Mastering MLA Citations: A Comprehensive Guide for 2024

Creating accurate citations is a crucial part of academic writing. The Modern Language Association (MLA) style, widely used in the humanities, offers a standardized approach to acknowledging sources. This guide provides a thorough overview of MLA citations, focusing on the 9th edition of the MLA Handbook, and introduces helpful tools like the BibGuru MLA Citation Generator to simplify the process.

What is MLA Citation Style?

The Modern Language Association (MLA) style guide is a set of rules and conventions for writing and documenting research, particularly in the fields of language and literature. Published by the Modern Language Association, the MLA Handbook provides guidelines for:

• Formatting research papers
• Citing sources within the text
• Creating a comprehensive list of cited works

If you are unsure which citation style your instructor requires, make sure to confirm with them. Using the correct citation style is critical for avoiding plagiarism and demonstrating academic integrity.

Key Components of MLA Citations

MLA uses a two-part system for citing sources:

1. In-text citations: Brief references within the body of your paper that point to specific sources.
2. Works Cited page: A comprehensive list at the end of your paper, providing full bibliographic information for all cited sources.

Each source cited in your paper must appear in the Works Cited list, ensuring that readers can easily locate and verify your sources.

Building Your Works Cited Page

The Works Cited page is an alphabetized list of all the sources you referenced in your paper. It follows a specific format, with entries made up of core elements presented in a specific order:

1. Author.
2. Title of source.
3. Title of container,
4. Contributor,
5. Version,
6. Number,
7. Publisher,
8. Publication date,
9. Location.

The final element in an MLA reference should end with a period.

Step-by-Step Guide: Citing a Journal Article in MLA

Let's create a Works Cited entry for a journal article:

1. Identify the Author: Start with the author's last name, followed by a comma and their first name.
   • Example: Mallory-Kani, Amy.
2. Include the Title of the Source: Enclose the article title in quotation marks, followed by a period.
   • Example: “What Should We Do with a Doctor Here?: Medical Authority in Austen’s Sanditon.”
3. List the Container: This is the journal's name. Italicize it and follow with a comma.
   • Example: Nineteenth-Century Contexts,
4. Add Version and Number: Include the volume and issue number of the journal.
   • Example: vol. 39, no. 4,
5. Include the Publication Date: Follow with the year of publication and a comma.
   • Example: 2017,
6. Provide the Location: Add page numbers for the article, followed by a period.
   • Example: pp. 313-26.

Putting it all together:

Mallory-Kani, Amy. “'What Should We Do with a Doctor Here?': Medical Authority in Austen’s Sanditon.” Nineteenth-Century Contexts, vol. 39, no. 4, 2017, pp. 313-26.

MLA also has specific rules for structuring page numbers. Use "pp." and list the number. If the page range is within ten or one hundred digits, you don't need to repeat the first digit (e.g., pp. 51-8 or pp. 313-26).

Deep Dive: Core Elements Explained

• Author: Begin with the last name, followed by a comma and the rest of the name. For sources with two authors, include both in the order they appear. For three or more authors, use the first author's name followed by ", et al."
• Title of Source: Give the title in full, exactly as it appears in the source. Standardize capitalization and punctuation.
• Title of Container: A container is a larger work that holds the source (e.g., a journal, website, or database). Italicize the title of the container.
• Contributor: List key contributors, such as translators or editors, with a label describing their role (e.g., "translated by").
• Version: Identify the version of the work (e.g., "3rd ed." for the third edition).
• Number: Include the volume, issue, or episode number, if applicable.
• Publisher: The entity responsible for making the work available to the public.
• Publication Date: Use the most specific date available (day, month, year).
• Location: For print sources, this is the page range. For online sources, include a DOI, permalink, or URL when available.

Streamlining the Citation Process with Technology

Creating MLA citations manually can be time-consuming and prone to errors. Citation generators like the BibGuru MLA Citation Generator can significantly simplify the process. These tools:

• Allow you to quickly generate accurate citations for various source types (books, websites, articles, etc.)
• Ensure compliance with the latest MLA guidelines
• Save time and reduce the risk of errors

Mastering In-Text Citations in MLA

In-text citations are brief references within your paper that direct readers to the full entry in your Works Cited list. They typically include the author's last name and the page number:

• Example: (Smith 22)

For sources with no known author, use a shortened version of the title in the in-text citation.

Additional Resources

• Consult the MLA Handbook for detailed guidance on MLA style.
• Explore online resources and tutorials from reputable sources.

By understanding the core principles of MLA citation and utilizing helpful tools, you can ensure your research is properly documented and academically sound.