How to Follow MLA Format

What is MLA Format?

MLA format is the way researchers, students, and scholars in the fields of literature and language format their papers and assignments. It is named MLA after the organization that developed it, the Modern Language Association. The idea is that since everyone in the field is formatting their papers the same way, reading is easier for everyone. 

In our English class, all your essays must be written in proper MLA format. Read on to make sure you know exactly what that means, because you'll be graded on it!

The Two Parts of MLA Documentation

Whenever you reference outside sources in your writing, whether you are directly quoting or paraphrasing the ideas of others, you must document your sources. If you don't properly document your sources to give credit to others when you use their ideas or exact language, you commit plagiarism.

To avoid plagiarism, you must not only show your reader when the ideas you are expressing come from somebody else, but you must clearly indicate where you got the information. The MLA guidelines have specific rules for how to document your sources.

First, you must provide in-text citations within the body of your essay whenever you use language or ideas from an outside source. Second, you must include full citations for each source used in a Works Cited page that comes at the end of your essay. The in-text citations point your reader to the full citations in the Works Cited page.

You will be expected to do both in-text citations and Works Cited pages in proper MLA format for all of your essays in this class as well as any other English courses you take here or later in your academic career.

1) In-Text Citations

An in-text citation is a parenthetical at the end of a direct quote (quotation) or indirect quote (paraphrase) showing where you got the information. Here is an example of a basic in-text citation in proper MLA format.

Romantic poetry is characterized by the "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (Wordsworth 263).

Notice that the parenthetical includes the quoted author's last name and a page number and NOTHING ELSE (no "page," "pg.", or commas). 

Click on the below link to Purdue OWL (a great source for all things MLA!) to learn the precise rules for in-text citations in MLA format. 

"MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics" by Purdue OWL

You will be graded on having correct in-text citations in your essays, so make sure you follow the rules exactly and do not add any extra words or punctuation to your parentheticals. 

2) Works Cited Page

At the end of your essay comes the Works Cited page, which is a carefully formatted, alphabetical list of all the sources referenced in your essay. In other words, all the in-text citations you included in your essay are sign posts for your reader to look up the full citation for the source in your Works Cited page.

Here is what a Works Cited page looks like:

The Works Cited page would not make sense without in-text citations because your reader would not know which information in your essay was found in which source listed on your Works Cited page. Conversely, in-text citations would not make sense without a Works Cited page because the last name and page number in parentheses is not enough information for your readers to be able to find the source themselves. 

Click on the Purdue OWL link below to learn more about how to format a Works Cited page. 

"MLA Works Cited Page: Basic Format" by Purdue OWL

There are many rules, and you will NEVER have to memorize any of them. You will, however, be required to check Purdue OWL or another reliable and updated MLA style guide for all of your essays in this class and any other English course you take in your academic career.

In this class, you will lose points on your essays for not following proper MLA format. At some colleges and universities, the English professor will not even read your essay if it is not in MLA format! So get used to it and take it seriously.

One Final Note About MLA Format: Your Heading and Page Numbers

Essays in MLA format must also include a specific heading on the first page of your essay as well as page numbers that include your last name. Use the below sample as a guide for formatting all of your essays in this class as well as any other English course you take here or elsewhere.

If you have any questions about MLA format as you finish up a paper, feel free to ask me or a writing tutor at The Learning Center Links to an external site..