An MLA Works Cited page lists every source you cited in your paper, from books and journal articles to websites, videos, and poems.
It helps readers find the full details behind your in-text citations and shows that your research is organized and traceable. If your instructor asks for MLA style, your Works Cited page is just as important as your parenthetical citations in the body of the essay.
Quick Answer to MLA Works Cited
An MLA Works Cited page is the final page of an MLA paper where you list all sources cited in the text. Each entry gives the full source information readers need to locate the source.
A basic MLA Works Cited entry for a book looks like this:
Miller, Rebecca. Writing About Literature. Beacon Academic Press, 2023.
A basic MLA Works Cited entry for a website looks like this:
Torres, Elena. “How Students Can Evaluate Online Sources.” University Writing Center, 12 Mar. 2024, https://www.example.edu/evaluate-online-sources.
The Works Cited page should be alphabetized by the first word of each entry, usually the author’s last name. Entries should use hanging indents, and the page title should be Works Cited.
What Is an MLA Works Cited Page?
The MLA Works Cited page is the source list at the end of an MLA paper. It includes only the sources you actually cited in your writing. If you read a source but did not quote, paraphrase, or refer to it in the paper, it usually should not appear on the Works Cited page.
MLA style is commonly used in:
English composition
literature
rhetoric
language studies
cultural studies
film studies
humanities courses
The Works Cited page connects to your in-text citations. For example, if your paper includes (Miller 42), readers should be able to find a Works Cited entry beginning with Miller.
For official guidance, students can review the MLA Style Center guide to Works Cited entries.
MLA Works Cited Page Formatting Rules
The Works Cited page should follow MLA paper formatting. Place it on a new page at the end of your essay.
MLA Works Cited Rule | Correct Format |
|---|---|
Page title | Center the title Works Cited |
Spacing | Double-space the entire page |
Order | Alphabetize entries by the first word |
Indentation | Use a hanging indent for each entry |
Font | Use the same readable font as the paper |
Margins | Use 1-inch margins |
Entries included | List only sources cited in the paper |
A hanging indent means the first line of each entry starts at the left margin, and any additional lines are indented. This makes it easier for readers to scan the first word of each citation.
How MLA Works Cited Entries Are Built
MLA 9 uses a flexible system of core elements. Not every source has every element, but the order helps students cite many source types.
The major MLA core elements are:
Author
Title of source
Title of container
Other contributors
Version
Number
Publisher
Publication date
Location
A container is the larger work that holds the source. For example, a journal article is inside a journal, a webpage is inside a website, and a poem may be inside an anthology.
MLA Works Cited Format by Source Type
Source Type | Basic MLA Works Cited Format |
|---|---|
Book | Author Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year. |
Journal article | Author Last Name, First Name. “Article Title.” Journal Name, vol. number, no. number, Year, pp. pages. |
Website | Author Last Name, First Name. “Title of Page.” Website Name, Publisher, Date, URL. |
Chapter in edited book | Author Last Name, First Name. “Chapter Title.” Book Title, edited by Editor Name, Publisher, Year, pp. pages. |
Video | Creator or Channel. “Title of Video.” YouTube, uploaded by Channel, Date, URL. |
MLA entries should be complete enough for readers to find the source, but they should not include unnecessary details. For example, MLA usually does not require the city of publication for modern books.
Complete MLA Works Cited Example
Here is a complete example showing how an in-text citation connects to a Works Cited entry.
Source information:
Author: Rebecca Miller
Book title: Writing About Literature
Publisher: Beacon Academic Press
Year: 2023
Page cited: 42
Sentence in the paper:
Close reading helps students connect word choice, tone, and structure to a larger interpretation (Miller 42).
Works Cited entry:
Miller, Rebecca. Writing About Literature. Beacon Academic Press, 2023.
This example is correct because the in-text citation (Miller 42) points to the Works Cited entry beginning with Miller. The book title is italicized because it is a standalone work. The publisher and year appear after the title.
Notice that the Works Cited entry does not include page 42. In MLA, page numbers for a specific quoted or paraphrased passage usually appear in the in-text citation, not in the book’s Works Cited entry.
MLA Works Cited Example for a Journal Article
Journal articles are common in research papers and literary analysis.
Works Cited entry:
Chen, Laura. “Student Activism and Campus Reform.” Journal of American Education, vol. 18, no. 2, 2022, pp. 40–62.
In-text citation:
Student activism became an important part of campus reform debates in the late twentieth century (Chen 47).
This entry is correct because the article title appears in quotation marks, the journal title is italicized, and the volume, issue, year, and page range are included. The in-text citation uses the page where the specific idea appears.
MLA Works Cited Example for a Website
Websites can be cited in MLA when they are credible and relevant to your assignment.
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:
Students should check a webpage’s author, purpose, evidence, and publication context before using it in a paper (Torres).
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 URL should lead to the exact page you used, not the homepage.
MLA Works Cited With No Author
If a source has no author, begin the Works Cited entry with the title. Then use a shortened version of that title in your in-text citation.
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”)
This works because the in-text citation matches the first meaningful words of the Works Cited entry. Do not use the URL as the in-text citation.
MLA Works Cited vs. Bibliography
A Works Cited page is not exactly the same as a bibliography.
Source List | What It Includes |
|---|---|
Works Cited | Only sources cited in the paper |
Bibliography | Sources cited plus sources consulted or read |
Annotated bibliography | Source entries plus short notes or summaries |
Most MLA essays use Works Cited, not Bibliography. Use the title your instructor requires.
Common MLA Works Cited Mistakes
Mistake | Correct Approach |
|---|---|
Calling the page “References” | MLA uses Works Cited. |
Including sources you did not cite | List only sources cited in the paper. |
Forgetting hanging indents | Indent the second and later lines of each entry. |
Not alphabetizing entries | Alphabetize by the first word of each entry. |
Confusing source and container titles | Put article/page titles in quotation marks and container titles in italics. |
Using APA-style dates | Follow MLA date format, such as 12 Mar. 2024. |
Citing the homepage instead of the exact page | Use the direct URL for the source you used. |
Not matching in-text citations | Every in-text citation should point to a Works Cited entry. |
Tips for Checking Your MLA Works Cited Page
Before submitting, compare your in-text citations with the Works Cited page. If your paper includes (Chen 47), there should be an entry beginning with Chen. If your paper cites (“How to Prepare”), there should be an entry beginning with that title.
Next, check the format of each source type. Books, journal articles, websites, edited book chapters, and videos use different details. Do not force every source into the same pattern.
Then review formatting. The title Works Cited should be centered. Entries should be double-spaced and alphabetized. Each entry should use a hanging indent.
Finally, check that every URL, date, title, and author name is accurate. Small errors can make sources harder to find.
FAQ About MLA Works Cited
What is an MLA Works Cited page?
An MLA Works Cited page is the final page of an MLA paper that lists all sources cited in the text. It gives full details so readers can locate each source.
Is Works Cited the same as References?
No. MLA uses Works Cited. APA usually uses References. Do not title an MLA source list “References” unless your instructor specifically asks for it.
What should be included in MLA Works Cited?
Include every source you quoted, paraphrased, summarized, or referred to in your paper. Do not include sources you only read but did not cite.
How do you alphabetize MLA Works Cited entries?
Alphabetize entries by the first word, usually the author’s last name. Ignore articles like “A,” “An,” and “The” when alphabetizing titles.
Do MLA Works Cited entries need hanging indents?
Yes. MLA Works Cited entries use hanging indents. The first line starts at the left margin, and later lines are indented.
Do MLA Works Cited pages include URLs?
MLA usually includes URLs for online sources unless your instructor tells you not to. Use the exact URL for the source page.
Conclusion
An MLA Works Cited page gives readers the full source details behind your in-text citations. To format it correctly, title the page Works Cited, alphabetize the entries, use hanging indents, and include only sources cited in your paper. Before submitting, make sure every parenthetical citation matches an entry on the Works Cited page and that each entry follows the correct MLA format for its source type.