MLA Formatting for Papers
In academic writing, it is important to observe all formatting rules in the required style. This quick guide will help you learn how to format your paper in MLA.
There are obligatory requirements for such formatting. They are the following:
- font - Times New Roman 12
- page margins - 1”
- line spacing - double
- new paragraph indent - ½”
- heading capitalization - title case
Now, let’s look at the main rules for formatting different parts of papers in detail.
Creating Header and Title
Align the header left on the first page. It should contain:
- ✔️ your first name and last name
- ✔️ the position and last name of your supervisor or instructor
- ✔️ the name and number of the course
- ✔️ the assignment submission date due
After the header, you should type the title of your paper. Press ‘Enter’ on the keyboard once and place the title in the center of the page. Use the title-case capitalization, meaning that all meaningful parts of speech should be capitalized. Check whether your title is relevant, strong, and attractive.
Dorris McGregor
Professor Collins
English 108
08 April 2022
Use of Prepositions of Place in Poetry
If there are multiple authors of the paper, it makes sense to create a separate title page for each of them.
Making Running Head
Running head should be present at the top of every page, starting with the first one. You need to type your last name and the number of a page in the top header.
These are the simple steps to do it in your Word or Google Docs editor:
- first, double-click the top of the page;
- insert your last name;
- add automated page numbering;
- shift the content to the right
Usually, the running head has the following format:
McGregor 1
Formatting Works Cited Page
Works Cited is the title of the bibliography list in MLA that we place at the end of the paper. It contains the basic information about all sources you have used in your paper and research. They go in alphabetical order. If the source is not cited in the work, you do not need to include it in this list. However, if you are completing the annotated bibliography, including all the sources is a must.
The title of the page is ‘Works Cited,’ and you have to locate it in the center of the page at the top. Then you click ‘Enter’ once and start writing your references. All the references that are longer than one line should be ½ inch indented. It is called a hanging indent and not applied to the first entry. The entries are double-spaced, similar to the paper’s text.
MLA Citations: What You Need to Know
MLA citations are divided into in-text and Works Cited quotes. Formatting them may be a problem for many students, and it takes a lot of time. That is why using the Citation Generator will make the process faster and save you effort.
If you want to cite your sources by hand, you need to remember a huge set of citation rules. You can find them all in the MLA Guide.
Here are the simple examples of citing a book:
-
Format: Last Name, First Name of the author. Book Title. Publisher, Publication
Year:
Lawrence, Henry. The Basics of Juvenile Psychology: A Quick Overview. Willow, 2019. -
•In-text citation: (Last Name of the Author Page Number) for parenthetical and Last Name of
the Author (Page Number) for narrative citations:
Parenthetical: (Lawrence 58)
Narrative: Lawrence (58)
How to Make Headings and Subheadings
Your paper does not necessarily need to contain headings and subheadings. However, if you do include them in your work because of the need for better organization and structuring, you should follow certain requirements. There are only a few of them:
- ✔️ They need the title case
- ✔️ Align them to the left of the page
- ✔️ Never put a period at the end
The font and its size should be the same as in the text. Though, the title case capitalization is mandatory. Use boldface if you need focus more on the title. Italics are appropriate for subordinate headings only.
Title of the Chapter
Heading of the Section
Subheading
If you work with Microsoft Word or Google Docs, you can use the heading levels to be sure that all the formats are appropriate.
How to Format Tables and Figures
Place all the tables and other visuals that are mostly called ‘figures’ as close to the text they illustrate as possible. There are several requirements for them in MLA you should observe.
How to Format Tables in MLA
You need to label and numerate the tables, providing the descriptive title. Place the label and the title above the table. Use separate lines for a number and label and for the title. The label and number are in bold. You may also need a caption to provide the information about the source. It is located below the table. If you have made the table by yourself, you do not need the caption.
You can also make any explanatory notes below the caption. Use a superscript letter to mark the part of the table the note refers to. Indent the first line of every note. If you use a word processor, it will indent the following notes automatically.
The text of the captions and notes is double-spaced as in all other parts of the paper. Remember to use the title case capitalization for the title of the table. However, it is not used for captions and notes.
How to Format Figures in MLA
You need to label and numerate figures and other images you include in the paper. However, the label and number go together with the caption below the figure. Here, the caption is placed in the centered format.
Abbreviate the label ‘Figure’ to ‘Fig.’, then place the number and a period. Then, continue the caption with the descriptive information or the full source information about the image you are using. It includes the author, title, and the year of publication.
ExamplesFig. 2. American Finance Digest. The Growth of Net Capital in Machine Engineering. April 2021.
How to Insert the Information About the Source in Captions for Tables and Figures
If you include the full information about the source in the caption under your table or figure, you do not need to make a special entry for it in Works Cited. The full information in the caption should follow the same format as if you provided it in the Work Cited list. However, the full name of the author is inverted. You do not use ‘Howard, James’ but ‘James Howard’.
If your caption includes only the basic information about the source, you will have to include the full entry for it in Works Cited. Nevertheless, the caption should contain enough information about the source to make it recognizable in the Works Cited list. It can be only an author and abbreviated title.
Final Thoughts
You have learned the basics of paper formatting in MLA from this article. MLA is a widely used citation style in science and technology papers, psychology and sociology, and other disciplines. That is why knowing how to format an academic paper in this style is quite helpful. If you have doubts, you can always consult the MLA Guide or this article.