Formatting a College Essay — MLA Style
The MLA uses a list of core elements for the Works Cited Page which are common to most works. This is the list with the punctuation that follows each element:
In-text citations are used to credit the work of others and refer readers to the source on your Works Cited page. Parenthetical citations include the author’s last name and page numbers. Enclose citations in parentheses and follow by a period. Your MLA-formatted essay must have a Works Cited page that begins as a separate page at the end of your essay. The basic formatting features of the Works Cited page are as follows: The following are common entries likely to be used by undergraduate students writing research essays. For more details or other, less common entries, consult the MLA Handbook. To write an essay in MLA format, start by setting your document to double-spacing, 1-inch margins, and a readable font such as Times New Roman, size 12. Include a header with your last name and page number in the upper right-hand corner of each page. Create a title page with your name, instructor's name, course title, and date (unless specified otherwise). Write an introduction that introduces the topic and states your thesis statement. Use parenthetical citations to acknowledge sources within the text, including the author's last name and page number. Format your Works Cited page with hanging indents and list your sources alphabetically by the author's last name. Follow MLA guidelines for formatting quotations, tables, figures, and citing electronic sources. When a student begins to study in college, he is faced with multiple new challenges. It is especially difficult to keep your mind on when a college teacher tells you to write an essay in a new style for you. While many college and university students easily google all the matters and have no problem with accomplishing an academic assignment in a particular style, their peers are stuck. That’s when expert assistance from a comes in handy. If you need to write an essay in MLA style, and you think «how to start an MLA paper?», you are lucky to come across this article. To format a college essay, start by following any specific instructions provided by the college or instructor. Generally, use a readable font (e.g., Times New Roman, Arial) and size (usually 12-point), double-space the entire essay, and set 1-inch margins on all sides. Include a title page with your name, course title, instructor's name, and date. Begin your essay with an introduction, followed by body paragraphs that develop your main points, and conclude with a summary or conclusion. Use clear and concise language, and proofread your essay for grammar and punctuation errors before submission.
Learn more about the MLA Works Cited page by reviewing this .
Essay format refers to the structure and layout guidelines for writing an essay. This typically includes elements such as font size and style, margins, spacing, indentation, and citation style. Essay format may vary depending on the specific requirements of the assignment or citation style (e.g., MLA, APA, Chicago).
Understand What a Works Cited Page Is
Standard font is 12-point Times New Roman. For other fonts, MLA recommends a font that when the word is italicized the difference is clear. Leave only one space after periods or other punctuation marks.
Look online to see samples of a properly formatted MLA essay.
The title in MLA paper style is different from regular articles and essays. You don’t have to outline the title by increasing the font size or choosing a different font style. If the body paragraphs are written in Times New Roman font, the title should not be written in Calibri. You also don’t need to highlight the title in bold or italics.
This is how it has to look like:
Remember, your Works Cited page should still be double-spaced!
List Example #2
Here is an example of how a list may look in a research project or assignment when the list is part of the introductory sentence:
Begin this page at the top, with "Works Cited" centered.
The Modern Language Association style, commonly referred to as MLA style, is a system of documentation generally used in the humanities, such as language arts and history. MLA documentation requires in-text citations for brief references to sources used in the body of the text and a works cited page featuring full citation information for all of your sources. In this style, writers create citations by listing all the core elements of a source.
While formatting your "Works Cited" page, make sure of the following:
MLA (Modern Language Association) format is a widely used referencing format for the Humanities discipline. In comparison to other referencing formats, MLA is a simpler and a more concise style. The set of guidelines on how to write an essay in MLA format will be discussed in the following paragraphs.