MLA Citations: Formatting

• Use a standard, legible font such as Times New Roman.  Font size should be 12 pt.
• Double-space the entirety of your paper.  Set the margins of your document to 1 inch on all sides.
• Create a header in the upper right-hand corner that includes your last name, followed by a space with a page number.
• Do not make a title page for your paper unless it has been specifically requested.  Instead, list in the upper left-hand corner of your first page:
  • Your name
  • Your instructor's name
  • Your course
  • The date

After the date, place the title of your paper centered on the page.  Do not underline, italicize, or place your title in quotation marks.  

• Begin your Works Cited page on a separate page at the end of your paper.  It should have the same header as the rest of your paper.
• Center the words Works Cited at the top of the page.
• Double space all citations.
• Indent the second and subsequent lines of each citation (known as a "hanging indent").  Find video instructions on how to easily set up a hanging indent below.
• Citations should be listed alphabetically by the author's last name or whatever word begins the citation.
• All citations should end with a period.