Mastering MLA Style: The Ultimate Guide for Students
What is MLA Style?
Quick answer
MLA style is a standardized format for academic writing developed by the Modern Language Association. It provides a consistent way to document sources and format papers, primarily used in the humanities and liberal arts. By following this MLA citation guide, you ensure your work is professional, organized, and properly credited to avoid plagiarism.
The Core Elements of MLA 9
The 9th edition uses a universal set of elements to help you cite any source. These include the author, title of source, title of container, other contributors, version, number, publisher, publication date, and location. This system allows for flexibility when citing digital sources or social media posts.
Mastering In-Text Citations
In-text citations point readers to the full entry on your Works Cited page. In MLA, you typically use the author last name and the page number in parentheses, such as (Smith 12). If the author name is mentioned in the sentence, only the page number is needed at the end.
Setting Up Your Works Cited Page
The Works Cited page appears at the end of your essay on a new page. It should be double-spaced with a hanging indent for each entry. List your sources alphabetically by the first word of the citation, which is usually the author last name or the title of the work.
General Paper Formatting Rules
Use 1-inch margins on all sides and a standard font like 12-point Times New Roman. Your last name and page number should appear in the upper right header of every page. The main title of your paper should be centered and written in standard title case without bold or italics.
Pro Tips for Citation Success
Always double-check your punctuation. In MLA, titles of books and journals are italicized, while articles and short stories are placed in quotation marks. Use citation generators as a starting point, but always verify the final result against official guidelines to ensure accuracy.