NRA - MLA Format Review Lesson

English_Lesson_TopBanner.png MLA Format Review

If you are new to this course, this section will serve as an introduction to what is expected regarding MLA format. Hopefully, you are already familiar with MLA format. In this course, all writing assignments are expected to be formatted according to MLA guidelines. All assignments should have an MLA heading. Please review the basics of MLA formatting.

Basic MLA Formatting

Most papers in English courses are written in the MLA (Modern Language Association) format. We will be using MLA format for our research in this course, as well as for all writings. The purpose of MLA format is for all essays to appear the same aesthetically, so the reader can focus on the content. All writings in this course that are one paragraph or longer must adhere to MLA guidelines.

MLAFormatRequirements -12-point font size -Times New Roman Font -Double space the text pf the essay -heading in the upper left-hand corner that includes the writer's name, the instructor's name, the course, and the date -Center title below heading -1 inch margins on each side of the document -Header that includes the writer's last name followed by a space and then the page number in the upper right-hand corner of the essay 1/2 inch from the top -Indent first lines of each paragraph -Use in-text citations -Create a Works Cited page

The following video will give a brief introduction to MLA format and how to create a correctly formatted MLA paper. Students may wish to take notes, as this format will be required in each unit. Here are some things to make note of in the video:

MLATakeNote! 1. Proper MLA heading on first page 2. Proper running headings on all pages 3. Spacing of the paper - all parts 4. In-text citations (source notations in the paper) 5. Works Cited Page - formatting and connections

In-Text Citations

Any time a writer borrows ideas, whether paraphrased, summarized, or directly quoted, he or she must acknowledge the sources of the information. It is acceptable to borrow ideas and information from other sources, as long as it is acknowledged correctly. In MLA format, this acknowledgement starts with an in-text citation. This citation consists of the author and page number. There are two ways to create the citation: (1) using the author's name in the text and (2) providing all source information at the end of the citation. Take a look at the different methods below.

Gardner suggests that "all dogs should be fed twice daily and given routine exercise opportunities" (23).    
One study suggests that "all dogs should be fed twice daily and given routine exercise opportunities" (Gardner 23).  

In both cases above, note that the citation (Gardner 23) & (23) come after the end of the quote, and that the sentence punctuation appears AFTER the citation.

Some sources may not have an author and/or page number listed. This usually occurs with websites, or other online sources. Refer to the sidebar resources for help formatting those.

Remember that a citation should come after each source's information. This applies to material that is copied, summarized in a writer's own words, or paraphrased in a writer's own words. When in doubt, cite the source.

The Works Cited Page  Article (from a database) with one author: Author Last Name, First M. "Title of Article." Title of Publication volume.issue (year): pages. Web. Date accessed. Article (found using Google) with one author: Author Last Name, First M. "Title of Article." Title of Publication or Overall Website. Publisher or Sponsors of the Site, Publication Date. Web. Date accessed. Article from a Web Site with no author: "Article Name". Title of Site. Sponsor of Site, Date Published. Web. Date accessed. Book with one author: Author Last Name, First M. Title of Book: Subtitle of Book. Publication Location: Publisher, Date. Print. Web Site with one author: Author Last Name, First Mame M. Title of Site. Sponsor of Site, Date Published. Web. Date accessed. Web Site: Author or editor name (if available). Title of Site. Sponsor of Site, Date Published. Web. Date accessed.

The works cited page is a list of sources used in the MLA paper. All sources on the works cited page should be mentioned in the paper, and indicated with a citation (as above). Each different type of source has its own list of information that should appear in the works cited page. Remember that a correct works cited page is double spaced, as is the entire MLA paper.The image to the right shows some sources and the formula for creating each entry.

Reference Documents

Please consult these resources in the to find out how to correctly format each type of entry in more detail.

MLA In-Text Citations Handout Links to an external site.

Guide to Formatting In-Text Citations Links to an external site.

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