Your Ultimate Guide to Citing a Website in MLA Style
As a student or researcher, it’s important to correctly cite your sources to avoid plagiarism and give credit to your references. One popular citation style is the Modern Language Association (MLA) style, which is commonly used in the humanities and liberal arts fields. In this article, we will guide you through the process of citing a website in MLA style.
A Step-by-Step Tutorial on Citing a Website in MLA
When citing a website in MLA style, it’s important to consider several key elements, including the author, title of the page, website name, date published, URL, and the date accessed. Here’s how to cite a website in MLA style:
Step 1: Identify the key elements of the citation
The first step in citing a website in MLA style is to identify the key elements of the citation. The following elements are typically required:
- Author or creator of the web page, if available
- Title of the web page
- Name of the website
- Publication date, if available
- The URL or DOI (digital object identifier) of the web page
- Date of access
Step 2: Arrange the elements of the citation in order
Once you have identified all the key elements for your citation, arrange them in the following order:
- Author’s last name, first name (if available)
- “Title of the Web Page.”
- Name of Website,
- Publisher, Publication Date (if available),
- URL,
- Date of access.
Here’s an example of how to cite a website in MLA style:
Miller, James. “A Brief History of the Harlem Renaissance.” The New York Times, 4 Jan. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/01/04/books/review/harlem-renaissance- history.html. Accessed 14 Feb. 2021.
Tips on how to fill in the different pieces of information required for a proper citation
When filling in your citation, keep in mind the following tips:
- When an author is not identified, use the name of the website or organization as the author.
- If there is no date of publication, use n.d. in the citation.
- For URLs, only include the portion that comes after “http://” or “https://”.
- Including the date of access is optional, but recommended in case the site is updated.
Examples of how to format citations for different types of websites
Here are some examples of how to format citations for different types of websites:
Newspaper article:
Author’s last name, first name. “Title of Article.” Name of Newspaper, Publication Date, URL
Blog post:
Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Blog Post.” Name of Blog, Publisher (if available), Date published, URL.
YouTube video:
Username. “Title of Video.” Name of Website, uploaded by uploader name, Date of upload, URL.
Avoiding Plagiarism: How to Properly Cite a Website in MLA
Plagiarism is a serious offense in academic writing that can result in severe penalties, including failing a class or being asked to withdraw from a program. One way to avoid plagiarism is to properly cite your sources in MLA style.
When citing a website, make sure to use the guidelines mentioned above and include all necessary elements in your citation. Remember that even if you paraphrase information from a website, you still need to give credit to the original source.
Another way to avoid plagiarism when citing websites is to use quotation marks when directly quoting text from a website and to include a proper reference to the original source.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Citing a Website in MLA
Here are some best practices to follow when citing a website in MLA style:
The Do’s:
- Include all necessary elements in your citation.
- Use quotation marks when directly quoting text from a website.
- Include a citation even when paraphrasing information from a website.
- Include the date of access in your citation.
- Cite sources that are relevant, credible, and reliable.
The Don’ts:
- Don’t copy and paste text from a website without giving credit to the original source.
- Don’t use overly-long quotations from a website without proper citations.
- Don’t use sources that are not credible or reliable.
Citing Electronic Sources in MLA: Website Edition
In an age of digital information, it’s becoming more and more common to cite electronic sources such as websites. However, electronic sources can differ from printed sources in some important ways.
When citing electronic sources, such as websites, it’s important to include the date of access. This lets your reader know when you accessed the information, which is important because websites can change or be updated over time.
If you’re citing a source that is only available electronically, such as an online-only journal article or a website without a print counterpart, it’s important to include as much information as possible in your citation to help your reader locate the source.
Simplifying MLA Website Citations: Tips and Tricks
Citing websites in MLA style can be a daunting task, but there are several tools and resources available that can help simplify the process.
One helpful resource is citation generators, which are tools that help you automatically create MLA-style citations for a variety of sources, including websites. Simply input the required information and the generator will do the rest.
You can also use web browser extensions, such as Zotero, Mendeley, and EasyBib, to create citations automatically as you browse the web. These tools allow you to save and organize your sources, as well as create and edit citations on-the-go.
Mastering MLA Website Citations: A Comprehensive Guide
By now, you should have a good understanding of how to correctly cite a website in MLA style. Remember, proper citation is an essential part of academic writing and is crucial for avoiding plagiarism and giving credit to your sources.
Keep in mind the guidelines and tips we provided, including filling in all key elements of the citation, avoiding plagiarism, using best practices, and utilizing resources and tools to simplify the process.
Conclusion
In this article, we covered all the necessary information you need to confidently and correctly cite a website in MLA style, including a step-by-step guide on how to format your citation, tips on avoiding plagiarism, best practices to follow, and additional resources and tools to simplify the process.
It’s important to remember that citing your sources is an essential part of academic writing, and proper citation can have a significant impact on the quality and credibility of your work.
So, take the time to master MLA website citations, and continue to practice and refine your skills as you progress through your academic or professional career.
