Now, a little side comment, just between us. What if you have a source with two authors but the same last name? Like, you’re citing a study by “Jones and Jones.” That’s weird, but it happens. You just write (Jones and Jones 55). MLA assumes they’re different people (or a married couple being cute). Don’t overthink it. Overthinking is the enemy of a finished paper.
And what about corporate authors? Like the World Health Organization or the American Psychological Association? Treat them like a single author. So: (World Health Organization 22). If it’s a long name, you can abbreviate it in the text—(WHO 22)—but you must spell it out the first time you use it. That’s the only exception to the “keep it simple” rule. Ironic? A little. But that’s MLA for you.
