How to Write a Paper for School in MLA Format

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

MLA Format is commonly required of middle school, high school and college students. It is a very professional way to format a paper, and, even if not required, is a nice, scholarly touch. MLA Format can easily be used in many word processing systems, but this article covers what specific labels and tabs can be used in Microsoft Works (most versions are the same as far as MLA formatting is concerned).

Steps

PDF download Download Article
  2. [1]
    • If you are in middle school, you are probably somewhat new to MLA format, but you should be able to figure this out by clicking on such tabs as "view," "format," "layout," or simply the ruler at the top of the document, if you have that feature enabled.
    Advertisement
  3. [2]
    • On older versions of Microsoft Word, you may not have to change the font or size, as Times New Roman 12-point is often the default for 2003 or older.
    • On newer versions, the defaults are different. In 2005, the default size is 11. On 2007, the default is Calibri 11. Always check the settings.
  4. On 2007, click the expand button under paragraph. On 2005 or older, click on paragraph. The dialogue boxes that result from these actions are similar. Set the spacing to "double." Most teachers prefer double spacing no matter what format you write in, because it allows them to make corrections or comments. [3]
  5. [4]
    • The header should be justified to the far right. Type your last name and then add page numbers to the header. You may now escape from your header.
    • It is no longer necessary to put page numbers on the bottom, where they often interfere with text.
  6. Your heading should consist of: [5]
    • Your full name (first and last, don't use nicknames)
    • Your teacher's name
    • Your subject and class, and possibly also grade, as needed (period 1, the name of the class with your class color if the teacher color codes their classes, etc.)
    • The date.
      • The date is most commonly written in the day, month, year format.
    • A sample heading.
      • Jane Doe
      • Ms. Jones
      • English, Blue
      • 11 November 2011
  7. Times New Roman, 12 point, that's it. Do not bold, underline, italicize, highlight or otherwise make your title stand out. [6]
  8. [7]
    • Novels, movies, television shows, plays or other major works should be italicized with the first letter capitalized.
    • Poems, short stories, episodes of television shows, periodicals or other lesser works should be in "quotations" with the first letter capitalized.
  9. [8]
    • Introduce it. Say something like, "As the author admits..." to literally introduce another person's words into your writing.
    • Insert and document it. It should be in quotation marks, but DO NOT put a period inside the quotation marks to end it. Just put the quotations.
      • Then document it. The author's last name and page number should be in parentheses, without punctuation between the two.
    • Finally, analyze it. Why is it important to your point? How does it prove what you want to say? What information can you draw from it?
  10. If it is similar in general appearance to papers you've written before, it's probably written correctly
    11. Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    Do I or do I not indent the first paragraph? In the pictures there is no indent, but I thought there was supposed to be.
    Community Answer
    On school papers, yes, indent the first paragraph - and do not double space between paragraphs. On business letters and papers, do not indent the first paragraph, and double space between paragraphs.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 11 Helpful 36
  • Question
    How many spaces do I use after each sentence?
    Community Answer
    One space after every period, and typically any form of punctuation. Example: Hello, I'm Bob. I like apples. I also enjoy bananas.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 17 Helpful 34
  • Question
    How many spaces do I need to indent for MLA format?
    Community Answer
    Paragraphs should be indented a half-inch from the left margin.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 3 Helpful 13
See more answers
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Write a Research Paper
      How to
      Cite a Wikipedia Article in MLA Format
      How to
      Quote and Cite a Play in an Essay Using MLA Format
      How to
      Quote and Cite a Poem in an Essay Using MLA Format
      How to
      Cite a Movie Using MLA Style
      How to
      Cite Sources in MLA Format
      MLA Format: Citing a YouTube Video (Example)
      How to
      Format a Quote in MLA
      How to
      Cite Shakespeare in MLA
      How to
      Cite an Interview in MLA Format
      How to
      Do In‐text Citations in MLA
      How to
      Cite Multiple Authors in MLA
      How to
      Cite a Dictionary Meaning in MLA
      How to
      Cite a Website Using MLA Format
      Advertisement

      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about mla format, check out our in-depth interview with Annaliese Dunne .

      References

      1. ↑ https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-englishcomposition1/chapter/text-mla-document-formatting/
      2. ↑ https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-englishcomposition1/chapter/text-mla-document-formatting/
      3. ↑ https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/science-fair/writing-a-bibliography-mla-format
      4. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_general_format.html
      5. ↑ https://irsc.libguides.com/mla/paperformatting
      6. ↑ https://irsc.libguides.com/mla/paperformatting
      7. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_general_format.html
      8. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_general_format.html

      About This Article

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 207,156 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Savannah Houston

        Apr 9, 2017

        "I can understand how to do a format for high school."
      Share your story

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement