MLA In-Text Citation (9th Edition)
(Author Page) — that's the core formula. Here's every variation you'll need: narrative, multiple authors, no page number, web sources, quotes, and more.
The basic formula
MLA in-text citations use the author-page system: author's last name and the page number where the information appears, in parentheses, with no comma between them. The citation goes inside the closing punctuation.
(Author Page)
(Smith 42)Two styles: parenthetical vs narrative
- Parenthetical: author and page in parentheses at the end of the sentence: "The result was significant (Smith 42)."
- Narrative: author's name appears in the sentence; only the page goes in parentheses: "Smith found a significant result (42)."
Every common case, with examples
Recent studies show a strong correlation (Smith 42).
Smith argues that the correlation is strong (42).
Both researchers found similar results (Smith and Jones 42).
The findings have been replicated repeatedly (Smith et al. 42).
The methodology has been criticized (Smith).
The trend is well-documented ("MLA Citation" 42).
Smith called the result "statistically remarkable" (42).
Einstein noted that imagination matters more than knowledge (qtd. in Smith 42).
Several scholars have made this argument (Smith 42; Jones 17; Brown 89).
Indented 0.5", no quotation marks, citation after the closing period: ... end of quote. (Smith 42)
Punctuation rules
- No comma between author and page: (Smith 42), not (Smith, 42).
- Period goes after the parenthetical: ...significant (Smith 42).
- Quotation marks come before the citation: ..."significant" (Smith 42).
- Block quotes are different: indent 0.5", no quotation marks, citation goes after the closing period.
Common mistakes
- Adding "p." before the page number. APA does that. MLA just writes the number: (Smith 42), not (Smith p. 42).
- Using a comma between author and page. No comma. (Smith 42), not (Smith, 42).
- Citing the year. APA uses (Smith, 2024). MLA uses (Smith 42) — no year.
- Forgetting to match the works-cited entry. The author name in your in-text citation must match the first element of the works-cited entry. If your works-cited starts with the title (no author), your in-text uses the title.
- Putting the citation outside the sentence. The citation belongs inside the closing period — it's part of the sentence, not a footnote.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Author last name and page number in parentheses, no comma between them: (Smith 42). For narrative citations where the author's name appears in the sentence, just give the page number in parentheses: 'According to Smith, the result was significant (42).'
Use both last names connected by 'and': (Smith and Jones 42). For narrative form: 'Smith and Jones argue that...(42).' Don't use & in MLA — APA uses &, MLA spells out 'and'.
Use the first author's last name followed by 'et al.' (italicized in some style sheets, but most editors accept Roman type): (Smith et al. 42). The 'et al.' replaces the second and subsequent authors. The works-cited entry lists only the first author too.
Just use the author's last name: (Smith). For online sources with paragraph numbers, use 'par.' (Smith, par. 4). For sources with timestamps (videos, podcasts), include the timestamp: (Smith 02:34). Don't make up page numbers.
Use a shortened version of the title in quotes (for articles) or italics (for books): ('MLA Citation' 42). Match the format of the works-cited entry. For corporate authors, use the organization name: (American Psychological Association 42).
Put the quoted text in double quotes, then the parenthetical citation, then the period: 'The result was 'significant' (Smith 42).' For block quotes (4+ lines), indent the entire quote 0.5 inches, no quotation marks, and place the citation after the closing punctuation: '...end of quote. (Smith 42)' — note the period before the citation, not after.
Separate citations with a semicolon: (Smith 42; Jones 17). Use this when one sentence draws on multiple sources. Don't string together more than three citations in one parenthetical — break the sentence up instead.
Use 'qtd. in' (quoted in) before the source you actually consulted: (qtd. in Smith 42). This means you read Smith's book, which contained a quote from someone else, and you're using that quote. The works-cited entry is for Smith, not the original speaker.
MLA uses (Author Page) — for example (Smith 42). APA uses (Author, Year) or (Author, Year, p. Page) — for example (Smith, 2024) or (Smith, 2024, p. 42). MLA emphasizes the page where you found the information; APA emphasizes when the source was published.
Inside the closing punctuation: 'The result was significant (Smith 42).' Period after the parenthetical, not before. Exception: block quotes (4+ lines indented) place the citation outside the period.