Skip to Main Content

MLA Style Guide

Formatting: Guidelines and Samples

Formatting Guidelines

  • Set all margins to 1 inch

  • Select a font that is easy to read and use a standard font size (eg. Times New Roman, 12 point)

  • Include your last name and the page number on each page in the top right corner of the header

  • The entire document must be double spaced (including the works cited listed)

  • The first sentence of each paragraph must be indented 0.5 inches

  • The works cited list begins on a new page at the end of the document

  • The works cited list must be in alphabetical order by the author's last name

  • Use a hanging indent for any works cited entries longer than one line

  • Do not include a title page

  • URLs or DOIs included in the Works Cited may be active links for electronic submissions

 

Formatting Figures

  • Align the figure to the same 1" margins as the rest of your paper
  • Label the image Figure or Fig., with an accession number, starting at 1 and include a caption
  • Insert the figure immediately following the paragraph where it is referred to

Example:

Formatting Tables

  • Align the table to the same 1" margins as the rest of your paper
  • Include a label directly above the table; include the source and any notes directly below the table
  • Label the table as Table, with an accession number, starting at 1 and include a caption describing the table
  • The source includes the table number as it was labeled in the source, and a full reference for that source
  • Insert the table immediately following the paragraph where it is referred to in text

Example: