MLA Citation Example: Works Cited & In-Text Formats
Your bibliography
0 sourcesMLA Citation Example: a book in MLA 9th edition looks like Kingsolver, Barbara. Demon Copperhead. Harper, 2022. and cites in text as (Kingsolver 214). Every entry follows the same nine-element template, adapted to the source type.
What does an MLA citation example look like?
An MLA citation example has two linked parts: a full entry on the Works Cited page and a short in-text citation in the body. The Works Cited entry lists the source’s core elements in a fixed order, ending each with a period.
MLA 9th edition builds every reference from one template of nine core elements. You include only the elements a source actually has, in this order: Author, Title of source, Title of container, Contributor, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, and Location.
BookZauner, Michelle. Crying in H Mart. Alfred A. Knopf, 2021.
What are the parts of an MLA reference?
An MLA reference names the author, the source title, its larger container, the publisher, the date, and a location such as page numbers or a URL. Each element uses set punctuation so readers can parse the entry at a glance.
- Author — surname first, then given name, followed by a period.
- Title of source — article title in quotation marks.
- Container — the journal name, italicised, then a comma.
- Number and date — volume, issue, and year of publication.
- Location — page range, DOI, or URL where the work sits.
How do you cite a book in MLA?
Cite a book by listing the author surname-first, the title in italics, the publisher, and the year. End with a period. Add an edition or translator only when the source has one, placing each in its core-element slot.
| Situation | Works Cited format |
|---|---|
| One author | Surname, First. Title. Publisher, Year. |
| Two authors | Surname, First, and First Surname. Title. Publisher, Year. |
| Three or more | Surname, First, et al. Title. Publisher, Year. |
| Translated | Surname, First. Title. Translated by First Surname, Publisher, Year. |
One authorKingsolver, Barbara. Demon Copperhead. Harper, 2022.
Two authorsAcemoglu, Daron, and James A. Robinson. Why Nations Fail. Crown, 2012.
TranslatedFerrante, Elena. My Brilliant Friend. Translated by Ann Goldstein, Europa Editions, 2012.
How do you cite a journal article in MLA?
Cite a journal article with the author, the article title in quotation marks, the journal name in italics, then the volume, issue, year, and page range. Add a DOI at the end when the article is accessed online.
PrintNguyen, Thi. “Games and the Art of Agency.” The Philosophical Review, vol. 128, no. 4, 2019, pp. 423-462.
With DOITufekci, Zeynep. “Engineering the Public.” First Monday, vol. 19, no. 7, 2014, https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v19i7.4901.
How do you cite a website in MLA?
Cite a web page with the author, the page title in quotation marks, the website name in italics, the publication date, and the URL without the “https://” prefix. Omit any element the page does not provide rather than inventing it.
Web pageOtt, Tim. “Maya Angelou: A Life in Poetry.” Biography, A&E Networks, 12 Apr. 2021, www.biography.com/writers/maya-angelou.
No author“Climate Change Indicators.” Environmental Protection Agency, 2023, www.epa.gov/climate-indicators.
MLA no longer requires an access date, but you may add one for undated or frequently updated pages: end the entry with Accessed 18 July 2026.
How do MLA in-text citations work?
An MLA in-text citation gives the author’s surname and a page number in parentheses, with no comma between them: (Kingsolver 214). The name points to the matching Works Cited entry, and the page number locates the exact passage.
| Case | In-text example |
|---|---|
| Standard | (Zauner 47) |
| Author named in sentence | Zauner recalls the market (47). |
| Two authors | (Acemoglu and Robinson 102) |
| No page number | (Tufekci) |
| No author | (“Climate Change Indicators”) |
When you cite two works by the same author, add a short title to tell them apart: (Kingsolver, Demon Copperhead 214). For sources without page numbers, such as most websites, use only the author.
How accurate are these MLA examples?
These examples follow the MLA Handbook, 9th edition, the current standard, and use the nine core-element template that applies to every source. They are formatted by hand and verified against MLA’s own model entries, so the punctuation and order are reliable.
Limitations still apply. Unusual sources such as social media threads, datasets, AI tools, or archival manuscripts sometimes need judgement about which container or contributor to list. Instructors and journals may also add local rules. Always confirm required elements with your assignment guidelines, and treat any generator output as a draft to proofread rather than a final answer.
MLA citation FAQ
Which MLA edition should I use?
Use the 9th edition, published in 2021. It keeps the 8th edition’s core-elements approach and adds guidance, so entries built for the 8th edition remain valid.
Do I need a URL in MLA?
Yes, include the URL for online sources, dropping the “https://” prefix. Use a DOI instead when one is available, since DOIs are stable permanent links.
Is an access date required?
No, MLA makes access dates optional. Add one only for undated pages or content that changes often, placed at the very end of the entry.
How do I cite a source with no author?
Begin the entry with the title. In text, use a shortened version of that title in quotation marks or italics to match the Works Cited entry.
What is the difference between Works Cited and a bibliography?
A Works Cited page lists only sources you actually cited in the text. A bibliography can also include background works you consulted but did not quote.