Understanding MLA Citations

Introduction to MLA Style

The Modern Language Association (MLA) style is one of the most widely used citation styles in academic writing, particularly in the humanities and liberal arts. MLA provides a standardized method for writers to acknowledge sources in their research papers, allowing readers to easily locate those sources for further reference.

Why Proper Citation Matters

Proper citation serves multiple essential purposes in academic writing:

Avoids Plagiarism: Properly citing sources gives credit to original authors and researchers for their ideas, words, and work.
Establishes Credibility: Citations demonstrate that your work is built on solid research and helps establish you as a knowledgeable researcher.
Allows Verification: Readers can locate your sources to verify your information or learn more about the topic.
Supports Your Arguments: References to authoritative sources strengthen your arguments and show the scope of your research.

MLA Style Guidelines

The 9th edition of the MLA Handbook, published in 2021, provides the most current guidelines for MLA style. Some key principles include:

Core Elements

MLA citations are built around nine core elements that make up any source:

Author
Title of source
Title of container
Other contributors
Version
Number
Publisher
Publication date
Location

Note that not all sources will contain all nine elements. Include those that are relevant to your source.

In-Text Citations

In-text citations in MLA style typically include the author's last name and the page number where the information was found, placed in parentheses at the end of the sentence.

Example: The study found significant correlations between sleep patterns and academic performance (Smith 245).

When the author's name is mentioned in the sentence, include only the page number in parentheses:
According to Smith, "students who averaged eight hours of sleep performed better academically" (245).

Works Cited Page

The Works Cited page appears at the end of your paper and lists all the sources you cited in your text. Important formatting guidelines include:

Begin on a separate page at the end of your paper.
Label the page "Works Cited" (do not italicize, underline, or use quotation marks around the title).
Double-space all entries.
Include a hanging indent (first line aligned left, subsequent lines indented 0.5 inches).
Alphabetize entries by the author's last name or, if no author is available, by the title.

Citation Examples

Books

Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Publication Date.

Example:
Smith, John. The History of Academic Citation. Oxford University Press, 2020.

Journal Articles

Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Title of Journal, vol. Volume Number, no. Issue Number, Publication Date, pp. Page range. Database or URL.

Example:
Johnson, Mary. "The Evolution of Citation Practices in Academic Writing." Journal of Scholarly Publishing, vol. 42, no. 3, 2019, pp. 312-328. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1q1xpn3.5.

Websites

Last Name, First Name (if available). "Title of Page." Name of Website, Publisher (if different from website name), Publication Date (if available), URL.

Example:
"MLA Formatting and Style Guide." Purdue Online Writing Lab, Purdue University, 2021, owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide.html.

Digital and Online Sources

For digital sources, MLA requires including the date you accessed the material if no publication date is available:

Last Name, First Name. "Title of Document." Website Name, Publisher (if available), DOI or URL. Accessed Date Month Year.

Multiple Authors

Two Authors:
Last Name, First Name, and First Name Last Name. Title. Publisher, Year.

Three or More Authors:
Last Name, First Name, et al. Title. Publisher, Year.

Formatting Your Paper

Beyond citations, MLA style includes guidelines for formatting your overall document:

Element	MLA Formatting Requirement
Font	Times New Roman, 12-point
Spacing	Double-spaced throughout
Margins	1-inch margins on all sides
Page Numbers	Top right corner, author's last name before number
Title	Centered, not bolded, not italicized
Alignment	Left-aligned text (except title)

Special Situations

Multiple Works by the Same Author

When listing multiple works by the same author in the Works Cited, replace the author's name with three hyphens (---) after the first entry:

Smith, John. Early Academic Writing. Cambridge University Press, 2018.
---. The History of Academic Citation. Oxford University Press, 2020.
---, and Mary Johnson. Citation Ethics in the Digital Age. Academic Press, 2021.

Secondary Sources

When citing information found in another source (a secondary source), use "qtd. in" in your parenthetical citation:

In-text: Smith's research found that "students struggle most with citation formatting" (qtd. in Johnson 142).

Works Cited:
Johnson, Mary. Teaching Research Skills. Educational Press, 2019.

Interviews and Personal Communications

Interview (published):
Last Name, First Name. Interview by Interviewer Name. Publication Date. Publication Title.

Personal interview (unpublished):
Last Name, First Name. Personal interview. Date.

Common MLA Citation Mistakes

Even experienced researchers can make mistakes with MLA citations. Some common errors include:

Omitting required elements or including unnecessary ones
Incorrect formatting of author names (often reversed)
Improper capitalization of titles
Failing to italicize titles of longer works like books and journals
Incorrect placement of punctuation in in-text citations
Missing publication dates or access dates for online sources
Incorrectly citing multiple authors
Forgetting to alphabetize the Works Cited list
Inconsistent use of hanging indents
Confusing container elements in digital sources

Digital Tools for MLA Citation

While understanding the principles of MLA citation is essential, various digital tools can help with formatting:

Citation generators: Websites and applications that create citations when you input information about your sources.
Library databases: Many academic databases provide citation tools that format references according to MLA guidelines.
Word processor features: Modern word processors often include citation management tools that can help build and format your Works Cited page.
Browser extensions: Tools that can extract citation information from webpages and format it according to MLA style.

Important: Always verify automatically-generated citations, as they may contain errors. Understanding MLA style principles helps you recognize and correct these errors.

Conclusion

Mastering MLA citations takes practice, but the rewards are significant. Proper citation demonstrates academic integrity, enhances the credibility of your research, and contributes to the scholarly conversation by allowing readers to trace your sources. While the rules may seem complex at first, they become more intuitive with regular application. The 9th edition of the MLA Handbook simplifies many aspects of citation, focusing on the essential elements rather than rigid formulas for each type of source. By understanding these core principles and consulting reliable guides, you'll develop the citation skills necessary for scholarly writing in the humanities and beyond.

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Reference Files For MLA Citations

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