Table of Contents

Understanding MLA Style 
Basic Components of a Website Citation 
In-Text Citations for Websites 
Full Bibliographic Entry for Websites 
Additional Tips for Citing Websites 
Common Pitfalls to Avoid 
Conclusion

1. Understanding MLA Style

MLA style is a widely used citation style in the humanities, including literature, languages, and other related fields. It offers a uniform way of citing sources to make your research more accessible and credible.

2. Basic Components of a Website Citation

When citing a website in MLA style, you should include the following elements in your citation:

Author(s) or Editor(s) 
Title of the Webpage 
Title of the Website 
Publisher or Sponsor of the Website 
Publication Date (if available) 
URL (Uniform Resource Locator)

3. In-Text Citations for Websites

In-text citations are used to acknowledge the source within the text of your paper. In MLA style, the basic format for an in-text citation from a website is as follows:

(Author's Last Name Page Number)

If there is no author, you can use the title of the webpage:

("Title of Webpage" Page Number)

If the webpage has no page numbers, simply omit them from the citation.

4. Full Bibliographic Entry for Websites

To create a full bibliographic entry for a website in your Works Cited page, use the following format:

Author's Last Name, First Name. Website Page Title. Meta title of the website, When it was published date, and URL.

Here's a breakdown of each component:

Author(s) Last Name, First Name(s): List the author's last name, followed by their first name(s). If there is no author, start with the title of the webpage. 
"Title of Webpage": Enclose the title of the specific webpage in quotation marks. 
Title of the Website: Italicize or underline the title of the website. 
Publisher or Sponsor: Indicate the organization or entity responsible for the website. 
Publication Date: Provide the date when the webpage was published or last updated. If this information is not available, use "n.d." (no date). 
URL: Include the full URL of the webpage. Make sure it's a clickable link.

5. Additional Tips for Citing Websites

If you are citing an entire website, you can use the website's name as the title and omit the title of the specific webpage. 
Use a hanging indent for the second and subsequent lines of your citation in the Works Cited page. 
Ensure the URL is complete and accessible. If the URL is too long, you can shorten it using a URL shortening service like Bitly. 
 

6. Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Do not use a period after the URL in your citation. 
Be consistent in your formatting and use proper capitalization for titles. 
Double-check the accuracy of the URL and the publication date.

Conclusion

Citing websites in MLA style is essential for maintaining academic integrity and providing proper credit to the sources that inform your research. Remember to include all the necessary components, both in your in-text citations and your full bibliographic entries, to create accurate and complete citations. By following the guidelines provided in this comprehensive guide, you can ensure that your website citations meet the standards of MLA style.