How to Cite Sources in MLA Format: Step-by-Step

MLA (Modern Language Association) format is the citation standard in literature, language, and other humanities disciplines. It uses an author-page citation system: in-text citations include the author's last name and page number, and a Works Cited page at the end lists full source details. MLA 9th edition (2021) is the current standard and introduced a more flexible 'template of core elements' approach to building citations.

In-text citations in MLA are placed in parentheses immediately after the borrowed material: (Smith 45) for a direct quote or paraphrase, where 45 is the page number. If the author is named in the sentence, only the page number goes in parentheses: Smith argues that 'writing is thinking' (12). For sources without page numbers (websites, videos), use paragraph numbers or section headings if available: (Smith, par. 3).

Works Cited entries follow MLA's core elements template: Author. Title. Title of Container, Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, Location. Not all elements apply to every source type — include only those relevant. A basic journal article: Author Last, First. 'Article Title.' Journal Name, vol. X, no. X, Year, pp. X–X.

MLA is more flexible than APA in allowing authors to adapt the template to unusual source types. When in doubt, include as much information as a reader would need to find the source. paraphraserhumantext's citation generator handles MLA format for common source types, producing correctly formatted Works Cited entries that you can paste directly into your paper's reference list.