MLA Format

Style and Guidelines for Research

And Writing

MLA Handbook for Writers of Research

Papers, 7th ed., published in 2009.

MLA Format Principles: Where

do they Apply?

Page setup

In-text citations

The Works Cited

Page

MLA Format: Page Setup

•Margins 1 inch

•Spacing Double

•Header Top, left corner Name, Instructor, Course,

Date•Title

Centered, above text of paper; no special formatting

•Page Numbers Top, right corner Last name & Page number

MLA Format Page Setup: Example Paper

Does my page setup include the correct format for each of these….MarginsSpacingHeaderPage NumbersTitle

HeaderPage number and last name Entire paper

is double spaced

Title,centered

1” margin

1’’ margin

1’’ margin

MLA Format In-text Citations:

Author-page system

•Use Author(s) last name(s) and page numbers

Place in parentheses at the end of sentence

When names not available, used shortened version of work title

Names of organizations can be used in place of last names if applicable

Use “et al.” and last name of first author when there are more than 3 authors

MLA Format In-text Citations:Examples

Single Author (Smith 27)

Three Authors (Edwards, Johnson, and Brown 33)

More than three authors (Reynolds et al. 254)

Organization as Author (World Health Org. 45)

Website article with no author (“Early America”)

MLA Format In-text Citations: Example Paper

Notice thereare nocommasin citations between last name and page number andthe period comes after theparentheses.

The last names of up to three authors should be included in the citation.

When an author or authors are introduced, only the page number is needed in the parenthetical citation.

When a work has more than three authors, the last name of the first author is given followed by et al.

Notice the abbreviation of the organization name when cited in the text as the author

A shortened version of the title of an article is used in the citation when there is no author available

The Works Cited PagePage Setup

This is the list of your sources that corresponds with your in-text citations; in-text citation should match the first part of each works cited entrySources are listed in alphabetical orderAlways begin with last name, first name of author(s) if availableEntire page is double-spacedFirst line of each entry begins on left margin; all other lines are indented ½ inch (5 spaces or tab)Dates are written in day, month, year format (no commas used); months are abbreviated

MLA Format: The Works Cited Page

Major ThemesEach entry should include a source medium (usually Web or Print)Titles are either italicized or placed in “quotation marks”---no underlining!!Web addresses are NOT included in internet citationsAbbreviations should be used when publication information is missing from internet sources:

• “N.p.” for no publisher• “n.d.” for no date of publication• “n.pag.” for no page numbers given

Publisher names are abbreviated; don’t include words such Inc., Press, Publishers, Co., etc.

MLA Format: The Works Cited PageBasic Format for Books, Scholarly Journal Articles, &

WebsitesBooks (Print)

Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. City of Publication: Publisher

Name, Year of Publication. Print.

Scholarly Journal Article (from database)

Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Title of Journal volume.issue

(Year of Publication): page numbers. Name of Database.

Web. Date of Access.

Website (No author)

“Title of website article/section.” Title of Website. Publisher of

website, Date of publication. Web. Date of Access.

MLA Format: Sample Selection of Works Cited Page

Title, “Works Cited” is centered at the top

Last name and page number is also included on Works Cited page(s)Titles of

books, websites, periodicals, and databases are italicized

Double-spacing occurs throughout entire pageEntries begin

On the left margin; all other lines are indented 5 spaces

Titles of articles are placed in quotation marks

Appropriate abbreviation used to indicate that there is no date of publication

Edition number is indicated after title if work is edition other than the the first

Web sources include date of access

Final Thoughts

• MLA Format is not an exact science!• When in doubt, consult your resources• Reminder: no underlining or URLs!• Buy the handbook!