Mla Sources Cited Page

The MLA (Modern Language Association) style is a widely accepted format for citing sources in academic writing, particularly in the humanities. It provides a standardized way to document sources, ensuring that writers give credit to the original authors of the ideas, quotes, and information they use in their work. The sources cited page, also known as the works cited page, is a crucial component of any MLA-formatted paper.

Understanding the MLA Sources Cited Page

The sources cited page is where you list all the sources you have cited in your paper. This page is usually the last page of your paper and should have the same header and footer as the rest of your document. The list of sources is formatted in a specific way to make it easy for readers to locate the sources you have used.

Formatting the Sources Cited Page

To format the sources cited page, you should follow these guidelines:

• Begin the list on a new page at the end of your document.
• Center the title “Works Cited” at the top of the page, without quotation marks or underlining.
• Double-space the entire list.
• Use a legible font, typically 12-point Times New Roman.
• Indent the second and subsequent lines of each entry by 0.5 inches (or five spaces) to create a hanging indent.

Here is an example of what the top of the sources cited page might look like:

Works Cited

     Author's Last Name, First Name. Title of Source. Title of Container, Version, Publisher, Publication Date, pp. Page Numbers.

General Guidelines for Sources Cited Entries

Each entry in the sources cited page should include the following elements, in this order:

• Author’s name: Last name, First name.
• Title of source: In title case, unless it is a special case like a brand name.
• Title of container: This is the title of the larger work that contains the source, such as a book, journal, or website.
• Version: If applicable, such as an edition number for a book.
• Publisher: The company or organization that produced the source.
• Publication date: The date the source was published, in day-month-year format if available.
• Page numbers: The range of pages where the source can be found, preceded by “pp.”.

For online sources, you may also need to include the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) or URL, as well as the date of access.

Examples of Sources Cited Entries

Here are a few examples to illustrate how different types of sources are formatted in the sources cited page:

Book:

     Doe, John. The Study of Literature. Oxford University Press, 2020.

Journal Article:

     Smith, Jane. "Literary Analysis." Journal of Literary Studies, vol. 10, no. 2, 2022, pp. 12-20.

Website:

     Johnson, Bob. "The Importance of Citing Sources." MLA Style Center, 10 Jan. 2022, style.mla.org/citing-sources/.

Best Practices for Maintaining Accuracy

Maintaining accuracy in your sources cited page is crucial for academic integrity and credibility. Here are some best practices to ensure your sources cited page is accurate and complete:

• Keep track of sources as you research: It can be helpful to keep a list of sources as you find them, making sure to record all the necessary details.
• Use a citation management tool: Tools like Zotero, Mendeley, or EndNote can help you organize your sources and format them correctly.
• Double-check your sources: Before finalizing your sources cited page, make sure to verify the details of each source against the original material.

By following these guidelines and best practices, you can ensure that your sources cited page is accurate, complete, and formatted according to MLA style guidelines.