The Complete Guide
MLA 9th Edition Page Setup · Margins, Font & Spacing · First-Page Heading Block · Running Header · Section Headings · In-Text Citations · Block Quotes · Works Cited · Common Mistakes
Essential Understanding: MLA Paper Format at a Glance
MLA paper format—the set of layout, typography, citation, and documentation rules established by the Modern Language Association and codified in the MLA Handbook, now in its 9th edition (2021)—is the standard formatting system required for academic writing in English, literature, humanities, cultural studies, film studies, linguistics, and foreign language courses across high school, undergraduate, and graduate programs throughout North America and internationally. Formatting a paper in MLA style means applying a precise and consistent set of visual and structural rules to every element of your document: the page setup specifies one-inch margins on all sides and a legible standard font—typically Times New Roman 12-point—applied uniformly throughout the entire document; double spacing is required everywhere in the paper with no extra space added before or after paragraphs; the first-page heading block replaces a separate title page for most student papers, presenting the student’s name, instructor’s name, course name, and date in a flush-left stack of four double-spaced lines immediately followed by the centered paper title; a running header in the upper-right corner of every page carries the student’s last name and the page number flush right, half an inch from the top edge; paragraph indentation of half an inch begins every body paragraph using the tab key rather than the spacebar; in-text citations use the author-page format—(Author Page) with no comma and no year—directing readers to a corresponding entry in the Works Cited page that begins on a new page after the paper’s conclusion and lists every cited source in hanging-indent, alphabetical format; block quotes of four or more lines of prose (or three or more lines of poetry) are indented one inch from the left margin without quotation marks, with the parenthetical citation following the final punctuation of the quoted passage—the one formatting exception where citation follows rather than precedes the sentence period; section headings are permitted for longer papers in a five-level hierarchy starting with centered bold for the highest level; tables and figures appear in the body of the paper as close as possible to the relevant text, labeled and captioned according to MLA specifications; and the Works Cited page itself must carry the centered heading Works Cited (not bolded, not italicized), list all cited sources alphabetically with 0.5-inch hanging indents, and maintain double spacing throughout with no extra blank lines between entries. MLA 9th edition—the current standard as of this guide’s publication—introduced or clarified several important formatting details relative to MLA 8, including expanded guidance on section headings, inclusive language, and URL formatting for online sources. This comprehensive guide covers every dimension of MLA paper formatting from scratch—the page setup checklist, the first-page layout, the running header, paragraph and line spacing, in-text citation format, block quote structure, section heading levels, table and figure labeling, Works Cited page construction, the differences between MLA 8 and MLA 9 formatting, and the most common formatting mistakes—giving students writing essays, research papers, literature reviews, and any other academic assignment requiring MLA format the single most complete resource for getting every formatting element precisely right from the first page to the last.
What Is MLA Format and Who Uses It?
The first research paper I ever submitted in college came back with a grade that humbled me—not because my argument was weak, but because I had used APA format in an English class. I had the content. I didn’t have the format. The difference between an A and a B in many humanities courses isn’t the depth of your analysis; it’s whether your paper looks exactly like your instructor expects it to look. MLA format is that expectation made explicit.
MLA format—the formatting and citation system developed by the Modern Language Association—is the default documentation style in English composition, literary studies, film studies, cultural studies, linguistics, art history, and most other humanities disciplines. If you’re enrolled in an English or writing course and your assignment sheet doesn’t specify a citation style, MLA is almost certainly what your instructor expects. Its rules cover every visible element of a paper, from the font on your title to the punctuation after the last Works Cited entry.
What MLA Format Governs: A Complete Overview
MLA format is more comprehensive than most students initially realize. It doesn’t just dictate how to cite sources—it governs the entire physical presentation of your paper. Understanding what MLA covers helps you approach formatting systematically rather than searching for one rule at a time under deadline pressure.
Page Setup
One-inch margins on all sides, standard font, double spacing throughout, and half-inch paragraph indentation applied uniformly from the first word to the last.
First-Page Layout
A four-line heading block in the upper left (no separate title page for most papers), followed by a centered paper title, followed immediately by the first paragraph.
Running Header
Last name and page number flush right in the upper-right corner of every page, half an inch from the top—inserted via the word processor’s header function.
In-Text Citations
Author-page format—(Smith 45)—with no comma, no year. Every borrowed idea, quotation, or paraphrase requires an in-text citation pointing to a Works Cited entry.
Block Quotes
Prose quotations of four or more lines (three or more for poetry) indented one inch from the left margin, double-spaced, without quotation marks.
Works Cited Page
A new page at the paper’s end listing all cited sources alphabetically with hanging indents, double-spaced throughout, under the centered heading “Works Cited.”
12pt
Default font size for MLA papers (Times New Roman or similar readable serif)
1″
Required margin on all four sides of every page throughout the document
2×
Double spacing required throughout — body text, heading block, block quotes, Works Cited
0.5″
Paragraph indentation for every body paragraph and hanging indent for Works Cited entries
MLA Page Setup: Margins, Font, Spacing, and Paper
Page setup is the foundation of MLA formatting. These settings should be applied to your document before you write a single word—changing them after the fact often creates unexpected spacing and pagination problems. Most modern word processors default to many of these settings, but verify each one explicitly before beginning.
Margins
All four margins must be exactly one inch—top, bottom, left, and right. This is the default in Microsoft Word and Google Docs, but verify it regardless. In Word: Layout tab → Margins → Normal (1″ all sides). In Google Docs: File → Page setup → Set all margins to 1 inch. Never adjust margins to make a paper look longer or to squeeze in a conclusion that ran long. Instructors notice immediately when margins deviate from standard, and some plagiarism detection systems flag unusual margins as a sign of padding.
Font: What MLA 9 Actually Requires
MLA 9th edition moved away from mandating a single specific font, instead requiring a font that is readable and creates a clear contrast between regular and italic type. In practice, these are the commonly accepted options:
| Font | Size | Notes | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Times New Roman | 12pt | Traditional default; most widely expected by instructors | Universal — always safe |
| Georgia | 11pt | Slightly more readable on screen; approved by MLA 9 | Widely accepted |
| Calibri | 11pt | Word default; clean and modern but sans-serif | Accepted by most instructors |
| Arial | 11pt | Sans-serif; clear but less traditional for literary essays | Accepted, less preferred |
| Comic Sans, Papyrus, decorative fonts | Any | Never acceptable in academic writing | Never use |
When in Doubt, Use Times New Roman 12pt
MLA 9’s flexibility on font choice is designed for academic publishers and editors, not necessarily for student papers. Your instructor may have a specific preference. If your assignment sheet, course syllabus, or instructor does not specify a font, Times New Roman 12-point is the single safest choice—it is what most instructors visualize when they say “MLA format,” and it is the example font used in the MLA Handbook itself.
Line Spacing: Double Throughout, No Exceptions
Double-space every single line in your MLA paper—the heading block, the title, every paragraph of body text, every block quote, and every line of the Works Cited page. There should be no single-spaced sections anywhere in an MLA document, and no extra blank lines between paragraphs or between Works Cited entries beyond the standard double spacing.
In Microsoft Word: Home tab → Line and Paragraph Spacing → 2.0. Then click “Remove Space Before Paragraph” and “Remove Space After Paragraph” to eliminate any automatic extra spacing. Alternatively, use the Paragraph dialog box to set Line spacing to Double and set Before and After to 0pt.
In Google Docs: Format → Line & paragraph spacing → Double. Then go to Format → Line & paragraph spacing → Remove space before paragraph and Remove space after paragraph.
Paragraph Indentation
Every body paragraph begins with a half-inch (0.5″) indent from the left margin. Use the Tab key—which should be set to 0.5 inches by default in most word processors—rather than pressing the spacebar five times. Never use manual spaces to create indentation; the result is visually inconsistent and will not hold correctly when the document is converted to PDF or printed. The Works Cited page uses the same 0.5″ measurement for its hanging indents, though the direction is reversed (first line flush, subsequent lines indented).
Paper and Page Orientation
MLA papers are formatted on standard letter-size paper (8.5 × 11 inches in North America; A4 is typically acceptable for international students). Page orientation is always portrait (vertical). Never use landscape orientation unless a table or figure genuinely requires it, and even then, landscape pages are rare in humanities writing. Printed MLA papers should be single-sided unless your instructor specifies otherwise.
The First Page: Heading Block, Title, and Opening Paragraph
The first page of an MLA paper has a specific layout that differs from many other formatting styles. Most notably, MLA does not use a separate cover page or title page for standard student papers—all identifying information appears on the first page itself, and the body of the paper begins on that same page.
The Four-Line Heading Block
In the upper-left corner of the first page, flush with the left margin, you place four lines of identifying information in this exact order:
- Your full name (first and last)
- Your instructor’s name (use their preferred title and spelling—Professor, Dr., Mr., Ms.)
- The course name and number (exactly as it appears in your course catalog or syllabus)
- The date in day-month-year format: 8 March 2026 (not March 8, 2026)
All four lines are double-spaced. There is no extra space between the heading block and the title, or between the title and the first paragraph—the entire first page is uniformly double-spaced from top to bottom.
The Paper Title
Immediately after the heading block, on the very next double-spaced line, type your paper’s title centered on the page. MLA has specific rules for how the title itself is formatted:
- Use standard title case: capitalize the first word, last word, and all major words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs). Do not capitalize articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions (and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet), or prepositions unless they begin the title.
- Do not bold, italicize, underline, or put your own title in quotation marks.
- If your title contains the title of another work, apply the appropriate formatting to that embedded title: italicize book/film titles; use quotation marks for article/poem/chapter titles.
- Do not place a period after your title.
✗ Incorrect Title Formatting
“The Role of Light Symbolism in The Great Gatsby”
(quotation marks around own title — wrong)
THE ROLE OF LIGHT SYMBOLISM IN THE GREAT GATSBY
(all caps — wrong)
✓ Correct Title Formatting
The Role of Light Symbolism in The Great Gatsby
(title case, no special formatting on own title; italics only on embedded book title)
Complete First-Page Layout: A Visual Example
Jane Smith
Professor M. Johnson
English 102: Literature and Society
8 March 2026
The Role of Light Symbolism in The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel employs light as a persistent metaphor for aspiration and disillusionment. The green light at the end of Daisy’s dock, the yellow windows of Gatsby’s parties, and the blazing eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg all participate in a luminous symbolic vocabulary that illuminates the hollowness beneath the American Dream’s glittering surface (Fitzgerald 25).
The Running Header Is Not Part of the Heading Block
Notice in the example above that “Smith 1” appears in the upper-right corner—this is the running header, inserted through your word processor’s header function, not typed as part of the heading block on the left. It floats above the one-inch top margin at 0.5 inches from the top edge. The heading block (your name, instructor’s name, course, date) is in the body of the first page within the one-inch margins. These are two completely separate elements and must not be confused.
When Does MLA Require a Separate Title Page?
Standard MLA format for student papers does not include a separate title page. The information goes on the first page as described above. However, some instructors—particularly for longer research papers, seminar papers, or graduate-level work—may require a title page. If your instructor requires one, follow their specific instructions for its content and layout. MLA 9th edition does provide formatting guidelines for a title page when one is specifically required, but it is not the MLA default for student essays.
The Running Header: Last Name and Page Numbers
Every page of an MLA paper—including the Works Cited page—must carry a running header in the upper-right corner. This header contains your last name, a space, and the page number: Smith 1, Smith 2, Smith 3, and so on. It appears half an inch (0.5″) from the top of the page, flush with the right margin, in the same font and size as the rest of your paper.
How to Insert the Running Header: Step by Step
In Microsoft Word:
- Go to the Insert tab → Header → Edit Header.
- In the Header & Footer Design tab, check the Different First Page box if your instructor asks you to omit the header from the first page (some do). Otherwise, leave it unchecked.
- Set the header text alignment to Right.
- Type your last name followed by a space.
- Go to Header & Footer tab → Page Number → Current Position → Plain Number.
- Close the header. The header will now appear automatically on every page with the correct page number.
In Google Docs:
- Go to Insert → Headers & footers → Header.
- Click inside the header area. Set alignment to Right.
- Type your last name and a space.
- Go to Insert → Page numbers → select the top-right option (page number in header, starting at 1).
- Click outside the header area to return to the document body.
Should the Header Appear on Page One?
MLA format traditionally includes the running header on every page including page one. However, some instructors prefer that the header not appear on the first page (since the heading block already identifies the paper). Check your assignment guidelines. If your instructor doesn’t specify, include the header on every page — this is the MLA default. The “Different First Page” option in Word lets you omit it from page one while keeping it on all subsequent pages if your instructor prefers that approach.
Common Running Header Mistakes
Only Page Number, No Last Name
MLA requires both: Last Name + space + Page Number. A page number alone (centered or right-aligned) is not MLA compliant—it resembles other formatting styles.
Typing It Manually on Each Page
Manually typing the header on each page creates misalignment and incorrect page numbers when you edit. Always use the word processor’s header function for automatic, consistent placement.
Centering Instead of Right-Aligning
The running header in MLA is flush right, not centered. Centering it is a formatting error that signals unfamiliarity with MLA conventions.
Using a Different Font in the Header
The header must match the font and size of the rest of your paper. A bold, enlarged, or different-font header draws attention and suggests formatting carelessness.
MLA Section Headings: The Five-Level Hierarchy
MLA format permits—but does not require—section headings in longer papers where they help readers navigate a complex argument. Short essays of five to eight pages typically do not use section headings; longer research papers, seminar papers, and multi-part analyses may benefit from them. MLA 9th edition provides a five-level heading hierarchy, each level visually distinguished from the others.
The Five MLA Heading Levels
| Level | Format | Example | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Centered, Bold, Title Case | Symbolism in Fitzgerald’s Fiction | Major section divisions in long papers |
| Level 2 | Left-aligned, Bold, Title Case | The Green Light as Aspiration | Subsections within a Level 1 section |
| Level 3 | Left-aligned, Bold Italic, Title Case | Daisy’s Dock and Repetition | Subsections within a Level 2 section |
| Level 4 | Indented, Bold, Title Case, Period | Critical Reception. | Subsections within a Level 3 section |
| Level 5 | Indented, Bold Italic, Title Case, Period | Biographical Context. | Subsections within a Level 4 section (rare) |
MLA Headings vs. APA and Chicago Headings
If you have previously used APA format, note that MLA heading conventions differ significantly. APA uses numbered heading levels with distinct size differences; MLA does not number its headings. Chicago uses its own hierarchy. Mixing conventions from different citation styles in a single paper is a formatting error that experienced instructors will notice immediately. If you’re uncertain which heading system applies to your paper, the answer is almost always: check your assignment sheet first, then default to whatever style your course requires.
Rules That Apply to All MLA Section Headings
- Section headings are never numbered in MLA format.
- A heading is followed by the text of that section on the very next line—there is no extra blank line between a heading and the paragraph that follows it.
- Do not begin a heading on the last line of a page. If a heading would appear as the last line before a page break, let Word or Docs push it to the next page automatically.
- Only use as many heading levels as your paper genuinely requires. A 10-page paper almost certainly needs only Level 1 and possibly Level 2. Using five levels in a short paper creates visual complexity that fragments rather than aids comprehension.
- Headings are not themselves citations—if a heading contains the title of a work, format that title appropriately (italics for books, quotation marks for articles), but do not add an in-text citation to the heading itself.
MLA In-Text Citations: Format, Placement, and Special Cases
In-text citations are the internal signals within your paper’s body that acknowledge borrowed material and connect it to a full entry in your Works Cited list. MLA’s in-text citation format—the author-page system—is one of the most distinctive features of MLA style and differs fundamentally from APA’s author-date system or Chicago’s footnote system.
The Author-Page Format
Every MLA in-text citation contains two elements: the author’s last name and the page number of the specific passage being cited. These appear in parentheses with no comma between them and no “p.” before the page number. The citation is placed immediately before the sentence’s closing punctuation mark.
Gatsby’s parties function as theatrical performances of an invented self, masking the bootlegger’s origins beneath layers of linen and champagne (Fitzgerald 47).
Fitzgerald characterizes Gatsby’s smile as one that “believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself” (99).
Nick’s first description of Daisy emphasizes her voice above all: “It was the kind of voice that the ear follows up and down, as if each speech is an arrangement of notes that will never be played again” (Fitzgerald 9).
In-Text Citation Variations for Special Cases
| Situation | In-Text Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| No author | (“Climate Report” 14) | Use shortened title in quotes (article) or italics (book/website) |
| No page number (website) | (World Health Organization) | Omit page number entirely; do not substitute paragraph numbers unless instructed |
| Two authors | (Gilbert and Gubar 25) | Both last names connected by “and” |
| Three or more authors | (Bressler et al. 112) | First author only, followed by “et al.” |
| Same author, multiple works | (Morrison, Beloved 88) | Add shortened title to distinguish between works |
| Multiple authors with same last name | (J. Smith 45) vs. (R. Smith 12) | Add first initial to distinguish between authors |
| Multivolume work | (Marx, vol. 2, 45) | Include volume number when citing a specific volume |
| Indirect source (quoting a quote) | (qtd. in Brown 55) | Use “qtd. in” to signal you are citing from a secondary source |
For students writing history papers, philosophy essays, or creative nonfiction requiring MLA citation, our MLA formatting and citation assistance handles every in-text citation variation accurately.
Block Quotes in MLA: Rules, Format, and Examples
When a direct quotation reaches a certain length, MLA requires it to be set apart from the body text as a block quote—a visually distinct, indented passage that signals to the reader: this entire section is quoted material. Block quote formatting has specific structural rules that differ from standard in-text quotation, including the important exception about citation placement.
When Block Quotes Are Required
- Prose quotations of four or more lines must be formatted as block quotes.
- Poetry quotations of three or more lines must be formatted as block quotes, preserving the original line breaks.
- Quotations of fewer lines may still be formatted as block quotes for emphasis if appropriate, but this is unusual in student papers.
Block Quote Formatting Rules
- Introduce the block quote with an introductory sentence that ends with a colon (in most cases) or a period.
- Start on a new line immediately after the introductory sentence.
- Indent the entire block one inch from the left margin—twice the standard paragraph indent. Set this as an indent in your word processor, not by pressing Tab multiple times.
- Do not use quotation marks around the block quote text. The indentation itself signals that the passage is quoted.
- Double-space the block quote like the rest of the paper.
- Place the parenthetical citation after the final punctuation of the quoted passage—this is the one exception to the standard rule that citations appear before the sentence period.
- Continue the paper on a new line after the block quote, returning to the standard left margin (no extra blank line).
Fitzgerald’s final paragraph captures the novel’s central paradox through a single extended image:
So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—to-morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther… And one fine morning— (Fitzgerald 189)
This image of straining against an inevitable backward pull encapsulates the novel’s argument that the American Dream is structurally retrograde—not a future to be reached but a past that cannot be recovered.
The Block Quote Citation Position Is the Opposite of Normal
In a standard in-text citation, the parenthetical citation appears before the sentence’s closing period: …characterizes Gatsby’s dream (Fitzgerald 99). In a block quote, the parenthetical citation appears after the final period of the quoted passage: …borne back ceaselessly into the past. (Fitzgerald 189) — note the period, then the citation, then nothing. This is the single most commonly missed block quote formatting rule. No period follows the closing parenthesis of a block quote citation.
Block Quotes for Poetry
Poetry block quotes follow the same rules as prose block quotes with one key addition: preserve the original line breaks exactly as they appear in the poem. When quoting fewer than three lines of poetry, you may incorporate them into your text using a forward slash (/) to indicate line breaks: “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, / And sorry I could not travel both” (Frost 1–2). Three or more lines must be set as a block quote.
Frost opens the poem with a speaker facing an irreversible choice:
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood (1–3)
Tables, Figures, and Multimedia in MLA Papers
MLA 9th edition provides specific formatting guidelines for tables, figures, and other visual elements that appear within the body of a paper. While tables and figures are far more common in scientific and social science writing than in literary humanities essays, some MLA papers—especially those in cultural studies, film studies, or interdisciplinary work—do incorporate visual data, images, or statistical displays.
Tables
Tables are labeled with the word “Table” followed by an Arabic numeral (Table 1, Table 2) and a descriptive title. This label and title appear above the table, flush with the left margin, in title case. The data source appears below the table as a note beginning with “Source:” in a smaller font if the table reproduces data from another work. Tables should appear in the body of the paper as close as possible to the text that discusses them.
Table 1
Annual Literacy Rates by Region, 2000–2020
Figures
All visual elements that are not tables—photographs, charts, graphs, maps, illustrations, musical scores, film stills—are labeled as figures (abbreviated “Fig.”) followed by an Arabic numeral. The figure label, a descriptive caption, and the source information all appear below the figure, flush left. If the figure is reproduced from another source, the caption must acknowledge the source fully enough to locate it.
Fig. 1. Edward Hopper, Nighthawks, 1942, Art Institute of Chicago.
Most MLA Papers Don’t Need Tables or Figures
If you’re writing a standard literary analysis, close-reading essay, or argument-based research paper in the humanities, you almost certainly will not include tables or figures. These elements appear most often in papers that analyze data, discuss visual artworks, examine film, or draw on quantitative research. When in doubt, ask your instructor whether visual elements are appropriate for your specific assignment. Inserting unnecessary tables or figures to appear more sophisticated often backfires—it suggests you’re padding the paper.
The Works Cited Page: Quick-Reference Formatting Guide
The Works Cited page is the final section of every MLA paper and must follow specific formatting rules that mirror the precision required throughout the rest of the document. For comprehensive source-by-source citation examples and deep coverage of the core elements system, see our dedicated guide on how to create an MLA Works Cited page. Here, we cover the formatting rules that govern the page’s layout and visual presentation.
Works Cited Page Formatting Checklist
New Page
Insert a hard page break (Ctrl+Enter / Cmd+Enter) after your conclusion. The Works Cited list must begin on its own page — never continue on the same page as the paper’s last paragraph.
“Works Cited” Heading
Center the heading “Works Cited” at the top of the page. It is not bolded, not italicized, not underlined, not in quotation marks, and not followed by a colon. Just: Works Cited.
Double Spacing Throughout
Double-space every line on the Works Cited page, including between entries. Do not add extra blank lines between entries — the double spacing is the only visual separation.
Hanging Indent (0.5″)
Each entry’s first line starts at the left margin; all subsequent lines of the same entry are indented 0.5 inches. Use paragraph formatting — not the spacebar or tab key — to set this.
Alphabetical Order
Sort entries alphabetically by the first word — usually the author’s last name. Ignore articles (A, An, The) when alphabetizing by title. Letter-by-letter alphabetization is standard MLA practice.
Correct Italics and Quotation Marks
Italicize titles of standalone works (books, journals, websites, films). Use quotation marks for titles of shorter works within a container (articles, chapters, web pages, poems).
Connecting Works Cited to In-Text Citations
The connection between in-text citations and Works Cited entries is the structural core of MLA documentation. The first word of each Works Cited entry—almost always the author’s last name—must exactly match the author name used in the corresponding in-text citation. A reader following the citation (Fitzgerald 189) looks up “F” in the Works Cited list, finds the entry beginning “Fitzgerald, F. Scott…”, and locates the full publication information. Any discrepancy between the in-text name and the Works Cited entry breaks this chain and constitutes a documentation error.
Before finalizing your paper, perform a systematic cross-check: scan through your paper and identify every in-text citation. For each one, confirm that a matching Works Cited entry exists. Then scan your Works Cited list and confirm that every entry has at least one corresponding in-text citation. Remove entries without in-text citations; add entries for any cited sources missing from the list.
Common MLA Paper Formatting Mistakes (And How to Fix Every One)
After reviewing thousands of student papers formatted in MLA style, the same errors appear with striking consistency. Eliminating these mistakes before submission is one of the highest-value uses of the time you have between finishing a draft and turning it in.
Mistake 1: Using APA or Chicago Citation Format Instead of MLA
✗ APA In-Text (Wrong for MLA)
(Fitzgerald, 1925, p. 189)
or
(Fitzgerald, 1925)
✓ MLA In-Text (Correct)
(Fitzgerald 189)
No year, no “p.”, no comma
Mistake 2: Bolding or Italicizing Your Own Paper Title
✗ Incorrect
The Role of Light Symbolism in The Great Gatsby
(bold — wrong)
The Role of Light in The Great Gatsby
(italics on own title — wrong)
✓ Correct
The Role of Light Symbolism in The Great Gatsby
(title case only; italics only on embedded book title)
Mistake 3: Single-Spacing Body Paragraphs or the Works Cited Page
✗ Incorrect
Body text single-spaced with extra blank lines between paragraphs — a common substitute students use when they haven’t set up double spacing correctly.
✓ Correct
Double spacing everywhere, no blank lines between paragraphs. Set line spacing to 2.0 and remove all Before/After paragraph spacing.
Mistake 4: Using “Bibliography” or “References” as the Heading
✗ Incorrect Headings
Bibliography
References
Works Cited Page
Sources Consulted
✓ Correct
Works Cited
(centered, no special formatting, always this exact phrase regardless of how many sources)
Mistake 5: Putting the Block Quote Citation Before the Period
✗ Incorrect (Standard Citation Position)
…borne back ceaselessly into the past (Fitzgerald 189).
(period after citation — wrong for block quotes)
✓ Correct (Block Quote Citation Position)
…borne back ceaselessly into the past. (Fitzgerald 189)
(period before citation — correct for block quotes)
Mistake 6: Using the Spacebar Instead of a Paragraph Indent
Never begin a paragraph by pressing the spacebar five times to approximate an indent. Use the Tab key or set a 0.5-inch first-line indent in your paragraph settings. Spacebar indents create visually inconsistent indentation and break down in PDF conversion, especially visible when a paragraph begins immediately after a heading or block quote.
Mistake 7: Including Uncited Sources in Works Cited
Every Works Cited entry must have at least one in-text citation in the paper body. Sources you read but did not cite belong in a separate “Works Consulted” list if your instructor asks for one—but not in the standard Works Cited page. Including uncited sources artificially inflates your list and signals to experienced instructors that your documentation and your actual research are misaligned.
Mistake 8: Not Verifying Instructor-Specific Requirements
MLA provides defaults. Your instructor provides requirements. When these conflict—different font preference, title page required, specific heading format, URL inclusion preference—follow your instructor. The published MLA Handbook is the ultimate authority for publishing scholars; your course syllabus and assignment sheet are the ultimate authority for your submitted paper.
The Pre-Submission MLA Formatting Checklist
Run through every item below before submitting any MLA paper: Page setup verified (1″ margins all sides, double spacing throughout, no extra paragraph spacing). Font is consistent throughout (Times New Roman 12pt or approved alternative). Running header contains Last Name + space + page number, flush right, on every page. First-page heading block has four lines in order (your name, instructor name, course, date in day-month-year format). Paper title is centered with no special formatting (except embedded work titles). Every paragraph begins with a 0.5″ tab indent. All direct quotes under four lines use quotation marks in the body text. All direct quotes four lines or longer are set as block quotes indented 1″. Block quote citations follow the period (not precede it). In-text citations use author-page format with no comma: (Smith 45). Works Cited begins on a new page with the centered heading “Works Cited.” Works Cited uses hanging indents and is double-spaced with no extra spacing between entries. Every in-text citation has a matching Works Cited entry and vice versa.
Frequently Asked Questions: MLA Paper Formatting
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