header on mla essay

Whose last name should you use in your MLA header if you’re writing a group paper?

The MLA Style Guide has no specific guidelines for group projects. You should always include the names of all members of the group project in the first line of your heading, but you don’t necessarily need to do this for the header on every page.

If there are only two or three authors collaborating on your paper, you can include all of your last names in the MLA header, e.g., “Granger, Potter, and Weasley 2.”

If you’re part of a bigger group and it would take up too much space to include all of your last names, you can write the name that comes first in the alphabet and then add “ et al. ”, e.g., “Granger et al. 2.” (The term “et al.” is short for the Latin term “et alia”, which means “and others.” You’ll often see it used in academic papers with multiple authors.)

Should you include your class period in your MLA heading or just the class name?

There’s no MLA rule about this, but when in doubt, it’s always better to err on the side of including too much information in your heading rather than not enough.

If your instructor teaches more than one version of the same course, they’ll probably find it helpful if you specify the class period you’re in. You can either include your class period after the class name, e.g., “History of Magic—2nd period”, or before the class name, e.g., “2nd Period History of Magic.”

What should you write in your MLA heading if you don’t have an instructor?

If you have no instructor, you can explain the situation in the line where you would normally put the instructor’s name, e.g., “Independent Study” or “No Instructor.”

What should you write in your MLA heading if you have multiple instructors?

If you have multiple instructors, you can include both of their names in the line where you would put the instructor’s name. If you’re in a college course where you have a professor and a TA, you should choose whose name to include in the header depending on who will ultimately be reading your paper.

Should you include the date you started writing the paper or the date the paper is due?

The MLA Style Guide has no specific guidelines about which date you need to put in the heading. In general, however, the best practice is to put the date the assignment is due.

This is because all the papers for the same assignment will have the same due date, even if different students begin writing their assignments on different days, so it’s easier for your instructor to use the due date to determine what assignment the paper is for.

Should you format the date as Day Month Year or Month Day Year?

In MLA format, you should write the date in the order of Day Month Year. Instead of writing May 31 2021, for example, you would write 31 May 2021.

What font should you use for your MLA heading and header?

Both the heading and the header should be in the same font as the rest of your paper. If you haven’t chosen a font for your paper yet, remember that the key thing to aim for is readability. If you choose a font where your teachers have to squint to read it, or one where your teachers can’t figure out the difference between what’s italicized and what isn’t, you should rethink your choice.

When in doubt, go with Times New Roman, 12 pt. It’s always a safe bet for MLA papers unless your instructor specifically tells you otherwise.

Do you need to italicize or bold the title of your MLA paper?

No. There’s no need to use any special styling on the title of an MLA paper, such as bold or italics.

How do you format section titles in your MLA paper?

If you’re writing a paper with multiple sections, you may need to include a subtitle at the top of each section.

The MLA Style Guide gives you two options for using subtitles in a paper: one-level section titles or several-level subtitles (for papers with subsections within each section).

For one-level section titles, the formatting is simple. Every subtitle should look the same as the title (centered and double-spaced, with no special formatting).

The only difference is that instead of using title case, you should capitalize only the first word of each subtitle. For example, a title would be spelled “How to Turn a Matchstick into a Needle”, while a subtitle would be spelled “How to turn a matchstick into a needle.”

For several-level subtitles, you will need to format each level in a different way to show which level each section is at. You can use boldface, italics, and underlining to differentiate between levels. For example, subtitles at the highest level should be bolded, while subtitles at the next level down should be italicized.

See the chart below for MLA’s suggested formats.

What is the difference between MLA format and APA format?

MLA and APA are two sets of guidelines for formatting papers and citing research.

MLA stands for the Modern Language Association. The MLA handbook is most often used in fields related to the humanities, such as literature, history, and philosophy.

APA stands for the American Psychological Association. The APA format is most often used in fields related to the social sciences, such as psychology, sociology, and nursing.

The APA manual includes a heading format similar to the MLA heading format with a few key differences, such as using a separate cover page instead of simply including the heading at the top of the first page. Both heading formats ensure that all of your papers include all your key identifying information in a clear and consistent way.

Where can you learn more about MLA style?

If you have questions about how to format a specific assignment or paper, it’s always best to consult your instructor first. Your school may also have a writing center that can help you with formatting questions.

In addition, Purdue has fantastic resources for all kinds of formatting topics, from MLA headings to MLA citations and everything in between.

If you would like to find out more directly from the Modern Language Association, consult the MLA Style Center or the MLA Handbook (8th edition).

Now you’re ready to write an MLA paper with a fantastic heading. Make sure your essay does your heading justice by checking it over with ProWritingAid.

Write Better Essays Every Time

Are your teachers always pulling you up on the same errors? Maybe you're losing clarity by writing overly long sentences or using the passive voice too much?

ProWritingAid helps you catch these issues in your essay before you submit it.

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

Hannah Yang

Hannah Yang is a speculative fiction writer who writes about all things strange and surreal. Her work has appeared in Analog Science Fiction, Apex Magazine, The Dark, and elsewhere, and two of her stories have been finalists for the Locus Award. Her favorite hobbies include watercolor painting, playing guitar, and rock climbing. You can follow her work on hannahyang.com, or subscribe to her newsletter for publication updates.

Get started with ProWritingAid

Drop us a line or let's stay in touch via:

MLA heading and MLA header

Published October 22, 2020. Updated February 15, 2023.

On this page, we will review what an MLA heading and an MLA header are and how to format both.

For help writing your essay, research paper , or other project, check out these writing tips .

What is an MLA heading?

An MLA heading is a section of information that is included at the top-left of the first page of an MLA format paper. If you write an MLA paper, you will include these details in the MLA heading (in this order):

• Your name (author of the paper)

Instructor’s name

Class or course title or number, date paper is submitted, heading vs. title page.

According to MLA format, a title page is not necessary unless your instructor requests one. Instead, MLA format advises that you include the MLA heading and title. Together, the MLA heading and title succinctly include the same information that a title page would.

If your instructor does request a title page, follow their guidelines for creating one since there are no standard MLA guidelines for creating a title page. If you do have to create a title page, visit this page on how to create an MLA title page .

MLA heading format

Generally, the format of the MLA heading should follow the rest of your paper. The same font type, font size, and the same line spacing. Here it is broken down:

• Alignment : Left alignment, top of the page. Page margins should be 1-inch on all sides. This means the MLA heading should be 1 inch from the top of the page.
• Spacing : The heading should be double-spaced, like the rest of the paper.
• Font : Do not italicize, bold, or underline any of the font in the MLA heading. It should be plain font. It should also be a standard size, such as 12 pt.

MLA heading information

As mentioned above, an MLA heading includes four pieces of information. They are listed in the order they should be shown:

Your name / Name of paper’s author

If you are the author, your full name is listed first.

On the line after your name, write the name of your instructor in the way they prefer.

• Professor Amanda Dinh
• Amanda Dinh, PhD.

Under the instructor’s name, list the name of your class or course. Include the course number, if there is one.

• English 101
• American History
• Intro to Psychology

Finally, include the date you submit your paper. Format it as: Day Month Year. Abbreviate any month that is more than 4 letters.

• 1 Jan. 2019
• 15 May 2020

Title format

Although the paper title isn’t technically a part of the MLA heading, they are thought of as a set since the heading and title both appear on the first page, and the title comes after the heading.

• Place the title on the line after the MLA heading.
• Center the page title.
• Do not bold, italicize, or underline the title.
• Exception: If there is a source name in the title, you can italicize the source name. Example: “Analyzing Romeo and Juliet in Detail”
• Use title case. Capitalize all of the main words of the title.

MLA heading template:

MLA heading example:

What is an MLA header (a.k.a. running head)?

The MLA header is included so the reader knows who wrote the paper and where in the paper they are mentioned. It is also known as a running head since it’s at the top of the page and “runs” across all of the pages.

The MLA header consists of two details:

• Your name / Paper author’s name
• Page number

MLA header format

Here are general guidelines for creating the MLA header.

• Include the MLA header on all pages.
• Place it ½ an inch from the top of the paper. Most word processors have a “header” option that automatically places header text ½ from the top.
• The text should be aligned to the right of the page.
• Write your/the author’s last name, followed by the page number. Most word processors have an option to auto generate the page number.

MLA header / running head template:

MLA header / running head example:

Key takeaways

• The MLA headings are included in lieu of a title page.
• An MLA heading includes information on the author of the paper, the class, the instructor the paper was submitted to, and the date it was submitted.
• The MLA header appears in the top right corner of every page.
• The MLA header includes the author’s last name and the page number.

MLA Style Guides

MLA Format: Annotated bibliography | Abstract | Block Quote | Headings | MLA 8 vs. 9 | Outline | Page Numbers | Sample paper | Title page

Citing Sources: In-text citations | Works cited | Footnotes | Citing Multiple Authors | Citing Sources with No Authors | Using et al

MLA Citation Generator: Article | Book | Image | Interview | Journal | Movie | PDF | Textbook | Website | YouTube

Published July 14, 2021.

What’s included with a Chegg Writing subscription

• Unlimited number of paper scans
• Plagiarism detection: Check against billions of sources
• Expert proofreading for papers on any subject
• Grammar scans for 200+ types of common errors
• Automatically create & save citations in 7,000+ styles
• Cancel subscription anytime, no obligation

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

MLA Formatting and Style Guide

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

The following overview should help you better understand how to cite sources using MLA  9 th edition, including how to format the Works Cited page and in-text citations.

Please use the example at the bottom of this page to cite the Purdue OWL in MLA. See also our MLA vidcast series on the Purdue OWL YouTube Channel .

Creating a Works Cited list using the ninth edition

MLA is a style of documentation that may be applied to many different types of writing. Since texts have become increasingly digital, and the same document may often be found in several different sources, following a set of rigid rules no longer suffices.

Thus, the current system is based on a few guiding principles, rather than an extensive list of specific rules. While the handbook still describes how to cite sources, it is organized according to the process of documentation, rather than by the sources themselves. This gives writers a flexible method that is near-universally applicable.

Once you are familiar with the method, you can use it to document any type of source, for any type of paper, in any field.

Here is an overview of the process:

When deciding how to cite your source, start by consulting the list of core elements. These are the general pieces of information that MLA suggests including in each Works Cited entry. In your citation, the elements should be listed in the following order:

• Title of source.
• Title of container,
• Other contributors,
• Publication date,

Each element should be followed by the corresponding punctuation mark shown above. Earlier editions of the handbook included the place of publication and required different punctuation (such as journal editions in parentheses and colons after issue numbers) depending on the type of source. In the current version, punctuation is simpler (only commas and periods separate the elements), and information about the source is kept to the basics.

Begin the entry with the author’s last name, followed by a comma and the rest of the name, as presented in the work. End this element with a period.

Bhabha, Homi K. The Location of Culture. Routledge, 1994.

Title of source

The title of the source should follow the author’s name. Depending upon the type of source, it should be listed in italics or quotation marks.

A book should be in italics:

Henley, Patricia. The Hummingbird House . MacMurray, 1999.

An individual webpage should be in quotation marks. The name of the parent website, which MLA treats as a "container," should follow in italics:

Lundman, Susan. "How to Make Vegetarian Chili." eHow, www.ehow.com/how_10727_make-vegetarian-chili.html.*

A periodical (journal, magazine, newspaper) article should be in quotation marks:

Bagchi, Alaknanda. "Conflicting Nationalisms: The Voice of the Subaltern in Mahasweta Devi's Bashai Tudu." Tulsa Studies in Women's Literature , vol. 15, no. 1, 1996, pp. 41-50.

A song or piece of music on an album should be in quotation marks. The name of the album should then follow in italics:

Beyoncé. "Pray You Catch Me." Lemonade, Parkwood Entertainment, 2016, www.beyonce.com/album/lemonade-visual-album/.

*The MLA handbook recommends including URLs when citing online sources. For more information, see the “Optional Elements” section below.

Title of container

The eighth edition of the MLA handbook introduced what are referred to as "containers," which are the larger wholes in which the source is located. For example, if you want to cite a poem that is listed in a collection of poems, the individual poem is the source, while the larger collection is the container. The title of the container is usually italicized and followed by a comma, since the information that follows next describes the container.

Kincaid, Jamaica. "Girl." The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Short Stories, edited by Tobias Wolff, Vintage, 1994, pp. 306-07.

The container may also be a television series, which is made up of episodes.

“94 Meetings.” Parks and Recreation, created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, performance by Amy Poehler, season 2, episode 21, Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2010.

The container may also be a website, which contains articles, postings, and other works.

Wise, DeWanda. “Why TV Shows Make Me Feel Less Alone.”  NAMI,  31 May 2019,  www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/May-2019/How-TV-Shows-Make-Me-Feel-Less-Alone . Accessed 3 June 2019.

In some cases, a container might be within a larger container. You might have read a book of short stories on Google Books , or watched a television series on Netflix . You might have found the electronic version of a journal on JSTOR. It is important to cite these containers within containers so that your readers can find the exact source that you used.

“94 Meetings.” Parks and Recreation , season 2, episode 21, NBC , 29 Apr. 2010. Netflix, www.netflix.com/watch/70152031?trackId=200256157&tctx=0%2C20%2C0974d361-27cd-44de-9c2a-2d9d868b9f64-12120962.

Langhamer, Claire. “Love and Courtship in Mid-Twentieth-Century England.” Historical Journal , vol. 50, no. 1, 2007, pp. 173-96. ProQuest, doi:10.1017/S0018246X06005966. Accessed 27 May 2009.

Other contributors

In addition to the author, there may be other contributors to the source who should be credited, such as editors, illustrators, translators, etc. If their contributions are relevant to your research, or necessary to identify the source, include their names in your documentation.

Foucault, Michel. Madness and Civilization: A History of Insanity in the Age of Reason. Translated by Richard Howard , Vintage-Random House, 1988.

Woolf, Virginia. Jacob’s Room . Annotated and with an introduction by Vara Neverow, Harcourt, Inc., 2008.

If a source is listed as an edition or version of a work, include it in your citation.

The Bible . Authorized King James Version, Oxford UP, 1998.

Crowley, Sharon, and Debra Hawhee. Ancient Rhetorics for Contemporary Students. 3rd ed., Pearson, 2004.

If a source is part of a numbered sequence, such as a multi-volume book or journal with both volume and issue numbers, those numbers must be listed in your citation.

Dolby, Nadine. “Research in Youth Culture and Policy: Current Conditions and Future Directions.” Social Work and Society: The International Online-Only Journal, vol. 6, no. 2, 2008, www.socwork.net/sws/article/view/60/362. Accessed 20 May 2009.

Quintilian. Institutio Oratoria. Translated by H. E. Butler, vol. 2, Loeb-Harvard UP, 1980.

The publisher produces or distributes the source to the public. If there is more than one publisher, and they are all are relevant to your research, list them in your citation, separated by a forward slash (/).

Klee, Paul. Twittering Machine. 1922. Museum of Modern Art, New York. The Artchive, www.artchive.com/artchive/K/klee/twittering_machine.jpg.html. Accessed May 2006.

Women's Health: Problems of the Digestive System . American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2006.

Daniels, Greg and Michael Schur, creators. Parks and Recreation . Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2015.

Note : The publisher’s name need not be included in the following sources: periodicals, works published by their author or editor, websites whose titles are the same name as their publisher, websites that make works available but do not actually publish them (such as  YouTube ,  WordPress , or  JSTOR ).

Publication date

The same source may have been published on more than one date, such as an online version of an original source. For example, a television series might have aired on a broadcast network on one date, but released on  Netflix  on a different date. When the source has more than one date, it is sufficient to use the date that is most relevant to your writing. If you’re unsure about which date to use, go with the date of the source’s original publication.

In the following example, Mutant Enemy is the primary production company, and “Hush” was released in 1999. Below is a general citation for this television episode:

“Hush.” Buffy the Vampire Slayer , created by Joss Whedon, performance by Sarah Michelle Gellar, season 4, Mutant Enemy, 1999 .

However, if you are discussing, for example, the historical context in which the episode originally aired, you should cite the full date. Because you are specifying the date of airing, you would then use WB Television Network (rather than Mutant Enemy), because it was the network (rather than the production company) that aired the episode on the date you’re citing.

“Hush.” Buffy the Vampire Slayer, created by Joss Whedon, performance by Sarah Michelle Gellar, season 4, episode 10, WB Television Network, 14 Dec. 1999 .

You should be as specific as possible in identifying a work’s location.

An essay in a book or an article in a journal should include page numbers.

Adiche, Chimamanda Ngozi. “On Monday of Last Week.” The Thing around Your Neck, Alfred A. Knopf, 2009, pp. 74-94 .

The location of an online work should include a URL.  Remove any "http://" or "https://" tag from the beginning of the URL.

Wheelis, Mark. "Investigating Disease Outbreaks Under a Protocol to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention." Emerging Infectious Diseases , vol. 6, no. 6, 2000, pp. 595-600, wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/6/6/00-0607_article. Accessed 8 Feb. 2009.

When citing a physical object that you experienced firsthand, identify the place of location.

Matisse, Henri. The Swimming Pool. 1952, Museum of Modern Art, New York .

Optional elements

The ninth edition is designed to be as streamlined as possible. The author should include any information that helps readers easily identify the source, without including unnecessary information that may be distracting. The following is a list of optional elements that can be included in a documented source at the writer’s discretion.

Date of original publication:

If a source has been published on more than one date, the writer may want to include both dates if it will provide the reader with necessary or helpful information.

Erdrich, Louise. Love Medicine. 1984. Perennial-Harper, 1993.

City of publication:

The seventh edition handbook required the city in which a publisher is located, but the eighth edition states that this is only necessary in particular instances, such as in a work published before 1900. Since pre-1900 works were usually associated with the city in which they were published, your documentation may substitute the city name for the publisher’s name.

Thoreau, Henry David. Excursions . Boston, 1863.

Date of access:

When you cite an online source, the MLA Handbook recommends including a date of access on which you accessed the material, since an online work may change or move at any time.

Bernstein, Mark. "10 Tips on Writing the Living Web." A List Apart: For People Who Make Websites, 16 Aug. 2002, alistapart.com/article/writeliving. Accessed 4 May 2009.

As mentioned above, while the MLA handbook recommends including URLs when you cite online sources, you should always check with your instructor or editor and include URLs at their discretion.

A DOI, or digital object identifier, is a series of digits and letters that leads to the location of an online source. Articles in journals are often assigned DOIs to ensure that the source is locatable, even if the URL changes. If your source is listed with a DOI, use that instead of a URL.

Alonso, Alvaro, and Julio A. Camargo. "Toxicity of Nitrite to Three Species of Freshwater Invertebrates." Environmental Toxicology , vol. 21, no. 1, 3 Feb. 2006, pp. 90-94. Wiley Online Library, doi: 10.1002/tox.20155.

Creating in-text citations using the previous (eighth) edition

Although the MLA handbook is currently in its ninth edition, some information about citing in the text using the older (eighth) edition is being retained. The in-text citation is a brief reference within your text that indicates the source you consulted. It should properly attribute any ideas, paraphrases, or direct quotations to your source, and should direct readers to the entry in the Works Cited list. For the most part, an in-text citation is the  author’s name and the page number (or just the page number, if the author is named in the sentence) in parentheses :

When creating in-text citations for media that has a runtime, such as a movie or podcast, include the range of hours, minutes and seconds you plan to reference. For example: (00:02:15-00:02:35).

Again, your goal is to attribute your source and provide a reference without interrupting your text. Your readers should be able to follow the flow of your argument without becoming distracted by extra information.

How to Cite the Purdue OWL in MLA

Entire Website

The Purdue OWL . Purdue U Writing Lab, 2019.

Individual Resources

Contributors' names. "Title of Resource." The Purdue OWL , Purdue U Writing Lab, Last edited date.

The new OWL no longer lists most pages' authors or publication dates. Thus, in most cases, citations will begin with the title of the resource, rather than the developer's name.

"MLA Formatting and Style Guide." The Purdue OWL, Purdue U Writing Lab. Accessed 18 Jun. 2018.

How do I style headings and subheadings in a research paper?

Headings and subheadings can help organize and structure your writing. In general, longer and more complex works warrant more of them than shorter ones. Avoid overusing headings in short projects; they should never be used to compensate for poor structure or to explain an underdeveloped idea.

When headings are called for in your writing project, observe the basic guidelines below.

The paper or chapter title is the first level of heading, and it must be the most prominent.

Headings should be styled in descending order of prominence. After the first level, the other headings are subheadings—that is, they are subordinate. Font styling and size are used to signal prominence. In general, a boldface, larger font indicates prominence; a smaller font, italics, and lack of bold can be used to signal subordination. For readability, don’t go overboard: avoid using all capital letters for headings (in some cases, small capitals may be acceptable):

Heading Level 1

Heading Level 2

Heading Level 3

Note that word-processing software often has built-in heading styles.

Consistency

Consistency in the styling of headings and subheadings is key to signaling to readers the structure of a research project. That is, each level 1 heading should appear in the same style and size, as should each level 2 heading, and so on. Generally avoid numbers and letters to designate heads unless you are working in a discipline where doing so is conventional. Note that a heading labeled “1” requires a subsequent heading labeled “2,” and a heading labeled “a” requires a subsequent heading labeled “b.” 

In a project that is not professionally designed and published, headings should be flush with the left margin, to avoid confusion with block quotations. (The exception is the paper or chapter title, which is centered in MLA style.)

For readability, it is helpful to include a line space above and below a heading, as shown in this post.

No internal heading level should have only one instance. For example, if you have one level 1 heading, you need to have a second level 1 heading. (The exceptions are the paper or chapter title and the headings for notes and the list of works cited.) You should also generally have text under each heading.

Capitalization

Capitalize headings like the titles of works, as explained in section 1.5 of the MLA Handbook .

The shorter, the better.

MLA 9th Edition Formatting

A Simple, Step-by-Step Guide + Free Template

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Reviewer: Eunice Rautenbach (DTech) | July 2023

Formatting your paper in MLA style can feel like a pretty daunting task . In this post, we’ll show you exactly how to set up your paper for MLA (9th edition), as quickly and easily as possible. We’ll also share our popular free MLA template , to help you fast-track your writing.

Overview: MLA 9th Edition Formatting

• Structure and layout
• General page setup
• The opening section
• The main body
• Works cited (reference list)
• Free MLA 9 template

MLA Structure and Layout

Let’s start by looking at the overall structure of a typical student paper formatted for MLA 9th edition, before diving into the details of each section. For the most part, MLA papers follow a standardised structure, consisting of the following parts:

The opening section : While MLA doesn’t require a dedicated title page (unlike APA ), it does require an opening section that details some important information about yourself, your university and the paper itself.

The main body : The main body begins directly after the opening section on the first page. This is the “heart” of your paper and there are a very specific requirements regarding how you present and format this content.

The appendix (or appendices):  While using an appendix in a student paper is relatively uncommon, you’ll place this section directly after the main body section, if required by your university.

The “Works Cited” list : This section is equivalent to what we’d usually call a references page and it’s where you’ll detail all the reference information corresponding to the in-text citations in the main body of your paper.

These four sections form the standard structure and order of a student paper using MLA 9th edition. As we mentioned, not all sections are always required , so be sure to double check what your university expects from you before submitting. Also, it’s always a good idea to ask your university if they have any  style requirements in addition to the standard MLA specification.

Now that we’ve got a big-picture view of the typical paper structure, let’s look at the specific formatting requirements for each of these sections.

Generic Page Setup

Before you jump into writing up your paper, you’ll first need to set up your document to align with MLA’s generic page requirements. Alternatively, you can download our MLA paper template (which comes fully preformatted).

MLA 9th edition requires a 1-inch margin on all sides , for all pages. That said, if you’re writing a dissertation, thesis or any document that will ultimately be printed and bound, your university will likely require a larger left margin to accommodate for physical binding.

Fonts & sizing

MLA does not require that you use any specific font, but we do recommend sticking to the tried and tested , well-accepted fonts. For example, you might consider using one of the following:

• Sans serif fonts : Calibri (11), Arial (11), or Lucida Sans Unicode (10)
• Serif fonts : Times New Roman (12), Georgia (11), or Computer Modern (10)

Whichever font you opt for, be sure to use it consistently throughout your paper . Don’t chop and change, or use different fonts for different parts of the document (e.g., different fonts for the body text and the headings). Also, keep in mind that while MLA does not have a specific font requirement, your university may have its own preference or requirement. So, be sure to check with them beforehand regarding any additional specifications they may have.

In general, all text throughout your document needs to be left-aligned and should not be justified (i.e., leave an uneven right edge). You might consider using a different alignment for section headings, but in general, it’s best to keep things simple .

Line spacing

MLA 9th edition requires double line spacing throughout the document . There should also be no extra space before and after paragraphs . This applies to all sections of the paper, including the “Works Cited” page (more on this later).

Page header

Last but not least, you’ll need to set up a running header for your document. This should contain your last name, followed by the page number. Both of these should be positioned in the top right corner of all pages (even the first page). On a related note, there’s no need for you to include any footer content unless your university specifically requests it.

Now that we’ve looked at the generic formatting considerations, let’s dive into the specific requirements for each section of your paper.

The Opening Section

While MLA-formatted papers typically don’t require a title page, there are very specific requirements regarding the opening section of the first page .

Here’s how you can set your first page up for MLA 9th edition.

• On the first line, write your full name (flush left)
• On a new line, write your professor or instructor’s full name
• On a new line, write the course code and course name
• On a new line, write the full date spelt out (e.g., 15 June 2023)
• On a new line, write the full title of your paper , centre-aligned and using title case (consider using a title case converter if you’re not familiar with this)
• On a new line, begin your body content

All of the above should be in plain, unformatted font – in other words, you don’t need to apply any boldfacing, underlining , etc. That said, you should use italics whenever you’re writing out the titles of other works (for example, titles of books or articles).

To make it all a little more tangible, below is an example of a first page formatted according to the MLA specifications that we just covered.

The Main Body

While the formatting requirements for the body section are relatively light for MLA (at least when compared to APA ), there are still quite a few important things to pay attention to. Here’s what you need to know to get started.

Each of your paragraphs needs to start on a new line , and the first sentence of each paragraph requires a half-inch indent (while the rest of the paragraph is flush left aligned). Note that each paragraph simply starts on a new line and doesn’t require an additional blank line.

MLA 9th edition is fairly flexible in terms of heading formatting. There is no specified formatting, so you can decide what works best for you. However, there are still a few basic rules you need to follow:

• All your headings should be written in title case – never use all caps
• There should be no period following a heading
• Each heading level needs to be uniquely formatted and easily distinguishable from other levels (for example, a distinct difference in terms of boldfacing, underlining or italicisation)
• You can have as many heading levels as you need, but each level must have at least two instances

Abbreviations

When using abbreviations, you’ll need to make sure that you’re using the MLA version of the abbreviation . Below we’ve listed a few common ones you should be aware of:

• Appendix: app.
• Circa: c. or ca.
• Chapter: ch.
• Column: col.
• Definition: def.
• Department: dept.
• Example: e.g.
• Edition: ed.
• Figure: fig.
• Foreword: fwd.
• That is: i.e.
• Journal: jour.
• Library: lib.
• Manuscript(s): MS
• Number: no.
• Quoted in: qtd. in
• Revised: rev.
• Section: sec. or sect.
• Series: ser.
• Translation: trans.
• Version: vers.
• Variant: var.
• Volume: vol.

If you’re interested, you can find a more comprehensive list here . Alternatively, if you have access to the MLA 9th edition handbook, you can find the full list in the first appendix.

In-text citations

MLA 9 has a very specific set of requirements regarding how to cite your sources within the body of your paper. Here are some of the most important things to help you get started with MLA citations.

Author-page number system: in-text citations consist of (at a minimum) the lead author’s last name, followed by the page number of the paragraph you are citing. There is no comma between the two components (only a space).

Types of citations: MLA allows two types of in-text citations: parenthetical and narrative . Parenthetical citations feature the author and page number in parentheses (brackets) at the end of the respective sentence. Here’s an example:

MLA 9th edition is easy to grasp if you visit the Grad Coach blog (Jansen 13).

Narrative citations, on the other hand, weave the author’s name into the flow of the sentence and then present the publication date in parentheses at the end of the sentence. Here’s an example:

Jansen states that MLA 9th edition is easy for students to grasp if they visit the Grad Coach blog (13).

In general, it’s a good idea to utilise a mix of both in your writing. Narrative citations are particularly useful when you want to highlight or contrast authors or their viewpoints, while parenthetical citations are useful when you want to strengthen your own academic voice. In other words, both formats have their respective strengths and weaknesses, so try to use citation format strategically in your writing.

Quotations: when quoting text verbatim from a source, there is no need to do anything differently in terms of the citation itself, but do remember to wrap the verbatim text in quotation marks. Here’s an example:

Jansen proposes that MLA 9th edition is “easy to grasp if you visit the Grad Coach blog” (13).

Multiple authors: when citing resources that were authored by three or more people, you only need to list the lead author, followed by “et al.”. Here’s an example:

MLA 9th edition is easy to grasp if you visit the Grad Coach blog (Jansen et al. 13).

 Below are a few more examples from our free MLA template .

Please keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list of all the MLA 9th edition citation-related requirements – just a shortlist of the most commonly relevant ones. If you’d like to learn more, consult the MLA handbook .

The Works Cited (Reference List)

The final section that you’ll need to pay close attention to is the “Works Cited” page, which should contain a list of reference information for all the sources cited in the body of the paper. Again, MLA has a quite a meaty set of specifications regarding the content and formatting of this list, but we’ll cover the basics here to get your started on the right foot. 

Basic setup

Your reference list needs to start on a new page and should be titled “Works Cited”. The title should be unformatted and centred . The reference list should then start on the next line. As with the rest of your document, you should use double line spacing throughout.

When it comes to the reference list itself, you’ll need to keep the following in mind:

• All the sources that you cited in the body of your document should feature in the reference list. Make sure that every citation is accounted for .
• The references should be ordered alphabetically , according to the lead author’s last name .
• The exact information required within each entry depends on the type of content being referenced (e.g., a journal article, web page, etc.)
• Components that may need to feature (other than the author) include the title of the source, the title of the container, other contributors, the article version or number, the publisher, the publication date, and the location.
• All references should be left-aligned and should use a hanging indent – i.e., the second line of any given reference (if it has one) should be indented a half inch.

We have to stress that these are just the basics. MLA 9th edition requires that your references be structured and formatted in a very specific way , depending on the type of resource. If you plan to draft your reference list manually, it’s important to consult your university’s style guide or the MLA manual itself. This leads us to our next point…

In general, it’s a bad idea to write your reference list manually . Given the incredibly high level of intricacy involved, it’s highly likely that you’ll make mistakes if you try to craft this section yourself. A better solution is to use (free) reference management software such as Mendeley or Zotero . Either of these will take care of the formatting and content for you, and they’ll do a much more accurate job of it too. 

If you’re not familiar with any sort of reference management software, be sure to check out our easy-to-follow Mendeley explainer video below.

Wrapping Up

In this post, we’ve provided a primer covering how to format your paper according to MLA 9th edition. To recap, we’ve looked at the following:

• The structure and layout
• The general page setup
• The “Works Cited” page (reference list)

Remember to always check your university’s style guide to familiarise yourself with any additional requirements they may. Also, if your university has specified anything that contrasts what we’ve discussed here, please do follow their guidance . 

If you need any help formatting your paper for MLA 9, take a look at our “done for you” language editing and proofreading service . Simply send us your document and we’ll take care of all the MLA formatting intracies on your behalf. 

Very well recounted!

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Print Friendly

MLA Format Guide - 9th edition

• Essay Formatting

How to Create a Header

• To add your header, either double-click in the top inch of the page or select the "Insert" tab in Microsoft Word, navigate to the "Header & Footer" section, select "Header," and click the first option titled "Blank."
• When editing your header, navigate to the "Design" tab and check the box beside "Different First Page" as every heading after your first page should only include the page number. 
• Still in the design tab under the "Header & Footer" section, select "Page Number." In the drop-down box, select the first option, labeled "Top of Page," then select the third option labeled "Plain Number 3." Add your last name in front of the page number, and change the font settings to match that of the rest of your paper.
• On the next line, set the text alignment to align your text to the left side of the page (under the "Paragraph" section of the "Home" tab) and on four different lines type your first and last name, your instructor's name, the course the assignment is for, and the date in the format DD Month YYYY.
• On the next line, center the text (under the "Paragraph" section of the "Home" tab) and type the title of your paper.

An example of an MLA formatted header is included below.

How to Create a Works Cited Page

You can create your Works Cited page before, during, or after you write your essay. If you do not create it before, be sure to document the sources you used, including any website links, so you can go back and create your citations later. Citation format will be discussed in a later section, but this section will detail how to create a Works Cited Page.

• At the end of your essay, insert a page break (found under the "Insert" tab) and center the words "Works Cited" at the top of your page (not in the header). If there is only one source being cited, type "Work Cited".
• Insert your citations in alphabetical order in the subsequent lines. Make sure they are left aligned.
• If your citation is more than one line, apply the hanging indent feature to everything after the first line for each individual entry. You can do this by selecting the second line of the entry, navigating to the "Home" tab in Microsoft Word, selecting the arrow at the bottom right in the "Paragraph" section to open up the "Paragraph Settings" box, and under the "Indentation" section, select the drop-down box labeled "Special," and choose "Hanging". This will move everything but the first line of your citation slightly to the right.

Other essay formatting notes

When formatting your essay, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Use the correct font as listed under the "Home" tab of this guide. Double-space your text, use 12 pt font, and use a legible font style, such as Times New Roman, Ariel, Calibri, etc., ensuring that the regular and italic font styles are distinct.
• After the first page, only include your last name and the page number in the top right corner of the header.
• Change the paragraph options to remove space before and after all paragraphs. Select the entire essay (you can use the Ctrl + A feature), and in the "Paragraph" section of the "Home" tab, select the drop-down arrow where you can adjust the line spacing and make sure both selections at the bottom of the drop-down box read "Add Space Before Paragraph" and "Add Space After Paragraph". If they say "Remove Space Before Paragraph" and/or "Remove Space After Paragraph," click to remove the space.
• On the last page, include a Works Cited page with your citations listed in alphabetical order.
• Last Updated: Jun 12, 2024 7:50 AM
• URL: https://uaccm.libguides.com/what_is_MLA_style

MLA Style Guide, 8th & 9th Editions: Formatting Your MLA Paper

• Works Cited entries: What to Include
• Title of source
• Title of container
• Contributors
• Publication date
• Supplemental Elements
• Book with Personal Author(s)
• Book with Organization as Author
• Book with Editor(s)
• Parts of Books
• Government Publication
• Journal Article
• Magazine Article
• Multivolume Works
• Newspaper Article
• Other Formats
• Websites, Social Media, and Email
• About In-text Citations
• In-text Examples
• How to Paraphrase and Quote
• Citing Poetry
• Formatting Your MLA Paper
• Formatting Your Works Cited List
• MLA Annotated Bibliography
• MLA 9th Edition Quick Guide
• Submit Your Paper for MLA Style Review

MLA recommends using 12-point Times New Roman font or another readable typeface (e.g. serif ).

Line Spacing & Margins

Use double-spacing throughout the entire paper.

Leave 1 inch margins on the top, bottom, and each side.

Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch from the left margin.

Quotes longer than 4 lines should be written as a block of text a half an inch from the left margin.

Heading and Title

An MLA research paper does not need a title page, but your instructor may require one. If no instructions are given, follow the MLA guidelines below:

Type the following one inch from the top of the first page, flush with the left margin (double spacing throughout).

Your Instructor's Name

Course Number or Name

Center the title on the next line. Follow the rules for capitalization. Do not italicize, underline, or bold the title. An exception is when your title includes a title.  Example:  The Attitude toward Violence in A Clockwork Orange

Indent the next line and begin typing your text.

Include your last name and page numbers in the upper right-hand corner of every page. The page numbers will be one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin. If your instructor prefers no page number on the first page, begin numbering from 2 on the second page.

Sample Papers from MLA

There are sample papers available in the MLA Style Center. Check them out to see the correct formatting.

Styling Headings and Subheadings

According to the MLA Style Center website, writers should avoid using headings in shorter papers. If you are writing a longer research paper, you may want to include headings and subheadings to help organize the sections of your paper. Advice from the MLA Style Center :

"Levels

The paper or chapter title is the first level of heading, and it must be the most prominent.

Headings should be styled in descending order of prominence. After the first level, the other headings are subheadings—that is, they are subordinate. Font styling and size are used to signal prominence. In general, a boldface, larger font indicates prominence; a smaller font, italics, and lack of bold can be used to signal subordination. For readability, don’t go overboard: avoid using all capital letters for headings (in some cases, small capitals may be acceptable):

Heading Level 1

Heading Level 2

Heading Level 3

Note that word-processing software often has built-in heading styles.

Consistency

Consistency in the styling of headings and subheadings is key to signaling to readers the structure of a research project. That is, each level 1 heading should appear in the same style and size, as should each level 2 heading, and so on. Generally, avoid numbers and letters to designate heads unless you are working in a discipline where doing so is conventional. Note that a heading labeled “1” requires a subsequent heading labeled “2,” and a heading labeled “a” requires a subsequent heading labeled “b.” 

In a project that is not professionally designed and published, headings should be flush with the left margin, to avoid confusion with block quotations. (The exception is the paper or chapter title, which is centered in MLA style.)

For readability, it is helpful to include a line space above and below a heading, as shown in this post.

No internal heading level should have only one instance. For example, if you have one level 1 heading, you need to have a second level 1 heading. (The exceptions are the paper or chapter title and the headings for notes and the list of works cited.) You should also generally have text under each heading.

Capitalization

Capitalize headings like the titles of works, as explained in section 1.2 of the MLA Handbook.

The shorter, the better."

Modern Language Association. "How Do I Style Headings and Subheadings in a Research Paper?" MLA Style Center., 13 December 2018,  style.mla.org/styling-headings-and-subheadings .

MLA Style Paper Template

• MLA 9th Edition Paper Template This template was created and saved as a Word template for Microsoft Word 2016. The process for saving and using the template is the same for the instructions given above for 2013.

You can save a personal template in Microsoft Word (IRSC students, download Office for free, see a librarian if you need help). Above is a template you can use every time you need to set-up a research paper using MLA style format. Simply open the template and type your own information every time you need to write an MLA style paper. Microsoft Word will allow you to save personal templates. Once you have the template opened in Word

Click "Save as"

Give the file a name

Under "Save as type", select Word Template

Then when you open Word, you will be able to choose a template rather than a blank document. You might have to select Personal to find your template.

Sample MLA Paper

How to Use the MLA Style Template

Formatting Group Project Papers

For a research paper written collaboratively by several students, such as for a group project, create a title page instead of listing all authors in the header on page 1 of the essay. On the title page, list each student's full name, placing one name on each double-spaced line. After the final student name, enter the professor's name. After the professor's name, give the course name. The last line of the heading will be the date in 5 August 2021 format. Press Enter a few times to move down the page then give the paper title, centered.

• << Previous: Citing Poetry
• Next: Formatting Your Works Cited List >>
• Last Updated: Jul 22, 2024 4:57 PM
• URL: https://irsc.libguides.com/mla

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Happiness Hub Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• Happiness Hub
• This Or That Game
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Education and Communications
• Editing and Style

How to Create a Header in MLA Format

Last Updated: April 7, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Megan Morgan, PhD . Megan Morgan is a Graduate Program Academic Advisor in the School of Public & International Affairs at the University of Georgia. She earned her PhD in English from the University of Georgia in 2015. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 243,832 times.

For over half a century, the Modern Language Association (MLA) has produced a Style Manual that provides a guide to formatting academic papers and literary works. Used extensively in the humanities, MLA format is intended to be simple and concise so that it can be broadly used. [1] X Research source As such, an MLA-style page header is simple, including only the author's last name and the page number on the right margin. It can be set up on common word processing programs in only a few simple steps.

Recognizing MLA Header Basics

• Font size, however, is specified as 12-point.
• The same font type and size should be used in both the header and the main body of the text. Making your title large and fancy is not the best here.
• MLA recommends that you choose a font that has clearly contrasting regular and italics fonts. [4] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source

• Since your page number should be aligned to the right margin, it should therefore be one inch from the right edge of the page. With the standard header and footer settings used with these margins, your header text will be one-half inch from the top of the page.

• Consult with your instructor if there is another person with your last name in the class. He / she may want you to put "J. Smith 3".
• MLA style also permits instructors to simply exclude the use of the last name in the header, leaving only the Arabic numeral page number.

• Title pages are not used in MLA format, so your full name will already appear on the first page of text.
• Simply ask your instructor if he / she has a preference.

Creating an MLA Header in Microsoft Word

• Choose 1-inch (2.54 cm) margins. Also select a commonly used font, like Times New Roman in 12-point size. Lastly, choose double spacing for the entire document.
• There are slight differences in the process of making these changes in the various versions of Word, but each is easily accomplished by using the labeled tabs along the top of the document. [8] X Research source

• Click the Insert tab along the top of the page.
• Click the Page Numbers button. A drop-down will appear with options for "Add to Header or Footer."
• Choose the option that places the page number at the top right of the page.
• The inserted page number will be shaded. Type your last name and add one space. Highlight your name and page number and change the font to Times New Roman 12-point, if this has not already been done.
• Click the shaded area below the header to move back to the main body of the document. The completed header will be hidden.

• In addition to the directions in this step, you can follow those in the subsequent steps for Word 2007 and 2010. The images and some minor details will be slightly different with Word 2013, but the process is essentially the same.
• Click the Page Number button. A drop-down will appear.
• Choose "Top of Page," then "Plain Header 3" as your header format selection.
• The page number will appear and be shaded. Type your last name and the space bar. Highlight your name and the page number and change the font to Times New Roman 12-point, if not already done.
• Click in the text area below the dotted line to return to the main body of the text.

• In Microsoft Word, the Header and Footer option is found under the View menu. While there are options for adding images, symbols, and the like, remember that for MLA formatting, you will only need to use text (your last name) and page numbers.

• You can accomplish this by selecting from the pop up menu options or by using your alignment options to select right alignment.

• Once the page number appears, it will be shaded and the cursor will be to its left. Simply type in your last name and add a space between it and the page number.
• As allowed by MLA style, some instructors prefer that the first page not have a visible number. There is an optional box in the Page Numbers menu to choose whether the number "1" will appear on your first page.

• Move your cursor to a spot outside of the header area. You should now be able to continue writing the rest of your document.

Creating an MLA Header in Google Docs

• One inch margins are standard for Google Docs, which is also the MLA requirement.
• Double-space your document by using the line-spacing button along the top of the document.

• Click the File tab, then select New from the drop-down.
• Click on From Template, which will take you to a new tab with numerous template options.
• Find and select Report (MLA). A new document will open with placeholder text in the proper MLA format.
• The page numbers are in the right format, but there is no last name beside them (as is permitted by MLA style). To add your name, click View and Print Layout if the header is not visible. Then click on the "1" in the header, and type your last name and the space bar.

• Click on the Insert tab, then select Header from the drop-down.
• Change your font size to 12 and style to Times New Roman (if desired) using the buttons above the document.
• Align your header to the right margin by pressing the Right Align button (indicated by a symbol of right-aligned text) above the document.
• Type your last name and enter one space. Press the Insert tab, then select Page Number from the drop-down. Choose the Top of Page option. Your header should now be properly formatted.

Community Q&A

• To add a header in Apple's Pages, click on the View menu in the top horizontal toolbar. Select "Show Layout." You should now see a header and a footer in your document. Type your last name and go to the Insert menu at the top. Select "Auto Page Numbers." Click "Hide Layout" when you are finished. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If you have a number of research or academic papers to write, save your MLA-formatted document as an academic paper template on your computer. Begin each new paper from this document and click "Save as" instead of "Save" to leave the template intact. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Although it is possible to make a header in Apple's TextEdit, it is done with page number and document title presets, therefore, it will not appear in MLA format. To print a header in TextEdit, click "File" and select "Show Properties." Type in your last name as the title. When you are ready to print, click "File" then "Print." Click the drop out menu and click the box that says "Print Header and Footer." Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.mla.org/MLA-Style
• ↑ https://johncabot.libguides.com/MLA/formatting-rules
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_general_format.html
• ↑ http://academictips.org/mla-format/mla-format-word-365-office-365-skydrive/
• ↑ https://nwtc.libanswers.com/faq/212878
• ↑ http://academictips.org/mla-format/mla-format-google-docs/

About This Article

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Gloria Mitchell

Feb 4, 2019

Did this article help you?

Angela Mateo

Feb 5, 2017

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

wikiHow Tech Help Pro:

Develop the tech skills you need for work and life

Academic Editing and Proofreading

• Tips to Self-Edit Your Dissertation
• Guide to Essay Editing: Methods, Tips, & Examples
• Journal Article Proofreading: Process, Cost, & Checklist
• The A–Z of Dissertation Editing: Standard Rates & Involved Steps
• Research Paper Editing | Guide to a Perfect Research Paper
• Dissertation Proofreading | Definition & Standard Rates
• Thesis Proofreading | Definition, Importance & Standard Pricing
• Research Paper Proofreading | Definition, Significance & Standard Rates
• Essay Proofreading | Options, Cost & Checklist
• Top 10 Paper Editing Services of 2024 (Costs & Features)
• Top 10 Essay Checkers in 2024 (Free & Paid)
• Top 10 AI Proofreaders to Perfect Your Writing in 2024
• Top 10 English Correctors to Perfect Your Text in 2024
• Top 10 Essay Editing Services of 2024
• 10 Advanced AI Text Editors to Transform Writing in 2024
• Personal Statement Editing Services: Craft a Winning Essay

Academic Research

• Research Paper Outline: Free Templates & Examples to Guide You
• How to Write a Research Paper: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Write a Lab Report: Examples from Academic Editors
• Research Methodology Guide: Writing Tips, Types, & Examples
• The 10 Best Essential Resources for Academic Research
• 100+ Useful ChatGPT Prompts for Thesis Writing in 2024
• Best ChatGPT Prompts for Academic Writing (100+ Prompts!)
• Sampling Methods Guide: Types, Strategies, and Examples
• Independent vs. Dependent Variables | Meaning & Examples

Academic Writing & Publishing

• Difference Between Paper Editing and Peer Review
• What are the different types of peer review?
• How to Handle Journal Rejection: Essential Tips
• Editing and Proofreading Academic Papers: A Short Guide
• How to Carry Out Secondary Research
• The Results Section of a Dissertation
• Checklist: Is my Article Ready for Submitting to Journals?
• Types of Research Articles to Boost Your Research Profile
• 8 Types of Peer Review Processes You Should Know
• The Ethics of Academic Research
• How does LaTeX based proofreading work?
• How to Improve Your Scientific Writing: A Short Guide
• Chicago Title, Cover Page & Body | Paper Format Guidelines
• How to Write a Thesis Statement: Examples & Tips
• Chicago Style Citation: Quick Guide & Examples
• The A-Z Of Publishing Your Article in A Journal
• What is Journal Article Editing? 3 Reasons You Need It
• 5 Powerful Personal Statement Examples (Template Included)
• Complete Guide to MLA Format (9th Edition)
• How to Cite a Book in APA Style | Format & Examples
• How to Start a Research Paper | Step-by-step Guide
• APA Citations Made Easy with Our Concise Guide for 2024
• A Step-by-Step Guide to APA Formatting Style (7th Edition)
• Top 10 Online Dissertation Editing Services of 2024
• Academic Writing in 2024: 5 Key Dos & Don’ts + Examples
• What Are the Standard Book Sizes for Publishing Your Book?
• MLA Works Cited Page: Quick Tips & Examples
• 2024’s Top 10 Thesis Statement Generators (Free Included!)
• Top 10 Title Page Generators for Students in 2024
• What Is an Open Access Journal? 10 Myths Busted!
• Primary vs. Secondary Sources: Definition, Types & Examples
• How To Write a College Admissions Essay That Stands Out
• How to Write a Dissertation & Thesis Conclusion (+ Examples)
• APA Journal Citation: 7 Types, In-Text Rules, & Examples
• What Is Predatory Publishing and How to Avoid It!
• What Is Plagiarism? Meaning, Types & Examples
• How to Write a Strong Dissertation & Thesis Introduction
• How to Cite a Book in MLA Format (9th Edition)
• How to Cite a Website in MLA Format | 9th Edition Rules
• 10 Best AI Conclusion Generators (Features & Pricing)
• Top 10 Academic Editing Services of 2024 [with Pricing]
• 100+ Writing Prompts for College Students (10+ Categories!)
• How to Create the Perfect Thesis Title Page in 2024
• Additional Resources
• Preventing Plagiarism in Your Thesis: Tips & Best Practices
• Final Submission Checklist | Dissertation & Thesis
• 7 Useful MS Word Formatting Tips for Dissertation Writing
• How to Write a MEAL Paragraph: Writing Plan Explained in Detail
• Em Dash vs. En Dash vs. Hyphen: When to Use Which
• The 10 Best Citation Generators in 2024 | Free & Paid Plans!
• 2024’s Top 10 Self-Help Books for Better Living
• The 10 Best Free Character and Word Counters of 2024
• Know Everything About How to Make an Audiobook
• Citation and Referencing
• Citing References: APA, MLA, and Chicago
• How to Cite Sources in the MLA Format
• MLA Citation Examples: Cite Essays, Websites, Movies & More
• Citations and References: What Are They and Why They Matter
• APA Headings & Subheadings | Formatting Guidelines & Examples
• Formatting an APA Reference Page | Template & Examples
• Research Paper Format: APA, MLA, & Chicago Style
• How to Create an MLA Title Page | Format, Steps, & Examples
• How to Create an MLA Header | Format Guidelines & Examples
• MLA Annotated Bibliography | Guidelines and Examples
• APA Website Citation (7th Edition) Guide | Format & Examples
• APA Citation Examples: The Bible, TED Talk, PPT & More
• APA Header Format: 5 Steps & Running Head Examples
• APA Title Page Format Simplified | Examples + Free Template
• How to Write an Abstract in MLA Format: Tips & Examples
• 10 Best Free Plagiarism Checkers of 2024 [100% Free Tools]
• 5 Reasons to Cite Your Sources Properly | Avoid Plagiarism!
• Dissertation Writing Guide
• Writing a Dissertation Proposal
• The Acknowledgments Section of a Dissertation
• The Table of Contents Page of a Dissertation
• The Introduction Chapter of a Dissertation
• The Literature Review of a Dissertation
• The Only Dissertation Toolkit You’ll Ever Need!
• 5 Thesis Writing Tips for Master Procrastinators
• How to Write a Dissertation | 5 Tips from Academic Editors
• The 5 Things to Look for in a Dissertation Editing Service
• Top 10 Dissertation Editing & Proofreading Services
• Why is it important to add references to your thesis?
• Thesis Editing | Definition, Scope & Standard Rates
• Expert Formatting Tips on MS Word for Dissertations
• A 7-Step Guide on How to Choose a Dissertation Topic
• 350 Best Dissertation Topic Ideas for All Streams in 2024
• A Guide on How to Write an Abstract for a Research Paper
• Dissertation Defense: What to Expect and How to Prepare
• Creating a Dissertation Title Page (Examples & Templates)
• Essay Writing Guide
• Essential Research Tips for Essay Writing
• What Is a Mind Map? Free Mind Map Templates & Examples
• How to Write an Essay Outline: 5 Examples & Free Template

How to Write an Essay Header: MLA and APA Essay Headers

• What Is an Essay? Structure, Parts, and Types
• How to Write an Essay in 8 Simple Steps (Examples Included)
• 8 Types of Essays | Quick Summary with Examples
• Expository Essays | Step-by-Step Manual with Examples
• Narrative Essay | Step-by-Step Guide with Examples
• How to Write an Argumentative Essay (Examples Included)
• Guide to a Perfect Descriptive Essay [Examples & Outline Included]
• How to Start an Essay: 4 Introduction Paragraph Examples
• How to Write a Conclusion for an Essay (Examples Included!)
• How to Write an Impactful Personal Statement (Examples Included)
• Literary Analysis Essay: 5 Steps to a Perfect Assignment
• Compare and Contrast Essay | Quick Guide with Examples
• Top AI Essay Writers in 2024: 10 Must-Haves
• 100 Best College Essay Topics & How to Pick the Perfect One!
• College Essay Format: Tips, Examples, and Free Template
• Structure of an Essay: 5 Tips to Write an Outstanding Essay
• 10 Best AI Essay Outline Generators of 2024
• The Best Essay Graders of 2024 That You Can Use for Free!
• Top 10 Free Essay Writing Tools for Students in 2024

Still have questions? Leave a comment

Add Comment

Checklist: Dissertation Proposal

Enter your email id to get the downloadable right in your inbox!

Examples: Edited Papers

Need editing and proofreading services.

• Tags: Essay , Essay Editing

A header for an essay is an important part of APA or MLA formatting guidelines . In this article, we’ll find out the purpose of an essay header, how to format it, and the APA and MLA essay header variations.

A properly formatted header helps your professor quickly and easily identify your essay. In APA format , the essay header also carries a gist of your larger topic, providing the reader with basic information about your essay in one glance.

Let’s take a more detailed look at how to write a header for an essay.

Ensure top-notch essay formatting! Get started

What is a header in an essay?

A header for an essay is a line of text typically included at the top of the page. The content of the header depends on your essay header format. The MLA essay header includes your last name whereas the APA essay header includes a shortened title of your essay.

The use of a header is especially important in longer essays, as it helps professors navigate the document with ease. The page number helps them locate specific information quickly and the author’s name helps them associate each essay with the student who wrote it. 

MLA essay header

The Modern Language Association (MLA), often used in literature and humanities essays, requires a specific type of header. It consists of your last name, followed by a space and then the page number. Thus, the MLA essay header helps the instructor easily associate your work with you amidst a sea of other assignments.

The header for an MLA format essay is typically placed in the top right-hand corner of each page of the document. The information is right-aligned, double-spaced, and is usually preceded by a 0.5-inch margin. 

Here’s an essay header example to help you understand:

It is important to note that the MLA essay header is not the same as a title page. The title page is a separate page that includes the essay title, your name, the course title, and the date of submission. The MLA format essay header is simply a standardized way to format page numbers and your personal information within the document itself.

APA essay header

The American Psychological Association (APA) usually requires a header to be included in both student and professional essays. The APA essay header includes an abbreviated title of the essay along with the page number.

The title should be in all capital letters and should not be more than 50 characters long. It should be included on the top left corner of the page. The page number should be included opposite the title, in the top right corner of the page.

Take a look at this essay header example:

It is important to note that running head in an APA essay header is optional for students but compulsory for professionals. While the header must be present in both types of APA essays, the elements differ.

How to write a header for an essay

1. To activate the header for an essay, double-right-click on the top of the page.

If you need additional help with headers and other formatting guidelines, you can also consider working with a professional essay editing service .  

Want to keep reading? Here are the newest articles we’ve worked on:

• How to Write an Essay in 8 Simple Steps
• Learn About What is an Essay and Parts of an Essay 
• How to Write an Essay Outline

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the header and title exactly the same, should i use my full name in the mla header, what are running apa headers.

Found this article helpful?

Leave a Comment: Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Your vs. You’re: When to Use Your and You’re

Your organization needs a technical editor: here’s why, your guide to the best ebook readers in 2024, writing for the web: 7 expert tips for web content writing.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Get carefully curated resources about writing, editing, and publishing in the comfort of your inbox.

How to Copyright Your Book?

If you’ve thought about copyrighting your book, you’re on the right path.

© 2024 All rights reserved

• Terms of service
• Privacy policy
• Self Publishing Guide
• Pre-Publishing Steps
• Fiction Writing Tips
• Traditional Publishing
• Academic Writing and Publishing
• Partner with us
• Annual report
• Website content
• Marketing material
• Job Applicant
• Cover letter
• Resource Center
• Case studies

Generate accurate MLA citations for free

• Knowledge Base
• Creating an MLA title page

MLA Title Page | When You Need One & How to Format It

Published on July 12, 2021 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on March 5, 2024.

In MLA style , a title page is usually not required for your paper. Instead, MLA recommends including a header on your first page listing your name, your instructor’s name, the course name and number, and the submission date, followed by the title of your paper.

However, you should include a separate title page instead in these cases:

• Your instructor requires it
• The paper is a group project (i.e. you need to list multiple authors)

The formats for a separate title page and a first-page header are shown below. You can also use our templates in Word or Google Docs.

Word template Google Docs template

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

Table of contents

Mla title page format, creating an mla header, frequently asked questions about mla format.

To create an MLA format title page, list the following on separate lines, left-aligned at the top of the page:

• Your co-authors’ names, each on its own line, if it’s a group project
• Your instructor’s name
• The course name and number
• The submission date

Then leave a few blank lines and list the title of the paper, centered and in title case, halfway down the page. All text should be double-spaced and in the same font as the rest of the paper.

Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services

Discover proofreading & editing

Most MLA papers will instead list this information in a header , which appears on the same page as your opening paragraphs instead of on a separate page before them. In the header, left-aligned, list

Then on the next line, write the title of your paper, centered and in title case. On the line after that, start your first paragraph. The header and title should be double-spaced, like the rest of the paper.

Usually, no title page is needed in an MLA paper . A header is generally included at the top of the first page instead. The exceptions are when:

• Your instructor requires one, or
• Your paper is a group project

In those cases, you should use a title page instead of a header, listing the same information but on a separate page.

If you’re working on a group project and therefore need to list multiple authors for your paper , MLA recommends against including a normal header . Instead, create a separate title page .

On the title page, list each author on a separate line, followed by the other usual information from the header: Instructor, course name and number, and submission date. Then write the title halfway down the page, centered, and start the text of the paper itself on the next page.

MLA recommends using 12-point Times New Roman , since it’s easy to read and installed on every computer. Other standard fonts such as Arial or Georgia are also acceptable. If in doubt, check with your supervisor which font you should be using.

MLA Style  is the second most used citation style (after APA ). It is mainly used by students and researchers in humanities fields such as literature, languages, and philosophy.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2024, March 05). MLA Title Page | When You Need One & How to Format It. Scribbr. Retrieved September 18, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/mla/mla-title-page/

Is this article helpful?

Jack Caulfield

Other students also liked, mla format for academic papers and essays, mla titles: formatting and capitalization rules, what is your plagiarism score.

Home / Guides / Citation Guides / MLA Format

MLA Format: Everything You Need to Know Here

Welcome to an overview of “What is MLA Format?” in relation to paper formatting. You’ll find in-depth guidelines, examples, and visual samples to help you easily format your paper. This guide does not serve as a reference for MLA citation format.

For help determining the proper structure for citing, refer to the other guides on EasyBib.com. Here is another informative site which may help with further understanding of MLA citation format.

Guidelines for Formatting a Paper in MLA

• Use white 8 ½  x 11” paper.
• Make 1 inch margins on the top, bottom, and sides.
• The first word in every paragraph should be indented one half inch.
• Indent set-off or block quotations one half inch from the left margin.
• Use any type of font that is easy to read, such as Times New Roman. Make sure that italics look different from the regular typeface.
• Use 12-point size.
• Double space the entire research paper, even the Works Cited page.
• Leave one space after periods and other punctuation marks, unless your instructor tells you to leave two spaces.

These guidelines come from the MLA Style Center’s web page “Formatting a Research Paper.”

MLA Guide Overview

There are various sections in this guide. Each section provides an in-depth overview of the different components to keep in mind when developing an MLA paper.

This guide includes the following sections:

• Format background
• General paper formatting
• MLA heading format & title page instructions
• Running head & page numbers
• Paraphrases
• Abbreviations
• Numbers (includes the use of numbers in MLA outline format)
• Images, tables, and musical scores
• MLA works cited format
• MLA citation format (for in-depth citation rules visit this MLA citation guide or MLA in-text citation guide)
• Edits & proofreading

If you need more guidance, a website like EasyBib.com usually has guides and tools to help you out. There’s also resources on other styles, like our guide on “ APA reference page ”, otherwise known as a “References” page.

MLA Format Background

The Modern Language Association (MLA) is an organization responsible for developing MLA format. It was developed as a means for researchers, students, and scholars in the literature and language fields to uniformly format their papers and assignments. This uniform, or consistent, method to developing a paper or assignment allows for easy reading. Today, MLA is not only used in literature and language subject areas; many others have adopted it as well.

The Modern Language Association released the 9th and most current edition of their MLA Handbook in April 2021. The Handbook provides thorough instructions on citing, as well as guidelines for submitting work that adheres to the Modern Language Association’s rules and standards. Although we’re not affiliated with the MLA, our citation specialists bring you this thoughtful and informative guide on the format.

Looking for information about previous editions to the Handbook ? Want to learn more about the origin of “What is MLA format?” Click here to learn about the previous editions to the Handbook .

Actually, are you looking for help on using another style? See how to cite an APA journal , learn to create an APA book citation , and more!

Formatting the Header in MLA

To create a header for your first page, follow these steps:

• Begin one inch from the top of the first page and flush with the left margin.
• Type your name, your instructor’s name, the course name and number, and the date on separate lines, using double spaces between each.
• Double space once more and center the title. Do NOT underline, bold, or type the title in all capital letters. Only italicize words that would normally be italicized in the text. Example: Character Development in The Great Gatsby
• Do not place a period after the title or after any headings
• Double space between the title and first lines of the text

General Paper Formatting

Paper choice.

While many professors, instructors, and publications allow electronic submission, some prefer printed, hard copies of papers. This section focuses on the type of paper to use for printed submission.

If you choose to print your paper, use white paper only. Do not use ivory, off-white, or any other shades or colors.

Choose a standard, high quality paper to print your project on. Do not use cardstock. It is not necessary to use resum é paper. Use typical, high quality printer or copy paper.

When it comes to size, 8 ½-by-11-inch paper is the recommended size. If you’d like to use a different size, ask your teacher prior to submission.

Use One-Inch Margins in MLA

Use one-inch margins around the entire page. The running head should be the only item seen in the one inch margin (see below for more on running heads).

Most word processing programs automatically default to using one inch margins. Check the page settings section of the program to locate the margin size.

Indenting Paragraphs in MLA

Indent the first word in every paragraph. Sentences should begin one half inch from the left margin.

It is not necessary to manually measure half an inch. Use the “tab” button on the keyboard to create a half inch space.

Double Space Paragraphs in MLA

MLA research paper format requires that the entire research paper or MLA format essay includes double-spaced lines. Double-spaced lines should be found in between the written body of the work, in the heading, and also on the MLA reference page.

While it may seem tempting to place a few extra lines between the heading, title, and beginning of the paper, lines should all be double spaced.

Font and Font Size in MLA

In an MLA paper, it is acceptable to use any font type that is easy to read. Many source types, such as books and articles, use fonts that are easy to read, so if you’re seeking an appropriate font style, look at other sources for guidance. Two of the most commonly used fonts are Arial and Times New Roman.

It is important for the reader to be able to distinguish the difference between italicized and regular font, so if you choose a font style different than Arial or Times New Roman, make sure the difference between the two type styles is evident.

The use of a 12-point font size is recommended as this is the default size for many word processing programs. It is acceptable to use another standard size, such as 11-point or 11.5-point.

Some professors or instructors will provide guidance on how to secure hard copies of projects. If your instructor does not provide you with any expectations or guidance, a simple staple in the top left corner should suffice. If a stapler is not available, some instructors allow paper or binder clips.

Do not fold the top left corner down to secure the pages together. The page could easily unfold, causing a mess of papers. While binders and plastic holders are cute, in reality, they add bulk to a professor or instructor who may like to take the papers home for grading purposes. Keep the binding simple and clean. Staples work best, and binder and paper clips are the next best option.

As always, follow any instructions your professor or teacher may provide. The guidelines found here are simply recommendations.

MLA Heading & Title Page Instructions

The web page “Formatting a Research Paper” gives two options when it comes to creating the header for your project:

• An MLA format heading can be placed at the top of the first page
• A title page can grace the front of the assignment. If you choose to create a title page, keep in mind that there aren’t any official title page or cover page guidelines in MLA format. See more information below.

If choosing option one, creating an MLA heading, you’ll need to include four main components:

• Your full name
• Your instructor’s name
• The name and number of the course or class
• The assignment’s due date

The first item typed on the paper should be your full name.

• Position your name one inch from the top and left margins of the page.
• Add a double space beneath your name, and type the name of your instructor.
• Below the professor or instructor’s name should be a double space, followed by the name of the course, class, or section number (if available).
• Below it, include another double space and add the assignment’s due date (Day Month Year).

Here’s an example:

The assignment’s title should be placed below the due date, after a double space. Align the title so it sits in the center of the MLA format paper. The title should be written in standard lettering, without underlines, bold font, italicized font, or any quotation marks. Only include italics or quotation marks if your title includes the title of another source.

Here is an example of an MLA header for an MLA format essay, paper, or assignment:

Neal E. Bibdarsh

Professor Haujeemoto

English 201

The Trials and Tribulations of Lincoln’s Reciting of “The Gettysburg Address”

*Note: The quotation marks here are around the title of a speech included in the paper’s title.

Most research papers use a standard MLA format heading, like the one seen above. If your instructor requires you to create a standalone title page, ask him or her for specifications. MLA does not have specific instructions for developing an MLA title page. We recommend you use an MLA header for your project.

If your teacher or professor requires a standalone title page, but has not provided any guidance or specifications, here are a few suggestions from EasyBib.com and this MLA guide :

• Center and double space all of the text on your page.
• Place the name of your school at the top of the page.
• Skip down to about the center of the page and type the title of your paper. Do not bold the title, italicize the entire title, place quotation marks around it, or type the title out in capital letters.
• Use italics for the titles of any sources in the title of your paper. Example: An Analysis of Mythical Creatures in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• first letter of the title
• first letter of the last word
• first letter of any adjectives, adverbs, nouns, pronouns, and verbs
• If your paper has a subtitle, include on the next line below your title.
• Skip down to the bottom third of the page and add your name, the the name of your instructor, the name/number of the course or class, and the assignment’s due date on four separate lines.
• Keep the font size at 12 pt., or a size close to it, to make it look professional.
• Use the same font as the text of the paper. The Modern Language Association recommends any font that is easy to read and has a clear distinction between italics and standard font. Times New Roman and Arial are recommended, but many other fonts work as well.
• Include a page number in the top right corner of the paper. For more information on how to style page numbers, check out the next section, “Running Head and Page Numbers.”
• We do not recommend adding any images or cover art to the title page. 

Click  additional information about essays to see an example of a formatted header.

You can either create a title page using the EasyBib Title Page creator or omit the title page completely and use a header.

Running Head & Page Numbers in MLA

A running head is a brief heading that is placed in the top right corner of every page in a project. The Modern Language Association Style Center (online) states that the running head consists of:

• Last name of the paper’s author
• Page number

General tips to keep in mind:

• The running head is placed in the upper right-hand corner, half an inch from the top margin and one inch from the right margin of the page.
• Type your last name before the page number.
• The last name and page number should be separated by a single space.
• Do not place the word “page” or use an abbreviation, such as p. or pg., before the page number.
• Quite often, the running head begins on the second page, but your instructor may ask you to include the running head on the first page of the assignment. As always, if your instructor provides you with specific directions, follow his or her guidelines.

Before adding this information manually onto every single page, check to see if the word processor you’re using has the capability to automatically add this information for you. Try looking in the settings area where page numbers or headers can be added or modified.

Google Docs: Adding a header

• Go to the menu section “Insert.”
• Select “Page numbers” and select the option that places the page number in the upper-right corner.
• A page number will appear; your cursor will blink next to it.
• Move your cursor to the left of the page number.
• Type your last name. Add a space between your name and the page number.
• You should now have a properly formatted header on every page!

Microsoft Word Document: Adding a header

• Double-click in the space at the top of the page (where the page number is).
• OR Go to the “Insert” menu, select “Header,” and select “Edit Header.”
• Type your last name next to page number. If it isn’t already right-aligned, go to the “Home” menu and right-align your name.

Quotations in MLA

Quotes are added into assignments to help defend an argument, prove a point, add emphasis, or simply liven up a project.

Quotes should not take up the majority of your paper or assignment. Quotes should be sprinkled sparingly throughout, and quotes longer than 4 lines should be formatted as MLA block quotes . Use direct quotes from outside sources to enhance and expand on your own writing and ideas.

Words from quotes belong to the individual who spoke or wrote them, so it is essential to credit that individual’s work. Credit him or her by adding what is called an “in-text citation” into the body of the project.

There are three ways to add quotes: 1. With the author’s name in the sentence (a citation in prose).

Dan Gutman shares a glimpse into the overall plot by stating, “I didn’t know it at the time, but a baseball card—for me—could function like a time machine” (5).

In the above example, Dan Gutman is the author of the book that this quote is pulled from.

2. Without the author’s name in the sentence (a parenthetical citation).

The main character’s confusing experience is realized and explained when he states “I didn’t know it at the time, but a baseball card—for me—could function like a time machine” (Gutman 5).

In the above example, Dan Gutman’s name isn’t included in the sentence. It’s included in the parentheses at the end of the sentence. This is an example of a proper MLA style citation in the body of a project.

3. In a block quote, which is used when a large quote, of 4 lines or more, is added into a project.

Using footnotes and endnotes

The Modern Language Association generally promotes the use of references as described in the sections above, but footnotes and endnotes are also acceptable forms of references to use in your paper.

Footnotes and endnotes are helpful to use in a variety of circumstances. Here are a few scenarios when it may seem appropriate to use this type of referencing:

• When you are referring to a number of various sources, by various authors, in a section of your paper. In this situation, it is a good idea to use a footnote or endnote to share information for parenthetical references. This will encourage the reader to stay focused on the text of the research paper, instead of having to read through all of the reference information.
• When you are sharing additional information that doesn’t quite fit into the scope of the paper, but is beneficial for the reader. These types of footnotes and endnotes are helpful when explaining translations, adding background information, or sharing counterexamples to research.

To include a footnote or endnote, add a superscript number at the end of the sentence the footnote or endnote refers to. They can be included mid-sentence if necessary, but be sure to add it after any punctuation, such as commas or periods. Find a location that doesn’t distract the reader from the content and flow of the paper.

Within the text example:

Numerous well-known children’s books include characters from a wide range of races and ethnicities, thus promoting diversity and multiculturalism.¹

At the bottom of the page (footnote) or at the end of the section (endnote):

¹See Isadora, Parr, and Velazquez. While Parr’s work features characters of various colors, such as pink or blue, children easily correlate it with individuals of different races and ethnicities.

On the last page of the assignment, the writer includes the full references for the books by Isadora, Parr, and Velazquez.

For more on block quotes and a further, detailed explanation on the use of quotes, including MLA footnotes, refer to our MLA In-Text Citation and Parenthetical Citations Guide. In this guide you’ll find further information including directions for the use of quotes without an author, page numbers, and how to properly credit work from electronic sources.

For guides on citations in another style, check out APA parenthetical citation and APA in-text citation .

Paraphrases in MLA

Paraphrases are created when text or speech from another source are added into a project, but the writer chooses to summarize them and weave in his or her own writing and writing style.

Even though the writer modifies the information from another source, it is still necessary to credit the source using proper format ( Handbook 98). Paraphrased information uses the same MLA reference format as stated in the section directly above this one.

Here is an acceptable paraphrase:

Original text:

“Stay hungry. Stay foolish.” Steve Jobs

Paraphrase:

Steve Jobs encouraged students at Stanford to continue with their determination, drive, and ambitious behavior. They should never be simply satisfied with the status quo. They should continue to push themselves despite possible obstacles and failures.

To develop a well-written paraphrase, follow these simple, step-by-step instructions.

• Find a phrase, sentence, paragraph, or section of original text you’d like to turn into a paraphrase.
• Read the text carefully and make sure you fully comprehend its meaning. A writer can only develop a well-written paraphrase if the information has been fully grasped and understood. If you’re having difficulty understanding the information, take a few minutes to read up on tricky words and background information. If all else fails, ask a friend to see if they’re able to make sense of the concepts.
• After analyzing and completely understanding the original text, put it to the side. Take a moment to think about what you’ve read and connect the idea to your own assignment.
• Now that the information is completely understood, take a moment to rewrite what you’ve read, in your own words and writing style. Do not simply substitute words in the original text with synonyms. That’s plagiarism! Show off and demonstrate your ability to process the original information, connect it to the content in your paper, and write it in your own individual and unique writing style.
• Include an in-text reference next to the paraphrase. All paraphrases include references, similar to direct quotes. See the “Quotations” section of this guide to learn how to properly attribute your paraphrased information.
• Give yourself a pat on the back! Paraphrasing is an important part of the research and writing process.

Wondering if it’s better to quote or paraphrase?

An essential part of the research process involves adding direct quotes and paraphrases into projects. Direct quotes provide word-for-word evidence and allow writers to use another author’s eloquent words and language in their own projects. When it comes to paraphrases, writers are able to take a block of text and shrink the scope of it into the their papers. Paper writers can also use paraphrases to demonstrate their ability to analyze and reiterate information in a meaningful and relevant way.

If you’re wondering which one is better to consistently use, quotes or paraphrases, there’s a clear winner. Paraphrases come out on top. Sure, direct quotes are incredibly beneficial, but copying and pasting too many of these into a project can cause a reader to lose sight of the writer’s own voice. Mixing your own voice with another author’s too much can make for choppy and disjointed reading.

The ultimate goal of a research project is to have your voice and research merged together as one. Paraphrases allow just that. When you combine information from outside sources with your own writing style, it demonstrates your ability as a researcher to showcase your understanding and analyzation of a topic.

Remember, whether you’re adding direct quotes or paraphrases into a project, both types of additions need references. References are placed after the quotes and paraphrases, and also at the end of an assignment.

If you’re looking for additional help with your punctuation or grammar, check out the EasyBib plagiarism checker !

Using Abbreviations in MLA

Abbreviations are commonly used in many source types including websites, blog posts, books, and journal articles. It is acceptable to use abbreviations in all of these sources.

When it comes to school and research assignments, however, the MLA   Handbook states that abbreviations should be used rarely in the prose of your paper (293). Spelling out abbreviations into their full words and meanings is recommended. This ensures understanding and avoids any confusion from your reader.

There are times when you may feel it is perfectly acceptable to use an abbreviation rather than its typed out counterpart in a paper. If you do abbreviate, be sure you are using commonly accepted abbreviations, which you can find in the dictionary. You can also review Appendix 1 in the  MLA Handbook .

General Abbreviation Tips

• Human Immunodeficiency Virus can be abbreviated to HIV, not H.I.V.
• United States should be US, not U.S.
• Digital video disc should be DVD, not D.V.D.
• For lower case abbreviations, it is acceptable to include periods between the letters.
• The abbreviation, “For example” = e.g.
• If there is a mix of lower case and upper case letters, do not use periods if the majority of the letters are upper case. Examples include PhD and EdD

Abbreviating Months

Type out entire month names when being used in the body of a research paper or assignment.

She rented out the beach house from May through September

When it comes to references, MLA bibliography format requires months longer than four letters to be abbreviated.

• July = July
• November = Nov.

Other abbreviations that are perfectly acceptable to use in a bibliography (not the body of a project) include:

• p. or pp. for page and page numbers
• ch. for chapter
• ed. for edition
• trans. for translation or translated
• vol. for volume
• no. for number
• rev. for revised

Again, these abbreviations should only be used in the final page(s) of a project, the MLA Works Cited list. They should not be used in the body of a project.

For more information on bibliographies, see our MLA format Works Cited List page.

Abbreviating Publishers

One of the quirkiest things about this particular style is how publisher names are structured on the final page of references. Certain words are abbreviated, some words are omitted, and other words are written in full.

Words describing what type of business the publisher is are omitted from the works cited. Here’s a breakdown of the words that should be excluded:

• Co. (Company)
• Corp. (Corporation)
• Inc. (Incorporated)
• Ltd. (Limited)
• The (when at the beginning of the name)

If a publisher’s name contains the words “University” and “Press” (or the equivalent in another language), the words should be abbreviated to the letters “U” and “P” in your citation. But if only one of the words appears, it should be written out normally.

Here are a few examples:

• University of Delaware
• U College of London P

All other words related to the names of publishers should be written out in full.

Abbreviating Titles

Certain classical and biblical works are abbreviated in a bibliography, but also in any parenthetical references in the text.

The official handbook provides a lengthy list, spanning over multiple pages, of the preferred abbreviations to use for classical and biblical works ( Handbook 295-301), but here’s a quick snapshot of some of the commonly used ones:

Hebrew Bible or Old Testament = OT

• Deut. = Deuteronomy
• Gen. = Genesis
• Lev. = Leviticus
• Num. = Numbers
• Ps. = Psalms

New Testament = NT

• 1 Cor. = 1 Corinthians
• Jas. = James
• Matt. = Matthew

Shakespeare:

• Ado = Much Ado about Nothing
• 3H6 = Henry VI, Part 3
• JC = Julius Caesar
• Mac. = Macbeth
• MND = A Midsummer Night’s Dream
• Oth. = Othello
• Rom. = Romeo and Juliet

Again, the titles above are allowed to be abbreviated both in references in parentheses in the body of a project and also on the final page of references. If you’re wondering why, it’s because they’re cited often and it’s unnecessary to type out the entire title names.

Formatting Numbers in MLA

Use of numerals.

If the project calls for frequent use of numbers (such as a scientific study or statistics), use numerals that precede measurements.

• 247 milligrams

Other items to keep in mind:

In divisions, use numbers, ex: In page 5 of the study

Arabic Numbers

When including a number in a paper, spell out the number if it can be written as one word (such as six ) or two words (such as sixty-two ). For fractions, decimals, or longer numbers, type them out using digits. For larger numbers, write the number itself ( Handbook 82-84).

• twenty-seven
• one hundred

If the number comes before a unit of measurement or label, type the number using digits.

• 8 tablespoons
• 3 July 2018
• 25 King Street

More on Numbers

Starting a sentence with a number is generally frowned upon. Try modifying the sentence so that the number, or number word, is found elsewhere.

Instead of:

225 children were found in the warehouse, some malnourished and diseased.

Use this sentence:

A total of 225 children were found in the warehouse, some malnourished and diseased.

If modifying the sentence is not possible or does not work well with the flow of the assignment or paper, type out the written number:

Two hundred twenty five children were found in the warehouse, some malnourished and diseased.

Do not include any ISBN numbers in your paper.

Outline Format

The Modern Language Association does not have any requirements regarding the structure of an outline. If your teacher asks you to create an MLA outline, we recommend using roman numerals, capital and lowercase letters, and numbers.

Here is an example of a recommended outline structure:

In addition to outlines, use roman numerals for suffixes.

• King George IV

Using Images, Tables, & Musical Scores in MLA

Photographs, data sets, tables, graphs, and other images are often added into projects or papers to promote or aid understanding. They provide meaningful visuals for the reader. If the illustration or visual image does not enhance the quality of the paper, do not include it in the project.

Tables and illustrations should be placed as close as possible to the text that they most closely refer to.

For an image to be significant and easily identifiable, place it as close as possible to the text in the project where it is discussed.

It is not acceptable to simply place an image in a project without including identifiable information. All images must include information about its origin.

Here are the directions to properly attribute an image:

• Assign an Arabic number. The image closest to the beginning of the project should be labeled as Fig. 1. The next image in the project should be Fig. 2. and so on.
• Provide a caption. The caption should be a brief explanation or the title of the contents of the image. Place the caption directly next to the label.
• Immediately following the caption, it is acceptable to include attribution information. If the image is not discussed further in the rest of the paper or project, it is acceptable to include the MLA bibliography format citation below the image and omit it from the bibliography or MLA format works cited page.

In the text of the project or paper where the figure is discussed, include the label in parentheses to ensure the reader knows where to find the figure in your paper.

In the text:

Sarah’s tattoo design was filled with two of her favorite flowers: lilies and daffodils along a thinly curved vine (fig. 1).

Image formatting:

(Image Would Be Here) Fig. 1. Sarah’s Tattoo. barneyWILLIAMSable, Deviant Art , 2011, barneywilliamsable.deviantart.com/art/Sarah-s-Tattoo-design-193048938.

Fig. 1. White Studio. “Houdini and Jennie, the Elephant, Performing at the Hippodrome, New York.” Library of Congress , www.loc.gov/item/96518833/.

When adding a table or data set into a project, it is formatted a little differently. Above the data set, include the label “Table” with an Arabic numeral, and title it. The table number and title should be located flush left and on separate lines. The first table seen in the project is labeled as Table 1. The second table in the project is Table 2, and so on. The table’s title should be written in title case form (the first letter of each word is capitalized, except for small, insignificant words).

Underneath the table, provide the source and any notes. Notes should be labeled with a letter, rather than a numeral, so the reader is able to differentiate between the notes of the text and the notes of the table.

International Scholars from India Enrolled at Yale University a

Source: “International Scholars Academic Year 2015-2016.” Yale University , Office of International Students and Scholars, yale.app.box.com/v/scholar-2015-2016. a. The numbers reflect students who are enrolled full-time.

The information included above and below any images or table should be double spaced, similar to the rest of the project or paper.

Musical Scores

Musical scores need to be labeled as well. When including a musical score in a project, label musical scores with “Ex.” which is short for example. This label should be placed below the musical score. Next to the abbreviation “Ex.”, assign the score an Arabic numeral. The first musical score in the project should be labeled as Ex. 1. The second musical score found in an assignment should be labeled as Ex. 2., and so on.

If possible, provide a caption after to the label. If the caption below the sheet music includes enough information about the source, it is not necessary to include the full reference at the end of the assignment.

Here is an example of a possible label and caption:

Ex. 4. Scott Joplin, The Entertainer, piano, C major.

Another example:

Here’s more on tables and illustrations.

Using Lists in MLA

It’s appropriate to add lists into an MLA format essay as long as the proper rules are followed.

Lists created using MLA essay format look different than a grocery list or any other type of vertical listing of items. Items in a list are included in your prose, rather than the traditional vertical style.

Often, you will use a colon between the introductory sentence and the list. But you should not include a colon if the first item in the list is part of the sentence.

List Example #1

Here is an example of how a list may look incorporated into the prose of a research project or assignment:

William Shakespeare wrote numerous plays, many of which were considered tragedies: Romeo and Juliet , Hamlet , Macbeth , Othello , Julius Caesar , and King Lear .

List Example #2 Here is an example of how a list may look in a research project or assignment when the list is part of the introductory sentence:

Many of William Shakespeare’s were tragedies. Some of his most popular tragedies include Romeo and Juliet , Hamlet , Macbeth , Othello , Julius Caesar , and King Lear.

MLA Works Cited Format

EasyBib.com has a full, comprehensive guide to creating a proper works cited MLA format , but here are a few items to keep in mind when developing this portion of a project:

• The list of citations should be the very last page of a research project or essay.
• The top of the page should include the running head and the page number.
• All entries should be placed in alphabetical order by the first item in the MLA format citation.
• The entire page should be double spaced.

For more detailed information, make sure to check out the EasyBib guide to MLA format Works Cited pages.

MLA Citation Format

The majority of this guide focuses on MLA formatting in regards to MLA paper format rules and guidelines. If you’re seeking information related to the proper formatting of an MLA citation, refer to our individual pages and posts on various types of citations.

If you’re simply looking for the general structure for full references, which are found on the final pages of projects, here’s the proper order:

Author’s Last name, Author’s First name. “Title of Source.”* Title of Container , Names of other contributors along with their specific roles, version of the source (if it differs from the original or is unique), any key numbers associated with the source that aren’t dates (such as journal issue numbers or volume numbers), Name of the Publisher, publication date, location (such as the URL or page numbers).

*Note: A title may be in italics instead of quotation marks, depending of the type of source. The general rule is that works that are self-contained (like books, journals, or television shows) are formatted in italics. Works that are part of a larger work (like articles, chapters, or specific episodes) are formatting in quotation marks. 

MLA Format Citing FAQs:

“What in the world are containers?”

Containers are what hold the source. If you’re creating a reference for a chapter in a book, the title of the chapter is the title of the source , and the container is the title of the book . The book holds the chapter, so it’s the container. If you’re searching for how to cite a website, here’s a tip: the title of the source is the name of the individual page and the title of the container is the name of the full website.

“This seems like a lot of information for a reference. Is it all necessary?”

The short answer is “No!” When citing, only include the components that help the reader locate the exact same source themselves.

It isn’t necessary to go digging for items such as numbers, version types, or names of other individuals or contributors associated with the source if they aren’t applicable. If you think it’s beneficial for the reader, then include it.

Related to citations, here are helpful pages on:

• MLA citation website format
• Citing a book
• Citing a journal
• What is a DOI ?
• More on PDFs

If you’re looking for an MLA citation generator, head to the EasyBib homepage. Our formatter will help you create citations quickly and easily!

Need APA, too? There are also EasyBib tools and an APA citation website reference guide to help you learn the basics.

Edits and Proofreading

Editing and proofreading your assignment prior to submission is an incredibly important step in the research process. Editing involves checking the paper for the following items:

• Spelling : Are all words spelled correctly? Review all proper names, places, and other unique words to ensure correct spelling. When finished, run the project through a spell checker. Many word processing programs, such as Microsoft Word and Google Drive, provide a free spell checking feature. While spell checks are beneficial, they do not always spot every mistake, so make sure you take the time to read through the assignment carefully. If you’re still not sure if your project contains proper spelling, ask a friend to read through it. They may find a mistake you missed!
• Grammar : Check your assignment to make sure you’ve included proper word usage. There are numerous grammar checkers available to review your project prior to submission. Again, take the time to review any recommendations from these programs prior to accepting the suggestions and revisions.
• Punctuation : Check to make sure the end of every sentence has an ending punctuation mark. Also make sure commas, hyphens, colons, and other punctuation marks are placed in the appropriate places.
• Attribution : Do all quotes and paraphrases include a citation? Did you create an in-text citation for each individual piece of information?

Smart idea: running your paper through a paper checker before you turn it in. EasyBib Plus offers a checker that scans for grammar errors and unintentional plagiarism. 

Check out our MLA sample papers . Also, check out the EasyBib MLA Annotated Bibliography Guide.

Don’t forget to use the EasyBib citation generator to develop your Modern Language Association style references.EasyBib.com also has helpful guides on APA format and more styles . Lastly, stay up-to-date on what’s coming by following our EasyBib Twitter account.

Works Cited

“Formatting a Research Paper.” The MLA Style Center , Modern Language Association of America, style.mla.org/formatting-papers/.

MLA Handbook. 9th ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2021.

Published October 31, 2011. Updated July 25, 2021.

Written and edited by Michele Kirschenbaum and Elise Barbeau . Michele Kirschenbaum is a school library media specialist and the in-house librarian at EasyBib.com. You can find her here on Twitter. Elise Barbeau is the Citation Specialist at Chegg. She has worked in digital marketing, libraries, and publishing.

MLA Formatting Guide

MLA Formatting

• Annotated Bibliography
• Bibliography
• Block Quotes
• et al Usage
• In-text Citations
• Paraphrasing
• Page Numbers
• Sample Paper
• MLA 8 Updates
• MLA 9 Updates
• View MLA Guide

Citation Examples

• Book Chapter
• Journal Article
• Magazine Article
• Newspaper Article
• Website (no author)
• View all MLA Examples

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

The works-cited list provides the reader full information so that a reader can locate the source for further use.

Basic formatting

The works-cited list appears at the end of the paper, after any endnotes if they are present.

Page margins

All margins (top, bottom, left, and right) should be set at 1 inch.

Running head

Write the running head in the top right of the page at 0.5 inch from the top. Use the running head “Surname Page #.”

The font should be clear enough to read. For example, Times New Roman font set to 12 points.

Formatting entries

Entries should be double-spaced, including a double-space between the heading and the first entry. If any entry runs over more than a line, indent the subsequent line(s) 0.5 inch from the left margin.

Formatting the title

The title should be “Works Cited.” Center the title. Do not bold, italicize, or underline the title. If you cite only one source in the list, the title should be “Work Cited.” If you include sources that you only consulted and didn’t cite directly, the title should be changed accordingly to “Works Cited and Consulted.”

Arranging works cited

Works-cited-list entries are arranged alphabetically by the author’s last name (or the editor’s last name for entire edited collections). Double-space all entries. Begin each entry flush with the left margin. If any entry runs over more than one line, indent the subsequent line(s) 0.5 inch from the left margin (sometimes called a hanging indent).

Example works cited

Damasio, Antonio. The Feeling of What Happens: Body, Emotion and the Making of Consciousness . Vintage, 2000.

Hill, R. T. “Legitimizing Colonial Privilege: Native Americans at a Quincentenary of Discourse.” Text and Performance Quarterly , vol. 16, no. 1, 1996, pp. 92–100.

MacDonald, Shauna M. “Performance as Critical Posthuman Pedagogy.” Text and Performance Quarterly , vol. 34, no. 2, 2014, pp. 164–81.

Zilio, M. “Canada Will Not Move Embassy to Jerusalem, Federal Government Says.” The Globe and Mail . 7 Sept. 2017, www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/canada-will-not-move-embassy-to-jerusalem-federal-government-says/article37219576/ .

An in-text citation is a short citation that is placed in the text. It is styled in two ways: a citation in prose or a parenthetical citation.

The basic element needed for an in-text citation is the author’s name . The publication year is not required in in-text citations. Sometimes, page numbers or line numbers are also included, especially when directly quoting text from the source being cited. When including a page number, do not include a comma or any other punctuation mark between the author’s surname and the page number.

Parenthetical citations usually add only the author’s surname at the end of the sentence in parentheses. Sometimes they include a page number or other locator. An example of a parenthetical citation is given below:

The spiritual geography of the landscape is explained (Cooper).

If you want to cite a chapter number, a scene, or a line number, follow the abbreviation guidelines below:

When including a more specific locator number rather than a page number, place a comma between the author’s surname and the label.

(Cooper, ch. 2).

Here are a few examples of in-text citations for sources with different numbers or types of authors:

Use only the surname of the author in parenthetical citations. If you want to add a page number (or another indicator of the place in a work), add it after the author’s surname without any punctuation between the surname and the page number.

(Abraham 7).

Two authors

Add only the surnames of the authors. Use “and” to separate the two authors.

(Langmuir and Einstein).

Three or more authors

Add only the surname of the first author followed by “et al.”

(Low et al.).

Corporate author

Shorten the organization name wherever possible, excluding any initial articles and using the shortest noun phrase (e.g., shorten Literary Society of Tamil Culture to Literary Society).

(Literary Society).

If there is no author for the source, use the source title in place of the author’s surname.

When you add such in-text citations, italicize the text of the title. If the source title is longer than a noun phrase, use a shortened version of the title. For example, the title Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is shortened to Fantastic Beasts .

( Fantastic Beasts 160).

MLA Citation Examples

Writing Tools

Citation Generators

Other Citation Styles

Plagiarism Checker

Upload a paper to check for plagiarism against billions of sources and get advanced writing suggestions for clarity and style.

Get Started

Atrocity case: MLA Munirathna sent to 14-day judicial custody

BENGALURU: Rajarajeshwari MLA Munirathna was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days by a special court on Tuesday. Munirathna was arrested in connection with an atrocity case registered against him by the Vyalikaval police on the basis of a complaint lodged by a former BBMP councilor. The police did not seek further custody of the MLA. Munirathna was produced before the special court to try cases against present and former MPs and MLAs after his two-day police custody ended on Tuesday. 

Meanwhile, senior advocate Ashok Haranahalli, representing the Munirathna, filed a bail application, arguing that according to Supreme Court guidelines, the MLA should be called for an inquiry first. If he fails to appear, the police could arrest him, and even if arrested, the MLA should have been issued a notice under Section 41A of the CrPC. Munirathna was arrested when he was heading to a temple in Andhra Pradesh, so the court could grant him interim bail, the advocate said.

The public prosecutor requested more time to file objections. The judge said without hearing the objection, he could not grant bail and adjourned the hearing to Wednesday.

Munirathna was shifted to Bengaluru Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara under tight security. The former minister was arrested on Saturday in connection with two FIRs registered against him at Vyalikaval police station for alleged harassment, threats and using casteist slurs.

Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp  

Download the TNIE app to stay with us and follow the latest

Related Stories

2023. 4. 20.

MLA 에세이 형식으로 쓰는 방법 (예제 포함)

MLA 에세이 형식이 인용 스타일만이 아니라는 것을 알고 계셨나요? 제목, 간격, 여백 등의 가이드라인도 포함되어 있습니다. 모든 것을 어떻게 엮어야 할지 잘 모르겠다면 걱정하지 마세요 - 우리는 당신을 도와드릴 준비가 되어 있습니다. 이 기사에서는 전문 작가처럼 MLA 에세이 형식으로 작성하는 데 도움이 되는 명확한 지침과 예제를 제공할 것입니다!

많은 고등 교육의 학생들이 학술 과제를 효과적으로 작성하기 위해 현대 언어 협회(MLA) 형식에 익숙해져야 합니다. 이 작성 방법의 형식 가이드는 약 400페이지 분량이므로, 시작하는 데 필요한 몇 가지 기본적인 지침을 모았습니다.

MLA, 즉 현대 언어 협회( Modern Language Association )는 연구 논문 및 에세이와 같은 학술 저작을 위한 표준 형식입니다. 대학생으로서 인문학 및 과학 과정에서는 거의 항상 MLA 인용 및 문서 형식을 요구합니다. 이 기사에서는 Office에서 MLA 형식으로 문서를 작성하는 방법에 대한 자세한 지침을 찾을 수 있습니다.

MLA 형식은 무엇을 의미합니까?

현대 언어 협회(MLA) 스타일은 "MLA에서 학술 저작 및 학생 연구 논문을 작성하기 위해 제안하는 스타일"이라고 Thesaurus.com에서 설명합니다. MLA 형식 또는 MLA 스타일로 작성된 에세이에는 특정 요소가 필요합니다: 머리글, 성과 페이지 번호가 있는 쪽 매김, 제목, 12포인트 크기의 Times New Roman 글꼴 사용, 전체 이중 간격, 모든 면의 여백 1인치 설정, 그리고 출처 목록 페이지의 포함입니다.

MLA 형식은 언제 사용됩니까?

예술 분야의 대부분의 과정(영어, 영화, 문학, 철학 및 초기 창작 작문 포함)에서는 MLA 형식을 사용해야 합니다. 입문 과정의 강사들은 학생들이 선호하는 인용 스타일과 에세이 형식을 선택하는 데 약간의 여유를 줄 수 있지만, MLA는 가장 간단한 형식 중 하나이기 때문에 자주 사용됩니다.

내 Google Docs 문서를 MLA 스타일로 제대로 구성하려면 어떻게 해야 합니까?

Google 문서 사용 를 통해 쉽게 MLA 형식으로 작성된 논문을 만들 수 있습니다. 이미 Gmail 계정이 있으면 Google Docs는 무료 보너스입니다. 이미 계정이 없다면 Google 계정을 만드는 데 비용이 없습니다.

MLA 스타일에서 내 논문에는 몇 개의 부분이 있어야 합니까?

MLA 에세이에 대한 단락 요건은 강사의 요구 사항에 따라 다를 수 있습니다. 대신 특정 단어 수나 페이지 수를 목표로 삼는 것이 좋습니다. 에세이에 기대되는 최소 단어 수나 페이지 수를 교육자에게 확인하십시오. 고등학교 및 대학 신입생을 위한 에세이는 일반적으로 3~5페이지, 즉 약 1,250~1,500단어(2~3단락)입니다.

MLA 스타일을 사용할 때 논문의 단어 수는 얼마여야 합니까?

최종 MLA 에세이의 길이는 강사의 과제 세부 정보에 크게 의존합니다. 강사와 상담하여 작문에 필요한 길이를 확인하십시오. 일반적으로 신입생에게 주어지는 에세이는 3~5페이지에 이릅니다. 이중 간격으로 작성된 표준 5페이지 논문의 평균 길이는 약 1,250단어입니다.

APA 스타일을 사용할 때 책을 제대로 인용하려면 어떻게 해야 합니까?

책에 대한 출처 목록 페이지를 만드는 과정에서 어려움을 겪을 필요는 없습니다. 책 인용에 포함해야 할 요소는 다음과 같습니다: 이니셜, 성, 서적 설명. 배급 장소, 출판사, 출판 연도.

MLA 스타일의 일반 지침 알아보기

언어 수업과 문학 과정에서 MLA 스타일로 작성된 에세이를 접할 가능성이 가장 큽니다. 디자인에는 어느 정도 유연성이 있지만, 따라야 할 엄격한 지침도 있습니다. 2021년에는 스타일 매뉴얼의 아홉 번째 버전이 출판되었습니다.

확신이 없을 때는 일반 레이아웃을 따르십시오.

아래 다섯 가지 지침은 모든 MLA 스타일 문서에 대한 기준입니다.

기본 글꼴을 Times New Roman, 크기 12로 변경하십시오.

종이 여백 크기는 모든 면에서 1인치가 권장됩니다.

세미콜론 뒤에 두 개의 공백을 사용하지 마십시오.

왼쪽 여백과 각 열의 첫 번째 줄 사이에 반 인치 공백을 두십시오. (스페이스바 대신 탭을 사용하여 들여쓰기를 만드십시오).

전체 기사에 대해 이중 간격을 사용하십시오.

머리글, 각주 및 페이지 번호의 올바른 사용이 중요합니다.

귀하의 논문이 쉽게 이해될 수 있도록 하는 것이 중요합니다. 올바른 머리글 및 표지판 사용은 표절을 방지할 수 있습니다.

강사가 따로 지정하지 않는 한, 표지판은 필요하지 않습니다.

본문에 사용되는 장황한 제목은 기울임체로 설정해야 합니다.

작성물의 첫 페이지 왼쪽 상단에 자신의 이름을 적어야 합니다.

자신의 이름 아래 줄에 강사의 이름을 적고, 그 아래에 수업 이름을 입력하십시오. 마지막으로 날짜도 아래에 포함하는 것을 잊지 마십시오.

페이지 번호를 오른쪽 상단에 만드십시오. 페이지 번호는 귀하의 성(Jones 1) 왼쪽에 나타나야 합니다. 이것은 전체 문서의 머리글 역할을 합니다.

날짜 아래의 줄 중앙에 에세이의 주제를 적어야 합니다.

부분이 있다면 번호 매기기 제목을 사용해야 합니다. 참고를 위해 에세이의 부분을 다음과 같이 번호 매기십시오: "1. 첫 번째 부분, 2. 두 번째 부분, 3. 세 번째 부분" 등.

본문 내에서 참고할 때의 기준은 저자의 성과 페이지 번호를 괄호 안에 넣는 것입니다.

같은 단락에서 같은 출처를 여러 번 인용하고 그 섹션에 다른 인용이 없는 경우, 단순히 그 단락 뒤에 인용을 나열할 수 있습니다.

작품 목록 페이지 앞에 별도의 페이지에 각주를 포함해야 합니다. 이 섹션의 제목은 "노트"라고 해야 합니다.

작품 목록 페이지에 대해 이해하기 

MLA 형식에서는 작품 목록 페이지가 포함되며, 참고 문헌 또는 출처 섹션은 포함되지 않습니다. 이러한 유연성을 달성하기 위해 MLA 9는 아홉 가지 기본 요소로 구성된 컨테이너 구조를 사용합니다.

기본 works cited 형식을 사용하십시오:

이니셜, 성 등. 원작자 제목. 컨테이너 제목, 기타 저자의 이름, 판 및 번호, 출판사, 출판 날짜, 배급 장소.

각 항목은 귀하의 연구에 사용한 진정한 자원으로, 귀하의 논문에서 적절하게 인용되어야 합니다.

필요한 자료가 없다면 위의 단계 중 일부를 건너뛸 수 있습니다.

책, 웹사이트, 잡지, TV 프로그램 및 앨범의 제목은 기울임체로 만들어야 합니다.

기사 제목, 잡지 제목, 에피소드 제목 및 음악 제목은 논문이나 에세이에서 사용할 때 따옴표로 묶어야 합니다.

저자의 성을 기준으로 시작하는 참고 문헌의 알파벳 목록을 작성하십시오.

저자가 없는 경우, 출처 제목을 항목의 첫 번째 위치에 두고 제목에 따라 항목을 알파벳 순으로 정렬하십시오.

프로젝트에 대한 추가 정보로는 원래 출판 날짜, 원래 출판 도시, 접근 날짜, URL 및 디지털 객체 식별자가 포함됩니다.

지금은 중요하지 않게 보일 수 있지만, MLA 스타일의 기본을 이해하면 대학 논문을 작성할 때 훨씬 수월해질 것입니다. 이러한 기준은 더 많이 읽고 적용할수록 두 번째 천성이 될 것입니다.

4개의 MLA 형식 에세이 예제

제인 도                                                                                                                                                                    

2022년 9월 6일

와이파이가 무엇인가요?

그 느낌을 아시죠: 웹사이트를 읽거나 영화를 스트리밍 하던 중 Wi-Fi가 끊겼을 때. Wi-Fi는 무엇이며, 왜 우리는 그렇게 많이 의존하는 걸까요? Wi-Fi 개념을 이해하는 것은 현대 기술 사용자에게 중요합니다. 왜냐하면 우리는 그것이 세계와 연결해주기 때문입니다.

Wi-Fi는 근처의 장치 간에 무선 네트워크입니다. 무선 라우터, 컴퓨터, 스마트폰, 태블릿 또는 외부 드라이브와 같은 장치 간에 연결됩니다. LAN(지역 네트워크) 프로토콜의 일부로, 이더넷 유선 옵션을 크게 대체했습니다. 장치에 Wi-Fi를 켜놓으면 가장 가까운 라우터를 찾을 수 있습니다. 라우터가 모뎀에 연결되어 인터넷 서비스 제공업체(ISP)와 함께 작동하면 장치가 이제 인터넷과 네트워크의 다른 장치에 접근할 수 있습니다. Wi-Fi는 휴대폰 기지국보다 훨씬 제한된 영역을 커버합니다. 그러나 Wi-Fi는 LTE나 4G와 같은 비싼 모바일 데이터를 사용하지 않습니다.

많은 사람들은 Wi-Fi가 “무선 충실도”의 약어라고 믿고 있습니다. 무선 이더넷 호환성 연합의 창립 멤버들은 “무선 이더넷”보다 기억하기 쉬운 이름이 필요했고, Wi-Fi의 실제 원래 이름인 “IEEE 802.11b 직렬 탐색”보다 훨씬 쉬웠습니다. 그들은 “무선 충실도 표준”이라는 슬로건을 추가했지만, 사람들이 Wi-Fi의 의미를 오해한 후 이를 버렸습니다. 이 이름은 “하이파이”라는 용어의 변형으로, 스테레오 사운드의 고품질 재생을 뜻하며 (“고충실도”) Wi-Fi와는 아무 관계가 없습니다. IEEE 802.11b 표준은 그 이후로 802.11g, 802.11n 및 802.11ac와 같은 더 빠른 프로토콜로 업그레이드되었습니다.

Wi-Fi의 광범위한 사용과 인기 덕분에 Merriam-Webster는 2005년에 “Wi-Fi”를 사전에 추가했습니다. 이는 그것이 발명된 지 불과 8년 후의 일이었습니다. 오늘날 대부분의 현대 컴퓨터는 인터넷 접속을 위해 Wi-Fi에 의존하고 있습니다. 많은 식당, 호텔, 카페에서 무료 Wi-Fi를 제공합니다. 또한 개인 용도로 집에 설치하기도 쉽습니다. 그러나 개인 Wi-Fi 연결조차도 비밀번호 보호해야 합니다. 보호되지 않은 Wi-Fi 네트워크에 가입하거나 다른 사람들이 귀하의 네트워크에 가입하도록 허용하면 온라인 안전과 개인 정보를 위협할 수 있습니다.

Wi-Fi가 무엇인지 이해하는 것은 귀하와 귀하의 정보를 보호할 수 있습니다. 올바르고 안전하게 사용하면 Wi-Fi는 21세기 경험의 필수적인 부분입니다. 좋아하는 프로그램을 보고 있거나 연구 논문을 마무리 하든지 간에, 데이터가 귀하의 장치로 이동하는 방법에 대해 더 많이 아는 것이 필요합니다.

알렌 베일리                        

2022년 8월 3일

모두가 때때로 두려움을 느낍니다. 떨림을 느끼는 것부터 평생의 공포와 직면하는 것까지, 목표를 달성하려 할 때 두려움을 제쳐놓는 것은 어렵습니다. 하지만 용감해지기 위해 두려움을 잊을 필요는 없습니다. 사실, 용기는 그 뒤에 진정한 두려움이 없이는 존재하지 않습니다.

용기는 위험하거나 어려운 도전에 직면할 때 취하는 마음가짐입니다. 이 작업은 전투에 참여하거나 힘든 상황에서 운전하는 것과 같이 객관적으로 위험할 수 있습니다. 어떤 사람은 계단을 오르거나 만나고 싶은 사람과 대화하는 것과 같은 무해한 상황을 도전으로 느낄 수 있습니다. 용감한 행동은 사람에게 그 일을 회피하는 것이 아니라 직면하고 포용하도록 요구합니다.

모든 공동체에서 용기의 예를 찾을 수 있습니다. 당신의 지역 소방서나 경찰서에서 용기의 행동을 볼 수 있습니다. 공동체의 영웅들은 자신의 목숨을 크게 위협하면서도 매일 크고 작은 방법으로 다른 사람들을 돕습니다. 학생들은 괴롭히는 사람에게 맞서거나 전체 수업 앞에서 프로젝트를 발표할 때 용감합니다. 작은 용기의 행동을 실천하는 것은 사람으로 하여금 영웅적인 삶을 살도록 준비하게 할 수 있습니다.

“두려움 없는” 것이 용기의 의미가 될 수 있지만, 진정한 동의어는 아닙니다(구경꾼들은 용감한 사람이 두려움 없이 행동한다고 믿을지 모르지만). 어떤 작업이 어딘가에서 두렵지 않다면, 그 작업은 전혀 간단하게 완수할 수 있습니다. 용기를 발휘하는 영웅들은 종종 다른 사람을 돕기 위해 자신을 위험에 빠뜨립니다. 용기의 가장 가까운 동의어는 “용기”입니다. 실제 또는 인식된 위협에도 불구하고 올바른 일을 할 수 있는 능력은 힘을 요구하며, “인내”는 용기의 또 다른 근접 동의어입니다.

용기는 두려움 없이 존재하지 않습니다. 얼마나 도전적이거나 위험한 작업이든지 간에, 용기는 사람이 두려움과 함께 작업할 수 있도록 합니다. 다음 번에 누군가가 영웅적으로 행동하는 것을 보게 된다면, 그들이 아마 그 순간에 두려움을 느끼고 있을 것임을 상기하세요 - 그리고 그것이 그들을 더욱 용감하게 만듭니다.

아담스 아데르손                      

2022년 7월 12일

여성이 알아야 할 가장 중요한 건강 위험

여성 건강은 최근 몇 년 동안 주목을 받으며 중요한 사안이 되었습니다. 여성은 남성과 다른 건강 위험에 직면하고 있으며, 이를 인식해야 건강한 삶을 유지할 수 있습니다. 유방암, 심장병, 골다공증, 우울증 및 성전파 감염(STI)은 여성들이 인식해야 할 가장 중요한 건강 위험 중 일부입니다. 이 에세이에서는 이러한 위험을 각각 자세히 논의하고 이를 완화하는 방법에 대한 조언을 제공할 것입니다.

유방암은 전 세계적으로 여성들 사이에서 가장 흔한 암입니다. 유방 세포가 통제 없이 성장할 때 발생합니다. 유방암 발생 위험은 나이에 따라 증가하며, 유방암 가족력이 있는 여성도 더 높은 위험에 처해 있습니다(미국 암 협회). 유방암을 조기에 발견하는 가장 좋은 방법은 정기적인 유방촬영술을 받는 것입니다(국립 유방암 재단). 여성들은 또한 매달 유방 자가 검진을 하여 변화를 의사에게 보고해야 합니다. 건강한 체중을 유지하고, 알코올 소비를 피하고, 규칙적으로 운동하는 것도 유방암 발생 위험을 낮출 수 있습니다(미국 암 협회).

심장병은 미국 내 여성의 주요 사망 원인입니다. 가족력이 있는 여성, 고혈압 및 고콜레스테롤이 있는 여성은 심장병 발생 위험이 더 높습니다(미국 심장 협회). 건강한 식단을 유지하고, 규칙적으로 운동하며, 흡연하지 않고, 스트레스를 관리하는 것은 심장병 예방에 효과적인 방법입니다(국립 심장, 폐 및 혈액 연구소). 여성들은 또한 정기적으로 혈압과 콜레스테롤을 검사해야 합니다.

골다공증은 뼈를 약하게 하여 골절될 가능성을 높이는 질병입니다. 여성은 남성보다 더 작은 뼈를 가지고 있기 때문에 골다공증이 발생할 위험이 더 큽니다(국립 골다공증 재단). 여성들은 칼슘과 비타민 D를 충분히 섭취하고, 규칙적으로 운동하며, 흡연 및 과도한 알코올 소비를 피하여 뼈 건강을 유지해야 합니다. 50세 이상의 여성은 정기적인 골밀도 검사를 받아야 합니다.

우울증은 여성에게 남성보다 두 배 더 자주 발생하는 일반적인 정신 건강 장애입니다. 우울증 가족력이 있는 여성, 외상을 경험한 여성, 만성 질환이 있는 여성은 우울증 발병 위험이 더 높습니다(국립 정신 건강 연구소). 정기적인 운동, 건강한 식단, 좋은 수면 습관 및 사회적 지원은 우울증 예방에 도움이 될 수 있습니다. 지속적인 슬픔, 활동에 대한 흥미 상실 및 수면 문제와 같은 우울증 증상이 나타난다면 정신 건강 전문가에게 도움을 요청하십시오.

성 전파 감염(STI)은 성적 접촉을 통해 전파되는 감염입니다. 여성은 생식기 계통의 해부학적 구조 때문에 남성보다 STI에 걸릴 위험이 더 높습니다(질병 통제 예방 센터). STI를 예방하는 가장 효과적인 방법은 콘돔을 사용하고 정기적으로 STI 검사를 받는 것입니다. 여성들은 또한 자궁경부암으로 이어질 수 있는 인유두종바이러스(HPV) 백신을 맞아야 합니다(미국 암 협회).

여성은 신중하게 고려해야 할 고유한 건강 위험에 직면하고 있습니다. 유방암, 심장병, 골다공증, 우울증, 성 전파 감염은 여성들이 인식해야 할 가장 중요한 건강 위험 중 일부입니다. 건강한 식단을 유지하고, 정기적으로 운동하며, 흡연하지 않고, 정기적인 의료 서비스를 받는 등 건강한 습관을 실천함으로써 여성들은 이러한 위험을 완화하고 길고 건강한 삶을 살 수 있습니다. 여성들은 자신의 건강을 우선시하고 건강 문제를 조기에 예방하고 발견하기 위해 조치를 취해야 합니다.

미국 암 협회. "유방암 위험 및 예방." Cancer.org, 미국 암 협회, 2022, https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/risk-and-prevention.html .

미국 심장 협회. “심장판막 및 질병” heart.org, 미국 심장 협회, 2022, https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-valve-problems-and-disease

베넷 브라운                      

2022년 10월 22일

산란 억제 및 임신이 여성의 정신에 미치는 영향

여성의 생식 건강은 항상 중요한 문제였으며, 최근에 주목을 받고 있습니다. 산란 억제 및 임신은 여성의 정신에 영향을 미치는 두 가지 주요 요인입니다. 산란 억제는 신체적 및 심리적 효과를 모두 가지고 있으며, 반면 임신은 여성의 정신적 및 정서적 상태에 상당한 변화를 가져올 수 있습니다. 이 에세이에서는 산란 억제 및 임신이 여성의 정신에 미치는 영향을 탐구할 것입니다.

산란 억제는 원치 않는 임신을 예방하는 일반적인 방법입니다. 경구 피임약, 패치, 및 호르몬 IUD와 같은 호르몬 피임 방법은 여성의 호르몬 수치를 변경하여 배란을 예방하는 방식으로 작동합니다. 호르몬 피임을 사용하는 것은 여성의 기분 및 행동 변화와 관련이 있습니다. 국립 보건 연구소가 실시한 연구에서, 호르몬 피임약을 사용하는 여성은 사용하지 않은 여성보다 우울증 및 불안 증상을 경험할 가능성이 더 높다고 보고하였습니다(Skovlund 외).

그러나 모든 여성에게 호르몬 피임이 우울증과 불안을 유발하는 것은 아니라는 점도 중요합니다. 우울증 또는 불안의 병력이 있는 여성은 이러한 부작용에 더 취약할 수 있습니다. 또한, 모든 여성이 이러한 부작용을 겪는 것은 아니며, 일부 여성에게는 산란 억제가 월경 전 증후군과 관련된 증상을 줄여 마음의 건강을 개선할 수 있습니다.

임신은 여성의 신체와 정신에 수많은 변화를 가져오는 중요한 사건입니다. 임신 기간에는 감정의 고저가 있을 수 있으며, 많은 여성들이 임신 중에 기분 변동, 불안 및 우울을 경험합니다. 미국 임신 협회에 따르면, 여성의 최대 20%가 임신 중 우울증을 경험합니다(미국 임신 협회).

임신 중 우울증 위험의 요인 중 하나는 호르몬 변화입니다. 임신 중에는 에스트로겐과 프로게스테론 수치가 증가하여 여성의 기분과 행동에 영향을 미칠 수 있습니다. 또한, 여성의 사회적 및 경제적 지위의 변화와 새 아기를 준비하는 스트레스도 임신 중 우울증을 유발하는 데 기여할 수 있습니다.

그러나 모든 여성이 임신 중 우울증을 경험하는 것은 아닙니다. 일부 여성들은 임신 중에 더 에너지가 넘치고 행복하다고 보고합니다. 또한 많은 여성들은 새 아기의 도착을 준비하면서 목적의식을 느끼고 기쁨을 보고합니다.

산란 억제와 임신은 여성의 정신에 영향을 미치는 두 가지 중요한 요인입니다. 호르몬 피임은 기분과 행동에 변화를 가져오고, 임신은 여성의 정신적 및 정서적 상태에 상당한 변화를 가져옵니다. 여성들은 이 잠재적인 효과를 인식하고 중요한 기분 변화를 경험할 경우 의사의 조언을 구해야 합니다. 모든 여성이 피임이나 임신으로 인한 부정적인 부작용을 경험하는 건 아니며, 각 여성의 경험은 독특하다는 점을 기억하는 것이 중요합니다.

미국 임신 협회. "임신 중 우울증." Americanpregnancy.org, 미국 임신 협회, 2022, https://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/depression-during-pregnancy/

스코블룬드, 샬롯 웨셀 외. "호르몬 피임약과 우울증의 연관성." JAMA 정신의학, 제73권, 제11호, 2016, pp. 1154–1162.

결론적으로, MLA 형식은 연구 논문 및 에세이에서 출처를 문서화하기 위한 지침을 제공함으로써 학문적 진실성을 보장하는 데 도움이 되는 널리 사용되는 인용 스타일입니다. MLA 형식으로 글을 쓰려면 12포인트 글꼴 사용, 이중 간격 및 성과 페이지 번호가 포함된 머리글 추가와 같은 몇 가지 간단한 지침을 따르는 것이 중요합니다. 

MLA 에세이 형식을 마스터하는 것은 처음에는 위협적으로 보일지 모르지만, 연습과 지침을 통해 자신 있게 명확하게 글을 쓸 수 있습니다. 본 기사에서 정리한 주요 요소인 인용, 작품 목록 페이지 및 올바른 형식을 따르면, MLA 기준을 충족하는 고품질 에세이를 작성하는 데 도움이 될 것입니다.

하지만 MLA 형식에 대한 확고한 이해가 있더라도, 글쓰기 과정은 여전히 어려울 수 있습니다. 여기서 Jenni.ai 가 도움이 됩니다. 당사의 AI 기반 글쓰기 도우미는 아이디어 생성부터 문법 및 철자 오류 확인에 이르기까지 글쓰기의 모든 측면을 도와줄 수 있습니다. Jenni.ai의 고급 기능인 AI 자동 완성과 인용 지원은 MLA 에세이 형식으로 정밀하게 편리하게 글을 쓰는 것을 더 쉽게 만듭니다.

그러니 오늘 Jenni.ai를 사용해 보세요 그리고 우리 플랫폼이 글쓰기 프로세스를 간소화하고, 글쓰기 기술을 향상시키고, 가장 높은 MLA 형식 기준을 충족하는 최고의 에세이를 제출하는 데 어떻게 도움이 되는지 직접 확인해 보세요?

Start Writing With Jenni Today

오늘 무료 Jenni AI 계정에 가입하세요. 당신의 연구 잠재력을 열어보고 그 차이를 직접 경험해보세요. 학문적 우수성을 향한 당신의 여정은 여기에서 시작됩니다.