Formatting an MLA Paper
Basic Format Rules
MLA Style required writers to do the following:
- Use 8 1/2″ x 11″ paper, double spaced, with 1″ margins.
- While Times New Roman is not required, it is recommended. Otherwise, a clear font that is readable must be used.
- Use font size 12pt.
- Title pages are not required unless specifically requested (by your instructor or through the assignment details).
- Avoid using first and second person (I, We, Our, Mine, My, Us, You, Your, etc.), unless you are writing about something YOU did.
- Your paper will have a heading that supplies the page number, along with your last name, on every page. This should be placed in the upper right-hand corner of your Header. Please see the example below for reference.
- Indent the first line of each new paragraph.
- Endnotes are placed on their own page at the end of your paper right before your Works Cited. The page will have the title ‘Notes’, which will appear centered but otherwise unformatted.
- Italics are used when writing the title of major works in your paper and sparsely for emphases.
First Page Rules
You are not required in MLA Style to have a title page. Your first page will have the information often seen on a title page. To format your first page, have the following information listed (double spaced) in the upper left corner of the page:
- Your Name
- Professor’s Name
- Course Information (e.g., ENGL 1020, SOCS 1000)
- Date (date format: Day Month Year) It is best to use the date that your paper is due.
Under the above information, the title of your paper will be supplied. The title will be centered on the page. Other than using double spacing, no additional space is used between your personal information, the title, and the start of your paper.
Below the title is the start of your paper.
Reminder: Besides using double spacing, do not place extra space between your title and the start of your paper.
Reminder: Indent the first line of each paragraph of your paper, including the first paragraph after your title.
Need an example?
Click the link below to download an example MLA essay that utilizes MLA formatting rules, in-text citations, and has a Works Cited page.