MLA Notes on Style
- Title Page:
MLA Style does not require a title
page. Instead, type your name, your instructor's name, the course number, and the date
on separate, double-spaced lines in the top left-hand corner with one-inch margins.
Double-space and center the paper's title, double-space again and begin the text of the
paper.
- Header:
Number all pages consecutively in the
upper right-hand corner, one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin.
If your instructor asks that you omit the number on your first page, do so.
Follow all of your instructor's guidelines.)
- Page Order:
Using arabic numerals, number all
pages except the title page in the upper right corner. You may also use a short title
or your last name before the page numbers to help identify pages in case they come
loose from your manuscript. Do not use the abbreviation p. or any other sign
or symbol before a page number. If your instructor has a preference, do as they suggest.
- Margins
should be one inch at the top, bottom,
and sides of the page.
- Double-space
research papers throughout, including
quotations, notes, and the list of works cited.
- Titles
throughout your paper and in your Works
Cited list, may be italicized or underlined for emphasis. Be consistent.
- Works Cited
- Begin the Works Cited list on a separate page.
- Center the words Works Cited at the top of the page. Do not underline, italicize
or place in quotation marks.
- Double-space all entries. Do not put additional space between entries.
- Parenthetical citations
- Every quote or paraphrase must be follwed by a parenthetical citation that
clearly points to a specific source in the Works Cited list. Use the author-page
method of citation.
- MLA parenthetical citations include the author's last name (or an abbreviated
title of the work) and the page (or paragraph) number from which the quotation
or paraphrased information is taken, for example: (Webster 568).
- If there is more than one author with the same last name, include their first
initial in the parenthetical citation, for example: (A. Webster 569).
- If more than one work by one author is cited, include a shortened title for the
particular work from which you are quoting to distinguish it from other works by
that author, for example: (Smoke and Ashes 18).
- Use an abbreviated version of the title if there is no author is stated.
Use the information that begins the associated Works Cited entry.
- Provide full bibliographic information in the Works Cited list.
- Electronic Media
- Citations to articles or publications retrieved from an online database that were
originally published in print form should provide enough information to make
location of the article in either format possible (if the have access).
For more information, see the printed version of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 6th ed.
References
Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 6th ed. New York: The Modern Language Association of America,
2003. (Call No.: REF DESK 808.02 M689m6)