Citation

Works Cited

Works Cited is the MLA term for the list of sources cited in your paper. It appears at the end of your essay and provides complete publication information for each source.

Works Cited vs. Bibliography

Works CitedBibliography
Only sources cited in the paperAll sources consulted
MLA terminologyGeneral or Chicago terminology

Formatting Rules

  • Title: "Works Cited" centered at top
  • Alphabetize: By author's last name
  • Hanging indent: First line flush, subsequent lines indented
  • Double-space: Throughout

Common Entry Formats

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

Journal Article: Last, First. "Article Title." Journal, vol. #, no. #, Year, pp. #-#.

Website: Author. "Page Title." Site Name, Publisher, Date, URL.

Example Entries

Johnson, Sarah. "Teen Social Media Use." *Journal of 
     Psychology*, vol. 15, no. 3, 2023, pp. 45-67.

Smith, John. *The Digital Generation*. Academic Press, 2023.

Every in-text citation must have a corresponding Works Cited entry.

Quick Tips

  • Build your Works Cited as you research
  • Double-check formatting against MLA guidelines
  • Use citation managers like Zotero to help
  • Alphabetize by whatever comes first (author or title)