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Citation Guide (MLA 9th Edition)

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

Movies

General Format

Title of Movie, Version. Contributor(s), Production Company, Year of Release.

In-text citation: (Title of Movie)

 Note: Add Version if applicable, such as for unrated versions or directors' cuts. You might include the original release date as a supplemental element.

Works Cited List Example

I Am Not Your Negro. Directed by Raoul Peck, performances by James Baldwin and Samuel L. Jackson, Magnolia Home Entertainment, 2016. 

 Note: Exclude the list of performers if not relevant.
In-Text Citation Example

(I Am Not Your Negro)

Note: The title of the film is in italics in the in-text citation because that is how it appears in the Works Cited List Example.

Viewed through an App or Streaming Service (e.g., Kanopy, Netflix, etc.):

Title of Video. Contributor(s), Production Company, Year of Release. Streaming service or App, URL. Accessed Date.

In-text citation: ("Words From Title")

Works Cited List Example

bell hooks: Cultural Criticism & Transformation. Directed by Sut Jhally, Sanjay Talreja, Mary Patierno, and Harriet Hirshorn. Media Education Foundation, 1997. Kanopy, https://www.kanopy.com/en/otis/video/41520. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024.

 Note: The Accessed Date is optional but highly recommended in MLA 9th edition. Including it is best practice for using web resources.
Example

(bell hooks)

 Note: Because web addresses change often, use the stable version of the URL. It is usually identified as Permalink, DOI, or Share This. For many databases, the URL in the browser bar may contain login and session data and will stop working.

Television Episodes

Viewed through an App:

"Title of Episode." Title of TV Series, Contributors Name(s), season, episode, Production Company or Network, Day Month Year of Release. App used to watch the episode.

For in-text citations, use ("Title of Episode")

Note: If the episode has many contributors, include the ones most relevant to your project (i.e., if you are writing about an episode that focuses on a key character, you might mention the series creator and the actor who portrays the character).

Works Cited List Example

"Uno." Better Call Saul, created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, season 1, episode 1, AMC, 8 Feb. 2015. Netflix app.
In-Text Citation Example

("Uno")

Note: The title of the episode is in quotation marks in the in-text citation because that is how it appears in the Works Cited entry.
Viewed on a Website:

"Title of Episode." Title of TV Series, Contributors Name(s), season, episode, Production Company or Network, Day Month Year of Release. Website, website's URL.

In-text citation: ("Title of Episode")

Note: If the episode has many contributors, include the ones most relevant to your project (i.e., if you are writing about an episode that focuses on a key character, you might mention the series creator and the actor who portrays the character).

Works Cited List Example

"Pilot." The X-Files, created by Chris Carter, season 1, episode 1, Fox Broadcasting Company, 10 Sept. 1993. Hulu, www.hulu.com.
In-Text Citation Example

("Pilot")

Note: The title of the episode is in quotation marks in the in-text citation because that is how it appears in the Works Cited entry.
Viewed on Physical Media:

"Title of Episode." Title of TV Series, Contributors Name(s), season, episode, Production Company or Network, Day Month Year of Release. Format.

In-text citation: ("Title of Episode")

Note: If the episode has many contributors, include the ones most relevant to your project (i.e., if you are writing about an episode that focuses on a key character, you might mention the series creator and the actor who portrays the character).

Works Cited List Example

"Puerto Rico." Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, season 2, episode 6, The Travel Channel, 1 May 2006. DVD.
In-Text Citation Example

("Puerto Rico")

Note: The title of the episode is in quotation marks in the in-text citation because that is how it appears in the Works Cited entry.

Videos Uploaded to a Sharing Site (e.g., YouTube, Vimeo, etc.)

Last Name, First Name of video creator or Username of Creator. "Title of Video." Title of the Hosting Website, uploaded by User, Day Month Year of Publication, URL of video. Accessed Date.

For in-text citations, use (Last Name of Video Creator)

Works Cited List Example

McGonigal, Jane. "Gaming Can Make a Better World." YouTube, uploaded by TED, 17 March 2010, youtu.be/dE1DuBesGYM. Accessed 6 Nov. 2017.

 Note: The Accessed Date is optional but highly recommended in MLA 9th edition. Including it is best practice for using web resources.
In-Text Citation Example (McGonigal)

 Note: Only list the creator if they are different from the uploader. If they are the same, skip that element and begin the citation with the title.

Online Lectures, Oral Presentations, and Speeches

Last Name, First Name of Speaker/Presenter. "Title of Lecture." Conference or Organization Name, Day Month Year of Lecture, Location, video URL.

For in-text citations, use (Last Name of Speaker/Presenter)

 Note: You can also treat an online lecture as an online video - see McGonigal above. Be consistent within your Works Cited.

Works Cited List Example

Hudson, Linda. "Exposing 'the Selfie'." TEDx Manhattan Beach Conf., 15 Nov. 2014, tedxmanhattanbeach.com/2014-videos. Accessed 14 Sept. 2018.

 Note: Location was omitted since it was included in the conference title.

 Note: The Accessed Date is optional but highly recommended in MLA 9th edition. It is also a best practice for using web resources.
In-Text Citation Example (Hudson)
  • Last Updated: Feb 12, 2025 10:51 AM
  • URL: https://otis.libguides.com/mla_citations
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