how to title a essay in mla format

MLA 9th Edition Formatting

A Simple, Step-by-Step Guide + Free Template

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Reviewer: Eunice Rautenbach (DTech) | July 2023

Formatting your paper in MLA style can feel like a pretty daunting task . In this post, we’ll show you exactly how to set up your paper for MLA (9th edition), as quickly and easily as possible. We’ll also share our popular free MLA template , to help you fast-track your writing.

Overview: MLA 9th Edition Formatting

• Structure and layout
• General page setup
• The opening section
• The main body
• Works cited (reference list)
• Free MLA 9 template

MLA Structure and Layout

Let’s start by looking at the overall structure of a typical student paper formatted for MLA 9th edition, before diving into the details of each section. For the most part, MLA papers follow a standardised structure, consisting of the following parts:

The opening section : While MLA doesn’t require a dedicated title page (unlike APA ), it does require an opening section that details some important information about yourself, your university and the paper itself.

The main body : The main body begins directly after the opening section on the first page. This is the “heart” of your paper and there are a very specific requirements regarding how you present and format this content.

The appendix (or appendices):  While using an appendix in a student paper is relatively uncommon, you’ll place this section directly after the main body section, if required by your university.

The “Works Cited” list : This section is equivalent to what we’d usually call a references page and it’s where you’ll detail all the reference information corresponding to the in-text citations in the main body of your paper.

These four sections form the standard structure and order of a student paper using MLA 9th edition. As we mentioned, not all sections are always required , so be sure to double check what your university expects from you before submitting. Also, it’s always a good idea to ask your university if they have any  style requirements in addition to the standard MLA specification.

Now that we’ve got a big-picture view of the typical paper structure, let’s look at the specific formatting requirements for each of these sections.

Generic Page Setup

Before you jump into writing up your paper, you’ll first need to set up your document to align with MLA’s generic page requirements. Alternatively, you can download our MLA paper template (which comes fully preformatted).

MLA 9th edition requires a 1-inch margin on all sides , for all pages. That said, if you’re writing a dissertation, thesis or any document that will ultimately be printed and bound, your university will likely require a larger left margin to accommodate for physical binding.

Fonts & sizing

MLA does not require that you use any specific font, but we do recommend sticking to the tried and tested , well-accepted fonts. For example, you might consider using one of the following:

• Sans serif fonts : Calibri (11), Arial (11), or Lucida Sans Unicode (10)
• Serif fonts : Times New Roman (12), Georgia (11), or Computer Modern (10)

Whichever font you opt for, be sure to use it consistently throughout your paper . Don’t chop and change, or use different fonts for different parts of the document (e.g., different fonts for the body text and the headings). Also, keep in mind that while MLA does not have a specific font requirement, your university may have its own preference or requirement. So, be sure to check with them beforehand regarding any additional specifications they may have.

In general, all text throughout your document needs to be left-aligned and should not be justified (i.e., leave an uneven right edge). You might consider using a different alignment for section headings, but in general, it’s best to keep things simple .

Line spacing

MLA 9th edition requires double line spacing throughout the document . There should also be no extra space before and after paragraphs . This applies to all sections of the paper, including the “Works Cited” page (more on this later).

Page header

Last but not least, you’ll need to set up a running header for your document. This should contain your last name, followed by the page number. Both of these should be positioned in the top right corner of all pages (even the first page). On a related note, there’s no need for you to include any footer content unless your university specifically requests it.

Now that we’ve looked at the generic formatting considerations, let’s dive into the specific requirements for each section of your paper.

The Opening Section

While MLA-formatted papers typically don’t require a title page, there are very specific requirements regarding the opening section of the first page .

Here’s how you can set your first page up for MLA 9th edition.

• On the first line, write your full name (flush left)
• On a new line, write your professor or instructor’s full name
• On a new line, write the course code and course name
• On a new line, write the full date spelt out (e.g., 15 June 2023)
• On a new line, write the full title of your paper , centre-aligned and using title case (consider using a title case converter if you’re not familiar with this)
• On a new line, begin your body content

All of the above should be in plain, unformatted font – in other words, you don’t need to apply any boldfacing, underlining , etc. That said, you should use italics whenever you’re writing out the titles of other works (for example, titles of books or articles).

To make it all a little more tangible, below is an example of a first page formatted according to the MLA specifications that we just covered.

The Main Body

While the formatting requirements for the body section are relatively light for MLA (at least when compared to APA ), there are still quite a few important things to pay attention to. Here’s what you need to know to get started.

Each of your paragraphs needs to start on a new line , and the first sentence of each paragraph requires a half-inch indent (while the rest of the paragraph is flush left aligned). Note that each paragraph simply starts on a new line and doesn’t require an additional blank line.

MLA 9th edition is fairly flexible in terms of heading formatting. There is no specified formatting, so you can decide what works best for you. However, there are still a few basic rules you need to follow:

• All your headings should be written in title case – never use all caps
• There should be no period following a heading
• Each heading level needs to be uniquely formatted and easily distinguishable from other levels (for example, a distinct difference in terms of boldfacing, underlining or italicisation)
• You can have as many heading levels as you need, but each level must have at least two instances

Abbreviations

When using abbreviations, you’ll need to make sure that you’re using the MLA version of the abbreviation . Below we’ve listed a few common ones you should be aware of:

• Appendix: app.
• Circa: c. or ca.
• Chapter: ch.
• Column: col.
• Definition: def.
• Department: dept.
• Example: e.g.
• Edition: ed.
• Figure: fig.
• Foreword: fwd.
• That is: i.e.
• Journal: jour.
• Library: lib.
• Manuscript(s): MS
• Number: no.
• Quoted in: qtd. in
• Revised: rev.
• Section: sec. or sect.
• Series: ser.
• Translation: trans.
• Version: vers.
• Variant: var.
• Volume: vol.

If you’re interested, you can find a more comprehensive list here . Alternatively, if you have access to the MLA 9th edition handbook, you can find the full list in the first appendix.

In-text citations

MLA 9 has a very specific set of requirements regarding how to cite your sources within the body of your paper. Here are some of the most important things to help you get started with MLA citations.

Author-page number system: in-text citations consist of (at a minimum) the lead author’s last name, followed by the page number of the paragraph you are citing. There is no comma between the two components (only a space).

Types of citations: MLA allows two types of in-text citations: parenthetical and narrative . Parenthetical citations feature the author and page number in parentheses (brackets) at the end of the respective sentence. Here’s an example:

MLA 9th edition is easy to grasp if you visit the Grad Coach blog (Jansen 13).

Narrative citations, on the other hand, weave the author’s name into the flow of the sentence and then present the publication date in parentheses at the end of the sentence. Here’s an example:

Jansen states that MLA 9th edition is easy for students to grasp if they visit the Grad Coach blog (13).

In general, it’s a good idea to utilise a mix of both in your writing. Narrative citations are particularly useful when you want to highlight or contrast authors or their viewpoints, while parenthetical citations are useful when you want to strengthen your own academic voice. In other words, both formats have their respective strengths and weaknesses, so try to use citation format strategically in your writing.

Quotations: when quoting text verbatim from a source, there is no need to do anything differently in terms of the citation itself, but do remember to wrap the verbatim text in quotation marks. Here’s an example:

Jansen proposes that MLA 9th edition is “easy to grasp if you visit the Grad Coach blog” (13).

Multiple authors: when citing resources that were authored by three or more people, you only need to list the lead author, followed by “et al.”. Here’s an example:

MLA 9th edition is easy to grasp if you visit the Grad Coach blog (Jansen et al. 13).

 Below are a few more examples from our free MLA template .

Please keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list of all the MLA 9th edition citation-related requirements – just a shortlist of the most commonly relevant ones. If you’d like to learn more, consult the MLA handbook .

The Works Cited (Reference List)

The final section that you’ll need to pay close attention to is the “Works Cited” page, which should contain a list of reference information for all the sources cited in the body of the paper. Again, MLA has a quite a meaty set of specifications regarding the content and formatting of this list, but we’ll cover the basics here to get your started on the right foot. 

Basic setup

Your reference list needs to start on a new page and should be titled “Works Cited”. The title should be unformatted and centred . The reference list should then start on the next line. As with the rest of your document, you should use double line spacing throughout.

When it comes to the reference list itself, you’ll need to keep the following in mind:

• All the sources that you cited in the body of your document should feature in the reference list. Make sure that every citation is accounted for .
• The references should be ordered alphabetically , according to the lead author’s last name .
• The exact information required within each entry depends on the type of content being referenced (e.g., a journal article, web page, etc.)
• Components that may need to feature (other than the author) include the title of the source, the title of the container, other contributors, the article version or number, the publisher, the publication date, and the location.
• All references should be left-aligned and should use a hanging indent – i.e., the second line of any given reference (if it has one) should be indented a half inch.

We have to stress that these are just the basics. MLA 9th edition requires that your references be structured and formatted in a very specific way , depending on the type of resource. If you plan to draft your reference list manually, it’s important to consult your university’s style guide or the MLA manual itself. This leads us to our next point…

In general, it’s a bad idea to write your reference list manually . Given the incredibly high level of intricacy involved, it’s highly likely that you’ll make mistakes if you try to craft this section yourself. A better solution is to use (free) reference management software such as Mendeley or Zotero . Either of these will take care of the formatting and content for you, and they’ll do a much more accurate job of it too. 

If you’re not familiar with any sort of reference management software, be sure to check out our easy-to-follow Mendeley explainer video below.

Wrapping Up

In this post, we’ve provided a primer covering how to format your paper according to MLA 9th edition. To recap, we’ve looked at the following:

• The structure and layout
• The general page setup
• The “Works Cited” page (reference list)

Remember to always check your university’s style guide to familiarise yourself with any additional requirements they may. Also, if your university has specified anything that contrasts what we’ve discussed here, please do follow their guidance . 

If you need any help formatting your paper for MLA 9, take a look at our “done for you” language editing and proofreading service . Simply send us your document and we’ll take care of all the MLA formatting intracies on your behalf. 

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MLA Style Guide: Formatting Your Paper

• Get Started Here
• When, Why, & How to Cite
• Formatting Your Paper
• Citations & Bibliography
• OWL Purdue - MLA Sample Paper

How do I Format My Paper?

     Let's say your professor wants you to format in MLA style, and you have no idea how to do it. Where do you start? And why do you need to use a format anyway?

     There are a few reasons why professors ask you to use a specific format. One reason is to provide consistency between papers while grading. Can you imagine what it would be like to grade 150 papers, and every single one is formatted differently? It would take them quite a bit of time to grade your paper! On top of that, they may be looking for specific things like citations, page numbers, certain paragraphs or names, etc., and using a consistent format helps them find what they looking for quickly and easily, resulting in a faster grade for you!  

     Another reason to learn a format is to prepare you for upper-division classes in your major. It's worth noting that every discipline has its formatting style preference, and learning a citation style like MLA, APA, or Chicago will give you an understanding of how basic style rules work.

Let's get started on the basic rules:

Your paper should be written using a standard (8.5x11 inch) sheet of paper with a common font such as Times New Roman. Some professors may request a different font, but Times New Roman is the most commonly accepted.

The entire document should be double-spaced, including the header and bibliography. You can easily double-space a paper by highlighting the entire document, then pressing the Ctrl button on your keyboard and pressing the 2 (Ctrl + 2).

Margins on the page's sides, top, and bottom are 1 inch. The only exception is with the page number and your name on the right-hand side of the header, which is 1/2 inch from the top of the page.

Pages should be numbered, along with your last name, in the top-right header of the paper.

• Your Name, Professor's Name, Class Name, and Date should be double-spaced on the first page of your paper in the upper left-hand corner, with a 1-inch margin from the top and left sides.
• The title of your paper should be centered, with no boldface, underlining, or italics, unless you include a title within your title.
• Indentations should be 1/2 inch in from the 1-inch font.

Now that you've read this far and have an idea of what you need to do, there is a big shortcut you can use. Word has a few templates for various paper formats, including MLA, APA, and others. To locate these templates, select 'new' under file and type  MLA in the search box . Then select the template you wish to use. Download the Word document to your computer, open the template, and begin typing. 

MLA Style Resources

• MLA Formatting and Style Guide From OWL Purdue University Writing Lab One of the most popular websites regarding citations, bibliographies and plagiarism. Use the search bar on the site to find answers to any obscure question about MLA.

• MLA Style Center Direct from the Modern Language Association (MLA), this site offers help on how to do everything MLA. Offers tutorials, tips, and templates.

Other Useful Places

• Plagiarism by Vivian Harris Last Updated Jul 16, 2024 347 views this year
• English 1A and 1B by Susan Seifried Last Updated Jul 17, 2024 180 views this year
• Norco MLA 9th Style guide
• << Previous: When, Why, & How to Cite
• Next: Citations & Bibliography >>
• Last Updated: Jul 16, 2024 4:33 PM
• URL: https://norcocollege.libguides.com/MLAguide

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What is mla style.

Building confidence in the information and ideas we share with one another is perhaps more important today than ever before, and for nearly a century it has been the driving principle behind MLA style, a set of standards for writing and documentation used by writers to find and evaluate information, alert their audience to the trustworthiness of their findings through citation, and shape the expression of their ideas in conversation with others. 

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MLA Handbook , 9th Edition

The ninth edition of the MLA Handbook , published in spring 2021, builds on the MLA's unique approach to documenting sources using a template of core elements—facts common to most sources, like author, title, and publication date—that allows writers to cite any type of work, from books, e-books, and journal articles in databases to song lyrics, online images, social media posts, dissertations, and more. With this focus on source evaluation as the cornerstone of citation, MLA style promotes the skills of information and digital literacy so crucial today. The new edition offers

• New chapters on grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, numbers, italics, abbreviations, and principles of inclusive language
• Guidelines on setting up research papers in MLA format with updated advice on headings, lists, and title pages for group projects
• Revised, comprehensive, step-by-step instructions for creating a list of works cited in MLA format that are easier to learn and use than ever before
• A new appendix with hundreds of example works-cited-list entries by publication format, including websites, YouTube videos, interviews, and more
• Detailed examples of how to find publication information for a variety of sources
• Newly revised explanations of in-text citations, including comprehensive advice on how to cite multiple authors of a single work
• Detailed guidance on using notes in MLA style
• Instructions on quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, and avoiding plagiarism
• Annotated bibliography examples
• Numbered sections throughout for quick navigation
• Advanced tips for professional writers and scholars

The MLA Style Center offers free online resources on MLA style, including an interactive MLA format template, answers to common questions on Ask the MLA, advice from the MLA editors, and more. Get updates by signing up for The Source newsletter, and follow us on X @MLAstyle .

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Student's Guide to MLA Style (2021) | Citation & Format

To cite sources in MLA style, you need

• In-text citations that give the author’s last name and a page number.
• A list of Works Cited that gives full details of every source.

Make sure your paper also adheres to MLA format : one-inch margins, double spacing, and indented paragraphs, with an MLA style heading on the first page.

You can create citations automatically with our free MLA Citation Generator . Enter a URL, DOI , or ISBN, and the generator will retrieve the necessary information.

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Table of contents

Mla works cited list, the nine core elements of mla citations, mla in-text citations, free lecture slides, frequently asked questions about mla style.

The Works Cited list is where you give full details of all sources you have cited in the text. Other citation styles sometimes call this the “reference list” or “bibliography.” An annotated bibliography is slightly different.

Author . “Source Title.” Container Title , Other contributors , Version , Number , Publisher , Publication date , Location .

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Begin each source entry with the name of the author(s) or creator(s). The name of the first author is always inverted (Last name, First name).

When a source has two authors, the second author’s name is shown in the normal order (First name Last name).

For sources with three or more authors, state only the first author’s name, followed by “ et al. ”

The author of a source is not necessarily a person; it can also be an organization. If so, simply use the name of the organization.

However, if the organization is both the author and publisher , start with the title of the source instead.

MLA author element

Always include the full title of the source, including subtitles (separated by a colon and space).

Use title case —capitalize all words apart from conjunctions , prepositions , and articles . If there is no title, give a short description of the source, with normal sentence case capitalization.

The styling of the title depends on the type of source:

• Italics when the source is self-contained (e.g. a whole book, movie or website).
• Quotation marks when the source is part of a larger whole (e.g. a chapter of a book , a page on a website, or an article in a journal).
• No styling  when describing a source without a title.

3. Container

A container is the larger work that the source you’re citing appears in. For example, a chapter is part of a book, a page is part of a website, and an article is part of a journal.

If the source you’re citing is a self-contained whole (e.g. a whole book), leave out this element.

The container title is always italicized.

Elements 3 (container title) to 9 (location) all provide information about the container.

Sources with two containers

A source can also have two containers. If you watched an episode of a TV show on Netflix, the show title is the first container and Netflix is the second container. If you accessed a journal article through the database JSTOR, the journal name is the first container and JSTOR is the second container.

In most cases, only the title and location (often the URL or DOI ) of the second container are included in the source entry. This is because databases like JSTOR don’t have relevant contributors, versions, publishers, or publication dates.

• Datta, Hannes, et al. “The Challenge of Retaining Customers Acquired with Free Trials”. Journal of Marketing Research , vol. 52, no. 2, Apr. 2015, pp. 217–234. JSTOR , www.jstor.org/stable/43832354.

Pay attention to the punctuation. The author and source title elements each end with a period. Elements within a container are separated by commas, and a period is used to close the container.

4. Other contributors

Contributors are added right after the container title and always end with a comma. Use a description like “translated by,” “directed by,” or “illustrated by” to indicate the role of the contributor. For example:

• Latour, Bruno. Politics of Nature: How to Bring the Sciences into Democracy . Translated by Catherine Porter, Harvard UP, 2004.

When a source has three or more contributors with the same role, include the name of the first contributor followed by “et al.”

If there are no other relevant contributors, leave out this element.

When there is more than one version of a source, you should include the version you used. For example, a second-edition book , an expanded version of a collection, or a director’s cut of a movie would require the version to be included:

• Porter, Michael E. Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors . 2nd ed. , Simon and Schuster, 1998.
• Columbus, Chris, director. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets . director’s cut, Warner Bros., 2002.

Sources such as journal articles (“vol. 18”), magazines (“no. 25”) and TV shows (“season 3, episode 5”) are often numbered. If your source has numbered parts, include this in the source entry:

• Wieseke, Jan, et al. “Willing to Pay More, Eager to Pay Less: The Role of Customer Loyalty in Price Negotiations.” Journal of Marketing , vol. 68, no. 6, 2014, pp. 17–37.

It is also possible for a source to have an edition, volume, and number. Just separate them using commas.

7. Publisher

Book and movie citations always include the publisher element. The publisher is the company responsible for producing and distributing the source—usually a book publisher (e.g. Macmillan or Oxford UP ) or a movie production company (e.g. Paramount Pictures or Warner Bros ).

Note that “University Press” is abbreviated to “UP” in a Works Cited entry. For example, the University of Minnesota Press becomes “U of Minnesota P”; Oxford University Press becomes “Oxford UP.”

When not to add a publisher Sometimes the publisher is already included elsewhere in the source entry, such as in the container title or author element. For example, the publisher of a website is often the same as the website name. In this case, omit the publisher element.

You generally don’t need to include a publisher for the following source types:

• Newspapers and magazines
• Platforms like YouTube, Netflix, or JSTOR

8. Publication date

When available, always include the publication year . If you also know the month, day, or even time of publication, you can include this if it helps the reader to locate the source. Date ranges are also possible. For example:

• 25 Jan. 2019
• 14 Aug. 2017, 4:45 p.m.
• Jan. 2017–Apr. 2018

Multiple publication dates If there is more than one publication date, use the one that is most relevant to your research and take the date of the edition that you have used.

No date When a source does not state a publication date, add the date on which you accessed the information. For example: Accessed 22 Sep. 2018 .

9. Location

What you include in the location element depends on the type of source you are citing:

• Book chapter : Page range of the chapter (e.g. pp. 164–180. )
• Web page : URL, without “https://” (e.g. www.scribbr.com/mla-style/quick-guide/. )
• Journal article : DOI , with “https://”—or stable URL, without: (e.g. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2018.1560449. or www.jstor.org/stable/43832354. )
• Physical object or live event : Name of the location and city (e.g. Moscone Center, San Francisco. or The Museum of Modern Art, New York. )

MLA in-text citations are brief references in the body of your document which direct your reader to the full reference in the Works Cited list. You must include an in-text citation whenever you quote or paraphrase  a source.

A standard MLA in-text citation includes the author’s last name and a page number in parentheses. The page number refers to the exact location of the quote or information that you are citing:

• 66% of voters disagree with the policy (Smith 13) .

If the author is already named in the sentence, you only need to include the page number in parentheses:

• According to Smith , 66% of voters disagree with the policy (13) .

Multiple authors

For a source with two authors, include the last names of both authors. If a source has three or more authors, only include the last name of the first author, followed by “et al.” if in parentheses or “and colleagues” if in the text.

• Smith and Morrison claim that “MLA is the second most popular citation style” (17) .
• According to Reynolds and colleagues , social and demographic circumstances still have a major effect on job prospects (17–19) .

If a source does not state a specific author, the in-text citation should match the first word(s) of the Works Cited entry, whether that’s an organization name or the source title.

Format titles the same as they appear in the Works Cited, with italics or quotation marks. Use the full title if mentioned in the text itself, but an abbreviated title if included in parentheses.

• The article “New Ways to Slow Down Global Warming” claims that . . . (4).
• Reducing carbon emissions slows down climate change (“New Ways” 4) .

No page number

If a source has no page numbers, but is divided into numbered sections (e.g. chapters or numbered paragraphs), use these instead:

• Morrison has shown that there is a great need for . . . (par. 38) .
• Reynolds devotes a chapter to the rise of poverty in some states in the US (ch. 6) .

For audiovisual sources (such as YouTube videos ), use a timestamp:

• In his recent video, Smith argues that climate change should be the main political priority of all governments today (03:15–05:21) .

If there is no numbering system in the original source, include only the author’s name in your citation.

Are you a teacher or professor looking to introduce your students to MLA style? Download our free introductory lecture slides, available for Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint.

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MLA Style  is the second most used citation style (after APA ). It is mainly used by students and researchers in humanities fields such as literature, languages, and philosophy.

The MLA Handbook is currently in its 9th edition , published in 2021.

This quick guide to MLA style  explains the latest guidelines for citing sources and formatting papers according to MLA.

A standard MLA Works Cited entry  is structured as follows:

Only include information that is available for and relevant to your source.

The fastest and most accurate way to create MLA citations is by using Scribbr’s MLA Citation Generator .

Search by book title, page URL, or journal DOI to automatically generate flawless citations, or cite manually using the simple citation forms.

If information about your source is not available, you can either leave it out of the MLA citation or replace it with something else, depending on the type of information.

• No author : Start with the source title.
• No title : Provide a description of the source.
• No date : Provide an access date for online sources; omit for other sources.

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MLA 9th Edition Guide

• A Quick Guide - Core Elements
• Examples of In-Text Citations
• Examples of Citation Type
• Works Cited Page & Formatting
• Page Numbers
• Capitalization
• Title Begins with "A, An" or "The"
• Abbreviations/Truncations
• Missing Information
• Block Quotation
• Literary Criticism
• 1 Page MLA 9th Edition Handout

Ask A Librarian

If you need guidance on finding sources, doing research, finding the best databases for your subject, or anything in between, we're here to help. Staff are generally available 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Monday through Friday.

What Kind of help is offered?

• Finding a research topic
• How to begin research
• How to find sources
• Explain documentation and citation formats

Library Director 

Beth L. Strecker, Ed.D.

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The Basics for an MLA Paper - A Quick Tutorial

Based on MLA Handbook Ninth Edition

This guide was created by MACU Librarians using the MLA Handbook Ninth Edition.  This book is available in the library for additional reference.  The guide here is a basic overview, so please consult the book or ask a librarian for guidance in citing anything not covered here.

Always follow your instructor's guidelines, even if that seems contradictory to what you see here. 

Since this guide is greatly simplified, if you can't find information you need here, consider visiting The Purdue OWL, which creates guides that can be helpful.  Their guide for MLA 9 can be found at:  https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/ .

MLA Handbook. 9 th ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2021.

Core Elements

In your Works Cited page, you will create each entry using nine common elements that can be found in most works, following the order below (and with the punctuation noted below; however, the last element will always be followed by a period).  Provide as much information as is available and simply omit/skip any missing elements.

• Title of source.
• Title of container,   (see below for an explanation of what a container is)
• Other contributors,
• Publication date,

#4, Other contributors - often refers to editors or translators.  See the tab on this Guide entitled "Authors, Editors, Translators, & Publishers" for additional information.

#9, Location - is often the page number(s) or the url for sources accessed online.

Beware Citation Tools

Most of the library's online databases feature tools to help you create your citation.  For example, in EBSCO databases, click on the "Cite" tool button.

These tools can certainly help you get started, but be careful to always double-check your citation.  When this guide was created, none of these tools provided citation formats for MLA version 9 (only version 8), and very often, these database citation tools make mistakes, such as using the wrong punctuation or not capitalizing all of the important words in a title. 

When in doubt, ask a librarian for help.

Formatting Your Paper

• Times New Roman, 12-point font
• Double-spaced
• One inch margins all around
• Header - contains your last name and the page number (including page 1) in the upper right corner of the paper (use the header section in a word processing program like Word or Google Docs and use the "Insert Page Number" feature so that the page numbers auto-update.)
• Insert only one space between your sentences.
• Next: Examples of In-Text Citations >>
• Last Updated: Aug 16, 2024 11:04 AM
• URL: https://macuniversity.libguides.com/MLA9thEdition

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Examples: Edited Papers

Need editing and proofreading services, how to create an mla title page | format, steps, & examples.

• Tags: Formatting Guidelines , MLA , MLA Style

If you’re writing an MLA-style paper for your class, you may need to include a title page or a cover page before the body. While the official MLA 9 Handbook does not mandate a title page, you should include one if your professor asks you to or you’re working on a group project.

In this article, we’ll break down the MLA format title page (also known as an MLA cover page). It’s always easier to just learn from samples, so we’ve included some great MLA title page examples!

When to use an MLA title page

An MLA title page is usually required for formal research papers, essays, and other academic assignments. It is also used while writing dissertations , graduate theses, and other extended works. A title page in the MLA format may not be necessary for shorter assignments or in-class essays. 

If you’re unsure about whether your assignment needs an MLA cover page, consult with your professors or check your university’s guidelines.

What goes in an MLA format title page 

An MLA format title page typically includes the following elements:  

• Author’s name 
• Professor/instructor’s name
• Course name 
• Title of the paper 
• Date of submission 

For bigger projects or papers that you plan on submitting to journals, you may also need to include your university’s name on the title page. Just to be sure, it’s advised that you check the journal’s submission guidelines for a detailed list of elements to include in this section. For reference, you can also look up samples or check the publication’s previous editions.

MLA title page formatting guidelines 

The MLA Handbook specifies important formatting guidelines you must follow while creating a title page. Refer to the guidelines below while writing your MLA cover page:

• Double-space all the elements on the title page.  
• Do not include a header on the title page. 
• Use the same font type and size you have adhered to throughout the paper (preferably, 12-point Times New Roman).
• Align each element (except the paper title) with the left margin. 
• List the information in the following order: 1. Author’s name 2. Instructor’s name 3. Course name and details 4. Date of submission 5. University name
• If there are multiple authors, list each of their names in separate lines. 
• In the center of the page, center-align the title of your paper. 
• Use the title case while writing the title of your paper. 
• Italicize names of media such as books, films, and TV shows. 

If you don’t need to include an MLA cover page, you will have to include a title section in the top half of your paper’s first page. The formatting guidelines for this are largely the same as the title page, except that the title is center-aligned in the line following your name and credentials.

Since this is the first page of your paper, you’ll have to add an MLA header in the top right corner of the page. Here’s how the page should look:

How to create an MLA title page on MS Word 

Students no longer have to manually format their academic papers and can rely on the blessings of Google Docs and MS Word. These word processors come with built-in templates that automatically format documents according to the MLA style. You can use these features to format your title page as well as the rest of the research paper. 

Follow these steps to write a title page in MLA format:  

• Launch Microsoft Word and open a blank document. 
• Under the “File” menu, click on the “New” tab. 
• Use the search bar and type “MLA” to find a sample template. 
• Select the template that corresponds to your document type (research paper, essay, etc.). 
• Check the preformatted document to see if it largely matches your university or department’s style guidelines. 
• Replace the placeholder text in the document with your paper’s information. 
• Cross-check what you have with your guidelines once again and fill in additional details that the template may have missed.
• Save your document and continue to add the rest of your text. 

MLA title page examples 

The guidelines we’ve laid out give you a general overview of the MLA title page format. Whether you’re working on a paper, essay, dissertation, or journal article, you will be required to adhere to these conventions. 

The format required of you may vary from the standard MLA cover page depending on the university guidelines or submission rules. To make it easier for you, we’ve put down some MLA title page examples that you can refer to while formatting your paper. 

MLA title page example: Two authors 

1. MLA cover page with two authors

2. MLA title section with two authors

MLA title page example: Three or more authors 

1. MLA cover page with multiple authors

2. MLA title section with multiple authors

If you need experts to review your paper, our paper editing services are at your… well, service! Meanwhile, here are some resources to help you learn more about the MLA style and academic writing: 

• How to Cite Sources in the MLA Format
• MLA Citation Examples: Essays, Websites, Movies, and More
• How to Write an MLA Essay Header
• How to Write a Research Paper: A Step-by-Step Guide
• Research Paper Outline: Templates & Examples   

Frequently Asked Questions

Should i include a title in an mla format paper, should the mla title page be double-spaced, should the mla title page be numbered, where should the mla title page be placed within the paper, what goes in the mla title page.

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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / MLA Format / How to Cite an Essay in MLA

How to Cite an Essay in MLA

The guidelines for citing an essay in MLA format are similar to those for citing a chapter in a book. Include the author of the essay, the title of the essay, the name of the collection if the essay belongs to one, the editor of the collection or other contributors, the publication information, and the page number(s).

Citing an Essay

Mla essay citation structure.

Last, First M. “Essay Title.” Collection Title, edited by First M. Last, Publisher, year published, page numbers. Website Title , URL (if applicable).

MLA Essay Citation Example

Gupta, Sanjay. “Balancing and Checking.” Essays on Modern Democracy, edited by Bob Towsky, Brook Stone Publishers, 1996, pp. 36-48. Essay Database, www . databaseforessays.org/modern/modern-democracy.

MLA Essay In-text Citation Structure

(Last Name Page #)

MLA Essay In-text Citation Example

Click here to cite an essay via an EasyBib citation form.

MLA Formatting Guide

MLA Formatting

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• Bibliography
• Block Quotes
• et al Usage
• In-text Citations
• Paraphrasing
• Page Numbers
• Sample Paper
• Works Cited
• MLA 8 Updates
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• View MLA Guide

Citation Examples

• Book Chapter
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• View all MLA Examples

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To cite your sources in an essay in MLA style, you need to have basic information including the author’s name(s), chapter title, book title, editor(s), publication year, publisher, and page numbers. The templates for in-text citations and a works-cited-list entry for essay sources and some examples are given below:

In-text citation template and example:

For citations in prose, use the first name and surname of the author on the first occurrence. For subsequent citations, use only the surname(s). In parenthetical citations, always use only the surname of the author(s).

Citation in prose:

First mention: Annette Wheeler Cafarelli

Subsequent occurrences: Wheeler Cafarelli

Parenthetical:

….(Wheeler Cafarelli).

Works-cited-list entry template and example:

The title of the chapter is enclosed in double quotation marks and uses title case. The book or collection title is given in italics and uses title case.

Surname, First Name. “Title of the Chapter.” Title of the Book , edited by Editor(s) Name, Publisher, Publication Year, page range.

Cafarelli, Annette Wheeler. “Rousseau and British Romanticism: Women and British Romanticism.” Cultural Interactions in the Romantic Age: Critical Essays in Comparative Literature , edited by Gregory Maertz. State U of New York P, 1998, pp. 125–56.

To cite an essay in MLA style, you need to have basic information including the author(s), the essay title, the book title, editor(s), publication year, publisher, and page numbers. The templates for citations in prose, parenthetical citations, and works-cited-list entries for an essay by multiple authors, and some examples, are given below:

For citations in prose, use the first name and surname of the author (e.g., Mary Strine).

For sources with two authors, use both full author names in prose (e.g., Mary Strine and Beth Radick).

For sources with three or more authors, use the first name and surname of the first author followed by “and others” or “and colleagues” (e.g., Mary Strine and others). In subsequent citations, use only the surname of the first author followed by “and others” or “and colleagues” (e.g., Strine and others).

In parenthetical citations, use only the author’s surname. For sources with two authors, use two surnames (e.g., Strine and Radick). For sources with three or more author names, use the first author’s surname followed by “et al.”

First mention: Mary Strine…

Subsequent mention: Strine…

First mention: Mary Strine and Beth Radick…

Subsequent mention: Strine and Radick…

First mention: Mary Strine and colleagues …. or Mary Strine and others

Subsequent occurrences: Strine and colleagues …. or Strine and others

…. (Strine).

….(Strine and Radick).

….(Strine et al.).

The title of the essay is enclosed in double quotation marks and uses title case. The book or collection title is given in italics and uses title case.

Surname, First Name, et al. “Title of the Essay.” Title of the Book , edited by Editor(s) Name, Publisher, Publication Year, page range.

Strine, Mary M., et al. “Research in Interpretation and Performance Studies: Trends, Issues, Priorities.” Speech Communication: Essays to Commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Speech Communication Association , edited by Gerald M. Phillips and Julia T. Wood, Southern Illinois UP, 1990, pp. 181–204.

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MLA Citation Guide

• MLA Citations

MLA Core Elements

Abbreviations, citing indirect quotations, editing content.

• Works Cited List
• Library Databases
• Online Sources
• Print Books
• Other Sources
• In-Text Citations
• Formatting Your Paper

Fig. 1. Core elements of an MLA citation: (1) Author. (2) Title of source. (3) Title of container, (4) Contributor, (5) Version, (6) Number, (7) Publisher, (8) Publication date, (9) Location. From "Works Cited: A Quick Guide,"  The MLA Style Center .

Citations for all sources follow the core elements in the order listed by MLA (fig. 1):

Author. Title of source. Supplemental element 1 ( only when needed ). Title of container, Contributor, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, Location. Supplemental element 2 ( only when needed ). 

A container  has all of the information about where you found your source - for example, a website or database.  Some works are self-contained , meaning that the only container elements used would be the publisher, publication date, and sometimes location. An example of this is a physical printed book.   Sometimes you will need two or more containers.  A good example is a journal article (your source), which is published in a scholarly journal (first container), and which you are likely to find in a database (second container). 

For some sources, not all of the information listed in the MLA core template will be available. Only include information that is relevant to the source you’re citing, and do not include placeholders such as “n.d.” (no date). When creating your citation, your goal is to give your reader enough information to find the source online or in a library.  ​

Definitions of MLA Core Elements

The writer, editor, director, or other creator(s) of a work. This can be one or more people, a government organization, or a company.

Title of Source

The title of the book, article, chapter, movie, podcast, etc., that you used. Shorter works or episodes are in “quotes.” Longer standalone works are in italics . Some sources, such as maps, artifacts, and social media posts, do not have titles. When this is the case, create a short description to use in the Title element (do not put the description in quotes or italics).

Supplemental Element 1

Use this for information relevant to the work that is  not  relevant to the container. Usually this would be additional  contributors  or an original publication date .

• Examples of additional contributors include translator, editor, narrator, and guest director.
• Original publication dates are used when a date only applies to the title of the source, not to the container. For example, if you view a Supreme Court decision online, you would use the original publication date (when the decision was issued), not the date it was uploaded online.

Title of Container

Only added to the citation if the work you used is part of a larger work (for example, a short story from an anthology, an article from a newspaper, or an episode of a TV show).

Other contributors

Editor(s), translator(s), performer(s), or other people who contributed to the work.

Edition or version of a work, such as the 9th edition of the MLA Handbook , the King James Version of the Bible, or the director’s cut of Blade Runner .

Applies to works in serial format, such as magazine articles or episodes of a TV show. Also applies to multi-volume works, such as encyclopedias.

The company, organization, or government entity responsible for publishing or producing the work.

Publication date

The date the work was published, posted, or released.

Where to find the work – for example, the URL or an article’s page numbers in a magazine.

Supplemental element 2

Used for information that applies to the entire work, including its containers. The second supplemental element slot can contain the following information (this is not a complete list –  for more, consult a librarian or see the  MLA Handbook , 9th edition, pp. 208-217):

• Date of access  – Include when the source is a website without a publication date, or when you think an online source might have been changed or removed.
• Medium of publication  – Include when the format  of a source is important or might be confusing, or when you use a source's supplemental material . Examples: transcript, EPUB, DVD, liner notes, PDF download, lecture. 
• Government documents  – Specifically for documents created by the United States Congress. Include: the number of Congress, the session of Congress, whether the document came from the Senate or House of Representatives, the type of document (bill, resolution, report), and the number of the document. If it was legislation that passed, also include the date. For example:   115th Congress, 2nd session, House Resolution 6147, passed 1 Aug. 2018 .

Database as container

If you found your source in a database , you will need to repeat the following two elements at the end of your citation:

• Title of container – The name of the database. It is italicized.
• A DOI is a digital object identifier – a unique ID for a digital item, like a VIN for a car. It is usually a string of numbers and sometimes letters.

Publishers' Names

Remove  the following words and abbreviations from a publisher's name:

• Company / Co.
• Corporation / Corp.
• Incorporated / Inc. 
• Limited / Ltd.
• For example,  The Overlook Press becomes Overlook Press  in your citation.

Academic Publishers

University is abbreviated as U , and press is abbreviated as P . Examples:

• The University of Chicago Press becomes U of Chicago P .
• Oxford University Press becomes Oxford UP .

May , June , and July are not abbreviated. The other nine months are abbreviated as follows – January: Jan. / February: Feb. / March: Mar. / April: Apr. / August: Aug. / September: Sept. / October: Oct. / November: Nov. / December: Dec.

When you use information from an article that is summarizing outside sources, MLA recommends that you cite the article you got the information from and not the ones whose information you are summarizing. 

For example, look at this quote from an article in the Britannica Encyclopedia about a coffee experiment written by Nathan Myhrvold.

Meghan Grim, Niny Rao, and Megan Fuller at Thomas Jefferson University roasted Colombian beans at five different temperatures....To extend the research, Grim, Rao, and Fuller are currently standardizing their process and asking additional questions like, how does roasting temperature affect coffee's many flavor compounds? The researchers are presenting their results at the American Chemical Society's Spring 2020 National Meeting & Exposition in Philadelphia.

To incorporate this information in your essay, you can either paraphrase, use a direct quote, or summarize the information. Here are two examples. If you need more help paraphrasing, quoting, and summarizing you can find more examples in our How to Avoid Plagiarism Guide . 

• Researchers are studying what roasting coffee beans at different temperatures does to the flavor of coffee, the results of which will be presented at the American Chemical Society's 2020 National Meeting & Exposition (Myhryold).
• When it comes to roasting coffee, the Britannica Encyclopedia entry on "coffee roasting" states that roasting coffee beans is a field researchers are looking into and the researchers Rao, Grim, and Fuller are interested in finding out "how does roasting temperature affect coffee's many flavor compounds" (Myhryold).

For both examples above, your citation stays the same and you should cite the Britannica Encyclopedia authors in both instances, not the researchers being quoted.

Works Cited: 

Myhrvold, Nathan. "coffee roasting".  Encyclopedia Britannica , 20 Jan. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/topic/coffee-roasting. 

• One author:  Listed as LastName, FirstName . Example: Smith, Jane.
• Two authors:  Listed in the order they appear in the work as Author1LastName, FirstName, and Author2FirstName LastName . Example: Smith, Jane, and John Doe.
• ​​​​​Et al.  is an abbreviation for et alia , a Latin phrase that means "and others." Style manuals and editors use the abbreviation "et al." to save space and ink.
• Corporation or organization as author:  Do not reverse any part of the organization's name. If the organization's name begins with an article ( a ,  an , or  the ), omit it. Examples:  RAND Corporation ;  Beatles
• Articles  and posts  from online magazines, newspapers, and blogs: The title of the source will go in quotation marks . Example:  "Art Fraud."
• Book chapters:  Same format as articles - the title goes in quotation marks.
• Entire books:  The title is  italicized . Example:  The SAGE Handbook of Child Research.
• Articles:  The title of the article's magazine, journal, newspaper, or encyclopedia in italics . Example:  Consumer Reports .
• Book chapters:  The title of the entire book in  italics . Example:  Skateboarding: The Ultimate Guide.
• Entire books:  Omit this element and skip to Other Contributors. (The library database is a container, but it goes at the end of the citation.)

Other Contributors

• Articles:  Typically don't have other contributors.
• Book chapters:  If the author of the chapter is different than the book's editor, use the phrase  Edited by FirstName LastName . Example: Edited by Jane Doe .
• Entire books:  If there is an  editor  or  translator  in addition to the book's author, use the phrase  Edited/Translated by FirstName LastName.  Example:  Translated by Seamus Heaney.
• Articles:  Library database articles typically don't have versions.
• Book chapters:  Same as for entire books - see below.
• Entire books:  If the book's publication information includes a version (e.g., "Revised edition" or "3rd edition"), use the phrase  X ed.  Example:  3rd ed.
• Some periodicals have only issue numbers without volumes. In this case, omit  vol.  from your citation.
• Articles from multi-volume encyclopedias use the same number format as entire books - see below.
• Book chapters:  Same as for entire books - see below.
• Entire books:  Only included if it is a multi-volume work. Use the phrase vol. X.  Example:  vol. 3
• Articles:  Magazines, newspapers, and journals typically do not include publisher information. Encyclopedia articles use the same format as entire books - see below.
• Entire books:  Omit "the" if it begins the publisher's name. Abbreviate the words Company ( Co. ), Corporation ( Corp. ), Incorporated ( Inc. ), and Limited ( Ltd. ). For academic presses, University is abbreviated as  U  (no period) and Press is abbreviated as  P  (no period).
• If the publication lists an exact date , use the format  DD Month Year . Example:  12 June 2019
• If the exact date is not listed, use the format Month Year  or season Year . Examples:  Apr. 2015, winter 2017
• If the article is from a periodical published every other month or every other season, use the format  Month-Month Year  or season-season Year . Examples:  spring-summer 2016, July-Aug. 2011
• Book chapters:  The year the book was published.
• Entire books:  The year the book was published.
• For a single-page article, use the format  p. X.  Example:  p. 22 .
• For articles of two pages or more, use  pp. X-X . Example:  pp. 37-52 .
• For articles that run on non-consecutive pages (for example, a newspaper article that starts on p. B1 and continues on p. B4), use  pp. X+ . Example: pp. B1+ .
• Some books use Roman numerals for introductions and prefaces. If this is the case, use the same number formatting as the book. Examples:  p. III ,   pp. xx-xiv .
• Entire books:  Do not use this element.

Supplemental Element 2

• Date of access:   Do not include this in database citations  unless your instructor asks you to. If you do need to include it, format it as Accessed  DD Month Year . Example: Accessed 12 Feb. 2020 .
• Medium of publication:  Include when you use a source's supplemental material. Examples: Transcript , PDF download . 
• Government documents:  Specifically for documents created by the United States Congress (the Senate and/or the House of Representatives). Include: the number of Congress, the session of Congress, whether the document came from the Senate or House of Representatives, the type of document (bill, resolution, report), and the number of the document. If it was legislation that passed, also include the date. Example:  115th Congress, 2nd session, House Resolution 6147, passed 1 Aug. 2018 .

Since these sources are all from library databases, you will need to include the following information at the end of the citation:

• Title of the database  in italics. Example:  EBSCOhost .
• Don't  copy the link from your browser's address bar - it is often a temporary link. Instead, look at the article's record for a link button  or a field labeled  permalink ,  document link , or  stable link .
• Don't  insert a space or hyphen to create line breaks.
• Don't  use a URL shortener such as Bitly or TinyURL.
• Omit https://  from the beginning of the URL, unless doing that breaks the link.
• If the DOI is already in link format, you can use it as-is. Example:  https://www.doi.org/10.1139/cjp-2018-0821
• The DOI might be listed on the document in an older format, such as  DOI: 10.2514/1.J052201 . If so, place the DOI at the end of the URL  https://www.doi.org/  ( do  include the https://). Example: https://www.doi.org/ 10.2514/1.J052201 .
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• Next: Works Cited List >>
• Last Updated: Sep 18, 2024 5:00 PM
• URL: https://butlercc.libguides.com/mla

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Writing and Presenting Guide

• Citing Your Sources

What is MLA Style?

MLA Style, currently in its  8th edition , is a citation protocol established by the Modern Language Association.  MLA is most often used in the Humanities disciplines including, but not limited to:

• English Language & Literature
• Comparative Literature
• Cultural Studies
• Foreign Languages
• Other areas in the humanities

Be sure to check with your professor as to what citation style is required for each assignment!

What does MLA Style Include?

• the format & page layout of your paper
• stylistic technicalities (e.g. abbreviations, footnotes, quotations)
• how you cite other authors within the body of your paper
• how you compile a references page at the end of your paper

Citing Sources in MLA: Books & Web Resources

The library provides access to resources like books, eBooks, and websites that can help you cite sources in MLA style. Please visit our  Citing Your Sources  guide or explore the books and web resources listed below for help. You may also want to contact the  Wolak Learning Center  (Campus Students) or  Academic Support Center  (Online Students) for additional information about citing sources in MLA Style.

Helpful Books from the Library

To find more books and eBooks on citing sources in MLA Style, please search the Multi-Search or the  Online Library Catalog .

Helpful Web Resources

• MLA Style Center
• MLA Style Center: Works Cited: A Quick Guide
• MLA Style Center: Formatting a Research Paper
• Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL): MLA Formatting & Style Guide
• Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL): MLA Overview & Workshop
• Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL): MLA Sample Paper
• MLA Citation Style (Cornell University Library)

These web resources may be helpful if you need assistance citing sources in MLA Style. However, be sure to evaluate any sources you use--the Shapiro Library cannot vouch for the accuracy of information provided on external websites.

Citing Sources in MLA: Video Tutorials

Via the  Hoonuit  database, currently enrolled SNHU students, faculty, and staff can access video tutorials that can help you cite sources in MLA style. When you click on a link below you will be prompted to log in. Please log in using your mySNHU credentials.

MLA Full Playlist (Hoonuit)

• MLA (8th Ed.) Research Paper Basics (Hoonuit)

Examples of Sources Cited in MLA

Visit these links to see examples of citing sources in MLA. Check out the OWL at Purdue website for more examples of MLA style formatting. 

• Books (Shapiro Library MLA Guide)
• Journal Articles (Shapiro Library MLA Guide)
• Magazines (Shapiro Library MLA Guide)
• Newspapers (Shapiro Library MLA Guide)
• Websites (Shapiro Library MLA Guide)
• Images (Shapiro Library MLA Guide)
• Film & Video (Shapiro Library MLA Guide)
• In-Text Citations (Shapiro Library MLA Guide)

More Help Citing Sources in MLA

Campus students.

To access academic support, visit your Brightspace course and select “Tutoring and Mentoring” from the Academic Support pulldown menu.

Online Students

To access help with citation and more, visit Academic Support via modules in Brightspace:

• The Complete Guide to Using Academic Support via Brightspace This link opens in a new window
• Accessing Writing STEM Help This link opens in a new window
• << Previous: APA Style
• Next: Chicago Style >>

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

MLA Sample Paper

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

This resource contains a sample MLA paper that adheres to the 2016 updates. To download the MLA sample paper, click this link .

Thursday, February 23: The Clark Library is closed today.

MLA Style (9th Edition) Citation Guide: Introduction to MLA Style

• Introduction to MLA Style
• Journal Articles
• Magazine/Newspaper Articles
• Books & Ebooks
• Government & Legal Documents
• Biblical Sources
• Secondary Sources
• Videos/DVDs/TV Shows
• How to Cite: Other
• 9th Edition Updates
• Additional Help

Who should use MLA Style?

MLA style is used to cite sources within English, international languages, theater, cultural studies, and other humanities. 

What is MLA Style?

MLA style was created by the Modern Language Association of America. It is a set of rules for publications, including research papers.

In MLA style, you must cite sources that you have paraphrased, quoted or otherwise used to write your research paper. Cite your sources in two places:

• In the body of your paper where you add a brief in-text citation .
• In the Works Cited list at the end of your paper where you give more complete information for the source.
• Sample Student Papers (MLA Handbook Plus)
• MLA Style Sample Paper (Purdue OWL)
• Formatting Your MLA Paper (including paper template)

MLA Core Elements

When deciding how to cite your source, start by consulting the list of core elements. These are the general pieces of information that MLA suggests including in each Works Cited entry. In your citation, the elements should be listed in the following order:

• Title of source.
• Title of container,
• Other contributors,
• Publication date,

Each element should be followed by the punctuation mark shown here. Earlier editions of the handbook included the place of publication and required different punctuation (such as journal editions in parentheses and colons after issue numbers). In the current version, punctuation is simpler (only commas and periods separate the elements), and information about the source is kept to the basics.

Note: According to p. 42 of the MLA Handbook, publisher information may be omitted for:

• periodicals (journals, magazines, newspapers)
• works published by an author or editor
• web sites whose title is the same as the name of the publisher
• a web site not involved in producing the work it makes (e.g. user-generated content sites like YouTube)

Commonly Used Terms

Access Date:  The date you first look at a source. The access date is added to the end of citations for all websites except library databases.

Citation: Details about one cited source.

Citing: The process of acknowledging the sources of your information and ideas.

In-Text Citation: A brief note at the point where information is used from a source to indicate where the information came from. An in-text citation should always match more detailed information that is available in the Works Cited List.

Paraphrasing: Taking information that you have read and putting it into your own words.

Plagiarism: Taking, using, and passing off as your own, the ideas or words of another.

Quoting: The copying of words of text originally published elsewhere. Direct quotations generally appear in quotation marks and end with a citation.

Works Cited List: Contains details on ALL the sources cited in a text or essay, and supports your research and/or premise.

• Next: How to Cite: Common Sources >>
• Last Updated: Sep 18, 2024 10:06 AM
• URL: https://libguides.up.edu/mla