Mistakes Checklist
Common MLA Article Citation Mistakes
Published studies report citation/reference error rates between 25-54%. Use this page to catch the most frequent formatting failures before submission.
Top mistakes to avoid
- ⚠Using month-day-year format
- ⚠Not abbreviating months properly
- ⚠Forgetting page numbers in citations
- ⚠Omitting URLs for online articles
Fix checklist
- ✓Use day-month-year format
- ✓Abbreviate months (except May, June, July)
- ✓Include page numbers for print articles
- ✓Add URL for online articles
Frequently asked questions
How do I cite an online magazine article in MLA?
Follow the same format but include the URL at the end. Access dates are optional but recommended for pages without publication dates.
What if there's no author listed?
Start with the article title in quotation marks. Use a shortened title in parenthetical citations.
Build the corrected citation now
Use the template and guide, then generate the final citation from verified academic sources.