Introduction
MLA has recently changed its rules for how to format a Works Cited page, making it easier to account for the available information and maintain consistency for the entry even when there is missing information.
In the new MLA format, there are nine core elements to consider when creating a works cited entry: Author, Title of Source, Title of Contain, Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, and Location. While this may seem like a lot to think about for every source you use in your paper, through practice, you’ll see that creating a works cited entry is easier than it first appears. Finding the core elements for your sources will become second nature to you, as you grow more familiar with identifying and using scholarly sources.
In addition to having a specific way to format your works cited entry, MLA also has a specific way to format the works cited page that makes your entries easier for your reader to look at and easily find the information they need. This includes: Centering the words “Works Cited” at the top of the page, listing your sources alphabetically, and using a hanging indent.
Creating works cited entries for each source creates a clear connection to your in-text citations, providing complete information and attribution for each reference. This helps to demonstrate to your reader that you have done your research, attribute ideas to your sources, and allows your reader to access and evaluate your sources.
Creating MLA Works Cited Entries
Because of the wide variety of source formats, MLA 8 now requires that researchers follow a simple set of guidelines to create appropriate citations (instead of looking up one of the fifty-nine types of sources inside the previous handbook and following the instructions). Although there are still distinct rules you need to follow to create a citation, the rules are less rigid and allow for you to look for the main components of a citation and construct it yourself. This means you will need to think about the source and its information, select the appropriate components, and organize it in a logical and useful manner.
Regardless of the source type, you are now asked to locate the same “core elements” from your sources and place them in a standard order in order to create citations. These core elements are explained in detail below. Note that you do not need to memorize every step of this process, but should take this opportunity to understand how citations are created. You can always return to this page, to the MLA handbook, the MLA Style Center, or to other online resources to help you create the citations you need for your paper. Click through the following slides to learn more about each component and to see examples of MLA citations.
You can also download the presentation here.
Revision and Adaptation. Provided by: Lumen Learning. License: CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
MLA Format (8th Ed.), information for presentation. Authored by: EasyBib. Located at: http://www.easybib.com/guides/citation-guides/mla-8/. License: CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
How to Identify Core Citation Elements
Watch these videos to see examples of how to identify the core elements needed in a citation:
MLA Style, 8th Edition: An Introduction. Authored by: MU Libraries. Located at: https://youtu.be/lSekgYAdQcU?t=2m7s. License: All Rights Reserved. License Terms: Standard YouTube License
McMaster Libraries: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDGDUOi_92A&t=93s
MLA Format Works Cited: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKC_ZrZi6io
Summary
In addition to in-text citations, MLA format requires a list of works cited, which uses a list of core elements to generate an entry for each of the sources you quoted from in your writing.
To help organize your research, you might want to prepare your list of works cited while you are conducting your research, adding a new entry each time you find a source that might be useful. By doing this, when you need to finalize your essay, you can revise the list you already have, instead of needing to go back and locate sources and create an entry from scratch.
While there are a number of sites online that will generate a works cited list for you, there are some shortcomings. These sites can format and add punctuation, but they cannot proofread your work. These sites will use the information exactly as you enter it, so it is crucial that you know how to identify the necessary core elements and double-check your entry for accuracy before you submit it. Word processing programs also often have pre-formatted pages that help you to generate works cited entries, but like the websites mentioned above, they also require user accuracy.
Whether you decide to use one of these sites, or generate your own works cited page, you need to know how to identify MLA’s core elements and how to format entries for each of your sources.
