How to Cite a Research Paper using MLA Format

You've put in the hours and crafted every paragraph of your research paper with care. But then you remember, you can't submit without citations. And this pain doubles up when you're required to write your citation using MLA format.

If you're also in a similar situation, thinking, "How do I even start citing a research paper using MLA?" You're not alone. In fact, MLA citation confuses thousands of students every day. But once you understand the rules, it's surprisingly simple.

In this guide, we're discussing how to cite a research paper using MLA format in the easiest way possible. These tips are shared by our academic writing experts, so pay extra attention because they do this every day.

What is MLA format?

MLA stands for the Modern Language Association. It's a formatting and citation style used mostly in the humanities, especially in literature, history, philosophy, and language studies.

It helps students and researchers organize their work and give proper credit to original authors. It also helps the writers to avoid cases of plagiarism. Everything from your font to margins to citations and bibliography follows a specific set of rules in MLA style.

This guide follows MLA 9th Edition (2021), which is the most current version. The 9th edition simplified some rules and removed requirements like publisher locations that were needed in earlier versions.

Why Citing Research Papers is Important

Have you ever wondered why we even bother citing? Can't we just mention the book or author and move on?

Citing a research paper is important for many reasons other than just avoiding plagiarism. They:

• Show you've done proper research
• Let your readers verify your sources
• Make your paper credible
• Keep your writing ethical and respectful
• Build academic conversation by connecting your work to existing research
• Establish professional credibility beyond school settings
• Respect copyright and intellectual property rights

You can think of citations as a roadmap for your readers. They show exactly where you found your information and allow others to continue the research journey you started.

Types of MLA Citations: In-Text vs. Works Cited

There are two main ways in which MLA asks you to cite:

In-text citations: These appear inside the essay, usually in parentheses.

Works Cited page: This comes at the end of your paper and lists full details of every source you've used.

Both of them are similar, but one shows where you used the source, and the other shows what the source is. The MLA format requires one-inch margins, double spacing, and indented paragraphs.

In-Text Citations in MLA Format

MLA uses the author-page format for in-text citations. This means you have to write your citations like this:

(Author's Last Name Page Number)

Let's see with an example:

"Social media can rewire our attention spans in subtle but lasting ways" (Carr 72).

It looks pretty simple here, right? But there are different situations when you have to use citations.

1. Author's Name Mentioned in Sentence

If you've already mentioned the author in your sentence, you just put the page number in parentheses.

Example: Nicholas Carr argues that technology changes how we think (72).

You don't need to repeat the name in the parentheses again because MLA assumes it's the same author.

2. Two Authors

You're required to use both last names in citations, connected by "and."

Example: (Smith and Jones 45)

3. Three or More Authors

Use the first author's last name followed by "et al." (which means "and others" in Latin).

Example: (Lopez et al. 118)

4. No Author

If the author's name isn't mentioned, just use the title (shortened if necessary) instead of it.

Example: ("Internet Addiction" 4)

How to shorten titles: Use the first significant word or two. If the full title is "The Impact of Internet Addiction on College Students," you could shorten it to ("Impact of Internet Addiction" 4) or just ("Internet Addiction" 4).

Make sure it matches what appears first in the Works Cited entry.

5. Multiple Sources by the Same Author

In this case, you have to add the title after the name to clarify which work you're citing.

Example: (Smith, Digital Dependency 56)

6. Corporate or Organizational Authors

When an organization is the author, use the organization's name.

Example: (American Psychological Association 23)

If the name is long, you can shorten it: (APA 23)

7. Multiple Works in One Citation

Sometimes you want to cite multiple sources that support the same point. Separate them with semicolons.

Example: (Smith 45; Jones 67; Brown 12)

8. Indirect Sources (Citing a Quote from Another Source)

When you're citing something that was quoted in another source (not the original), use "qtd. in" (quoted in).

Example: Einstein argued that "imagination is more important than knowledge" (qtd. in Johnson 89).

This means you found Einstein's quote in Johnson's work, not in Einstein's original writing.

9. Sources Without Page Numbers

Many online sources don't have page numbers. In that case:

• If there are paragraph numbers: (Author par. 5)
• If there are section numbers: (Author sec. 3)
• If there's nothing: Just use (Author) or ("Title")

Example: (Martinez par. 12) or simply (Martinez)

10. Block Quotes (Long Quotes)

For quotes that are longer than 4 lines, you can use a special format called a block quote:

• Start the quote on a new line
• Indent the entire quote 1 inch from the left margin
• Don't use quotation marks
• Put the citation after the final punctuation

Example:

Carr explains the neurological impact of digital media:

The internet is changing the way our brains process information. When we read online, we tend to skim and scan rather than engage in deep, concentrated reading. This shift affects our ability to focus and think deeply about complex ideas. (72)

Works Cited Page

In this type of citation, you have to give full information about each source. Every entry in a works cited page follows a specific order and punctuation pattern. The Works Cited page should have 1-inch margins, be double-spaced, and be left-aligned with hanging indents.

MLA 9th Edition uses what's called the "container" system, which means that one source might be contained within another.

Formatting Requirements:

• Font: Times New Roman, 12-point
• Spacing: Double-spaced throughout
• Margins: 1-inch on all sides
• Hanging indent: First line starts at the margin, and subsequent lines are indented 0.5 inches
• Alphabetical order: By author's last name (or title if no author)

Tools That Make Citations Using MLA Format Easier

Writing citations manually can be an exhausting process. Luckily, there are tools like

• Zotero (Free and very reliable)
• CiteThisForMe
• EasyBib
• Google Scholar (citation tool)
• Library databases (many automatically generate citations)

These tools generate citations for you in seconds, but they're not always perfect. So, always double-check them against the MLA guidelines or your professor's requirements.

Final Thoughts

Citations are nobody's favorite part of writing a paper. But once you understand the format, MLA citation becomes one of the easier styles to manage. Remember, good citations show that you're a serious researcher who respects other people's work and wants to contribute to the academic conversation. The key is practice and patience. After a few papers, the format will start to feel natural.

If you're still confused and don't know how to write citations using MLA format, always remember that it's okay to ask for help. Reach out to your professors, use trusted guides, or connect with reliable research paper writing services that guide students just like you every day.