Mistakes Checklist
Common MLA Website 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
- ⚠Italicizing the page title instead of using quotation marks
- ⚠Including "https://" in the URL
- ⚠Forgetting the period after the URL
- ⚠Confusing website name with publisher
Wrong vs correct examples
Italicizing page title instead of quotes
Wrong
Lundman, Susan. *How to Make Vegetarian Chili.* eHow, www.ehow.com/recipe.
Correct
Lundman, Susan. "How to Make Vegetarian Chili." *eHow*, www.ehow.com/recipe.
In MLA, webpage titles go in quotation marks, while the website name is italicized. This is the opposite of how books work.
Including https:// in URL
Wrong
Smith, John. "Article Title." *Site Name*, https://www.example.com/article.
Correct
Smith, John. "Article Title." *Site Name*, www.example.com/article.
MLA 9 recommends removing "https://" and "http://" from URLs to keep citations cleaner.
Missing period after URL
Wrong
Author. "Title." *Site*, www.example.com/page
Correct
Author. "Title." *Site*, www.example.com/page.
MLA citations should end with a period, including after the URL. This differs from APA style.
Mistake frequency snapshot
Fix checklist
- ✓Put the page title in quotation marks
- ✓Italicize the website name
- ✓Remove "https://" from URLs
- ✓End with a period after the URL
Frequently asked questions
How do I cite a website in MLA 9th edition?
To cite a website in MLA 9, use this core format: Author. "Title of Page." Website Name, Publisher, Day Month Year, URL. Put the page title in quotation marks and italicize the website name (the "container"). If the publisher is the same as the website name, omit the publisher. Remove "https://" from URLs but keep the rest of the address. End the citation with a period after the URL. For in-text citations, use the author's last name in parentheses: (Lundman). If there is no author, use a shortened version of the title in quotation marks: ("How to Make"). MLA 9 treats the website as a container — the larger work that holds the page — which is why the website name is italicized while the page title gets quotation marks.
What if the website has no author in MLA?
When no author is listed, start the Works Cited entry with the page title in quotation marks: "Title of Page." Website Name, Day Month Year, URL. For the in-text citation, use a shortened version of the title, also in quotation marks: ("Title of Page"). Shorten long titles to the first noun phrase — for example, "A Comprehensive Guide to Climate Change Policy" becomes ("Comprehensive Guide"). Before deciding there is no author, check the page byline, the "About" section, or the website's parent organization. Government agencies, NGOs, and corporations often serve as group authors.
Do I need an access date in MLA?
Access dates are optional in MLA 9th edition, but the MLA Handbook recommends including one in two situations: (1) when the page has no publication date, so readers know when you saw the content, and (2) when the content is likely to change over time, such as a wiki, social media post, or frequently updated page. If you include an access date, place it at the end of the citation before the URL: "Title." Website, Accessed 15 Mar. 2024, URL. Use the abbreviated month format (Jan., Feb., Mar., etc.) that MLA requires for all dates.
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