MLA Format Papers: Stepbystep Instructions for Writing Research Essays

Jerz>Writing>Academic>[Titles|ThesisStatements|Blueprinting|Quoting|Citing|MLAFormat]
0.1)IfyouvebeenaskedtosubmitapaperinMLAstyle,yourinstructorisaskingyoutoformatthepageandpresentthe
contentinaspecificway.Justasfootballrefereesdressacertainway,andJapanesechefscookacertainway,writersin
certaindisciplinesfollowacertainsetofconventions.ThisdocumentwillshowyouhowtoformatanessayinMLAstyle.
0.2)If,insteadofquestionsaboutputtingthefinalformattingtouchesonyouressay,youhavequestionsaboutwhatto
write,seeinsteadmyhandoutsonwritingashortresearchpaper,comingupwithagoodthesisstatement,andusing
quotationsinthebodyofyourpaper.
0.3)Onthispage:
1.DocumentSettings
(1inchmarginsdoublespaced12point)
2.PageHeader
(nameandpagenumber,upperrightofeverypage)
3.TitleBlock
(assignmentinfoandaninformativetitle)
4.Citations
(nocommabetweentheauthorandpagenumbercommas
andperiodsgooutsideofinlinequotes)
5.WorksCitedList
(lotsoftrickydetails!sortalphabeticallybyauthor,notbythe
orderthequotesappearinyourpaper)
Forthemostcompleteinformation,checkyourcampuslibraryor
writingcenterfortheMLAHandbookforWritersofResearchPapers,
8thed.

MLAStyleFormat(FirstPage)

HowtoformattheWorksCitedpageofanMLAstylepaper.

1.DocumentSettings
Yourwordprocessorcomeswithdefaultsettings(margin,lineheight,paragraphspacing,andtypeface)thatwilllikelyneed
adjustment.ForMLAstyle,youneed:
1.1inchmarginsallaround
2.2.0lineheight(doublespaced)
3.noextraspacingafterparagraphs
4.12pointtypeface(usuallyTimesNewRoman)
(JumpdirectlytoinstructionsforadjustingMSWordsettingsinWindowsorMacor,skipaheadto2)PageHeader.)
1.1AdjustingDocumentSettingsinMSWord(Windows)
MycopyofMicrosoftWordforWindowsdefaultsto
1.1inchmarginsallaround
2.1.15lineheight
3.10ptspacingbetweenparagraphs
4.Calibri11pointtypeface.
ChangingtoMLAStyle(Windows)
1.Thedefaultmarginsinmytestrunwerefine,butifyouneedtochangethem:
PageLayout>Margins>Normal(1inchallaround)
2.Thedefaultlineheightistoolow.Changeitto2.0.
Home>LineSpacing>2.0.
(Youcouldtryfudgingitto1.9or2.1tomeetapagecount,butanymorethanthatandyourinstructormaynotice.)
3.TheMSWorddefaultaddsextraspaceafterparagraphs.(MLAStyleinsteadrequiresyoutosignalparagraphbreaks
byindentingthefirstline.)
CTRLA(selectallyourtext)
Home>LineSpacing>RemoveSpaceAfterParagraph
4.ChangethetypefacetoTimesNewRoman12point.
Home>FontFaceSelector(changetoTimesNewRoman)
Home>FontSizeSelector(changeto12)
1.2AdjustingDocumentSettingsinMSWord(Mac)
MycopyofMicrosoftWordforMacdefaultsto
1.1.25inchleftandrightmargins,1inchtopandbottom
2.1.0lineheight
3.noextraspacingafterparagraphs
4.Cambria12pointtypeface
ChangingtoMLAstyle(Mac)
1.Inmytestrun,theleftandrightmarginsaretoobig.Tochangethem:
Layout>Margins>Normal(1inchallaround)

2.Thedefaultlineheightistoolow.Changeitto2.0.
Home>LineSpacing>2.0
3.MyMaccopyofMSWorddoesnotaddextraspacesafterparagraphs.Ifyoursdoes:
Home>LineSpacing>LineSpacingOptions(anewwindowwillpopup)
Dontaddspacebetweenparagraphsofthesamestyle(checkthisbox)>OK
4.The12pointCambriawillprobablybefine,buttochangethetypeface:
Home>FontFaceSelector(changetoTimesNewRoman)
Home>FontSizeSelector(changeto12)

2.PageHeader
Inthetoprightofeverypage,useyourwordprocessorsPageHeaderfunctionaddanautomaticpagenumberandyour
surname.
2.1AddingthePageHeaderinMSWord(Windows)
1.Insert>PageNumber>TopofPage>(choosetherightjustifiedPlainNumberoption)
2.Thecursorwilljumpautomaticallytotherightplaceforyoutotypeyoursurname.
3.Clickanywhereinthebodyofthepapertoexittheheaderarea.
2.2AddingthePageHeaderinMSWord(Mac)
1.Insert(inthetopmenu)>PageNumbers>(SetPositiontoTopofPage(header)andAlignmenttoRight)
2.Clickjusttotheleftofthenewpagenumber,andtypeyoursurname.
3.Onmytestdocument,mynamewastoofarovertotheleftgrabthetriangulartabadjusterjustaboveyourname,
anddragitanotchtotheright.

3.TitleBlock
Intheupperleftcorner,typeyourname,yourinstructorsname,thecoursenumberandsection,andtodaysdate.Centered
onthenextline,typeaninformativetitlethatactuallyinformsthereaderofyourmainpoint(notjustEnglishPaperorA
ComparisonbetweenHamletandMacbeth).

LikealltheothertextinanMLAstylepaper,thetitleblockisdoublespaced.
Thetitleisinthesamefontastherestofthepaperitisnotboldface,orenlarged.
Thereisnoextraspaceaboveorbelowthetitle.
Atrulyinformativetitlewillincludethegeneraltopic,andyourpreciseopiniononthattopic.(So,ifyoupanto
compareHamletandMacbeth,yourtitleshouldstatetheuniquepointyouwanttomakeaboutHamletandMacbeth.
Reusepartofyourthesisstatement.)

4.Citations
Thishandoutpresumesyoualreadyknowwhyyoushouldciteyoursources(toestablishyourauthority,tointroduce
persuasiveevidence,toavoidplagiarism,etc.),Theseinstructionsfocusonhowyouformatthepage.(Foraresourceto
helpyoudeterminehowtociteaspecificsource,seetheMLABibliographyBuilder).

Tofullyciteasourcerequirestwostages.Thefirsthappensinthebodyofyourpaper(theintextcitation)andthesecond
happensonaseparatepageattheendofyourpaper(seeWorksCitedList,below.)
4.1CitingaBlockQuote(morethanthreelines)

Longquotescanstarttolooklikefiller.Onlyuseablockquoteifyouhaveaverygoodreasontoincludethewhole
passage.(Youcanusuallymakeyourpointwithashorterquote.)
Ifyoudohaveagoodreasontoquoteapassagethatisseverallineslong:
SelectthetextandclicktheIncreaseIndenticon(seeimage,right).
Placetheparentheticalcitation(theauthorsnameandthepagenumber)aftertheperiod.(Thisis
differentfrominlinequotes,below.)
Thereisnocommabetweentheauthorsnameandthepagenumber.
Ifthequotationrunsacrossmorethanonepage:(WordsworthFuller2021)or(WordsworthFuller42021).
Skipwordyintroductionssuchas,InhisinformativeguideTheAmazingWritingBook,publishedbyElizabethMount
Collegein2010,thenotedcompositionexpertMaxwellWordsworthFullerdescribestheimportanceofcitationsin
MLAstylepapers.Cuttingthefillerleavesmoreroomtodevelopyourownoriginalideas.(SeeIntegrating
Quotations.)
4.2CitinganInlineQuotation
Whenthepassageyouwanttoquoteislessthanthreelineslong,useinlinestyle.Herewehavetwobriefpassages,taken
fromthesamepageofthesamesource,sowecanhandlebothwithasingleparentheticalcitation.

Theparentheticalcitationappearsoutsidethequotedmaterial.
Theperiodthatendsthesentencecomesafterthecloseparenthesis.(Thisisdifferentfromblockquotes,above.)
Inthisexample,wehavechangedthefirstwordalittle,lowercasingitinordertofititintoourownsentence.Toletthe
readerknowwhatwechanged,weput[]aroundit.
Again,notetheabsenceofafullsentencethatexplainswhoWordsworthFullerisandwherethequotecomesfrom.
AllthatinfowillbeintheWorksCitedlist,soweleaveitoutofthebodyofthepaper.