The MLA format Works Cited page is the alphabetical list of every source you quoted, paraphrased or summarized in your paper. It gives readers the details they need to find each source. It also shows your instructor that you credit other writers properly.
This guide explains the rules of an MLA format Works Cited page in the 9th edition. You will see the core elements of every entry, patterns for more than 15 source types and a sample page. A final checklist catches the errors that cost students the most points.
Quick answer: An MLA format Works Cited page starts on a new page after the essay, with the title Works Cited centered at the top. List only the sources you cited, in alphabetical order by the first word of each entry, using double spacing and a half-inch hanging indent. Each entry follows the MLA core elements: author, title, container, other contributors, version, number, publisher, date and location.
Key Takeaways
- The MLA format Works Cited page lists every source cited in the text, and nothing else.
- Entries are alphabetical, double-spaced and use a half-inch hanging indent.
- MLA 9 builds each entry from nine core elements, ending each with a period or comma as shown.
- Titles of independent works are italicized; titles of short works are in quotation marks.
- Every in-text citation must match an entry, and every entry must be cited in the text.
What Is a Works Cited Page?
A Works Cited page is the reference list in MLA style. It differs from a bibliography, which may include sources you read but did not cite. MLA asks for Works Cited, so list only what appears in your paper.
The page serves two readers. Your instructor checks that you credited sources and used the right format. Other readers use the entries to locate the sources themselves.
MLA Format Works Cited: Page Layout Rules
Set the page up before you type any entries.
| Element | Rule |
|---|---|
| Placement | New page after the last page of the essay |
| Title | Works Cited, centered, no bold, italics, underline or quotation marks |
| Margins | 1 inch on all sides |
| Font | Same as the paper, for example 12-point Times New Roman |
| Spacing | Double, with no extra space between entries |
| Indent | Hanging indent of 0.5 inch |
| Order | Alphabetical by the first word of each entry |
| Header | Last name and page number, top right, continuing from the essay |
The MLA Core Elements
MLA 9 uses one template for every source. Fill in the elements that apply and skip the rest. Each element ends with the punctuation shown.
| # | Element | Punctuation after it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Author | Period |
| 2 | Title of source | Period |
| 3 | Title of container | Comma |
| 4 | Other contributors | Comma |
| 5 | Version | Comma |
| 6 | Number | Comma |
| 7 | Publisher | Comma |
| 8 | Publication date | Comma |
| 9 | Location | Period |
A container is the larger work that holds the source. For example, an article sits in a journal, a song sits in an album and a web page sits in a website. A source can have more than one container, such as an article in a journal found in a database.
How to Alphabetize Entries
Alphabetizing seems simple, yet it causes many errors. Follow these rules.
- Sort by the first word of each entry, usually the author’s last name.
- Ignore the words A, An and The at the start of a title when there is no author.
- For several works by one author, list the first entry in full, then use three hyphens followed by a period for later entries, in alphabetical order by title.
- Sort letter by letter, so “Smith, A.” comes before “Smithson, B.”
- Treat numerals as if they were spelled out.
Works Cited Patterns by Source Type
Use these patterns as templates. Replace each part with details from your own source.
| Source | Pattern |
|---|---|
| Book, one author | Last, First. Title of Book. Publisher, Year. |
| Book, two authors | Last, First, and First Last. Title. Publisher, Year. |
| Book, three or more authors | Last, First, et al. Title. Publisher, Year. |
| Edited book | Last, First, editor. Title. Publisher, Year. |
| Chapter in an edited book | Last, First. “Chapter Title.” Book Title, edited by First Last, Publisher, Year, pp. #–#. |
| Journal article | Last, First. “Article Title.” Journal Title, vol. #, no. #, Year, pp. #–#. |
| Journal article from a database | Last, First. “Article Title.” Journal Title, vol. #, no. #, Year, pp. #–#. Database Name, DOI or URL. |
| Magazine article | Last, First. “Title.” Magazine, Day Mon. Year, pp. #–#. |
| Newspaper article | Last, First. “Title.” Newspaper, Day Mon. Year, p. #. |
| Web page | Last, First. “Page Title.” Website Name, Publisher, Day Mon. Year, URL. |
| Web page with no author | “Page Title.” Website Name, Publisher, Day Mon. Year, URL. |
| Film | Title. Directed by First Last, Studio, Year. |
| Television episode | “Episode Title.” Series Title, season #, episode #, Network, Day Mon. Year. |
| YouTube or online video | Last, First or Channel Name. “Video Title.” YouTube, uploaded by Name, Day Mon. Year, URL. |
| Interview | Last, First. Personal interview. Day Mon. Year. |
| Podcast episode | Last, First, host. “Episode Title.” Podcast Name, Publisher, Day Mon. Year, URL. |
| Social media post | Last, First (@handle). “Text of post.” Platform, Day Mon. Year, time, URL. |
Real Examples You Can Check
The entries below cite real, well-known works so that you can verify the pattern against the actual books.
Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. J. B. Lippincott, 1960.
Orwell, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. Secker & Warburg, 1949.
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Edited by Vivien Jones, Penguin Classics, 2003.
Notice the pattern: author last name first, the title in italics, the publisher and the year, each separated by the right punctuation. When a book has an editor, add the contributor after the title.
Sample Works Cited Page
The sample below shows how a short page looks. The journal and web entries are invented for illustration, so replace them with verified sources in your own work.
Works Cited
Baker, Dana. Learning After Dark: School Schedules and Sleep. Lakeshore Academic Press, 2020.
Cruz, Mateo. “What Districts Learned From Moving the Bell.” Journal of Education Policy, vol. 11, no. 3, 2021, pp. 101–18.
Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. J. B. Lippincott, 1960.
“Teen Sleep Basics.” Institute for Adolescent Health, 3 May 2022, www.example.org/teen-sleep.
How In-Text Citations Connect to Works Cited
Each in-text citation points to a Works Cited entry. In MLA, the citation usually gives the author’s last name and a page number, such as (Lee 14). The first word of the citation must match the first word of the entry.
| In-text citation | Works Cited entry begins with |
|---|---|
| (Lee 14) | Lee, Harper. |
| (Author and Colleague 31) | Author, Anna, and Ben Colleague. |
| (“School Start Times”) | “School Start Times and Student Health.” |
| (Orwell, Nineteen 22) | Orwell, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. |
If the entry has no author, the citation uses a shortened title in quotation marks or italics, as the source type requires. For a worked example with a heading and a body page, see our MLA format essay example.
Tips for Special Cases
No author
Begin the entry with the title and alphabetize by the first main word. Skip A, An and The.
No date
Leave out the date, or add an access date at the end, for example “Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.”
Many authors
For three or more authors, give the first author followed by et al. in the entry and in-text citation.
URLs and DOIs
Give a DOI when one exists. Otherwise copy the URL without “https://”. MLA 9 treats an access date as optional, but some instructors require it, so follow their rule.
Generative AI tools
MLA guidance asks writers to cite the tool as a source when they use generated text. The entry describes the prompt in the title position and gives the tool’s name, version, company, date and URL. Because this area changes, check the current MLA Style Center guidance and your instructor’s policy.
Common Works Cited Mistakes
- Missing hanging indent. Set it in the paragraph settings, not with the space bar.
- Wrong order. Sort by the first word and ignore A, An and The in titles.
- Extra sources. Remove anything you did not cite.
- Missing sources. Add every source cited in your text.
- Inconsistent capitalization. Use title case for titles in MLA.
- Wrong italics. Italicize titles of independent works, such as books and websites, but not titles of articles or chapters, which take quotation marks.
- Mixing styles. Do not combine MLA entries with APA formatting.
MLA Format Works Cited Checklist
| Check | Question |
|---|---|
| Page | Does the page start on a new page with a centered title? |
| Layout | Are entries double-spaced with a 0.5-inch hanging indent? |
| Order | Are entries alphabetical? |
| Elements | Does each entry include the core elements that apply? |
| Titles | Are italics and quotation marks used correctly? |
| Match | Does every in-text citation have an entry, and the reverse? |
| Links | Are URLs and DOIs complete and working? |
| Consistency | Is capitalization and punctuation consistent? |
If you are building a source list before drafting, our guide to an annotated bibliography shows how to evaluate each source first. When your formatting is ready, build a reusable file with our MLA format template guide.
Frequently Asked Questions About the MLA Format Works Cited Page
What is an MLA format Works Cited page?
It is the alphabetical list of sources you cited in an MLA paper. It appears on a new page at the end, with the title Works Cited centered at the top.
How do you format a Works Cited page in MLA?
Start a new page, center the title, double-space everything, use a half-inch hanging indent and list entries alphabetically by the first word of each entry.
What is the difference between Works Cited and a bibliography?
Works Cited lists only sources cited in your paper. A bibliography may include sources you read but did not cite.
Do I need URLs in MLA 9 Works Cited entries?
Include a URL or DOI for online sources, without “https://” in most cases. Your instructor may also ask for an access date.
How do I cite a source with no author in MLA?
Start the entry with the source’s title and alphabetize by the first main word. In the text, use a shortened title in the citation.
What does et al. mean in MLA?
It means “and others.” Use it when a source has three or more authors, giving the first author followed by et al.
Should the Works Cited title be bold?
No. Center the title Works Cited with no bold, italics, underline or quotation marks.
How many sources should be on a Works Cited page?
Include every source you cited, whether the assignment calls for three or thirty. Check your instructor’s minimum.
Finish With a Clean MLA Format Works Cited Page
An accurate MLA format Works Cited page rests on a few habits. Use the core elements, alphabetize carefully and apply the hanging indent. Then make sure every in-text citation has a matching entry. Check each entry against a pattern, and verify every source before you list it.
For more formatting help, browse the Citation Formatting category or review the MLA format heading rules. You can also return to the Papers Open homepage for outlines, examples and tools. Follow our academic integrity policy whenever you cite sources.
Information only. This guide is general educational information. It is not professional advice, and Papers Open is not affiliated with any school, college or university. Follow your instructor's requirements. See our disclaimer and academic integrity policy.