1. Research Papers
MLA FORMAT

2. What is MLA Format?
A style of writing recommended by the Modern Language Assocation (MLA).
MLA has 3 major features.
WORKS CITED PAGE
IN-TEXT CITATION – SOURCE DOCUMENTATION WITHIN A PAPER
FOOTNOTES OR ENDNOTES FOR EXTRA INFORMATION

3. Elements of an MLA Paper
DOUBLE-SPACED THROUGHOUT
12-POINT FONT
1” MARGINS
HEADER WITH LAST NAME AND PAGE NUMBER
TITLE IS CENTERED
PARAGRAPHS INDENTED 5 SPACES
LONG QUOTATIONS INDENTED ON BOTH SIDES

4. Heading
Your Full Name
Teacher’s Name
Class
Date (Day Month Year)

5. Example Heading Joe Smith Mrs. Daily Language Arts Block 7
22 September 2014

6. In-Text Citations
Include the author’s name or a short form of the title if no author.
For example:
According to poets.org, “Poe’s work as an editor, a poet, and a critic had a profound impact on American and international literature” (1). OR
“Poe’s work as an editor, a poet, and a critic had a profound impact on American and international literature” (poets.org 1).

7. Quotations
Short quotations (fewer than 4 lines of prose and 3 lines of poetry)
Enclose in the text.
For example: According to poets.org, “Poe’s work as an editor, a poet, and a critic had a profound impact on American and international literature” (1).
Longer quotations
Begin on a new line and indent the left margin by 1”
Examples

8. Works Cited Page (Bibliographies)
A list of all the sources used for your paper
Always begins on a new page
Center the title “Works Cited” without underlining, bolding or italicizing it.
The first line of each entry is on the left margin. The following lines are indented.

9. Works Cited for YouTube Videos
Author’s Name or Poster’s Username. “Title of Image or Video.” Media Type Text. Name of Website. Name of Website’s Publisher, date of posting. Medium. Date Retrieved.
For example:
Shimabukuro, Jake. "Ukulele Weeps by Jake Shimabukuro." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 22 Apr Web. 9 Sept

10. Works Cited for Poems or Short Stories Found Online
Poe, Edgar Allan. “Annabelle Lee.” Poestories.com. Sept

11. Your Works Cited Page
You may use an online citation maker such as bibme.org.
Be sure to select MLA and the source type.
Add any missing information.
Try it now.
Go to bibme.org.
Make a citation for the first Edgar Allan Poe site.

12. How to Capitalize Titles
In title, CAPITALIZE the first word, the last word, and all principal words: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and subordinating conjunctions.
Do NOT capitalize the following in a title: articles, prepositions, coordinating conjunctions, the TO in infinitives.

13. Sample Research Paper