How to Cite a Website in MLA: A Comprehensive Guide

In today's digital world, information is readily available at our fingertips. Websites have become a valuable source of information, especially for research and academic purposes. When using information from a website in your research, it's essential to cite it correctly and accurately to give credit to the original author's work and avoid plagiarism.

The Modern Language Association (MLA) citation style is commonly used in the humanities, such as English, literature, and languages. MLA style provides a specific set of guidelines for citing various sources, including websites. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the steps of correctly citing a website in MLA style, ensuring academic integrity and adherence to citation standards.

To create a proper MLA citation for a website, you'll need specific information about the source. This includes the author's name, the title of the webpage, the website's title, the publication date, and the URL. Once you have gathered this information, you can construct the citation according to the MLA format.

How to Cite a Website MLA

Follow these important points to cite a website in MLA style:

• Include author's name.
• Use title of webpage.
• Write website's title.
• Note publication date.
• Provide URL.
• Follow MLA format.
• Use in-text citation.
• Create works cited entry.

By following these steps, you can accurately and consistently cite websites in MLA style, ensuring proper attribution and academic integrity.

Include Author's Name

When citing a website in MLA style, it's important to include the author's name, if available. The author's name is typically located at the beginning of the webpage or in the "About the Author" section.

• Use the author's full name.
  

  If the author's full name is not available, use their initials followed by their last name.

• Follow the author's preferred name.
  

  If the author uses a pseudonym or pen name, use that name instead of their real name.

• Use "Anonymous" if no author is listed.
  

  If there is no author listed on the webpage, use "Anonymous" in place of the author's name.

• Capitalize the first and last letters of the author's name.
  

  For example, if the author's name is "Jane Smith," you would write it as "Jane Smith" in your citation.

Including the author's name in your citation gives credit to the original creator of the work and helps readers identify and locate the source of information.

Use Title of Webpage

The title of the webpage is an essential element of the MLA citation. It provides a concise description of the content on the page and helps readers identify the specific information they are citing.

• Use the exact title of the webpage.
  

  Capitalize the first word of the title and all proper nouns, including the first word of any subtitle.

• Use quotation marks around the title.
  

  This indicates that you are citing the title of a webpage, not the title of a book or article.

• Use italics around the website's title.
  

  This indicates that you are citing the title of a website, not the title of a webpage.

• Follow the title with a period.
  

  This indicates the end of the title.

By following these steps, you can correctly and consistently cite the title of a webpage in MLA style.

Write Website's Title

The website's title is the name of the website or online platform where the webpage is published. It is typically located at the top of the webpage, next to the website's logo or branding.

To write the website's title in an MLA citation, follow these steps:

1. Capitalize the first word of the title and all proper nouns, including the first word of any subtitle.
2. Italicize the website's title.
3. Follow the title with a period.

For example, if the website's title is "The New York Times," you would write it as The New York Times in your citation.

If the webpage you are citing is part of a larger website, such as a news article on CNN, you would italicize the title of the specific webpage, followed by the website's title. For example:

By following these steps, you can correctly and consistently write the website's title in an MLA citation.

Note Publication Date

The publication date of a webpage is the date when it was first published or posted online. This information is important for citing a website in MLA style because it helps readers understand the context and currency of the information.

• Look for the publication date on the webpage.
  

  The publication date is often located at the top or bottom of the webpage, near the author's name or the copyright notice.

• Use the month, day, and year of publication.
  

  If the publication date is only listed as a month and year, use the first day of that month.

• Use "n.d." if no publication date is listed.
  

  If you cannot find a publication date on the webpage, use "n.d." (no date) in your citation.

• Follow the publication date with a period.
  

  This indicates the end of the publication date.

By following these steps, you can correctly and consistently note the publication date of a webpage in an MLA citation.

Provide URL

The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the unique address of a webpage on the internet. It is essential to include the URL in an MLA citation because it allows readers to access and verify the source of the information.

To provide the URL in an MLA citation, follow these steps:

1. Copy the URL of the webpage.
   

   You can do this by highlighting the URL in the address bar of your browser and pressing Ctrl+C (Windows) or Command+C (Mac).

2. Paste the URL into your citation.
   

   Place the URL at the end of your citation, after the publication date. Separate the URL from the rest of the citation with a period.

3. Make sure the URL is active.
   

   Before you submit your citation, click on the URL to make sure it works and takes you to the correct webpage.

Here is an example of an MLA citation with a URL:

Smith, Jane. "The History of the Internet." The New York Times, 23 March 2023, www.nytimes.com/2023/03/23/technology/history-of-the-internet.html.

By following these steps, you can correctly and consistently provide the URL of a webpage in an MLA citation.

Follow MLA Format

MLA format is a specific set of rules and guidelines for formatting and citing sources in academic writing. It is important to follow MLA format when citing a website because it ensures consistency and helps readers easily identify and locate the source of the information.

• Use double spacing.
  

  All lines in your citation should be double-spaced, including the URL.

• Use a hanging indent.
  

  The second and subsequent lines of your citation should be indented 0.5 inches from the left margin.

• Use italics for the title of the webpage and the website's title.
  

  The title of the webpage should be in quotation marks, while the website's title should be in italics.

• Include the author's name, publication date, and URL.
  

  The author's name should come first, followed by the publication date and the URL.

Here is an example of an MLA citation in the correct format:

Smith, Jane. "The History of the Internet." The New York Times, 23 March 2023, www.nytimes.com/2023/03/23/technology/history-of-the-internet.html.

By following these steps, you can correctly and consistently follow MLA format when citing a website.

Use In-Text Citation

In addition to including a full citation in your works cited page, you must also use in-text citations to give credit to the source of the information within the body of your paper. In-text citations allow readers to easily identify the source of a particular piece of information and locate it in your works cited page.

• Use the author's last name and the publication year in parentheses.
  

  Place the in-text citation at the end of the sentence or phrase where you are referencing the source.

• If the source has two authors, include both last names.
  

  If the source has more than two authors, use the first author's last name followed by "et al." (without quotation marks).

• If you are citing a specific page or section of the webpage, include the page number or section title after the publication year.
  

  For example: (Smith 2023, para. 5).

• If you are citing a source that has no author, use the title of the webpage or the website's title in your in-text citation.
  

  For example: ("The History of the Internet" 2023) or (The New York Times 2023).

Here are some examples of in-text citations:

(Smith 2023)

(Jones and Brown 2022)

(Garcia et al. 2021)

("The History of the Internet" 2023)

(The New York Times 2023)

By following these steps, you can correctly and consistently use in-text citations when citing a website in MLA style.

Create Works Cited Entry

The works cited page is a list of all the sources that you have used in your paper. It is typically located at the end of the paper and is double-spaced. Each entry in the works cited page should correspond to an in-text citation in the body of your paper.

To create a works cited entry for a website in MLA style, follow these steps:

1. Start with the author's name.
   

   If the webpage has an author, start the entry with the author's last name, followed by a comma and the author's first name. If the webpage does not have an author, start the entry with the title of the webpage in quotation marks.

2. Add the title of the webpage.
   

   The title of the webpage should be in quotation marks and italicized.

3. Include the website's title.
   

   The website's title should be italicized and followed by a period.

4. Add the publication date.
   

   The publication date should come after the website's title and be followed by a period.

5. Include the URL.
   

   The URL should be placed at the end of the entry and should not be underlined or italicized.

Here is an example of a works cited entry for a website:

Smith, Jane. "The History of the Internet." The New York Times, 23 March 2023, www.nytimes.com/2023/03/23/technology/history-of-the-internet.html.

By following these steps, you can correctly and consistently create works cited entries for websites in MLA style.

FAQ

Have more questions about citing websites in MLA style? Check out these frequently asked questions and answers:

Question 1: What information do I need to cite a website in MLA style?

Answer 1: To cite a website in MLA style, you will need the following information: the author's name, the title of the webpage, the website's title, the publication date, and the URL.

Question 2: How do I format a works cited entry for a website?

Answer 2: To format a works cited entry for a website in MLA style, start with the author's last name, followed by the author's first name. Then, add the title of the webpage in quotation marks and italicized. Next, include the website's title italicized and followed by a period. After that, add the publication date and the URL.

Question 3: How do I cite a website with no author?

Answer 3: If the website you are citing does not have an author, start the works cited entry with the title of the webpage in quotation marks and italicized. Then, follow the same format as above.

Question 4: How do I cite a specific section of a webpage?

Answer 4: To cite a specific section of a webpage, include the page number or section title after the publication year in your in-text citation. For example: (Smith 2023, para. 5).

Question 5: How do I cite a website in an in-text citation?

Answer 5: To cite a website in an in-text citation, use the author's last name and the publication year in parentheses. For example: (Smith 2023).

Question 6: Where can I find more information about MLA style?

Answer 6: You can find more information about MLA style on the MLA website or in the MLA Style Manual.

Question 7: What are some common mistakes to avoid when citing websites in MLA style?

Answer 7: Some common mistakes to avoid when citing websites in MLA style include forgetting to include the author's name, using the wrong format for the works cited entry, and not using in-text citations.

Additional Tip! Always double-check your citations to make sure they are accurate and consistent.

By following these tips and answering these frequently asked questions, you can confidently and correctly cite websites in MLA style.

Now that you know how to cite a website in MLA style, here are a few bonus tips to make the process even easier:

Tips

Here are a few bonus tips to make citing websites in MLA style even easier:

Tip 1: Use a citation generator.

There are many free citation generators available online that can help you create accurate and consistent MLA citations for websites. Simply enter the necessary information about the website, and the generator will create the citation for you.

Tip 2: Keep a record of your sources.

As you research and gather information from websites, keep a record of the sources you use. This will make it much easier to create your works cited page later on.

Tip 3: Be consistent with your formatting.

MLA style has specific rules for formatting citations. Make sure you are consistent with your formatting throughout your paper, including the font, font size, and line spacing.

Tip 4: Proofread your citations.

Before you submit your paper, proofread your citations carefully to make sure they are accurate and complete. This includes checking for typos and making sure that all of the necessary information is included.

By following these tips, you can make the process of citing websites in MLA style quick and easy.

Now that you know how to cite a website in MLA style and have some helpful tips to make the process easier, you can confidently and accurately cite websites in your research and academic writing.

Conclusion

In this guide, we have covered the essential steps for citing a website in MLA style. Remember, the key to accurate and consistent citation is to include all of the necessary information and to follow the correct format.

Here are the main points to keep in mind:

• Include the author's name, title of the webpage, website's title, publication date, and URL.
• Use quotation marks around the title of the webpage and italicize the website's title.
• Follow MLA format for the works cited entry, including double-spacing and hanging indents.
• Use in-text citations to give credit to the source of the information within the body of your paper.

By following these steps, you can confidently and accurately cite websites in your research and academic writing. Remember to proofread your citations carefully before you submit your paper to make sure they are complete and free of errors.

Citing sources correctly is not only important for avoiding plagiarism but also for giving credit to the original authors and allowing readers to easily find and verify the information you have used.

So, the next time you need to cite a website in MLA style, remember the key points we've discussed and you'll be able to do it like a pro!