Correct Mla Format Works Cited | Examples And Fixes

Your Works Cited page is an easy place to lose points because small formatting slips stand out. This guide gives you the rules and clean models you can copy.

Works Cited Page Setup At A Glance

Use this as a check while you format.

Item	MLA Requirement	Quick Tip
Page title	“Works Cited” centered at top	No bold, no quotes, no extra words
Placement	New page after the last body page	Keep page numbering running
Spacing	Double-spaced throughout	No extra blank lines between entries
Indent style	Hanging indent: first line flush left, next lines indented	Set it in paragraph settings, not with spaces
Font and size	Match the paper’s body font (often 12-pt)	Don’t mix fonts inside citations
Margins	1 inch on all sides (unless assigned differently)	Set once in page layout
Order of entries	Alphabetical by the first element	Skip “A,” “An,” “The” when alphabetizing titles
Italics and quotes	Containers in italics; short works in quotes	Ask: “small piece” or “bigger whole?”
URLs/DOIs	Include a stable DOI or a readable URL	Trim tracking strings when you can

Correct Mla Format Works Cited Rules You Must Follow

Get these right and most MLA grading rubrics stop finding easy targets. If you’re aiming for correct mla format works cited, this is the core checklist.

Start a new page with the right title

Begin on a fresh page. Center Works Cited at the top. Keep the same header and page numbers used in the rest of your paper.

Double-space every line

Double spacing applies to the title line and every line of every entry, including wrapped lines. MLA does not use extra space between entries.

Use hanging indents

Each entry uses a hanging indent: the first line stays at the left margin, and the next lines shift in 0.5″. In Word, open Paragraph settings and set Special to Hanging. In Google Docs, use Format → Align & indent → Indentation options → Special indent: Hanging.

Alphabetize by the first element

If an entry starts with an author, alphabetize by that last name. If it starts with a title, alphabetize by the first main word of the title and ignore “A,” “An,” and “The.”

MLA Core Elements In Plain Order

Most entries are built from the same set of parts, called core elements. You don’t always use every part, but when you use a part, keep the order.

When you want the official wording and fresh examples, use the MLA Style Center Works Cited quick guide.

Core elements you’ll see most

• Author. Person or group responsible for the work.
• Title of source. The exact piece you used.
• Title of container. The larger whole that holds the source.
• Other contributors. Editors, translators, performers, narrators.
• Version and number. Editions, volumes, issues.
• Publisher. The organization that released the work.
• Publication date. Use the most specific date you can verify.
• Location. Page range, DOI, or URL.

A fast build method

1. Start with the author, or the title if no author is given.
2. Add the source title (quotes for short works; italics for stand-alone works).
3. Name the container, then add version/number if shown.
4. Add publisher and date for that container.
5. End with pages, a DOI, or a clean URL.
6. Check that major chunks end with periods.

Correct Mla Format Works Cited Examples By Source Type

Copy the pattern, then swap in your details. Match spellings, capitalization, and punctuation to the source itself.

Book (one author)

Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.

Book chapter in an edited book

Last Name, First Name. “Title of Chapter.” Title of Book, edited by Editor First Name Last Name, Publisher, Year, pp. xx–xx.

Journal article (PDF or print)

Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Title of Journal, vol. x, no. x, Year, pp. xx–xx.

Journal article in a database

Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Title of Journal, vol. x, no. x, Year, pp. xx–xx. Database Name, DOI or URL.

Website page (author listed)

Last Name, First Name. “Title of Web Page.” Website Name, Day Month Year, URL.

Website page (no author)

“Title of Web Page.” Website Name, Day Month Year, URL.

Online video

“Title of Video.” Platform Name, uploaded by Channel Name, Day Month Year, URL.

In-Text Citations And Works Cited Must Match

In-text citations point readers to the first element of the Works Cited entry. That first element is the “label” your reader uses to find the full entry fast.

Author-based match

If your Works Cited entry begins with Lopez, your in-text citation looks like (Lopez 42) for a quote from page 42.

Title-based match

If there’s no author and your Works Cited entry begins with a title, your in-text citation uses a shortened title in quotation marks, plus a page number when you have one: (“Title Words” 5).

Common Works Cited Mistakes That Cost Points

Most MLA errors are small. They also stack up fast. Use this list to spot and fix the common ones.

First-line indents instead of hanging indents

A Works Cited page needs a hanging indent. If the first line is pushed in, reverse the indent setting so the first line returns to the margin and the wrapped lines shift right.

Missing containers

Containers are the “where you found it” clue. A journal article needs the journal name. A web page needs the site name. A database article needs the database name.

Wrong italics or quotation marks

Short works (articles, chapters, web pages, episodes) go in quotation marks. Stand-alone works (books, journals, websites, films) use italics.

Messy URLs and missing DOIs

Long tracking URLs look sloppy and can break. Keep the stable core URL when possible. If a DOI is provided, use it, since it’s designed to stay stable over time.

Guessing at dates

If a source doesn’t show a publication date, leave it out. A blank date is better than a made-up one.

Source Type Templates You Can Fill In

Use this table when you have the facts in front of you and just need the right order and punctuation.

Source you used	Fill-in template	Double-check
Edited book	Last, First. Title. Edited by Editor, Publisher, Year.	Editor label is “edited by”
Translation	Last, First. Title. Translated by Translator, Publisher, Year.	Translator spelling
Government web page	Agency. “Page Title.” Site, Day Month Year, URL.	Agency as author
Online magazine	Last, First. “Story Title.” Magazine, Day Month Year, URL.	Date format
Database article	Last, First. “Article.” Journal, vol., no., Year, pp. xx–xx. Database, DOI/URL.	Page range
Chapter in anthology	Last, First. “Chapter.” Book, edited by Editor, Publisher, Year, pp. xx–xx.	Chapter pages
Online video	“Video Title.” Platform, uploaded by Channel, Day Month Year, URL.	Uploader name
Podcast episode	“Episode Title.” Show, host, Publisher, Day Month Year, URL.	Episode date

How To Pull The Right Details From Real Sources

Citation generators can help, but they still need you to feed them clean details. Pull those details from the source itself.

Books

Use the title page for author and full title. Use the copyright page for publisher and year. If you cite a chapter, record its page range.

Articles

Use a PDF when you can, since it gives stable page numbers. Record volume and issue from the journal header. If you use a database link, also record the database name and a DOI or stable URL.

Web pages

Use the page headline as the source title, then use the site name as the container. Look near the headline or footer for the author and date. If only a month and year appear, use that level of detail and don’t invent a day.

Edge Cases That Trip People Up

Some sources don’t fit the “author, title, publisher, year” pattern. MLA still works, but you have to choose the first element that helps your reader find the item again.

Two works by the same author

List the entries alphabetically by title. Many instructors accept three hyphens in place of the repeated author name; follow your class rule.

No author on the page

Start with the title. Don’t treat a site logo or a stray username as an author unless the page clearly labels it.

No page numbers

Web pages and many e-books don’t have stable page numbers. Your in-text citation can use only the author or shortened title with no number. Your Works Cited entry still needs the URL or other location detail.

More than one container

A short work can sit inside two “wholes,” like an article that appears in a journal and is accessed through a database. In that case, you list the journal as the first container, then the database as the second container, ending with the DOI or URL.

Missing Details Without Guessing

When a source hides details, don’t patch the gap with a guess. Use what you can verify, then leave the missing element out.

Publisher not shown

If a page does not list a publisher and the site name already acts as one, omit the publisher field.

Date not shown

If there’s no clear published or updated date, omit it. Use only the date detail the page shows.

Author is a group

Use the group name as it appears on the source: a department, agency, or organization. This choice keeps your in-text citations clean, since the same group name will lead readers to the right entry.

Formatting In Word And Google Docs

Set the spacing and indent rules first, then type or paste entries. This prevents one citation from “drifting” out of the pattern.

Word

Highlight the Works Cited area, set double spacing, then set the hanging indent. If one entry looks odd, clear direct formatting for that paragraph so it follows the section settings.

Google Docs

Set line spacing to double, then set the hanging indent in Indentation options. If entries start spreading apart, turn off “add space after paragraph.”

Last Pass Checklist Before You Submit

This is the quick scan that catches most grading mistakes in under two minutes.

• Title reads “Works Cited” and sits centered on a new page.
• Everything is double-spaced with no extra blank lines.
• All entries use a 0.5″ hanging indent.
• Alphabetical order is correct by the first element.
• Italics and quotation marks match source vs. container.
• Publisher and date appear when the source shows them.
• URLs are clean or replaced with a DOI when available.
• In-text citations match the first element in each entry.

For another solid set of models you can compare against your page, check the Purdue OWL MLA Works Cited basic format page.

When your page follows these rules, readers can trace every quote back to its source. That’s the whole point of correct mla format works cited.