Okay, let's be real – figuring out how to cite a website in MLA format feels like trying to solve a puzzle without all the pieces. You find the perfect source online, then boom, MLA 9th edition rules slap you with questions: Where's the author? Why is there no date? What if I only used one page? I remember sweating over my undergrad thesis references, terrified my professor would dock points over a misplaced comma. That panic? Totally avoidable.
The Core Ingredients of an MLA Website Citation
Think of building an MLA citation like making a sandwich. You need specific layers in a particular order. Forget one piece, and the whole thing falls apart. Here's your grocery list for citing websites:
- Author: The person or group who created the content
- Title of Source: The specific page/article title (in quotes)
- Title of Container: The website name (italicized)
- Publisher: The organization behind the site (often same as container)
- Publication Date: When it was posted/updated
- URL: The full web address (without https://)
- Access Date: When you looked at it
Basic Works Cited Example
Bernstein, Mark. "10 Tips on Writing the Living Web." A List Apart, 16 Aug. 2002, alistapart.com/article/writeliving. Accessed 4 May 2023.
See how those pieces fit? Author first, then the specific article title in quotes, the website name in italics, publication date, clean URL, and finally when you accessed it. Missing pieces? We'll tackle that nightmare soon.
Handling Tricky Website Scenarios (The Stuff That Breaks Brains)
Let's be honest, most websites don't play nice with citation rules. You'll often hit these roadblocks:
When There's No Visible Author
This happens constantly. Corporate blogs, news sites, government pages love hiding authors. MLA says: start with the page title instead.
| Scenario | Works Cited Format | In-Text Citation |
|---|---|---|
| No author, has page title | "Caffeine Consumption Trends." National Coffee Association, 2022, www.ncausa.org/caffeine-trends. Accessed 14 Sept. 2023. | ("Caffeine Consumption Trends") |
| No author, no page title (rare) | Website Name. Publisher, Date, URL. Accessed Date. | (Website Name) |
Had this happen with a CDC page last month – totally anonymous. Started with the article title and it worked fine. Crisis averted.
The Mysterious Missing Date
More common than you'd think. If you dig everywhere (footer, about page, metadata) and find nothing? Use "n.d." for no date. But seriously, check twice. I once missed a tiny date stamp buried in image metadata.
Larson, Greg. "Urban Beekeeping Challenges." City Green Initiatives, n.d., www.citygreen.org/beekeeping. Accessed 10 Oct. 2023.
Citing Social Media? Yes, Really.
Tweeting academics changed everything. Here's how to cite common platforms when learning how to cite a website in MLA format:
- Twitter: @Username. "Full text of tweet." Twitter, Date Posted, URL.
- Instagram: @Username. "Photo title or description." Instagram, Date Posted, URL.
- YouTube: Creator Name. "Video Title." YouTube, Upload Date, URL.
Warning: Avoid citing auto-generated citations from citation tools blindly. I tested five last semester – three messed up the publisher field. Always verify against MLA handbook rules.
In-Text Citations Explained (Without the Jargon)
Works Cited pages are half the battle. When you mention a source in your paper, MLA keeps it simple: just the first identifying piece (usually author or title) and the page number if it exists.
| Source Type | In-Text Citation Format |
|---|---|
| Source with author name | (Smith 42) |
| Source without author name | ("Shortened Article Title" 15) |
| Source with no page numbers | (Nguyen) or ("Renewable Energy Solutions") |
For websites without page numbers? Don't invent them or use paragraph numbers unless they're explicitly labeled. Just use the author or title. Made that mistake freshman year – professor circled it in angry red pen.
Two Authors? Three or More? Easy Fixes
- Two authors: (Smith and Jones 27)
- Three or more authors: (Brown et al. 132)
- Corporate author: (National Geographic Society 8)
Your Top MLA Website Citation Questions Answered
Do I always need the access date?
Yes. Unlike print sources, websites change constantly. MLA 9 requires it for all online sources. Skipping this was my most common error in early college papers.
Should I include https:// in the URL?
No. Start with www. or the direct domain. MLA prefers clean URLs: www.example.com/page not https://www.example.com/page. But include the full path to the specific page.
Can I shorten super long URLs?
Generally no. Unless it's a permalink service (like bit.ly), preserve the full URL. Exception: excessively complex database URLs with session IDs – ask your instructor.
How do I cite a whole website?
Usually, you cite specific pages. If you truly reference the entire site:
Site Name. Publisher/Sponsor, Date Range or n.d., URL. Accessed Date.
Example: Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d., www.poetryfoundation.org. Accessed 5 Nov. 2023.
Beyond the Basics: Special MLA Website Cases
Blog Posts and Comments
Treat blog posts like articles. For comments:
Jasper, Milo. Comment on "Climate Policy Shifts." Environmental Policy Review, 22 Mar. 2023, www.epreview.org/climate-policy/#comment-8921. Accessed 18 Nov. 2023.
Online Videos (YouTube, TED, etc.)
- Credit the primary creator in the author position
- Use video title in quotation marks
- Platform as container title
- Include upload date and stable URL
Green, Hank. "The Science of Productivity." YouTube, uploaded by CrashCourse, 15 Jan. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_7yIUqWBmE.
Databases and Online Journals
Add database info as a second container:
Davis, Angela. "Intersectionality in Modern Movements." Social Justice Review, vol. 28, no. 4, 2021, pp. 45-67. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.7312/davi18456.7. Accessed 29 Oct. 2023.
Tools & Resources (Use With Caution)
While learning how to cite a website in MLA format, tools help but aren't perfect:
- Zotero & Mendeley: Free reference managers. Great for organizing sources, mediocre at website citations. Requires manual checks.
- Purdue OWL MLA Guide: My gold standard reference. Bookmark this: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/mla_guide
- Citation Generators (EasyBib, Citation Machine): Convenient but error-prone. Verify every field against MLA rules.
Pro Tip: Create an MLA citation cheat sheet template for yourself. Mine has placeholders like [Author], [Title], [Website], [Date], [URL], [Accessed]. Fill in as you research – saves hours later.
Why MLA Website Citations Actually Matter
Beyond avoiding professor rage? Three big reasons:
- Credibility: Shows you've done real research, not just Googled random stuff.
- Avoiding Plagiarism: Even unintentional copying gets flagged. Proper citations cover you.
- Reader Navigation: Lets others find your sources easily (that access date is crucial here!).
The bottom line? Taking 10 minutes to learn proper MLA website citations saves you from last-minute formatting panic. Trust me, future-you will be grateful.
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