Okay, let's talk about the MLA Sources Cited Page. You know, that final page in your essay that sometimes feels like an afterthought... until your professor docks you a whole grade for a misplaced comma or a forgotten italics. Yeah, that one. If you've ever felt a wave of panic trying to figure out if that YouTube video citation needs the uploader's name or the channel title, or whether you should include the full URL (seriously, why is this so complicated sometimes?), you're definitely not alone. I remember pulling my hair out sophomore year because I used "Accessed" instead of "Accessed on" and lost points. It felt so petty at the time! But here's the thing: getting your MLA Sources Cited page right isn't just about avoiding penalties. It's about giving credit where credit's due and making your research legit. This guide isn't gonna be some dry rulebook. Think of it like having a chat with someone who's been through the MLA wringer too many times and just wants to save you the headache.
What Exactly IS an MLA Sources Cited Page? (It's More Than Just a List)
So, you've finished writing your brilliant paper analyzing symbolism in 1984. Awesome! But you quoted a few critics, paraphrased some ideas from a journal article, and maybe even referenced a cool podcast. The MLA Sources Cited page is where you spill the beans – you tell your reader exactly where all those borrowed ideas and words came from. It's basically your transparency report.
The official MLA Handbook (we're talking the 9th edition now, though some profs still cling to the 8th – more on that headache later) calls it the "Works Cited" list. That's its proper name. You'll often hear people say "MLA Sources Cited Page" or "MLA Bibliography," but technically, "Works Cited" is the gold standard for a list of only the sources you directly referenced.
Why Bother? The Real Reasons Beyond Your Grade
Sure, you don't want to fail. But honestly?
- Avoiding Plagiarism Landmines: This is the big one. Forgetting a citation isn't just sloppy; it can get you accused of stealing someone else's work. Yikes. Your MLA Sources Cited page is your documented proof of ethical research.
- Giving Your Arguments Weight: Citing reputable sources makes *your* analysis stronger. It shows your ideas didn't just pop out of thin air. That MLA Sources Cited page is like showing your receipts.
- Helping Your Reader Dig Deeper: If your professor (or anyone else) reads your amazing point and thinks, "Huh, I want to read that original study," your perfectly formatted MLA Sources Cited page tells them exactly where to find it. Missing info equals a frustrated reader.
- Professionalism: Like it or not, a clean, correct MLA citation page signals you pay attention to detail. It just looks polished.
Cracking the MLA Sources Cited Code: The Core Rules You Can't Ignore
Let's get down to the nitty-gritty. Forget memorizing every single rule for every single source type right now. Master these fundamentals first, and the rest gets way easier.
The Big Three: Author, Title, Container
Think of every citation as needing three key pieces of info:
- The Author/Who Created It: Who wrote the book, article, website, tweet? Could be one person, multiple people, an organization (like CDC), or even no named author.
- The Title of the Specific Thing You Used: The article title, the chapter name, the specific webpage title, the YouTube video title.
- The Container: This is the bigger thing holding your source. For an article? It's the journal name or newspaper title. For a chapter? It's the book title. For a YouTube video? It's YouTube itself. Websites are often their own container.
Everything else (publication date, publisher, volume number, page numbers, URL, DOI) hangs off these big three.
Formatting Your MLA Sources Cited Page: The Visual Rules
This is where many trips happen. Pay attention:
- New Page: Your Works Cited lives on its very own page at the very end of your paper. Don't cram it onto the same page as your conclusion.
- Title: Center the words "Works Cited" at the top. No bold, no italics, no underline, no fancy font. Just "Works Cited". Simple.
- Alphabetical Order: List entries alphabetically by the first word, usually the author's last name. If there's no author, alphabetize by the title (ignore "A," "An," or "The").
- Hanging Indent: This is CRUCIAL and often missed. The first line of each entry starts flush left. Every subsequent line in that same entry is indented by half an inch (like 5-7 spaces). Your word processor has a "hanging indent" button – find it and love it.
- Double Spacing: Everything on the page is double-spaced. No exceptions. No single-spacing between entries either.
- Punctuation & Italics: Pay close attention to periods, commas, and colons. Titles of standalone works (books, journals, websites) get italicized. Titles of things within containers (articles, chapters, web pages) go in "quotation marks".
| Common Element | MLA 9th Edition Formatting | Gotcha! Pitfalls to Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Author Names | Last Name, First Name. | Listing first name first; Forgetting the period after the name; Messing up suffixes (Jr., III). |
| Book Title | Italicized. Capitalize Major Words. | Putting book title in quotes; Forgetting italics. |
| Article Title (in Journal) | "In Quotation Marks. Capitalize Major Words." | Italicizing the article title; Leaving off quotes. |
| Journal Title | Italicized. Capitalize All Major Words. | Putting journal title in quotes; Not italicizing. |
| Publication Date | Day Month Year (e.g., 12 July 2023) OR Year (for books/journals). | Using MM/DD/YYYY format; Including unnecessary info like "copyright" or "published". |
| Page Numbers (for articles/chapters) | pp. 45-67. OR p. 102. | Using "pg." or "page"; Forgetting "pp." for ranges; Including "pages" spelled out. |
| URLs | Include https:// but remove hyperlink formatting. Optional: Add "Accessed" date if content is unstable. |
Leaving out https://; Keeping it as a clickable link; Including "URL:" before it; Adding an access date unnecessarily. |
| DOIs | Prefixed with "doi:" (e.g., doi:10.1234/abc123). Favored over URLs for scholarly articles. | Forgetting the "doi:" prefix; Writing "DOI:" in caps; Including the full http://dx.doi.org/... link instead of just the DOI number. |
That DOI vs. URL thing trips me up constantly. I always have to double-check if the journal provides a DOI. Sometimes professors insist on an access date even for DOIs, which feels redundant but... gotta follow their rules sometimes.
Building Your MLA Sources Cited Page: Templates for Real-World Stuff
Reading rules is one thing. Seeing how they apply to actual sources you use is another. Here's how common sources look:
The Basics: Books, Journals, Websites
- Book with One Author:
Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. Grand Central Publishing, 1960. - Book with Two Authors:
Grazer, Brian, and Charles Fishman. A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life. Simon & Schuster, 2015. - Journal Article (Print or Online with DOI):
Doe, Jane. "The Impact of Climate Change on Coastal Birds." Journal of Avian Studies, vol. 15, no. 2, 2022, pp. 45-67. doi:10.1234/jas.2022.15.2.45. - Journal Article (Online, No DOI, Stable URL):
Smith, John. "Reimagining Urban Spaces." City Planning Review, vol. 8, no. 4, 2021, pp. 112-130, www.cityplanningreview.org/article/reimagining-urban-spaces. Accessed 15 Sept. 2023. - Basic Webpage (with author):
Johnson, Mary. "Understanding the Electoral College." Center for Civic Education, 5 Oct. 2020, www.civiced.org/electoral-college-explained. - Basic Webpage (no author):
"Mediterranean Diet Linked to Longer Life." Mayo Clinic, 17 Feb. 2023, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/mediterranean-diet/art-20047801.
The Tricky Stuff: Social Media, Videos, Lectures
These always cause the most confusion. MLA 9th tries to be flexible, but it can feel vague.
- YouTube Video:
Vox. "The Rise of Superstar Firms." YouTube, uploaded by Vox, 10 Mar. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=abc123xyz.
Note: "Vox" is the author/channel name. Use the uploader's name if different from creator. - Twitter (X) Post:
Smith, Alex [@alexresearch]. "New findings from our lab suggest a breakthrough in battery tech. Paper forthcoming! #Energy #Innovation." Twitter, 25 Aug. 2023, twitter.com/alexresearch/status/1234567890. - Instagram Post:
National Geographic [@natgeo]. "Photo by Ami Vitale: A glimpse into the lives of Mongolian eagle hunters. Link in bio for the full story. #Photography #Culture." Instagram, 12 Sept. 2023, www.instagram.com/p/ABC123DEFG/. - Podcast Episode:
Gladwell, Malcolm, host. "The Bomber Mafia." Revisionist History, season 6, episode 1, Pushkin Industries, 24 Sept. 2021, revisionisthistory.com/seasons?season=6. - Lecture or Speech:
Jones, Professor Sarah. "The Future of AI Ethics." Guest lecture, Ethics in Technology Symposium, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, 5 May 2023.
Stuck on Something Weird? Seriously, don't panic. The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) is basically the free bible for MLA. Search "Purdue OWL MLA" plus your source type (like "Purdue OWL MLA YouTube"). Their examples are lifesavers. Sometimes, if a source is truly bizarre, you just have to adapt the closest format and be consistent. Focus on including the key info: Who, What, Where (Container), When.
MLA 8 vs. MLA 9: What's the Deal?
Ugh, formatting changes. Why? The MLA Handbook updated to the 9th edition in 2021. The good news? The core principles (author, title, container) are the same. The shift was mostly about emphasizing principles over rigid rules and providing more flexibility for new media. But here are key differences you might bump into:
| Element | MLA 8th Edition | MLA 9th Edition | Why the Change? |
|---|---|---|---|
| URLs | Required to include "http://" or "https://" | Still requires "http://" or "https://" | No change. Still crucial for locating sources. |
| Access Dates | Generally not required unless source was unstable. | Generally not required unless source was unstable. More flexibility allowed if instructor requires them or for very unstable sources. | Clarifies that access dates are situational, not mandated for everything online. |
| Pseudonyms / Usernames | Handled case-by-case without strong guidance. | Provides clearer guidance: - Known real name? Use that. - Only username? Use it as author name. - Author uses pseudonym professionally? Use pseudonym. |
Reflects the reality of online authorship where real names aren't always visible or used. |
| Containers | Introduced the concept. | Reinforces and clarifies the container concept, emphasizing its importance in identifying the source's context. | Strengthens the core principle to handle diverse publication contexts. |
| Inclusive Language | No specific guidance. | Encourages the use of inclusive language in citations where possible (e.g., using preferred pronouns if known, using preferred publisher names). | Aligns with broader shifts towards respectful and inclusive communication. |
| Examples & Flexibility | Examples provided, but less emphasis on adaptation. | Provides significantly more examples, especially for online sources. Emphasizes that the core principles allow for adaptation when a perfect model doesn't exist. | Recognizes the explosion of source types and the need for adaptable guidelines. |
Honestly, the biggest practical difference you'll notice is the sheer number of examples in the 9th edition handbook. It tries to cover more ground. Golden Rule: Ask your instructor which edition they require! Don't assume. I made that mistake once and had to reformat 35 citations hours before deadline. Not fun.
Tools & Tricks: Can Citation Generators Save You?
Oh, citation generators. My love-hate relationship. Sites like ZoteroBib, MyBib, EasyBib, Citation Machine... they promise instant MLA Sources Cited Page perfection. Do they deliver? Sometimes yes, sometimes... spectacularly no.
The Good: * They handle formatting basics (hanging indent, spacing, italics, punctuation) well. * They save you time typing out all the commas and periods. * Useful for getting the basic structure down.
The Bad & The Ugly: * Garbage In, Garbage Out: If you type the wrong title, misspell the author's name, or pick the wrong source type, the generator spits out nonsense. I've seen generators create citations for journal articles where the journal title is italicized AND put in quotes! How does that even happen? * Source Type Confusion: Is it a "web page," an "article," or an "online periodical"? Generators often misclassify, drastically changing the citation format. That YouTube video might end up formatted like a film. * Edition Ignorance: Many free generators default to older MLA rules (like MLA 7) or don't clearly distinguish between 8 and 9. You need to check settings obsessively. * Missing or Wrong Info: They might omit crucial elements like the DOI, use the wrong date format, or completely mess up author names with suffixes.
My Brutally Honest Opinion: Use generators as a starting point ONLY, especially for complex sources. Never, ever trust them blindly. Pull out the Purdue OWL or your MLA handbook and verify every single element against the official rules. It takes extra time, but it's less time than fixing a failing grade later.
Top 5 MLA Sources Cited Page Screw-Ups (And How to Dodge Them)
After grading way too many papers back in my TA days, I saw these mistakes constantly. Avoid these traps!
- The Alphabetical Order Avalanche: Listing citations in the order you used them in the paper instead of alphabetically by author/title. The Works Cited is its own separate list! Alphabetize.
- The Missing Hanging Indent: Making every line flush left. This makes entries bleed together and looks messy. Use that hanging indent!
- The Italics/Quote Catastrophe: Italicizing article titles instead of putting them in quotes. Putting book titles in quotes instead of italicizing. Getting this wrong instantly screams "I didn't check the rules."
- The Phantom Container: Citing just the article title and author but forgetting the journal name or website title (the container!). Or citing the homepage URL when you used a specific article deep within the site. Big no-no.
- The URL Blunder: Including "URL:" before the web address, leaving the link clickable (make it plain text!), or forgetting the "https://" part. MLA requires the full URL starting with http/https.
Your MLA Sources Cited Page FAQs Answered (No Fluff)
Q: Is it called "Works Cited," "Sources Cited," or "Bibliography" in MLA?
A: For a list of only the sources you directly quoted or paraphrased in your paper, MLA calls it "Works Cited." "Sources Cited" is a common synonym people understand, but "Works Cited" is technically correct. "Bibliography" usually implies a broader list including background reading you didn't cite directly, which isn't standard in MLA unless specifically requested.
Q: Do I need to number my MLA citations?
A: Nope! Alphabetical order is the name of the game in MLA. No numbers needed unless your professor specifically asks for numbered references (which is rare in MLA).
Q: How do I cite a source with no author on my MLA Sources Cited page?
A: Start the entry with the title of the source. Alphabetize using the first major word of the title (ignore "A," "An," or "The"). For example: "Impact of Social Media on Teens." Pew Research Center, ...
Q: Do I need to include the access date for online sources?
A: MLA 9th edition says access dates are generally not required. Only include one if:
- The source has no publication date.
- The source is likely to change significantly over time (like a wiki page or a constantly updated dataset).
- Your instructor specifically requires it (always double-check their syllabus!).
Q: Should I include the full URL or shorten it?
A: Include the full URL, starting with "http://" or "https://". Remove any hyperlink formatting so it's plain text. Don't use URL shorteners (like bit.ly). If a DOI is available for a scholarly article, use that instead of the URL (format: doi:10.XXXX/XXXXX).
Q: How do I cite a PDF I found online?
A: Cite it based on what the PDF *is*. Is it a government report? Cite the report. Is it a chapter from a book? Cite the book chapter. Is it just a standalone document? Cite it like a webpage. The key is identifying the author, title, and the container (the website where you found it). Add "PDF download" at the end if you think it's helpful context, but it's not mandatory. Example: Smith, John. "Local Wildlife Survey Results." Department of Natural Resources, 2022, www.dnr.state.us/wildlifesurvey.pdf. PDF download.
Q: Where does the MLA Sources Cited page go in my paper?
A: Always on a brand new page at the very end of your document. After your conclusion, after any appendices. Its own page.
Q: What font and size should I use for my Works Cited?
A> Use the same readable font (like Times New Roman or Arial) and size (usually 12pt) as the rest of your paper. Consistency is key.
The Final Polish: Checking Your MLA Sources Cited Page
Before you hit print or submit, do this:
- Alphabetize: Scan down the list. Does it flow A-Z by author's last name or title?
- Hanging Indent: Look at each entry. Does the first line stick out to the left? Are the following lines indented? Do this for EVERY entry.
- Italics & Quotes: Books, journals, websites = Italicized. Articles, webpages, chapters = "In Quotes". Double-check each one.
- Punctuation: Periods after authors, after titles? Commas between container elements? Colons before publishers? It's fiddly, but matters.
- Capitalization: Titles use Title Case (Capitalize Major Words). Journal names usually capitalize all major words too.
- URLs/DOIs: Full URLs starting http/https? DOIs formatted as "doi:10.XXXX/XXXXX"? No hyperlinks?
- Match In-Text Citations: Flip through your paper. Every source you cite inside should have an entry on the Works Cited page. Every entry on the Works Cited page should be cited at least once in your text. No stragglers!
Building a perfect MLA Sources Cited page takes attention to detail. It can feel tedious. I get it. Sometimes the rules seem arbitrary. But trust me, getting it right makes your work look stronger and keeps you out of trouble. Use this guide, bookmark the Purdue OWL, double-check those generators, and breathe easy knowing your last page is solid.
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