Modern language association (MLA) is another type of citation and Formatting Style that is very much used in the humanities and Liberal Arts. A useful source for clarity, consistency, and accuracy in writing is the MLA Formatting and Style Guide (7th edition), which lists all the rules to follow. This well-organised guide provides a key resource for students and researchers who write essays, sample mla research paper, and dissertations that require MLA-style formatting. In this blog, we will learn the basics of MLA style, how to present your documents, and how to cite sources.
General Formatting Rules
According to the MLA Formatting and style guide, there are specific standards on which the English documents should be based. These formatting rules help to make a manuscript easy to read and navigate:
Font and Size: Write in a clear, readable font such as Times New Roman size 12. This way, you make sure your text is available and professional.
Margins: Leave a one-inch margin all around the page. A clean frame for your text is this standard margin size.
Line Spacing: Everything should be double-spaced, from quotes to notes to the list of works cited. These spacings are important for readability and to allow for comments and corrections.
Indentation: Typically using the tab key, indent the first line of each paragraph one-half inch from the left margin.
Header: On the top right-hand side of each page, include a header that contains your last name, a space (if you have two names), and the page number. This way, the pages remain organised and identified correctly.
Title Page and Layout
While MLA Formatting does not require a separate title page for essays, the format of the first page is important:
Heading: Place your name, name of instructor, course, and date on the first page, in the upper left-hand corner. You can begin with a separate line for each element and double space between each component.
Title: Your paper’s heading and title should be centered on the page. Do not bold, italicise, or underline the title.
Text: Title your text and start it on a new, double-spaced line with a half-inch indent to the left of your first paragraph.
In-Text Citations
In-text parenthetical citations refer to a list of cited works at the end of the paper. When quoting or paraphrasing a source, include the author’s last name and the page number in the citation of a source.
Example: (Hawthorne 88).
No Author: If the work has no author, use a shortened title instead.
Multiple Authors: If the source has three or fewer authors, list all authors’ last names in the parenthetical citation (e.g., Smith, Yang, and Moore 76).
The Works Cited Page
The Works Cited page is a bibliography used for the document that has listed all the sources cited in the document. It should appear at the end of your essay:
- Format: The entries must be alphabetised by the author’s last name. Alphabetise by title of work if no author is available.
- Hanging Indentation: The second and subsequent lines of the citation of each entry should be indented with a hanging indent.
- Author Names: Change the first and last name of the first author back to first and last name. The names of subsequent authors should be written in standard order.
- Titles: The titles of books, movies, etc., are italicised, and the titles of articles, poems, etc., are put in quotations.
How to Write Citations in Different Sources?
Each type of source you cite will have a specific format for the Works Cited entry:
Books: First Name Author’s Last Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Publication Year.
Articles: First Name Author’s Last Name. “Title of Article.” Journal title, vol, no, year, pages.
Web Sources: First Name Last Name or (if available) First Name (Author’s Last Name). “Title of Page/Article.” Publisher (if applicable), date of publication, URL, Title of Website.
Issues and Solutions for Common MLA Citation Issues
1: Inconsistent Citations
Ensure every in-text citation has its corresponding entry on the Works Cited page.
2: Multiple Works by the Same Author
In parenthetical citations, when citing multiple works by the same author, include a shortened title for each job to help distinguish one from the others.
CONCLUSION
The MLA Formatting and Style Guide (7th Edition) is a must-read for academic writing skills in the humanities. Consequently, following these guidelines, you can publish your manuscript based on good educational and professional standards. Make sure to keep up with the most current edition of the MLA Handbook since styles and standards are (and do) change.
