MLA Citation Guide (MLA 9th Edition): Welcome

MLA style was created by the Modern Language Association of America. It is a set of rules for publications, including research papers, used by the humanities. 

In MLA, you must cite (or give credit to) sources that you have paraphrased, quoted or otherwise used to write your research paper. Cite your sources in two places:

1. In the body of your paper where you add a brief in-text citation.
2. In the Works Cited list at the end of your paper where you give more complete information about the source.

MLA Style: Works Cited Quick Guide

Learn how to use the MLA practice template to create entries in the list of works cited.

Behind the Style: MLA Style Blog

The MLA Style Blog is a companion to the Modern Language Association Handbook, Ninth Edition. The blog explore what MLA Style is and how it works in a variety of areas.

Sample Papers

Reading these papers will help you learn about organizing an argument, working with & documenting sources, and formatting your paper.

Not much! The MLA 9th edition is an expansion of the 8th edition with new sections on grammar, writing advice, mindful use of inclusive language, expansion endnotes and footnotes, and new guidelines for annotated bibliographies.

• URLs:
  • MLA requires a DOI (digital object identifier), permalink, or URL (in that order of preference) for online material.
  • DOIs (digital object identifiers) should now include the http:// and https://
  • For general websites, copy and paste from your browser. Some will include the "www." and some will not. Either is acceptable.
  • Full URLs are recommended but optional especially for long URLs that are three or more lines long.
  • You can shorten URLs to the general site if it is excessively long.
  • Don’t use shortening services such as bit.ly.
  • Remember, when getting a URL from a library database where you have to log in and is behind a closed paywall; use the permalink or stable URL provided by the database. Do not copy and paste the browser URL.  
• If an article is issued by season (spring, summer, fall, winter) the first letter is now lower case.
• The appendix includes over 30 pages of citation examples listed by publication format.
• Shortening University Press publisher name. If the publisher includes University Press, abbreviate to UP. Example, Cambridge University Press would be shortened to Cambridge UP.

MLA Style Center: What's New with the Ninth Edition includes information on formatting your research paper, citation practice template, FAQs, sample papers, and quick guide. They also provide citation guideline for common titles of online works.

Quick Tips for Setting Up Your MLA Style Paper

Margins: Add 1 inch margins on all sides.

Header (Individual papers): Starting with your first page, add your last name followed by page number (e.g., Chen 2) at the top right corner of the page. 

Line Spacing: Double-space your text.

Paragraph Alignment & Indentation: Indent the first line of each paragraph by 0.5 inch. Align your paragraphs to the left margin.

Font: Unless specified by your instructor, MLA recommends choosing an easy to read typeface set to 11 pt, 12 pt, or 13 pt. This includes:

• Calibri
• Arial
• Times New Roman
• Georgia

Notes: This citation guide is based on the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (9th ed.). The contents are accurate to the best of our knowledge.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. It is used/adapted with the permission of Seneca Libraries. For information please contact citation@senecacollege.ca. When copying this guide, please retain this box.