The Modern Language Association (MLA) format is commonly used when writing research papers in the humanities, especially in English studies and foreign languages. The MLA format bibliography or “Works Cited” page lists all the sources that were used to write the paper and is placed at the end of the paper on a separate page with the title “Works Cited” centered at the top. The mechanics and organization of the MLA bibliography page are standardized to ensure all sources are properly attributed and readers can easily locate cited sources. Let’s examine the key components of MLA bibliography formatting and how sources should be organized and structured on the Works Cited page.
All lines after the first line of each citation should be indented half an inch from the left margin in an MLA bibliography. This hanging indent makes citations easier to read and locate on the Works Cited page. Only the first line of each entry is flush with the left margin while subsequent lines are indented. Word processors have default settings to easily create a hanging indent for bibliographies. Citations should be listed alphabetically by the first letter of the authors’ last names. If there is no author listed, citations are alphabetized by the first significant word of the title, usually not including articles like a, an, or the. Sources are double spaced throughout with no extra spaces between citations.
The basic elements required in an MLA citation include the author’s name, title of the source, title of the container, other contributors, version, number, publisher, publication date, and location. The location can be page numbers for print sources or a URL or DOI for digital sources. The style and format of these elements can vary slightly based on the source format such as a book, journal article, website, or video. Common source types include books, journal articles, webpages, films, interviews, and more. The most important components to include for each source format are described here:
For a book with one author, cite the last name, first name followed by a period. Then write the title of the book italicized followed by a period. List the city of publication and the publisher name followed by a comma. Conclude with the year of publication in parentheses. For example:
Smith, John. The History of Science. New York, HarperCollins, 2005.
For a book with multiple authors, cite the last name and first initial of the first author followed by a comma, and write “and” before the second author name. Italicize the title of the book and conclude with the standard publication information as shown above. Include all authors in the source citation, even if parenthetical citations only list the first.
Johnson, B. P., and P. Williams. A Technical Guide to Programming. Boston, Pearson, 2010.
For a journal article from a database, cite the author’s last name and first initial followed by a period. Then provide the article title in quotation marks followed by a period. Write the full title of the journal or periodical italicized followed by a comma. List the volume and issue numbers if available in parentheses, followed by a comma. Include the year of publication in parentheses, followed by a colon and the page range of the article. Conclude with any relevant digital location information for the source.
Smith, J. “The Development of Modern Physics.” Journal of Science, vol. 50, no. 3 (2010): 12-25. ScienceDirect, doi:10.1016/j.sci.2010.03.008.
For a newspaper article from a print newspaper, follow the same format as a journal article but omit volume and issue numbers. Include the name of the newspaper, the city of publication, and date of publication. Page numbers should also be included.
Johnson, S. “Local Hospital Honored for Care.” New York Times, New York, 12 Jan. 2020, p. A1.
For a webpage on a website, cite the author’s name if available. Write the article or page title in quotation marks, followed by a period. Provide the name of the website italicized. Conclude with the publication date if available or the date accessed if no date is listed, and the URL.
“MLA Format: Everything You Need to Know Here.” Purdue OWL, 10 Apr. 2020. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_format.html.
This covers the basic elements for common source formats that require MLA citations. Additional lesser used formats may have slight variations, but the key components of author, title, publication details, and digital location are consistent. Organizing citations alphabetically, double spacing, and using a hanging indent makes an MLA bibliography easy to navigate and the sources simple to attribute. Following the MLA style precisely is important for academic integrity and allowing readers to locate cited information.