What edition of MLA does this follow?

This tool follows the MLA Handbook, 9th edition (2021), the current standard from the Modern Language Association.

How do I format multiple authors in MLA?

Enter each author as "Last, First" separated by semicolons. For two authors, MLA lists both. For three or more, MLA lists the first author followed by "et al."

What if no author is listed?

Leave the author field blank. The citation will begin with the title of the work, as required by MLA 9th edition.

What if there is no publication date?

Leave the year field blank. The tool omits the date, which is correct MLA practice when no date is available.

Does MLA require a URL for websites?

MLA 9 recommends including a URL or permalink for web sources. Enter it in the URL field and the tool will include it without angle brackets.

What is an access date and when is it needed?

An access date records when you visited the page. MLA 9 recommends it for pages that may change or have no publication date. Enter it in the format "Day Mon. Year" (e.g., 20 May 2025).

How do I write an MLA in-text citation?

Put the author's last name and the page number in parentheses with no comma: (Smith 45). Two authors are (Smith and Lee 45), and three or more are (Smith et al. 45). With no page numbers, as on most websites, use the name alone: (Smith).

What is the difference between MLA and APA citations?

MLA writes the author's full first name, puts the date near the end and uses author-page in-text citations under a "Works Cited" heading. APA uses initials, puts the year right after the author and uses author-date citations under "References". Use the APA Citation Generator for APA 7.

Citation Generator MLA

Enter source details to instantly generate a properly formatted MLA 9th edition works-cited entry.

MLA 9 builds each works-cited entry from the same core elements in a fixed order: author, title of source, container, other contributors, version, number, publisher, date and location.

Source Type

Author(s) (Last, First; separate multiple with semicolons)

Title of Work

Edition (optional, e.g. 3rd ed.)

Publisher

Publication Year

MLA 9th Edition Citation

Fill in the fields on the left to generate your citation.

MLA 9 Format Reference

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

Journal Last, First. "Article Title." Journal Name, vol. X, no. Y, Year, pp. nn-nn.

Website Last, First. "Title." Site Name, Date, URL. Accessed Date.

Video "Title." Platform, uploaded by Channel, Date, URL.

Quick answer

MLA 9 builds each works-cited entry from the same core elements in a fixed order: author, title of source, container, other contributors, version, number, publisher, date and location. Enter what your source has and the generator adds the punctuation.

Examples

Source	MLA 9 pattern
Book	Last, First. Title of Book. Publisher, 2020.
Journal article	Last, First. "Title of Article." Journal Name, vol. 12, no. 3, 2021, pp. 45-67. DOI.
Web page	Last, First. "Title of Page." Site Name, Date, URL. Accessed Date.
Three or more authors	Last, First, et al.

Pick the source type, fill in the fields and copy the works-cited entry.

Summary

This MLA citation generator follows the MLA Handbook, 9th edition (2021), the current standard published by the Modern Language Association. Enter your source details and receive a formatted works-cited entry ready to paste into your paper. Supports books, journal articles, websites, and online videos.

How it works

Select the source type: Book, Journal Article, Website, or Video.
Fill in the metadata fields (author, title, publication details, etc.).
The citation updates in real time as you type.
Click "Copy Citation" to copy the plain-text entry to your clipboard.
Paste the citation into your Works Cited list.

Use cases

Cite a novel or textbook in a literature or research paper.
Reference a peer-reviewed journal article in an academic essay.
Create a works-cited entry for a webpage or online article.
Cite a YouTube video or online documentary for academic work.
Build a Works Cited list for a high school or college paper.
Quickly verify the correct MLA 9 format for a given source type.
Format citations for a thesis, dissertation, or research report.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-05-29 · Reviewed by Nham Vu