How to Cite a Website in MLA 9
Overview of MLA 9 Website Citations
Citing a website in MLA 9 requires identifying the author, page title, website name, publication date, and URL. This guide provides the core formula for creating accurate Works Cited entries and in-text citations to ensure your academic papers meet the latest Modern Language Association standards for digital sources.
Step 1: Identify the Author
Start your citation with the author's name. Format this as Last Name, First Name. If the website is written by an organization rather than an individual, use the corporate author name. If no author is credited, skip this step and begin with the title of the page. Always look at the top or bottom of the article for a byline. For corporate authors, ensure the name is written out fully, such as World Health Organization.
Step 2: Note the Title of the Webpage
Write the title of the specific page or article you are citing. Place the title in quotation marks and use title case capitalization, meaning you capitalize all principal words. End the title with a period inside the closing quotation mark. For example: "How to Prevent Soil Erosion."
Step 3: Identify the Website Container
The container is the larger website that hosts the specific page. Write the name of the website in italics, followed by a comma. For example, if you are citing an article on CNN, CNN is the container. Do not use quotation marks for the website name. If the website name is the same as the publisher, you only need to list the website name once.
Step 4: Locate the Publication Date
Find the date the content was published or last updated. Format this date using the Day Month Year style, followed by a comma. Abbreviate months longer than four letters (e.g., Jan., Feb., Mar.). If only a year is available, provide just the year. If no date is found, you may omit this section and move to the URL.
Step 5: Include the URL
Copy the URL from your browser's address bar. In MLA 9, you must omit the https:// prefix. Start the URL with the 'www' or the domain name. Place a period at the very end of the citation. If the website provides a DOI (Digital Object Identifier), use that instead of a URL as it is a more permanent link.
MLA 9 Website Citation Examples
Use these examples to model your own citations for the Works Cited page and in-text references.
**Works Cited Entry (Individual Author):**
`Miller, Jesse. "The Future of Urban Farming." Green Living, 12 Oct. 2023, www.greenliving.com/future-urban-farming.`
**Works Cited Entry (Corporate Author):**
`National Institute of Mental Health. "Understanding Anxiety Disorders." NIMH, May 2022, www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders.`
**In-Text Citation (Author):**
`(Miller)`
**In-Text Citation (No Author):**
`("Future of Urban Farming")`Common Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid these frequent errors when citing websites in MLA 9:
- Including the protocol: Never include
http://orhttps://in your Works Cited URL. - Missing italics: Ensure the website name (the container) is italicized, while the article title is in quotes.
- Incorrect date format: Always use the Day Month Year format (e.g., 14 June 2021) rather than Month Day, Year.
- Using the homepage URL: Always provide the direct URL to the specific page you used, not the website's main landing page.
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