- A list of works cited provides an alphabetical list of sources used in a paper, article, or book. It is located on a new page at the end of the text.
- Each entry in a list of works cited must cite a source that was directly referenced in the text.
- Works cited entries are listed in one alphabetical sequence arranged by the surname of the first author or by title if there is no author.
- Begin the first line of each works cited entry at the left margin. Indent all subsequent lines, if there are any, one-half inch from the left margin.
- Title the first page of your list of works cited "Work Cited." Leave one blank line between the title and the first entry.
- Double-space each entry, and leave one blank line between entries.
- If the bibliography includes two or more entries by the same author(s), list them alphabetically by title. Three hyphens (---) replace the author's name after the first entry. See the example below:
Bickerton, Derek. Language & Species. U of Chicago P, 1990.
---. More than Nature Needs: Language, Mind, and Evolution. Harvard UP, 2014.
- Entries do not have to include the publication medium unless needed for clarity (e.g. print, web, DVD, radio).
- The MLA Handbook now requires the use of a URL for a Web source (without http:// or https://).
- The citing of DOIs (digital object identifiers) is encouraged.
For an example of a paper with a list of works cited, see Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) website.