Start with the author’s last name, followed by a comma and the first name
Place the title of the source in quotation marks for shorter works
Italicize the title of books, websites, journals, and other longer works
Include the title of the container if the source is part of a larger work
List other contributors if needed, such as editors or translators
Add the version if the source has one
Include the number if the source is part of a numbered volume or issue
State the publisher
Add the publication date
Include the location or page range when applicable
Add the URL, DOI, or database information for online sources
Format the Works Cited entry with a hanging indent
Alphabetize entries by the author’s last name
Use double spacing throughout the Works Cited page
Match in-text citations to the first element of the Works Cited entry
Format in-text citations as the author’s last name and page number in parentheses
Omit the page number in in-text citations for sources without page numbers
Use quotation marks for titles of articles, poems, and short stories
Use italics for titles of books, films, and websites
Capitalize major words in titles
Follow MLA 9th edition guidelines consistently