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MLA 9 Citations
The MLA style guide is a citation system created by the Modern Language Association and used primarily in the humanities, and specifically in fields that study language and literature. The style guide provides standards for writers to document and cite sources while conducting research in these fields.
A Complete MLA Citation Entry
Every complete MLA entry consists of two parts:
- In-text citation: a parenthetical citation integrated into the sentence or paragraph when quoting, summarizing, and paraphrasing. Whether you are quoting, summarizing, or paraphrasing, a page number (when available) is required.
- A works cited entry: a complete bibliographic citation listed alphabetically at the end of the paper in the works cited list. Note: the works cited list should include only those sources you cite in your text.
In-Text Citations
Basic Parenthetical Citation
“Any poet who wished to engage with Britain’s political situation in the first two decades of the nineteenth century inevitably needed to engage with the subject of the Napoleonic Wars, within which Britain was embroiled for much of the period” (Knowles 307).
or
As Knowles underscores, “Any poet who wished to engage . . .” (207).
Citing Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Holders
The nature of place was .... (Cardinal).
Citing the Use of AI Tools
Format: ("Short version of the title of the prompt"), Example: Finding your voice isn't a one-time event. It's a journey. It evolves as you grow, experiment, and write more ("Create a podcast script")
With no page numbers
“Any poet who wished to engage with Britain’s political situation in the first two decades of the nineteenth century inevitably needed to engage with the subject of the Napoleonic Wars, within which Britain was embroiled for much of the period” (Knowles).
With two authors
“It is not surprising, then, that institutional documents, such as certificates of insanity, admission records, and case histories often tell a different story than the one proffered by patients who were seeking justice, redemption, and/or catharsis” (Hanganu-Bresch and Berkenkotter 13).
With three or more authors
Include only the first author’s name followed by “et al.”
“Documents filtered through the criminal justice system and the press also pose challenges in analysing Black women’s experiences and stories” (Ware et al. 638).
With no named author (use the work’s title or description)
“Any poet who wished to engage with Britain’s political situation . . . inevitably needed to engage with the subject of the Napoleonic Wars” ("Female Romantic Poetry”).
Block Quotes
Quotations that run for more than four lines still include author name and page but are formatted in a block quote. A block quote:
- Has no quotation marks around it.
- Is typically introduced by a colon.
- Includes concluding punctuation before the parenthetical citation.
- Is indented ½ inch from the left margin.
As Knowles describes Felicia Hemans’ marriage:
in 1812, the young poet Felicia Dorothea Browne fell in love with and married a Captain Hemans who had returned to England in 1811, ‘weakened and scarred from war.’ The marriage was effectively over by 1818, when Captain Hemans left his growing family to return to Italy, never to return: although we can never know for sure, it is quite possible that his experiences in the war, and their ongoing impact on his health, played a role in this decision. (307)
Reference List
Book by one author
Davis, Angela Y. Blues Legacies and Black Feminism: Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holiday. Pantheon, 1998.
Author’s last name, First name middle name initial. Title of Book: Use Italics and Title Case. Publisher, year.
Book with two authors
Dorris, Michael, and Louise Erdrich. The Crown of Columbus. HarperCollins Publishers, 1999
First author’s last name, First name middle name initial., and Second author’s first name last name. Title of Book: Use Italics and Title Case. Publisher, year.
Book three or more authors
Charon, Rita, et al. The Principles and Practice of Narrative Medicine. Oxford UP, 2017.
First author’s last name, First name middle name initial., et al. Title of Book: Use Italics and Title Case. Publisher, year.
Book chapter in an edited volume
Toorn, Penny van, and Daniel Justice. “Aboriginal Writing.” The Cambridge Companion to Canadian Literature, edited by Eva-Marie Kröller, Cambridge UP, 2017, pp. 26-58.
Author’s last name, First name middle name initial. “Title of Chapter: Use Quotation Marks and Title Case.” Title of Book: Use Italics and Title Case, edited by Editor’s first name last name, Publisher, year, pp. page range.
Citing Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Holders
Cardinal, Delores. Goodfish Lake Cree Nation. Treaty 6. Lives in Edmonton. Oral teaching. 4 April 2004.
Last name, First name. Nation/Community. Treaty Territory if applicable. City/Community they live in if applicable. Topic/subject of communication if applicable. Day Month Year.
Citing the Use of AI Tools
“Create a podcast script” prompt. Copilot, bizchat.20260511.18.1, Microsoft, 16 Oct. 2025. https://copilot.microsoft.com/.
"Prompt text" prompt. AI tool, Version of tool, Company that made the tool, Day Abbreviated month Year the text was generated. URL.
Course Slides
Harrison, Samantha. "Introduction to Citations." Writing for University, 15 Nov. 2024, Wilfrid Laurier University. PowerPoint presentation.
Lecturer’s last name, First name. “Title of the Slides: Use Quotation Marks and Title Case.” Title of Course, Day Abbreviated month Year, University name. Description.
Film
Rushmore. Directed by Wes Anderson, Touchstone Pictures, 1998.
Film Title in Italics and Title Case. Directed by Director’s first name last name, Production company, year.
Journal article
Knowles, Claire. “Female Romantic Poetry, 1798-1819: The Climate of Fear and the Loss of a Radical Generation.” Women’s Writing, vol. 28, no. 3, 2021, pp. 305-19.
Author’s last name, First name. “Title of Article: Use Quotation Marks and Title Case.” Title of Journal in Italics and Title Case, volume number, issue number, year, pp. page range.
Work by an Organizational Group (Corporate) Author
MLA Ad Hoc Committee on Foreign Languages. “Foreign Languages and Higher Education: New Structures for a Changed World.” Profession, 2007, pp. 234-45.
Author’s last name, First name. “Title of Article: Use Quotation Marks and Title Case.” Title of Journal in Italics and Title Case, volume number, issue number, year, pp. page range.
Page on a Website
Goldfarb, Laura. “Clear Speech, Clear Mind.” Laurier Writing Centre, 26 April 2019. https://laurierwriting.wordpress.com/2019/04/26/clear-speech-clear-mind/.
Author’s last name, First name. “Title of Article: Use Quotation Marks and Title Case.” Publisher Name in Italics, Day Abbreviated month number, year. URL.
Note: Hyperlinking is optional but useful in digital formats. Do not include the period after the link in any hyperlinks as this will break the link.
YouTube Video
Klein, Ezra. “Educating Kids in the Age of A.I.” YouTube, 13 May 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQQtaWgIQmE&t=2213s.
Author’s last name, First name. “Title of Article: Use Quotation Marks and Title Case.” Title of Website in Italics and Title Case, Day Abbreviated month number, year. URL.
Note: Hyperlinking is optional but useful in digital formats. The period after the URL in the citation should not be hyperlinked.
For more information, you can consult the Online Writing Lab at Purdue and the MLA website.
Writing Services, Wilfrid Laurier University, CC By-NC 2023
Note for Printing or PDF Download
If you are printing or downloading a PDF of this document, note that the document does not display hanging indents.
If your citation is longer than one line of the page, indent the remaining line(s) about 1/2 inch from the left margin.