How to Easily Compile an MLA or APA Works Cited Page

Compiling a work cited page, reference page, or sources page, should not invoke fear and dread. Here is how to quickly and easily create a reference page.

Correctly formatting a work cited page can be the most frustrating and tedious aspect of the research paper process. All sources must be appropriately credited after researching, note-taking, paraphrasing, and choosing quotes. APA and MLA have such strict standards that some teachers will spend half a day’s lecture splitting hairs on where to insert a space or comma. Mainly, it refers to understanding how to cite a poem in MLA style, which might alleviate some confusion and stress.

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Creating a work cited page, sometimes called a reference page, or sources page, actually involves little work at all. It can be done quite easily and quickly. Here is how to create an MLA or APA works cited page, without the hassle.

Writing the Works Cited Entries

In the dark ages of the late 1990s, students pored over thick MLA or APA-style books. They weeded through dozens of sample entries to find their exact source type or source publication situation. They matched the citation exactly, paying careful attention to every comma, space, period, and italic.

Such style manuals still exist; those undertaking post-graduate papers and professional research projects should still consult them.

Notes on Formatting a Works Cited Page

1.  The works cited, or reference page must be its page, at the end of the document. MLA does not allow it to have a page number, but APA does.

2.  Remember MLA and APA require that each entry begin with its line.

3.  Remember the author's name must be flush left, with all other lines in an entry indented.

4.  The words, “Works Cited,” in MLA, or “References,” in APA, must be centered and not-bolded at the top.

Alphabetize the Reference Page Entries

Once all the sources have been run through and pasted onto the references page, they must be arranged alphabetically. MLA and APA both require alphabetizing by the first word in the entry. In most cases, this will be the author’s last name. Microsoft Word now allows alphabetizing to be done with a click.

To alphabetize works cited page:

1.  Select the entire area of the reference page.

2.  Go to Table>Sort

3.  Sort by Paragraph>Text>Ascending. These should be default settings.

4.  Click OK.

Microsoft sees each entry as a paragraph, and the Sort function arranges sections alphabetically by the first word.

Examples of MLA Works Cited

●  Book: Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Publication Year.

Example: Smith, John. The Great Gatsby. Penguin Books, 2003.

●  Journal article: Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Title of Journal, vol. Issue, Publication Year, page numbers.

Example: Johnson, Emily. "The Impact of Climate Change on Biodiversity." Environmental Studies, vol. 25, no. 3, 2018, pp. 45-63.

●  Website: Last Name, First Name. "Title of Web Page." Title of Website, Publisher or Organization, Publication Date, URL.

Example: IrvingWeekly Staff. "Science Papers, How To Best Read And Analyze”, 16 August 2023, https://www.irvingweekly.com/s/5866/Science-Papers-How-to-Best-Read-and-Analyze.php.

●  Newspaper article: Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Title of Newspaper, Publication Date, page numbers.

Example: Davis, Mark. "New Study Shows Positive Effects of Exercise on Mental Health." The Daily News, 12 May 2023, p. A3.

●  Poem: Poet's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Poem." Title of Anthology or Collection, edited by Editor's First Name Last Name, Publisher, Year, and page numbers.

●  Film or video: Title of Film. Directed by Director's Name, Performance by Actors' Names, Production Company, Release Year.

Example: The Shawshank Redemption. Directed by Frank Darabont, performance by Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, Castle Rock Entertainment, 1994.

●  Online image or artwork: Artist's Last Name, First Name (if available). Title of Artwork. Year Created, Website or Museum, URL.

Example: Monet, Claude. Water Lilies. 1919, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/438008

Examples of APA References

Summing Up

Creating a Works Cited page does not have to be difficult. It is easily done with the right steps.

Before beginning, it's necessary to understand how to cite a poem in MLA style that may alleviate some of the confusion and stress.

To properly format a works cited page, remember: entries must begin on their own line, author's name must be flush left, all other lines must be indented, and either "Works Cited" (MLA) or "References" (APA) should be centered and non-bolded at the top of the page.

Alphabetize the reference page entries using Microsoft Word's Sort function, alphabetizing by first word in each entry.