MLA Format

MLA format for term papers is based upon the Modern Language Association (MLA) citation standards. MLA style is commonly used in undergraduate term papers in the Humanities such as English Literature, Theater, The Arts, Philosophy and Religion.

The two premier sources for how to utilize and cite in MLA properly are MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (6th ed.) and the MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing (2nd ed.). With these in hand, citation is less complicated and all "how to" questions can be address properly.

General MLA Format Guidelines

• Term Papers should be on standard, white 8.5 x 11-inch paper,
• All Term Papers must be Double-space with a common san serif font like Times New Roman or Courier New, 12 pt.
• Space only once after periods.
• 1 inch Margins. Indent one half-inch from the left margin for each paragraph.
• All pages must be numbered in the header at the top right hand corner of the page.
• Use italics throughout your term paper for titles and points of emphasis.

In-Text Citation

MLA style uses paranthetical citation. When directly quoting material or paraphrasing someone else's idea, place the author's name and the page number(s) in which you obtained the information from in parantheses. Below is an example:

An article in Chickens and Hens Quarterly stated, "Chickens lay eggs on every Sunday and Tuesday of a full moon" (Milazzo, 25).

If no author is known, simply utlize a few words in the title and then the page number.

Each in-text citation must correspond with a citation in a works cited page at the end of your term paper. For the example above, the corresponding citation would look as follows:

Milazzo, Lurae. The Mysteries of Chickens and Moons. Chickens and Hens Quarterly. 12, 6: 2008.

MLA citation contains many, many more nuances and special instructions on citation for Humanities term papers. For answers to your MLA citation questions, post them on our blog.