This explains the latest guidelines for and according to MLA.

Formatting an Essay in MLA Style

The Modern Language Association seeks submissions from students of exemplary research papers written in MLA style for publication in “Writing with MLA Style,” a collection of student essays published online annually.

Writing proper citations is arguably the most difficult part of MLA format writing. Citations allow you to give credit to original authors and avoid plagiarism, so this part is essential.

Submissions will first be evaluated for eligibility. Then a committee of teachers will read eligible submissions and select essays for “Writing with MLA Style” according to the criteria below. Separate review committees will be established for submissions from high school and postsecondary writers.

Take a look at our sample paper in MLA.

MLA formatting also requires a header with your last name and page number on every page. In Google Docs or Word, use the header feature to insert this information. Align it to the top-right corner, ensuring consistency across pages.

Finally, note that MLA does not use a separate "Running Head" label as in APA format. The simplicity of this structure ensures your work looks neat and professional, making it easy for your audience to follow.

While the MLA format doesn’t require a separate title page, creating a heading is a must. Your work’s heading should include your full name, your professor’s or instructor’s name, the course name, and the due date of your essay. Each of these should start with a separate line and be aligned along the left margin of the text. After the heading is written, press Enter and write the title of your paper.

When incorporating sources, MLA uses in-text citations. Include the author's last name and the page number in parentheses immediately after the quote, paraphrase, or summary. For example:

Look online to see samples of a properly formatted MLA essay.

Before we dive into the particulars of the MLA standard, it’s important to focus on the overall formatting of your document. While the distance between your text margins and the edge of the document might not seem significant, it’s part of your essay presentation. You should always remember that how you present your paper impacts your grade as well.

Exercise 1: MLA In-text Citations

Writing an essay in MLA format begins with a structured header and title to ensure a polished presentation. Start in the top-left corner of the first page with four lines of information: your name, your instructor's name, the course name, and the date. The date is written in the format day month year (e.g., 21 November 2024).

Exercise 1: MLA In-text Citations

Anonymity: Essays should contain no information identifying the student so that the review process is anonymous. Contrary to section 1.3 of the MLA Handbook, exclude identifying information such as the course title or the instructor’s name. Information about students should be provided only on the submission form. (Essays selected for “Writing with MLA Style” will include the students’ names when they are published.)

When it comes to MLA citations, there are two separate sets of rules:

To create an exemplary MLA style essay, you need to follow rules established by the MLA Handbook which can be bought on the Association’s official website. However, the main requirements for formatting essays written by students can be found in open access.

To use MLA format in an essay, consider the following:

Since these essays will be a resource for teachers who want to help students learn MLA style, submissions containing some of the elements listed below are more likely to be selected for publication:

Tips for avoiding common errors in MLA citations.

While the MLA style is usually associated with citations, it also addresses the overall formatting of the text. Maintaining stylistic consistency adds clarity and credibility to a text and highlights an author’s professionalism.