Works Cited — English definition
Defined in 3 courses:
- The list of full source citations at the end of an MLA paper, in alphabetical order by author's last name. (English 9: Experience, Perspective & Inquiry)
- The alphabetized list of full source entries at the end of an MLA paper, each with a hanging indent. (English 11: American Voices, Identity & Public Memory)
- The alphabetized, hanging-indented list of full source entries at the end of an MLA paper. (English 12: Complex Texts, Independent Inquiry & Public Voice)
Where it is taught
- Citing Sources: MLA Basics — Research & Source-Based Writing, English 9: Experience, Perspective & Inquiry, Grade 9
- Citation & Academic Integrity — Research & Source-Based Writing, English 11: American Voices, Identity & Public Memory, Grade 11
- Documentation & Academic Integrity — Research & Source-Based Writing, English 12: Complex Texts, Independent Inquiry & Public Voice, Grade 12
In use
Then, at the end of the paper, a Works Cited page lists every source in full — author, title, publisher, date, and more — alphabetized by the author's last name, each entry using a hanging indent.
Citing Sources: MLA Basics
At the end of the paper, the Works Cited page lists every source in full — author, title, container, publisher, date — alphabetized by author's last name, each entry hanging-indented.
Citation & Academic Integrity
The two halves of MLA — a compact in-text citation inside the sentence and a full Works Cited entry at the end — you have met before.
Documentation & Academic Integrity
Questions using works cited
Problem 1
- by the order they appear in the essay
- alphabetically by the author's last name
- from shortest to longest
- by publication date, newest first
Answer and explanation
alphabetically by the author's last name
MLA Works Cited entries are alphabetized by the author's last name.
Problem 2
- There is no problem; the in-text citation alone is always sufficient.
- The in-text citation is incomplete without a full Works Cited entry, since readers need both to trace the source.
- The page number should not have been included.
- The author's first name should have been used instead.
Answer and explanation
The in-text citation is incomplete without a full Works Cited entry, since readers need both to trace the source.
In-text citations are short pointers that only work alongside a full Works Cited entry; without it, a reader cannot identify or find the actual source.
Problem 3
- It is not a problem; in-text citations alone are always sufficient.
- The in-text citations are pointers that only work with a matching Works Cited list, so without it a reader cannot identify or locate the actual sources.
- The in-text citations should have used the authors' first names instead.
- The essay now carries no risk of plagiarism at all.
Answer and explanation
The in-text citations are pointers that only work with a matching Works Cited list, so without it a reader cannot identify or locate the actual sources.
In-text citations and the Works Cited page function only as a pair; a short pointer with no full entry to match leaves the reader unable to find the source it names.
Problem 4
- It does not; only the in-text citations have any effect on credibility.
- Because each entry is expected to be longer than the one before it.
- Because a complete Works Cited page removes the need to discuss any sources within the essay.
- Because an erratic, inconsistent list signals carelessness that makes a reader doubt the care behind the research, and each entry must give enough detail to locate the exact source.
Answer and explanation
Because an erratic, inconsistent list signals carelessness that makes a reader doubt the care behind the research, and each entry must give enough detail to locate the exact source.
Consistent entries let a reader find every source and signal a careful researcher; a sloppy, uneven list undermines trust. Entries are not ranked by length, and a Works Cited page never replaces integrating and discussing sources in the text.