MLA Citation Generator

Create MLA 9-style citation drafts for websites, books, journals, and videos. Review the final citation against your instructor or institution requirements.

Works Cited draft

In-text citation draft

Review checklist

Author or organization is included if available Title of source is in quotation marks when needed Container title is italicized when applicable URL, DOI, page, or timestamp is included when available Accessed date is included for online sources

Important

Citations may vary by instructor or institution. Review your final citation before submitting.

How to use this MLA citation generator

Choose the source type: website, book, journal article, video, or manual entry.
Enter the details you have, such as author, source title, container, publisher, date, URL, DOI, or page range.
Click "Generate citation draft" to create a Works Cited draft and an MLA in-text citation draft.
Copy or download the draft, then compare the final citation with your assignment, instructor, or institution requirements.
Use the review checklist to catch missing dates, container titles, access dates, and source locators before submitting.

MLA format is commonly used in literature, language, composition, cultural studies, and other humanities courses. This MLA citation maker helps you organize the parts of a source, but it does not replace your course style guide.

MLA citation examples

Source type Works Cited example

Website

Author. "Title of Page." Website Name, Day Month Year, URL. Accessed Day Month Year.

Book

Morrison, Toni. Beloved. Alfred A. Knopf, 1987.

Journal article

Author. "Article Title." Journal Title, vol. 18, no. 2, 2024, pp. 45-62, DOI or URL.

Video

"Title of Video." Platform, uploaded by Creator, Day Month Year, URL.

No author

"Page or Article Title." Website Name, Publisher, Day Month Year, URL.

DOI source

Author. "Article Title." Journal Title, vol. x, no. x, Year, pp. xx-xx, DOI.

These examples show common MLA works cited patterns. Use close variants when your source has an editor, translator, version, edition, database, episode title, or missing author. The MLA citation generator keeps these examples visible so you can compare a generated draft with common source patterns before copying it into a Works Cited page.

Frequently asked questions

Do I always need an accessed date?

Include an accessed date for most online sources that may change over time, such as webpages, articles, and videos.

Do I need a publisher for websites?

Add the publisher or sponsoring organization when it is different from the website title and is relevant to identifying the source.

How do I cite a source with no author?

Start the Works Cited entry with the title. For the in-text citation, use a shortened title in quotation marks or italics.

Is this MLA citation generator associated with the MLA?

No. It is an educational drafting tool. Check your final MLA citation against your instructor, institution, or required style guide.

What if the publication date is missing?

If a source does not show a publication date, leave that field blank and keep the details you can verify. For online sources, an accessed date can help readers understand when you viewed the page.

What is the difference between Works Cited and in-text citations?

A Works Cited draft gives the full source details at the end of a paper. An in-text citation is shorter and points readers to that entry from the sentence where you quote, paraphrase, or summarize the source.

What this MLA format generator helps with

Students often search for an MLA citation generator, MLA format citation generator, works cited generator, MLA citation maker, or in text citation generator when they need a fast way to assemble source details. This page keeps the citation form first so you can draft the citation before reading longer guidance.

The tool is designed for common classroom sources: websites, books, journal articles, videos, and manual entries. It helps create MLA 9-style citation drafts with a Works Cited entry, an in-text citation, and a review checklist for source details that are easy to miss.

Supported MLA source types

Websites and online articles

Use the website option when you need to cite a webpage, online article, organization page, or research guide. The MLA citation generator can place the page title in quotation marks, italicize the container name, and include a URL or DOI. Add an accessed date when the source can change after you view it.

Books and chapters

Use the book option for print books, ebooks, novels, textbooks, and edited volumes. A book citation draft usually needs the author, italicized title, publisher, and year. Add an edition, chapter, or page locator when your instructor needs a more specific reference.

Journal articles and DOI sources

Use the journal option for scholarly articles, database records, and sources with a DOI. Include the article title, journal title, volume, issue, year, page range, and DOI or stable URL when available. DOI details help distinguish similar journal article citation drafts.

Videos and manual entries

Use the video option for classroom clips, streaming videos, lectures, or channel uploads. Use manual entry when a source does not fit a standard pattern. Manual fields are useful for no-author sources, translated titles, versions, timestamps, database records, or sources your course guide formats differently.

MLA source details to check before you submit

Works Cited details

A Works Cited entry usually needs the author, title, container, publisher, date, and source locator when those details are available. For a website, the container may be the website name. For a journal article, the container is the journal title. For a book, the book title is usually italicized and the publisher and year help identify the edition you used. This MLA citation generator creates a Works Cited draft first because that full entry is the reference your in-text citation points back to.

In-text citation details

An MLA in-text citation usually points readers back to the first meaningful item in the Works Cited entry. That may be an author's last name, an organization name, or a shortened title when no author is listed. Page numbers, paragraph numbers, chapters, or timestamps can help when you quote or paraphrase a specific part of a source.

When a citation draft needs review

Use this MLA citation generator as a drafting aid, then check punctuation, capitalization, missing authors, translated titles, database names, versions, and access dates against your assignment instructions. The MLA format citation generator can help assemble common patterns, but your instructor or institution may prefer a specific variation for class submissions.

If you are comparing drafts from more than one MLA citation generator, focus on the source details rather than the button label. Check whether the entry includes the container, publication date, access date, and locator your source actually provides. For research papers, keep a copy of the source page or database record so you can confirm the final citation before turning in your Works Cited page.

The best use of an MLA citation generator is to speed up the first draft, not to skip review. Before submitting, scan the generated draft for author order, title capitalization, italicized containers, date format, DOI or URL placement, and page numbers. Small course-specific preferences can change how a citation should appear.