You've stumbled upon a fantastic piece of information online, and now you need to give credit where credit is due. It's a common situation, especially when you're working on a paper or project. When it comes to citing a website in MLA style, it's not as daunting as it might seem. Think of it like telling a friend exactly where you found that amazing recipe or insightful article.
At its heart, citing a website in MLA involves two key parts: a brief in-text citation and a more detailed entry in your Works Cited list. The in-text citation is your quick pointer, usually just the author's last name. If the page is long, you might add a shortened section heading to help pinpoint the exact spot. No need to get fancy with paragraph numbers unless the website itself uses them.
Now, for the Works Cited entry – this is where you provide all the necessary details. You'll start with the author's name, followed by the title of the specific page you're referencing, enclosed in quotation marks. Then comes the name of the website itself, presented in italics. After that, you'll include the publication date, and finally, the URL. It’s a straightforward sequence, designed to be clear and informative.
Let's look at an example, shall we? If you were citing an article from Reuters, the MLA format would look something like this: Author Last Name, First Name. “Page Title.” Website Name, Day Month Year, URL.
So, for that Reuters article about the coronavirus package, it would be: Brice, Makini. “U.S. Senate Expected to Begin Debating Coronavirus Package on Thursday.” Reuters, 4 March 2021, www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-congress/u-s-senate-expected-to-begin-debating-coronavirus-package-on-thursday-idUSKBN2AW18U.
And the corresponding in-text citation? Just (Brice).
This format holds true for many online resources, including blog posts and articles from online newspapers and magazines. It’s all about consistency and providing enough information for someone else to find your source easily.
What if there's no author listed? Don't fret. In such cases, you'd start the entry with the organization's name, but only if it's different from the website name. If they're the same, you simply begin with the title of the page. And if there's no publication date? You just leave it out and add an access date at the end, right after the URL. It’s about adapting to what information is available.
For instance, if you're citing a general page on citing sources from Scribbr itself, and there's no specific author, it might look like this: “Citing Sources in Academic Writing.” Scribbr, www.scribbr.com/category/citing-sources/. Accessed 4 March 2021.
The in-text citation would then be (“Citing Sources”).
It’s a system designed to be logical and helpful, ensuring that your research is properly attributed and that your readers can follow your trail of discovery. Think of it as a courtesy, a way of acknowledging the work of others and building trust in your own writing.
