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Features designed for you
Supports MLA and other styles
While this tool is built for MLA citations, it also supports other major styles like APA and Chicago. You can switch formatting styles when needed, making it easy to adjust your references based on assignment requirements.
Follows current guidelines
Citation rules are updated over time. This generator strives to follow the latest version of the MLA handbook, ensuring that your citations meet current formatting standards. Manual review is still recommended for final accuracy.
Simple to use
The interface is clear and intuitive. Just input your source details, like author, title, and publication info, and the citation is generated automatically. No templates or extra formatting steps are required.
Quick source lookup
You can find your source by entering a title, URL, ISBN, or keywords. The tool pulls relevant information and fills in citation fields for you, speeding up the process and reducing errors.
Auto-save for 7 days
Anything you enter into the generator is saved automatically for seven days. You can leave and return without losing your work, which helps when gathering multiple sources over time.
Formatting options
After generating a citation, you can change the font size and style to match your paper. This removes the need for editing after copying and helps maintain consistency in your final document.
Free and open access
The citation tool is completely free to use. There’s no registration, no trial period, and no limited features. You can generate citations anytime without creating an account or paying a fee.
How to cite in MLA format?
MLA citation is one of the most common styles used for academic papers, especially in the humanities. It’s based on the rules from the 9th edition of the MLA Handbook. When you use a source, you need two things: an in-text citation and a full entry in the Works Cited list.
An MLA citation includes two main parts:
- In-text citation: This appears in the body of your paper whenever you quote, paraphrase, or refer to a source. It usually includes the author’s last name and the page number in parentheses.
- Works Cited entry: This goes at the end of your paper. It provides full publication details for each source you used, listed alphabetically by the author’s last name.
Understanding the MLA Works Cited section
The Works Cited list appears at the end of your paper and includes full details for every source you referenced. It’s where readers can find the complete information behind each in-text citation. Every entry is based on nine standard elements:
Author. “Title of the Source.” Title of the Container, Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication Date, Location.
Using this structure, you can create MLA citations for almost any source — whether it’s a book, website, article, or film. You only include the elements that apply to the source you’re using.
Fixing incomplete MLA citations
No matter what type of source you’re citing, the key details in an MLA citation are the author’s name, the title of the source, and the publication date. If one of these pieces is missing, don’t worry — the citation format simply adjusts. MLA style has guidelines for how to handle incomplete information so you can still create a proper Works Cited entry that’s clear and consistent.
What’s missing? | What to do | Works Cited example |
No author listed | Begin with the title of the source. Skip initial articles (a, an, the) when alphabetizing. | Rising Temperatures Impact Coastal Cities. Climate Watch, 14 Mar. 2023, www.climatewatch.org/article123. |
No official title | Provide a brief, clear description. Use sentence case with no quotes or italics. | Lee, Su-Hyun. Traditional woven basket from bamboo. 1950, National Museum of Korea, Seoul. |
No publication date | Leave out the publication year and include the date you accessed the page. | “Renewable Energy in Rural Areas.” Green Future Foundation, www.greenfuture.org/rural-energy. Accessed 12 June 2025. |
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What are MLA in-text citations?
MLA in-text citations are short references placed directly in your text to point readers to the full source in your Works Cited list. You’ll need to include one whenever you quote, paraphrase, summarize, or refer to someone else’s work.
Each in-text citation typically includes the author’s last name and the page number — both of which should correspond to the first part of the matching Works Cited entry. This helps readers easily find the original source and the exact part you’re referencing.
Author type | How to cite | Example |
Single author | Use only the author’s last name. | (Rivera 34–35) |
Two authors | Include both last names, joined by “and.” | (Nguyen and Patel 78) |
Three or more authors | Use the first author’s last name followed by “et al.” | (Chen et al. 142) |
Corporate author | If an institution or group is listed as the author, cite its full name. | (World Health Organization 12) |
No listed author | Use the title of the source. Shorten it if it's long, and format it the same way as in your Works Cited. | ("Climate Response") |
Multiple works by the same author | Add the title (or a shortened version) after the author's name to tell the sources apart. | (Jackson, The Road, 101) |
In MLA style, if you already mention the author’s name in your sentence, you only need to include the page number in parentheses.
Sources lacking specific page numbers
If your source doesn’t include page numbers, you can either use another type of locator (like a chapter or section) or simply omit the page number from the in-text citation.
Source type | What to include | Citation example |
Audiovisual (movie, video, etc.) | Mention the timestamp of the scene you’re referencing. | (Lee 01:22–01:30) |
Numbered text (online books, reports) | Use paragraph, chapter, or section numbers if available. | (Garcia, sec. 5) |
Unnumbered sources (webpages, etc.) | Just cite the author's last name — no need for page numbers. | (Nguyen) |