MLA Standard Layout Guidelines
Set the font to 12-point Times New Roman.
1. From the menu, select "Format | Font..."
2. Click on the "Font" tab (if it is not already on top)
3. Set the font for Times New Roman, Regular, and 12.
4. Click "OK" or, to reset the default, click "Default..." and then "Yes"
Set the page margins to one inch all around
1. From the menu, select "File | Page Setup..." and click the Margins tab.
2. Set the top, bottom, left, and right margins to 1 inch.
3. Click "OK" or, to reset the default, click "Default..." and then "Yes".
Set the line spacing to double. All text is double spaced, including quotations from other sources and the Works Cited list.
Note: You may wish to draft your paper in single-space, so that you can see more words on the screen at one time; if so, follow these instructions just before you print.
1. From the menu, select "Edit | Select All".
2. From the menu, select "Format | Paragraph..." and click the "Indents and Spacing" tab.
3. Set "Line spacing" to "Double".
4. Click "OK"
5. DO NOT ADD AN EXTRA SPACE BETWEEN PARAGRAPHS.
Adding the Header
The following section explains how to add a header consisting of your last name and the page number (see figure, below).
1. Click View at the top of the screen and a list of options will appear.
2. Click Header and Footer. The header section will appear inside a gray dotted square. Inside the square you will see a flashing cursor.
3. On the menu bar just above the ruler, click the Align Right icon or tab to the right corner.
4. Type your Last Name.
5. Add a single blank space after your name.
6. On the floating menu bar, click the Insert Page Number icon. It will automatically place the current page number on every page of your report.
7. Click Close to return back to your document. You can look at the top right-hand section of your page to see the header. It appears faint, to remind you that it is automatic; when you print your paper it will not appear faded.
Adding the Title Block
MLA style does not call for a separate title page. Instead, you should begin your paper with a title block (described below).
• Note that the title is not simply "Research Paper" or "Hamlet's Madness".
• Don't type spaces to center the title. Instead, click the Center icon located at the top of the screen.
•
Read the example paragraph below for a few tips about titles.
LastName 1
Firstname Lastname
Mrs. Anhalt (teacher's name)
ENG 311 (class name)
31 January 2005
Finding A Good Paper Title:
Informing and Intriguing Readers without Annoying Them
Too often, English professors encounter student papers with uninformative or
misleading titles. "If the title, the thesis statement, and the conclusion
don't match, I know I've been handed a rush job, " (Jerz 2).
WORKS CITED
Alphabetical order
indent lines extending past the first one
remove hyperlinks (when it shows up blue) by right clicking on URL and pushing on 'remove hyperlinks'
Basic format for book--1. author's name 2. title underlined 3. place of publication: publisher, date.
EX:
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Putnam, 1954.
Electronic sources--1. name of author if known 2. title of site 3. names of editors 4. date of publication or last update 5. names of any sponsoring organization 6. date of access 7. .
**you will always have number 2, 6, and 7. The others might not be available
EX:
"British Columbia Outdoor Wilderness Guide." 1995-2008. 23 October 2008
http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/wilderness/survival/index.html.
(add the < > around the Url--this system is not allowing it on the above example)
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