How to Use the MLA Format

In writing papers, there are several different styles that one can use. One of the most popularly used is the MLA format, particularly in the field of liberal arts and humanities. Created by the Modern Language Association, this style has become widely preferred choice in schools, academic departments, and even in the corporate world. The creators of the format believe that compared to other styles, the MLA format is “[g]enerally simpler and more concise.”

When using the MLA format, there are several guidelines that one should keep in mind:

• The paper size of the document should be 8.5 x 11 inches with an allotted 1 inch margin on each side.

• When selecting the font and its size, it is recommended that you choose one that is easy to read such as Times New Roman with a font size of 12. Decorative fonts should be avoided. Also, make sure that the font’s regular and italics type are easily distinguished from each other.

• Double spacing is required including the space between the title and the body paragraph.

• Make sure that you have a page header that contains your last name and the page number. This should be located at the upper right-hand corner of each page, half an inch from the top.

• The first line of each paragraph should be indented about half an inch from the left margin. Using the Tab key is recommended to ensure uniformity.

• Using in-text citations throughout your content is required whenever you quote a source or paraphrase someone else’s idea to provide documentation, support your ideas, and avoid plagiarism. For the MLA format, parenthetical in-text citations are used in which the author’s last name and the page number are enclosed in a parenthesis. For example, the author is Nicholas Sparks and the page you are quoting from is page 29. The parenthetical in-text citation would be (Sparks 29). Place the period after the in-text citation and not before.

• At the end of the paper, you will need to include a Works Cited page, listing all the sources whose ideas or quotes you used within your paper. The MLA format requires that the entries should be in alphabetical order based on the author’s last name and not listed according to the order that they appear in your paper. It should be a single list; no need to separate the works according to type. Double-spacing is also observed in this section; no extra spacing required between entries. The details that should be included in each citation entry will depend on the type of work it is. If the citation entry takes up more than 1 line, you should indent the following lines.

To find out more, you can read the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers and the MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing.