By: Kaelin Jumaa
Are you new to high school? Haven’t taken your English class yet? Or maybe you just need a subtle refresher on one of the most classic writing formats? Well, you’re in luck! With one year of high school under my belt, plus hours of experience from our beloved newspaper club, I have now mastered the ABC’s of MLA and get help guide you, too!
Why learn MLA, you may ask? Well, MLA is the standard format used for all of your English classes. Aside from APA, MLA is the most commonly used formatting for all your essays, articles, theses, and basically every other project that requires formal writing conventions. Besides, thoroughly understanding the format in advance will make a statement for your next English class!
***You should remember that the general rules for MLA formatting can be changed at any time, so make sure to check for the latest edition of MLA formatting with your teacher or a trusted resource.
The Proper Set-Up of MLA Formatting
So you just got assigned a huge essay to finish by the end of the week...yay! Because I know every student is just itching to get a head start on their homework, there are a few things to remember before you start typing to your heart’s content. Remember to set your font to “Times New Roman”, size 12, and double-spaced.
For MLA, you must state the following in the top left corner: your full name, your teacher’s name, your course code (which can usually be found written on your assignment instructions or on your class’s D2L homepage), and the date that the assignment is due, respectively. For most writing formats, page numbers are a must. However, the arrangement can vary for different formats. In MLA, the page number should be on the top right corner of your page (which can be found on a Google Doc by clicking “Insert” then “Page numbers”) with your last name before the number. Make sure that it is automatically set to repeat this for every page.
Begin The Writing Process (Proper “Point, Proof, Comment” Format) And In-Text Citations
At this point, you should insert your title underneath the aforementioned set-up and centered on the page. Afterwards, you would begin your paragraphs. Of course, every essay has a general rule that it follows, listed in a simple order below:
Introductory Paragraph
Your first paragraph is what, you guessed it, introduces your readers to your topic! You should state what each separate paragraph (AKA all of your “points”) are discussing in relation to your overall topic in one simple sentence. Remember to use eye-catching phrases without giving too much away (that’s what the rest of your essay is for!).
Middle Paragraphs
Here, you begin your “point, proof, comment” procedure, the surefire method to articulate your message in your paragraph(s). Your “point” is typically one sentence denoting what the paragraph will entail. Your “proof” is how you can support your “point” stated earlier. Your “proof” is where you will use other sources (like books, blogs, and websites) and your own knowledge of the topic to inform or persuade your readers. The “proof” is followed by your “comment” which explains the relation between your “point” and your “proof”. To end off your paragraph, you should have a closing statement that reinforces your previously mentioned “point”. The basic essay usually consists of three “point, proof, comment” paragraphs.
Closing Paragraph
To close your essay, you must include a closing paragraph that reiterates the “points” of your paragraphs and how they support your stance on the topic in one or two sentences.
In-Text Citations
If you choose to insert a direct quote from a resource, you may do so by simply inserting quotation marks around the quote and finishing the sentence with the author’s last name in brackets before inserting a period. If you included a quote from a book, you will do the same but you must insert a comma after the author’s last name with the page number that the quote was on. Remember to always include the resource that the quote was taken from in the reference list at the end of your essay.
For example:
“Here is my quote taken from a website” (Author’s last name).
“Here is my quote taken from a book” (Author’s last name, page number that the quote was on).
Works Cited
Your reference list is the perfect place to house all of your external resources that you used in your essay. This will always be found on the last page of your essay that is always on a separate page from your paragraphs. Your reference list will be titled “Works Cited” at the top center of a clean page. For MLA, there is a specific way to format your references that must always be followed. You must remember that the formatting of your references can vary depending on the resources used. To illustrate, a reference for a book will be formatted differently from a reference for a website. The rule to source a website is:
Author’s last name, author’s first name. “Title of Article.” Title of Website, Publisher, date that the article was published in day month year order, insert clickable link to website.
You must ensure that your reference list is in alphabetical order, that each reference has a hanging indent, and that it is all double-spaced just as the rest of your essay is.
Things to Note:
You should capitalize words in titles if they have three letters or greater.
Always indent at the beginning of paragraphs.
Whenever you use a resource (such as a website), you should automatically take note of the website link to refer back to when writing your reference list.
MLA papers can only be written in present tense (this excludes direct quotes).
Numbers are only written out if they are below 10. (E.x, you should always write “one” because it is less than 10, but you should write “15” because it is greater than 10).
Never use contractions in formal writing unless it is a direct quotation. (E.x, say “do not” instead of “don’t”)
If you gain approval from your teacher, you can use the “Purdue Online Writing Lab” as a guide to writing a proper reference list.
To check your grammar, you can use free websites like “Grammarly” or “SpellCheckPlus”. Remember that these websites may use American writing conventions.
Are you taking a course in hospitality or the social sciences? Check out my other guide on proper APA formatting!
Got any suggestions for more writing guides? Voice your ideas in the comments below!
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