1. Modern Language Association
MLA Style
Modern Language Association

2. What is MLA Style? Modern Language Association
Used for writing papers and citing sources, usually within the humanities
Simple, brief, and economical
Increases your credibility
Decreases risks of plagiarism accusations

3. Guidelines
Type your essay on a computer and use standard 8.5x11 inch paper
Double space the entire paper
Use a legible font such as Times New Roman or Arial
Use 12 pt font size
Set the margins to 1 inch (2.54cm) on all sides
Number all pages in the upper right-hand corner, half an inch from the top and flush with the right margin
Use italics or underline titles of works

4. Formatting the First Page
Do not make a title page
In the upper left-hand corner list:
Your Name
Your Teacher’s Name
The Course
The Date
Center the title
Double space between the title and the first line of the text
Put your name in the upper left-hand corner followed by the page number

5. Citation of Classic and Literary Works (Multiple Editions):
General Citation: Author – Page Method
The author's last name is written prior to the page numbers related to the quotation used and then both are placed in the text after the citation.
Citation of Classic and Literary Works (Multiple Editions):
The page number of the edition, semicolon “;”, then the abbreviations for volume (vol.), book (bk.), part (pt.), chapter (ch.), section (sec.) paragraph (par.) are used where available.
ex. (34; sec.2)

6. Anonymous Citations (Author unknown): Authors with same last names:
Use an abbreviated version of the title. If the work is non-print then use the first word in your Works Cited page.
Authors with same last names:
Use ‘Author-page’ method with the exception that the author's first initial is placed before the last name. If the same last name and the same first initial occur, differentiate between the two by writing out the entire first name of the author.
ex. (S. Smith, 22)

7. Multiple Works by the Same Author:
Put the authors last name in parentheses followed by a comma " , " then a shortened version of the title of the work being cited "in quotations" and then the appropriate page number(s).
ex. (Hemingway, “A Farewell,” 62)
If the author’s name is in your text: a short version of the title in quotations then the page number(s) in parentheses.
Indirect Sources:
These sources follow the author-page method with "qtd.” in placed before the author's name.

8. Electronic/Internet Sources:
For miscellaneous non-print sources, the title of the work is Underlined and placed in the sentence.
For electronic sources, like a website, the title of the article is Underlined and placed in the sentence. If not placed in the sentence, the format is as follows: ( Author's last name , “ the title of the article ” and location, such as par. 4 )
ex. (Ramos, “Colombia volcano erupts again”, par. 3)

9. Formatting Short Quotations:
When quoting less than four typed lines of prose or less than three lines of verse, enclose the quotation in quotation marks in the body of your text. The 'author-page' method is then use after the quote.
Note: when citing a verse, line numbers are used
Long Quotations:
The text is placed in a ' free-standing block' and question marks are omitted. After a colon in your text, the quotation follows on it’s own line. The text is quoted one inch from the left margin (keeping double-spacing). Parenthetical citation follows after the final punctuation.
Note: indent if more than one paragraph and keep line breaks if quoting a verse.

10. Adding and Omitting Words In Quotations
Place square brackets around words that are added.
ex. Jan Harold Brunvand, in an essay on urban legends, states: "some individuals [who retell urban legends] make a point of learning every rumor or tale" (78).
Use an ellipsis to indicate words that have been removed.
ex. In an essay on urban legends, Jan Harold Brunvand notes that "some individuals make a point of learning every recent rumor or tale ... and in a short time a lively exchange of details occurs" (78).

11. Work Cited
The Purdue OWL. 26 Aug The Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. 23 April 2008 <
"What Is MLA Style?" Modern Language Association (MLA): Format, Bibliography, Style, Convention. 29 Apr Modern Language Association. 22 Feb <

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