The Modern Language Association (MLA) format is one of the major formatting styles used in academic writing. It provides guidelines for formatting manuscripts and using citations in student research papers. The MLA format requires certain formatting in the paper itself as well as specific ways to cite research sources both in-text and in the works cited section at the end of the paper.
Setting up the basic formatting and structure of the paper will ensure it meets MLA standards. To begin, use white 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper. Set 1 inch margins on all sides of the document. The document should be double spaced throughout with no additional spacing between headings, footnotes, or bibliographic entries. The first page of the paper will require a header in the upper right corner that includes your last name and the page number. All subsequent pages will require only the page number in this same header location.
Now we can move into the formatting of each element within the paper itself. The title of the paper should be centered and about halfway down the page. Do not underline, italicize, use quotes, or bold the title. Only use title case capitalization for the title. The centered name of the author should follow on the next line down, and be neither bold nor underlined.
Leave one blank line after the author name and center the title of the course or class the paper is for. Below this, leave another blank line and center the name of the instructor for the course. Finally, end with one last blank line separating the header information from the body of the paper.
The body text of the paper will be fully double spaced. No extra spacing should be used between paragraphs, as indicated by the MLA style. Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch from the left margin using your tab key. The entire paper should be in a standard readable font such as Times New Roman size 12. Do not right justify or use all capitals at any point in the paper.
Insert page numbers in the header of each page, beginning with page 2. These page numbers should be flush right, one-half inch from the top edge of the page and one inch from the right edge. Only use Arabic numerals for page numbers, do not add any prefixes such as p. or pg. before the number.
Headings throughout the paper follow a specific hierarchical format in the MLA style as well. Level one headings are centered and bolded. Leave one blank line above and below these headings. Level two headings are flushed left, bolded, with a period at the end, and end with a blank line below. Level three headings are indented, bolded, followed by a period, ending with the text following on the same line.
In-text citations are included parenthetically after any direct quote or paraphrase used from a research source. These parenthetical citations include at minimum the last name of the author and the relevant page number where the information can be found. For example: (Smith 24). If no author is given, use a shortened source title in place of the last name. Both the citations and the works cited entries should be formatted consistently.
The works cited page should begin on a new page at the end of the paper and use the heading “Works Cited” centered without formatting such as bold or italics. All entries here should be alphabetized by the author’s last name or by source title for those without an author listed first. Second level entries with the same author name are ordered chronologically with the earliest date listed first. Each entry should be flushed left with a hanging indent.
Using this formatting guide will ensure all elements of the paper meet the stylistic requirements of the MLA format. Be sure to reference the latest MLA Handbook, currently in its 9th edition, for any other specific guidelines or questions regarding set up or in-text citations. Properly formatting sources and structuring the document lends credibility to student papers and makes the research presented easier for instructors and readers to follow. Let me know if any part of the MLA setup process needs further explanation or clarification.