The Modern Language Association (MLA) format is commonly used to write papers and cite sources for liberal arts and humanities subjects. MLA format guidelines specify writing layout, citations, reference pages, and formatting. This essay will provide an in-depth overview of how to write an MLA format essay, including any tips and steps.
The general requirements for an MLA format essay start with a title page. The title page should include the title of the paper, the student’s name, the course name, and the instructor’s name and date on separate lines centered in the upper half of the page. Do not bold, underline, or change the font size of the title.
Following the title page, the essay itself should have a header. The header is the student’s last name along with the page number in the top right corner of every page. The header should not be bolded or underlined and is a half inch from the top of each page. The font used for the entire paper should be Times New Roman size 12.
All paragraphs should be double spaced with 1-inch margins on all sides. Do not indent the first line of each paragraph, and the entire document should be left aligned. No extra spacing should be added before or after headings, block quotes, or between paragraphs. Extra guidelines specify that any photos, figures, or tables include captions below and are placed within the body of the text near the first reference rather than gathered together at the end of the essay.
The main body should flow logically and be organized with clear topic sentences, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Subheadings can separate different sections, but they are not required. Use standard 5-paragraph structure if desired, with an introduction, 3 body paragraphs, and conclusion for shorter essays. For longer papers, more paragraphs and logical subsections are appropriate. All paragraphs should have a clear topic sentence relating back to the thesis stated in the introduction. Each point made in a body paragraph must be supported with analysis and textual evidence from credible sources.
When directly quoting from a source, MLA format cites the author’s last name and page number in parentheses after the quote rather than including it in the sentence itself. For example: “direct quote here” (Smith 123). Long quotes that are longer than four lines are formatted as a block text, indented .5 inches from the left margin without quotation marks. Cite the author and page number in parentheses after the block quote.
Paraphrasing from sources also requires in-text citations. The citations include the author’s last name and should be placed at a logical break in the sentence near the information referenced. For example: Smith argues poverty can be reduced through economic growth (123). Multiple source citations should be separated by semi-colons.
For a reference list at the end of the paper, the sources are alphabetized by authors’ last names. Each reference should provide the author, title, publisher, publication date, URLs for online sources, and DOIs for journal articles. Be sure to use the same citation method and layout consistently throughout the paper. Some examples of common reference page entries include:
Book by a Single Author:
Last name, First name. Book Title. Publisher, Publication Date.
Article in an Online Periodical:
Last name, First name. “Article Title.” Periodical Title, vol. #, no. #, Publication Date. URL.
Website:
“Title of Web Page.” Name of Website. Sponsoring institution/publisher, date of publication, URL. Date of access.
Following these standard MLA format guidelines ensures consistency and proper attribution of sources for academic essays. Be sure to review any specific instructions from instructors which may modify some of these general guidelines, but this provides an overview of formatting, citations, and references. With the structure, citing sources, and reference formatting correct, the writing style and argumentation can shine through. Meeting the requirements demonstrates research skills and academic honesty.