Free MLA Citation Checker

Validate your works cited page against MLA 9th Edition rules. Instant feedback on core elements, containers, title formatting, and more.
Citation Format Checker is a free MLA citation checker that validates existing works cited entries against MLA 9th Edition rules. It checks core elements, container structure, title formatting (italics vs. quotation marks), and punctuation — no sign-up required.

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Paste a single MLA 9th Edition works cited entry below to check formatting.

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The 9 Core Elements of MLA 9th Edition

MLA 9th Edition uses 9 core elements to build every works cited entry: Author, Title of Source, Title of Container, Contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication Date, and Location. Include only the elements that are relevant and available for your source.

MLA 9th Edition simplified citation formatting by replacing source-specific rules with a universal template. Every source — book, article, website, video — uses the same 9 core elements:

  1. Author. Last name, First name. For multiple authors, only the first is inverted.
  2. Title of source. Italicize self-contained works; use quotation marks for parts of larger works.
  3. Title of container. The larger work holding the source (journal, website, anthology). Always italicized.
  4. Contributors. Editors, translators, directors, performers — when relevant.
  5. Version. Edition, revised edition, director's cut.
  6. Number. Volume and issue numbers (vol. 12, no. 3).
  7. Publisher. The organization responsible for publishing.
  8. Publication date. As specific as available (year, month, or full date).
  9. Location. Page numbers (pp. 45-67), DOI, or URL.

Containers

A source can have multiple containers. An article in a journal accessed through JSTOR has two: the journal (container 1) and JSTOR (container 2). Each container gets its own set of elements.

Title Formatting

Italicize self-contained works (books, journals, websites, films). Use quotation marks for works within larger works (articles, chapters, episodes, web pages).

Author Names

First author: Last, First. Additional authors: First Last. For 3+ authors, use first author followed by et al.

Punctuation

Each core element is followed by specific punctuation. Commas separate elements within a container. Periods end the author, title of source, and each container.

Common MLA Citation Errors

The most common MLA citation errors are incorrect title formatting (italics vs. quotation marks), missing container information, wrong author name order for multiple authors, and incorrect abbreviations for volume and issue numbers.

1. Italics vs. Quotation Marks

✗ Smith, John. "The Great Gatsby." Scribner, 1925.
✓ Smith, John. The Great Gatsby. Scribner, 1925.

Books are self-contained works — italicize, don't use quotation marks.

2. Multiple Author Format

✗ Jones, Mary and Smith, John and Davis, Robert. "Title."
✓ Jones, Mary, et al. "Title."

For 3+ authors, list the first author then "et al."

3. Missing Container Title

✗ Smith, John. "Article Title." vol. 12, no. 3, 2023, pp. 45-67.
✓ Smith, John. "Article Title." Journal Name, vol. 12, no. 3, 2023, pp. 45-67.

4. Volume/Issue Abbreviation

✗ Journal Name, Volume 12, Issue 3, 2023.
✓ Journal Name, vol. 12, no. 3, 2023.

5. URL vs. DOI

✗ www.example.com/article. Accessed 15 Jan. 2023.
✓ https://doi.org/10.1234/example.

Prefer DOIs over URLs when available. MLA 9 recommends DOIs as permanent identifiers.

6. Date Format

✗ January 15, 2023.
✓ 15 Jan. 2023.

MLA uses day-month-year order. Abbreviate months longer than 4 letters.

MLA Citation Checker vs. MLA Citation Generator

These are different tools that solve different problems:

An MLA citation checker (like this tool) takes works cited entries you have already written and validates them against MLA 9th Edition rules. It finds errors in core elements, container structure, title formatting, punctuation, and author order.

An MLA citation generator creates new citations from source information. You enter a URL, ISBN, or DOI and it produces a formatted MLA entry. Tools like EasyBib, MyBib, and BibGuru do this.

An MLA citation checker validates existing works cited entries for errors. An MLA citation generator creates new entries from source data. Generators frequently produce errors — run a checker after generating to catch mistakes before submission.

Why you need both: Generators save time building your works cited page, but our analysis of 11,938 citations found that 67% had formatting issues. Always check generated citations before submitting.

See our full comparison of the best citation checkers and generators.

MLA Works Cited Formatting Guide

Journal Article

Author Last, First. "Title of Article." Journal Name, vol. #, no. #, Year, pp. #-#.

Book

Author Last, First. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.

Website / Web Page

Author Last, First. "Title of Page." Website Name, Day Month Year, URL.

Article in a Database

Author Last, First. "Article Title." Journal Name, vol. #, no. #, Year, pp. #-#. Database Name, DOI or URL.

For a comprehensive guide to all source types, see our Complete MLA 9th Edition Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does an MLA citation checker do?

An MLA citation checker validates existing works cited entries against MLA 9th Edition rules. It checks core elements (author, title, container, version, number, publisher, date, location), title formatting (italics vs. quotation marks), punctuation, and container structure. Unlike a citation generator, it finds errors in citations you have already written.

Is this MLA citation checker free?

Yes. Citation Format Checker offers free MLA 9th Edition citation checking with no sign-up or account required. You get 5 free checks per session. Paste your works cited entries and get instant feedback on formatting errors.

What are the 9 core elements in MLA 9th Edition?

The 9 core elements are: 1. Author, 2. Title of source, 3. Title of container, 4. Contributors, 5. Version, 6. Number, 7. Publisher, 8. Publication date, 9. Location (page numbers, DOI, or URL). Not every source uses all 9 elements — include only those that are relevant and available.

What is a container in MLA format?

A container is the larger work that holds the source being cited. For an article in a journal, the journal is the container. For a chapter in a book, the book is the container. For a webpage, the website is the container. Container titles are always italicized. A source can have multiple containers — for example, an article in a journal accessed through JSTOR has two containers.

When do I use italics vs. quotation marks in MLA?

Titles of self-contained works (books, websites, films, albums) are italicized. Titles of works within larger works (articles, chapters, episodes, songs, web pages) go in quotation marks. The key question: can this work stand on its own? If yes, italicize. If it is part of something larger, use quotation marks.

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