MLA Format Guide 2026: Complete MLA 9th Edition Reference
The MLA format guide is the essential reference for students in literature, languages, film studies, cultural studies, and the humanities. MLA (Modern Language Association) style uses in-text parenthetical citations and a Works Cited page, and its 9th edition — published in 2021 — introduced the “container” model that simplifies how all source types are cited under a single flexible framework. This guide covers every rule you need for 2026, with worked examples for every source type you are likely to encounter.
MLA is the standard in most English literature, language, and humanities courses at UK, US, Canadian, and Australian universities. Unlike APA, MLA in-text citations use the author’s name and page number (not year), and the reference list is called Works Cited (not References). If your assignment or dissertation specifies MLA, this guide has everything you need to format it correctly from start to finish.
MLA In-Text Citations: Every Scenario
MLA uses parenthetical citations placed within or at the end of a sentence before the period. The standard format includes the author’s surname and the page number — no comma between them, no year.
| Scenario | Format | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 author | (Surname page) | (Said 45) |
| 2 authors | (Surname and Surname page) | (Smith and Jones 78) |
| 3+ authors | (First Surname et al. page) | (Brown et al. 112) |
| No author | (“Shortened Title” page) | (“APA Format” 3) |
| Organisation author | (Organisation page or par.) | (NHS England 4) |
| No page number (website) | (Surname) | (Smith) |
| Narrative citation | Surname argues… (page) | Said argues… (45) |
| Two works, same author | (Surname, Shortened Title page) | (Said, Orientalism 45) |
| Block quote (4+ lines of prose) | Indented 0.5″; citation after final period | [indented text.] (Said 78) |
The Container Model Explained
The MLA 9th edition “container” model is the single most important conceptual shift in recent MLA history. It replaces the many different citation formats for different source types with one flexible template. The key insight is that a source is often contained within a larger work — an article is contained within a journal; a chapter is contained within a book; a video is contained in a streaming platform. Each “container” is represented by the same nine elements.
The nine core elements (include only those that are available and relevant):
- Author
- Title of Source (in quotation marks for short works; italicised for long works)
- Title of Container (italicised)
- Other Contributors (editors, translators, directors)
- Version (edition, season)
- Number (volume, issue, episode)
- Publisher
- Publication Date
- Location (page numbers, URL, DOI, timestamp)
A source can have multiple containers. Example: an article in a journal hosted on JSTOR has the journal as Container 1 and JSTOR as Container 2.
Works Cited Page Formatting
- Title: “Works Cited” (centred, no bold or italics)
- Double-spaced throughout
- Hanging indent: 0.5 inch
- Alphabetical by the first word of each entry (usually the author’s surname)
- Only sources you cited in the text — not everything you read
- If you list every source you consulted (cited or not), title it “Works Consulted”
Journal Articles
Print Journal Article
Myers, Garth Andrew. “Designing Power: Forms and Purposes of Colonial Model Neighbourhoods in British Africa.” Habitat International, vol. 27, no. 2, 2003, pp. 193–204.
Online Journal Article (with DOI)
Orben, Amy, and Andrew K. Przybylski. “The Association between Adolescent Well-Being and Digital Technology Use.” Nature Human Behaviour, vol. 3, no. 2, 2019, pp. 173–82, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-018-0506-1.
Note: MLA uses “pp.” for page ranges in articles; APA does not.
Article Accessed via Database (two-container example)
Brown, Thomas. “Screen Time and Adolescent Anxiety.” Journal of Adolescent Health, vol. 68, no. 3, 2021, pp. 456–68. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/example.
Books and Book Chapters
Whole Book
Said, Edward W. Orientalism. Pantheon Books, 1978.
Book with Multiple Authors
Smith, Anna B., and Charles D. Jones. Research Methods in Social Science. 4th ed., Sage, 2022.
Edited Book
Johnson, Patricia Q., editor. Advances in Educational Psychology. Oxford University Press, 2021.
Chapter in an Edited Book
Bhabha, Homi K. “Of Mimicry and Man: The Ambivalence of Colonial Discourse.” The Location of Culture, Routledge, 1994, pp. 121–31.
eBook
Twenge, Jean M. iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy — and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood. Kindle ed., Atria Books, 2017.
Websites and Online Articles
Webpage (organisation author)
World Health Organization. “Mental Health: Strengthening Our Response.” World Health Organization, 5 May 2023, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response.
Note: MLA uses date format Day Month Year (5 May 2023), not Month Day, Year (May 5, 2023) as in APA.
News Article (online)
Harris, Sarah. “University Students Face Rising Mental Health Crisis.” The Guardian, 15 Jan. 2026, www.theguardian.com/education/2026/jan/15/university-mental-health.
Film, TV, and Streaming
Film
Parasite. Directed by Bong Joon-ho, performances by Song Kang-ho and Lee Sun-kyun, CJ Entertainment, 2019.
TV Episode (streaming)
“The Rains of Castamere.” Game of Thrones, season 3, episode 9, HBO, 2 June 2013. HBO Max, www.hbomax.com.
YouTube Video
TED. “How Social Media Shapes Our Identity.” YouTube, 14 Feb. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=example.
Social Media and AI Tools
Twitter / X Post
@NHSEngland. “Mental health support is available 24/7 — find your nearest service.” X (formerly Twitter), 10 Oct. 2023, twitter.com/NHSEngland/status/example.
Citing AI (ChatGPT / Other LLMs)
“Explain the container model in MLA 9th edition.” ChatGPT, OpenAI, 8 Apr. 2026, chat.openai.com.
The MLA format for AI treats the generated response as the “source” and the AI platform as the container. Include the prompt in quotation marks as the title of the source. Many instructors do not permit AI citations as scholarly sources — always check your assignment policy.
MLA Paper Format: Margins, Headers, Spacing
- Margins: 1 inch on all sides
- Font: Readable font (typically Times New Roman 12pt or Arial 11pt)
- Line spacing: Double-spaced throughout (including Works Cited)
- Header (top right): Surname and page number, e.g., “Smith 3”
- First page heading (no cover page required): Your name, instructor’s name, course name, date — each on a separate line, left-aligned. Below this, the title centred.
- Paragraph indentation: 0.5 inch (first line of each paragraph)
- No bold title: Unlike APA, MLA titles are not bolded
MLA vs APA: 12 Key Differences
| Feature | MLA 9th | APA 7th |
|---|---|---|
| In-text format | (Author Page) | (Author, Year) |
| Reference list title | Works Cited | References |
| Author format | Surname, First Name | Surname, F. (initials) |
| Date position | Near end of entry | After author name |
| Article titles | Quotation marks | No quotation marks, sentence case |
| Date format | Day Month Year | Year, Month Day |
| Annotations in bibliography | 1-inch indent | 0.5-inch indent |
| Primary use | Humanities, literature | Social sciences, health, education |
| Page numbers in in-text | Always (when available) | Only for direct quotes |
| Abstract | Not typically required | Required for most research papers |
| Title page | Not required; header info on first page | Required (student or professional format) |
| 3+ authors in-text | et al. from first citation | et al. from first citation |
For full APA rules, see our APA citation format guide. For Chicago style (another major humanities format), see our Chicago citation style guide. For Harvard referencing (common in UK social sciences), see our Harvard referencing guide.
10 Common MLA Mistakes
- Including a year in in-text citations. MLA uses author + page, never author + year. The year appears only in the Works Cited entry.
- Using a comma between author and page number. Correct: (Said 45). Incorrect: (Said, 45).
- Wrong capitalisation of article titles. MLA uses title case for article titles in the Works Cited — every major word capitalised. (APA uses sentence case for the same elements.)
- Omitting “pp.” before page ranges. MLA uses “pp. 45–67” for page ranges in Works Cited entries. (APA does not use “pp.” for journal article page ranges.)
- Not using the container model for online sources. If an article appears in a database (JSTOR, EBSCO), the database is the second container and should be included.
- Not italicising the container title. The title of the journal, book, or website (the container) must always be in italics.
- Forgetting to include URL for online sources. MLA 9th requires a URL or DOI for all sources accessed online.
- Incorrect date format. MLA dates use Day Month Year (15 Jan. 2026), not Month Day, Year (Jan. 15, 2026).
- Not including the header. Every page of an MLA paper (including Works Cited) should have a right-aligned header with “Surname PageNumber”.
- Putting “Works Cited” in bold or italics. The Works Cited heading is in regular font, centred. No bold, no italics.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is MLA format used for?
MLA (Modern Language Association) format is primarily used in the humanities — especially literature, languages, film studies, cultural studies, and media studies. It is the standard citation style for most English literature courses at UK, US, Canadian, and Australian universities. It is less common in the social sciences (which typically use APA) or sciences (which use Vancouver, AMA, or field-specific styles). The current edition is MLA 9th, published in 2021.
Is MLA 9th edition the same as MLA 8th edition?
MLA 9th edition (2021) builds on MLA 8th (2016), which introduced the container model. The core system remains the same. The 9th edition added explicit guidance on inclusive language, expanded guidance on new media and AI tools, provided clearer instructions for citing sources with multiple containers, and clarified formatting rules for annotated bibliographies (1-inch indent for annotations). If your institution uses MLA 8th, the differences are minor — the container model is identical.
How do I cite a source with no page numbers in MLA?
If a source has no page numbers (most websites, e-books without fixed pagination, some PDFs), simply omit the page number from the in-text citation. The result is just the author’s surname in parentheses: (Smith). If the source has paragraph numbers or section numbers, you can use those instead: (Smith, par. 4) or (Smith, sec. 2). If the source has neither, (Smith) on its own is correct — never add “n.p.” or similar placeholder.
What is the MLA container model?
The MLA container model, introduced in MLA 8th edition and continued in the 9th, is a single framework for citing all source types. The idea is that a source is often “contained” within a larger work — an article sits inside a journal; a chapter sits inside a book; a video sits inside YouTube. The nine elements of a Works Cited entry (author, title, container title, other contributors, version, number, publisher, date, location) apply to any source. Not every element applies to every source — include only what is relevant. Sources with two containers (e.g., an article in a journal accessed via JSTOR) have two sets of container elements.
Does MLA require a title page?
Standard MLA format does not require a separate title page for student papers. Instead, the author’s name, instructor’s name, course name, and date are placed on the first page in the top left corner, followed by the centred title. A title page is only required if your instructor specifically requests one. This contrasts with APA format, which always requires a title page. If your institution or instructor requires a title page, ask for their specific formatting requirements.
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