How do I cite a secondary source in MLA?

To cite a secondary source 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 a secondary source in MLA?

In MLA, the in-text citation for the example above is As a wise poet once wrote, “A little learning is a dang’rous thing” (Alexander Pope qtd. in Damrosch 239).

How to Cite a Secondary Source in MLA (9th edition)

Learn how to cite a source you found quoted or cited in another work 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 a secondary source in your Works Cited page:

In text: (Original Author qtd. in Secondary Author Page). Works cited: the secondary source only.

MLA Example for a Secondary Source

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

Damrosch, Leopold, Jr. The Imaginative World of Alexander Pope. U of California P, 1987.

Matching in-text citation: (Alexander Pope qtd. in Damrosch 239)

MLA In-Text Citation

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

Parenthetical

As a wise poet once wrote, “A little learning is a dang’rous thing” (Alexander Pope qtd. in Damrosch 239).

Narrative

According to Alexander Pope, “A little learning is a dang’rous thing” (qtd. in Damrosch 239).

Key MLA Formatting Rules

Write qtd. in, with a period after qtd, before the source you consulted; do not use as cited in.
Name the original author in your sentence or in the parenthetical, with no comma before qtd. in.
Give the page of the source you read, with no comma between the author and the page.
Only the source you consulted goes in the works-cited list.

Step-by-Step Guide

Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your secondary source.
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

original author and year, if the work you read gives them
full details of the work you actually read
page in the work you read
whether you are quoting or paraphrasing
original title and page, as the work you read reports them

Common metadata traps

Listing the original work as if you had read it makes any error in the secondary source your own; list only what you opened, unless the style is Chicago.
The page number belongs to the work you read, because that is the page your reader can check.
Every style asks you to find and cite the original when you can; use a secondary citation only when the original is unavailable, out of print or in a language you cannot read.

Editorial sources

MLA Style Center — works cited →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a secondary source in MLA?: To cite a secondary source 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 a secondary source citation?: The MLA format for a secondary source is: In text: (Original Author qtd. in Secondary Author Page). Works cited: the secondary source only.
What does the in-text citation look like for a secondary source in MLA?: In MLA, the in-text citation for the example above is As a wise poet once wrote, “A little learning is a dang’rous thing” (Alexander Pope qtd. in Damrosch 239).