MLA 9th Edition: What’s New?

Just when you mastered MLA 8th edition, the Modern Language Association released the 9th edition in 2021. This can cause anxiety for students. Do you need to relearn everything?

The short answer is no. The 9th edition is an *expansion*, not a major revision. All your papers formatted in MLA 8 are fully compliant with MLA 9.

This guide explains what’s new, what stays the same, and how the 9th edition helps you cite modern online sources. This page is a companion to our Complete MLA Format Guide.

What’s New in MLA 9?

The 9th edition focuses on clarification, providing hundreds of new examples, and offering guidance on new-media and ethical writing. It’s about *applying* the MLA 8 rules, not changing them.

1. More Examples (Especially for Online Sources)

The biggest change is the addition of many new examples. The MLA 8 “container system” was flexible, but students were often confused about how to apply it to sources that aren’t books or journals. The 9th edition adds clear, specific examples for:

• Social Media: How to cite a Tweet, Instagram post, or TikTok video.
• Streaming Services: How to cite a Netflix show or a Spotify podcast.
• Online Videos: How to properly cite a YouTube video.
• Apps and Databases: How to cite a database (like JSTOR) as a second container.

We cover these in our MLA Works Cited guide.

2. A New Chapter on Inclusive Language

MLA 9 adds a new section on using inclusive and bias-free language. This formalizes guidelines that were already becoming standard practice in academic writing. Key recommendations include:

• Using the singular “they” when a person’s pronouns are unknown or when referring to a generic person.
• Using language that is precise and respectful when discussing race, gender, sexuality, disability, and other identity markers.
• Respecting the names and pronouns authors use to describe themselves.

3. Minor Clarifications

The 9th edition clarifies a few minor points that were ambiguous in the 8th edition. For example, it clarifies that while “https://,” and “http://” are usually omitted from URLs, you *should* include them for DOIs (e.g., `https://doi.org/…`).

What Stays the Same? (Almost Everything)

If you learned MLA 8, you already know MLA 9. The core principles of MLA format are identical.

• The 9 Core Elements (Container System): The foundation of the Works Cited page is unchanged. You still find the Author, Title of Source, Title of Container, etc.
• In-Text Citations: Still (Author Page). No comma.
• First-Page Heading: Still the four-line heading in the top-left (no separate title page).
• Header: Still your last name and page number in the top-right.
• Formatting: Still Times New Roman 12pt, double-spaced, 1-inch margins.

As the official MLA website states, the 9th edition “refines and builds on” the 8th edition’s model.

New Citation Examples (MLA 9)

Here is how the MLA 9 container system applies to modern online sources.

Citing a Tweet (X post) or Social Media

Treat the post’s text (up to 20 words) as the “Title of Source” and the platform (e.g., *X*, *Instagram*) as the “Title of Container.”

Format:
Author or Handle. “Text of the post (up to 20 words)…” *Platform*, Date, URL.

Example:
@MLA_Style. “The 9th edition of the *MLA Handbook* is now available…” *X*, 22 Apr. 2021, twitter.com/MLA_Style/status/1385251644485500932.

Citing a YouTube Video

Treat the video title as the “Title of Source” and *YouTube* as the “Title of Container.” The channel is the “Author” or “Uploader.”

Format:
“Title of Video.” *YouTube*, uploaded by Channel Name, Date, URL.

Example:
“How to Write a Thesis Statement.” *YouTube*, uploaded by Smart Academic Writing, 14 Feb. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=12345.

Citing a Netflix Show (Streaming Service)

The episode is the “Source.” The series is “Container 1.” The streaming service (*Netflix*) is “Container 2.”

Format:
“Title of Episode.” *Title of Series*, created by Creator Name, season #, episode #, *Streaming Service*, URL.

Example:
“The Monster.” *Stranger Things*, created by The Duffer Brothers, season 1, episode 6, *Netflix*, www.netflix.com.

Citing a Podcast Episode

The episode is the “Source.” The podcast series is the “Container.”

Format:
Host, Hostname. “Title of Episode.” *Title of Podcast*, Publisher, Date, URL.

Example:
Koenig, Sarah. “The Alibi.” *Serial*, This American Life, 3 Oct. 2014, serialpodcast.org/season-one/1/the-alibi.