How to Source the Internet for the MLA Works Cited Format

The Modern Language Association (MLA) is the favored style for writing academic papers and citing references in the humanities and liberal arts. With the growth and popularity of the Internet as a research tool, MLA style guidelines have expanded to outline methods for citing websites, online journals, and other electronic sources in a paper's "Works Cited" section. MLA classifies Internet-based reference materials as Web Publications and requires people writing papers to use the term "Web" as the medium of publication.

Instructions

    • 1

      Collect as much information as possible on your Internet sources before writing your paper. This includes authors' names; titles or articles and posts; titles of websites, e-books and electronic journals; publisher information; and page numbers (if available).

    • 2

      Note the dates on which you accessed the Internet sources you cite in your paper. MLA style requires the date on which you accessed a particular source. This is important because websites are often updated. What was available one day may not be accessible the next.

    • 3

      Keep track of the web addresses (URLs) of the electronic works cited. MLA style once required citations to include URLs, but no longer requires them. The reasons for this are that web addresses change often and because many resources appear in multiple places. It is important, however, to keep track of URLs for your own reference and in case your instructor requires them.

    • 4

      List the references in your "Works Cited" section, using the name of the author(s), the article title in quotation marks, the website or electronic publication title in italics, any applicable version numbers, publisher information, page numbers (if applicable), the date on which you accessed the material and, if required by your instructor, the URL. For example, use the following style to cite the Purdue University Online Writing Laboratory's article on MLA style for citing Internet sources:

      Russell, Tony, and Brizee, Allen. "MLA Works Cited: Electronic Sources (Web Publications)." Purdue Online Writing Lab. Purdue University. Web. 10 March 2010.

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