Citing Sources

When you cite your sources, you show your reader where your information came from and you give credit to the people who did the original research or writing. Citing sources is an important part of being an honest student and a trustworthy writer. It also helps anyone reading your work find those sources themselves if they want to learn more. Whether you used a book, a website, or even an AI tool, keeping track of your sources is a skill you'll use all the way through high school, college, and beyond.

Citing your sources

Choose the type of source you used, then follow the format below. All examples use MLA 9th edition.

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

Example: Riordan, Rick. The Lightning Thief. Hyperion Books, 2005.

Website or webpage: Last, First. "Page Title." Website Name, Date Published, URL.

Example: National Geographic Society. "What Is Climate Change?" National Geographic, 13 Jan. 2023,     www.nationalgeographic.org/article/what-is-climate-change/.

***No author listed? Start with the page title in quotes instead. 

***If there's no date, add the date you accessed the page: "Accessed 14 Oct. 2024."

Magazine or newspaper article: Last, First. "Article Title." Publication Name, Day Month Year, page(s).

Example: Chang, Kenneth. "Scientists Discover New Species of Whale." The New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024, p. A3.

***Found it online? Add the URL at the end instead of a page number.
***Database articles (like Britannica or ProQuest) follow the same format, add the database name in italics and the URL or DOI.

Online video (YouTube, etc.): Creator Name. "Video Title." Platform, Date, URL.

Example: Crash Course. "The Digestive System." YouTube, 30 Sept. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=example.
***Use the channel name as the author if the video is from an organization (like NASA or a museum).

*** If a real person made it, use their name.

AI tool (AI chatbot, like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc.): AI Tool Name, version. Response to "your prompt." Company Name, Date of response, URL.

Example: MagicSchool AI. Response to "Summarize the water cycle for a 6th grader." MagicSchool, 3 Oct. 2024, www.magicschool.ai.

More information: How do I cite generative AI in MLA style?

Before you use AI, read this

• AI can be wrong. It sometimes makes up facts, names, or dates that sound real but aren't. Always double-check AI answers with a trusted source like a book, encyclopedia, or website.

• Use your own words. Copying text from an AI and turning it in as your own work is academic dishonesty, just like copying from a book. Your ideas and writing matter.

• Ask your teacher first. Every teacher has different rules about when and how AI tools can be used. When in doubt, ask before you use it.

• If you use it, cite it. If AI helped you with your work, be honest and include a citation. Hiding your sources is never okay.