mla essay citation style

ENGL 13 / PHIL 13 Diaz

• Information Cycle
• Evaluating Sources
• Reference Sources
• Popular, Trade, and Scholarly Articles
• Scholarly Books
• Library Databases
• Database Search Strategies

MLA Handbook

Free microsoft 365 access, paper format, in-text citation, works cited page, workshop, slides, and tutorial.

• Getting Research Help
• To give credit to others for their ideas
• To provide support for your argument
• To help your reader find and read the sources you used

When to Cite

• Paraphrasing, summarizing, or directly quoting from any source
• Acknowledging another person for an idea
• Using your own previous work

How to Cite

MLA citation requires two parts:

• In-Text Citations: brief citations included within the text of your paper. They point your reader to the full citation at the end of your paper.
• Work Cited Page: a page at the end of your paper listing all the sources you use

Watch the Video

"This video introduces the purpose and basic conventions of citing sources in-text and Works Cited using the [MLA] Style, 9th edition, 2021."

" Introduction to Citation Styles: MLA 9th ed. " (3:38) by CSUDH Library is licensed under CC BY 3.0

All Merced College students have access to Microsoft 365 (formerly branded as Office 365), which includes Word, through student email.

• How to Use Microsoft 365 From Merced College's Technology Support Desk. Review FAQ number 2.
• Chapter 1: Introduction to Formatting Your Research Project Free chapter from the MLA Handbook (9th ed.). Use the Prev and Next arrows on the left to go back or forward in the chapter.
• MLA General Format From Purdue OWL
• Chapter 6 Citing Sources in the Text Access a physical copy of the MLA Handbook (9th ed.) from the Merced College Library. Chapter 6 is all about citing sources within the text of your paper.
• In-Text Citation From MLA Style Center
• In-Text Citations: The Basics From Purdue OWL
• MLA 9 Handout From the Merced College Library. The first page is for print and interview sources. The second page is for database and online sources.
• Chapter 5 The List of Works Cited Access a physical copy of the MLA Handbook (9th ed.) from the Merced College Library. Chapter 5 is all about creating citations for your Works Cited page.
• Works Cited: A Quick Guide From MLA Style Center
• MLA Formatting and Style Guide From Purdue OWL
• Citing and Formatting in MLA 9 Workshop Recording Faculty Librarian Lindsay Davis presented a MLA workshop through the Student Success Workshop program in February 2022. This recording was provided by Student Success.
• MLA 9 Google Slides Faculty Librarian Lindsay Davis' Google Slides from the MLA workshop through the Student Success Workshop program in February 2022.
• Citing and Formatting in MLA 9 Tutorial Faculty librarian Lindsay Davis developed this interactive tutorial. This tutorial will guide you through formatting a paper, creating in-text citations, and recognizing the core elements for creating works cited entries in MLA 9th edition. You will also find additional resources to help you cite your sources. The tutorial can be used independently or as an assignment. You can take it as often as you'd like.
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• Last Updated: Sep 10, 2024 9:32 AM
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• Free Tools for Students
• MLA Citation Generator

Free MLA Citation Generator

Generate accurate citations in MLA format automatically, with MyBib!

😕 What is an MLA Citation Generator?

An MLA citation generator is a software tool designed to automatically create academic citations in the Modern Language Association (MLA) citation format. The generator will take information such as document titles, author, and URLs as in input, and output fully formatted citations that can be inserted into the Works Cited page of an MLA-compliant academic paper.

The citations on a Works Cited page show the external sources that were used to write the main body of the academic paper, either directly as references and quotes, or indirectly as ideas.

👩‍🎓 Who uses an MLA Citation Generator?

MLA style is most often used by middle school and high school students in preparation for transition to college and further education. Ironically, MLA style is not actually used all that often beyond middle and high school, with APA (American Psychological Association) style being the favored style at colleges across the country.

It is also important at this level to learn why it's critical to cite sources, not just how to cite them.

🙌 Why should I use a Citation Generator?

Writing citations manually is time consuming and error prone. Automating this process with a citation generator is easy, straightforward, and gives accurate results. It's also easier to keep citations organized and in the correct order.

The Works Cited page contributes to the overall grade of a paper, so it is important to produce accurately formatted citations that follow the guidelines in the official MLA Handbook .

⚙️ How do I use MyBib's MLA Citation Generator?

It's super easy to create MLA style citations with our MLA Citation Generator. Scroll back up to the generator at the top of the page and select the type of source you're citing. Books, journal articles, and webpages are all examples of the types of sources our generator can cite automatically. Then either search for the source, or enter the details manually in the citation form.

The generator will produce a formatted MLA citation that can be copied and pasted directly into your document, or saved to MyBib as part of your overall Works Cited page (which can be downloaded fully later!).

MyBib supports the following for MLA style:

Daniel is a qualified librarian, former teacher, and citation expert. He has been contributing to MyBib since 2018.

• Plagiarism and grammar
• Citation guides

MLA Citation Generator

Don't let plagiarism errors spoil your paper, the complete guide to mla & citations, what you’ll find in this guide.

This page provides an in-depth overview of MLA format. It includes information related to MLA citations, plagiarism, proper formatting for in-text and regular citations, and examples of citations for many different types of sources.

Looking for APA? Check out the Citation Machine’s guide on APA format . We also have resources for Chicago citation style as well.

How to be a responsible researcher or scholar

Putting together a research project involves searching for information, disseminating and analyzing information, collecting information, and repurposing information. Being a responsible researcher requires keeping track of the sources that were used to help develop your research project, sharing the information you borrowed in an ethical way, and giving credit to the authors of the sources you used. Doing all of these things prevents plagiarism.

What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is the act of using others’ information without giving credit or acknowledging them. There are many examples of plagiarism. Completely copying another individual’s work without providing credit to the original author is a very blatant example of plagiarism. Plagiarism also occurs when another individual’s idea or concept is passed off as your own. Changing or modifying quotes, text, or any work of another individual is also plagiarism. Believe it or not, you can even plagiarize yourself! Reusing a project or paper from another class or time and saying that it’s new is plagiarism. One way to prevent plagiarism is to add citations in your project where appropriate.

What is a Citation?

A citation shows the reader of your project where you found your information. Citations are included in the body of a project when you add a quote to your project. Citations are also included in the body when you’re paraphrasing another individual’s information. These citations in the body of a research paper are called in-text citations. They are found directly next to the information that was borrowed and are very brief to avoid causing distraction while reading a project. These brief citations include the last name of the author and a page number. Scroll down for an in-depth explanation and examples of MLA in-text citations.

In-text citations provide us with a brief idea as to where you found your information, though they usually don't include the title and other components. Look on the last page of a research project to find complete citations.

Complete citations are found on what MLA calls a works-cited list, which is sometimes called an MLA bibliography. All sources that were used to develop a research project are found on the works-cited list. Complete citations are also created for any quotes or paraphrased information used in the text. Complete citations include the author’s name, the title, publisher, year published, page numbers, URLs, and a few other pieces of information.

Looking to create your citations in just a few clicks? Need an MLA format website or book citation? Visit Citation Machine.net! Our Citation Machine MLA generator, which is an MLA citation website, will create all of your citations in just a few clicks. Click here to see more styles .

Why Does it Matter?

Citing your sources is an extremely important component of your research project. It shows that you’re a responsible researcher and that you located appropriate and reputable sources that support your thesis or claim. In addition, if your work ends up being posted online or in print, there is a chance that others will use your research project in their own work!

Scroll down to find directions on how to create citations.

How the Modern Language Association Helps You Become a Responsible Researcher

What is mla format.

The Modern Language Association is an organization that was created to develop guidelines on everything language and literature related. They have guidelines on proper grammar usage and research paper layouts. In addition, they have English and foreign language committees, numerous books and journal publications, and an annual conference. They are not connected with this guide, but the information here reflects the association’s rules for formatting papers and citations.

What are citations?

The Modern Language Association is responsible for creating standards and guidelines on how to properly cite sources to prevent plagiarism. Their style is most often used when writing papers and citing sources in the liberal arts and humanities fields. “Liberal arts” is a broad term used to describe a range of subjects including the humanities, formal sciences such as mathematics and statistics, natural sciences such as biology and astronomy, and social sciences such as geography, economics, history, and others. The humanities focuses specifically on subjects related to languages, art, philosophy, religion, music, theater, literature, and ethics.

Believe it or not, there are thousands of other types of citation styles. While this citation style is most often used for the liberal arts and humanities fields, many other subjects, professors, and schools prefer citations and papers to be styled in MLA format.

What’s the difference between a bibliography and a works-cited list?

Great question. The two terms cause a lot of confusion and are consistently misused not only by students but educators as well! Let’s start with what the two words mean.

A bibliography displays the sources the writer used to gain background knowledge on the topic and also research it in-depth. Before starting a research project, you might read up on the topic in websites, books, and other sources. You might even dive a bit deeper to find more information elsewhere. All of these sources you used to help you learn about the topic would go in an MLA format bibliography. You might even include other sources that relate to the topic.

A works-cited list displays all of the sources that were mentioned in the writing of the actual paper or project. If a quote was taken from a source and placed into a research paper, then the full citation goes on the works-cited list.

Both the works-cited list and bibliography go at the end of a paper. Most teachers do not expect students to hand in both a bibliography AND a works-cited list. Teachers generally expect to see a works-cited list, but sometimes erroneously call it a bibliography. If you’re not sure what your teacher expects, a page in MLA bibliography format, a works-cited list, or both, ask for guidance.

Why do we use this MLA style?

These specific guidelines and standards for creating citations were developed for numerous reasons. When scholars and researchers in literature, language, and numerous other fields all cite their sources in the same manner, it makes it easier for readers to look at a citation and understand the different components of a source. By looking at an MLA citation, we can see who the author is, the title of the source, when it was published, and other identifiable pieces of information.

Imagine how difficult it would be to understand the various components of a source if we didn’t all follow the same guidelines! Not only would it make it difficult to understand the source that was used, but it would also make it difficult for readers to locate it themselves. This streamlined process aides us in understanding a researcher’s sources.

How is the new version different than previous versions?

This citation style has changed dramatically over the past couple of years. The MLA Handbook is currently in its 9th edition.

The new version expands upon standards previously set in the 8th edition of the MLA Handbook, including the core elements. The structure of citations remains the same, but some formatting guidance and terminology have changed.

• DOI numbers are now formatted as https://doi.org/xx.xxxx/xxx.xxxx.xxxx
• Seasons in publishing daters are lowercased: spring 2020
• The term “optional elements” is now “supplemental elements”
• “Narrative in-text citations” are called “citations in prose”

In addition, new information was added on the following:

• Hundreds of works-cited-list entries
• MLA formatting for papers
• Punctuation, spelling, and other mechanics of prose
• Chapter on inclusive language
• Notes (bibliographic and content)

For more information on MLA 9, click here .

A Deeper Look at Citations

What do they look like.

There are two types of citations. The first is a full, or complete, citation. These are found at the end of research projects. These citations are usually listed in alphabetical order by the author’s last names and include all of the information necessary for readers to be able to locate the source themselves.

Full citations are generally placed in this MLA citation format:

%%Last name of the author, First name of the author. “Source’s Title.” Container’s Title, roles and names of any other individuals who helped contribute to the source, the version of the source, any numbers associated with the source, the name of the publisher, the date the source was published, the location where individuals can find the source themselves (usually a DOI, URL, or page range).

There are times when additional information is added into the full citation.

Not sure how to transfer the information from your source into your citation? Confused about the term, “containers”? See below for information and complete explanations of each citation component.

The second type of citation, called an “in-text citation,” is included in the main part, or body, of a project when a researcher uses a quote or paraphrases information from another source. See the next section to find out how to create in-text citations.

What are in-text citations?

As stated above, in-text citations are included in the main part of a project when using a quote or paraphrasing a piece of information from another source. We include these types of citations in the body of a project for readers to quickly gain an idea as to where we found the information.

These in-text citations are found directly next to the quote or paraphrased information. They contain a small tidbit of the information found in the regular MLA citation. The regular, or complete, citation is located at the end of a project, on the works-cited list.

Here’s what a typical in-text citation looks like:

In the book The Joy Luck Club, the mother uses a vast amount of Chinese wisdom to explain the world and people’s temperaments. She states, “Each person is made of five elements…. Too much fire and you have a bad temper...too little wood and you bent too quickly...too much water and you flowed in too many directions” (Tan 31).

This specific in text citation, (Tan 31), is called an MLA parenthetical citation because the author’s name is in parentheses. It’s included so the reader sees that we are quoting something from page 31 in Tan’s book. The complete, regular citation isn’t included in the main part of the project because it would be too distracting for the reader. We want the reader to focus on our work and research, not get caught up on our sources.

Here’s another way to cite in the text:

In Tan’s novel The Joy Luck Club, the mother uses a vast amount of Chinese wisdom to explain the world and people’s temperaments. She states, “Each person is made of five elements... Too much fire and you have a bad temper... too little wood and you bent too quickly... too much water and you flowed in too many directions" (31).

If the reader would like to see the source’s full information, and possibly locate the source themselves, they can refer to the last part of the project to find the regular citation.

The regular citation, at the end of the project looks like this:

%%Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club. Penguin, 1989, p. 31.

Notice that the first word in the full citation (Tan) matches the “Tan” used in the body of the project. It’s important to have the first word of the full citation match the term used in the text. Why? It allows readers to easily find the full citation on the works-cited list.

If your direct quote or paraphrase comes from a source that does not have page numbers, it is acceptable to place a line number (use line or lines), paragraph number (use the abbreviation par. or pars.), sections (sec. or secs.), or chapters (ch. or chs.). Only use these other terms if they are actually labeled on the source. If it specifically says on the source, “Section 1,” for example, then it is acceptable to use “sec. 1” in the in-text citation.

If there are no numbers to help readers locate the exact point in the source, only include the author’s last name.

To determine how to create in-text citations for more than one author, no authors, or corporate authors, refer to the “Authors” section below.

More about quotations and how to cite a quote:

• Use quotes from outside sources to help illustrate and expand on your own points. The majority of your paper should be your own writing and ideas.
• Include the quote exactly as you found it. It is okay to use only certain words or phrases from the quote, but keep the words (spelling and capitalization) and punctuation the same.
• It is acceptable to break up a direct quote with your own writing.

Example from a movie:

Dorothy stated, "Toto," then looked up and took in her surroundings, "I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore" ( Wizard of Oz ).

• The entire paper should be double-spaced, including quotes.
• If the quote is longer than four lines, it is necessary to make a block quote. Block quotes show the reader that they are about to read a lengthy amount of text from another source.
• Start the quote on the next line, half an inch from the left margin.
• Do not use any indents at the beginning of the block quote.
• Only use quotation marks if there are quotation marks present in the source.
• If there is more than one paragraph in the block quote, indent the beginning of the paragraphs after the first one an additional half an inch from the left margin.
• Add your in-text citation after the final period of the block quote. Do not add an additional period after the parenthetical citation.

While his parents sat there in surprise, Colton went onto say:

“Cause I could see you,” Colon said matter-of-factly. “I went up and out of my body and I was looking down and I could see the doctor working on my body. And I saw you and Mommy. You were in a little room by yourself, praying; and Mommy was in a different room, and she was praying and talking on the phone.” (Burpo xxi)

How to create a paraphrase:

As stated above, the majority of your paper should be your own writing and ideas. It’s acceptable to include quotes, but they shouldn’t crowd your paper. If you’re finding that you’re using too many quotes in your paper, consider adding paraphrases. When you reiterate a piece of information from an outside source in your own words, you create a paraphrase.

Here’s an example:

Readers discover in the very first sentence of Peter Pan that he doesn’t grow up (Barrie 1).

What paraphrases are:

• Recycled information in the paper writer’s own words and writing style.
• They’re still references! Include an in-text citation next to the paraphrased information.

What paraphrases are not:

• A copy and pasted sentence with a few words substituted for synonyms.

Confused about whether footnotes and endnotes should be used?

Footnotes and endnotes are completely acceptable to use in this style. Use a footnote or endnote if:

• Adding additional information will help the reader understand the content. This is called a content note .
• You need to cite numerous sources in one small section of your writing. Instead of clogging up a small paragraph with in-text citations (which could cause confusion for the reader), include a footnote or endnote. This is called a bibliographic note .

Keep in mind that whether you choose to include in-text citations or footnotes/endnotes, you need to also include a full reference on the MLA format works-cited list.

Content note example:

Even Maurice Sendak’s work (the mastermind behind Where the Wild Things Are and numerous other popular children’s picture books) can be found on the banned books list. It seems as though nobody is granted immunity. 1

• In the Night Kitchen ’s main character is nude on numerous pages. Problematic for most is not the nudity of the behind, but the frontal nudity.

Work Cited:

%%Sendak, Maurice. In The Night Kitchen. Harper Collins, 1996.

Bibliographic note example:

Dahl had a difficult childhood. Both his father and sister passed away when he was a toddler. He was then sent away by his mother to boarding school (de Castella). 1

• Numerous books, such as Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, and The BFG, all feature characters with absent or difficult parents.

MLA Works Cited:

Include 4 full citations for: de Castella’s article, Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, and The BFG .

Don’t forget to create full, or regular citations, and place them at the end of your project.

If you need help with in-text and parenthetical citations, CitationMachine.net can help. Our MLA citation generator is simple and easy to use!

Common Knowledge: What Is It and How Will It Affect My Writing?

Footnotes, endnotes, references, proper structuring. We know it’s a lot. Thankfully, you don’t have to include a reference for EVERY piece of information you add to your paper. You can forget about including a reference when you share a piece of common knowledge.

Common knowledge is information that most people know. For example, these are a few facts that are considered common knowledge:

• The Statue of Liberty is located in New York City
• Tokyo is the capital of Japan
• Romeo and Juliet is a play written by William Shakespeare
• English is the language most people speak in England
• An elephant is an animal

We could go on and on. When you include common knowledge in your paper, omit a reference. One less thing to worry about, right?

Before you start adding tons of common knowledge occurrences to your paper to ease the burden of creating references, we need to stop you right there. Remember, the goal of a research paper is to develop new information or knowledge. You’re expected to seek out information from outside sources and analyze and distribute the information from those sources to form new ideas. Using only common knowledge facts in your writing involves absolutely zero research. It’s okay to include some common knowledge facts here and there, but do not make it the core of your paper.

If you’re unsure if the fact you’re including is common knowledge or not, it doesn’t hurt to include a reference. There is no such thing as being overly responsible when it comes to writing and citing.

Wikipedia - Yay or Nay?

If you’re wondering whether it’s okay to use Wikipedia in your project, the answer is, it depends.

If Wikipedia is your go-to source for quick information on a topic, you’re not alone. Chances are, it’s one of the first websites to appear on your results page. It’s used by tons of people, it’s easily accessible, and it contains millions of concise articles. So, you’re probably wondering, “What’s the problem?”

The issue with Wikipedia is that it’s a user-generated site, meaning information is constantly added and modified by registered users. Who these users are and their expertise is somewhat of a mystery. The truth is anyone can register on the site and make changes to articles.

Knowing this makes some cringe, especially educators and librarians, since the validity of the information is questionable. However, some people argue that because Wikipedia is a user-generated site, the community of registered users serve as “watchdogs,” ensuring that information is valid. In addition, references are included at the bottom of each article and serve as proof of credibility. Furthermore, Wikipedia lets readers know when there’s a problem with an article. Warnings such as “this article needs clarification,” or “this article needs references to prove its validity” are shared with the reader, thus promoting transparency.

If you choose to reference a Wikipedia article in your research project, and your teacher or professor says it’s okay, then you must reference it in your project. You would treat it just as you would with any other web source.

However, you may want to instead consider locating the original source of the information. This should be fairly easy to do thanks to the references at the bottom of each article.

Specific Components of a Citation

This section explains each individual component of the citation, with examples for each section for full citations and in-text citations.

Name of the author

The author’s name is usually the first item listed in the MLA citation. Author names start with the last name, then a comma is added, and then the author’s first name (and middle name if applicable) is at the end. A period closes this information.

Here are two examples of how an author’s name can be listed in a full citation:

Twain, Mark.

Poe, Edgar Allan.

For in-text:

(Author’s Last name page number) or Author’s Last name... (page).

Wondering how to format the author’s name when there are two authors working jointly on a source? When there are two authors that work together on a source, the author names are placed in the order in which they appear on the source. Place their names in this format:

Author 1’s Last Name, First name, and Author 2’s First Name Last Name.

Here are two examples of how to cite two authors:

Clifton, Mark, and Frank Riley.

Paxton, Roberta J., and Michael Jacob Fox.

(Author 1’s Last name and Author 2’s Last name page number) or Author 1’s Last name and Author 2’s Last name... (page).

There are many times when three or more authors work together on a source. This often happens with journal articles, edited books, and textbooks.

To cite a source with three or more authors, place the information in this format:

Author 1’s Last name, First name, et al.

As you can see, only include the first author’s name. The other authors are accounted for by using “et al.” In Latin, et al. is translated to “and others.” If using the Citation Machine citation generator, this abbreviation is automatically added for you.

Here’s an example of a citation for three or more authors:

%%Warner, Ralph, et al. How to Buy a House in California. Edited by Alayna Schroeder, 12th ed., Nolo, 2009.

(Author 1’s Last name et al. page number)

Is there no author listed on your source? If so, exclude the author’s information from the citation and begin the citation with the title of the source.

For in-text: Use the title of the source in parentheses. Place the title in italics if the source stands alone. Books and films stand alone. If it’s part of a larger whole, such as a chapter in an edited book or an article on a website, place the title in quotation marks without italics.

( Back to the Future )

(“Citing And Writing”)

Other in-text structures:

Authors with the same last name in your paper? MLA essay format requires the use of first initials in-text in this scenario.

Ex: (J. Silver 45)

Are you citing more than one source by the same author? For example, two books by Ernest Hemingway? Include the title in-text.

Example: (Hemingway, For Whom The Bell Tolls 12).

Are you citing a film or song? Include a timestamp in the format of hours:minutes:seconds. ( Back to the Future 00:23:86)

Was the source found on social media, such as a tweet, Reddit, or Instagram post? If this is the case, in an MLA format paper, you are allowed to start the citation with the author’s handle, username, or screen name.

Here is an example of how to cite a tweet:

%%@CarlaHayden. “I’m so honored to talk about digital access at @UMBCHumanities. We want to share the @libraryofcongress collection.” Twitter , 13 Apr. 2017, 6:04 p.m., twitter.com/LibnOfCongress/status/852643691802091521.

While most citations begin with the name of the author, they do not necessarily have to. Quite often, sources are compiled by editors. Or, your source may be done by a performer or composer. If your project focuses on someone other than the author, it is acceptable to place that person’s name first in the citation. If you’re using the MLA works cited generator at Citation Machine.net, you can choose the individual’s role from a drop-down box.

For example, let’s say that in your research project, you focus on Leonardo DiCaprio’s performances as an actor. You’re quoting a line from the movie Titanic in your project, and you’re creating a complete citation for it in the works-cited list.

It is acceptable to show the reader that you’re focusing on Leonardo DiCaprio’s work by citing it like this in the MLA works-cited list:

%%DiCaprio, Leonardo, performer. Titanic . Directed by James Cameron. Paramount, 1997.

Notice that when citing an individual other than the author, place the individual’s role after their name. In this case, Leonardo DiCaprio is the performer.

This is often done with edited books, too. Place the editor’s name first (in reverse order), add a comma, and then add the word editor.

If you’re still confused about how to place the authors together in a citation, the tools at CitationMachine.net can help! Our website is easy to use and will create your citations in just a few clicks!

Titles and containers

The titles are written as they are found on the source and in title form, meaning the important words start with a capital.

Here’s an example of a properly written title:

Practical Digital Libraries: Books, Bytes, and Bucks.

Wondering whether to place your title in italics or quotation marks? It depends on whether the source sits by itself or not. If the source stands alone, meaning that it is an independent source, place the title in italics. If the title is part of a larger whole, place the title of the source in quotation marks and the source it is from in italics.

When citing full books, movies, websites, or albums in their entirety, these titles are written in italics.

However, when citing part of a source, such as an article on a website, a chapter in a book, a song on an album, or an article in a scholarly journal, the part is written with quotation marks and then the titles of the sources that they are found in are written in italics.

Here are some examples to help you understand how to format titles and their containers.

To cite Pink Floyd’s entire album, The Wall , cite it as:

%%Pink Floyd. The Wall. Columbia, 1979.

To cite one of the songs on Pink Floyd’s album in MLA formatting, cite it as:

%%Pink Floyd. “Another Brick in the Wall (Part I).” The Wall, Columbia, 1979, track 3.

To cite a fairy tale book in its entirety, cite it as:

%%Colfer, Chris. The Land of Stories. Little Brown, 2016.

To cite a specific story or chapter in the book, cite it as:

%%Colfer, Chris. “Little Red Riding Hood.” The Land of Stories, Little Brown, 2016, pp. 58-65.

More about containers

From the section above, you can see that titles can stand alone, or they can sit in a container. Many times, sources can sit in more than one container. Wondering how? When citing an article in a scholarly journal, the first container is the journal. The second container? It’s the database that the scholarly journal is found in. It is important to account for all containers, so readers are able to locate the exact source themselves.

When citing a television episode, the first container is the name of the show and the second container is the name of the service that it could be streaming on, such as Netflix .

If your source sits in more than one container, the information about the second container is found at the end of the citation.

Use the following format to cite your source with multiple containers :

%%Last name of the author, First name of the author. “Source’s Title.” Container’s Title, roles and names of any other individuals who helped contribute to the source, the version of the source, any numbers associated with the source, the name of the publisher, the date the source was published, the location where individuals can find the source themselves (usually a URL or page range). Title of Second Container, roles and names of any other contributors, the version of the second container, any numbers associated with the second container, the name of the second container’s publisher, the date the second container was published, location.

If the source has more than two containers, add on another full section at the end for each container.

Not all of the fields in the citation format above need to be included in your citation. In fact, many of these fields will most likely be omitted from your citations. Only include the elements that will help your readers locate the source themselves.

Here is an example of a citation for a scholarly journal article found in a database. This source has two containers: the journal itself is one container, and the site it sits on is the other.

%%Zanetti, Francois. “Curing with Machine: Medical Electricity in Eighteenth-Century Paris.” Technology and Culture, vol. 54, no. 3, July 2013, pp. 503-530. Project Muse, muse.jhu.edu/article/520280.

If you’re still confused about containers, the Citation Machine MLA cite generator can help! MLA citing is easier when using the tools at CitationMachine.net.

Other contributors

Many sources have people besides the author who contribute to the source. If your research project focuses on an additional individual besides the author, or you feel as though including other contributors will help the reader locate the source themselves, include their names in the citation.

To include another individual in the citation, after the title, place the role of the individual, the word “by,” and then their name in standard order.

If the name of the contributor comes after a period, capitalize the first letter in the role of the individual. If it comes after a comma, the first letter in the role of the individual is lowercased.

Here’s an example of a citation for a children’s book with the name of the illustrator included:

%%Rubin, Adam. Dragons Love Tacos. Illustrated by Daniel Salmieri, Penguin, 2012.

The names of editors, directors, performers, translators, illustrators, and narrators can often be found in this part of the citation.

If the source that you’re citing states that it is a specific version or edition, this information is placed in the “versions” section of the citation.

When including a numbered edition, do not type out the number, use the numeral. Also, abbreviate the word “edition” to “ed.”

Here is an example of a citation with a specific edition:

%%Koger, Gregory. “Filibustering and Parties in the Modern State.” Congress Reconsidered, edited by Lawrence C. Dodd and Bruce I. Oppenheimer, 10th ed., CQ Press, 2013, pp. 221-236. Google Books, books.google.com/books?id=b7gkLlSEeqwC&lpg=PP1&dq=10th%20edition&pg=PR6#v=onepage&q=10th%20edition&f=false.

Many sources have numbers associated with them. If you see a number different than the date, page numbers, or editions, include this information in the “numbers” section of the citation. For MLA citing, this includes volume and/or issue numbers (use the abbreviations vol. and no.), episode numbers, track numbers, or any other numbers that will help readers identify the specific source that you used. Do not include ISBN (International Standard Book Numbers) in the citation.

It is important to include the name of the publisher (the organization that created or published the source), so that readers can locate the exact source themselves.

Include publishers for all sources except periodicals. Also, for websites, exclude this information when the name of the publisher matches the name of the website. Furthermore, the name of the publisher is often excluded from the citation for second containers, since the publisher of the second container is not necessarily responsible for the creation or production of the source’s content.

Publication dates

Publication dates are extremely important to include in citations. They allow the reader to understand when sources were published. They are also used when readers are attempting to locate the source themselves.

Dates can be written in MLA in one of two ways. Researchers can write dates as:

Day Mo. Year

Mo. Day, Year

Whichever format you decide to use, use the same format for all of your citations. If using the Citation Machine citation generator, the date will be formatted in the same way for each citation.

While it isn’t necessary to include the full date for all source citations, use the amount of information that makes the most sense to help your readers understand and locate the source themselves.

Wondering what to do when your source has more than one date? Use the date that is most applicable to your research.

The location generally refers to the place where the readers can find the source. This includes page ranges, URLs, DOI numbers, track numbers, disc numbers, or even cities and towns.

You can usually leave out http:// or https:// from URLs unless you want to hyperlink them. For DOIs, use http:// or https:// before the DOI: https://doi.org/xx.xxxx/xxx.xxxx.xxxx .

For page numbers, when citing a source found on only one page, use p.

Example: p. 6.

When citing a source that has a page range, use pp. and then add the page numbers.

Example: pp. 24-38.

Since the location is the final piece of the citation, place a period at the end. When it comes to URLs, many students wonder if the links in citations should be live or not. If the paper is being shared electronically with a teacher and other readers, it may be helpful to include live links. If you’re not sure whether to include live links or not, ask your teacher or professor for guidance.

Looking for an online tool to do the work for you? Citation Machine citing tools could help! Our site is simple (and fun!) to use.

Need some more help? There is further good information here .

Common Citation Examples

ALL sources use this format:

%%Last name of the author, First name of the author. “Source’s Title.” Container’s Title, roles and names of any other individuals who helped contribute to the source, the version of the source, any numbers associated with the source, the name of the publisher, the date the source was published, the location where individuals can find the source themselves (usually a URL or page range). *Title of Second Container, roles and names of any other contributors, the version of the second container, any numbers associated with the second container, the name of the second container’s publisher, the date the second container was published, location.

*If the source does not have a second container, omit this last part of the citation.

Remember, the Citation Machine MLA formatter can help you save time and energy when creating your citations. Check out our MLA Citation Machine pages to learn more.

• Journal Articles

How to Format a Paper

When it comes to formatting your paper or essay for academic purposes, there are specific MLA paper format guidelines to follow.

• Use paper that is 8½-by-11 inch in size. This is the standard size for copier and printer paper.
• Use high quality paper.
• Your research paper or essay should have a one-inch margin on the top, bottom, left, and right sides of the paper.
• While most word processors automatically format your paper to have one-inch margins, you can check or modify the margins of your paper by going to the “Page setup” section of your word processor.

Which font is acceptable to use?

• Use an easily readable font, specifically one that allows readers to see the difference between regular and italicized letters.
• Times New Roman, Arial, and Helvetica are recommended options.
• Use 12-point size font.

Should I double-space the paper, including citations?

• Double-space the entire paper.
• There should be a double space between each piece of information in the heading.
• Place a double space between the heading and the title.
• Place a double space between the title and the beginning of the essay.
• The works-cited list should be double-spaced as well. All citations are double-spaced.

Justification & Punctuation

• Text should be left-justified, meaning that the text is aligned, or flush, against the left margin.
• Indents signal to the reader that a new concept or idea is about to begin.
• Use the “tab” button on your keyboard to create an indent.
• Add one space after all punctuation marks.

Heading & Title

• Include a proper heading and title
• The heading should include the following, on separate lines, starting one inch from the top and left margins:
• Your full name
• Your teacher or professor’s name
• The course number
• Dates in the heading and the body of your essay should be consistent. Use the same format, either Day Month Year or Month Day, Year throughout the entire paper
• Examples: 27 July 2017 or July 27, 2017
• The title should be underneath the heading, centered in the middle of the page, without bold, underlined, italicized, or all capital letters.

Page numbers

• Number all pages, including the very first page and the works-cited list.
• Place page numbers in the top right corner, half an inch from the top margin and one inch from the right margin.
• Include your last name to the left of the page number. Example: Jacobson 4

Here’s an example to provide you with a visual:

If you need help with sentence structure or grammar, check out our paper checker. The paper checker will help to check every noun , verb , and adjective . If there are words that are misspelled or out of place, the paper checker will suggest edits and provide recommendations.

• If a citation flows onto the second line, indent it in half an inch from the left margin (called a “hanging indent”).
• For more information on the works-cited list, refer to “How to Make a Works Cited Page,” which is found below.

How to Create a Title Page

According to the Modern Language Association’s official guidelines for formatting a research paper, it is unnecessary to create or include an individual title page, or MLA cover page, at the beginning of a research project. Instead, follow the directions above, under “Heading & Title,” to create a proper heading. This heading is featured at the top of the first page of the research paper or research assignment.

If your instructor or professor does in fact require or ask for an MLA title page, follow the directions that you are given. They should provide you with the information needed to create a separate, individual title page. If they do not provide you with instructions, and you are left to create it at your own discretion, use the header information above to help you develop your research paper title page. You may want to include other information, such as the name of your school or university.

How to Make a Works Cited Page

The MLA Works Cited page is generally found at the end of a research paper or project. It contains a list of all the citations of sources used for the research project. Follow these directions to format the works-cited list to match the Modern Language Association’s guidelines.

• The “Works Cited” page has its own page at the end of a research project.
• Include the same running head as the rest of the project (Your last name and then the page number). The “Works Cited” page has the final page number for the project.
• Name the page “Works Cited,” unless your list only includes one citation. In that case, title it in MLA “Work Cited.”
• The title of the page (either “Works Cited” or “Work Cited”) is placed one inch from the top of the page, centered in the middle of the document.
• Double space the entire document, even between the title of the page and the first citation.
• Citations are listed in alphabetical order by the first word in the citation (usually the last name of the author or the first word in the title if the citation does not include the author’s name. Ignore “A,” “An,” and “The” if the title begins with these words.)
• If there are multiple citations by the same author, place them in chronological order by the date published.
• Also, instead of writing the author’s name twice in both citations, use three hyphens.

%%Angelou, Maya. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Random House, 2009.

%%---. Gather Together in My Name. Random House, 1974.

• All citations begin flush against the left margin. If the citation is long and rolls onto a second or third line, indent the lines below the first line half an inch from the left margin. This is called a “hanging indent.” The purpose of a hanging indent is to make the citations easier to read. If you’re using our MLA citation machine, we’ll format each of your references with a hanging indent for you.

%%Wai-Chung, Ho. “Political Influences on Curriculum Content and Musical Meaning: Hong Kong Secondary Music Education, 1949-1997.” Journal of Historical Research in Music Education, vol. 22, no. 1, 1 Oct. 2000, pp. 5-25. Periodicals Index Online, search-proquest-com.i.ezproxy.nypl.org/pio/docview/1297849364/citation/6B70D633F50C4EA0PQ/78?accountid=35635.

• MLA “Works Cited” pages can be longer than one page. Use as many pages as necessary. If you have only one source to cite, do not place the one citation below the text of your paper. In MLA, a “Work Cited” page is still created for that individual citation.

Here’s a sample paper to give you an idea of what an MLA paper could look like. Included at the end is an MLA “Works Cited” page example.

Looking to add a relevant image, figure, table, or musical score to your paper? Here’s the easy way to do it, while following guidelines set forth by the Modern Language Association:

• Place the image, figure, table, or music close to where it’s mentioned in the text.
• Provide source information and any additional notes directly below the image, figure, table, or music.

For tables:

• Label the table as “Table” followed by an arabic numeral such as “1.” Table 1 is the table closest to the beginning of the paper. The next table mentioned in the text would be Table 2, and so on.
• Create a title for the table and place it below the label. Capitalize all important words.
• The label (Table 1) and the title should be flush against the left margin.
• Double-space everything.

• A figure can be a map, photograph, painting, pie chart, or any other type of image.
• Create a label and place it below the figure. The figure first mentioned in the text of the project is either “Figure 1” or “Fig 1.” Though figures are usually abbreviated to “Fig.” Choose one style and use it consistently. The next mentioned figure is “Figure 2” or “Fig. 2.”, and so on.
• Place a caption next to the label. If all of the source information is included in the caption, there isn’t a need to replicate that information in the works-cited list.

MLA Final Checklist

Think you’re through? We know this guide covered a LOT of information, so before you hand in that assignment, here’s a checklist to help you determine if you have everything you need:

_ Are both in-text and full citations included in the project? Remember, for every piece of outside information included in the text, there should be a corresponding in-text citation next to it. Include the full citation at the end, on the “Works Cited” page.

_ Are all citations, both in-text and full, properly formatted in MLA style? If you’re unsure, try out our citation generator!

_ Is your paper double-spaced in its entirety with one inch margins?

_ Do you have a running header on each page? (Your last name followed by the page number)

_ Did you use a font that is easy to read?

_ Are all citations on the MLA format works-cited list in alphabetical order?

Our plagiarism checker scans for any accidental instances of plagiarism. It scans for grammar and spelling errors, too. If you have an adverb , preposition , or conjunction that needs a slight adjustment, we may be able to suggest an edit.

Common Ways Students Accidentally Plagiarize

We spoke a bit about plagiarism at the beginning of this guide. Since you’re a responsible researcher, we’re sure you didn’t purposely plagiarize any portions of your paper. Did you know students and scholars sometimes accidentally plagiarize? Unfortunately, it happens more often than you probably realize. Luckily, there are ways to prevent accidental plagiarism and even some online tools to help!

Here are some common ways students accidentally plagiarize in their research papers and assignments:

1. Poor Paraphrasing

In the “How to create a paraphrase” section towards the top of this page, we share that paraphrases are “recycled information, in the paper writer’s own words and writing style.” If you attempt to paraphrase a few lines of text and it ends up looking and sounding too close to the original author’s words, it’s a poor paraphrase and considered plagiarism.

2. Incorrect Citations

If you cite something incorrectly, even if it’s done accidentally, it’s plagiarism. Any incorrect information in a reference, such as the wrong author name or the incorrect title, results in plagiarism.

3. Forgetting to include quotation marks

When you include a quote in your paper, you must place quotation marks around it. Failing to do so results in plagiarism.

If you’re worried about accidental plagiarism, try our Citation Machine Plus essay tool. It scans for grammar, but it also checks for any instances of accidental plagiarism. It’s simple and user-friendly, making it a great choice for stress-free paper editing and publishing.

Updated June 15, 2021

Written and edited by Michele Kirschenbaum and Wendy Ikemoto. Michele Kirschenbaum has been an awesome school librarian since 2006 and is an expert in citing sources. Wendy Ikemoto has a master’s degree in library and information science and has been working for Citation Machine since 2012.

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MLA Citation Generator

- powered by chegg, all of our writing tools, none of the ads, consider your source's credibility. ask these questions:, contributor/author.

• Has the author written several articles on the topic, and do they have the credentials to be an expert in their field?
• Can you contact them? Do they have social media profiles?
• Have other credible individuals referenced this source or author?
• Book: What have reviews said about it?
• What do you know about the publisher/sponsor? Are they well-respected?
• Do they take responsibility for the content? Are they selective about what they publish?
• Take a look at their other content. Do these other articles generally appear credible?
• Does the author or the organization have a bias? Does bias make sense in relation to your argument?
• Is the purpose of the content to inform, entertain, or to spread an agenda? Is there commercial intent?
• Are there ads?
• When was the source published or updated? Is there a date shown?
• Does the publication date make sense in relation to the information presented to your argument?
• Does the source even have a date?
• Was it reproduced? If so, from where?
• If it was reproduced, was it done so with permission? Copyright/disclaimer included?

What You Need to Know About MLA Formatting

Writing a paper soon? If your assignment requires the use of Modern Language Association (MLA) style, then you're in luck! EasyBib® has tools to help you create citations for over 50 source types in this style, as well as a guide to show you how an MLA paper should be formatted. Review the guide to learn how to format a paper's title page, paragraphs, margins, quotations, abbreviations, numbers, tables, and more! There are even tips on editing, as well as on the type of paper you choose to print your paper on—yes, it's that comprehensive!

A Handy Guide for Using APA Format

Ever wonder how to cite a book with no author in APA style? Do you know how graphics should be formatted in a paper? Thanks to our EasyBib® guide on citing and formatting in American Psychological Association (APA) style, you don't have to guess anymore! We break down the guidelines for you into separate, digestible chunks of information that range from the ways to present headers, to use of abbreviations, to how to format titles for citations. There are also several helpful citation examples for you to review. Read up and start learning today!

Chicago Style Simplified

Jump start your knowledge of the Chicago Manual of Style (or Turabian style) with our structured EasyBib® guides. Each one will teach you the structure of a Chicago-style citation, followed by a real-life citation example for you to examine. Begin with our "“"Quick Guide" on citing common source types (books, magazines, newspapers, and websites). Then, discover why we have footnotes and how they work, or choose a "How to Cite" guide based on the source type you're using (e.g. photo, film, tweet, journal, blog, video on YouTube, conference paper, etc.). You're in charge of your own learning path!

Student & Teacher Blog for Better Papers

Keep your citing skills current and your writing skills fresh by reading our weekly EasyBib® Blog. You'll find articles about citing interesting source types (know how to cite a meme?), the latest updates to our tools and services, writing tips and tricks, and more! Aside from content that students (or any writer) could benefit from, we also feature posts written by educators, for educators! They discuss writing and information literacy pedagogy, present resource recommendation lists, and generally share their experience and knowledge.

Discover the EasyBib® Writing Center

Visit our writing center and explore our library of engaging guides, articles, videos, lesson plans, infographics, and other informative resources on citing, writing, and the research process. Best of all, it's free, and you can visit it anytime you need assistance. Need it now? Simply go to our homepage and input keywords based on your topic into the search bar. From there, any relevant guides will be listed with a brief description, allowing you to make an educated selection. Click on a result that fits your needs and begin reading! Easy peasy.

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MSU Libraries

Course guides.

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VIP 617: Academic & Professional Writing (Li): Citation Help

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Citation Management Resources

• Citation Management Software Supported at MSU Libraries
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Citation Management Software

EndNote and EndNote Online  Information on EndNote bibliographic software, including a link to free training sessions held at the library.

Zotero  An online tool for citation management, formatting, and collaboration. Includes a link to free training sessions.

Mendeley  A free reference manager and academic social network. Includes a link to free training sessions held at the library.

Papers  A reference manager with features for managing citations and PDFs, searching for and sharing scholarly articles, and adding citations to manuscripts.

Citation Generators

Bibcitation  A tool for formatting bibliographies in MLA, APA, Chicago, and many other styles.

Citation Wizards  From the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy: converts to MLA, APA, and CSE (formerly known as (CBE) style.

*Disclaimer: These sites are maintained by third parties outside of the MSU Libraries. Always double-check any citations generated by these sites to ensure accuracy.

MLA Citation Style

• MLA Citation Guide, 9th Edition (Purdue OWL)

• MLA Formatting and Style Guide, 8th Edition (Excelsior College) Online style guide

APA Citation Style (7th Edition)

• APA Formatting and Style Guide - 7th Edition Online style guide

Chicago Citation Style

Turabian Citation Style

FYI: Turabian is the student version of Chicago style.  

• Turabian Quick Guide Online style guide by the publisher of the guide.

Further Help with Citations

If you want to talk through citation questions with an actual person, we recommend the following services:

• MSU Writing Center By appointment. The Writing Center has locations in the Main Library, as well as Bessey Hall, and the Neighborhood Engagement Centers
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Citation Help (MLA)

• MLA Citation Guide, 9th ed. [PDF] The FLITE guide to MLA Citation Format.
• Purdue OWL MLA Formatting and Style Guide MLA Citation Style and Formatting from the academically-recognized Purdue Online Writing Lab. Do not use the Citation Machine ad that is on the site to create your citations.
• Web Tool : Citation Machine Online tool for creating citations. Be sure to check the results to be sure they are correct!

Citation Help (APA)

• APA Citation Style Guide (7th ed.) [PDF] The FLITE guide to APA Citations.
• APA - Purdue OWL APA Citation Formatting and Style Guide from the academically-recognized Purdue Online Writing Lab. Do not use the Citation Machine ad that is on the site to create your citations.

APA and MLA Citation Game

• APA and MLA Citation Game Home Page University of Washington hosted APA and MLA Citation Game (This would be great for practice!).
• MLA Master Blaster From The Citation Game Organization, an MLA citation game.
• APA Psych Out From The Citation Game Organization, an APA citation game.

Writing Resources (Ferris Writing Center)

• Ferris Writing Center Free assistance to all FSU students, faculty, and staff. In addition to tutoring help on-campus, the Writing Center will do tutoring online, including reviews of research papers and citation consultations. Don't pass up this opportunity for help.
• OWL (Online Writing Lab) at Purdue An invaluable reference for writing research papers. Covering everything from creating a thesis statement and coping with writer's block to formatting citations and the principles of academic writing, this comprehensive web site is a resource tool for every paper you'll ever need to write.
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Ferris Library for Information, Technology, and Education

When And How To Cite AI In MLA/APA Formats

Declan Gessel

Sep 5, 2024

Artificial intelligence tools can boost the writing process for students and researchers alike, but what happens when you use AI to find sources for your essay? If you're like most people, you need to learn how to cite the AI program that helped you. Fortunately, you're not alone. Many students and academics need help with how to credit artificial intelligence appropriately. 

This guide will allow you to transition from the anxiety of not knowing how to cite AI in your paper to confidently understanding how to do it in no time. Keep reading if you're ready to find sources for essay and learn how to cite them in MLA format. Jotbot's source finder can help you find sources for your essay quickly and easily. It also generates accurate citations in multiple formats, including MLA and APA, so you can properly credit artificial intelligence and any other source that may have influenced your work.

Table Of Contents

Understanding the rise of ai in writing and research, why citing ai tools is important, when to cite ai tools, how to cite ai in apa format, ethical considerations and best practices for using ai in academics, what are the main challenges faced when using ai for academic writing, how jotbot can help you cite ai tools, write smarter with jotbot's source finder — start writing for free today.

Artificial Intelligence , or AI, is quickly changing the academic writing and research world. AI tools can help researchers and writers produce better work in less time, and they’re becoming more accessible and sophisticated by the day. In the early 2000s, grammar and spelling checkers made up the most available AI tools for writers. However, as natural language processing (NLP) technology advanced, more sophisticated AI writing assistants emerged in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Today, AI writing tools are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with the ability to generate entire paragraphs or articles based on a given prompt. The rise of large language models like GPT-3 has further accelerated the development of AI writing tools, making them more powerful and versatile. 

The Importance of Citing AI-Generated Content 

A common misconception about academic writing is that it involves producing an original piece. While originality certainly has its place, academic writing is more about contributing to a larger scholarly conversation. This means that writers need to pay close attention to the work of others and properly cite any sources used. The same goes for AI-generated content. Even if the material produced by an AI tool is unique, it may still contain information gleaned from external sources. Citing these sources is crucial for maintaining academic integrity.

Related Reading

• Citing ChatGPT • How To Find Academic Sources • Using AI For Research • How To Find Good Sources • AI For Research Paper Writing • Essay Sources • AI In Academic Writing • Most Reliable Sources For Research • How To Get ChatGPT To Cite Sources

The Ethical Implications of AI in Academic Work

The increasing use of AI tools in academic writing and research raises several ethical concerns that must be addressed. 

Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty

AI tools like ChatGPT can generate essays, solve problems, and produce content that is difficult to distinguish from human-written work. This makes it easier for students to engage in academic dishonesty by passing off AI-generated content as their own, which undermines the learning process and erodes academic integrity. 

Bias and Lack of Transparency

AI systems are trained on large datasets that may contain biases and inaccuracies. The inner workings of AI models are often opaque, making it challenging to identify and mitigate biases in the generated content. This can perpetuate biased or misleading information in academic work. 

Overreliance and Deskilling

Excessive use of AI tools in academic writing and research may lead to declining critical thinking and writing skills among students and researchers. There is a risk of over-relying on AI-generated content and losing the ability to engage in independent, original research and writing. 

Privacy and Data Protection

AI in education often involves collecting and analyzing large amounts of student data. Ensuring the privacy and security of this data is crucial, as any breaches or misuse could have severe consequences for students. 

Equity and Access

AI tools may not be equally accessible to all students, potentially exacerbating educational inequalities. The cost of AI tools and the digital divide may limit access for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. 

Implications of Not Addressing Ethical Concerns 

Failure to address these ethical concerns can lead to several negative consequences: 

Erosion of Academic Integrity

If left unchecked, using AI-generated content in academic work can undermine the credibility of educational institutions and the value of degrees and qualifications. 

Perpetuation of Biases and Misinformation

The unethical use of AI in academic work can contribute to the spread of biased and misleading information, which can have far-reaching consequences in various fields. 

Legal and Reputational Risks

Institutions that fail to protect student data and ensure ethical AI practices may face legal consequences and reputational damage. 

Widening of Educational Inequalities

If AI tools are not accessible to all students, using these technologies in education may exacerbate existing inequalities and limit opportunities for disadvantaged students. 

Best Practices for Ethical AI Use in Academia 

To mitigate these ethical concerns and ensure the responsible use of AI in academic work, the following best practices should be implemented: 

Develop Clear Policies and Guidelines

Institutions should establish clear policies and guidelines for using AI tools in academic work, including requirements for disclosure and attribution. 

Provide Training and Education

Students and faculty should receive training on the ethical use of AI tools, including identifying AI-generated content and correctly citing and attributing such content. Implement 

Detection and Monitoring Systems

Institutions should invest in tools and systems to detect AI-generated content and monitor academic dishonesty. 

Foster a Culture of Academic Integrity

Institutions should promote an academic integrity culture emphasizing the importance of original work, critical thinking, and ethical research practices. 

Ensure Algorithmic Transparency and Fairness

AI tools used in educational work should be designed with transparency and fairness, and measures should be in place to identify and mitigate biases.

The Necessity of Giving Credit to AI Tools as Contributors to Research and Writing

As AI tools become increasingly integrated into academic writing and research, it is crucial to acknowledge their contributions. Failing to give credit to AI tools undermines transparency, erodes trust in research findings, and violates ethical principles of academic integrity. Here's a step-by-step guide on properly crediting AI tools, their importance, potential problems, and solutions. 

How to Credit AI Tools Identify AI Tools Used

List all AI tools utilized in the research process, including writing assistance, data analysis, literature review, and experimental design. 

Specify Contributions

Describe the specific contributions of each AI tool, such as generating text, analyzing data, or optimizing experimental parameters. 

Provide Details

Include relevant details about the AI tools, such as the version, developer, and any customization or fine-tuning performed. 

Cite Sources

Provide citations for any published papers or documentation related to the AI tools. 

Acknowledge Limitations

Discuss any limitations or potential biases introduced by the AI tools and how they were mitigated. 

Include in Acknowledgments

List the AI tools in the acknowledgments section of the paper, along with a brief description of their contributions. 

Why Credit AI Tools? Transparency

Crediting AI tools promotes transparency in the research process, allowing readers to understand the role of technology in the study. 

Acknowledging AI contributions upholds the principles of academic integrity by providing a complete and accurate account of the research methods. 

Replicability

Proper attribution enables other researchers to replicate the study using the same AI tools, ensuring consistency and comparability of results. 

Ethical Compliance

Many institutions and journals have policies requiring the disclosure of AI use in research. Crediting AI tools demonstrates compliance with these guidelines. 

Accountability

Acknowledging AI contributions holds researchers accountable for the responsible use of technology in their work. 

Potential Problems and Solutions Lack of Awareness

Some researchers may need to be made aware of the need to credit AI tools. Providing clear guidelines and training can help address this issue. 

Uncertainty about Contributions

Researchers may need help to determine AI tools' specific contributions. Collaborating with AI experts and documenting the research process can help clarify these contributions. 

Concerns about Diminishing Human Contributions

Researchers may worry that crediting AI tools overshadows or diminishes the importance of human contributions. Striking a balance in the acknowledgments and emphasizing the complementary roles of humans and AI can mitigate this concern. 

Resistance to Change

Some researchers may be reluctant to adopt new practices of crediting AI tools. Fostering a culture of transparency and ethical AI use, as well as providing incentives for compliance, can help overcome this resistance. 

Expert pinion 

Expert opinion on using AI tools in academic writing and research , drawing from the provided search results, The increasing use of AI tools in academic writing and study presents both opportunities and challenges. On one hand, AI can enhance efficiency, improve writing quality, and facilitate collaboration. AI tools can assist in idea generation, content structuring, literature synthesis, data management, editing, and ethical compliance. 

They can save researchers time by quickly locating relevant information in research articles, identifying key sections, and generating summaries. However, the use of AI tools also raises significant ethical concerns. Scholars have been caught incorporating verbatim text from AI language models like ChatGPT into peer-reviewed articles, which erodes academic integrity. There are risks of plagiarism, perpetuating biases, and over-relying on AI to the detriment of critical thinking skills. 

Multi-Faceted Approach 

Develop clear policies and guidelines for using AI tools in academic work, including requirements for disclosure and attribution. Provide training and education to students and faculty on AI's ethical use, including identifying AI-generated content and properly citing sources. Implement detection and monitoring systems to identify AI-generated text and prevent academic dishonesty. 

Critically evaluate the output of AI tools rather than blindly accept them as accurate, supplement AI-generated summaries by reading sources. Use AI tools to assist in writing by paraphrasing and summarizing information, but avoid simply copying and pasting AI-generated text. View AI as a tool to enhance human capabilities, not replace them entirely. Originality, creativity, and critical thinking are crucial for scientific progress. 

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Understanding When to Cite AI-Generated Content in Academic Writing

As artificial intelligence continues to gain traction, it is becoming more prevalent in academic writing. The emergence of AI-generated content is already raising questions about academic integrity, forcing researchers to consider how to address this new technology in their work. One of the most pressing concerns is whether AI tools should be cited as a source. So, do you cite AI? The answer is it depends. Here’s a closer look at when and how to cite AI-generated content in academic writing. 

When AI-Generated Content Must Be Cited

AI-generated content has become increasingly prevalent in academic writing and research, necessitating clear guidelines for when and how to cite such content. Understanding the situations where AI-generated content must be noted is crucial for maintaining academic integrity. Here’s a detailed explanation of these situations and a step-by-step guide on how to cite AI-generated content. 

Situations Where AI-Generated Content Must Be Cited

Direct text generation.

It must be cited when you use text generated directly by an AI tool, such as paragraphs, sentences, or phrases. This includes any verbatim text that you incorporate into your work. 

Summaries and Paraphrasing

If you summarize or paraphrase content produced by an AI tool, you must still provide a citation. This acknowledges that the underlying ideas or information originated from the AI. 

Ideas and Concepts

These should also be credited when AI tools generate unique ideas or concepts that influence your research or writing. This is particularly relevant if the AI tool provides insights that shape your arguments or conclusions. 

Data and Analysis

If AI tools assist in analyzing data or generating findings, the output should be cited. This includes any statistical analysis, visualizations, or interpretations the AI produces. 

Images and Visual Content

When using AI-generated images or graphics, it is essential to cite the tool that created them and provide details about the prompt used to generate the content. 

Interactive Content

If you engage with AI tools in a way that generates responses or content (e.g., chatbots), any significant output from these interactions should be cited. 

Step-by-Step Guide to Citing AI-Generated Content

Determine the type of content.

Identify whether the content is text, summary, idea, data, or visual material generated by AI. 

Choose the Appropriate Citation Style

Decide which citation style you use (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.), as guidelines for citing AI-generated content may vary. 

Format the Citation

Follow the specific format for the chosen citation style. Here are examples of different styles: 

APA Style: 

Format: Author. (Year). Title of tool (Version) [Description]. URL Example: OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat 

MLA Style: Format: "Description of prompt." Name of AI tool, version, Company, Date, URL. Example: "Explain the process of photosynthesis." ChatGPT, OpenAI, Mar. 14, 2023, https://chat.openai.com/chat. 

Chicago Style: Format: Text generated by [AI tool], Date, Company, URL. Example: Text generated by ChatGPT, OpenAI, Mar. 14, 2023, https://chat.openai.com/chat. 

Include In-Text Citations: Whenever you reference AI-generated content in your writing, include an in-text citation corresponding to your full citation. 

Document the Context: In your writing, provide context about how you used the AI tool, such as specifying the prompt or the nature of the interaction. 

Review and Verify: Check your citations against the latest guidelines from your institution or relevant style guides to ensure accuracy. 

Why You Should Cite AI-Generated Content

Maintain academic integrity.

Citing AI-generated content upholds the ethical standards of academic work by acknowledging the contributions of the technology. 

Enhance Credibility

Proper citations enhance the credibility of your work by demonstrating thoroughness in research and respect for intellectual property. 

Facilitate Verification

Citing sources allows readers to verify the information and understand the context in which the AI was used. 

Problems That Might Be Faced

Lack of familiarity.

Researchers may need to become more familiar with the nuances of citing AI-generated content, leading to potential errors. 

Evolving Guidelines

Citation guidelines for AI still need to be developed, creating confusion about best practices. 

Overreliance on AI

There may be a tendency to over-rely on AI-generated content, leading to insufficient critical engagement with the material. 

Education and Training

Institutions should provide resources and training on how to cite AI-generated content effectively. 

Develop Clear Guidelines

Academic institutions and publishers should establish clear, updated guidelines for citing AI-generated content to reduce confusion. 

Encourage Critical Engagement

Researchers should be encouraged to critically evaluate and synthesize AI-generated content rather than simply incorporating it into their work. 

Distinguishing Between When to Cite AI-Generated Content and AI Assistance

There is a clear distinction between AI-generated content that requires citation and AI assistance that does not. 

Situations Not Requiring Citation

Essential Idea Generation: If you use AI tools to brainstorm ideas or generate outlines without directly incorporating specific text or ideas, a citation may not be necessary. However, it is good practice to acknowledge the use of AI assistance in the writing process. 

Editing and Proofreading: If AI tools are used solely for grammar checks, spelling corrections, or style suggestions without generating new content, you typically do not need to cite these contributions. 

Common Knowledge: Information that is widely known and accepted (e.g., facts like "water boils at 100 degrees Celsius") does not require citation, regardless of whether it was generated by AI or found through traditional research. 

Case Studies Illustrating When AI-Generated Content Should Be Cited

Here are a few case studies illustrating situations where AI-generated content should be cited in academic writing: 

1. Using AI for Idea Generation

A researcher is working on a paper exploring the potential of renewable energy sources. They use an AI tool to brainstorm ideas and generate an outline for the paper. AI Involvement: The AI tool provides a list of potential renewable energy sources to consider and a suggested outline for the paper. 

The researcher reviews and refines the ideas and outlines. Is a direct citation needed? No direct citation is required for the AI-generated ideas and outline, as they were used as a starting point for the researcher's work. However, it is good practice to acknowledge the use of the AI tool in the paper's methods section or acknowledgments. 

2. Incorporating AI-Generated Text

A student is writing a paper on the history of the Internet. They use an AI tool to summarize the key events and milestones. AI Involvement: The AI tool generates a paragraph-length summary of the history of the Internet based on the student's prompt. The student incorporates portions of the summary into their paper. 

Citation Needed?: Yes, the student should cite the AI-generated text using the appropriate citation style (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago) and include the prompt used to generate the text in the citation. 

3. Using AI for Data Analysis

A researcher is analyzing a large dataset on global temperature trends. They use an AI tool to identify patterns, generate visualizations, and interpret the findings. AI Involvement: The AI tool processes the dataset, creates various data visualizations, and provides insights into the temperature trends. The researcher incorporates the AI-generated visualizations and findings into their paper. 

Citation Needed?: Yes, the researcher should cite the AI tool used for data analysis and include details about the specific tasks performed by the AI (e.g., data processing, visualization generation, interpretation). Citations and figure captions should be included in the methods section. 

4. Editing with AI Assistance

A graduate student is proofreading their thesis. They use an AI-powered writing assistant to check for grammar, spelling, and style errors. AI Involvement: The AI tool identifies and suggests corrections for various grammatical and stylistic issues in the thesis. The student reviews and implements the proposed changes. 

Citation Needed?: No citation is needed for AI-powered editing assistance, as the AI tool does not generate new content but provides suggestions for improvement. However, the student should acknowledge the use of the AI tool in their methods section or acknowledgments. 

These case studies illustrate that while AI can be a valuable tool in various stages of the writing process, it is essential to understand when and how to cite AI-generated content to maintain academic integrity. 

Recognizing AI Involvement in Different Stages of Writing 

AI can be involved in various stages of the writing process, from ideation to final editing. Here's a detailed explanation of how AI can be used at each stage: 

Idea Generation 

AI tools can assist in brainstorming ideas and generating paper outlines. They can provide prompts, suggest topics, and help structure the argument. For example, an AI tool might help explore the potential of renewable energy sources or provide a suggested outline for a paper on the history of the Internet. 

Research and Literature Review 

AI can help researchers gather and synthesize information from various sources. AI-powered search engines and research assistants can quickly locate relevant literature, identify key findings, and generate summaries. However, verifying the accuracy of the AI-generated information and citing the sources is crucial. 

Drafting and Writing 

AI tools can help generate text for various sections of a paper, such as introductions, literature reviews, and conclusions. They can also assist in rephrasing and paraphrasing content. However, any AI-generated text should be carefully reviewed, edited, and cited appropriately. 

Data Analysis and Visualization 

AI can process large datasets, identify patterns, and generate visualizations. Researchers can use AI tools to create graphs, charts, and other visual representations of their findings. These AI-generated visualizations should be cited in the paper, along with details about the specific tasks performed by the AI. 

Editing and Proofreading 

AI-powered writing assistants can help identify and correct grammar, spelling, and style errors. They can also suggest improvements to sentence structure and clarity. While these tools can be helpful, they should be used judiciously and acknowledged in the paper.

How to Cite AI in MLA Format

The Modern Language Association (MLA) has provided rules for citing AI-generated content in academic writing. While AI tools can assist in various stages of the writing process, acknowledging their contributions is crucial to maintaining transparency and academic integrity. 

Cite AI-generated content whenever you directly quote, paraphrase, or incorporate it into your work, regardless of whether it is text, images, or data. 

Treat AI tools as the "author" of the generated content, using the tool's name and the company that created it. Include the version of the AI tool and the date you accessed it in your citation. Provide the URL of the AI tool in your citation. Alphabetize AI citations in your works cited list by the first word in the citation, typically the name of the AI tool. 

Creating an MLA Citation for AI Tools

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to format AI-generated content in MLA style: 

Begin the citation with the prompt or description of the AI-generated content in quotation marks. 

Follow the prompt with the name of the AI tool in italics. 

Include the version of the AI tool (if available) and the company that created it. 4. Provide the date you accessed the AI tool. 

5 End the citation with the URL of the AI tool. 

Example MLA Citation for ChatGPT

Explain the process of photosynthesis." ChatGPT, GPT-4, OpenAI, 30 Jun. 2023, chat.openai.com/chat. 

Example MLA Citation for Jotbot

Generate a haiku about nature." Jotbot, Anthropic, 15 May 2023, www.anthropic.com/jotbot. 

Integrating AI Citations Into Your MLA-Formatted Paper

Use parenthetical citations to reference AI-generated content within your text, following the same format as you would for a human author. 

(ChatGPT, GPT-4) If the AI-generated content is short, you can incorporate it directly into your paragraph. Consider including it in an appendix or as a supplementary file for longer content. Maintain consistency in your citation style throughout your paper, following the guidelines set forth by the MLA Handbook. If you need help citing a specific type of AI-generated content, include a note in your text explaining how you used the tool and the purpose of the content. 

Best Practices for Citing AI-Generated Content

Be transparent.

Indicate when AI tools have contributed to your work. 

Document Your Process

Record how you used the AI tool, including prompts and responses. 

Consult Institutional Guidelines

Always check your institution’s guidelines regarding AI tools and citation practices. 

Use Consistent Formatting

Ensure all citations, including those for AI-generated content, follow the same formatting rules throughout your paper. 

If the AI-generated content has limitations or biases, mention this in your work to maintain transparency.

Potential Problems and Solutions

Uncertainty about citation requirements.

Problem: Students may need help to cite AI-generated content properly. 

Solution: Consult citation guides, institutional resources, or instructors to clarify citation practices. 

Problem: Citation styles for AI-generated content still need to be developed, leading to confusion. 

Solution: Stay updated on the latest citation guidelines from reputable sources and adapt as necessary. 

Problem: There may be a tendency to rely too heavily on AI-generated content, diminishing original thought. Solution: Use AI as a supplementary tool rather than a primary content source. Engage critically with the material generated. 

Plagiarism Concerns 

Problem: Misusing AI-generated content without proper citation can lead to accusations of plagiarism. 

Solution: Always attribute AI-generated content appropriately and ensure it is integrated into your work ethically. 

Technical Issues 

Problem: Technical difficulties accessing or using AI tools may hinder the citation process. 

Solution: Familiarize yourself with the AI tool’s functionalities and seek help from technical support if needed. 

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Overview of APA Guidelines for AI-Generated Content

The American Psychological Association has begun to establish guidelines for citing AI-generated content. The AI tool's developer or organization is considered the author. This approach emphasizes transparency and proper attribution in academic work. 

General Rules for Citing AI Tools in APA Format

Cite AI-generated content whenever you directly quote, paraphrase, or incorporate it into your work. Treat the AI tool's developer as the author of the generated content. Include the version of the AI tool and the date of access. Provide the URL of the AI tool. In-text citations should include the name of the AI tool, its developer, and the year of publication. 

Creating an APA Citation for AI Tools

Step-by-step guide.

Identify the Prompt: Write down the exact prompt or query you provided to the AI tool.

Gather Citation Information: Author: The developer or organization of the AI tool (e.g., OpenAI). Date: The year the AI-generated content was created. Name of Tool: The name of the AI tool (e.g., ChatGPT). Version: Note the version of the AI tool if applicable. URL: Include the URL for the AI tool. 

Format the Citation: Format: Author. (Year). Name of tool (Version) [Description]. URL Example: OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. 

Include In-Text Citations: Use parenthetical citations within your text to reference the AI-generated content. 

Example: (OpenAI, 2023) Create a References Page: List all AI-generated content citations at the end of your paper according to APA guidelines. 

Integrating AI Citations into Your APA-Formatted Paper

Seamless inclusion.

When referencing AI-generated content in your text, include it naturally within your discussion. For example, "According to the AI-generated summary, 'photosynthesis is the process by which green plants convert sunlight into energy' (OpenAI, 2023)." 

Clarity and Consistency

Maintain clarity by ensuring that AI citations are formatted consistently with other citations in your paper. Contextual Explanation: Provide context for how the AI tool was used if necessary. For example," Using ChatGPT, I generated a summary of photosynthesis to understand the topic better."

Always check your institution’s guidelines regarding using AI tools and citation practices. 

If the AI-generated content has limitations or biases, mention this in your work to maintain transparency. 

Potential Challenges and Solutions

Problem: Students may need help citing AI-generated content properly. 

Problem: There may be a tendency to rely too heavily on AI-generated content, diminishing original thought. 

Solution: Use AI as a supplementary tool rather than a primary content source. Engage critically with the material generated. 

Plagiarism Concerns

Problem: Misusing AI-generated content without proper citation can lead to accusations of plagiarism. Solution: Always attribute AI-generated content appropriately and ensure it is ethically integrated into your work. 

Technical Issues

Problem: Technical difficulties accessing or using AI tools may hinder the citation process. Solution: Familiarize yourself with the AI tool’s functionalities and seek help from technical support if needed. 

Expert Opinion 

According to a guide from the University of Oregon, “When citing AI-generated content using APA style, you should treat that content as the output of an algorithm, with the author of the content being the company or organization that created the model.” This perspective emphasizes the importance of proper attribution and the evolving nature of citation practices as AI technology develops.

The Importance of Transparency When Using AI in Academic Work

Transparency establishes trust between researchers, institutions, and the public. When AI tools are used in research, stakeholders must understand how these tools operate, what data they use, and how they arrive at their conclusions. Clear communication about the AI's functions helps mitigate bias, reliability, and ethical use concerns. 

Ensuring Accountability

Transparent AI practices allow for research accountability. When researchers disclose the AI tools they use and how they integrate them into their work, it becomes easier to identify who is responsible for the research's outcomes. This accountability is crucial, especially in high-stakes healthcare fields where AI can influence patient outcomes.

Promoting Ethical Standards

Transparency in AI usage aligns with ethical research practices. By openly discussing AI tools' limitations and potential biases, researchers can ensure that their work adheres to moral standards. This transparency helps to prevent the misuse of AI-generated content and promotes a culture of integrity within academic institutions.

Facilitating Collaboration

Transparent practices encourage collaboration among researchers, AI developers, and other stakeholders. When everyone understands how AI tools work and their potential impacts, it fosters a collaborative environment where knowledge can be shared and best practices can be developed. 

Enhancing Public Understanding

Transparency helps demystify AI technology for the general public. Institutions can enhance public understanding and acceptance of AI in academia by providing clear explanations of how AI tools function and their role in research.

Best Practices for Acknowledging AI Assistance in Research and Writing

Document ai usage .

Keep detailed records of how AI tools were used in your research process , including prompts, generated content, and the specific tasks performed by the AI. This documentation will be helpful for transparency and accountability. 

Cite AI Tools Appropriately 

To properly cite AI-generated content in your work, follow established citation guidelines (such as APA or MLA). This includes providing the name of the AI tool, the organization behind it, the version, and the date of access. 

Include Contextual Information 

When discussing AI-generated content in your writing, provide context about how the AI was utilized. Explain the AI tool's purpose and how it contributed to your research or writing.

Be upfront about your AI tools' limitations and potential biases. Discuss how these limitations may affect your research findings or conclusions.

Educate Stakeholders

Conduct workshops or informational sessions to educate colleagues and students about the ethical use of AI in research. This can foster a culture of transparency and accountability within the academic community. 

Engage in Continuous Reflection 

Regularly reflect on the impact of AI tools on your research and writing processes. Consider how they influence your conclusions and whether your reliance on AI is appropriate. 

Collaborate with AI Experts 

Work with AI developers or specialists to understand the tools better and their implications for your work. This collaboration can enhance the quality of your research and ensure ethical practices.

According to a report by the European Commission, “Transparency is one of the key requirements for trustworthy AI, as it fosters trust and accountability in AI systems.” This highlights the importance of transparency in building trust and ensuring that AI is used responsibly in various fields, including academia. By prioritizing transparency, researchers can harness the benefits of AI while upholding the highest ethical standards. 

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Join 500,000+ writers, students, teams, and researchers worldwide to write more, write better, and write faster with Jotbot's AI writing assistant .  Write more innovative, not harder, with Jotbot's AI writing assistant. Start finding sources that are accessible with Jotbot's source finder today. Sign in with Google and get started in seconds.

The Ethical Quagmire: Honest Work and AI

AI tools can facilitate academic dishonesty, including plagiarism and the unauthorized use of AI-generated content. The ease with which students can generate papers or sections of documents using AI raises concerns about the authenticity of their work. 

The Quality of AI: Does It Even Understand What It’s Writing About?

AI-generated content may lack depth, accuracy, and context. While AI tools can produce grammatically correct text, they may need to fully grasp the nuances of complex academic topics, leading to superficial or misleading conclusions. 

Don’t Let AI Do the Thinking for You

Students and researchers may become overly dependent on AI tools, undermining their critical thinking and writing skills. This reliance can stifle creativity and original thought, essential components of academic research. 

The Biases of AI: Garbage In, Garbage Out

AI tools are trained on existing datasets, which may contain biases. Consequently, the outputs generated by these tools can reflect and perpetuate those biases, leading to skewed or unbalanced perspectives in academic writing. 

The Black Box of AI: Transparency or Mystery? 

Many AI tools operate as black boxes, where the internal workings are not visible to users. This lack of transparency can make it difficult for researchers to understand how conclusions are drawn, complicating the evaluation of the reliability of the generated content. 

The Technical Limitations of AI: One Size Doesn’t Fit All

AI tools may only sometimes understand the specific requirements of different academic disciplines. This can lead to inappropriate or irrelevant content generation, requiring significant editing and revision by the user. 

Step-By-Step Guide to Avoiding Challenges

Educate users .

Provide training on the ethical use of AI tools and the importance of academic integrity. Institutions should hold workshops to inform students about the risks associated with AI-generated content. 

Establish Clear Guidelines 

Develop institutional policies regarding the acceptable use of AI in academic writing . These guidelines should clarify ethical use and how to properly cite AI-generated content. 

Encourage Critical Thinking 

Promote the development of critical thinking and writing skills by encouraging students to engage deeply with their topics rather than relying solely on AI-generated content. 

Use AI as a Supplement 

Encourage students to use AI tools as supplementary aids rather than primary content sources. This approach helps maintain originality and personal engagement with the material. 

Review AI Outputs 

Implement a review process for AI-generated content, ensuring students critically assess and edit the material before submission. 

Monitor for Bias 

Educate users about the potential biases in AI-generated content. Encourage diverse sources and perspectives to counteract any bias present in AI outputs. 

The Risks of Relying on AI in Academic Writing

The use of AI-generated content in academic publications carries several risks that can affect the credibility and integrity of research. Here are the main risks: 

Plagiarism and Intellectual Dishonesty

AI tools can produce text that closely resembles existing works, leading to unintentional plagiarism. This can result in severe academic penalties and damage to reputations. 

Misrepresentation of Research

AI-generated content may misrepresent research findings or context, leading to misinformation. This misrepresentation can have profound implications, especially in fields like medicine or social sciences, where accuracy is critical. 

Loss of Authorship Credibility 

Relying on AI-generated content can undermine the credibility of authors. If it becomes known that AI generates a significant portion of a paper, it may raise questions about the author's expertise and originality. 

Decreased Quality of Research

The use of AI tools may lead to a decline in the quality of research output. AI-generated content may need more depth, critical analysis, and contextual understanding than human authors provide. 

Legal and Ethical Issues

Using AI-generated content without proper attribution can lead to legal repercussions, including copyright infringement claims. Additionally, ethical concerns arise when the use of AI is not disclosed. 

Step-By-Step Guide to Mitigating Risks

Implement strict citation practices .

Establish clear guidelines for citing AI-generated content. Ensure that all AI contributions are correctly attributed to avoid plagiarism. 

Conduct Peer Reviews 

Encourage thorough peer reviews of academic papers that utilize AI-generated content. This process can help identify potential issues with accuracy and originality. 

Promote Transparency 

Require authors to disclose their use of AI tools in their research methodology sections. This transparency fosters accountability and allows readers to evaluate the work critically. 

Educate on Ethical Use 

Provide resources and training on the ethical implications of using AI in research. This education should emphasize the importance of maintaining integrity in academic work. 

Encourage Original Research 

Foster an environment that values original thought and research. Encourage students and researchers to engage with their topics deeply and critically. 

Monitor AI Use 

Institutions should monitor the use of AI tools in academic writing and research, ensuring compliance with established guidelines and ethical standards. 

JotBot AI is an advanced writing assistant that offers a range of features to simplify the process of citing AI-generated content in academic writing. By integrating source finding and citation generation directly into the writing workflow, JotBot helps users maintain transparency and academic integrity while enhancing efficiency.  

How JotBot Assists with AI Citations

JotBot's AI Source Management feature allows users to easily incorporate sources into their writing, including AI-generated content. Users can upload PDFs, links, or plain text. JotBot will automatically read and understand the content, incorporating it into the document while generating accurate citations in the desired format (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.). 

This streamlined approach saves researchers and students significantly more time than manually finding sources and formatting citations. By handling the technical aspects of citation, JotBot enables users to focus on the substance of their writing while ensuring proper attribution of AI contributions. 

Step-by-Step Guide to Using JotBot for AI Citations

Upload your sources .

Provide JotBot with the AI-generated content you wish to cite, whether PDFs, links, or plain text. JotBot will analyze the content and incorporate it into your document. 

Specify Citation Style

You must choose the citation style you must use (APA, MLA, Chicago), and JotBot will format the citations accordingly. 

Generate Citations

As JotBot incorporates AI-generated content into your writing, it will automatically create citations in the specified style and include them in a bibliography at the end of your document.

Review and Edit

Check the generated citations for accuracy and make any necessary adjustments. JotBot's AI-powered editing tools allow you to refine the content and citations with simple commands. Here are examples of how JotBot generates citations for AI-generated content in MLA and APA formats: 

MLA Example

"Explain the process of photosynthesis." ChatGPT, GPT-4, OpenAI, 30 Jun. 2023, chat.openai.com/chat. 

APA Example

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. 

Benefits of Using JotBot for Academic Writing

By automating the process of finding sources and generating citations, JotBot significantly reduces the time and effort required for academic writing tasks. 

Enhances Accuracy

JotBot's AI-powered tools ensure accurate citations, reducing the risk of errors or inconsistencies in referencing AI-generated content. 

Promotes Transparency

Proper citation of AI contributions using JotBot demonstrates a commitment to transparency and academic integrity, which is crucial for maintaining credibility in research. 

Streamlines Workflow

JotBot's integrated approach to writing , research, and citation generation creates a seamless workflow, allowing users to focus on the substance of their work without getting bogged down in technical details. 

Testimonials from Users

"JotBot has been an advance for my academic writing . Its ability to quickly find and cite sources, including AI-generated content, has saved me countless hours and helped me produce higher-quality work." 

Jane Doe, Graduate Student "As a researcher, I appreciate JotBot's commitment to transparency and accuracy in citing AI contributions. It gives me confidence that my work is properly attributed and meets the highest standards of academic integrity." - John Smith, Professor of Computer Science.  

Jotbot is your personal document assistant and source finder . It does AI note-taking, AI video summarizing, and AI citation/source finder. It also writes AI outlines for essays and even writes entire essays with Jotbot’s AI essay writer . Join 500,000+ writers, students, teams, and researchers worldwide to write more, write better, and write faster with Jotbot's AI writing assistant. 

Write more brilliantly, not harder, with Jotbot's AI writing assistant. Start finding sources that are accessible with Jotbot's source finder today. Sign in with Google and get started in seconds.

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

MLA Works Cited: Electronic Sources (Web Publications)

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

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The MLA Handbook highlights principles over prescriptive practices. Essentially, a writer will need to take note of primary elements in every source, such as author, title, etc. and then assort them in a general format. Thus, by using this methodology, a writer will be able to cite any source regardless of whether it’s included in this list.

However, this guide will highlight a few concerns when citing digital sources in MLA style.

Best Practices for Managing Online Sources

Because online information can change or disappear, it is always a good idea to keep personal copies of important electronic information whenever possible. Downloading or even printing key documents ensures you have a stable backup. You can also use the Bookmark function in your web browser in order to build an easy-to-access reference for all of your project's sources (though this will not help you if the information is changed or deleted).

It is also wise to keep a record of when you first consult with each online source. MLA uses the phrase, “Accessed” to denote which date you accessed the web page when available or necessary. It is not required to do so, but it is encouraged (especially when there is no copyright date listed on a website).

Important Note on the Use of URLs in MLA

Include a URL or web address to help readers locate your sources. Because web addresses are not static (i.e., they change often) and because documents sometimes appear in multiple places on the web (e.g., on multiple databases), MLA encourages the use of citing containers such as Youtube, JSTOR, Spotify, or Netflix in order to easily access and verify sources. However, MLA only requires the www. address, so eliminate all https:// when citing URLs.

Many scholarly journal articles found in databases include a DOI (digital object identifier). If a DOI is available, cite the DOI number instead of the URL.

Online newspapers and magazines sometimes include a “permalink,” which is a shortened, stable version of a URL. Look for a “share” or “cite this” button to see if a source includes a permalink. If you can find a permalink, use that instead of a URL.

Abbreviations Commonly Used with Electronic Sources

If page numbers are not available, use par. or pars. to denote paragraph numbers. Use these in place of the p. or pp. abbreviation. Par. would be used for a single paragraph, while pars. would be used for a span of two or more paragraphs.

Basic Style for Citations of Electronic Sources (Including Online Databases)

Here are some common features you should try to find before citing electronic sources in MLA style. Not every web page will provide all of the following information. However, collect as much of the following information as possible:

• Author and/or editor names (if available); last names first.
• "Article name in quotation marks."
• Title of the website, project, or book in italics.
• Any version numbers available, including editions (ed.), revisions, posting dates, volumes (vol.), or issue numbers (no.).
• Publisher information, including the publisher name and publishing date.
• Take note of any page numbers (p. or pp.) or paragraph numbers (par. or pars.).
• DOI (if available, precede it with "https://doi.org/"), otherwise a URL (without the https://) or permalink.
• Date you accessed the material (Date Accessed). While not required, saving this information it is highly recommended, especially when dealing with pages that change frequently or do not have a visible copyright date.

Use the following format:

Author. "Title." Title of container (self contained if book) , Other contributors (translators or editors), Version (edition), Number (vol. and/or no.), Publisher, Publication Date, Location (pages, paragraphs and/or URL, DOI or permalink). 2 nd container’s title , Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, Location, Date of Access (if applicable).

Citing an Entire Web Site

When citing an entire website, follow the same format as listed above, but include a compiler name if no single author is available.

Author, or compiler name (if available). Name of Site. Version number (if available), Name of institution/organization affiliated with the site (sponsor or publisher), date of resource creation (if available), DOI (preferred), otherwise include a URL or permalink. Date of access (if applicable).

Editor, author, or compiler name (if available). Name of Site . Version number, Name of institution/organization affiliated with the site (sponsor or publisher), date of resource creation (if available), URL, DOI or permalink. Date of access (if applicable).

The Purdue OWL Family of Sites . The Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue and Purdue U, 2008, owl.english.purdue.edu/owl. Accessed 23 Apr. 2008.

Felluga, Dino. Guide to Literary and Critical Theory . Purdue U, 28 Nov. 2003, www.cla.purdue.edu/english/theory/. Accessed 10 May 2006.

Course or Department Websites

Give the instructor name. Then list the title of the course (or the school catalog designation for the course) in italics. Give appropriate department and school names as well, following the course title.

Felluga, Dino. Survey of the Literature of England . Purdue U, Aug. 2006, web.ics.purdue.edu/~felluga/241/241/Home.html. Accessed 31 May 2007.

English Department . Purdue U, 20 Apr. 2009, www.cla.purdue.edu/english/. Accessed 31 May 2015.

A Page on a Web Site

For an individual page on a Web site, list the author or alias if known, followed by an indication of the specific page or article being referenced. Usually, the title of the page or article appears in a header at the top of the page. Follow this with the information covered above for entire Web sites. If the publisher is the same as the website name, only list it once.

Lundman, Susan. “How to Make Vegetarian Chili.”  eHow , www.ehow.com/how_10727_make-vegetarian-chili.html. Accessed 6 July 2015.

“ Athlete's Foot - Topic Overview. ”   WebMD , 25 Sept. 2014, www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/tc/athletes-foot-topic-overview.

Citations for e-books closely resemble those for physical books. Simply indicate that the book in question is an e-book by putting the term "e-book" in the "version" slot of the MLA template (i.e., after the author, the title of the source, the title of the container, and the names of any other contributors).

Silva, Paul J.  How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing. E-book, American Psychological Association, 2007.

If the e-book is formatted for a specific reader device or service, you can indicate this by treating this information the same way you would treat a physical book's edition number. Often, this will mean replacing "e-book" with "[App/Service] ed."

Machiavelli, Niccolo.  The Prince , translated by W. K. Marriott, Kindle ed., Library of Alexandria, 2018.

Note:  The MLA considers the term "e-book" to refer to publications formatted specifically for reading with an e-book reader device (e.g., a Kindle) or a corresponding web application. These e-books will not have URLs or DOIs. If you are citing book content from an ordinary webpage with a URL, use the "A Page on a Web Site" format above.

An Image (Including a Painting, Sculpture, or Photograph)

Provide the artist's name, the work of art italicized, the date of creation, the institution and city where the work is housed. Follow this initial entry with the name of the Website in italics, and the date of access.

Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV . 1800. Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid. Museo Nacional del Prado , www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-family-of-carlos-iv/f47898fc-aa1c-48f6-a779-71759e417e74. Accessed 22 May 2006.

Klee, Paul. Twittering Machine . 1922. Museum of Modern Art, New York. The Artchive , www.artchive.com/artchive/K/klee/twittering_machine.jpg.html. Accessed May 2006.

If the work cited is available on the web only, then provide the name of the artist, the title of the work, and then follow the citation format for a website. If the work is posted via a username, use that username for the author.

Adams, Clifton R. “People Relax Beside a Swimming Pool at a Country Estate Near Phoenix, Arizona, 1928.” Found, National Geographic Creative, 2 June 2016, natgeofound.tumblr.com/.

An Article in a Web Magazine

Provide the author name, article name in quotation marks, title of the web magazine in italics, publisher name, publication date, URL, and the date of access.

Bernstein, Mark. “ 10 Tips on Writing the Living Web. ”   A List Apart: For People Who Make Websites , 16 Aug. 2002, alistapart.com/article/writeliving. Accessed 4 May 2009.

An Article in an Online Scholarly Journal

For all online scholarly journals, provide the author(s) name(s), the name of the article in quotation marks, the title of the publication in italics, all volume and issue numbers, and the year of publication. Include a DOI if available, otherwise provide a URL or permalink to help readers locate the source.

Article in an Online-only Scholarly Journal

MLA requires a page range for articles that appear in Scholarly Journals. If the journal you are citing appears exclusively in an online format (i.e. there is no corresponding print publication) that does not make use of page numbers, indicate the URL or other location information.

Dolby, Nadine. “Research in Youth Culture and Policy: Current Conditions and Future Directions.” Social Work and Society: The International Online-Only Journal, vol. 6, no. 2, 2008, www.socwork.net/sws/article/view/60/362. Accessed 20 May 2009.

Article in an Online Scholarly Journal That Also Appears in Print

Cite articles in online scholarly journals that also appear in print as you would a scholarly journal in print, including the page range of the article . Provide the URL and the date of access.

Wheelis, Mark. “ Investigating Disease Outbreaks Under a Protocol to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention. ”   Emerging Infectious Diseases , vol. 6, no. 6, 2000, pp. 595-600, wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/6/6/00-0607_article. Accessed 8 Feb. 2009.

An Article from an Online Database (or Other Electronic Subscription Service)

Cite online databases (e.g. LexisNexis, ProQuest, JSTOR, ScienceDirect) and other subscription services as containers. Thus, provide the title of the database italicized before the DOI or URL. If a DOI is not provided, use the URL instead. Provide the date of access if you wish.

Alonso, Alvaro, and Julio A. Camargo. “ Toxicity of Nitrite to Three Species of Freshwater Invertebrates. ”   Environmental Toxicology, vol. 21, no. 1, 3 Feb. 2006, pp. 90-94. Wiley Online Library , https://doi.org/10.1002/tox.20155. Accessed 26 May 2009.

Langhamer, Claire. “Love and Courtship in Mid-Twentieth-Century England.” Historical Journal, vol. 50, no. 1, 2007, pp. 173-96. ProQuest , https://doi.org/10.1017/S0018246X06005966. Accessed 27 May 2009.

E-mail (including E-mail Interviews)

Give the author of the message, followed by the subject line in quotation marks. State to whom the message was sent with the phrase, “Received by” and the recipient’s name. Include the date the message was sent. Use standard capitalization.

Kunka, Andrew. “ Re: Modernist Literature. ”  Received by John Watts, 15 Nov. 2000.

Neyhart, David. “ Re: Online Tutoring. ” Received by Joe Barbato, 1 Dec. 2016.

A Listserv, Discussion Group, or Blog Posting

Cite web postings as you would a standard web entry. Provide the author of the work, the title of the posting in quotation marks, the web site name in italics, the publisher, and the posting date. Follow with the date of access. Include screen names as author names when author name is not known. If both names are known, place the author’s name in brackets.

Author or compiler name (if available). “Posting Title.” Name of Site , Version number (if available), Name of institution/organization affiliated with the site (sponsor or publisher), URL. Date of access.

Salmar1515 [Sal Hernandez]. “Re: Best Strategy: Fenced Pastures vs. Max Number of Rooms?” BoardGameGeek , 29 Sept. 2008, boardgamegeek.com/thread/343929/best-strategy-fenced-pastures-vs-max-number-rooms. Accessed 5 Apr. 2009.

Begin with the user's Twitter handle in place of the author’s name. Next, place the tweet in its entirety in quotations, inserting a period after the tweet within the quotations. Include the date and time of posting, using the reader's time zone; separate the date and time with a comma and end with a period. Include the date accessed if you deem necessary.

@tombrokaw. “ SC demonstrated why all the debates are the engines of this campaign. ”   Twitter, 22 Jan. 2012, 3:06 a.m., twitter.com/tombrokaw/status/160996868971704320.

@PurdueWLab. “ Spring break is around the corner, and all our locations will be open next week. ”   Twitter , 5 Mar. 2012, 12:58 p.m., twitter.com/PurdueWLab/status/176728308736737282.

A YouTube Video

Video and audio sources need to be documented using the same basic guidelines for citing print sources in MLA style. Include as much descriptive information as necessary to help readers understand the type and nature of the source you are citing. If the author’s name is the same as the uploader, only cite the author once. If the author is different from the uploader, cite the author’s name before the title.

McGonigal, Jane. “Gaming and Productivity.” YouTube , uploaded by Big Think, 3 July 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkdzy9bWW3E.

“8 Hot Dog Gadgets put to the Test.” YouTube, uploaded by Crazy Russian Hacker, 6 June 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBlpjSEtELs.

A Comment on a Website or Article

List the username as the author. Use the phrase, Comment on, before the title. Use quotation marks around the article title. Name the publisher, date, time (listed on near the comment), and the URL.

Not Omniscient Enough. Comment on “ Flight Attendant Tells Passenger to ‘Shut Up’ After Argument Over Pasta. ”  ABC News, 9 Jun 2016, 4:00 p.m., abcnews.go.com/US/flight-attendant-tells-passenger-shut-argument-pasta/story?id=39704050.

Formatting Your Research Project

To learn how to set up your research project in MLA format, visit our free sample chapter on MLA Handbook Plus , the only authorized subscription-based digital resource featuring the  MLA Handbook, available for unlimited simultaneous users at subscribing institutions.

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• How to cite a website in MLA

How to Cite a Website in MLA | Format & Examples

Published on July 17, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on March 5, 2024.

An MLA website citation includes the author’s name , the title of the page (in quotation marks), the name of the website (in italics), the publication date , and the URL (without “https://”).

If the author is unknown, start with the title of the page instead. If the publication date is unknown, or if the content is likely to change over time, add an access date at the end instead.

Websites don’t usually have page numbers, so the in-text citation is just the author name in parentheses. If you already named the author in your sentence, you don’t need to add a parenthetical citation.

You can also use our free MLA Citation Generator to effortlessly create website citations.

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The format differs for other types of online content, such as YouTube videos , TED Talks , and podcasts .

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Table of contents

Citing online articles, citing web pages with no author or date, citing an entire website, publishers in mla website citations, frequently asked questions about mla style.

The format for citing an article from an online newspaper , magazine, or blog is the same as a general web page citation. If the article is a PDF of a print article, the format differs slightly .

Write the article title in title case (all major words capitalized). Use the most recent publication date on the page, including the day, month, and year if available.

Note, however, that a different format is used when citing online articles from academic journals.

Learn how to cite journal articles in MLA

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If no author is credited, leave out this element, and start with the title of the page or article instead.

Use a shortened version of the title in your in-text citation. The shortened title must match the first words of your Works Cited entry.

If no publication date is available, leave out this element, and include the date on which you accessed the page at the end.

Note that a specific format exists for citing online dictionary entries .

If you cite a whole website, there is usually no named author, so the Works Cited entry begins with the name of the website in italics.

If the website has a publication or copyright date (usually found in the footer), include this; if not, add the date when you accessed the website at the end of the citation.

When should you cite a whole website?

Most of the time, you should cite the specific page or article where you found the information. However, you might have to cite the entire website if you are giving a general overview of its content, referring only to the homepage, or quoting text that appears on many different pages across the site (such as a company’s slogan).

If you cite multiple pages or articles from the same website, you should include a separate Works Cited entry for each one.

If the publisher is the same as the name of the website, you leave it out of the citation to avoid repetition.

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If a source has no author, start the MLA Works Cited entry with the source title . Use a shortened version of the title in your MLA in-text citation .

If a source has no page numbers, you can use an alternative locator (e.g. a chapter number, or a timestamp for a video or audio source) to identify the relevant passage in your in-text citation. If the source has no numbered divisions, cite only the author’s name (or the title).

If you already named the author or title in your sentence, and there is no locator available, you don’t need a parenthetical citation:

• Rajaram  argues that representations of migration are shaped by “cultural, political, and ideological interests.”
• The homepage of The Correspondent describes it as “a movement for radically different news.”

If a source has two authors, name both authors in your MLA in-text citation and Works Cited entry. If there are three or more authors, name only the first author, followed by et al.

Yes. MLA style uses title case, which means that all principal words (nouns, pronouns , verbs, adjectives , adverbs , and some conjunctions ) are capitalized.

This applies to titles of sources as well as the title of, and subheadings in, your paper. Use MLA capitalization style even when the original source title uses different capitalization .

The title of an article is not italicized in MLA style , but placed in quotation marks. This applies to articles from journals , newspapers , websites , or any other publication. Use italics for the title of the source where the article was published. For example:

Use the same formatting in the Works Cited entry and when referring to the article in the text itself.

The fastest and most accurate way to create MLA citations is by using Scribbr’s MLA Citation Generator .

Search by book title, page URL, or journal DOI to automatically generate flawless citations, or cite manually using the simple citation forms.

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If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. (2024, March 05). How to Cite a Website in MLA | Format & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved September 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/mla/website-citation/

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