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Citation Guide (MLA 9th Edition)

How to cite sources according to MLA
This page has been updated to MLA 9

General Template

Author's Last Name, First Name. Title of Book: Subtitle. Supplemental Elements. Title of 1st Container, Contributor, Version or edition, Number, Publisher Name, Publication Date, Pages. Title of 2nd Container, Contributor, Version or edition, Number, Publisher Name, Publication Date, Pages. Supplemental Elements.

The layout and necessary elements vary depending on the source. See "How Do I Cite..." for more specific formatting. You do not need to use all of these elements for every source. Use those that are relevant to what you are citing.


MLA Core Elements

MLA citations assemble facts about a source, like who wrote it and when it was published. These facts are known as elements.

Quick Rules:

  • Each element should be followed by the appropriate punctuation mark, either a comma or a period, depending on where it is in the citation.
  • If the information for an element cannot be found or does not apply to the source, omit that element.
  • Entries should always conclude with a period.
The core elements of MLA citations are as follows; they are listed in the order they should appear in a citation:

MLA 9 Core Elements with Punctuation

Image: Modern Language Association. "Works Cited: A Quick Guide." MLA Style Center, https://style.mla.org/works-cited/works-cited-a-quick-guide/. Accessed 6 Jan. 2023.

Commonly Used Terms

Access Date

This is the date you first look at a source. It should be added to the end of citations for all websites. However, for items accessed through library databases, it is optional.

Block Quote

A specific way of formatting long quotations. Used for direct quotations that are at least four lines of prose, three lines of poetry, or two paragraphs. It is a freestanding quote that does not include quotation marks, and the in-text citation appears after the closing punctuation mark.

Citation

A structured way of providing information about a source. They intend to help your readers (and yourself) find the source.

Citing

The process of acknowledging sources of information and ideas.

Container

This is the larger entity where a source is found. Containers are used to structure citations. They include things like library databases where you find an academic journal, a book that contains a chapter you reference, or a website that contains a video you watched. There may be multiple containers within a citation. For example, you may use a library database to find an article from a newspaper.

Direct Quote

Copying words of text originally published elsewhere. Generally, they appear in quotation marks and end with an in-text citation; see "Block Quotes" for the exception to this rule.

Element

Fact about a source, component of a citation.

In-Text Citation

A brief reference to a source that appears when the information or ideas from that source are invoked. An in-text citation should always correspond to a complete citation on the Works Cited page.

Paraphrasing

The act of taking information from a source and putting it into your own words. Paraphrased information should still be cited! This may be compared to a direct quote.

Plagiarism

Taking, using, and passing off as your own the ideas or words of another. Illegal!

Works Cited Page

Contains complete citations for ALL of the sources referenced in a project.


Punctuation

General Rules:

  • Use periods to distinguish between author, title, container information, and supplemental elements
  • Use commas between elements within a container
  • Italicize titles of published works
  • Do not italicize titles of unpublished works or descriptions
  • Follow the directions given by your professor
  • Be consistent

Exceptions:

  • There are many!
  • Refer to the MLA Handbook for specific cases.
    • Titles: See sections 2.106 - 2.125 and 5.23 - 5.30
    • Names: See sections 2.71 - 2.88 and 5.3 - 5.22

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