MLA website citation is useful when you use online articles, university pages, digital archives, organization reports, or other web sources in an English or humanities paper.
Websites can be tricky because they may have missing authors, unclear dates, or changing URLs. This guide explains how to cite a website in MLA style, how the Works Cited entry connects to the in-text citation, and what details to check before submitting your assignment.
Quick Answer to MLA Website Citation
An MLA website citation usually includes the author, page title, website name, publisher if needed, publication date, and URL. The full citation appears on the Works Cited page.
Basic MLA website format:
Author Last Name, First Name. “Title of Page.” Website Name, Publisher, Date, URL.
Example Works Cited entry:
Torres, Elena. “How Students Can Evaluate Online Sources.” University Writing Center, 12 Mar. 2024, https://www.example.edu/evaluate-online-sources.
Example in-text citation:
(Torres)
If the website has no author, begin the Works Cited entry with the page title and use a shortened title in the in-text citation.
What Information Do You Need for an MLA Website Citation?
Before creating an MLA website citation, open the exact page you used and collect the source details. Do not cite a Google search result, homepage, or browser tab title unless that is the actual source.
Citation Element | What to Look For |
|---|---|
Author | Individual writer, organization, agency, or group |
Page title | Title of the specific webpage or article |
Website name | Name of the larger website |
Publisher | Organization responsible for publishing the site, if different from the website name |
Publication date | Date posted or updated, if available |
URL | Direct URL of the exact webpage |
Access date | Date you viewed the page, if required or useful |
MLA style uses core elements to help students cite many types of sources, including webpages. For official examples, students can review the MLA Style Center guide to Works Cited entries.
Basic MLA Website Citation Format
The standard MLA website citation format is:
Author Last Name, First Name. “Title of Page.” Website Name, Publisher, Date, URL.
Not every website has every element. If a webpage does not list an author, start with the title. If no date is available, omit the date. If the website name and publisher are the same, MLA usually allows you to omit the publisher to avoid repetition.
Example with all major elements:
Carter, Maria. “How Digital Archives Support Student Research.” History Learning Center, Academic Research Network, 8 Feb. 2024, https://www.example.org/digital-archives.
This entry includes the author, article title, website name, publisher, date, and URL.
MLA In-Text Citation for a Website
MLA in-text citations should match the first element of the Works Cited entry. If the Works Cited entry begins with the author’s last name, use that name in the parenthetical citation.
Works Cited entry:
Torres, Elena. “How Students Can Evaluate Online Sources.” University Writing Center, 12 Mar. 2024, https://www.example.edu/evaluate-online-sources.
In-text citation:
(Torres)
Sentence example:
Students should check the purpose, evidence, and publication context of a webpage before using it in a paper (Torres).
Most webpages do not have stable page numbers, so the author’s last name is often enough. Do not add page numbers from your browser, printed pages, or screen position.
Complete MLA Website Citation Example
Here is a complete example for a webpage used in a college paper.
Source information:
Author: Elena Torres
Page title: How Students Can Evaluate Online Sources
Website name: University Writing Center
Date: March 12, 2024
URL: https://www.example.edu/evaluate-online-sources
Sentence in the paper:
Students should evaluate a webpage’s author, purpose, evidence, and publication context before using it in academic writing (Torres).
Works Cited entry:
Torres, Elena. “How Students Can Evaluate Online Sources.” University Writing Center, 12 Mar. 2024, https://www.example.edu/evaluate-online-sources.
This example is correct because the in-text citation (Torres) matches the first word of the Works Cited entry. The webpage title appears in quotation marks because it is a short work inside a larger website. The website name is italicized because it is the container. The date appears in MLA day-month-year format, and the URL points to the exact page.
MLA Website Citation With No Author
If a webpage has no author, begin the Works Cited entry with the title of the page.
Works Cited entry:
“How to Prepare for a College Research Paper.” Student Academic Skills Center, 14 Mar. 2024, https://www.example.edu/prepare-research-paper.
In-text citation:
(“How to Prepare”)
Use the first meaningful words of the title so readers can match the in-text citation to the Works Cited entry. Do not use the full URL in the parenthetical citation.
Sentence example:
A strong research paper begins with a focused question and reliable sources (“How to Prepare”).
MLA Website Citation With an Organization as Author
Sometimes a webpage has no individual author but is clearly written by an organization. In that case, use the organization as the author.
Works Cited entry:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Handwashing Facts.” CDC, 5 May 2024, https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/facts.html.
In-text citation:
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Use the organization as the author only when it is clearly responsible for the content. Do not automatically treat the website name as the author if the page does not show that the organization created the material.
MLA Website Citation With No Date
If a webpage does not list a publication or update date, MLA usually allows you to omit the date. You may include an access date if the page is likely to change or if your instructor requires it.
Works Cited entry with no date:
“Avoiding Plagiarism in Research Papers.” Student Academic Skills Center, https://www.example.edu/avoiding-plagiarism. Accessed 26 June 2026.
In-text citation:
(“Avoiding Plagiarism”)
Do not use n.d. in MLA website citations. That is an APA convention. In MLA, missing information is usually left out unless your instructor asks for a placeholder.
MLA Website Citation for an Article on a News or Magazine Site
Online articles from newspapers, magazines, or digital publications are cited similarly to other webpages, but the publication name is the website or container.
Works Cited entry:
Johnson, Rebecca. “College Students Are Rethinking How They Use Digital Notes.” The Learning Review, 3 Apr. 2024, https://www.example.com/digital-notes.
In-text citation:
(Johnson)
If the article has page numbers in a PDF or database version, use the page number in the in-text citation. If it is a regular webpage without page numbers, the author’s last name is usually enough.
MLA Website Citation vs. APA Website Citation
MLA and APA cite websites differently, so do not mix their rules.
Feature | MLA Website Citation | APA Website Citation |
|---|---|---|
In-text citation | (Torres) | (Torres, 2024) |
Page title | “How Students Can Evaluate Online Sources” | How students can evaluate online sources |
Website name | Italicized | Usually plain text after title |
Date format | 12 Mar. 2024 | (2024, March 12) |
No date | Omit date or add access date if needed | Use n.d. |
Final source page | Works Cited | References |
A common student mistake is adding APA-style years to MLA in-text citations. In MLA, a website citation usually uses the author or title, not the publication year.
Common MLA Website Citation Mistakes
Mistake | Correct Approach |
|---|---|
Citing the homepage instead of the exact page | Use the direct URL of the webpage you used. |
Using the URL as the in-text citation | Use the author or shortened title. |
Forgetting quotation marks around the page title | Put webpage and article titles in quotation marks. |
Forgetting to italicize the website name | Italicize the larger website or container. |
Treating the website name as the author automatically | Use it as author only if it clearly created the content. |
Adding “n.d.” for no date | MLA usually omits missing dates. |
Mixing APA and MLA rules | Use MLA format throughout the paper. |
Not matching in-text citation to Works Cited entry | The in-text citation should match the first element of the entry. |
Tips for Checking an MLA Website Citation
Before submitting your paper, open the webpage again and compare it with your citation. Check that the title, author, website name, date, and URL are accurate.
Next, make sure your in-text citation matches the Works Cited entry. If the entry begins with Torres, cite (Torres). If the entry begins with “How to Prepare for a College Research Paper,” cite a shortened title such as (“How to Prepare”).
Finally, check your formatting. Webpage titles should be in quotation marks. Website names should be italicized. URLs should lead to the exact page. The Works Cited page should be alphabetized by the first word of each entry.
FAQ About MLA Website Citation
How do you cite a website in MLA?
Use the author, page title in quotation marks, website name in italics, publisher if needed, date if available, and URL. The full entry appears on the Works Cited page.
What does an MLA in-text citation for a website look like?
It usually includes the author’s last name, such as (Torres). If there is no author, use a shortened version of the page title, such as (“How to Prepare”).
What if a website has no author in MLA?
Start the Works Cited entry with the webpage title. In the text, cite a shortened version of that title in quotation marks.
Do MLA website citations need URLs?
Usually, yes. MLA generally includes URLs for online sources unless your instructor tells you not to. Use the exact webpage URL.
Do MLA website citations need access dates?
Access dates are optional in many cases, but they are useful when a page may change or when no publication date is listed. Follow your instructor’s rule.
Do you use the website name or page title first?
Use the author first if one is listed. If there is no author, start with the page title. The website name comes after the page title as the container.
Conclusion
An MLA website citation connects a brief in-text citation to a full Works Cited entry. To format it correctly, collect the author, page title, website name, publisher if needed, date, and exact URL. If there is no author, start with the title. If there is no date, omit it or add an access date when useful. Before submitting, check that every in-text citation matches the first element of the Works Cited entry.