alphabetically by the titles. Only include the names of the coauthors in the first entry.

Jory, John, and Mac Barnett. The Terrible Two. Amulet, 2017.

– – -. The Terrible Two Get Worse. Amulet, 2017.

Here’s a complex scenario…

There may be times when you’re attempting to add additional sources by one of the co-authors, or the lead co-author along with a different individual.

Here is an example of how a works cited page in MLA would be organized. Included is a source solely written by one of the coauthors (John Jory) and a source by John Jory with a different coauthor, Avery Monsen.

Works Cited Example

Jory, John. The Bad Seed. HarperCollins, 2017.

– – -. Giraffe Problems. Random House, 2018.

Monsen, Avery, and Jory John. All My Friends Are Dead , Chronicle, 2010.

Summary of the above examples:

• Jory John’s work, The Bad Seed , is listed first in the reference list since the single author’s name is organized first in alphabetical order.
• The second entry includes the three hyphens and a period in place of John Jory’s name since it is redundant to write out and display the author’s name again in the list.
• Entries three and four are by the coauthors Jory John and Mac Barnett. The hyphens in the fourth source replace the authors’ names in the third for the same reason as above: it’s unnecessary to write out both co-authors’ names twice. The Terrible Two book is placed before The Terrible Two Get Worse as the titles are placed in alphabetical order.
• The fifth entry is by John Jory and Avery Monsen. Monsen’s name is displayed first on the source, which is why her name is listed first in the entry. Remember: authors are placed in the order they appear on the source.

Citing a Source with Three or More Authors in MLA

When there are three or more authors listed on a source, it is unnecessary to include all individuals’ names in the reference list.

Only include the first listed author’s last name, followed by a comma and their first name, followed by another comma and the abbreviation “et al.”

Work Cited Example

Robertson, Judy, et al.

Et al. is an abbreviation used in academic works. It translates to “and others” in Latin. Replace the second, third, and any additional authors’ names with “et al.” on your work cited page in MLA.

The above example represents a journal article written by Judy Robertson, Beth Cross, Hamish Mcleod, and Peter Wiemer-Hastings. Instead of including all four authors’ names in the entry, only the first listed author’s name is included.

Robertson, Judy, et al. “Children’s Interactions with Animated Agents in an Intelligent Tutoring System.” International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education , vol. 14, no. 3-4, 2004, pp. 335-357. IOS Press , content.iospress.com/articles/international-journal-of-artificial-intelligence-in-education/jai14-3-4-05.

If including an additional reference by Judy Robertson, but with different co-authors, include her name again in the reference list.

For example, take a look at this journal article by Judy Robertson, Judith Good, and Helen Pain. The MLA work cited entry would begin with Judy Robertson, et al. and not three hyphens since there are different co-authors than the first.

Robertson, Judy, et al. “BetterBlether: The Design and Evaluation of a Discussion Tool for Education.” International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education , 1998, pp. 9, 219-236, ijaied.org/pub/1026/file/1026_paper.pdf.

The entries are listed in alphabetical order by the title of the source since the first positions are the same.

Citing Authors with proper titles in MLA

There are times when an author is graced with a prestigious title such as a Duke, Sir, Saint, and others (see Section 2.83 of the Handbook for more examples).

When an author has a specific title, it should be omitted from the body of a project and also omitted from the reference list.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle should be in the project as Arthur Conan Doyle.

On a work cited page in MLA, it would be displayed as:

Doyle, Arthur Conan.

Citing Authors with Suffixes in MLA

If an author has a suffix in his or her name, such as Junior (Jr.) or a roman numeral such as II, III, IV, or V, this information is included in the reference list.

The individual’s name is placed in reverse order, with the last name displayed in the first position. Immediately following the last name is a comma, followed by the first name and middle name. After the first and middle names, a comma is placed, and the suffix of the individual is placed at the end with a period. You should not include the comma preceding the suffix, however, if it is a numeral.

For example, Cal Ripken, Jr. would be structured as

• Ripken, Cal, Jr.

Frederick William III would be structured as:

William, Frederick III.

Citing Pen Names in MLA

If the author’s pen name is one that is well known, it is acceptable to use the pen name in place of the author’s real first and last name.

For example, Mark Twain , Dr. Seuss , George Orwell, and O. Henry are all acceptable to use in a works cited MLA section, as their pen names are well known.

If the author’s pen name is less familiar, you can include the author’s real name in brackets in the reference.

Coffey, Brian [Dean Koontz]. Blood Risk. Bobbs-Merrill, 1973.

Van Dyne, Edith [L. Frank Baum]. Aunt Jane’s Nieces At Work. 1st World Library, 2006.

Formatting Author’s Names in Other Languages

Many names in languages other than English include conventions and features that are different from names in English. This next section provides information to help you properly structure and organize the names of authors in other languages. It follows rules from section 2.73 in the official Handbook .

Citing French Names in MLA

French names often include the particles de, d’, or du. Some examples include Valery Giscard d’Estaing, Bertrand du Guesclin, and Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord.

When “de” is used in an individual’s name, it is separated from the last name. Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord would be structured in a work cited MLA list as:

Talleyrand-Perigord, Charles Maurice de.

If, however, the last name is only one syllable, “de” is considered part of the last name. The reference entry would begin with de and then the last name of the individual, followed by a comma and the first name. In this instance, “de” remains lowercased.

When “du” or “des” is used in an individual’s name, it is included as part of the last name. Capitalize the “d” in “du.” Bertrand du Guesclin would be structured in a work cited MLA list as:

Du Guesclin, Bertrand.

When d’ is placed before a last name, d’ is included as part of the last name, but only when the last name begins with a vowel. Valery Giscard d’Estaing would be structured as:

d’Estaing, Valery Giscard.

Citing Asian Names in MLA

Prior to determining how to structure an Asian author’s name, consider the source. Many Asian publishers display the author’s last name first on sources. If the source was published in Asia, do not reverse the author’s name in the reference list. Write it in the order shown on the source, without any commas. End the author’s name with a period.

If the source was published in English, it is quite possible that the author’s last name is displayed first as well. This is when the researcher must do a bit of detective work to determine the author’s first name and last name. Run the name through a search engine and identify the author’s first name and last name. If the last name is placed first on the source, keep it as is in the reference entry. Do not reverse the names and write it in standard form.

If, on the source, the author’s name is placed in standard order (first name followed by last name) reverse it in the reference list. Begin the reference with the last name of the individual, add a comma, and add the first name of the author. End the field with a period.

Citing Latin Names in MLA

Famous historical figures in Roman history have names that are widely known. Some examples include Julius Caesar, Augustus, Claudius, Constantine, and others. While these individuals are known by their Roman names, their full names are in Latin.

Begin the reference entry with the Roman name. Immediately following the Roman name, add the individual’s full name in brackets. End the information with a period.

Augustus [Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus]. “The Deeds of the Divine Augustus.” The Internet Classics Archive , translated by Thomas Bushnell, 1998, classics.mit.edu/Augustus/deeds.html.

APA citation website references look much different! Make sure you check out our handy guides on EasyBib.com!

Citing German Names in MLA

Two commonly used particles in German names are “von” and “zu.” Examples include Alexander von Humboldt, Ferdinand von Zeppelin, Prince Chlodwig zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst, and Maximilian zu Wied-Neuwied.

When a German individual’s name includes the particles “von” or “zu,” the particles are not included as part of the person’s last name. Ferdinand von Zeppelin would be organized in the work cited MLA list as:

Zeppelin, Ferdinand von.

If, on the source, von is displayed as a last name, it is acceptable to include it at the beginning of the individual’s last name. Examples include books by Dita Von Teese and Diane Von Furstenberg.

Von Furstenberg, Diane. Diane: A Signature Life . Simon & Schuster, 2009.

Citing Italian Names in MLA

If the particles d’, del, de, della, di, da, are used in an individual’s last name, and the individual is relatively current and from modern times, the particles are included as part of the last name and the reference entry begins with the capitalized particle.

Di Lampedusa, Giuseppe Tomasi.

When the individual’s name begins with one of the same particles above, but he or she is from historical or ancient times, the particle is not included as part of the individual’s last name.

Citing Spanish Names in MLA

There are two commonly used particles in Spanish names: “de” and “del.” If an individual’s name includes the particle, “de,” do not include it as part of his or her last name. When “del” is visible in an individual’s last name, the “d” in “del” is capitalized and placed at the beginning of the citation.

• Del Toro, Benicio.
• Leon, Juan Ponce de.
• Soto, Hernando de.
• Del Rio, Andres Manuel.

Title rules

Capitalization rules in mla.

According to section 2.90 of the Handbook , titles should be written in title case format. This means that the first letter in the first word, the first letter in the last word, and the first letters of all other important words are capitalized. Any coordinating conjunctions (and, for, but, or, so, nor, and yet), articles (a, an, the), and prepositions in the title are not capitalized.

Here are a few MLA works cited examples of how titles should appear in references:

• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
• The Wizard of Oz
• Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

If the source you’re attempting to cite is in a language other than English, it is recommended to use “sentence case” form. Sentence case only has the first letter in the first word capitalized and the first letter in any proper nouns capitalized. All other words are written in lowercase letters.

Don’t forget to use EasyBib.com’s MLA work cited generator to develop your works cited page in MLA.

Italics vs. Quotation marks in MLA

Whether the source is placed in italics or quotation marks depends on where the source was found. If the title stands alone (like a book or movie), place the title in italics. If the title was found in a container, such as a website, anthology, edited book, or another type of container, place the source in quotation marks and the container in italics.

Mather, Victor. “Japan Advances in World Cup 2018 Despite Losing to Poland.” New York Times , 28 June 2018, nyti.ms/2IzyUdm.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye . Little Brown, 1991.

Formatting titles beginning with numbers in MLA

Titles beginning with numbers are placed in the reference list in alphabetical order, as if the title was written out alphabetically.

Here’s an MLA works cited example: The movie 2 Fast 2 Furious , would be organized in alphabetical order as if it said “ Too Fast Too Furious .” The citation would still be begin with the number even though it is organized alphabetically.

Don’t forget to try EasyBib.com’s MLA works cited generator to help you develop your references and your MLA works cited page. Our MLA works cited generator is free and simple to use!

Developing MLA references on EasyBib.com

EasyBib.com has an MLA works cited generator, which helps you produce references . This means you don’t have to spend time determining how to structure and organize the components of a citation.

To create your complete page of works cited in MLA with our tools, head to the EasyBib homepage.

Did your teacher or professor request that your references be made in MLA format? Luckily for you, MLA is the default format on EasyBib.com. If you’re not sure which style to use, ask your teacher.

• Select your source. Examples: book, website, video, etc. There are several types to choose from!
• Input information. Sources like websites, books, etc., will let you do an automatic search for citation information on your source. Input details like your source’s title, author, ISBN, DOI, or keywords.
• Select your source. Look through the results list and choose the one that matches your source.
• Review details. See what was found during the search.
• Review and edit the citation form. Feel free to add any missing details, or update any fields.
• Complete citation. Congratulations on your new citation! Copy and paste it into your document, or keep adding citations to your list.

All references are automatically organized in proper order and can be exported to Microsoft Word Documents, Google Docs, Dropbox, or One Drive. There’s even an option to email the reference!

Even better? EasyBib Plus gives you access to tools that do more than simply creating full references. References in the text are created for you, too! Whether it’s a Modern Language Association reference, or an APA parenthetical citation , APA book citation , or APA journal reference, we’ll create both types for you.

Need a bit more help? Our plagiarism checker is a one-stop shop to help you with your writing, grammar, and reference needs. Copy and paste your paper into our proofreader and receive comprehensive feedback! Stress less and submit your paper with confidence!

Follow our EasyBib Twitter feed to discover more citing tips, fun grammar facts, and the latest product updates.

MLA Works Cited

“Formatting a Research Paper.” MLA Style Center , Modern Language Association of America, style.mla.org/formatting-papers/.

MLA Handbook . 9th ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2021

Published October 16, 2013. Updated June 20, 2021.

Written and edited by Michele Kirschenbaum and Elise Barbeau. Michele Kirschenbaum is a school library media specialist and the in-house librarian at EasyBib.com. Elise Barbeau is the Citation Specialist at Chegg. She has worked in digital marketing, libraries, and publishing.

MLA Formatting Guide

MLA Formatting

• Annotated Bibliography
• Bibliography
• Block Quotes
• et al Usage
• In-text Citations
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• Page Numbers
• Sample Paper
• Works Cited
• MLA 8 Updates
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• View MLA Guide

Citation Examples

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• View all MLA Examples

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• The title should be the same size and style as the rest of the document (12-point font)/li>

If the title stands alone, place the title in italics. If the title was found in a container, such as a website, anthology, edited book, or another type of container, place the source in quotation marks and the container in italics.

According to Section 1.2 of the Handbook, titles should be written in title case format. Any coordinating conjunctions (and, for, but, or, so, nor, and yet), articles (a, an, the), and prepositions in the title are not capitalized.

If an author has a suffix in his or her name, the last name is displayed in the first position followed by a comma, the first name, and the middle name. After the first and middle names, a comma is placed, and the suffix of the individual is placed at the end.

Cal Ripken Jr. would be structured as

Author with roman numeral suffix would be structured as

• William, Frederick, III.

An MLA works cited list contains complete details of all the sources that are cited in the text. It helps the reader locate the source in case they want to read it for further understanding. It is included at the end of the paper after the main text. Each entry provides all of the information about each source so that it can be easily located. For example, the works cited list entry for a journal article would include the following elements:

Title of the article

Journal title

Volume number

Issue number

Publication date

With the help of the mentioned elements, a reader can locate the source for future reference. In addition, the works cited list arranges entries in alphabetical order according to the surname of the first author or title (if there is no author) to help the reader locate the entry in the list quickly. A few works cited list entries are listed below as examples:

Brenner, Barbara. “Pink Ribbons and Lou Gehrig: Time to Bury Useless Symbols.” So Much to be Done: The Writings of Breast cancer Activist Barbara Brenner , edited by Barbara Sjoholm, UP of Minnesota, 2016, pp. 199–202.

Feldman, Alice E. “Dances with Diversity: American Indian Self‐Presentation Within the Re‐presentative Contexts of a Non‐Indian Museum.” Text and Performance Quarterly , vol. 14, no. 3, 1994, pp. 210–21.

Hymes, Dell H. Discovering Oral Performance and Measured Verse in American Indian Narrative . Johns Hopkins UP, 1977.

The main purpose of the works cited list is to provide the readers with the complete details of the sources cited in the text. It helps the reader locate the source in case they want to do further research or verify information. It also helps to ensure that full credit is given to the sources utilized in the paper. The works cited list is placed at the end of the paper after the main text. For example, the works cited list entry for a journal article would include the author’s name, the title of the article, the journal title, the volume and issue number of the journal, the date the article was published, the page numbers of the article, and the URL if the article was found online. With the help of the mentioned elements, a reader can locate the source for future reference.

The works cited list arranges entries in alphabetical order according to the surname of the first author or title (if there is no author) to help the reader locate the entry in the list quickly.

MLA Citation Examples

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Consider your source's credibility. ask these questions:, contributor/author.

• Has the author written several articles on the topic, and do they have the credentials to be an expert in their field?
• Can you contact them? Do they have social media profiles?
• Have other credible individuals referenced this source or author?
• Book: What have reviews said about it?
• What do you know about the publisher/sponsor? Are they well-respected?
• Do they take responsibility for the content? Are they selective about what they publish?
• Take a look at their other content. Do these other articles generally appear credible?
• Does the author or the organization have a bias? Does bias make sense in relation to your argument?
• Is the purpose of the content to inform, entertain, or to spread an agenda? Is there commercial intent?
• Are there ads?
• When was the source published or updated? Is there a date shown?
• Does the publication date make sense in relation to the information presented to your argument?
• Does the source even have a date?
• Was it reproduced? If so, from where?
• If it was reproduced, was it done so with permission? Copyright/disclaimer included?

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!

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Alphabetize Tool

It's never fun to think about all the work it's going to take when you have a long list you need to alphabetize. The good news is you can now alphabetize your list (in a variety of ways) in just a few seconds with the WordCounter Alphabetize Tool.

Step 1: Choose the type of list you have: a new line for each list item, a comma in between each list item or a space between each list item.

Step 2: Input your list into the text area.

Step 3: Choose the appropriate button on the left side for the type of alphabetizing function you want to have performed on your list.

That's all there is to it. You will have your list alphabetized within seconds saving your time and headaches. Below are some of the tool's feature options that are available:

Alphabetize

It does exactly what it says it will do -- put your list into alphabetical order.

Alphabetize Categorized List

If you have several lists under different categories, you don't have to input each list separately to alphabetize each of them. You can follow the directions to mark each category and the tool will separately alphabetize the information under each category for your convenience.

Alphabetize by Last Name

If you have a list of names you need to have arranged in alphabetical order, you probably don't want that done by the first name. This option will arrange so the new list is alphabetized by the last name without you having to put the last name first.

Remove List Duplicates

It's common for lists to accidentally have the same information input twice. For example, if you have a long email list, you may be worried your list may have duplicate emails, and you don't want to send the same information out twice. Using this button will make sure that any duplicate content within the list will be removed.

Reverse List

There may be a time when you want your list to be alphabetized from "z to a" instead of from a to z. Choosing this button will give you a reverse alphabetized list.

Randomize List

Sometimes you want to change the order of the list you have, but don't want it to be in a specific order. The randomize button will do this for you.

If you are making a list for a blog post or to post online, you may want bullet points in front of each item on the list. Pressing this button will place the HTML tags on your list so it will show up as bullet points in your article.

Remove HTML

If you have a list that happens to include HTML tags as part of it, you can use the Remove HTML button to strip all of the HTML tags from the list. This will allow the list to be properly alphabetized.

Add Numbers / Letters

Once you have your list in the order that best fits your needs, you may want to add numbers, letters or some other preface to it. If this is the case, you can press this button and it will automatically number your entire list. If you want Roman numerals, capital letters, or small letters, you can click the wrench to choose one of these or customize to your liking.

Add Custom Text

If you need to add something to each entry on your list, this can take a significant amount of time, especially if the list happens to be long. Using the "Add Custom Text" button will allow you to add anything you want to each entry on the list. Clicking on the wrench will let you add the custom text and you can decide it you want it added to the beginning or end of each item on the list.

Change List Type

When you input your list, you need to choose how it's formatted at the top of the tool. If you want to change the format of your current list to a different format, you can click on the "Change List Type" button. The default is a "New Line" list, but you can click on the wrench to change your current list to comma, space or your own custom list.

Ignore List Options

The bottom three check boxes allow you to ignore certain things when alphabetizing your list. For example, you may want to ignore definite and indefinite articles (or both) when alphabetizing the list. Check these boxes and they will be ignored. You can also choose to ignore certain word placement in the list when alphabetizing.

We hope you find this tool useful in formatting your lists to the way you want with minimal effort. We would love to hear what you think of this tool and if you have any suggestions to make it better. If you do, please use the "Contact Us" button at the top of the page.

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MLA Works Cited Page: Basic Format

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Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

According to MLA style, you must have a Works Cited page at the end of your research paper. All entries in the Works Cited page must correspond to the works cited in your main text.

Basic rules

• Begin your Works Cited page on a separate page at the end of your research paper. It should have the same one-inch margins and last name, page number header as the rest of your paper.
• Only the title should be centered. The citation entries themselves should be aligned with the left margin.
• Double space all citations, but do not skip spaces between entries.
• Indent the second and subsequent lines of citations by 0.5 inches to create a hanging indent.
• List page numbers of sources efficiently, when needed. If you refer to a journal article that appeared on pages 225 through 250, list the page numbers on your Works Cited page as pp. 225-50 (Note: MLA style dictates that you should omit the first sets of repeated digits. In our example, the digit in the hundreds place is repeated between 2 25 and 2 50, so you omit the 2 from 250 in the citation: pp. 225-50). If the excerpt spans multiple pages, use “pp.”   Note that MLA style uses a hyphen in a span of pages.
• If only one page of a print source is used, mark it with the abbreviation “p.” before the page number (e.g., p. 157). If a span of pages is used, mark it with the abbreviation “pp.” before the page number (e.g., pp. 157-68).
• If you're citing an article or a publication that was originally issued in print form but that you retrieved from an online database, you should type the online database name in italics. You do not need to provide subscription information in addition to the database name.
• For online sources, you should include a location to show readers where you found the source. Many scholarly databases use a DOI (digital object identifier). Use a DOI in your citation if you can; otherwise use a URL. Delete “http://” from URLs. The DOI or URL is usually the last element in a citation and should be followed by a period.
• All works cited entries end with a period.

Additional basic rules new to MLA 2021

New to MLA 2021:

• Apps and databases should be cited only when they are containers of the particular works you are citing, such as when they are the platforms of publication of the works in their entirety, and not an intermediary that redirects your access to a source published somewhere else, such as another platform. For example, the Philosophy Books app should be cited as a container when you use one of its many works, since the app contains them in their entirety. However, a PDF article saved to the Dropbox app is published somewhere else, and so the app should not be cited as a container.
• If it is important that your readers know an author’s/person’s pseudonym, stage-name, or various other names,  then you should generally cite the better-known form of author’s/person’s name. For example, since the author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is better-known by his pseudonym, cite Lewis Carroll opposed to Charles Dodgson (real name).
• For annotated bibliographies , annotations should be appended at the end of a source/entry with one-inch indentations from where the entry begins. Annotations may be written as concise phrases or complete sentences, generally not exceeding one paragraph in length.

Capitalization and punctuation

• Capitalize each word in the titles of articles, books, etc, but do not capitalize articles (the, an), prepositions, or conjunctions unless one is the first word of the title or subtitle: Gone with the Wind, The Art of War, There Is Nothing Left to Lose .
• Use italics (instead of underlining) for titles of larger works (books, magazines) and quotation marks for titles of shorter works (poems, articles)

Listing author names

Entries are listed alphabetically by the author's last name (or, for entire edited collections, editor names). Author names are written with the last name first, then the first name, and then the middle name or middle initial when needed:

Do not  list titles (Dr., Sir, Saint, etc.) or degrees (PhD, MA, DDS, etc.) with names. A book listing an author named "John Bigbrain, PhD" appears simply as "Bigbrain, John." Do, however, include suffixes like "Jr." or "II." Putting it all together, a work by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would be cited as "King, Martin Luther, Jr." Here the suffix following the first or middle name and a comma.

More than one work by an author

If you have cited more than one work by a particular author, order the entries alphabetically by title, and use three hyphens in place of the author's name for every entry after the first:

Burke, Kenneth. A Grammar of Motives . [...]

---. A Rhetoric of Motives . [...]

When an author or collection editor appears both as the sole author of a text and as the first author of a group, list solo-author entries first:

Heller, Steven, ed. The Education of an E-Designer .

Heller, Steven, and Karen Pomeroy. Design Literacy: Understanding Graphic Design.

Work with no known author

Alphabetize works with no known author by their title; use a shortened version of the title in the parenthetical citations in your paper. In this case, Boring Postcards USA has no known author:

Baudrillard, Jean. Simulacra and Simulations.  [...]

Boring Postcards USA  [...]

Burke, Kenneth. A Rhetoric of Motives . [...] 

Work by an author using a pseudonym or stage-name

New to MLA 9th edition, there are now steps to take for citing works by an author or authors using a pseudonym, stage-name, or different name. 

If the person you wish to cite is well-known, cite the better-known form of the name of the author. For example, since Lewis Carroll is  not only a pseudonym of Charles Dodgson , but also the better-known form of the author’s name, cite the former name opposed to the latter. 

If the real name of the author is less well-known than their pseudonym, cite the author’s pseudonym in square brackets following the citation of their real name: “Christie, Agatha [Mary Westmacott].”

Authors who published various works under many names may be cited under a single form of the author’s name. When the form of the name you wish to cite differs from that which appears on the author’s work, include the latter in square brackets following an italicized published as : “Irving, Washington [ published as Knickerbocker, Diedrich].”.

Another acceptable option, in cases where there are only two forms of the author’s name, is to cite both forms of the author’s names as separate entries along with cross-references in square brackets: “Eliot, George [ see also Evans, Mary Anne].”.

The Alphabetizer sorts any list in alphabetical order

Alphabetize any list...and so much more, alphabetize list below, enter your list of items below to sort them in alphabetical order., alphabetizer options, alphabetize list. if you need help alphabetizing a list to help with homework, alphebetize business, tech, or to learn how to alpabetize in microsoft word or excel, you've come to the right place the alphabetize list tool is a sorting tool that will meet your alphabetizing needs and put a list in abc order - even in covid-19 pandemic times, how to alphabetize a list online.

• Step 1: To alphabetize your list, enter your list in the large textarea, where it says enter your list of items below to sort them in alphabetical order. It's easy to do this by cutting and pasting from a Word or text document, or by typing your list in, one line at a time.
• Step 2: If your list is separated by a comma, or has a space between each item, choose the corresponding option under "separate terms by." The alphabetizer will automatically sort using the delimiter it detects, so you probably won't need to change this - just leave it on auto unless you encounter problems.
• Step 3: Make sure the "alphabetize" option is selected.
• Step 4: Press the Alphabetize button beneath the text area.

There are lots of options when alphabetizing, listed below. Please note that these explanations are very basic and don't fully describe all the functionality available in the web app.

Alphabetize

This option simply alphabetizes your list (puts a list in abc order). Use it as a sort tool to alphabetize tweets, Facebook posts, a packing list, a list of movies, television shows, a business directory, comedies, birthday boy names or girl names, a todo list, or a list of countries or a list of U.S. States.

Alphabetize by Last Name

If you give The Alphabetizer a list of names, and you need to alphabetize a list by last name (like for a list of wedding guests, insurance companies, lawyers, etc,) please choose this option. It will use a special algorithm to detect the last name in each name and will alphabetize your list by lastname.

Sort Titles

This option will help to alphabetize the titles of movies, films, books, records, music, laws, SEO terms, social media posts - whatever you like - by ignoring articles (the, a, an, some, many) while sorting your list.

Make Lowercase

Sometimes you want to make all your text lowercase. This option will take all your text and make it lowercase.

Capitalize Titles

This will capitalize the titles of each line without alphabetizing the actual list. Once you've capitalized your titles, simply select the Alphabetize option and you put your list in alphabetical order.

Remove Duplicates

Remove duplicate lines from a list. List Deduper will dedupe your list. Use this online tool to remove duplicate lines from a large block of text. This can be useful if you don't realize you have the same thing written on more than one line and you don't need it listed twice.

Reverse list

This option will take your list and reverse the order in which each term is listed. Turn your list on its head! You can sort your list Z to A instead of A to Z.

A quick way of removing any extra HTML from your list. Good for when you have a list of links or text copied from the View Source section of a website or if you're a coder or programmer that needs to display a web page without styling or links.

A fun list randomizer. Arrange the items of a list in random order. You could use this for a text game or to mix up a list. And don't worry: if you mess up the order, you can select the Alphabetize option and to quickly put your list back in alphabetical order with the best sorting tool on the interwebs!

Number / Letter / Add Roman Numerals

This option lets you add numbers, letters, roman numerals, or another preface to each item in your list. You can also add a separator which will appear between the number/letter/roman numeral and your line of text. This is helpful for legal text, essay outlines, to enumarate lists, label book chapters, list sporting events, or anywhere you might need to add roman numerals to a list.

Add Custom Text

Save the time of manually adding some custom text to the beginning of each item in your list by using this option to automatically add text to the beginning of each item in your list. Good for adding HTML tags like links <a>, paragraphs <p> or ordered and unordered lists <ul>.

Remove Word From Each Line

This option will let you remove the first word from each line in a list before putting it in abc order.

Ignore List Options

Sometimes you want to ignore a word, or words, at the beginning of a line when you alphabetize. This option will let you ignore the 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th word at the beginning of each line. You can also ignore definite articles such as "the" or ignore indefinite articles such as "a, an, some, any" in the list.

Separate Terms With

This option functions best if left on "auto" but if you have problems, you can choose a character, or a custom character, with which to separate the terms that are on your list.

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