How to Cite Sources in MLA Format: Complete Guide

MLA (Modern Language Association) style is standard in literature, language, and humanities. This guide covers MLA 9th edition.

In-Text Citations

Basic Format

(Author Page Number)
No comma between author and page!

Single Author

According to Smith, "direct quote here" (45).
This concept appears throughout (Smith 45).

Two Authors

(Smith and Jones 45)

Three or More Authors

(Smith et al. 45)

No Author

Use shortened title:
("Article Title" 45)

Multiple Works by Same Author

Include shortened title:
(Smith, Title 45)

No Page Numbers

Omit page numbers; use paragraph or section if available:
(Smith, par. 4)

Works Cited Basics

Formatting

• Title: Works Cited (centered, not bold)


• Double-spaced throughout


• Hanging indent


• Alphabetical by author's last name


• MLA uses containers model

Core Elements (in order)

1. Author.
2. Title of source.
3. Title of container,
4. Contributors,
5. Version,
6. Number,
7. Publisher,
8. Publication date,
9. Location.

Works Cited Examples

Books

Single Author
Smith, John David. Title of the Book: Subtitle. Publisher, 2020.

Two Authors
Smith, John David, and Mary K. Jones. Title of Book. Publisher, 2020.

Three or More Authors
Smith, John David, et al. Title of Book. Publisher, 2020.

Edited Collection
Smith, John David, editor. Title of Collection. Publisher, 2020.

Work in Anthology
Jones, Mary K. "Title of Essay." Title of Anthology, edited by John D. Smith, Publisher, 2020, pp. 100-150.

Journal Articles

Print Journal
Smith, John David. "Title of Article." Journal Name, vol. 45, no. 2, 2020, pp. 123-145.

Online Journal with DOI
Smith, John David. "Title of Article." Journal Name, vol. 45, no. 2, 2020, pp. 123-145. DOI: 10.1234/xxxxx.

Online Journal with URL
Smith, John David. "Title of Article." Journal Name, vol. 45, no. 2, 2020, www.journalwebsite.com/article.

Websites

With Author
Smith, John David. "Title of Page." Website Name, Publisher, 15 Jan. 2020, www.website.com/page.

No Author
"Title of Page." Website Name, Publisher, 15 Jan. 2020, www.website.com/page.

Organization as Author
Modern Language Association. "MLA Style Center." MLA, 2020, style.mla.org.

Other Sources

Newspaper Article
Smith, John David. "Title of Article." Newspaper Name, 15 Jan. 2020, p. A1.

Film
Title of Film. Directed by John Smith, performances by Mary Jones and Tom Brown, Studio Name, 2020.

YouTube Video
"Title of Video." YouTube, uploaded by Channel Name, 15 Jan. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxxx.

Podcast
"Episode Title." Podcast Name, hosted by John Smith, Publisher, 15 Jan. 2020, www.podcasturl.com.

Interview
Smith, John David. Personal interview. 15 Jan. 2020.

The Container Model

MLA uses "containers" for sources within larger sources:

Article in a journal:

• Source: the article


• Container 1: the journal


• Container 2: the database (if accessed online)

Example with two containers:
Smith, John. "Article Title." Journal Name, vol. 45, 2020, pp. 1-10. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/xxxxx.

Special Cases

Multiple Works by Same Author

List alphabetically by title. Use three hyphens instead of author name after first entry:

Smith, John David. First Book Title. Publisher, 2020.
---. Second Book Title. Publisher, 2021.

Translated Works

Include translator:
Homer. The Odyssey. Translated by Emily Wilson, W. W. Norton, 2018.

Sacred Texts

The Bible. King James Version, Oxford UP, 2008.

Common MLA Mistakes

Works Cited

• Putting comma after author in parenthetical citations


• Incorrect italicization (titles of short works shouldn't be italicized)


• Missing periods between elements


• URL errors

In-Text

• Using "p." or "pp." before page numbers


• Using first names instead of last names


• Incorrect placement of citations with punctuation

Conclusion

MLA prioritizes flexibility and author-focused citations. Master the core elements, learn the container model, and always verify formatting against the MLA Handbook or Purdue OWL.