MLA Tips and links MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers was revised in April 2009.

MLA Style Margin, Line Spacing, and Font Settings MLA style requires you to have one-inch margins on every side of your paper (one inch of space between the text and the edge of the paper). You can check your settings by going to "Page Set Up" (on your File menu), which displays margin information. Do not justify the lines of text at the right margin. Indent the first word of a paragraph one-half inch from the left margin. Do not allow your Word 2007 to create an extra space between paragraphs. MLA style also requires all papers to be double-spaced. To set spacing, look in the "Paragraph" section of your "Format" menu. All spacing should be double-spaced throughout the entire paper, including the list of works cited. Also, check the line spacing in Word 2007; it is often set to 1.5. Use the very readable, 12-point Times New Roman font.

Sample First Page: (from MLA Handbook, 4.3 ) Einstein 1 Albert Einstein Ms. Nommensen English Composition Mar Phat Physics Do not italicize or underline your title, put it in quotation marks or boldface, or type it in all capital letters. Follow the rules for capitalization in and italicize only the words that you would italicize in the text.

Running Header A header is a line of text that appears on every page. In MLA format, a header with your name and the page number should appear at the top of every page. To create a header, pull down the "View" menu and choose "Header and Footer." Insert your last name in the autotext, and then repeat the procedure and choose the page number icon. If you are careful to insert your name first and then the page number, your header will be properly formatted with your name to the left of the page number. Be sure to set the header in the upper right hand corner. This way, every page will be identified, even if one gets misplaced in the shuffle of papers.

Parenthetical Page Citations Every quotation cited in your paper must be integrated grammatically and smoothly into your writing and followed by a parenthetical page citation, according to MLA guidelines. The page number (alone, without "#" or "p." or "page") should appear either directly after the quotation or at the end of the sentence. Examples: Paul asks his mother what luck is, and she answers that "it’s what causes you to have money" (858). Nelly says that Catherine’s "spirits were always at high water mark" (42) during the time that her father was ill and her brother was away. For full instructions and more information see: Diana Hacker’s website:

The Owl at Purdue Citing Internet Sources

Punctuating Titles See About.com: a/titles.htm a/titles.htm

Paraphrasing, Quotes and Credit (Direct quotes should only be used when the language they contain is exceptional. Heavy reliance on long quotes suggests that the writer has taken the easy way out.)

Work Cited Page PRACTICE! (Required) a/practice.htm

Helpful online resources for MLA format Owl at Purdue: Inspired and adapted from Webquest by Nicole Tucker.