The Modern Language Association (MLA) style is one of the major formatting styles used in academic writing, particularly in the humanities. Knowing how to properly format an essay in MLA style can help students produce organized, clearly written papers in history, English, philosophy, languages, and other related fields.
There are a few key things to keep in mind regarding MLA format. First, essays following MLA must be typed, double-spaced on standard-sized paper (8.5 x 11 inches) with 1-inch margins on all sides. The pages are numbered at the top right corner. Secondly, MLA uses parenthetical citations to briefly identify the sources of others’ work and views quoted or referenced, rather than footnotes or endnotes. This helps weave sourced information smoothly into the writer’s own analysis.
As for the layout of an MLA format essay, it generally consists of four main sections:
The first section is the header which should be in the top left corner of the first page only. It contains the author’s name, the instructor’s name, the course name, and the date – in that order. For subsequent pages, only include a running head containing the author’s last name and page number in the header.
The second section is the title of the paper centered in the middle of the first page only. The title should not be underlined, italicized, emboldened, or enclosed in quotation marks. It should capture the central idea or focus of the paper.
The third section is the body of the paper which includes the introduction, three or more body paragraphs with topic sentences, and a conclusion paragraph. Analysis, evidence, and discussion of sources should flow smoothly. The body paragraphs should be spaced evenly and not overly long or short.
The fourth and final section is the works cited list containing full citations for all sources used in the paper. This page should have the centered title “Works Cited” without formatting and continue the header with the author’s last name and page number. All citations are formatted consistently according to MLA style guidelines.
There are also additional formatting guidelines to be aware of:
Font style should be Times New Roman 12pt, but other common fonts like Arial or Garamond are acceptable.
First lines of paragraphs must be indented half an inch from the left margin. There should be no extra spacing between paragraphs.
Long or short block quotes must be indented half an inch from the left and right margins, and the citation should come after the closing punctuation mark.
Italics should be used only for book or periodical titles, not underlining or boldface type. Foreign words may also be italicized.
The name of authors, editors, translators, composers, and the like should be written in normal order – first name, then last name.
Information from sources should be smoothly introduced, cited, and discussed within the body paragraphs according to in-text citation rules. Only credible scholarly sources from libraries should be used.
Spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar must adhere to standard conventions of written English. And the paper should have consistent verb tense and point of view.
Following the basic MLA formatting guidelines helps students present their research and ideas in a clear, organized manner that is readable and cites sources properly. It allows the focus to remain on developing solid analysis and demonstrating understanding of course concepts through well-supported discussion. Mastering MLA style is an essential skill for many undergraduate writing assignments across the humanities disciplines.