mla essay format 9th edition

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How to Cite Something in MLA Format

MLA formatting refers to the writing style guide produced by the Modern Language Association. If you’re taking a class in the liberal arts, you usually have to follow this format when writing papers. In addition to looking at MLA examples, it helps to know the basics of the style guide.

Parenthetical Citations

MLA requires parenthetical citations within the document. This means you must include source information inside parentheses placed after a quotation or paraphrase from a source. Each parenthetical citation must have the page number where you found the information you used. It may also have the author’s or creator’s name. Do not use a comma to separate the name and the date.

In-text Citations

The format for in-text citations depends on the format of the source material. For print material like books and journals, you need the author’s name and publication date. If the source has two authors, use and to join them and the term “et al.” if it has more than two authors. You can also reference the authors in the document and include only the page number in parentheses.

Citations for Nonprint Material

If you use nonprint materials as sources, you have to cite them. However, you don’t have to include page numbers with the in-text citations. You do have to include information like the name of the work, the creator’s name and the year of publication on the Works Cited page.

When you complete the Work Cited page, each source requires additional information. For images, you need to include contributors, the reproduction number and URL where you located the image online. Movies must list the director’s name and distributor. A TV series needs the episode title and number, series title, season number and network. Pieces of music should include the title of the track and album and the record label.

Works Cited List

When you use MLA format, you must have a Works Cited page that lists all of the sources you used for the paper. This page goes at the end of the document on a separate page. You list all of the sources in alphabetical order according to the author’s last name. Make sure the page is double-spaced and that you follow the specific guidelines for formatting each entry.

Citation Generators

If you don’t have access to printed MLA style guides or don’t understand how to format your sources, you can turn to a citation generator. There are several citation generators available online for free or as part of a subscription service. You can also find them in word processing programs.

To use a citation generator, you enter information about each source. The program automatically formats the sources for the works cited page. You can also select the places in the document to add in-text citations.

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MLA Style Guide, 9th Edition: Formatting Your MLA Paper

• Works Cited entries: What to Include
• Title of source
• Title of container
• Other contributors
• Publication date
• Optional Elements
• Book with Personal Author(s)
• Book with Editor(s)
• Book with Organization as Author
• Parts of Books
• Government Publication
• Journal Article
• Magazine Article
• Multivolume Works
• Newspaper Article
• Other Formats
• Websites, Social Media, and Email
• Works Cited Practice
• About In-text Citations
• In-text Examples
• How to Paraphrase and Quote
• Formatting Your MLA Paper
• Formatting Your Works Cited List
• MLA Annotated Bibliography

MLA recommends using 12-point Times New Roman font or another readable typeface (e.g. serif ).

Use double-spacing throughout the entire paper.

Leave 1 inch margins on the top, bottom, and each side.

Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch from the left margin.

Quotes longer than 4 lines should be written as a block of text a half an inch from the left margin.

Heading and Title

An MLA research paper does not need a title page, but your instructor may require one. If no instructions are given, follow the MLA guidelines below:

Type the following one inch from the top of the first page, flush with the left margin (double spacing throughout).

Your Instructor's Name

Course Number or Name

Center the title on the next line. Follow the rules for capitalization. Do not italicize, underline, or bold the title. An exception is when your title includes a title.  Example:  The Attitude toward Violence in A Clockwork Orange

Indent the next line and begin typing your text.

Include your last name and page numbers in the upper right-hand corner of every page. The page numbers will be one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin. If your instructor prefers no page number on the first page, begin numbering from 2 on the second page.

Formatting first page MLA MS Word using a MAC

Formatting first page mla goggle.dox, formatting first page mla ms word using pc, mla format setup in word 2013.

The links below provide step by step instructions on setting up your paper using MLA Style guidelines.

• Formatting Your Paper using MS Word - PC
• Formatting Your Paper using MS Word - MAC

Sample MLA Paper

• MLA Research Paper Template Properly formatted MLA Style research paper. Download and save to your computer so that you will always have the correct format for writing.

There are three sample papers available in the MLA Style Center. Check them out to see the correct formatting.

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MLA General Format 

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MLA Style specifies guidelines for formatting manuscripts and citing research in writing. MLA Style also provides writers with a system for referencing their sources through parenthetical citation in their essays and Works Cited pages. 

Writers who properly use MLA also build their credibility by demonstrating accountability to their source material. Most importantly, the use of MLA style can protect writers from accusations of plagiarism, which is the purposeful or accidental uncredited use of source material produced by other writers. 

If you are asked to use MLA format, be sure to consult the  MLA Handbook  (9th edition). Publishing scholars and graduate students should also consult the  MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing  (3rd edition). The  MLA Handbook  is available in most writing centers and reference libraries. It is also widely available in bookstores, libraries, and at the MLA web site. See the Additional Resources section of this page for a list of helpful books and sites about using MLA Style.

Paper Format

The preparation of papers and manuscripts in MLA Style is covered in part four of the  MLA Style Manual . Below are some basic guidelines for formatting a paper in  MLA Style :

General Guidelines

• Type your paper on a computer and print it out on standard, white 8.5 x 11-inch paper.
• Double-space the text of your paper and use a legible font (e.g. Times New Roman). Whatever font you choose, MLA recommends that the regular and italics type styles contrast enough that they are each distinct from one another. The font size should be 12 pt.
• Leave only one space after periods or other punctuation marks (unless otherwise prompted by your instructor).
• Set the margins of your document to 1 inch on all sides.
• Indent the first line of each paragraph one half-inch from the left margin. MLA recommends that you use the “Tab” key as opposed to pushing the space bar five times.
• Create a header that numbers all pages consecutively in the upper right-hand corner, one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin. (Note: Your instructor may ask that you omit the number on your first page. Always follow your instructor's guidelines.)
• Use italics throughout your essay to indicate the titles of longer works and, only when absolutely necessary, provide emphasis.
• If you have any endnotes, include them on a separate page before your Works Cited page. Entitle the section Notes (centered, unformatted).

Formatting the First Page of Your Paper

• Do not make a title page for your paper unless specifically requested or the paper is assigned as a group project. In the case of a group project, list all names of the contributors, giving each name its own line in the header, followed by the remaining MLA header requirements as described below. Format the remainder of the page as requested by the instructor.
• In the upper left-hand corner of the first page, list your name, your instructor's name, the course, and the date. Again, be sure to use double-spaced text.
• Double space again and center the title. Do not underline, italicize, or place your title in quotation marks. Write the title in Title Case (standard capitalization), not in all capital letters.
• Use quotation marks and/or italics when referring to other works in your title, just as you would in your text. For example:  Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas  as Morality Play; Human Weariness in "After Apple Picking"
• Double space between the title and the first line of the text.
• Create a header in the upper right-hand corner that includes your last name, followed by a space with a page number. Number all pages consecutively with Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.), one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin. (Note: Your instructor or other readers may ask that you omit the last name/page number header on your first page. Always follow instructor guidelines.)

Here is a sample of the first page of a paper in MLA style:

The First Page of an MLA Paper

Section Headings

Writers sometimes use section headings to improve a document’s readability. These sections may include individual chapters or other named parts of a book or essay.

MLA recommends that when dividing an essay into sections you number those sections with an Arabic number and a period followed by a space and the section name.

MLA does not have a prescribed system of headings for books (for more information on headings, please see page 146 in the MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing , 3rd edition). If you are only using one level of headings, meaning that all of the sections are distinct and parallel and have no additional sections that fit within them, MLA recommends that these sections resemble one another grammatically. For instance, if your headings are typically short phrases, make all of the headings short phrases (and not, for example, full sentences). Otherwise, the formatting is up to you. It should, however, be consistent throughout the document.

If you employ multiple levels of headings (some of your sections have sections within sections), you may want to provide a key of your chosen level headings and their formatting to your instructor or editor.

Sample Section Headings

The following sample headings are meant to be used only as a reference. You may employ whatever system of formatting that works best for you so long as it remains consistent throughout the document.

Formatted, unnumbered:

Level 1 Heading: bold, flush left

Level 2 Heading: italics, flush left

Level 3 Heading: centered, bold

Level 4 Heading: centered, italics

Level 5 Heading: underlined, flush left

Format & Cite: MLA 9th Edition

• Citing Basics
• Avoiding Plagiarism
• MLA 9th Edition
• APA 7th Edition
• Chicago Citation Style Guide
• Chat GPT /AI

What is MLA Style?

Created by the Modern Language Association, MLA is most often used by the Humanities, which includes languages, literature, philosophy, visual & performing arts.

Citation Generators

Library databases provide citations that you can copy and past into your works cited list. For other sources you'll need to create a citation by hand or with the help of a citation generator, like the ones below. Note that the citations from databases and the generators often contain errors. Check your citations against the library's handout or a reputable source like Excelsior OWL guide before submitting them.  

• NoodleTools Express

Formatting Your Paper

How to format your paper.

• Margins:  1" all around (except for the page number)
• Font:   Easily readable typeface set to a standard size (Times-New Roman 12pt is always safe)
• Line-spacing:  Double-space throughout the paper, including heading, title, block quotes, and Works Cited. 
• Page Numbers:  All pages are numbered in right hand corner, 1/2" from top. Last name appears before the page numbers.
• Heading:  Top left corner. Your name, your instructor's name, course number, date. Date must be written dd Month yyyy. 
• Title:  Centered. Plain (no italics, underlining, or font variation). Standard double-spacing between heading/title, and title/first line of paper.

Citations Format

There are 3 forms of citations:

• Direct Quote
• Formatting a Research Paper (MLA Style Center)  
• OWL Sample Paper (with built-in instructions!)  
• Sample Paper from MLA Style Center  
• MLA Format (Columbia College)

Example of In-Case Citations

• Direct Quote:

The quote below appears exactly as it does in Joanna Santa Barbara's article on child-rearing in the   Encyclopedia of Violence Peace and Conflict .

"Adjusted data from seven U.S. surveys between 1968 and 1994 show a decline in approval of discliplinary spanking from 94% to 68%, or 26 percentage points in 26 years" (Santa Barbara 243).

• Paraphrase:

This sentence takes the information above and puts it into the author’s own words.

Studies show that Americans are becoming more critical of the concept of spanking children. Between 1968 and 1994 the so-called “approval rating” of spanking children dropped from 94% to 68% (Santa Barbara 243).

The sentence below distils the main idea of the original information.

Studies have shown that Americans just don't approve of spanking like they used to (Santa Barbara 243).

NoodleTools

• NoodleTools Express When you need one or two quick citations in MLA, APA, or Chicago style, simply generate them in NoodleTools Express then copy and paste what you need into your document. Note: Citations are not saved and cannot be exported to a word processor using NoodleTools Express. Includes CrossRef DOI lookup.

NoodleTools Help:

• NoodleTools Help Desk Look up questions and answers on the NoodleTools Web site
• NoodleTools Quick Guide for Students Learn the basics quickly
• NoodleTools Quick Guide for Librarians & Teachers Learn how to get the most out of NoodleTools
• NoodleTools for Researchers Research guide created for MJC students
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MLA Style Guide, 8th & 9th Editions: Formatting Your MLA Paper

• Works Cited entries: What to Include
• Title of source
• Title of container
• Contributors
• Publication date
• Supplemental Elements
• Book with Personal Author(s)
• Book with Organization as Author
• Book with Editor(s)
• Parts of Books
• Government Publication
• Journal Article
• Magazine Article
• Multivolume Works
• Newspaper Article
• Other Formats
• Websites, Social Media, and Email
• About In-text Citations
• In-text Examples
• How to Paraphrase and Quote
• Citing Poetry
• Formatting Your MLA Paper
• Formatting Your Works Cited List
• MLA Annotated Bibliography
• MLA 9th Edition Quick Guide
• Submit Your Paper for MLA Style Review

MLA recommends using 12-point Times New Roman font or another readable typeface (e.g. serif ).

Line Spacing & Margins

Use double-spacing throughout the entire paper.

Leave 1 inch margins on the top, bottom, and each side.

Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch from the left margin.

Quotes longer than 4 lines should be written as a block of text a half an inch from the left margin.

Heading and Title

An MLA research paper does not need a title page, but your instructor may require one. If no instructions are given, follow the MLA guidelines below:

Type the following one inch from the top of the first page, flush with the left margin (double spacing throughout).

Your Instructor's Name

Course Number or Name

Center the title on the next line. Follow the rules for capitalization. Do not italicize, underline, or bold the title. An exception is when your title includes a title.  Example:  The Attitude toward Violence in A Clockwork Orange

Indent the next line and begin typing your text.

Include your last name and page numbers in the upper right-hand corner of every page. The page numbers will be one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin. If your instructor prefers no page number on the first page, begin numbering from 2 on the second page.

Sample Papers from MLA

There are sample papers available in the MLA Style Center. Check them out to see the correct formatting.

Styling Headings and Subheadings

According to the MLA Style Center website, writers should avoid using headings in shorter papers. If you are writing a longer research paper, you may want to include headings and subheadings to help organize the sections of your paper. Advice from the MLA Style Center :

"Levels

The paper or chapter title is the first level of heading, and it must be the most prominent.

Headings should be styled in descending order of prominence. After the first level, the other headings are subheadings—that is, they are subordinate. Font styling and size are used to signal prominence. In general, a boldface, larger font indicates prominence; a smaller font, italics, and lack of bold can be used to signal subordination. For readability, don’t go overboard: avoid using all capital letters for headings (in some cases, small capitals may be acceptable):

Heading Level 1

Heading Level 2

Heading Level 3

Note that word-processing software often has built-in heading styles.

Consistency

Consistency in the styling of headings and subheadings is key to signaling to readers the structure of a research project. That is, each level 1 heading should appear in the same style and size, as should each level 2 heading, and so on. Generally, avoid numbers and letters to designate heads unless you are working in a discipline where doing so is conventional. Note that a heading labeled “1” requires a subsequent heading labeled “2,” and a heading labeled “a” requires a subsequent heading labeled “b.” 

In a project that is not professionally designed and published, headings should be flush with the left margin, to avoid confusion with block quotations. (The exception is the paper or chapter title, which is centered in MLA style.)

For readability, it is helpful to include a line space above and below a heading, as shown in this post.

No internal heading level should have only one instance. For example, if you have one level 1 heading, you need to have a second level 1 heading. (The exceptions are the paper or chapter title and the headings for notes and the list of works cited.) You should also generally have text under each heading.

Capitalization

Capitalize headings like the titles of works, as explained in section 1.2 of the MLA Handbook.

The shorter, the better."

Modern Language Association. "How Do I Style Headings and Subheadings in a Research Paper?" MLA Style Center., 13 December 2018,  style.mla.org/styling-headings-and-subheadings .

MLA Style Paper Template

• MLA 9th Edition Paper Template This template was created and saved as a Word template for Microsoft Word 2016. The process for saving and using the template is the same for the instructions given above for 2013.

You can save a personal template in Microsoft Word (IRSC students, download Office for free, see a librarian if you need help). Above is a template you can use every time you need to set-up a research paper using MLA style format. Simply open the template and type your own information every time you need to write an MLA style paper. Microsoft Word will allow you to save personal templates. Once you have the template opened in Word

Click "Save as"

Give the file a name

Under "Save as type", select Word Template

Then when you open Word, you will be able to choose a template rather than a blank document. You might have to select Personal to find your template.

Sample MLA Paper

How to Use the MLA Style Template

Formatting Group Project Papers

For a research paper written collaboratively by several students, such as for a group project, create a title page instead of listing all authors in the header on page 1 of the essay. On the title page, list each student's full name, placing one name on each double-spaced line. After the final student name, enter the professor's name. After the professor's name, give the course name. The last line of the heading will be the date in 5 August 2021 format. Press Enter a few times to move down the page then give the paper title, centered.

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MLA 9th Edition Citation Guide

• Introduction
• Formatting Your Paper
• In-Text Citations
• Films, Movies & Videos
• YouTube Videos
• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Get Help Now

Why is Formatting Important?

You want your essay to be easily read and understood by your audience. Using consistency in format enables your readers to focus on your content, instead of the presentation of your paper. Errors can distract the reader, cause misinterpretations, and make your work look less credible.

For full instructions on formatting your paper, see Formatting a Research Paper on the MLA Style Center website .

Always use the specifications determined by your instructor in addition to these guidelines.

• MLA Sample Paper This MLA Sample Paper demonstrates proper formatting with explanation of guidelines.
• MLA Sample Paper Download this sample paper as a template for your essay.

Text Formatting

Use a font that is easy to read and has a clear difference between regular text and italic text. Use a standard font size, such as 12 point.

Your text should be aligned with the left margin. All lines of your paper should be double-spaced. Indent the first line of each paragraph.

Your heading should be on the first page of your paper, aligned with the left margin. Include  your name, your instructor's name, your course number, and the date .

Enter the title of your paper on the next line and center it. Do not italicize, underline, or bold your title, and do not type it in all capital letters or in quotation marks.  Do  capitalize the first word, last word, and all principal words and proper nouns.

Begin the body of your paper on the next line.

Include your last name and page numbers in the top right-hand corner aligned with the right margin. (Insert this using the header function in your word processing application.)

Works Cited

Your Works Cited page should follow your conclusion and include all in-text citations used throughout your paper.

Begin this page at the top, with "Works Cited" centered.

This page should have the same formatting as the rest of your paper, including double-spacing and a left-align margin.

If your citation is more than one line, indent each subsequent line.

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• URL: https://library.csp.edu/mla

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• About Citation
• APA 7th Ed.

In-text Citations

Works cited, formatting your mla paper.

• Chicago 17th Ed.

This guide is a quick introduction to the Modern Language Association 9th edition citation style. Be sure to consult the MLA Handbook or the online MLA Style Center  for detailed standards and procedures. 

• The MLA Style Center Answers to common questions and practice resources.
• Purdue OWL MLA Formatting & Style Guide Purdue University's Online Writing Lab guide to MLA citation and style.

For more guidelines and examples, check out the MLA Style Center In-Text Citations Overview .

Basic Format:

(Last Name Page #)

Or, introduce direct quotes with the author and title within the sentence or paragraph, then include the page number(s) at the end of the quote in parentheses.

I'm citing...

1 Author or No Author

You only need the author's last name and the page number.

Connect both authors' last names with and, and include the page number.

(Best and Marcus 9)

3 or More Authors

Use the first author's last name and et al., and include the page number.

(Franck et al. 327)

Use a shortened title of the work.

("Impact of Global Warming")

Basic Format: Author Last Name, First Name Middle Name or Initial. Title of Longer Work or "Title of Shorter Work." Publisher, Year. URL or DOI.

I'm citing a...

Journal Article

• Author(s). Note: Use the format Last Name, First Name Middle Name or Initial. If there are multiple authors, use and before the last author's name.
• "Title of the Article." Note: Include the title of a shorter work like an article in a journal in quotation marks and use headline-style capitalization .
• Title of the Journal , Note: Use italics for the title of a longer work like a journal and use headline-style capitalization .
• no. #, Note: If there is no additional number after the volume, only include the volume number.
• Publication date,
• pp. xxx-xxx.
• Database , Note: Use italics for names of databases.
• URL or permalink.

Gosine, Kevin, and Emmanuel Tabi. "Disrupting Neoliberalism and Bridging the Multiple Worlds of Marginalized Youth via Hip-Hop Pedagogy: Contemplating Possibilities." Review of Education, Pedagogy, and Cultural Studies , vol. 38, no. 5, 2016, pp. 445-467. Research Gate , doi: 10.1080/10714413.2016.1221712 .

Online News/Magazine Article

• "Title of the Article." Note: Include the title of a shorter work in quotation marks and use headline-style capitalization .
• Title of the Newspaper or Publisher , Note: Use italics for the title of a longer work like a newspaper or online publication and use headline-style capitalization .
• Publication date, Note: Use the formate Date Abbreviated Month Year.

Robinson, Angela. "History Shows Why It's Time for a Black Woman to Sit on the Supreme Court ." The Washington Post , 1 Feb. 2022, https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2022/02/01/history-shows-why-its-time-black-woman-sit-supreme-court/ .

Print Book or eBook

• Title of the Book . Note: Use italics for the title of a longer work like a book and use headline-style capitalization .
• Edition Note: If there are multiple editions, use the format 1st/2nd/3rd ed.,
• Publication date.

Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird . 1st ed., J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1960.

• Title of the Book, Note: Use italics for the title of a longer work like a book and use headline-style capitalization .
• Editors Note: If there is one editor, use the format edited by Last Name, First Name. If there are multiple editors, use and before the last author's name.

Hughes, Langston. Letters from Langston: From the Harlem Renaissance to the Red Scare and Beyond , edited by Evelyn Louise Crawford and Mary Louise Patterson. University of California Press, 2016. EBSCOhost Academic eBook Collection , http://libproxy.csudh.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e000xna&AN=1105577&site=ehost-live&scope=site&ebv=EB& .

Book Chapter

• Author(s) of the Chapter. Note: Use the format Last Name, First Name Middle Name or Initial (if any). If there are multiple authors, use and before the last author's name.
• "Title of the Chapter." Note: Include the title of a shorter work like a chapter in quotation marks and use headline-style capitalization .
• Editors Note: If there is one editor, use the format edited by First Name Middle Name or Initial (if any) Last Name. If there are multiple editors, use and before the last author's name.

Green, David. "Supporting the Academic Success of Hispanic Students." College Libraries and Student Culture: What We Now Know , edited by Andrew D. Asher and Lynda M. Duke, ALA Editions, 2011. EBSCOhost Academic eBook Collection , http://libproxy.csudh.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=390319 .

• Author. Note: If there is no individual author, begin the citation with "Title of the Page."
• "Title of Page, Section, or Document."
• Publisher ,

"Citation Guide." CSUDH University Library , https://www.libguides.csudh.edu/citation .

Check out more examples of citing online sources from the MLA Style Cetner. 

Citing a letter, photograph, text document, graphic material, or ephemera? Consult the  Gerth Archives MLA Citation Guide for Archival Materials .

• MLA Style Formatting Paper Guidelines Guidelines from the MLA Style Center on how to format your paper, including the title page, text formatting, tables and illustrations, and more.

What does the general format of an MLA paper look like? 

How do i make a hanging indent in word.

1. Highlight the citaiton with your cursor. 

2. Right click. 

3. Select Paragraph .

4. Under Indentation, select Special and Hanging .

How can I save time formatting my paper? 

Microsoft Word and Google Docs have a Format Painter tool that will copy and apply basic formatting to any text! 

1. Highlight the formatting you want to apply. 

2. Select  Format Painter . 

3. Highlight the text you want to change. 

Note: If using the Format Painter on the Reference List, you'll need to go back and add italics. 

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