Published on June 7, 2021 by Shona McCombes. Revised on June 16, 2022. In MLA style, the list of Works Cited (also known as a reference list
or bibliography) appears at the end of your paper. It gives full details of every source that you cited in an MLA in-text citation. Like the rest of an MLA format paper, the Works Cited should be left-aligned and double-spaced with 1-inch margins. You can use the free Scribbr Citation
Generator to create and manage your Works Cited list. Choose your source type and enter the URL, DOI or title to get started. The Works Cited appears at the end of your paper. The layout is similar to the rest of an MLA format paper: If an entry is more than one line long, each line after the first must be indented 0.5 inches. This is called a hanging indent, and it helps the reader see where one entry ends and the next begins. In Microsoft Word, you can create a hanging indent on all entries at once. If you’re using Google Docs, the steps are slightly different. You can also use our free
template to create your Works Cited page in Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Download Word template Copy Google Docs template MLA provides nine core elements that you can use to build a reference for any source. Mouse over the example below to see how they work. “Title of the Source.” Title of the Container, Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, Location. You only include the elements that are relevant to the type of source you’re citing. Use the interactive tool to see different versions of an MLA Works Cited entry. Examples for common source typesBookThe main elements of a book citation are the author, title (italicized), publisher, and year.
If there are other contributors (such as editors or translators), or if you consulted a particular volume or edition of a book, these elements should also be included in the citation. Book chapterIf a book is a collection of chapters by different authors, you should cite the author and title of the specific work. The container gives details of the book, and the location is the page range on which the chapter appears.
This format also applies to works collected in anthologies (such as poems, plays, or stories). Journal articleJournals usually have volume and issue numbers, but no publisher is required. If you accessed the article through a database, this is included as a second container. The DOI provides a stable link to the article.
If there is no DOI, look for a stable URL or permalink instead. Omit the “https://” prefix if using a URL or permalink, but always include it with a DOI. WebsiteFor websites (including online newspapers and magazines), you usually don’t have to include a publisher. The URL is included, with the “https://” prefix removed. If a web page has no publication date, add an access date instead.
If a web page has no publication date, add an access date instead. More MLA citation examplesWe also have examples for a wide range of other source types. What can proofreading do for your paper?Scribbr editors not only correct grammar and spelling mistakes, but also strengthen your writing by making sure your paper is free of vague language, redundant words and awkward phrasing. See editing example Authors and titles in the Works Cited listThere are a few important formatting rules when writing author names and titles in your Works Cited entries. Author namesAuthor names are inverted in the Works Cited list. However, when a second author is listed, their name is not inverted. When a source has three or more authors, only the first author is listed, followed by “et al.” (Latin for “and others”). A corporate author may sometimes be listed instead of an individual.
When no author is listed for a source, the Works Cited entry instead begins with the source title. The in-text citation should always match the first element of the Works Cited entry, so in these cases, it begins with the title (shortened if necessary) instead of the author’s last name. Oxford Classical Dictionary. 4th ed., Oxford UP, 2012. (Oxford Classical Dictionary) Source and container titlesThe titles of sources and containers are always written in title case (all major words capitalized). Sources that are part of a larger work (e.g. a chapter in a book, an article in a periodical, a page on a website) are enclosed in quotation marks. The titles of self-contained sources (e.g. a book, a movie, a periodical, a website) are instead italicized. A title in the container position is always italicized. If a source has no title, provide a description of the source instead. Only the first word of this description is capitalized, and no italics or quotation marks are used.
Ordering the list of Works CitedArrange the entries in your Works Cited list alphabetically by the author’s last name. See here for information on formatting annotations in an MLA annotated bibliography. Multiple sources by the same author(s)If your Works Cited list includes more than one work by a particular author, arrange these sources alphabetically by title. In place of the author element, write three em dashes for each source listed after the first. Coates, Ta-Nehisi. Between the World and Me: Notes on the First 150 Years in America. Spiegel and Grau, 2015. The same applies to works by the same group of authors; replace the author element with three em dashes for subsequent sources. Note, however, that two sources by “Smith, John, et al.” aren’t necessarily by the exact same authors; the authors represented by “et al.” could be different. Only use the three em dashes if the group of authors is exactly the same in each case; otherwise, repeat the author name and “et al.” One author in combination with different coauthorsSometimes, multiple entries will start with the same author, but in combination with different coauthors. Works by the author alone should come first, then works by two authors, and finally works by three or more authors (i.e., entries containing “et al.”). Within this, sources with two authors are alphabetized by the second author’s last name, while sources using “et al.” are instead alphabetized by the title of the source. Smith, John. . . . Sources with no authorIf there is no author, alphabetize the source based on the title of the work. Ignore articles (the, a, and an) for the purposes of alphabetization. If a title begins with a number, alphabetize it as you would if the number was spelled out. Frequently asked questions about the Works CitedHow should I format the Works Cited page? According to MLA format guidelines, the Works Cited page(s) should look like this:
How do I apply a hanging indent? To apply a hanging indent to your reference list or Works Cited list in Word or Google Docs, follow the steps below. Microsoft Word:
Google Docs:
When the hanging indent is applied, for each reference, every line except the first is indented. This helps the reader see where one entry ends and the next begins.
Is this article helpful?You have already voted. Thanks :-) Your vote is saved :-) Processing your vote... What is the sources page called in MLA?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.
What is the title of the list of references for MLA?The MLA Style Center
As the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook explains, “the list titled 'Works Cited' identifies the sources you borrow from—and therefore cite—in the body of your research project” (20).
Does MLA style have a title page?Heading and Title
An MLA research paper does not need a title page, but your instructor may require one. If no instructions are given, follow the MLA guidelines below: Type the following one inch from the top of the first page, flush with the left margin (double spacing throughout).
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