How do I cite Claude in MLA?

To cite Claude in MLA (9th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.

What does the in-text citation look like for Claude in MLA?

In MLA, the in-text citation for the example above is (“I’d like a list”)

How to Cite Claude in MLA (9th edition)

Learn how to cite Claude chats and other Anthropic AI output in MLA format (9th edition). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.

MLA Works Cited Format

Here is the standard MLA format for citing Claude in your Works Cited page:

“Text of your prompt” prompt. Claude, model name, Anthropic, Day Month Year, claude.ai/share/….

MLA Example for Claude

A complete MLA reference for Claude, written by hand and checked against the official MLA guidance for this source:

“I’d like a list of grammar topics that a student should understand by the time they graduate from high school” prompt. Claude, model Claude Sonnet 4, Anthropic, 20 May 2025, claude.ai/share/329173b2-ec93-4663-ac68-4f65ea4f166d.

Matching in-text citation: (“I’d like a list”)

MLA In-Text Citation

Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:

Parenthetical

(“I’d like a list”)

Narrative

Prompted for high school grammar topics, Claude produced the list summarized here (“I’d like a list”).

Key MLA Formatting Rules

Begin with your prompt, or a short description of it, in quotation marks followed by the word prompt; Claude is never the author.
Put Claude in the container slot (italicized in a typed paper) and Anthropic as the publisher.
Name the model in the Version slot as specifically as Claude shows it, for example model Claude Sonnet 4.
Give the date of the conversation and the claude.ai/share link without https://; use claude.ai only when you have no share link.
Shorten the prompt to its first words in the parenthetical citation; for a long multi-turn chat MLA allows a description such as Grammar topics for high school graduates prompt.

Step-by-Step Guide

Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your Claude.
Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the MLA (9th edition) template shown above.
Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
Add to your Works Cited: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match MLA requirements.

Evidence and review notes

Worked examples on this page are written by hand from the style's own published guidance and checked against it, because the general CSL styles do not encode this source's rules. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.

Metadata to collect

the company that built the tool (Anthropic)
the model shown in the chat, such as Claude Sonnet 4
the date of the conversation
the chat title Claude assigned or you set
the exact prompt you typed
the public claude.ai/share link

Common metadata traps

A claude.ai/chat/ address in your browser bar is private to your account; only the link created with the Share button (claude.ai/share/…) opens for readers.
A Claude share link is a snapshot of the conversation when you shared it, so messages you add later will not appear unless you share again and cite the new link.
Claude names its models by family and version (Sonnet 4, Opus 4.1), and APA’s own posts write them inconsistently, so copy the model name exactly as the chat displays it.

Editorial sources

MLA Style Center — works cited →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite Claude in MLA?: To cite Claude in MLA (9th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
What is the MLA format for Claude citation?: The MLA format for Claude is: “Text of your prompt” prompt. Claude, model name, Anthropic, Day Month Year, claude.ai/share/….
What does the in-text citation look like for Claude in MLA?: In MLA, the in-text citation for the example above is (“I’d like a list”)