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MLA Quick Style Guide: Home

About MLA Style

MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. This handout, updated to reflect the MLA Handbook (9th ed.) offers examples and guidelines for the general format of MLA research papers, in‐text citations, and the Works Cited page. If you are asked to use MLA format, be sure to consult the MLA Handbook (9th ed.) or visit the MLA website (mla.org). 

Works Cited Page Formatting

  • Start the works cited list on a new page, continuing the page numbers from the body of the paper.
  • Center the title of the page (Works Cited) an inch from the top of the paper.
  • Align the start of each entry with the left margin. Indent any subsequent lines one‐half inch (or five spaces).
  • Double‐space the list within and between entries.
  • Arrange entries in alphabetical order by author’s last names or by title for sources with no authors.
  • Capitalize the first word and all other principal words of the titles and subtitles of cited works list (do not capitalize articles, prepositions, coordinating conjunctions, or the “to” in infinitives.) 

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