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How To Cite A Wikipedia Page MLA In Text

How To Cite A Wikipedia Page MLA In Text

Before citing the resources on Wikipedia, it is necessary to learn about the different citation styles and one of them is MLA style. First, you need to learn what MLA is? It is the citation style that is highly recommended by the Modern Language Association.

So, without further ado, let’s dive into this blog!

All About The MLA (Modern Language Association) Style

MLA is simply the academic style guide that is usually used in scholarship. The MLA style has been widely adopted by scholars, academics, Journal publishers, and commercial phrases. This writing guide provides you with the guideline’s documentation criteria for research in the humanities.

Wikipedia is the tool that creates citations for almost every article. For the citation, you can use the cite tool that is Special: Cite. And, you can also follow the “Cite This Page” that is linked in the toolbox that shows on the left side of your article.

Cite this Page

Tips to Cite the Wikipedia Page in MLA format

Many of you are wondering about how to cite a Wikipedia page MLA in text. So, here you will read the tips to perform MLA (Modern Language Association) citation. If you are tempted about the criteria of citation, bear in mind you can do this manually and used Wikipedia’s automatic citation option. But the thing that you need to remember is Wikipedia does not accept as a reputable source usually for academic papers.

  • Method #1 – Use Of Handwritten Citation
  • Method #2 – Use Of Wikipedia Citation Tool 

Let’s dive into this blog!

Method #1 – Use Of Handwritten Citation

Step #1 – Understand Formatting Criteria Of Articles With Numerous Authors

For the Wikipedia page MLA citation, you do not need to consider the author’s name, as Wikipedia articles have a number of contributors. So, it is not easy to gather the information of every author. So, you need to consider.

Keep a note on the following;

  • The name of the article
  • The name of the publisher
  • The name of the publication’s company
  • Last edited date of the article in DD/MM/YYYY. (For example, 10th December 2020)
  • Name the publication format
  • The date on which the article was retrieved in DD/MM/YYYY. (For example, 25th March 2021)
  • Consider article web address that must not include the “HTTPS://“part of the URL address

Step #2 – Look For The Articles You Want To Cite

Now, you need to open the Wikipedia site that is https://www.wikipedia.org/ on your web browsers. You need to type the topic name in the search box and choose the article that you want to cite such as fashion designing.

Look For The Articles You Want To Cite

Step #3 – Consider Article’s Full Name

Once you open your topic, the name of the article appears at the top. The bold heading “Fashion Design” refers to the article’s topic. This is the major thing that you need to use on the place of the article’s name in the citation.

Consider Article’s Full Name

Step #4 – Find Out The Last Edit Date Article

Now, you all need to roll down your screens to the bottom of the article’s page. Then you need to find the date that appears next to the “This page was last edited on” and its heading near the bottom-left side of the Wikipedia article page. However, this is the actual date that you need to add in your citations in the option of the “Publication date” section.

Find Out The Last Edit Date Article

(The thing to remember; when you are writing the date as citation, you have to abbreviate the month’s name to three letters).

Step #5 – Note Down The Current Date

This is the date you need to consider and that is the “Retrieval Date” section of your citation.

Step #6 – Get The Article’s Specific URL

The article is itself has a general address that you will need to cite in order to specified your article for a special version. This will help you to use it in the updated version. To get a specific URL, follow the tips mentioned below;

  • Click the view history at the top of the article
    Get The Article’s Specific URL
  • Below the compare selected revision, you need to click the most recent date.
    compare selected revision
  • Then click on the website’s address at the top of your browser to emphasize it
  • Press CTRL+C (on Windows) or Command+C (on MAC) in order to copy the URL

Step #7 – Create Your Citation

The citation to Wikipedia page MLA is written in the following format that includes; bold text, punctuations, etc. To refer to the information, you just need to add; “Article Title”. Wikipedia; the free encyclopedia, Publish date, Retrieval Date, or Web address. But, be sure that you deleted the HTTPS:// section from the URL before adding it in your citation.

For Example:

“Fashion Design.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia 10th Dece 2020. Web. 25th Marc 2021, e en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fashiondesign&oldid=841301291

Step #8 – Must Reference Your Citation

Unlike in the normal MLA style, the in-text citations usually include the author’s last name or the page number (for instance, “Robinhood 25”). But, in Wikipedia MLA, you don’t have the specific author’s name or page number that you need to cite.

Method #2 – Use Of Wikipedia Citation Tool

Step #1 – Open Wikipedia Website

The very first thing you need to do is to open Wikipedia.org on your computer and laptop browser.

Step #2 – Look For Your Article

To find your article, you need to search for the topic on the Wikipedia homepage that you want to cite. Once you find it then move towards the further process.

Step #3 – Find Out The Tools Section

Once your article is opened, you need to find the tools heading present on the far-left side of your article’s page.

Find Out The Tools Section

Step #4 – Select Cite This Page

The next thing you need to do is at the tools bar section, you will find “Cite This Page”. When you click this option, it will open the list of several citation types for the chosen article.

Select Cite This Page

Step #5 – Roll Down To MLA Style Manual Section

Once you click this link, you will direct towards the new page where you find different citation styles. But you need to click on the MLA style manual headline.

Roll Down To MLA Style Manual Section

Formatting criteria for MLA citation on Wikipedia

Wikipedia contributors. “Article Title”. Wikipedia; the free encyclopedia, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Date last edited, or Web data retrieved.

For Instance; Wikipedia contributors. “Fashion Design.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia 10th Dece 2020. Web. 25th Marc 2021.

Step #6 – Copy Your Citation

Drag the mouse cursor across your citation, then press Command+C and Ctrl+C to copy it. Now paste it on your works cited page. Bear in mind, MLA style does not require the URL address, which is why Wikipedia official citation does not either.

Principles to cite a Wikipedia

Due to the unknown authorship, verifying the accuracy of Wikipedia is quite challenging, especially in Academic resources. Yet, it is true that some teachers did not accept the Wikipedia-sourced material as the reliable one. Most professionals and educators avoid using such an encyclopedia as a territory resource. But still, Wikipedia is strict to resource the information with verifiable and reliable sources instead of the article itself.

Wikipedia is not a paper, for such reason, you should use electronic citation format to show that your information is credible. So, here are some essential principles that need to consider, no matter which citation style you are using. Whether you are using the APA or MLA style, must consider the general principles to get a seamless Wiki page.

  • Wikipedia provides a special citation tool that will assist you during the citation process. When you open the article on screens, check out the left side of every article where you find the option “Cite this Page” link. When you click this information, it will lead you towards the list of relevant information and automatically generate citations in different styles.(Keep in mind it is your responsibility to make sure all citation meets the Wikipedia requirements).
  • You do not need to cite the particular author for your Wikipedia article. The reason is Wikipedia is written collaboratively; you do not find the list of authors for a particular article. In this regard, you can check out the page history. But, as a matter of fact, is authors are listed by chosen username or IP address, so you cannot verify their identities.
  • Your citation might list both Wikipedia and the article title. Wikipedia is a free encyclopedia that needs to cite properly as per paper publication article. (Make sure every article needs a separate citation). 
  • The majority of citation style requires the full URL article. For this, you can click the “Permanent Link” present in the toolbox that looks at the left corner of the page. This permits the URL to indulge a unique identifier that can hook your reference with the exact version of your article that you are referencing.
  • The citation style may offer the full time and date of the article that you are using. Using the permanent link feature might not be necessary. You can find the last revision date and time at the bottom of every page. (Right above the copyright notice)

FAQs

Can you cite Wikipedia in MLA?

Yes, anyone can cite on Wikipedia but it is necessary to have complete information about Wikipedia MLA format.

What citation style does Wikipedia use?

Wikipedia used different citation formats but the most common one is MLA citation style

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