MLA Format

Across the Disciplines

BASIC MLA FORMAT

pen and paper

Academic writing is done following certain elements of style, and the Modern Language Association (MLA) style of documentation has very simple elements that help the overall look of a paper. MLA gives a document a professional look; that is why it is very popular in many fields in liberal sciences. Additionally, the MLA style makes the paper credible because it provides students and professionals with a method of documenting their sources. The following is a simple guide to the basics of the MLA style of documentation. There are two sample pages of the MLA style attached to this handout, including how the first page of your document should look and how your last page, the "Works Cited" page, should look. The pages in between should have your document text with the running header at the top right. Take a good look at these pages and then come back to follow the steps below as you start your document.

set of keys

Basic Features of the MLA Style:

* The font should be 12 pt.

* Double-space the whole paper.

* All margins should be set to 1 inch.

* Use Times New Roman font.

* Each page should have a "header" that includes your last name and page number at the upper right-hand corner of each page. This should be 1/2" from the top edge of the page; this measurement is already set for you in Microsoft Word, but you still have to type your last name and insert the automatic page numbers properly.

* Your paper should begin with your name on the left corner of the first page, followed by your instructor's name, your class title (i.e. English 101), and the date. Only the first page should have this information * The title of your paper should be next, which should be centered.

* Do not underline your title; do not bold it; do not "quote" it. Again, use the standard 12 pt. font.

The Steps:

* Start Microsoft Word. Follow all the steps carefully.

* Set document to double space:

1. From the Format menu select Paragraph and click.

2. In the Paragraph window look for the Line Spacing tab, click it and select Double.

3. Click the OK button. Everything will double space throughout the document.

* Set the margins to one inch (1"):

1. From the Format menu select and click on Document.

2. Make sure to select the Margins tab.

3. Change all margins to one inch by either typing the number "1" in each of the margin boxes or by pressing the revolving arrows next to the boxes until it is to 1.

4. Click OK. There will be 1( margins all around the document.)

* Set the "header" and page numbering:

1. From the View menu select Header and Footer and click. The header is already set to 1/2 (from the top edge of the page.)

2. Click on the Align Right button on the toolbar to move to the right.

3. Write your last name and space once.

4. Click on the # button on the bar appearing right under the header box to insert automatic page numbers.

5. Click on the Close button to finish.

(Notice that you must use the (#) button to get automatic page numbers sequentially. Don't type a number in the Header box or the same number will appear on every page, i.e. whatever you type in the Header box will appear on every page.)

Additionally, in research papers you will be required to add a page with a bibliography, or the list of sources you have used to write your paper. In MLA format this is called the "Works Cited" page.

The "Works Cited" page is a list of the sources you cite when you write your paper, and creating this page serves as a documentation and acknowledgement of the sources you have used to create your paper. Without this page your paper cannot be considered complete. (Now, please see the attached sample "Works Cited" page for reference and come back to the following directions.)

To start your "Works Cited" page:

* Insert a page break at the last line of your document:

1. Use the Insert menu at the top of the screen and select Break, then select Page Break from the options that pop up on the right. A new page is created as you press Page Break and release the mouse button.

2. Start by writing the title Works Cited and centering it on the first line of the page.

3. Press the return key and start entering your source list in alphabetical order according to authors' last names.

4. When a source has no author, alphabetize it by title. Articles are not considered when alphabetizing. For example, if the title is "The Revolutionary War," considered the "R" for "Revolutionary" for the alphabetical order, not the "T" for "The."

PDF version of the Sample MLA page

For further reference, see also:

Gibaldi, Joesph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 5th ed.

		Across the Disciplines BASIC MLA FORMAT Academic writing is done following certain elements of style, and the Modern Language Association (MLA) style of documentation has very simple elements that help the overall look of a paper. MLA gives a document a professional look; that is why it is very popular in many fields in liberal sciences. Additionally, the MLA style makes the paper credible because it provides students and professionals with a method of documenting their sources. The following is a simple guide to the basics of the MLA style of documentation. There are two sample pages of the MLA style attached to this handout, including how the first page of your document should look and how your last page, the "Works Cited" page, should look. The pages in between should have your document text with the running header at the top right. Take a good look at these pages and then come back to follow the steps below as you start your document. Basic Features of the MLA Style: * The font should be 12 pt. * Double-space the whole paper. * All margins should be set to 1 inch. * Use Times New Roman font. * Each page should have a "header" that includes your last name and page number at the upper right-hand corner of each page. This should be 1/2" from the top edge of the page; this measurement is already set for you in Microsoft Word, but you still have to type your last name and insert the automatic page numbers properly. * Your paper should begin with your name on the left corner of the first page, followed by your instructor's name, your class title (i.e. English 101), and the date. Only the first page should have this information * The title of your paper should be next, which should be centered. * Do not underline your title; do not bold it; do not "quote" it. Again, use the standard 12 pt. font. The Steps: * Start Microsoft Word. Follow all the steps carefully. * Set document to double space: 1. From the Format menu select Paragraph and click. 2. In the Paragraph window look for the Line Spacing tab, click it and select Double. 3. Click the OK button. Everything will double space throughout the document. * Set the margins to one inch (1"): 1. From the Format menu select and click on Document. 2. Make sure to select the Margins tab. 3. Change all margins to one inch by either typing the number "1" in each of the margin boxes or by pressing the revolving arrows next to the boxes until it is to 1. 4. Click OK. There will be 1( margins all around the document.) * Set the "header" and page numbering: 1. From the View menu select Header and Footer and click. The header is already set to 1/2 (from the top edge of the page.) 2. Click on the Align Right button on the toolbar to move to the right. 3. Write your last name and space once. 4. Click on the # button on the bar appearing right under the header box to insert automatic page numbers. 5. Click on the Close button to finish. (Notice that you must use the (#) button to get automatic page numbers sequentially. Don't type a number in the Header box or the same number will appear on every page, i.e. whatever you type in the Header box will appear on every page.) Additionally, in research papers you will be required to add a page with a bibliography, or the list of sources you have used to write your paper. In MLA format this is called the "Works Cited" page. The "Works Cited" page is a list of the sources you cite when you write your paper, and creating this page serves as a documentation and acknowledgement of the sources you have used to create your paper. Without this page your paper cannot be considered complete. (Now, please see the attached sample "Works Cited" page for reference and come back to the following directions.) To start your "Works Cited" page: * Insert a page break at the last line of your document: 1. Use the Insert menu at the top of the screen and select Break, then select Page Break from the options that pop up on the right. A new page is created as you press Page Break and release the mouse button. 2. Start by writing the title Works Cited and centering it on the first line of the page. 3. Press the return key and start entering your source list in alphabetical order according to authors' last names. 4. When a source has no author, alphabetize it by title. Articles are not considered when alphabetizing. For example, if the title is "The Revolutionary War," considered the "R" for "Revolutionary" for the alphabetical order, not the "T" for "The." PDF version of the Sample MLA page For further reference, see also: Gibaldi, Joesph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 5th ed. New York: Modern language Association, 1999. All of the above texts are available in the writing center. Rev. Oct '02 2 Back to the Top Back to the Handouts