The Modern Language Association (MLA) format is one of the major formatting styles used in academic papers. It is commonly used in liberal arts and humanities subjects such as English, literature, linguistics, philosophy, and history. This guide outlines the standard MLA formatting requirements for research papers. Following these guidelines will help ensure your research paper is presented in a clear, organized manner in accordance with MLA style.
The first thing to keep in mind when formatting an MLA research paper is that it must be typed, double-spaced on standard-sized paper (8.5″ x 11″) with 1″ margins on all sides. The font used should be 12 point and easily readable like Times New Roman. Page numbers should be placed in the top right corner without any other header or footer text. The first page should also include your name, the instructor’s name, the course name, and the date in the upper left corner.
Title Page:
The title page constitutes its own page and is numbered page 1. Center the title without any formatting (bold, italics, underlining). Below this, as a single spaced entry, is your name, the name of your instructor, the course name and number, and the due date of the assignment centered between the left and right margins. Only the title is centered; everything else is flush left.
For example:
Title
Your Name
Instructor Name
Course Name and Number
Date
The body of the paper starts on the page following the title page. Subsequent pages continue sequential page numbering.
Headers:
While page numbers go in the top right corner of every page, MLA does not require a header or footer on the first page or title page, so none are used. Starting with the second page, a left aligned header should be used containing your last name followed by a space and the page number. For example your last name would be:
Smith 2
Text Formatting:
The main text is double spaced throughout and uses a consistent 12 point serif font like Times New Roman. Paragraphs are indented 5 spaces using the tab key. Long quotes (over 4 lines) are formatted as block quotes and indented 1⁄2 inch from the left margin without quotes.
Text Citations:
In-text citations are used to acknowledge any source used within the body of the paper and point readers to full citations located on the Works Cited page. These citations are brief references containing the author’s last name and a relevant page number if quoting directly (Jones 23). If quoting indirectly they do not need to include the page number. For example:
As noted by Jones (23), early studies on the topic were inconclusive.
Multiple authors are separated by semicolons:
(Jones; Smith; Doe 23). If citing more than one work by the same author they are separated by commas:
(Smith 2019, 2021).
If referencing multiple sources used in a single citation, list them alphabetically separated by semicolons:
(Doe 2017; Jones 2019; Smith 2021).
Quotes exceeding four typed lines are formatted as a block quote and do not include quotation marks. Indent 1⁄2 inch from the left margin and include page numbers at the end in parentheses. For example:
Early research on the subject produced mixed results:
Studies conducted during the 1970s and 1980s failed to conclusively demonstrate a correlation between exercise and health outcomes. Methodological flaws and small sample sizes undermined the validity of these studies. Not until the mid-1990s did largers scale trials establish exercise as protective against chronic diseases. (Smith 34)
Works Cited Page:
Every source used in the body of the paper is then listed alphabetically by author’s last name on the Works Cited page. The page is titled “Works Cited” centered at the top without any other text. For sources with no identifiable author, alphabetize by the source title, ignoring any initial articles like “A”, “An”, or “The”.
Each entry uses hanging indentation, meaning the first line of each entry is flush to the left margin while subsequent lines are indented 5-7 spaces. All citations follow a consistent punctuation and layout pattern as outlined in the MLA Handbook.
Book citations contain the author(s) name, book title in italics, publisher city and name, year published. For example:
Jones, Sarah. Exercise and Health Outcomes. New York Press, 2020.
Periodical citations (magazines, journals, newspapers) contain the author(s) name, article title in quotation marks, periodical title in italics, volume and issue numbers, date published, and page numbers. For example:
Smith, John. “A New Perspective on Exercise.” Journal of Medicine, vol. 12, no. 3, 2021, pp. 23-45.
Non-print sources (websites, audiovisual media, etc.) follow a modified periodical format omitting volume and issue numbers and adding access dates.
Adhering to MLA formatting guidelines helps ensure research papers are presented professionally and consistently. Proper structure, formatting, and citation practices allow readers to easily follow the flow of ideas and trace sources back to the original materials. Paying close attention to font, margins, headers, text styles, in-text citations, and Works Cited formatting will result in a well organized paper in MLA style.