Page setup
- Margins: 1 inch on all sides.
- Font: a readable font such as 12-point Times New Roman, unless your instructor specifies another.
- Spacing: double-space the entire paper, including the heading and the Works Cited list.
- Paragraphs: indent the first line of each paragraph 0.5 inch.
- Page header: your last name and the page number in the top right corner, 0.5 inch from the top (for example, Garcia 3).
First-page heading and title
MLA does not use a separate title page unless your instructor asks for one. In the top left corner of the first page, list on separate double-spaced lines:
- Your name
- Your instructor's name
- The course name or number
- The date (day month year, for example 24 October 2026)
Then center the title on the next line in title case. Do not bold, italicize, underline, or put it in quotation marks (only titles of other works inside it are styled).
In-text citations
| Situation | Example |
|---|---|
| One author | (Morrison 42) |
| Author named in the sentence | Morrison argues that ... (42). |
| Two authors | (Lee and Ortiz 118) |
| Three or more authors | (Lee et al. 118) |
| No author | ("Shortened Title" 7) |
| No page numbers | (Morrison) — or a paragraph or section number if the source provides one |
There is no comma between the author and the page number. Quotations longer than four typed lines of prose go in a block quotation indented 0.5 inch, without quotation marks.
The Works Cited list
- Start on a new page titled Works Cited, centered (not bold).
- Alphabetize by the first word of each entry, usually the author's last name.
- Use a 0.5-inch hanging indent and double spacing.
- Build each entry from the MLA core elements in this order: Author. Title of source. Title of container, Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, Location.
Morrison, Toni. The Source of Self-Regard: Selected Essays, Speeches, and Meditations. Alfred A. Knopf, 2019.
Lee, Hannah, and Marco Ortiz. "Reading Habits of First-Year College Students." College English, vol. 84, no. 2, 2021, pp. 110–32.
"Title of the Web Page." Name of the Website, Publisher (if different), 5 Mar. 2024, www.example.org/page.
These are formatting examples; check every detail against the real source you are citing.
Common MLA mistakes
- Adding a comma between author and page in parenthetical citations.
- Bolding the paper title or the Works Cited heading.
- Using "p." or "pg." before page numbers in the text.
- Leaving off the container (the journal, website, or anthology the source appears in).
- Forgetting "et al." for sources with three or more authors.
Frequently asked questions
Does MLA 9 need a title page?
No. Use the four-line heading at the top left of the first page unless your instructor asks for a separate title page.
How do I cite a source with no page numbers in MLA?
Give the author's name only, or a paragraph, section, or time stamp if the source numbers them, for example (Morrison, par. 4).
Is the Works Cited heading bold in MLA?
No. Center it in plain text, the same font and size as the rest of the paper.