1. Using MLA Format

2. Why do I have to use MLA? Gives you credibility as a writer
Protects you from plagiarism
Provides a consistent format that you will use throughout your schooling

3. Heading Top left hand corner First page only Name (First Last)
Instructor’s name (Ms. Hummitzsch)
Course (Creative Writing)
Date to be completed (Day Month Year)

4. Title Do not simply state assignment Bad Example: Narrative Poem
Creative title necessary
Do not simply state assignment
Bad Example: Narrative Poem
Do not underline
Do not quote
Do not bold
Should be 12 point font, Times New Roman

5. Header Omit on first page Located in header Right alignment
Should read
Last name and page number

6. How To Add Header Go to second page of document Double click in header
Click “Different First Page” under design tab
Click the “Page Number” button on top left of page, hover over “Top of Page”, and then choose “Plain Number 3”
Type last name and a space
Highlight and change to 12 point Times New Roman font
Check your work by scrolling up and making sure your header is NOT on your first page and scroll down to make sure the number changes for each page

7. Other Rules Double space everything No extra spaces! Times New Roman
No space between paragraphs
No extra space between header, title, and introduction paragraph
Times New Roman
12 point font
1 inch margins on all sides

8. Works Cited Page
A complete list of the sources you cite within your paper
Book:
Author Last Name, First Name. Title. City of publication: Publisher, Copyright date.
Example:
Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist. New York: HarperCollins, 1993.

9. Works Cited Page
Movie: DVD Title. Director OR Producer. Performers. Distributor, Release Year. Medium of Publication. Example: Ed Wood. Dir. Tim Burton. Perf. Johnny Depp, Martin Landau, Sarah Jessica Parker, Patricia Arquette. Touchstone, DVD.

10. In-text Citations
Offers a direct connection between information in the essay and your works cited page
Use when:
“quoting” words that are not your own
summarizing facts and ideas from a source
paraphrasing a source
Book Example:
Santiago shows his belief in omens when “he didn’t consider mending the hole”(Coelho 41).