How to Cite Sources in MLA Format

Steps

1. For in-text citations, place the author's last name and page number in parentheses at the end of the sentence, before the period: (Smith 45).
2. If you mention the author's name in your sentence, only include the page number in parentheses: Smith argues that... (45).
3. On your Works Cited page, list sources alphabetically by the author's last name, using a hanging indent for each entry.
4. For a book, format the entry as: Author's Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.
5. For a website, use: Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Website Name, Publication Date, URL.
6. For sources without an author, begin with the title and alphabetize by the first major word (ignoring A, An, The).

Worked example

In-text citation: According to recent studies, climate change affects migration patterns (Johnson 23). Works Cited entry: Johnson, Maria. Climate and Society. Oxford UP, 2020. For a website with no author: "Understanding Climate Change." National Geographic, 15 Mar. 2021, www.nationalgeographic.com/climate-change.

Remember

MLA citations require brief in-text references pointing to complete source information on your Works Cited page, making it easy for readers to find your sources.