Question

how do you write a MLA format

Answer 1

Here’s a concise guide to writing an MLA-format paper (MLA Handbook, 9th ed.) — covers page formatting, in-text citations, and Works Cited examples.

Page format and general layout
- Use a readable font (Times New Roman or similar), 12 pt.
- Double-space the entire document (including headings and Works Cited).
- 1-inch margins on all sides.
- Indent the first line of each paragraph 0.5 inches (Tab key).
- Page numbers with your last name in the top right corner, 0.5 inches from the top (e.g., Smith 1). This is the only running header.
- No separate title page unless your instructor asks. On the first page, in the upper-left corner (double-spaced):
- Your name
- Instructor’s name
- Course name/number
- Date (Day Month Year, e.g., 29 September 2025)
- Center the title (standard capitalization — do not bold, underline, or use all caps). Start the text on the next line, double-spaced.

In-text citations (author-page style)
- Basic form: (Author last name page number). Example: (Smith 123).
- If you name the author in the sentence, put only the page number in parentheses: Smith notes that... (123).
- Two authors: (Smith and Jones 45).
- Three or more authors: (Smith et al. 78).
- No author: use a shortened title in quotation marks or italics, with page if available: (“Article Title” 12) or (Shortened Book Title 45).
- For electronic sources with no page numbers, omit page: (Smith).

Block quotes
- If a quotation is longer than four lines of prose, format as a block quote: start on a new line, indent 1 inch from the left margin, double-space, no quotation marks, and place the parenthetical citation after the closing punctuation.

Works Cited page
- Title the page Works Cited (centered, not bold), double-spaced.
- Entries listed alphabetically by author’s last name.
- Use a hanging indent of 0.5 inches for each entry (first line flush left; subsequent lines indented).
- Include DOIs or URLs for online sources. You may omit “https://” but include the full domain. Access dates optional (include if source is likely to change).

Common Works Cited entry formats (MLA 9)
- Book (one author):
Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.
Example: Smith, John. The Art of Thinking. Bright Press, 2019.

- Book (chapter or essay in edited collection):
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Chapter.” Title of Book, edited by Firstname Lastname, Publisher, Year, pp. xx–xx.
Example: Brown, Lisa. “Memory and Identity.” Memory Studies, edited by M. Nguyen, Academic Press, 2020, pp. 45–62.

- Journal article (print or with DOI):
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Title of Journal, vol. 12, no. 3, 2021, pp. 123–38. DOI.
Example: Lee, Andrew. “Urban Design Trends.” Journal of Urbanism, vol. 5, no. 2, 2020, pp. 45–67. doi:10.1234/jurb.2020.56.

- Web page:
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Web Page.” Website Name, Publisher (if different), Day Month Year, URL.
Example: Garcia, Maria. “Climate Action Now.” Green Future, 10 Mar. 2024, greenfuture.org/climate-action-now.

- YouTube/video:
Lastname, Firstname (or Username). “Title of Video.” Website, uploaded by Username, Day Month Year, URL.
Example: TED. “How to Stay Calm under Pressure.” YouTube, uploaded by TED, 2 Feb. 2019, youtube.com/...

- No author (web):
“Title of Page.” Website Name, Publisher (if any), Day Month Year, URL.
Example: “Global Health Facts.” World Health Org., 2022, who.int/global-health-facts.

Quick punctuation rules
- Period goes after the parenthetical citation (e.g., ...argument (Smith 23).).
- Italicize titles of larger works (books, journals, websites). Put shorter works (articles, poems, web pages) in quotation marks.

Checklist before submitting
- 12-pt readable font, double-spaced, 1-inch margins
- Your name/instructor/course/date in upper-left of first page
- Centered title (no extra formatting)
- Last name + page number in top right of every page
- Correct in-text citations (author-page)
- Works Cited page with hanging indents, alphabetized entries, and proper punctuation

If you want, tell me what kind of source(s) you’re citing (book, article, website, YouTube, etc.) and I’ll give exact sample citations you can copy.