MLA Style: The Format for Essays



MLA Style: The Format for Essays & Assignments

In Comp. I, Comp. II, and all other language/literature courses you will take in your college career, the format for typed papers is the same: Modern Language Association (MLA) style. What does this mean? The following checklist includes REQUIRED formatting criteria—in no set order. Please check off this list (at least mentally) before handing in each assignment to avoid losing points. Some MS Word instructions are given, but students must know their own software.

_____ There should be a one inch margin around the whole paper. MS Word 2003:Click“File,”

then click on “Page Setup.” Adjust top, bottom, left and right margins to1”. MS Word 2007+: Click “Margins” and choose “Normal” ( 1” margins are the default).

_____ The upper right-hand—in the HEADER—is for the writer’s last name and the page

number. NOTE: The header is read as a separate document, so writers MUST go into the header to set it up—highlighting everything from the paper WON’T change the header. Auto-page numbering MUST be used.

(MS Word 2003: click “View,” then “header/footer”). Next choose right hand alignment from the toolbar above. Type in your LAST name and hit the spacebar ONE TIME. Now, under “Insert,” choose “page numbers” and then select “Position” as “Top” and “Alignment” as “Right.”

MS Word 2007+: Click “Insert” and “Page numbers.” Choose “Plain Number 3.”

Type your last name plus one space before the page number.

_____ The upper left-hand corner of page one is where the heading belongs—NOT in the

“header”! The heading is always double spaced, just like the rest of the paper.

( Student’s first and last name (EX John Doe)

( Instructor’s name (EX Prof. Zuromski)

( Course / assignment (EX ENC1101, 830am, Essay#1)

( Date (EX 22 Aug. 2012)

_____ The title of the essay is centered, and is found on the line below the heading (still

double-spaced!) The title should have important words capitalized (No articles, conjunctions, or prepositions unless they BEGIN or END the title.). DO NOT: Type in bold, underline or use a larger font than the rest of the paper.

_____ The paper should be typed in 12-point, Times New Roman or Arial font ONLY.

_____ The entire paper should be double-spaced, and this means ALL of it: in the heading,

between the heading and the title, and between paragraphs. If you have a works-cited page, the double-space rule still applies. Select the double-space option from the toolbar, or use “Ctrl + 2.”

**NOTE: If you have Word 2007+, you must go into “paragraph spacing” and check the box that says “Don’t add space between paragraphs of the same style” or an extra .5 space will be added every time you hit ENTER.

_____ Paragraphs need to be indented. Hit “Tab” one time for standard 5-space indents.

_____ If you have more than one page, please staple your own work BEFORE class.

_____Always print on only ONE side of the paper, in BLACK ink, unless instructed otherwise.

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