English Language Arts
Grade 9
15 min
Understand a Works Cited entry (MLA 7th edition)
Understand a Works Cited entry (MLA 7th edition)
Tutorial Preview
1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify the core components (author, title, publication information) of a standard MLA 7th edition Works Cited entry.
Differentiate between the title of a source (e.g., an article) and the title of its container (e.g., a website or journal).
Explain the purpose of key punctuation, such as the periods that separate main sections and the quotation marks around article titles.
Determine the type of source (book, web page, journal article) by analyzing the structure of its Works Cited entry.
Define key citation terms, including 'Medium of Publication' and 'Hanging Indent'.
Articulate why understanding a citation is essential for locating sources and evaluating their credibility.
Ever read an amazing fact in an essay and wondered, 'Wh...
2
Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Works CitedAn alphabetized list at the end of a research paper that provides full bibliographic information for all the sources cited in the text.The last page of your essay, titled 'Works Cited', which lists every book, article, and website you referenced.
EntryA single item on the Works Cited list. Each entry contains all the information needed to find that specific source.Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1960. Print.
AuthorThe person, people, or organization responsible for creating the work. It is always the first piece of information in an entry.In the entry 'Rowling, J.K. ...', the author is J.K. Rowling.
Title of ContainerThe larger work that holds the source you are citing. For an article, the container might...
3
Key Rules & Conventions
The Core Component Order
Author. Title of Source. Title of Container. Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, Location. Medium of Publication.
MLA 7th edition entries follow a predictable order. Understanding this sequence allows you to know what piece of information you're looking at. The most common elements are Author, Title, Publisher, Publication Date, and Medium.
Punctuation as Dividers
Periods separate the main sections of an entry (e.g., after the author, after the title, after the publication info). Commas separate smaller elements within a section (e.g., between the publisher and the date).
Think of the punctuation as road signs. A period signals a major stop and the start of a new category of information, making the entry easy to rea...
4 more steps in this tutorial
Sign up free to access the complete tutorial with worked examples and practice.
Sign Up Free to ContinueSample Practice Questions
Challenging
A student is choosing between two sources. Source A: `Miller, Arthur. *The Crucible*. Penguin Plays, 1996. Print.` Source B: `Jenkins, Phil. "A Review of The Crucible." *My High School English Blog*. Web. 10 Oct. 2022.` Based solely on the citation information, which source is more academically credible and why?
A.Source B, because it is a more recent web source and is easier to access.
B.Source A, because it is the original work by the author, published by a reputable publisher.
C.Source B, because a review is more helpful for analysis than the original text.
D.Source A, because 'Print' sources are always more credible than 'Web' sources.
Challenging
A Works Cited entry is missing an author and begins with the title: `"The Impact of Social Media on Teen Anxiety." *Psychology Today*...` According to the core rule that entries are alphabetized, how would this entry be filed on the Works Cited page?
A.It would be placed at the very end of the list under 'Anonymous'.
B.It would be alphabetized by the first main word of the title, ignoring 'A', 'An', or 'The'.
C.It would be alphabetized by the name of the container, *Psychology Today*.
D.It would be placed at the very beginning of the list as an unauthored source.
Challenging
A student argues that the 'Hanging Indent' is just a stylistic choice. What is the best counter-argument for its functional purpose on a long Works Cited page?
A.It makes the page look more professional and visually appealing to the teacher.
B.It saves paper by allowing more entries to fit on a single page.
C.It clearly separates each entry from the next, making it easy to scan the alphabetized list of authors' last names.
D.It is a requirement that has no functional purpose but is needed to avoid plagiarism.
Want to practice and check your answers?
Sign up to access all questions with instant feedback, explanations, and progress tracking.
Start Practicing Free