The works cited page is a list of all the sources cited within the body and notes of your paper. A works cited page should begin on its own page after the end of the paper content and should list all the entries in alphabetical order by the first item in each entry (usually the author’s name). It should be included in order to give full credit to the sources used and avoid plagiarism, as well as to allow the reader to easily locate each source if needed. Papers in MLA format should always have a works cited page.
It is not necessary to include sources that you consulted but did not directly reference in the works cited list – it should only include the sources you directly quoted or paraphrased. Each in-text citation should therefore have a corresponding entry in the works cited list.
Let’s get started with an explanation of what exactly a works cited page is and why creating one is necessary!
Note: This guide is not affiliated with the Modern Language Association. It was developed by EasyBib.com’s in-house librarians to serve as a quick guide and snapshot of some of the guidelines found in the MLA Handbook, 9th ed.
When students and scholars create a research paper, they seek out information in books, websites, journal articles, and many other types of sources. The information from these sources, combined with the scholar’s own thinking and knowledge, aid in the formation of a final project.
However, simply placing information from books, websites, journal articles, newspaper articles, and other source types into a project without a reference is not acceptable. Without a reference or citation, it’ll look like the paper’s author came up with everything themselves!
That means it’s necessary to call out when information is included from outside sources and originated elsewhere.
An MLA works cited page shows all the sources that were consulted and included in a project. Each source has a corresponding in-text citation within the paper.
In the body of a research project, add a short reference next to a quote or paraphrased information that came from a source. This is called a citation in prose or a parenthetical citation.
Langdon’s expertise is revealed in Chapter 1, when he is introduced to a group of university students. “Our guest tonight needs no introduction. He is the author of numerous books: The Symbology of Secret Sects, The Art of the Illuminati, The Lost Language of Ideograms, and when I say he wrote the book on Religious Iconology, I mean that quite literally. Many of you use his textbooks in class” (Brown 8).
In the example above, the writer displays that the quote was taken from Brown’s book, on page 8.
Even though this information is helpful, the brief reference to Brown and page 8 isn’t enough information to truly understand the origin of the quote. Other relevant information, such as the full name of the author, the title of the book, the publisher, and the year the book was published is missing.
Where can the reader find that information? In the MLA works cited list!
The MLA works cited list is the final page of a research project. Here, the reader can take the time to truly understand the sources included in the body of the project. The reader can turn to the MLA works cited list, look for “Brown” and see the full reference, which looks like this:
Brown, Dan. The DaVinci Code. Knopf Doubleday, 2003.
Included in the above reference is the full name of the author (Dan Brown), the title of the source (The DaVinci Code), the publisher of the book (Knopf Doubleday), and the year the book was published (2003).
The information provided in the reference supplies the reader with enough information to seek out the original source themselves, if he or she would like.
Quite often, the two terms are used interchangeably. While similar, they have some unique differences.
Bibliography
Works Cited
The remainder of this guide focuses on the placement, organization, and styling guidelines for the MLA works cited list.
Another commonly used reference style is APA. If your teacher or professor requests your references be made in APA citation style, check out this page on APA format.
Here’s more information on how to develop an MLA in-text citation and APA in-text citation.
The reference page is the final page of a research paper and starts on its very own page.
If your project isn’t an actual research paper, but a slideshow, video, or another type of project, follow the same guidelines as above. Place the works cited list on the final slide, page, or screen of the project.
Here are the recommended guidelines for margins, spacing, and page numbers taken from the MLA Style Center’s web page “Formatting a Research Paper.”
It is not necessary to create double spaces manually by pressing the “enter” or “return” key in between each and every line. Your word processing program can automatically adjust the line spacing for you. Look for a section in the settings area called “Line spacing” or “Paragraph spacing.” You should be able to click or check off “double spacing.”
For more information regarding how to display the page numbers, see the section below titled, “Running Head.”
While an APA reference page is very different from a Modern Language Association style works cited, note that APA bibliography pages also use double spacing throughout and 1 inch margins.
This next section focuses on how to properly label and format the page numbers and title.
The running head is found at the top of every page of the research project. It’s also included on the reference list.
The running head displays the name of the writer or author of the research project + page number.
There is one space between the author’s name and the page number. Here is an MLA works cited page example of a running head:
The above is an example of a running head that would be seen on page 8 of a research project. The writer’s last name is Kleinman.
Reminder: If the concluding sentence of the research project is on page 10, the reference list starts on page 11. Even though the reference page starts on its own page, the numbering throughout the entire project includes the reference page.
Below the running head is the title of the page, which should either be “Work Cited” or “Works Cited.”
Whether you’re making an MLA work cited page or an MLA works cited page, here are some general rules to follow:
If you’re reading through this page, but have yet to determine your research paper topic, look no further! We have thorough guides on historical individuals to rev up your brainstorming engine! Check out our guides on Abraham Lincoln, Muhammad Ali, and Marilyn Monroe.
There are two options: alphabetical order and non alphabetical order.
The majority of references are organized in alphabetical order by the first item in the reference, which is usually an author’s last name. When a source doesn’t have an author, the title is placed first in the reference. Many films and movies, for instance, begin with the title, since no author is present.
Either way, whether the reference starts with the last name of the author, or a title, the entries are placed in alphabetical order.
Benjamin, Chloe. The Immortalists. Penguin, 2018.
Black Panther. Directed by Ryan Coogler, performance by Chadwick Boseman, Marvel Studios, 2018.
Egan, Jennifer. Manhattan Beach. Scribner, 2017.
The majority of reference lists are organized in alphabetical order. However, it is acceptable to only organize “annotated bibliographies” in alphabetical order, chronological order, or subject order.
Here’s more information about the organization and creation of an MLA annotated bibliography.
If you need help structuring or formatting the author’s name (or multiple authors’ names) in your references, this section will help.
Let’s start with the proper structure for one author’s name (taken from Section 5.6 of the official Handbook). If the source you’re attempting to cite was created by one individual author, structure the name as follows:
Last name, First name.
The last name of the author is placed at the start of the reference, followed by a comma, and the first name of the author. Conclude this information with a period.
One author with a middle name or middle initial
Burroughs, William S.
Alcott, Louisa May.
Wondering how to organize two or more works by Louisa May Alcott in your paper? It may be tricky to determine how to alphabetically arrange the references, since each MLA work cited entry begins with Louisa May Alcott.
Citing multiple sources with the same author
To create a proper MLA works cited list when there are multiple sources by the same author, place the references in alphabetical order by the title. Only include the author’s name in the first reference. In place of the author’s name in subsequent entries, place three dashes, followed by a period. (Follows rules from Section 5.126 of the Handbook.)
Below is a visual representation of a properly organized and structured MLA style works cited list. All three sources in this MLA works cited page example are by the author, Louisa May Alcott.
Alcott, Louisa May. “Eight Cousins.” Project Gutenberg, 2018, www.gutenberg.org/files/2726/2726-h/2726-h.htm.
– – -. Little Women. Bantam Classics, 1983.
– – -. Rose in Bloom. CreateSpace, 2018.
According to section 5.7 of the official Handbook, the first listed author’s name on the source is the first author seen in the reference. The second listed author’s name on the source is the second author placed in the reference.
The first author’s name is placed in reverse order, followed by a comma and the word “and.” The second author’s name is listed in standard order, followed by a period.
Last name, First name of Author 1, and First name Last name of Author 2.
Brust, Steven, and Emma Bull.
Jory, John, and Mac Barnett.
Citing multiple sources with the same co-authors
When there are multiple sources on a reference list by the same co-authors, organize those specific references alphabetically by the titles. Only include the names of the coauthors in the first entry.
Jory, John, and Mac Barnett. The Terrible Two. Amulet, 2017.
– – -. The Terrible Two Get Worse. Amulet, 2017.
There may be times when you’re attempting to add additional sources by one of the co-authors, or the lead co-author along with a different individual.
Here is an example of how a works cited page in MLA would be organized. Included is a source solely written by one of the coauthors (John Jory) and a source by John Jory with a different coauthor, Avery Monsen.
Jory, John. The Bad Seed. HarperCollins, 2017.
– – -. Giraffe Problems. Random House, 2018.
Jory, John, and Mac Barnett. The Terrible Two. Amulet, 2017.
– – -. The Terrible Two Get Worse. Amulet, 2017.
Monsen, Avery, and Jory John. All My Friends Are Dead, Chronicle, 2010.
Summary of the above examples:
When there are three or more authors listed on a source, it is unnecessary to include all individuals’ names in the reference list.
Only include the first listed author’s last name, followed by a comma and their first name, followed by another comma and the abbreviation “et al.”
Robertson, Judy, et al.
Et al. is an abbreviation used in academic works. It translates to “and others” in Latin. Replace the second, third, and any additional authors’ names with “et al.” on your work cited page in MLA.
The above example represents a journal article written by Judy Robertson, Beth Cross, Hamish Mcleod, and Peter Wiemer-Hastings. Instead of including all four authors’ names in the entry, only the first listed author’s name is included.
Robertson, Judy, et al. “Children’s Interactions with Animated Agents in an Intelligent Tutoring System.” International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education, vol. 14, no. 3-4, 2004, pp. 335-357. IOS Press, content.iospress.com/articles/international-journal-of-artificial-intelligence-in-education/jai14-3-4-05.
If including an additional reference by Judy Robertson, but with different co-authors, include her name again in the reference list.
For example, take a look at this journal article by Judy Robertson, Judith Good, and Helen Pain. The MLA work cited entry would begin with Judy Robertson, et al. and not three hyphens since there are different co-authors than the first.
Robertson, Judy, et al. “BetterBlether: The Design and Evaluation of a Discussion Tool for Education.” International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education, 1998, pp. 9, 219-236, ijaied.org/pub/1026/file/1026_paper.pdf.
Robertson, Judy, et al. “Children’s Interactions with Animated Agents in an Intelligent Tutoring System.” International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education, vol. 14, no. 3-4, 2004, pp. 335-357. IOS Press, content.iospress.com/articles/international-journal-of-artificial-intelligence-in-education/jai14-3-4-05.
The entries are listed in alphabetical order by the title of the source since the first positions are the same.
There are times when an author is graced with a prestigious title such as a Duke, Sir, Saint, and others (see Section 2.83 of the Handbook for more examples).
When an author has a specific title, it should be omitted from the body of a project and also omitted from the reference list.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle should be in the project as Arthur Conan Doyle.
Doyle, Arthur Conan.
If an author has a suffix in his or her name, such as Junior (Jr.) or a roman numeral such as II, III, IV, or V, this information is included in the reference list.
The individual’s name is placed in reverse order, with the last name displayed in the first position. Immediately following the last name is a comma, followed by the first name and middle name. After the first and middle names, a comma is placed, and the suffix of the individual is placed at the end with a period. You should not include the comma preceding the suffix, however, if it is a numeral.
William, Frederick III.
If the author’s pen name is one that is well known, it is acceptable to use the pen name in place of the author’s real first and last name.
For example, Mark Twain, Dr. Seuss, George Orwell, and O. Henry are all acceptable to use in a works cited MLA section, as their pen names are well known.
If the author’s pen name is less familiar, you can include the author’s real name in brackets in the reference.
Coffey, Brian [Dean Koontz]. Blood Risk. Bobbs-Merrill, 1973.
Van Dyne, Edith [L. Frank Baum]. Aunt Jane’s Nieces At Work. 1st World Library, 2006.
Many names in languages other than English include conventions and features that are different from names in English. This next section provides information to help you properly structure and organize the names of authors in other languages. It follows rules from section 2.73 in the official Handbook.
French names often include the particles de, d’, or du. Some examples include Valery Giscard d’Estaing, Bertrand du Guesclin, and Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord.
When “de” is used in an individual’s name, it is separated from the last name. Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord would be structured in a work cited MLA list as:
Talleyrand-Perigord, Charles Maurice de.
If, however, the last name is only one syllable, “de” is considered part of the last name. The reference entry would begin with de and then the last name of the individual, followed by a comma and the first name. In this instance, “de” remains lowercased.
When “du” or “des” is used in an individual’s name, it is included as part of the last name. Capitalize the “d” in “du.” Bertrand du Guesclin would be structured in a work cited MLA list as:
Du Guesclin, Bertrand.
When d’ is placed before a last name, d’ is included as part of the last name, but only when the last name begins with a vowel. Valery Giscard d’Estaing would be structured as:
d’Estaing, Valery Giscard.
Prior to determining how to structure an Asian author’s name, consider the source. Many Asian publishers display the author’s last name first on sources. If the source was published in Asia, do not reverse the author’s name in the reference list. Write it in the order shown on the source, without any commas. End the author’s name with a period.
If the source was published in English, it is quite possible that the author’s last name is displayed first as well. This is when the researcher must do a bit of detective work to determine the author’s first name and last name. Run the name through a search engine and identify the author’s first name and last name. If the last name is placed first on the source, keep it as is in the reference entry. Do not reverse the names and write it in standard form.
If, on the source, the author’s name is placed in standard order (first name followed by last name) reverse it in the reference list. Begin the reference with the last name of the individual, add a comma, and add the first name of the author. End the field with a period.
Famous historical figures in Roman history have names that are widely known. Some examples include Julius Caesar, Augustus, Claudius, Constantine, and others. While these individuals are known by their Roman names, their full names are in Latin.
Begin the reference entry with the Roman name. Immediately following the Roman name, add the individual’s full name in brackets. End the information with a period.
Augustus [Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus]. “The Deeds of the Divine Augustus.” The Internet Classics Archive, translated by Thomas Bushnell, 1998, classics.mit.edu/Augustus/deeds.html.
APA citation website references look much different! Make sure you check out our handy guides on EasyBib.com!
Two commonly used particles in German names are “von” and “zu.” Examples include Alexander von Humboldt, Ferdinand von Zeppelin, Prince Chlodwig zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst, and Maximilian zu Wied-Neuwied.
When a German individual’s name includes the particles “von” or “zu,” the particles are not included as part of the person’s last name. Ferdinand von Zeppelin would be organized in the work cited MLA list as:
Zeppelin, Ferdinand von.
If, on the source, von is displayed as a last name, it is acceptable to include it at the beginning of the individual’s last name. Examples include books by Dita Von Teese and Diane Von Furstenberg.
Von Furstenberg, Diane. Diane: A Signature Life. Simon & Schuster, 2009.
If the particles d’, del, de, della, di, da, are used in an individual’s last name, and the individual is relatively current and from modern times, the particles are included as part of the last name and the reference entry begins with the capitalized particle.
Di Lampedusa, Giuseppe Tomasi.
When the individual’s name begins with one of the same particles above, but he or she is from historical or ancient times, the particle is not included as part of the individual’s last name.
There are two commonly used particles in Spanish names: “de” and “del.” If an individual’s name includes the particle, “de,” do not include it as part of his or her last name. When “del” is visible in an individual’s last name, the “d” in “del” is capitalized and placed at the beginning of the citation.
According to section 2.90 of the Handbook, titles should be written in title case format. This means that the first letter in the first word, the first letter in the last word, and the first letters of all other important words are capitalized. Any coordinating conjunctions (and, for, but, or, so, nor, and yet), articles (a, an, the), and prepositions in the title are not capitalized.
If the source you’re attempting to cite is in a language other than English, it is recommended to use “sentence case” form. Sentence case only has the first letter in the first word capitalized and the first letter in any proper nouns capitalized. All other words are written in lowercase letters.
Don’t forget to use EasyBib.com’s MLA work cited generator to develop your works cited page in MLA.
Whether the source is placed in italics or quotation marks depends on where the source was found. If the title stands alone (like a book or movie), place the title in italics. If the title was found in a container, such as a website, anthology, edited book, or another type of container, place the source in quotation marks and the container in italics.
Mather, Victor. “Japan Advances in World Cup 2018 Despite Losing to Poland.” New York Times, 28 June 2018, nyti.ms/2IzyUdm.
Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Little Brown, 1991.
Titles beginning with numbers are placed in the reference list in alphabetical order, as if the title was written out alphabetically.
Here’s an MLA works cited example: The movie 2 Fast 2 Furious, would be organized in alphabetical order as if it said “Too Fast Too Furious.” The citation would still be begin with the number even though it is organized alphabetically.
Don’t forget to try EasyBib.com’s MLA works cited generator to help you develop your references and your MLA works cited page. Our MLA works cited generator is free and simple to use!
EasyBib.com has an MLA works cited generator, which helps you produce references . This means you don’t have to spend time determining how to structure and organize the components of a citation.
To create your complete page of works cited in MLA with our tools, head to the EasyBib homepage.
Did your teacher or professor request that your references be made in MLA format? Luckily for you, MLA is the default format on EasyBib.com. If you’re not sure which style to use, ask your teacher.
All references are automatically organized in proper order and can be exported to Microsoft Word Documents, Google Docs, Dropbox, or One Drive. There’s even an option to email the reference!
Even better? EasyBib Plus gives you access to tools that do more than simply creating full references. References in the text are created for you, too! Whether it’s a Modern Language Association reference, or an APA parenthetical citation, APA book citation, or APA journal reference, we’ll create both types for you.
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“Formatting a Research Paper.” MLA Style Center, Modern Language Association of America, style.mla.org/formatting-papers/.
MLA Handbook. 9th ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2021
Published October 16, 2013. Updated June 20, 2021.
Written and edited by Michele Kirschenbaum and Elise Barbeau. Michele Kirschenbaum is a school library media specialist and the in-house librarian at EasyBib.com. Elise Barbeau is the Citation Specialist at Chegg. She has worked in digital marketing, libraries, and publishing.
