One author
RuleGive the author's surname and the page number, with no comma and no p. before the page.
Example
- Parenthetical
- (Poropat 330)
- Narrative
- Poropat (330)
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MLA in-text citation
How to cite a source in the text in MLA 9th edition, with examples for each case. Type the authors and page, or a DOI, and get the narrative and parenthetical citation. No sign-in.
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Narrative and parenthetical citations
MLA in-text citations give the author's surname and the page you are citing, with no year. A parenthetical citation puts both in parentheses, with no comma between them. A narrative citation names the author in your sentence and puts only the page in parentheses.
Each citation points to an entry in your Works Cited list, which begins with the same name.
Rules and examples
Two authors
RuleGive both surnames, joined by and.
Example
- Parenthetical
- (Kluger and DeNisi 258)
- Narrative
- Kluger and DeNisi (258)
Three or more authors
RuleGive the first author's surname followed by et al.
Example
- Parenthetical
- (Richardson et al. 360)
- Narrative
- Richardson et al. (360)
Group author
RuleGive the group's name as it begins your Works Cited entry.
Example
- Parenthetical
- (World Health Organization 12)
- Narrative
- World Health Organization (12)
No page numbers
RuleIf the source has no page numbers, give the author alone, and don't count pages yourself. If the source numbers its paragraphs, give par. and the number after a comma.
Example
- Parenthetical
- (National Institute of Mental Health)
- Narrative
- National Institute of Mental Health
Other styles
FAQ
- Is the in-text citation builder free?
- Yes. You don't need an account. If you build a lot of citations in a few minutes, the tool asks you to wait a moment before the next one.
- Do you store what I type?
- No. The details go to our server, which formats the citation and sends it back to your browser. A DOI is looked up in Crossref and OpenAlex. We don't save what you typed or the results.
- Which edition of MLA does this follow?
- The 9th edition of the MLA Handbook, the current one.
- Why is there no year in an MLA in-text citation?
- MLA points readers to the exact page rather than to the date of the work. The year is in your Works Cited entry. That is also why a source with no date needs no change in the text.
- Where does the page go in a narrative MLA citation?
- In parentheses, usually at the end of the sentence or clause that uses the source, for example: Poropat finds that conscientiousness predicts grades (330).