MLA Works Cited Format and Setup

Direct Answer

The Works Cited page appears at the end of your paper on a separate page and lists all sources cited in alphabetical order. Format the page with one-inch margins, double-spacing, 12-point font, and hanging indentation (first line flush left, subsequent lines indented 0.5 inches). Center the title “Works Cited” without italics or quotation marks, and continue your paper’s page numbering.

Works Cited Page Overview

The Works Cited page is the final component of your MLA-formatted paper. It provides readers with complete publication information for every source cited in your paper, allowing them to locate and verify sources independently. A well-organized Works Cited page demonstrates thorough research and organizational competence.

Physical Formatting of the Works Cited Page

Basic Page Setup

Margins: One inch on all sides (top, bottom, left, right)

Font: 12-point standard font (Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, etc.)

Spacing: Double-spaced throughout the entire page, including between entries

Page Number: Include header with your last name and page number, continuing from your paper

Title: “Works Cited” centered, not italicized, not in quotation marks, not underlined

Title Capitalization: Only the first word is capitalized in the title “Works Cited”

Example Page Header and Title

                                              Smith 12

                                         Works Cited


Anderson, Patricia. "Climate Change Policy and Implementation." Environmental Studies
    Quarterly, vol. 45, no. 3, 2023, pp. 234-251.

Notice:

• Your last name and page number in the top right
• “Works Cited” centered one inch from top
• Double-spacing between title and first entry
• Hanging indentation on entries

Alphabetization Rules

Proper alphabetization is essential for Works Cited organization. Follow these guidelines:

Alphabetizing by Author’s Last Name

Arrange entries alphabetically by the author’s last name, regardless of first name.

Correct Order:

Anderson, Patricia.
Chen, Robert.
Garcia, Maria.
Smith, John.
Williams, David.

Ignoring Articles in Titles

When alphabetizing entries that begin with titles (no author), ignore initial articles: A, An, The.

Correct Order:

"Climate Change Study." ...
"Digital Transformation." ...
"Environmental Policy." ...
"The Future of Technology." ... [under "F" not "T"]

Multiple Works by Same Author

When an author has multiple works cited, alphabetize by the author’s name once, then alphabetize the author’s works by title.

Format:

Smith, John. "Climate Change Research." ...
Smith, John. "Environmental Policy Analysis." ...
Smith, John. "Sustainable Development." ...

Notice:

• Author name appears only in first entry
• Subsequent entries begin with three hyphens (---): --- “Environmental Policy Analysis.” …
• Three hyphens replace the author’s name entirely
• Works are alphabetized by title, not publication date

Alphabetizing Corporate Authors

Treat corporate authors (organizations) as you would individual author last names.

Correct Order:

American Psychological Association. "Ethical Guidelines." ...
Environmental Protection Agency. "Climate Standards." ...
United Nations. "Sustainable Development Goals." ...

Special Characters and Punctuation

Treat special characters as letters. St. comes before Sm., etc. comes before other words.

Correct Order:

St. Claire, Jennifer.
Smithson, Patricia.
United States Department of Justice.

Hanging Indentation

All entries after the first line of each citation must be indented 0.5 inches from the left margin. This creates a hanging indent effect.

Example of Hanging Indentation

Anderson, Patricia. "The Future of Digital Culture."
→→→→→→→→→→→ *Journal of Digital Studies*, vol. 28, no. 4, 2023, pp. 156-178.

The first line (“Anderson, Patricia…”) starts at the left margin. The second line is indented 0.5 inches.

Setting Hanging Indentation in Word Processors

Microsoft Word:

1. Select all Works Cited entries
2. Go to Format > Paragraph
3. In the Special Indentation section, select “Hanging”
4. Set indent amount to 0.5”

Google Docs:

1. Select all entries
2. Go to Format > Indentation > Special Indentation
3. Select “Hanging” and set to 0.5”

Mac Pages:

1. Select entries
2. Go to Format > Spacing
3. Adjust indentation settings

Organization of Works Cited Entries

Single Entry Structure

Each Works Cited entry contains required elements in a specific order:

Author. "Title of Source." Title of Container, Contributors, Version, Number,
    Publisher, Date, Location.

Multiple Entries Example

Anderson, Patricia. "Climate Change and Agricultural Impact." Environmental Quarterly,
    vol. 45, no. 3, 2023, pp. 234-251.

Chen, Robert. Digital Culture and Modern Society. Oxford University Press, 2023.

Garcia, Maria. "Sustainable Development Goals." United Nations, 2024,
    https://www.un.org/sustainable-development.

Spacing and Punctuation Guidelines

Double-Spacing

Double-space between all entries and between the title and first entry.

Correct: Blank line between entries (double-spacing shows as blank lines)

Incorrect: Single-spacing between entries

Punctuation After Entries

Each Works Cited entry ends with a period.

Anderson, Patricia. "Article Title." Journal Name, 2023.
↑ Period at end of entry

Punctuation Within Entries

Use periods to separate major elements:

Author. "Title." Container, Date.
↑↑↑↑  Periods separate major sections

Common Works Cited Organization Problems

Problem: Entries Not in Alphabetical Order

Incorrect:

Smith, John.
Anderson, Patricia.
Garcia, Maria.

Correct:

Anderson, Patricia.
Garcia, Maria.
Smith, John.

Problem: Inconsistent Hanging Indentation

Incorrect:

Anderson, Patricia. "Article Title." Journal, 2023.
Chen, Robert. "Another Article." Magazine, 2023.

Correct:

Anderson, Patricia. "Article Title." Journal, 2023.
Chen, Robert. "Another Article." Magazine, 2023.

Problem: Title Not Centered

Incorrect:

Works Cited                    [left-aligned]
Anderson, Patricia...

Correct:

                          Works Cited         [centered]
Anderson, Patricia...

Problem: Spacing Inconsistencies

Incorrect: Mix of single and double-spacing between entries

Correct: Consistent double-spacing throughout the entire page

Annotated Bibliography

In some assignments, instructors request an annotated bibliography with brief descriptions of sources. Format the same as Works Cited, but add annotations:

Anderson, Patricia. "Climate Change and Agricultural Impact." Environmental Quarterly,
    vol. 45, no. 3, 2023, pp. 234-251.
    This peer-reviewed article examines the relationship between climate change and
    agricultural productivity in developing nations, presenting data from fifty
    countries over a twenty-year period. The article is particularly valuable for
    understanding regional variations in climate impact.

Chen, Robert. Digital Culture and Modern Society. Oxford University Press, 2023.
    Chen provides a comprehensive analysis of how digital technology has transformed
    contemporary culture and social structures. The book covers multiple disciplines
    and offers interdisciplinary perspectives on digital transformation.

Annotations appear below each citation and are indented to maintain hanging indentation format.

Editing and Finalizing Your Works Cited

Quality Check Checklist

Before finalizing your Works Cited page:

• All sources cited in paper appear in Works Cited
• No extra sources appear in Works Cited that aren’t cited in paper
• All entries are in strict alphabetical order
• All entries use proper hanging indentation
• All entries are double-spaced
• The page title is centered and reads “Works Cited”
• Page numbers continue from your paper
• Font is consistent with paper (12-point, standard font)
• Margins are one inch on all sides
• No sources are cited solely with parenthetical citations without Works Cited entry

Common Final-Check Mistakes

Alphabetization Errors: Double-check that entries are strictly alphabetical by author’s last name

Missing Sources: Verify every source cited in-text appears in Works Cited

Formatting Inconsistencies: Ensure all entries follow the same formatting pattern

Spacing Problems: Use double-spacing throughout; no single-spacing

Using GenText for Works Cited Organization

Managing a complete Works Cited page with proper formatting is time-consuming. GenText’s citation generator not only creates perfectly formatted citations but also automatically organizes them in alphabetical order on a properly formatted Works Cited page.

Simply add your sources, and GenText handles alphabetization, formatting, hanging indentation, spacing, and page setup. GenText generates a ready-to-submit Works Cited page that meets all MLA 9th Edition requirements.

Best Practices for Works Cited Pages

Create as You Research: Add sources to your Works Cited as you research rather than waiting until the end. This prevents omissions and makes the final organizing easier.

Keep Detailed Notes: Record complete publication information (author, title, publisher, date, URL) immediately when you find a source.

Use Citation Software: Tools like GenText, Citationsy, or your library’s citation tool maintain organized source lists automatically.

Check Against Your Paper: Before finalizing, verify that every source cited in your paper appears in Works Cited.

Review Alphabetization: Carefully check alphabetical order, especially when dealing with articles beginning with “The” or corporate authors.

Maintain Consistency: Ensure all entries follow identical formatting patterns for titles, dates, and punctuation.

Conclusion

A properly formatted Works Cited page demonstrates attention to detail and academic integrity. It provides readers with the information needed to locate and verify your sources, strengthening the credibility of your research.

Whether you’re organizing sources for a short essay or a lengthy research paper, following MLA Works Cited formatting guidelines ensures your bibliography meets professional standards. Use this guide as your reference for formatting questions, leverage GenText’s citation generator to automate the organization process, and continue building strong research practices that properly document your academic sources.