If your project or paper for a class requires you to research, you will need to document your sources. One method of doing this is through the use of the MLA (Modern Language Association) format. This guide introduces the format and how to compose a works cited or works consulted page.

Your works cited list leads to your sources
The works cited or works consulted list should appear at the end of your essay. It provides the information for a reader to locate and read any sources you cite in the essay.

Each source you cite in the essay must appear in your works cited or works consulted list; each entry on your works cited page must be cited in your text. This list is different from a works consulted page, which lists works you consulted and possibly some that you cited, but not all were quoted or paraphrased in your work.

Formatting your works cited list
Begin your works cited list on a separate page from the text of the essay under the label Works Cited (with no quotation marks, underlining, etc.). The title should be centered at the top of the page.

• Make the first line of each entry in your list flush left with the margin. Indent subsequent lines in each entry one-half inch. This is known as a hanging indent.
• Double space all entries, with no skipped spaces between entries.
• Alphabetize the list of works cited by the first word in each entry (usually the author's last name). Ignore “A, “ “An,” or “The” in alphabetizing titles.
• Each entry has three key elements: 1) author’s name, 2) title or source of the work, and 3) publication information.

When in doubt, consult the most current version of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (cited below).

General citation guidelines to follow

• Put a period at the end of each element, like author’s name, title, etc.
• Authors' names are inverted (last name first); if a work has more than one author, invert only the first author's name, follow it with a comma, then continue listing the rest of the authors.
• Capitalize each word in the titles of articles, books, etc. This rule does not apply to articles, short prepositions, or conjunctions unless one is the first word of the title or subtitle.
• Underline titles of books, journals, magazines, newspapers, and films.
• Use quotation marks around the titles of articles in journals, magazines, and newspapers. Also use quotation marks for the titles of short stories, book chapters, poems, and songs.
• For the publisher, list the city first, followed by a colon, then the publishing company.
• Always end your citation with a period.

Parenthetical citation
A parenthetical citation documents the source you used within the text of your writing. You cite information that is quoted and ideas that are paraphrased from your source by placing in parentheses the author’s last name and the page number where the information can be found. There is no comma between the author’s last name and the page number, with the end punctuation coming after the parenthesis.

Example: Although the Roaring Twenties were indeed characterized by poverty for some and irresponsible spending by others, a large share of Americans’ money went toward the public good (Pietrusza 21).

Works Consulted

Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 6th ed. New York:

Modern Language Assn., 2003.

Hacker, Diana. “Research and Documentation Online.” Bedford St. Martins.

12 Oct. 2005 <http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/humanities/list.html>.

Neyhart, David and Erin E. Karper. “Works Cited Page: Basic Format.” The OWL at

Purdue. 31 Oct. 2006. Purdue University. 27 Nov. 2006

<http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/06/>.

Pietrusza, David. The Roaring Twenties. San Diego: Lucent Books, 1998.