MLA (Modern Language Association) format is most commonly used to cite sources in the humanities. The following examples use MLA 9th edition.

Parenthetical Citation

MLA format uses a parenthetical citation, which is a brief mention in the text of your paper that leads the reader to the complete information about that reference. It usually appears at the end of a sentence. A parenthetical citation involves placing relevant source information in parentheses after a quote or a paraphrase. The author’s last name and the page number(s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken must appear in the text, and a complete reference should appear on your works cited page.

Examples

Seed says of Dracula “in short, he is a combination of Gothic villain, Regency rake, and monster” (62).

OR

Dracula, “…is a combination of Gothic villain, Regency rake, and monster” (Seed 62).

OR

Seed believes that Dracula is a mix of scoundrel, ogre, and devilish man (62).

Reference List

Parenthetical citations will refer your reader to the full list of sources you used. This list is at the end of your paper.

• Works Cited: A list of sources that are directly quoted, summarized or paraphrased in the writing. 
• Bibliography: A list of sources that were used in the background research, development of ideas, and any other research that contributed to the writing.

For both a works cited page and bibliography, references are listed in alphabetical order by author’s last name. Each reference citation is made up of the same elements that always appear in the same order. Leave out any that aren't available for or don't apply to a source.

• Author: The person, people, or group that created the work.
  • One author: Last Name, First Name.
  • Two authors: Author 1 Last Name, First Name, and Author 2 First Name Last Name.
  • Three or more authors: Author 1 Last Name, First Name, et al.
• Title: The title or description of the work.
• Title of container: The title or description of the larger work this source is part of, such as a journal, an anthology, or a podcast series.
• Other contributors: This can include editors, translators, and others. Include the contributor's role in addition to their name (for example, "Edited by Ana Jones").
• Version: The edition, revision, or other version of the work. Not included for first editions.
• Number: Where the work appears if it is part of a sequence, such as the volume, issue, or episode number.
• Publisher: Included unless the work is self-published, a journal, or a website whose site name and publisher are very similar.
• Publication date: If no formal publication date exists, provide the most exact date available.
• Location: Where the work appears within its container, such as the page range for a chapter in a book. For online works, this is the DOI or URL.