MLA Date Format | Dates in the Works Cited & Main Text

In the MLA date format which is followed in academic writing, dates are of great importance in the presentation of sources and in the organization of research. Proper format is what we use to achieve consistency and which also makes it easy for the reader to access the original material. This guide covers from the basic date rules of the MLA style to the way citations are put in the text and in the Works Cited page.

Understanding MLA Date Format

MLA date citation includes the use of the day-month-year structure which in some examples will look like 5 May 2025 without any space between elements. Also this style focuses on clarity and is in line with international standards. In terms of your document, both the main text and citations should be consistent. Also, for publications’ info very precise and full details are required by MLA. If the full date isn't available, include what is at your disposal to present.

Why Proper Date Formatting Matters in MLA Style?

Correct use of MLA date format increases credibility of your work, brings in consistency and ease of reference. It allows the reader to access the source you used and put it in proper perspective on how to write the date in MLA format within a timeline. Wrong dates or inconsistent formats may mislead the readers or cause information to be attributed to the wrong source. By using the MLA style you maintain a professional tone in academic writing. Also proper format makes your paper compatible with citation management tools.

How to Write Dates in MLA Format?

In MLA dates go as day-month-year with no commas for example “10 Apr 2024”. If you only have the month and year put in “Apr. 2024” and abbreviate the month as you see fit. Use Arabic how do you write the date on MLA format numerals for the day and year and to capitalize the months. For full date in citations this structure helps to standardize source presentations. Also do not use numerical only formats like 04/10/24 which vary by region. This structure is to be applied consistently in both the Works Cited and in the main text. Accuracy is key throughout.

MLA Date Format in the Main Text

When referring to dates in the main text, follow the same MLA format: day-month-year. For example, write “on 3 July 2021,” not “July 3, 2021.” This standardization helps align textual references with the citation style. Avoid ordinal suffixes like "3rd" or "21st" in academic writing. The date should match how it appears in your source if quoted directly. When paraphrasing, apply MLA formatting consistently.

MLA Date Format in In-Text Citations

In the MLA style in text citations usually don’t put in full dates unless you are citing a source that is identified by a date. If you do include a date, present it in the standard MLA format (for example 15 June 2023). Also when you include publication information in parentheses do not use month/day/year. In most cases text citations will just have the author’s last name and page number.

MLA Date Formatting in the Works Cited Page

Smith, John. Book Title. Publisher 2020. Online sources at times provide a date of access which should go in at the end in the same format. Proper date input allows the reader to trace the publication and access timeline of a source easily.

Abbreviating Months in MLA Style

MLA style uses abbreviated forms of all months except May, June, and July in citations. For instance, January is listed as “Jan. and September as “Sept. These abbreviations are only for the Works Cited page and not for the main text unless in a quote that requires it. Also each abbreviation is to end with a period. This is to save space and keep a consistent format. Also writers should refer to the MLA list of abbreviations to avoid issues with formatting.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Formatting Dates in MLA

In the MLA style of formatting how to write dates in MLA format dates it is very important to adhere to certain guidelines that promote consistency and clarity. Also even small errors in the date which you present can damage the professionalism of your citations as well as the total quality of your work.

Using the U.S. Month-Day-Year Format

In many cases we see the U.S. month-day-year format used (for example, July 5, 2022) which is in fact against what the MLA puts forth. MLA requires the day-month-year format (for instance 5 July 2022) of which they adhere for uniformity in citations.

Omitting Periods in Abbreviated Months

Another issue is that we leave out the period in month abbreviations like “Jul” instead of “July”. In MLA full stop at the end of month abbreviations are to be used in all cases except for the full month names which are left unsullied.

Inconsistent Date Formatting

In the paper if you use a variety of date formats this will decrease the clarity and professionalism of your citations. It is important to maintain consistency across text citations and the Works Cited page which in turn will keep your work credible.

Following MLA's Day-Month-Year Structure

Writers should verify that all dates in the MLA day-month-year format are used. This little detail guarantees that the style is presented exactly and uniformly.

MLA Date Format vs. Other Citation Styles

In different citation styles note that there is variation in date presentation. MLA, APA, and Chicago styles each have their own rules for how dates are to be formatted in citations which by knowing that will in turn produce correct and consistent formatting.

MLA Date Format (Day-Month-Year)

MLA which has adopted the day-month-year structure without the use of commas for example “5 July 2022. This may be so because of MLA’s focus on language and literature which does also put forward clarity and ease of reading.

APA Date Format (Month-Day-Year)

Also in terms of format APA uses month-day-year which is put together with the help of commas between the month, day, and year as in “July 5, 2022. This is a widespread practice in social sciences and is so designed for easy reading and access to specific dates.

Chicago Date Format (Day-Month-Year or Month-Day-Year)

Chicago style is flexible in that it puts forth the day-month-year or month-day-year format based on the citation method (notes and bibliography vs. author-date). For example in the same year of 2022 Chicago may present a date as “5 July 2022” or “July 5, 2022” which is to cater to various academic preferences.

Conclusion

Proper use of MLA date format is key in academic writing. In the day-month-year format, which also includes correct month abbreviations and consistent application of rules, students may put together MLA how should the date be written in mla format compliant citations. Also, by avoiding common mistakes and referring to the MLA Handbook you will gain confidence in your work. As for which sources you are citing, whether it is a book, a web site or a historical document, to really know the MLA date rules is very important.