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MLA Sample Paper
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This resource contains a sample MLA paper that adheres to the 2016 updates. To download the MLA sample paper, click this link .
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Creative Writing: MLA Citation
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MLA Citation Style
The Modern Language Association (MLA) citation style is used for academic papers written primarily in the humanities. Please note that citation styles encompass not only how sources are cited but also how the paper is formatted.
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Mla citation style guides.
- PurdueOWL: MLA Formatting and Style Guide Use the navigation on the left to find citation by types of sources, sample papers, and more.
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- Excelsior OWL: MLA Formatting and Style Guide - 9th edition MLA Style citation and paper formatting. Includes an MLA activity to help you test your knowledge.
MLA Citation Creators
Please note that while citation creators can be helpful and time-saving, they are nevertheless unreliable: Check your citations for correct formatting with one of the MLA citation guides listed above
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- ZoteroBib a free service that helps you build a bibliography or make citations instantly from any computer or device, without creating an account or installing any software.
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Table of Contents
What is MLA Format?
MLA Format refers to the formatting guidelines published by the MLA (Modern Language Association) for writers of research papers (see MLA Handbook, 9th Edition ).
Related Concepts: Annotated Bibliography ; Intellectual Property ; Page Design ; Plagiarism
Select a readable font such as Times New Roman, and an easily legible font size (usually 10- to 12-point font).
MLA Page Layout
For the entire paper, set all margins at 1” and double-space throughout.
Each new paragraph should be indented. There should be no extra spaces anywhere, from the first line of your heading, all the way to the last line of your text.
MLA First Page
Course information.
On separate lines, type
- Your first and last name
- Your instructor’s name
- The course title
- Day month year.
Items in the heading should be double-spaced, in the same 12-point font as the rest of the paper.
MLA Page Header
Using the automatic header feature of your word processor, set a running head .5” from the top of the page with your last name and the automatic page number feature.
Each page of your MLA formatted paper, including page one, should have a header in the upper right margin. The header should include your first name followed by the page number:
MLA Block Quotations
If you are quoting a selection that is longer than 3 typed lines, MLA requires that you block the quotation. This means introducing the quote as you normally do, but starting the quote on a new line. The entire quote will still be double spaced, but also indented.
Note that block quotations do not have quotation marks around them and that the citation comes after the punctuation.
MLA Headings and Subheadings
Section headings and subheadings are styled according to prominence, and the MLA designates 5 levels:
Here is what a heading looks like in the text of a paper:
MLA Works Cited
The header will continue on to the works cited page in the upper right corner. The title (Works Cited) should be centered at the top of the page. Your bibliographic entries should be alphabetized according to the first item in each entry, double-spaced, with a hanging indentation. There are no extra spaces between entries.
MLA Annotated Bibliography
The formatting of an annotated bibliography will be similar to a works cited page. The bibliographic entries will be identical, but annotations will be added. Start the annotation on a new line, and indent again. The entire annotation should be indented.
Note: If the annotated bibliography is a stand alone assignment, you should begin with a header, title, and heading, just as you would for an essay.
MLA Footnotes – MLA Endnotes
There are two types of information that can be included in footnotes and endnotes:
- at the bottom of the page
- at the end of the document, as an endnote.
MLA footnotes and MLA Endnotes MLA discourages the use of footnotes and endnotes for lengthy asides, but does have rules in the event that these notes are needed.
To format a footnote or endnote, add a superscript number following the sentence that requires either explanation or citation. Most word-processing programs will automatically create a corresponding place for an entry at the foot of the page or the end of the document. You only need to place your cursor where you want to superscript number to go, click on “insert,” and then select footnote or endnote.
Footnotes themselves will be single-spaced with an extra space between entries.
MLA Format Example
The following is a full essay in MLA format:
MLA Checklist
General Formatting
1. Is the heading in the upper left-hand corner of the first page?
2. Does the heading include:
- Your Instructor’s name?
- The course name?
3. Does the paper have an original title (other than something like “Final Paper”)? Is the title presented without being bolded, italicized, or placed in quotation marks?
4. Does the paper have 1″ margins on all sides?
5. Is the paper written in Times New Roman (or another standard font your professor allows) and in 12-pt. font?
6. Is everything double-spaced (including any notes and the works cited page)?
7. Are your last name and the page number in the upper right-hand corner of each page (0.5″ from the top, or inserted using the “header” function in Word)?
Formatting Evidence
8. Are all direct quotes in quotation marks?
9. Does all paraphrase and summary clearly indicate that it comes from other sources?
10. Does each in-text reference include a parenthetical citation that includes the author’s last name (unless it is obvious from the context of the sentence who you are referencing) and the page number from which the information was taken?
11. If a quotation is 4 lines or more, is it block-quoted? (i.e. double-spaced, indented 1 inch from the left margin)
12. Have you clearly indicated where you found all information you did not previously know?
Formatting the Works Cited
13. If you’ve used outside sources, do you have a works cited page?
14. Is it titled “Works Cited” (without the quotation marks)?
15. Does it have a header?
16. Are the entries in your list of works cited in alphabetical order?
17. Are the entries double-spaced, with no extra spaces in between entries?
18. Does each entry include a hanging indentation?
19. Does each source have an entry on the works cited page?
MLA Template
The following is an MLA template for Microsoft Word. Feel free to use it to ensure that you’re properly formatting your papers.
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MLA Format Example: Sample MLA Format Essay
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MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. This resource, updated to reflect the MLA Handbook (9th ed.), offers examples for the general format of MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the Works Cited page.
If you are asked to use MLA format, be sure to consult the MLA Handbook (9th edition). Publishing scholars and graduate students should also consult the MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing (3rd edition). The MLA Handbook is available in most writing centers and reference libraries. It is also widely available in bookstores ...
Creative Writing; Healthcare Writing; Journalism and Journalistic Writing; ... MLA Formatting and Style Guide; ... This resource contains a sample MLA paper that adheres to the 2016 updates. To download the MLA sample paper, click this link. Resources. Communication. OneCampus Portal;
The header in MLA format is left-aligned on the first page of your paper. It includes. Your full name; Your instructor's or supervisor's name; The course name or number; The due date of the assignment; After the MLA header, press ENTER once and type your paper title. Center the title and don't forget to apply title-case capitalization.
When to use MLA format. Use MLA format for the final draft of every piece of academic writing, including essays, reports, and research papers, that you do in your arts and humanities courses. That means English, arts, philosophy, religion, and ethics courses and any other classes you take that fall within these subjects.
MLA Style Center, the only authorized Web site on MLA style, provides free resources on research, writing, and documentation.
MLA Style citation and paper formatting. Includes an MLA activity to help you test your knowledge. MLA Citation Creators. Please note that while citation creators can be helpful and time-saving, they are nevertheless unreliable: ... Subjects: Creative Writing, English
MLA Handbook Plus includes the full text of the ninth edition of the handbook, the first editions of both the MLA Guide to Digital Literacy and the MLA Guide to Undergraduate Research in Literature, and a video course that teaches the principles of MLA documentation style through a series of short videos paired with quizzes, plus a final assessment.
Understanding Plagiarism and Citation Note the following important updates, from the Eighth Edition:7 The MLA 8th Edition recommends that writers apply a universal set of guidelines to any type of source. While previously, a writer created an entry by following the MLA's instructions for a source's
MLA Format summarizes the formatting guidelines published by the MLA (Modern Language Association) for writers of research papers. ... articles published under Creative Commons licenses may be used, shared, or adapted in accordance with their specific license terms, which require proper attribution and compliance with the designated Creative ...