MLA Formatting

MLA Formatting Overview

MLA formatting provides a consistent structure for academic writing. This guide explains how to format the first page of an MLA paper, set up page numbers and margins, format the title, and create a Works Cited page.

Setting Up the Document

Step 1: Margins, Spacing, and Font

Set all margins to 1 inch on every side.
Double-space the entire document.
Set spacing to 0 pt before and after paragraphs.
Use an approved font and size (for example, Times New Roman, 12-point).

Step 2: Page Numbers and Header

Insert a page number in the upper-right corner of each page.
Type your last name, followed by a space, before the page number.
Ensure the header font and size match the rest of the paper.

Formatting the First Page

The first page of an MLA paper includes a heading and title. The heading appears in the upper-left corner of the page and is double-spaced.

MLA Heading (Upper-Left Corner)

Your full name
Instructor’s name
Course name and section number
Date (day month year, for example: 30 September 2016)

Title Formatting

Center the title.
Do not bold, italicize, underline, or place the title in quotation marks.
Do not add extra spacing before or after the title.
Use title case.

Paragraph Formatting

Indent the first line of each paragraph by pressing the Tab key once.
Maintain double spacing throughout the paper.
Avoid extra blank lines between paragraphs.

Using In-Text Citations

MLA uses parenthetical in-text citations to credit sources. The format depends on the number of authors and whether an author is listed.

In-Text Citation Examples

No author: (“Using Sources”)
One author: (Cox)
Two authors: (Miseon and Dolan 62)

In-text citations should appear immediately after quoted, paraphrased, or summarized material.

Works Cited Page

General Formatting Rules

The Works Cited page begins on a new page at the end of the paper.
The title Works Cited is centered at the top of the page.
If there is only one entry, the title becomes Work Cited.
The page is double-spaced.
Entries use a hanging indent.
Use the Enter key only to start a new entry.
Alphabetize entries by the author’s last name or by title if no author is listed.

Sample Works Cited Entries

Brooks, Katherine. “Why Poetry Is the Best Medium for Kids Who Want to Change the World.” Arts & Culture, The Huffington Post, 19 July 2016, www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/why-poetry-is-the-best-medium-for-kids-who-want-to-change-the-world_us_578c0c57e4b03fc3ee5146d3.

Cox, Rebecca D. The College Fear Factor: How Students and Professors Misunderstand One Another. Harvard UP, 2010. ProQuest Ebook Central, ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/blinn/detail.action?docID=3300827.

Miseon, Kim, and Michael Dolan. “‘Excuse Me, but What Is a Research Paper?’ Embedded Librarian Program and Information Literacy Skills of Community College Students.” Community & Junior College Libraries, vol. 21, no. 1–2, Jan.–June 2015, pp. 53–70.

Nazaryan, Alexander. “The Fallacy of ‘Balanced Literacy.’” The New York Times, 7 July 2014, p. A17.

“Social & Historical Context: Vitality.” The Arapesh Grammar and Digital Language Archive, Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities, www.arapesh.org/socio_historical_context_vitality.php. Accessed 15 July 2022.

Important MLA Notes

Optional elements such as access dates may be included when helpful.
DOIs are preferred over URLs when available.
Publisher names vary by source type.

For additional details, consult the MLA Handbook, 8th edition, pages 40–53.