MLA Citations

Keeping Track of Sources

The 8th edition of the MLA handbook has streamlined keeping track of source information. When deciding how to cite your source, start by consulting the list of core elements. These are the general pieces of information that MLA suggests including in each Works Cited entry. In your citation, the elements should be listed in the following order using the punctuation given and then a space before the next item:

• Author.   include all authors, middle initials if given, organization

• Title of source. book, essay, poem, episode, movie, article title, or web page title.

• Title of container,   book collection, series, journal/ magazine/ newspaper title, television series, website title

• Other contributors,   editors, illustrators, translators, etc.-- only when necessary to identify the source

• Version,   edition or version

• Number,   volume, issue, season, episode

• Publisher,     organization producing the source, service providing the source (except for school database)

• Publication date,   day, month, year source version was produced

• Location.   page, pages, URL, or place where you witnessed the physical object 

• Database name. Name of Subscription Database

• Date of original publication.   only if published on more than one date

• City of publication,   generally just for sources published prior to 1900

• DOI.   Digital Object Identifier for certain online sources/ replaces the URL

• Date of access.   used only for online sources/ no longer required

Use the link to the Source Card Template to keep track of source information for a paper or project. It s a view only file. Select File, Make a copy in order to use the template for your own set of sources.

How to Cite While You Write

Download the PDF Citation Samples. The PDF has samples of internal (in text) and parenthetical citations for MLA. Use the links on the second page menu to find explanations and samples for each. The return arrow on a page will bring you back to the menu.

The Works Cited Page

Copying and pasting source citations at the bottom of your articles is not advisable because they are not always correct and adhere to MLA guidelines for the latest version-- this includes the one's that say MLA to the Left of the citation! If the type of citation you need to do is not offered in the citation machine, you should visit OWL for help or buy the MLA handbook at the bookstore.

• After the last paragraph, insert a PageBreak (Control+ Enter).

• Remove the paragraph indent.

• Center using Format > Align & indent or the Align button the toolbar the Title Works Cited.

• Enter (Return) and get the cursor on the next line for the first entry.

• Create entries using the online citation machine. 

• Create entries using various tools or using manual templates previously created.

• Paste entry into document.

• Left justify the first entry click on the end of the first line before hitting enter.

• Next, at the start of the second line, set a Hanging Indent using (Tab).

• If your entry uses three lines set another hanging indent.

• Alphabetical order for all entries.

• No extra line spacing.

Citation Elements and Format

Below are common source element format samples that you would encounter in the HS. 

The 2 OWL Purdue MLA PDFs below provide further samples of electronic source and other common media format.