Citing Online Articles in MLA: A Step-by-Step Guide
Citing online articles in MLA (Modern Language Association) format can be a daunting task, especially for students and researchers who are not familiar with the citation style. However, with this guide, you'll learn how to cite online articles in MLA format with ease.
Understanding MLA Citation Style
MLA citation style is widely used in the humanities, such as literature, language, and cultural studies. It provides a consistent format for citing sources, making it easier for readers to locate the sources you've used in your research. MLA style requires you to include the author's name, title of the article, title of the publication, publication date, and URL or DOI (digital object identifier) of the article.
Basic MLA Citation Format for Online Articles
The basic MLA citation format for online articles is as follows:
- Lastname, Firstname. "Article Title." Publication Title, Day Month Year of Publication, https://www.url.com, pp. Page Numbers.
- Example: Smith, John. "The Impact of Social Media on Society." The New York Times, 10 Jan. 2022, https://www.nytimes.com.
Who to Cite: Author, Title, and Publication
When citing an online article in MLA, you'll need to provide the following information:
- Author's name: Include the author's last name and first name.
- Title of the article: Use title case and surround the title with quotation marks.
- Title of the publication: Use title case and surround the title with title case.
- Publication date: Include the day, month, and year of publication.
- URL or DOI: Provide the URL or DOI of the article, making sure to include the "http://" or "https://" prefix.
Citing Articles with Multiple Authors
When citing an online article with multiple authors, separate the authors' names with commas, and use the phrase "and" before the last author's name:
Smith, John, and Jane Doe. "The Impact of Social Media on Society." The New York Times, 10 Jan. 2022, https://www.nytimes.com.
Citing Articles with No Author
When citing an online article with no author, use the title of the article in the first position, followed by the publication title, publication date, and URL:
"The Impact of Social Media on Society." The New York Times, 10 Jan. 2022, https://www.nytimes.com.
Special Cases: Online Articles with Dynamic URLs
When citing online articles with dynamic URLs, use the DOI instead of the URL. The DOI is a unique identifier assigned to the article, and it remains the same even if the URL changes:
Smith, John. "The Impact of Social Media on Society." The New York Times, 10 Jan. 2022, doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2200965.
Creating a Works Cited Page
The Works Cited page is a list of all the sources you've cited in your research paper. To create a Works Cited page in MLA, follow these steps:
- Start with the title of the page: "Works Cited."
- Double-space the entries, and use a hanging indent of 0.5 inches.
- Arrange the entries in alphabetical order by author's last name.
- Use a consistent format throughout the page.
Conclusion
Citing online articles in MLA format may seem daunting at first, but with this guide, you'll be able to navigate the process with ease. Remember to always provide the necessary information, such as the author's name, title of the article, title of the publication, publication date, and URL or DOI. By following the guidelines outlined in this article, you'll be able to create a well-formatted Works Cited page and properly cite online articles in MLA format.
