MLA Referencing Generator
Create accurate MLA 9th edition references for books, journal articles, websites and newspapers in seconds — free, and formatted to the current Modern Language Association guidelines used across UK arts and humanities courses.
Your Works-Cited List (MLA 9)
No references added yet. Generate a reference above, then click "Add to Works-Cited List".
What is MLA Referencing?
MLA referencing is the citation style set by the Modern Language Association, now in its 9th edition. It is the standard across most literature, languages, media and humanities courses, and it pairs a short in-text citation with a full entry in an alphabetical works-cited list at the end of your work.
MLA 9 uses a single, flexible template built from “core elements” — author, title, container, publisher, date and location — so the same logic covers almost any source. Consistency is what markers look for, so check your module handbook or the MLA style guides before you submit.
In-text Citations and the Works-Cited List
An MLA in-text citation is brief: (Smith 45) or, if you name the author in your sentence, just the page number (45). There is no comma between the author and the page number, and no “p.” or “pp.” inside the brackets.
Each in-text citation points to a full entry in your works-cited list, which appears at the end of your work and is alphabetised by author surname. Use the generator above to build correctly formatted works-cited entries and preview the matching in-text citation for each one.
Worked Examples
These match the exact output format the generator above produces for each source type.
Common MLA Referencing Mistakes
Adding “p.” or “pp.” inside the in-text brackets, putting a comma between the author and page number, and using initials instead of full first names in the works-cited list are the slips that lose the most marks. MLA wants the author’s full first name wherever the source gives it.
Alphabetising by first name instead of surname, forgetting to italicise book and journal titles, and citing a source in-text that never appears in the works-cited list (or the reverse) are also frequent — always cross-check both before submitting.
How to Use the MLA Referencing Generator
Select the source type — book, journal article, website or newspaper.
Add each author’s surname and full first name, using "+ Add Author" for multiple authors.
Fill in the title and publication details shown for that source type.
Click "Generate Reference" to preview the works-cited entry and its in-text citation.
Click "Add to Works-Cited List" to save it, then repeat for every source you cite.
Use "Copy" on any entry or "Copy All" to paste your finished list into your document.
Frequently Asked Questions
Want an Expert to Check Your References?
Every reference is backed by 350+ UK-qualified writers, pricing from £15 per 250 words, and free plagiarism and AI-detection reports on every order.
Order Editing & Improvement