MLA Citation Guide
A Step-by-Step Guide to MLA Format for 7th Graders
MLA (Modern Language Association) format is a standard way to cite sources in your essays. Using MLA format shows your teacher that you've done research and gives credit to the authors whose ideas you've used. This guide will teach you everything you need to know about MLA citations for your writing assignments.
In-text citations appear in the body of your essay whenever you use information from a source. They tell readers where your information came from and point them to the full citation in your Works Cited page.
1Basic Format
Include the author's last name and page number (if available) in parentheses.
Marco Polo spent 17 years serving in the court of Kublai Khan (Britannica).
When there's no page number (common for websites), just use the author or website name.
2Author Mentioned in Sentence
If you mention the author's name in your sentence, only put the page number in parentheses.
According to National Geographic, the Silk Road stretched over 4,000 miles across Asia.
This flows more naturally and avoids repetition.
3No Author Listed
Use a shortened version of the article title in quotation marks.
The Silk Road was crucial for cultural exchange between East and West ("Marco Polo and His Travels").Shorten long titles to the first few words.
4Direct Quotes
Use quotation marks and include the exact page number if available.
Polo described China as having "cities more magnificent than any in Europe" (UNESCO).
Always use quotation marks when using someone's exact words.
5Paraphrasing
When putting ideas in your own words, you still need to cite the source.
The Mongol Empire's postal system was remarkably efficient, allowing messages to travel across vast distances in record time (Britannica).
Even when you rewrite information, credit the original source.
In-Text Citations
In-text citations appear in the body of your essay whenever you use information from a source. They tell readers where your information came from and point them to the full citation in your Works Cited page.
Basic Format
Include the author's last name and page number (if available) in parentheses.
Marco Polo spent 17 years serving in the court of Kublai Khan (Britannica).
Author Mentioned in Sentence
If you mention the author's name in your sentence, only put the page number in parentheses.
According to National Geographic, the Silk Road stretched over 4,000 miles across Asia.
No Author Listed
Use a shortened version of the article title in quotation marks.
The Silk Road was crucial for cultural exchange between East and West ("Marco Polo and His Travels").Direct Quotes
Use quotation marks and include the exact page number if available.
Polo described China as having "cities more magnificent than any in Europe" (UNESCO).
Paraphrasing
When putting ideas in your own words, you still need to cite the source.
The Mongol Empire's postal system was remarkably efficient, allowing messages to travel across vast distances in record time (Britannica).
Works Cited Page
The Works Cited page appears at the end of your essay and lists all the sources you cited. It helps readers find the original sources if they want to learn more.
Page Setup
Center 'Works Cited' at the top. Double-space all entries. Use hanging indent (first line flush left, subsequent lines indented).
Works Cited
Britannica. "Marco Polo." Encyclopaedia Britannica, www.britannica.com/
biography/Marco-Polo. Accessed 15 Dec. 2025.Website Article Format
Author (if available). "Article Title." Website Name, URL. Accessed Day Month Year.
"Marco Polo and His Travels." Silk Road, silk-road.com/artl/marcopolo.shtml.
Accessed 15 Dec. 2025.Article with Author
Last Name, First Name. "Article Title." Website Name, URL. Accessed Day Month Year.
Smith, John. "The Legacy of the Silk Road." National Geographic Education,
education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/silk-road. Accessed 15 Dec. 2025.Encyclopedia Entry
"Entry Title." Encyclopedia Name, Publisher, Year, URL. Accessed Day Month Year.
"Marco Polo." Britannica Kids, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2024,
kids.britannica.com/students/article/Marco-Polo/276493. Accessed 15 Dec. 2025.Alphabetical Order
Arrange all entries alphabetically by the first word (usually author's last name or article title).
Works Cited Britannica. "Marco Polo." Encyclopaedia Britannica... "Marco Polo and His Travels." Silk Road... UNESCO. "The Travels of Marco Polo." Silk Roads Programme...
Essay Formatting
MLA format includes specific rules for how your essay should look. Following these rules makes your essay look professional and easy to read.
Header
Include your name, teacher's name, class, and date in the upper left corner.
Sarah Johnson Mrs. Thompson English 7 15 December 2025
Title
Center your title on the line after the header. Don't underline, bold, or put it in quotes.
The Impact of Marco Polo's Journey on European Trade
Font and Spacing
Use a readable font like Times New Roman, 12-point size. Double-space the entire essay.
Times New Roman, 12pt, double-spaced throughout
Margins
Use 1-inch margins on all sides of the page.
1 inch on top, bottom, left, and right
Page Numbers
Include your last name and page number in the upper right corner of each page.
Johnson 1
Tips for Success
These tips will help you avoid common mistakes and make the citation process smoother.
Keep Track of Sources
As you research, write down the source information right away.
Create a document or note card for each source with all the citation details.
Cite As You Write
Add your in-text citations while writing, not after you're done.
Every time you use information from a source, immediately add the citation.
When in Doubt, Cite
If you're unsure whether to cite something, it's better to include the citation.
Common knowledge (like 'The Earth orbits the Sun') doesn't need citation, but specific facts do.
Check Your Work
Before submitting, verify that every in-text citation has a matching Works Cited entry.
Go through each citation and make sure you can find it in your Works Cited.
Use Reliable Sources
Educational websites (.edu), government sites (.gov), and established organizations are best.
National Geographic, Britannica, UNESCO, and Smithsonian are reliable sources.
Forgetting the period after parenthetical citations
Marco Polo traveled for many years (Britannica)Marco Polo traveled for many years (Britannica).Putting the period inside the parentheses
Marco Polo traveled for many years (Britannica.)Marco Polo traveled for many years (Britannica).Using URLs as in-text citations
Marco Polo was a famous explorer (www.britannica.com).Marco Polo was a famous explorer (Britannica).Not using quotation marks for direct quotes
Polo said the cities were magnificent (UNESCO).Polo said the cities were "magnificent" (UNESCO).Forgetting to include accessed date for websites
"Marco Polo." Britannica, www.britannica.com/biography/Marco-Polo."Marco Polo." Britannica, www.britannica.com/biography/Marco-Polo. Accessed 15 Dec. 2025.Works Cited
Britannica. "Marco Polo." Encyclopaedia Britannica, www.britannica.com/biography/
Marco-Polo/Sojourn-in-China. Accessed 15 Dec. 2025.
"Marco Polo and His Travels." Silk Road, silk-road.com/artl/marcopolo.shtml.
Accessed 15 Dec. 2025.
"Marco Polo." Britannica Kids, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2024, kids.britannica.com/
students/article/Marco-Polo/276493. Accessed 15 Dec. 2025.
"The Silk Road." National Geographic Education, education.nationalgeographic.org/
resource/silk-road. Accessed 15 Dec. 2025.
UNESCO. "The Travels of Marco Polo." Silk Roads Programme, en.unesco.org/silkroad/
publications/travels-marco-polo. Accessed 15 Dec. 2025.Key Features to Notice:
- • "Works Cited" is centered at the top
- • Entries are in alphabetical order
- • Each entry uses hanging indent (first line flush left, rest indented)
- • All entries include access dates for websites
- • URLs are included but not hyperlinked
Essay Format
- Header with name, teacher, class, date
- Centered title (not bold or underlined)
- Double-spaced throughout
- 1-inch margins on all sides
- Page numbers with last name
Citations
- At least 2 sources cited
- In-text citations for all borrowed info
- Quotes in quotation marks
- Works Cited page at the end
- All in-text citations match Works Cited