MLA 9 Quick Guide — Free 2026 Reference

Everything you need to format a paper in MLA 9: header, in-text citations, Works Cited, and special source types.

Document Format

1-inch margins all around
Times New Roman 12pt, double-spaced
Header: Last name + page number, top right
First page: Name, instructor, course, date — top left, double-spaced

In-Text Citations

(Smith 14)
Two authors: (Smith and Jones 14)
Three+ authors: (Smith et al. 14)
No author: (Title 14) — shortened title in quotes/italics

Works Cited Examples

Book: Smith, John. Title of Book. Publisher, 2024.

Journal: Smith, John. "Title of Article." Journal of X, vol. 12, no. 3, 2024, pp. 100-115.

Website: Smith, John. "Title of Page." Site Name, 12 Mar. 2024, example.com/page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's new in MLA 9 vs MLA 8?

MLA 9 added clearer guidance on annotated bibliographies, inclusive-language principles, and updated examples — but the core 9-element citation pattern is unchanged.