MLA format is one of the most commonly used formatting styles for papers and includes instructions for typing, section headings and citations. Following MLA style is often required by universities and professional journals in the liberal arts fields, such as the English.
Following these steps will ensure that every paper is written in the MLA format.
- Typing The paper should be typed on standard letter paper (8.5 x 11 inches). The paper should have one space after the period and the first line of each paragraph indented by a half inch. The paper's text must be double-spaced, and the font must be 12 pt.
- Formatting The paper should be formatted without a title page. There should also be a header that is in the upper right-hand corner and has the person's last name followed by the number of the page starting with one. The first page should also have the writer's full name, the course name, the date and the instructor's name all in the upper left-hand corner.
- Section headings These should be created by dividing the paper or essay into sections. An example might be, "1. Early Years 2. Moscow Development 3. Final Years."
- Citations Proper citation style depends on the source type, but most will include the author's name, the title of the work, where and when it was published and the date the source was viewed.
