Best examples of endnotes in MLA format: practical examples for real papers

Let’s skip the theory and start with what you actually need: real examples of endnotes in MLA format: practical examples you can model.

Imagine you’re writing a research paper on public health and you quote a statistic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The sentence in your paper might look like this:

Recent data show that adult obesity in the United States has continued to rise over the past decade.¹

At the end of your paper, before the Works Cited list, your endnote section could include:

¹ For detailed statistics, see “Adult Obesity Facts,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, updated May 2024, www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html.

You still include a regular MLA entry in your Works Cited list for the CDC page. The endnote just adds extra context and directs the reader to a specific data table or page update.

That’s the basic pattern you’ll see in all the best examples of MLA endnotes:

• Superscript number in the text
• Matching numbered note in the endnotes section
• Full citation still appears in the Works Cited list

Now let’s walk through more examples of endnotes in MLA format: practical examples from different types of assignments.

When to use endnotes in MLA (with real examples)

MLA 9th edition allows endnotes, but doesn’t require them. According to the MLA Handbook and the official MLA Style Center (style.mla.org), notes should be used sparingly and only when they genuinely help the reader.

Here are common situations where an endnote makes sense, each with a concrete example of how it might look in your paper.

1. Giving extra background without interrupting the sentence

You’re writing about Shakespeare and want to explain a historical detail that would distract from your main point.

In-text:

The play’s original audience would have recognized the political tension in the opening scene.²

Endnote:

² The opening scene of Julius Caesar refers to the recent defeat of Pompey, a Roman general who had previously shared power with Caesar. This reference would have reminded Shakespeare’s audience of recent political conflicts in England.

This is a classic example of using MLA endnotes to tuck away extra explanation.

2. Clarifying a translation or language choice

You’re quoting a Spanish-language source and want to note that the translation is your own.

In-text:

As one activist notes, “La lucha continúa.”³

Endnote:

³ Unless otherwise indicated, all translations from Spanish are my own.

Instead of repeating that information every time, one short endnote covers all similar quotes.

3. Pointing to additional sources for interested readers

You don’t want to overload your Works Cited with every related source, but you’d like to mention a few extra readings.

In-text:

Recent scholarship has reexamined the role of nurses in early twentieth-century public health campaigns.⁴

Endnote:

⁴ For further discussion of nursing and public health, see also Susan M. Reverby’s Ordered to Care and Nancy Tomes’s The Gospel of Germs.

This kind of note is common in history and literature papers, and it’s one of the best examples of endnotes in MLA format being used to guide curious readers without cluttering the main argument.

4. Explaining a data limitation or method

You’re writing about a medical study summarized on MedlinePlus (from the National Library of Medicine) and need to clarify a limitation.

In-text:

The study reported a significant reduction in reported pain after eight weeks of treatment.⁵

Endnote:

⁵ The study relied on self-reported pain levels rather than clinical measures. For a summary of the study design, see “Chronic Pain – Patient Education,” MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, medlineplus.gov.

This example of an MLA endnote shows how you can acknowledge nuance without turning your paragraph into a wall of parentheses.

5. Distinguishing between editions or versions

You’re using two different editions of the same novel and want to make that clear once, not every time.

In-text:

All page references are to the 2003 Penguin edition unless otherwise noted.⁶

Endnote:

⁶ Quotations from the 1995 Vintage edition are labeled “V” in the parenthetical citations.

Here, the endnote explains your system so your in-text citations stay clean.

Formatting examples of endnotes in MLA format: practical examples

Now that you’ve seen how they work in context, let’s look at how to format examples of endnotes in MLA format: practical examples step by step.

Basic formatting rules (MLA 9th edition)

MLA’s general guidance for notes can be found on the MLA Style Center and in the MLA Handbook (9th ed.). In short:

• Place a superscript number in the text after the punctuation (usually after the period or comma).
• Number notes consecutively throughout the paper.
• Put your endnotes on a separate page before the Works Cited, usually titled Notes.
• Double-space the notes, and indent the first line of each note like a regular paragraph.

Here’s a mini mock-up of how a notes page might look, using several of our earlier examples:

Notes
¹ For detailed statistics, see “Adult Obesity Facts,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, updated May 2024, www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html.
² The opening scene of Julius Caesar refers to the recent defeat of Pompey, a Roman general who had previously shared power with Caesar. This reference would have reminded Shakespeare’s audience of recent political conflicts in England.
³ Unless otherwise indicated, all translations from Spanish are my own.
⁴ For further discussion of nursing and public health, see also Susan M. Reverby’s Ordered to Care and Nancy Tomes’s The Gospel of Germs.

This cluster already gives you several examples of endnotes in MLA format: practical examples that you can adapt to your own topics.

More real examples of MLA endnotes across common sources

To make this truly useful, let’s walk through real examples that look like the assignments you’re probably working on right now.

Example: Endnote for a book with a long explanatory comment

You’re writing about Harriet Jacobs’s Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl and want to explain a historical term.

In-text:

Jacobs’s description of “slave mothers” challenges the sentimental tropes common in nineteenth-century literature.⁷

Endnote:

⁷ In the nineteenth-century United States, the phrase “slave mother” appeared frequently in abolitionist literature, often as a sentimental figure meant to inspire sympathy in white readers. Jacobs complicates this figure by emphasizing her own strategic resistance.

Your Works Cited entry still follows regular MLA format for the book; the endnote only handles the extra context.

Example: Endnote for a scholarly journal article

You’re citing a 2024 education study from a peer-reviewed journal.

In-text:

One recent study found that students who received explicit note-taking instruction performed better on open-ended exam questions.⁸

Endnote:

⁸ The study focused on first-year college students at a single large public university in the United States, so its findings may not apply to all student populations.

This is a realistic example of using an MLA endnote to flag limitations without derailing your main point.

Example: Endnote for a government report

You’re using a National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) report from the U.S. Department of Education.

In-text:

According to a 2023 report from the National Center for Education Statistics, overall college enrollment has stabilized after several years of decline.⁹

Endnote:

⁹ For full enrollment tables and methodology, see Digest of Education Statistics 2023, National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, nces.ed.gov.

Again, the full MLA citation appears in the Works Cited. The endnote simply points readers to the detailed tables.

Example: Endnote for a health website with specific section info

You’re citing a patient education page from Mayo Clinic.

In-text:

Lifestyle changes can significantly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.¹⁰

Endnote:

¹⁰ For a list of specific lifestyle recommendations, see “Type 2 Diabetes – Prevention,” Mayo Clinic, updated March 2024, www.mayoclinic.org.

This is one of the best examples of endnotes in MLA format for health or nursing papers, because it lets you acknowledge the source’s practical guidance without copying long lists into your text.

Example: Endnote for a classic primary source with modern edition info

You’re quoting a speech by Martin Luther King Jr., but you’re using a modern edited collection.

In-text:

King insists that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”¹¹

Endnote:

¹¹ Quoted from A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr., edited by James M. Washington, HarperCollins, 1986.

This example of an MLA endnote clarifies which edition you used, which is especially helpful for primary sources that exist in many versions.

How endnotes interact with MLA in-text citations and Works Cited

One of the biggest points of confusion: Do endnotes replace in-text citations or Works Cited entries?

In MLA, the answer is almost always no. You usually:

• Keep your parenthetical in-text citations (e.g., (Jacobs 45)).
• Keep your Works Cited list with full entries.
• Use endnotes only for extra information, commentary, or clarification.

Think of it this way: in-text citations and Works Cited entries are about credit. Endnotes are about conversation—the side comments, clarifications, and extra directions you’d give if you were talking to your reader.

The MLA Style Center explains this clearly in its guidance on notes and bibliographies. You can check their official advice at https://style.mla.org.

Tips for using MLA endnotes wisely (without annoying your reader)

Looking at all these examples of endnotes in MLA format: practical examples, a pattern emerges. The best notes:

• Add something your reader couldn’t easily guess from the text alone.
• Stay short—usually a sentence or two.
• Avoid repeating information already obvious from your in-text citation or Works Cited.

Some practical habits that help:

• Save endnotes for moments when you think, “I really want to say this, but it would distract from my main point.”
• Avoid stacking multiple note numbers in a single sentence; that’s a sign your paragraph might need revising instead.
• If your instructor or journal has a policy on notes, follow that first—even if MLA would allow more.

In other words, use the examples of endnotes in MLA format: practical examples in this guide as a menu, not a checklist. You don’t need to use every kind of note in every paper.

FAQ: Common questions about MLA endnotes (with examples)

Do I have to use endnotes in MLA?

No. MLA 9th edition allows both footnotes and endnotes, but most student papers don’t need them. Many instructors prefer that you rely on in-text citations and a Works Cited list only. Use endnotes only when they genuinely help the reader.

Are endnotes different from footnotes in MLA?

Content-wise, they’re used the same way in MLA—both can contain brief comments, explanations, or extra sources. The difference is placement: footnotes appear at the bottom of the page; endnotes appear together on a notes page before the Works Cited. Your instructor or publisher usually decides which they prefer.

Can I put full citations only in endnotes and skip the Works Cited page?

In standard MLA style for academic papers, no. You normally still include a Works Cited list, even if some full citations also appear in your notes. The notes are for commentary and clarification, not to replace the bibliography.

How many endnotes are too many in an MLA paper?

There’s no fixed number, but if every page has several notes, it’s probably too many. Look back at the examples of MLA endnotes in this article: each one solves a specific problem. If a note doesn’t solve a problem—like clarifying a limitation, defining a term, or pointing to extra reading—you can likely cut it.

Where can I see more official examples of MLA notes?

For more examples of MLA notes and up-to-date guidance, check:

• The MLA Style Center: https://style.mla.org
• Your library’s copy of the MLA Handbook, 9th edition
• University writing center guides, such as those from major universities (.edu sites)

These sources will show you additional real examples and confirm that the patterns you see in this guide match current MLA recommendations for 2024–2025.

If you keep this simple idea in mind—endnotes are for helpful side comments, not for basic citations—you’ll know when to use them. And with these examples of endnotes in MLA format: practical examples in front of you, you can write your next paper without second-guessing every little superscript number.