The format of your paper shows your instructor that you are intelligent, organized and that you care enough to make your work look good. All you have to do is follow the instructions in countless guides on how to format an MLA paper. This guide gives written directions and shows how a well formatted paper should look. Follow these guidelines for all MLA papers unless your instructor tells you otherwise.
Your papers should be double-spaced with one-inch margins on the top, bottom, left and right. Use 12 point Times New Roman font. The first line of each paragraph should be indented five spaces with no extra spaces between paragraphs. There should be one space after every period. Every page of your paper should have a header on the top right-hand …show more content…
Make sure that all the references in your paper are listed in your works cited and that you do not put anything in your works cited that does not have a parenthetical reference in the body of your …show more content…
Make sure to ask your instructor what he/she prefers since some instructors prefer that you single-space each citation but double-space between citations (McGonagal, MLA Style 55). Your works cited page should have the same header as the rest of your paper and have the title “Works Cited” centered on the first line. Each citation begins at the left margin with subsequent lines indented five spaces. This is called a “hanging indent.” All citations should be arranged alphabetically by their first word, usually the first author’s last name (Flitwick 10). Citations should never be numbered unless your instructor tells you to do so. Do not attempt to memorize the elements in a citation. Refer to library handouts, a grammar book or the MLA Handbook to ensure that your citation is complete.
When you are compiling your research paper, it is generally easier if you complete your works cited first. Then, you are able to use the works cited to complete your footnotes in the body of the paper. Once you have perfected the format of your paper and your citations, be sure to verify your content. Read the directions for your assignment carefully and make sure you have met all the requirements. Check for grammar and spelling and make sure that you have complete sentences and no run-ons. When you’ve finished, have at least one other person proofread
Your papers should be double-spaced with one-inch margins on the top, bottom, left and right. Use 12 point Times New Roman font. The first line of each paragraph should be indented five spaces with no extra spaces between paragraphs. There should be one space after every period. Every page of your paper should have a header on the top right-hand …show more content…
Make sure that all the references in your paper are listed in your works cited and that you do not put anything in your works cited that does not have a parenthetical reference in the body of your …show more content…
Make sure to ask your instructor what he/she prefers since some instructors prefer that you single-space each citation but double-space between citations (McGonagal, MLA Style 55). Your works cited page should have the same header as the rest of your paper and have the title “Works Cited” centered on the first line. Each citation begins at the left margin with subsequent lines indented five spaces. This is called a “hanging indent.” All citations should be arranged alphabetically by their first word, usually the first author’s last name (Flitwick 10). Citations should never be numbered unless your instructor tells you to do so. Do not attempt to memorize the elements in a citation. Refer to library handouts, a grammar book or the MLA Handbook to ensure that your citation is complete.
When you are compiling your research paper, it is generally easier if you complete your works cited first. Then, you are able to use the works cited to complete your footnotes in the body of the paper. Once you have perfected the format of your paper and your citations, be sure to verify your content. Read the directions for your assignment carefully and make sure you have met all the requirements. Check for grammar and spelling and make sure that you have complete sentences and no run-ons. When you’ve finished, have at least one other person proofread