MLA Citation: What it is and how to use it

What is MLA formatting?

Modern Language Association (MLA) formatting is a referencing style used internationally in academic writing. It’s frequently used when referencing within the discipline of literature or linguistics. Its simple rules allow for paraphrasing and incorporation of direct quotes before giving basic information such as the author of the source text and the page number within the publication.

Unlike other referencing styles such as APA, you do not need to provide the publication date for an in-text MLA citation – this is provided only in the “works cited” list at the end of your work, synonymous with a bibliography.

Why is it important to reference correctly?

By including references to all source texts and intellectual property used throughout your writing, you’ll avoid any accusations of plagiarism. For example, plagiarism is using or adopting an idea from another person without giving them credit – or citing the source.

Universities carry out checks for plagiarism to check that you have referenced all sources correctly. MLA citation or any other referencing format provides a clear description of how to cite sources in your text and in the bibliography.

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How to put citations in MLA format.

In-text citations – for direct quotes and paraphrasing.

The MLA citation format requires that the source is cited in brackets directly after the quotation or paraphrasing. A direct quotation is copied word for word from the source and written with speech marks.

The MLA citation itself only contains the surname of the author and the page number, for example:

“This idea was specifically mentioned and backed up by research in 2022” (Bloggs, 16).

If you have paraphrased or indirectly quoted another source, for example, reforming a theory or idea in your own words, then the above citation still applies – (Bloggs, 16).

The MLA referencing style does not require you to include the year of publication in the in-text citation, which makes it a simpler and shorter citation style compared to others like Harvard.

Using the MLA format for a bibliography.

At the end of your academic writing, you’ll also need to create a bibliography that follows the MLA format. The bibliography will list all source material used to inform your research in alphabetical order.

The author’s surname is used to alphabetise your bibliography, so the format will look like this:

Surname, first name. Source title. Edition (if not first edition). Publisher location: Publisher, year of publication. Publication medium.

An example in your own academic bibliography would appear like this:

Bloggs, Joe. A Guide to MLA Citations. 3rd ed. Leeds: Pigeon Publishing, 2004. Print.

If you are referencing a website in your bibliography, then the format differs. The structure is as follows:

Author/editor name. “Page name.” Website name, date of access, URL.

Using the structure above, an MLA citation for a website would look like this:

Smith, Alex. “Citation Methods that Shook the World.” Citation News, 17 Apr. 2024, www.citationnews.co.uk/breaking/april/2024/citation-methods-that-shook-the-world.

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MLA citation examples.

Let’s look at some examples of how to cite various source materials using the MLA citation style, from academic journals and books to online articles. Even here, it’s important to not use any abbreviations such as “p.” for page.

If the source material has more than one author, then you should list them in the same order they are listed in the source.

Example 1: Citing an article from an academic journal.

In-text citation: As Smith summarised, “social networks are crucial to the discussion” (Smith 134).

Reference in bibliography: Smith, John. “Social Networks and Public Discourse.” Journal of Modern Communication, vol. 12, no. 3, 2018, pp. 130-145.

Example 2: Referencing a book in your writing.

In-text citation: “The Art of Writing was analysed early on” (Bloggs 45).

Reference in bibliography: Bloggs, Joe. The Art of Writing. Pigeon Publishing, 2020.

MLA referencing guide for online sources.

Referencing websites or webpages using the MLA citation method is as simple as it is for printed media. In addition to the name of the author and the title of the publication or article, all you have to provide is the URL and the date you accessed it.

If the author of the page is unknown, you will need to provide the name of the website at the start of your citation instead.

Example 1: Internet page without an author.

In-text citation: “Sustainability has become a global trend” (“Global sustainability today”).

Reference in bibliography: “Global sustainability today.” Sustainability Portal, 15 May 2024, www.sustainabilityportal.co.uk/sustainability.

Example 2: Citation of an online newspaper.

In-text citation: “technology is influencing education” (Johnson).

Reference in bibliography: Johnson, Emily. “Changes in Technology in Education.” The New Times, 23. June 2022, www.thenewtimes.com/technology-learning.

MLA citation style for edited volumes/anthologies.

In-text citation: “Reading texts digitally fundamentally changes how we understand them” (Bloggs 55)

Reference in bibliography: Bloggs, Joe. “The Art of Reading Digital Texts.” Reading as an Art. Ed. Alex Smith. Edinburgh: Castle Publishing, 2020, 45-60.

Explanation:

• Surname and forename of the chapter author: Bloggs, Joe.
• Title of the chapter in speech marks: “The Art of Reading Digital Texts”
• Title of the anthology/edited volume in italics: Reading as an Art.
• Editor of anthology/edited volume: Ed. Alex Smith,
• Location of publisher: Edinburgh
• Publisher and year of publication: Castle Publishing, 2020
• Page number(s) of the chapter: 45-60

MLA referencing style tips.

• Stick to the short format. In-text citations require only the author’s surname and the page number.
• Use secondary sources accurately. If you cannot cite the primary source directly, you can reference a secondary source which contains the original citation like this: (Smith qtd. in Bloggs 32).
• Be consistent. Ensure that all cited sources use the same format. Changes in format could lead to being awarded a lower academic score.

MLA citation generators.

Using an MLA citation generator can be a helpful way to obtain the correct formatting for your sources automatically. Just type in all the relevant information for your source and the generator will format it according to the MLA referencing style.

Using tools like this can save time, prevent mistakes and be a useful way to double check references in your bibliography.

Formatting tips when using MLA referencing.

• Use a font that’s easy to read such as Times New Roman and a font size of 12.
• Use double line spacing for the whole text, including the sources in your bibliography.
• Check that the margins are even.
• Include page numbers and other relevant information – speak with your supervisor for any specifics.

Common mistakes when using the MLA citation style.

1. Incorrect order of first and last names.

A common mistake is listing the author’s first name before their surname in the bibliography. When using the MLA format, the author’s surname is always written first.

• Incorrect: Joe Bloggs.
• Correct: Bloggs, Joe.

2. Missing year of publication.

When using the MLA referencing format, another common mistake is forgetting the publication date in the bibliography – especially when citing a monograph or book. The MLA format in a bibliography is incomplete without the publication year.

• Incorrect: Bloggs, Joe. The Art of Writing.
• Correct: Bloggs, Joe. The Art of Writing. Example Publishing, 2020.

3. Incorrect use of italics.

The titles in your MLA reference list are formatted according to the type of source they are. For example, titles of books and monographs are written in italics, while articles are written between speech marks. Do not mix up the formatting. For a book or monograph, the following example applies:

• Incorrect: Bloggs, Joe. “The Art of Writing”.
• Correct: Bloggs, Joe. The Art of Writing.

4. Incorrect citation of the publication.

When writing the reference for an article from a magazine or online publication, the publication’s name is frequently formatted incorrectly. The publication name must be written in italics so that it stands out against the article name.

• Incorrect: Bloggs, Joe. “Technology in Education”. The Times.
• Correct: Bloggs, Joe. “Technology in Education.” The Times.

5. Missing or incorrect citation of online sources.

Online sources are frequently referenced incorrectly in the bibliography – for example, the URL or date of access are omitted. Check all sources thoroughly and have a second pair of eyes check over your reference list for you.

• Incorrect: Bloggs, Joe. “Technology in Education”. Important News.
• Correct: Bloggs, Joe. “Technology in Education.” Important News, 8 Feb 2025. www.importantnews.co.uk/tech/technology-in-education