Footnote Mechanics Formatting Use the same font as the font used in your paper, but smaller. * Most word processing apps will do this for you, using Times New Roman 10-point font. Place the number after the closing punctuation Footnote superscript is place after the closing punctuation. If you have more than one footnote in a sentence, place the other at the end of the sentence clause it relates to (outside of the punctuation). An exception to this rule is with the use of dashes, in which case the footnote goes before the dash. Examples: Single footnote He describes this as “the complete absence of independent or inherent isolated existence” of anything at all.¹ Two footnotes Similar to Buddhists aversion of the idea of “self,” Comte-Sponville suggests,¹ “The self is a prison” and man has a spiritual duty not to “heal the ego” but to “heal ourselves of ego.”² Two footnotes with dash Detachment, or “non self,” can bring about a higher mental health, freedom, compassion, and joy¹—no wonder an ego-maniac is less inclined to behave ethically when nobody’s watching.² Use sequential numbers throughout your paper The footnotes should start at 1 and go from there. * For longer papers (like doctoral theses), footnotes may start over with each chapter. Discuss this with your editor or advisor if you’re unsure. Uses of Footnotes in MLA Format Bibliographic notes Footnotes can point your readers to other publications where a particular topic is discussed in-depth. The topic may be tangential but may help readers understand your paper even more. Note the author’s last name (so the reader can find the full source title on the “Works Cited” page) and any particularly relevant sections of the source. Example: Text “The lack of access to education has, unfortunately, pushed many into viewing extremist organizations as lucrative options.¹” Footnote “¹See Gabri chapters 3 and 4 for a thorough analysis of recruitment risk-factors for adolescents around the world.” Side notes Use a footnote for tangential or parenthetical comments that might interrupt the flow of your text or confuse readers. However, use this sparingly as MLA format generally prefers parenthetical asides to appear in the main body of the text. Example: Text “It’s obvious that the top-down approach is not working efficiently, as enforcement is not compatible with certain countries’ political and economic climates.²” Footnote “²Especially since various studies are only looking at adult-aged recruitments (age eighteen and up) when some cultures consider age fifteen to be of legal status.” In-text “It’s obvious that the top-down approach is not working efficiently, as enforcement is not compatible with certain countries’ political and economic climates. This is especially true since various studies are only looking at adult-aged recruitments (age eighteen and up) when some cultures consider age fifteen to be of legal status.” Provide definitions, explanations, or clarifications Use a footnote to explain the meaning of a particular word or phrase or to clarify a key concept. Example: Text “The internet’s reputation as a playground for free speech seems to backfire when it comes to extremist ideology.³” Footnote “³According to The CES, extremism is defined by ‘the vocal or active opposition to our fundamental values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and respect and tolerance for different faiths and beliefs.’ How Terrorism Ends: Understanding the Decline and Demise of Terrorist Campaigns, Princeton: Princeton UP, 2009, 17.” Quotes or additional commentary Footnotes can also be used to provide any compelling quotes that relate to your paper or any additional commentary you may have on a particular point. Example: Text “Social media platforms provide the ideal framework for recruitment, as it is not unusual for the group’s recruitment team to release up to 90,000 tweets a day.⁴” Footnote “⁴In addition to hundred of videos with costly production values, glorifying brutality like a blockbuster film.”