What is MLA Style formatting?

The MLA format was designed to standardize the formatting of research papers, keeping them uniform and professional no matter what the subject. Its rules encompass everything within a paper: from the spacing of headers and margins, to when words should be italicized, to citing your sources.

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It was developed by the Modern Language Association, whose MLA Handbook—now in its 9th edition—covers all aspects of MLA Style. It is a cornerstone of communication, emphasizing strong writing and boosting credibility by presenting your sources concisely. Read on to learn how to harness this powerful writing tool.

Rules of the MLA Style

The MLA Format is designed to maximize legibility without straining the reader’s eyes. Most of the formatting also comes default when opening a new document in Microsoft Word, which speaks to the ubiquity of the MLA Format. Below are the key basics to starting your paper:

• One-inch margins. All four sides of your document will have an inch of space from the paper’s edge.
• Indented paragraphs, Indent every paragraph with a half-inch wide space, which is the default indent from the Tab key.
• Double space lines. All lines should be double-spaced. This makes the paper easy to read without overcrowding.
• Page numbers
  The page number goes in the upper-right, after the writer’s last name: i.e., Smith 2. Page numbers can easily be set in Word by double-clicking the header area.
• A legible font
  You don’t need to sweat this detail by picking out your favorites: the two most used fonts are Arial and Times New Roman.

Information to include on your header

The header is where your biographical information goes: name, professor, course, and the paper’s due date. All are presented in that order, double-spaced, and aligned to the left:

• Eliza Doolittle

  Professor Higgins

  English 101

  November 16, 2022

Below that goes your title, which is centered. Capitalize major words and use italics or quotations only if you’re quoting another work. From there, you can dive right into your topic: see how you can write a strong introduction that reflects your expertise.

Writing and formatting citations with a Works Cited page

Chances are you’re familiar with MLA Style primarily through a Works Cited page, which is a specific format for stating the research you’ve used throughout your paper.

• The Works Cited page always begins on its own page.
• “Works Cited” is always centered as the title of this section.
• All citations get their own separate entries, numbered for quoting within the paper.

For most citations, the format goes like so:

• Author. Title of Book. City of Publication: Publisher, Year.

To cite quotations in your paper, there are three ways to do so:

• With a parenthesis to the citation number, if you mention the author beforehand.
• With the author’s name and citation number both in parentheses.
• In a footnote, if you need to expand on something.

There are further ways to cite anything, from websites to anthologies, even film and television. Check out the MLA website for detailed examples of these citations.

How to set up MLA Style in your document

A new document in Microsoft Word comes with many of these MLA-approved settings by default, such as legible fonts and one-inch margins. Other elements can be customized through the Design tab, where you can set double spacing, the size of tabs and margins, and more.

Word has tools that can automate your citations. The Citations & Bibliography panel, under the References tab, has options for the major formatting styles, including MLA. And the Insert Citation button features information about your sources, based on different categories (book, performance, journal, etc.). Within your document you can highlight these sources with your quotes.

By taking the guesswork out of formatting, Word allows you to focus on honing your writing skills. And by taking advantage of MLA format, your writing will look clear and professional.