Citing Works Guidelines

Learn how to put together your Works Cited page and how to cite a work in the body of your paper

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, which is the adopted format for LWSD. This guide introduces the format and how to compose a works cited page.

A new format for MLA (MLA 8) was introduced in May 2016. A sample Works Cited page has been included in the MLA 8 format, but see the Online Writing Lab for more information on MLA 8.

Your Works Cited list leads to your sources

The Works Cited list should appear at the end of your work (essay or presentation).

  • Each source you cite must appear in your Works Cited list; it provides the information for anyone to locate and read any sources you quote or paraphrase.
  • Include all sources used in your work, including images, tables, and graphs.

For more examples and further information, visit the Online Writing Lab at Purdue University.

For specific information about citing sources for a multimedia presentation, visit the Creating Presentations web page.

MLA 8 Works Cited Examples

Achebe, Chinua. “Nigeria’s Promise, Africa’s Hope.” The New York
     Times. 15 Jan 2011. New York Times Company, www.nytimes.com/2011/01
     /16/opinion/16achebe.html?_r=0.

"Alexander Hamilton: Most Influential American.” Stuff You Should Know, Narrated by Josh Clark and
     Chuck Bryant, 13 September 2016. HowStuffWorks, www.stuffyoushouldknow.com
     /podcasts/alexander-hamilton.htm.

“A Man-Made Plastic Ecosystem May Be Damaging the Ocean.” Adapted by Newsela Staff. Los Angeles
     Times, 13 January 2014. Newsela, newsela.com/articles/plastic-ocean/id/2306/.

Andrea, Alfred, and Overfield, James. The Human Record, Sources of Global History, Volume II.
     Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001.

Beck, Roger B, et al. “Africa at the Center.” World History: Patterns of Interaction. McDougal Littell,
     2009.

Chinese Unknown. Jade Carving Inscribed with Poem. 1736-1795, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle.
     Seattle Art Museum,
     www1.seattleartmuseum.org/eMuseum/code/emuseum.asp?emu_action=collection&
     collection=27526&collectionname=WEB%3AAsian¤trecord=1&moduleid=1&module=.

Dalkilinc, Murat. “The Benefits of Good Posture.” Animation by Arbel, Nadav, TEDEducation, 30 July
     2015. YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyk0oe5rwfy.

Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. Berkeley Publishing Group, 1954, New York.

"First Peoples Asia." Nova, season 1, episode 4, PBS, 14 July 2015. YouTube,
     www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti_214s9Gqc.

MLA Handbook 8th Edition. The Modern Language Association of America, 2016.

Olinto, Pedro, et al. “The State of the Poor: Where Are the Poor, Where Is Extreme Poverty Harder to
     End, and What Is the Current Profile of the World’s Poor.” Prem Network, no. 125, October 2013.
     The World Bank, www.worldbank.org/economicpremise.

Philbrick, Rodman. Freak the Mighty. Scholastic Inc, 1993.

Rossabi, Morris. "The Mongols in China: What Was the Mongols Influence On China." The Mongols in
     World History. Asia for Educators Columbia University, 2004, afe.easia.columbia.edu
     /mongols/china/china.htm.

Shakespeare, William. "Romeo and Juliet." The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works, Edited by
     John Jowlet et al., 2nd ed., Oxford University Press, 2005, pp. 369-400.