How Do I Do In-Text Citations in MLA Format When My Source is a Website?

Citing sources accurately is crucial when writing an essay or research paper. If your source is a website, you need to follow MLA format guidelines. MLA stands for Modern Language Association, and its format is widely used in the humanities. Here's a clear and simple guide for you.

First, when you cite a website in MLA format, focus on three main parts: the author's name, the title of the web page, and the URL.

Author's Name The author's name is essential. If the web page has a single author, you write their last name followed by a comma, and then their first name. If the page has multiple authors, list their names in the same order as it appears on the website.

Title of the Web Page Put the title of the web page in quotation marks. This title should be as it appears on the website. If the title is long, you can shorten it in the in-text citation.

URL Include the full URL of the web page. Be sure it's accurate and leads directly to the page you cited.

When you cite these elements in your text, you combine them with parentheses. Here’s how:

• If the web page has a single author, your in-text citation should look like this:

(Author's Last Name).

• If the page has multiple authors, list them as shown on the webpage:

(First Author's Last Name and Second Author's Last Name).

• If there’s no author, use the title of the web page. If the title is long, you can shorten it:

("Shortened Title").

Now let’s dive into an example. Suppose you found an interesting fact about climate change on a page authored by John Smith. Your in-text citation would look like:

(Smith).

If the page didn’t have an author, but the title was "The Effects of Climate Change on Marine Life," you might shorten it to:

("Effects of Climate Change").

Sample List for Quick Reference:

• Single author: (Author's Last Name).
• Multiple authors: (First Author's Last Name and Second Author's Last Name).
• No author, shorten the title: ("Shortened Title").

Let’s put it all together in a sentence to show how you might use it in your paper:

According to recent studies, the ocean's temperature is rising faster than predicted (Smith).

If there's no named author:

Studies show significant impacts on marine life due to rising ocean temperatures ("Effects of Climate Change").

Always double-check the latest MLA guidelines to ensure accuracy. These points will help your citations be clear and compliant with MLA format. Next time you're citing a website, just remember these simple steps! Happy writing!