How to mla format on word

Overview

Formatting your academic papers according to the Modern Language Association (MLA) style is crucial for essays, research papers, and other humanities assignments. Microsoft Word provides tools that can help you implement these guidelines efficiently. This guide will walk you through the essential steps to format your document in MLA style using Microsoft Word, ensuring consistency and adherence to academic standards.

Setting Up Your Document

Font and Size

The MLA Handbook specifies that you should use a easily readable font, typically one that is standard and accessible. Times New Roman, size 12, is the most commonly accepted font. To set this in Word:

1. Open your Word document.
2. Select all text (Ctrl+A or Cmd+A).
3. Go to the 'Home' tab.
4. In the 'Font' group, select 'Times New Roman' from the font dropdown and '12' from the size dropdown.

Margins

MLA style requires 1-inch margins on all sides of the document (top, bottom, left, and right). This ensures ample white space and readability. Here's how to set them in Word:

1. Go to the 'Layout' tab.
2. Click on 'Margins'.
3. Select 'Normal' (which is typically set to 1 inch). If it's not, choose 'Custom Margins' and enter '1' inch for top, bottom, left, and right.

Line Spacing

All text in an MLA-formatted paper should be double-spaced, including block quotes and the Works Cited page. This enhances readability. To set double spacing:

1. Select all text (Ctrl+A or Cmd+A).
2. Go to the 'Home' tab.
3. In the 'Paragraph' group, click the 'Line and Paragraph Spacing' button (it looks like lines with up/down arrows).
4. Select '2.0'.
5. Alternatively, go to 'Paragraph Settings' (click the small arrow in the corner of the Paragraph group), and under 'Spacing', set 'Line spacing' to 'Double' and ensure 'Before' and 'After' spacing are set to '0 pt'.

Creating the Header

The MLA header includes your last name and the page number, right-aligned, on every page of your paper. This helps instructors easily identify your work and track page numbers.

1. Go to the 'Insert' tab.
2. Click on 'Page Number' in the 'Header & Footer' group.
3. Choose 'Top of Page' and select 'Plain Number 3' (which aligns to the right).
4. With the cursor now in the header area, type your last name followed by a space.
5. Ensure your last name and the page number are in Times New Roman, size 12.
6. To exit the header, double-click anywhere in the main body of the document or go to the 'Header & Footer Tools' tab and click 'Close Header and Footer'.

Formatting the First Page

The first page of your MLA paper does not include a running header for your name and page number. Instead, it contains a "top matter" block with your name, your instructor's name, the course name, and the date, followed by the title of your paper. All of this should be double-spaced.

Here's the order and format:

1. Your Full Name
2. Instructor's Name
3. Course Name (e.g., ENG 101)
4. Date (Day Month Year format, e.g., 15 October 2023)
5. Title of Your Paper (Centered, not bolded, italicized, or underlined)
6. Begin your essay text below the title.

In-Text Citations

MLA in-text citations typically include the author's last name and the page number where the information was found, enclosed in parentheses. For example: (Smith 42). If the author's name is mentioned in the sentence, only the page number is needed: (42).

• Place citations before the final punctuation of the sentence or clause.
• For block quotes (longer than four typed lines), indent the entire quote one inch from the left margin and do not use quotation marks. The citation follows the final punctuation.

Works Cited Page

The Works Cited page is a separate page at the end of your paper listing all the sources you cited within the text. It should be titled "Works Cited" (centered, not bolded or underlined). Each entry should be double-spaced, with a hanging indent (the first line of each entry is flush left, and subsequent lines are indented by 0.5 inches).

To create a hanging indent in Word:

1. Select all the text on your Works Cited page.
2. Go to the 'Home' tab.
3. In the 'Paragraph' group, click the 'Paragraph Settings' dialog box launcher (the small arrow).
4. Under 'Indentation', in the 'Special' dropdown menu, select 'Hanging'.
5. Click 'OK'.

Formatting your paper correctly ensures clarity and professionalism, allowing your ideas to be the focus. Always refer to the latest edition of the MLA Handbook or reliable online guides for the most up-to-date citation formats.