Does MLA require URLs in Works Cited entries?

Yes, MLA 9th edition requires URLs for online sources (without the http:// or https://). However, if your instructor prefers DOIs, use those instead—they're more stable. Only omit URLs if they're extremely long and a DOI or permalink is available.

How do I cite a source found in a database?

Include the database as a second container after your journal information: Journal Title, vol. X, no. X, Year, pp. XX–XX. Database Name, doi or URL. Many instructors accept just the DOI without naming the database.

How do I handle sources with no page numbers?

For in-text citations, use whatever locator is available: paragraph numbers (par. 4), section headings, chapter numbers, or timestamps for videos. If nothing is available, use just the author's name.

What's a container in MLA?

A container is the larger work that holds your source. A journal article's container is the journal; an episode's container is the TV series; a web page's container is the website. Some sources have nested containers—an article in a database has the journal as Container 1 and the database as Container 2.

Do I include access dates for websites?

Only if the source lacks a publication date or is likely to change. Most stable web pages with clear publication dates don't need access dates in MLA 9. When included, format as: Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

How to Cite in MLA Format: Complete 9th Edition Guide

This guide will help you understand how to properly cite sources in MLA format, the standard citation style for literature, languages, and humanities disciplines, ensuring that your academic work meets the Modern Language Association's current guidelines and conventions.

The Official Source

The MLA Handbook, 9th Edition (2021) is the only official guide for MLA style, published by the Modern Language Association. Available in paperback, hardcover, and spiral-bound formats at mla.org, with online access through MLA Handbook Plus.

The 9th edition expanded guidance on inclusive language, added hundreds of citation examples, and refined the core elements template introduced in the 8th edition.

Quick Overview

MLA uses a core elements system—a flexible template that works for any source type:

In-text citations — author and page number in parentheses
Works Cited — full source details at the end of your paper

In-Text Citations

MLA in-text citations include the author's last name and page number (no comma between them).

Basic Format

The novel explores themes of identity and belonging (Morrison 45).
Morrison explores themes of identity and belonging (45).

Two Authors

The study revealed unexpected patterns (Smith and Jones 112).

Three or More Authors

Use the first author's name followed by "et al."

Recent scholarship challenges this interpretation (Garcia et al. 78).

No Author

Use a shortened version of the title.

The article highlights growing concerns ("Climate Crisis" 12).

No Page Numbers

For online sources without page numbers, omit the page number entirely. You may include paragraph numbers if provided.

The report emphasizes prevention strategies (World Health Organization).

Works Cited Basics

Your Works Cited page appears at the end of your paper on a new page. Center the title "Works Cited" (not bold, not italicized). Use hanging indents for each entry.

The Core Elements Template

MLA 9th edition uses nine core elements in this order:

Author.
Title of source.
Title of container,
Contributors,
Version,
Number,
Publisher,
Publication date,
Location.

Not every source has all elements—include only what's available and relevant.

Common Source Examples

Book

Smith, Zadie. White Teeth. Vintage Books, 2000.

Journal Article (Print)

Kincaid, Jamaica. "Girl." The New Yorker, 26 June 1978, pp. 29–32.

Journal Article (Database)

Lanser, Susan S. "The Feminist Poetics of Narrative Voice." Style, vol. 50, no. 4, 2016, pp. 473–94. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5325/style.50.4.0473.

Website

Hollmichel, Stefanie. "The Reading Brain: Differences between Digital and Print." So Many Books, 25 Apr. 2013, somanybooksblog.com/reading-brain-differences/.

YouTube Video

"How to Cite Sources in MLA Format." YouTube, uploaded by Scribbr, 14 Mar. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=example.

Interview

Elba, Idris. Interview by Terry Gross. Fresh Air, NPR, 4 Sept. 2017.

Key 9th Edition Updates

The MLA 9th edition (2021) refined several guidelines:

Inclusive language — new chapter on writing with respect and avoiding bias
URLs optional — DOIs and permalinks preferred; URLs may be omitted if stable access exists
Grammar guidance — expanded chapters on punctuation, spelling, and mechanics
More examples — new appendix with hundreds of sample entries by format
Annotated bibliographies — new guidance for creating annotations

Formatting Your Paper

MLA format requirements:

Font: readable 12-point font (Times New Roman, Arial, or similar)
Margins: 1 inch on all sides
Spacing: double-spaced throughout
Header: your last name and page number in the upper right corner
Heading: your name, instructor, course, and date (left-aligned, double-spaced)
Title: centered, not bold or italicized (unless it contains a title)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Title capitalization — use title case for all titles in Works Cited entries (capitalize major words)
Punctuation between elements — most elements end with periods; container titles are followed by commas
Author names — invert only the first author's name: "Smith, John, and Jane Doe"
URLs — remove "https://" when including URLs; DOIs are preferred when available
Quotation marks vs. italics — italicize standalone works (books, films, albums); use quotation marks for works within containers (articles, chapters, songs)

Who Uses MLA Style?

MLA is the standard citation format for literature and literary criticism, languages and linguistics, cultural studies, philosophy, religious studies, art history, and theater and performance studies.

Most English composition courses at the high school and undergraduate level require MLA format.

Further Resources

MLA Style Center — official answers and guidance from MLA
Purdue OWL MLA Guide — free comprehensive resource
MLA Handbook Plus — subscription-based full access with video tutorials

Need help generating MLA citations? Research tools like Wonders can export your sources in MLA format automatically.