For example, you may be asked to take a stand on an issue you have been discussing in class.
This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue https: When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice at bottom. MLA Modern Language Association style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities.
To see a side-by-side comparison of the three most widely used citation styles, including a chart of all MLA citation guidelines, see the Citation Style Chart. General Format MLA style specifies guidelines for formatting manuscripts and using the English language in writing.
MLA style also provides writers with a system for referencing their sources through parenthetical citation in their essays and Works Cited pages. Writers who properly use MLA also build their credibility by demonstrating accountability to their source material.
Most importantly, the use of MLA style can protect writers from accusations of plagiarism, which is the purposeful or accidental uncredited use of source material by other writers. The MLA Handbook is available in most writing centers and reference libraries; it is also widely available in bookstores, libraries, and at the MLA web site.
See the Additional Resources section of this handout for a list of helpful books and sites about using MLA style. Below are some basic guidelines for formatting a paper in MLA style. General Guidelines Type your paper on a computer and print it out on standard, white 8. Double-space the text of your paper, and use a legible font e.
Whatever font you choose, MLA recommends that the regular and italics type styles contrast enough that they are recognizable one from another. The font size should be 12 pt. Leave only one space after periods or other punctuation marks unless otherwise instructed by your instructor.
Set the margins of your document to 1 inch on all sides. Indent the first line of paragraphs one half-inch from the left margin. Create a header that numbers all pages consecutively in the upper right-hand corner, one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin.
Your instructor may ask that you omit the number on your first page. Use italics throughout your essay for the titles of longer works and, only when absolutely necessary, providing emphasis. If you have any endnotes, include them on a separate page before your Works Cited page.
Entitle the section Notes centered, unformatted. Formatting the First Page of Your Paper Do not make a title page for your paper unless specifically requested.
Again, be sure to use double-spaced text. Double space again and center the title. Do not underline, italicize, or place your title in quotation marks; write the title in Title Case standard capitalizationnot in all capital letters. Create a header in the upper right-hand corner that includes your last name, followed by a space with a page number; number all pages consecutively with Arabic numerals 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.
Always follow instructor guidelines. Here is a sample of the first page of a paper in MLA style: These sections may include individual chapters or other named parts of a book or essay.
Essays MLA recommends that when you divide an essay into sections that you number those sections with an arabic number and a period followed by a space and the section name.May 09, · This vidcast discusses how to format a paper using Microsoft Word according to APA style.
To learn more about APA style, please visit the following resource. How to Write a Great Word Essay by Staff Author · Published December 14, · Updated April 11, In college, there are many instances where you may be required to write a word essay – your application, exam questions, small writing prompts, etc.
May 09, · This vidcast discusses how to format a paper using Microsoft Word according to APA style. To learn more about APA style, please visit the following resource.
You can also watch our MLA vidcast series on the Purdue OWL YouTube Channel. General Format. MLA style specifies guidelines for formatting manuscripts and using the English language in writing.
MLA style also provides writers with a system for referencing their sources through parenthetical citation in their essays and Works Cited pages. The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, and we provide these as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue.
Students, members of the community, and users worldwide will find information to assist with many writing projects. You may decide to sell owl essay writing abroad, life. For students of varying standards to showcase student work for performance, they use instru - and post - graduation safety net.
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