MLA 9 Citation Format: Works Cited Examples & In-Text Rules
A complete guide to MLA 9th edition — the container system explained, in-text citation rules, and ready-to-use examples for every major source type.
MLA 9th edition (2021) is the current standard for English, literature, foreign language, and most humanities courses. The two things that trip people up most: the container system (where your source lives) and the author-page in-text format (no year in parentheses).
MLA 9 vs MLA 8: What Changed?
MLA 9 introduced relatively minor changes from MLA 8 — mostly clarifications rather than new rules. If you already know MLA 8, the transition is smooth.
| Area | Change in MLA 9 |
|---|---|
| Inclusive language | Added guidance on using inclusive, bias-free language in papers |
| Online sources | Expanded guidance on citing social media, podcasts, and streaming content |
| Optional elements | Clearer list of which elements are truly optional vs. required |
| Access dates | Refined rules: include access date for sources likely to change; omit for stable sources |
| Original publication | Added guidance for noting original publication dates of reprinted works |
The Container System Explained
MLA 8 and 9 introduced the container system as a flexible way to cite sources in any format. The idea: your source (an article, episode, chapter) lives inside a larger "container" (a journal, show, book). Sometimes there's a second container (a database, streaming service).
Core MLA 9 element order: Author. Title of Source. Title of Container, Other Contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication Date, Location (page or URL).
Article in a Printed Journal
The article is the item; the journal is the container.
Works Cited Entry
García, Maria. "Social Media and Wellbeing." Journal of Youth Studies, vol. 25, no. 3, 2022, pp. 410–428.Article in an Online Database
The article is the item; the journal is container 1; the database (e.g., JSTOR) is container 2.
Works Cited Entry
García, Maria. "Social Media and Wellbeing." Journal of Youth Studies, vol. 25, no. 3, 2022, pp. 410–428. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/12345.TV Episode on a Streaming Platform
The episode is the item; the TV show is container 1; the streaming service is container 2.
Works Cited Entry
"Chapter 1." The Bear, created by Christopher Storer, season 1, episode 1, FX, 2022. Hulu, www.hulu.com.In-Text Citations: Author-Page Format
MLA uses an author-page system. Note: there is no year in MLA in-text citations — just author and page number.
1 Author
Parenthetical
(Smith 45)In narrative
Smith argues that ... (45).2 Authors
Parenthetical
(García and Lee 415)In narrative
García and Lee found ... (415).3+ Authors
Parenthetical
(Johnson et al. 22)Works Cited (first author)
Johnson, Michael, et al.No Page Number (Website)
Author only
(CDC)No author (use short title)
("Understanding Risk")Works Cited Page Rules
- •Title: "Works Cited" centered at the top — no bold, italics, or quotes
- •Hanging indent: Second and subsequent lines of each entry indented 0.5 inches
- •Alphabetical: Sort by first author's last name (or title if no author)
- •Title Case: Capitalize major words in titles (different from APA's sentence case)
- •Double spacing: Double-space the entire Works Cited page, same as the rest of the paper
- •Punctuation: Separate each element with a period. Separate container elements with commas.
How to Cite: Examples by Source Type
Website
In-Text Citation
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)Works Cited Entry
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Understanding COVID-19." CDC, 1 Nov. 2023, www.cdc.gov/covid19.No author? Start with the title. Include access date if content may change: Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.
Book
In-Text Citation
(Brown 112)Works Cited Entry
Brown, Brené. Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. Random House, 2018.Title Case for book titles. Publisher, year. No publisher location needed in MLA 9.
Journal Article
In-Text Citation
(García and Lee 415)Works Cited Entry
García, Maria, and Samuel Lee. "Social Media and Adolescent Wellbeing." Journal of Youth Studies, vol. 25, no. 3, 2022, pp. 410–428.Put article title in quotes. Italicize journal name. Include vol., no., year, and page range.
YouTube Video
In-Text Citation
(TED)Works Cited Entry
TED. "The Power of Vulnerability." YouTube, 4 Jan. 2011, www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvmsMzlF7o.Channel name as author. "Video title" in quotes. YouTube is the container. Include full URL.
Film
In-Text Citation
(Nolan)Works Cited Entry
Nolan, Christopher, director. Oppenheimer. Syncopy and Atlas Entertainment, 2023.Director credited as primary author. Production companies instead of traditional publisher.
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FAQ: Common MLA 9 Questions
When do two authors use "and" vs "&"?
In Works Cited entries, always spell out "and." In in-text citations, also use "and": (Smith and Jones 45). The "&" is an APA convention.
Do I need a title for the Works Cited page?
Yes — center "Works Cited" at the top of the page. Do not bold, italicize, or put it in quotation marks.
How do I cite a source with no author?
Begin the Works Cited entry with the title. In-text, use a shortened version of the title in quotation marks: ("Understanding Risk" 12).
Should I include access dates for websites?
MLA 9 says to include access dates only for sources likely to change or disappear — social media posts, personal websites, etc. Stable pages (government, archival) generally don't need them.
What if there are 3 or more authors?
List only the first author followed by "et al." in both in-text and Works Cited: In-text: (Smith et al. 22). Works Cited: Smith, John, et al.