The Modern Language Association (MLA) style is commonly used for writing papers and citations in the liberal arts and humanities fields. As an essay writer, it’s important to understand MLA format guidelines for structuring papers as well as citing sources within the text and listing them in the Works Cited page at the end. This article will provide a comprehensive overview of key MLA format rules for writing essays in the MLA style.
Formatting the Essay
Essays written in MLA style must have certain formatting elements, including:
1-inch margins on all sides of the page.
Double spaced lines throughout the entire paper including quotations.
A header with the student’s last name and page number in the top right corner of each page.
Times New Roman 12 point font is commonly required but check your specific instructions.
Any images, figures or tables should be cited and captioned. They are placed as close to the first reference in the text as possible.
No extra spacing between paragraphs unless instructed otherwise. Indent the first line of each paragraph by 0.5 inches.
The first page must also include a heading in the top left corner with your name, instructor name, course name and date centered on separate lines. The title of the essay should be centered on the next line without italicizing, bolding or underlining. It is not necessary to include the word “essay” at the end of the title.
Citations and Sources
As an essay writer, you will need to properly cite any outside sources used in the paper. MLA style uses parenthetical citations and a Works Cited page to reference sources.
Parenthetical citations identify sources briefly in the text and direct readers to the full citation on the Works Cited page. These generally include the author’s last name and page number if provided. For example: (Smith 42). If no author is provided, use a shortened title in quotes instead: (“Article Title”).
The Works Cited page is placed at the end of the essay before any appendices or notes. All sources cited in the text must be on the Works Cited page, and vice versa, with a heading centered as “Works Cited” without underlining or bolding. Sources are listed alphabetically by author’s last name or first word of title if no author.
Each source cited on the Works Cited page is written with a hanging indent and double spaced lines. For a book, entry would include the following:
Last name, First name. Title of Book. Publisher, Publication Date.
For a website with an author, the citation would be:
Last name, First name. “Title of Article.” Title of Website, Publication Date, URL.
MLA style requires the use of DOIs when citing journal articles whenever they are available. Always check your instructor’s preference for format details, since some allow flexibility.
Block Quotes
When using a quotation that is more than four lines long, it should be presented as a block quote. As an essay writer, you indent the entire quote 0.5 inches from the left margin and do not use quotation marks. Any citations still appear after the closing punctuation of the quoted line. Block quotes are double spaced like the rest of the essay.
For example:
According to Smith:
Research shows social media use can negatively impact
mental health and well-being among adolescents. Teens who
spend more time on sites like Instagram and Snapchat tend to
report higher rates of anxiety and depression. (23)
MLA style guidelines specify indenting block quotes rather than using extra spacing before or after the quote. This helps the block quote stand out from the rest of the paragraph’s text.
Abbreviations
When using abbreviations in a paper, MLA requires you to spell them out the first time mentioned and place the abbreviation in parentheses immediately afterward. For instance:
Some social media platforms (e.g., Instagram and TikTok) lead to increased rates of…
From then on in the paper, the abbreviations can be used without spelling them out again. This serves to introduce any unfamiliar abbreviations for clarity and reader comprehension.
Conclusion
As an essay writer following MLA style, it’s important to learn the proper formatting guidelines for structuring papers and citing outside sources. Elements like double spacing, pagination, margins and citations in the text and Works Cited page are key to adhering to MLA standards. Proper formatting demonstrates to instructors that care and attention was given to completing and citing the assignment correctly according to MLA guidelines. Mastering MLA style citation and formatting is a crucial skill for academic works and papers written for humanities and liberal arts courses. With practice and experience, these rules will become second nature for any essay writer to apply.