MLA Formatting & Style Samples and Instructions Information taken from: Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 7th ed. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 2009. Print.
Formatting and Style for Academic Research Papers Formatting • Proper formatting of your paper is important. Paying attention to formatting
details shows care and respect for the assignment. A paper that is not properly formatted shows carelessness and indifference to the assignment. • All research papers should be formatted according to:
MLA STYLE: SEVENTH EDITION • Copies of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers: Seventh
Edition can be found in the library at 808.02 GIB. The library website also contains simplified samples of MLA formatting.
FONT - Size 12 - Times or Times New Roman - Double Space MARGINS - 1-inch margins - ½ inch margin for page numbers PAGE NUMBERS - Outline uses lowercase roman numerals - Body of paper and works cited page use Last name # - Located top right corner
Style • Use formal language appropriate for the audience. • Avoid the use of 1st person and 2nd person pronouns. • Avoid the use of contractions and abbreviations.
Helpful Tips • Turn off automatic formatting in the word processing program before typing the paper. • Use the HEADER feature in the word processing program to insert page numbers. • When using citation programs such as EasyBib, remember to check the citations. These programs are not perfect. They do make mistakes!
MLA Title Page Format MLA documentation does not require a formal title page unless requested by your teacher. Use this sample title page format when required to attach a formal title page to a research paper.
Center justification for all text
5 single space returns
Title of Paper
Capitalize all main words of title
16 single space returns
Your Name
17 single space returns
Teacher’s Name Course Name Due Date
Month, Day, Year December, 25, 2010
MLA OUTLINE FORMATTING
Lowercase Roman Numeral
½ inch Last Name i
1 inch Title of Paper
2 single returns Thesis Statement: Type your thesis statement here. 2 single returns I. Introduction II. Main Topic A. Subtopic B. Subtopic Single space 1. Supporting detail between levels 2. Supporting detail a. Additional information b. Additional information III. Main Topic A. Subtopic B. Subtopic 1. Supporting detail 2. Supporting detail a. Additional information b. Additional information IV. Main Topic V. Conclusion
Labeling Parts of an Outline I. A. 1. a. (1) (a) (b) (2)
Logic requires that there be a II to complement a I, a B to complement an A, and so forth.
b. 2. B. II. Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 7th ed. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 2009. Print.
½ inch 1 inch
1 inch
Last Name 1
First Name Last Name Teacher’s Name Course Name Date
Title of Paper ½ inch indent The body of paper begins here. All text is double-spaced. Use Times New Roman, size 12 font. Use automatic page numbering in the header to place them in the proper location.
Placement of the Works Cited The list of works cited appears at the end of the paper. Begin the list on a new page and number each page, continuing the page numbers of the text. For example, if the text of your research paper ends on page 10-, the works cited list begins on page 11. Page Number Begin at left margin
1 inch
½ inch Last Name #
Works Cited 1 inch
1 inch Edwards, Brent Hayes. “The Literary Ellington.” Representations 77 (2002): 1-29. JSTOR. Web. 7 Dec. 2007.
Indent ½ inch
Gaines, Kevin. “Duke Ellington, Black, Brown, and Beige, and the Cultural Politics of Race.” Radano and Bohlman 585-602. Double-space within and between entries
Arrangement of Entries Entries in a works cited are arranged in alphabetical order by author’s last name. If the author’s name is unknown, alphabetize by the title, ignoring any initial A, An, or The.
Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 7th ed. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 2009. Print.