How to Write a MLA Reference Page

Your research paper is due, and you still have to write the reference page. Here is how to write the reference page using the MLA (Modern Language Association) style format.

Things You'll Need

• Computer or word processor
• Reference materials
• Paper

Instructions

Set Up the Page

1. Title a fresh page "Works Cited". Center the title near the top of the page. Hit "Enter" or "Return" 4 times. Double-space all lines from here on.

2. Align left and add entries. Arrange references alphabetically by author, then title, then by date of publication, with the most recent coming first. Indent the second and following lines of a reference entry by 5 spaces.

3. Abbreviate the names of all months in publication dates except for May, June and July.

4. Use the proper format for the type of reference cited. See below.

Is It a Book?

1. Type the author's name, last name first. Close the name with a period.

2. Underline the title of the book. Close the title with a period.

3. Write the place of publication and insert a colon. Add the publisher and close with a comma. Follow with the year of publication and close with a period. It should look like this: New York: Nonesuch, 2006.

Is It an Article?

1. Type the author's name, last name first. Close the name with a period.

2. Enter the name of the article and close with a period. Put quotation marks around the title, making sure that the period is inside the quotes, like this: "Mayor guilty of fraud."

3. Write the name of the publication where you found the article. Underline this name and DO NOT close with a period.

4. Enter the volume number of the publication.

5. Put the date of publication next, enclosed in parentheses and followed by a colon, like this: (Mar 2006):

6. After the colon, type the page number or numbers where you found the article and close the entire reference with a period.

Is It a Website?

1. Type the author's name, last name first. Close with a period.

2. Enter the title of the web page and close with a period. Enclose the title with quotation marks, making sure that the period is inside the quotes, like this: "True tales of horror."

3. Write the name of the website where you found the web page. Underline this name and close with a period.

4. Type the year that the web page was created and close with a period. Follow this with the name of the publisher of the website and close with a period.

5. Enter the date that you accessed the web page, giving the day, then month, then year, like this: 7 May 2006. DO NOT close with a period.

6. Next give the complete URL address of the web page and enclose within angle brackets, like this: .

7. Close the whole entry with a period.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are not sure what to use, ask your instructor what citation style is needed for your project.

• The Modern Language Association publishes in-depth citation guides for the MLA format.

• The MLA citation style is used for research subjects in the fields of literature, humanities and the arts. Different research fields have their own standard citation formats, which can vary substantially from what is presented here.