Your paper is perfect! All your in-text quotes have a citation, the formatting is top-notch and you’re now breathing a sigh of relief. Until you realize you don’t have a works cited. Don’t lose your cool. You have the research and the paper. Now, just follow the works cited page example below as guide to create your own.
How to Do a Works Cited Page
A works cited page is the last page of your MLA style paper. It’ll include the references that were used to create the essay, dissertation or thesis you’ve written. You’ll start your works cited on its own page. The last name and page number header will be at the top, along with the title: Works Cited. Unlike the rest of the page that will be aligned to the left, your title will be centered.
Works Cited Outline
When you create your works cited, there are specific rules that must be followed.
- All references will be double spaced.
- References that go onto a second or third line will have a hanging indent that is 0.5 inches from the left margin.
- All the references that you include in your works cited will end with a period, even if they are a website.
- The titles of books, articles, and similar sources will use header capitalization and be italicized (e.g. Pride and Prejudice).
- Online sources need a URL but no http://. Use a DOI if available.
- Author’s full names are listed, but they are inverted with last name first (e.g. Smith, Sam Kenny).
- No titles should be listed, like Dr. or Ph.D., but you should include suffixes like Jr.
Examples of Works Cited Pages
You know how to outline your paper, it is time to see them in action. Check out a few examples to get you rolling. Both examples are offered in downloadable PDF format for your convenience.
Works Cited vs Bibliography
Your works cited is your bibliography page, right? Nope. A works cited is different from a bibliography.
While both will be at the end of your paper and provide your resources to your audience, a works cited will only list the references used in the article. The bibliography covers everything. In a bibliography, you’ll list the works that sparked your ideas, even if you didn’t use them in the paper. Now, you know that a bibliography isn’t an umbrella term to cover all reference sheets. It’s a specific type of reference sheet.
Crafting Your Works Cited
MLA works cited pages can seem overwhelming. But, if you follow the style guidelines, making your works cited page can be a breeze. Now get citing so your paper will be the epitome of perfection.