MLA Formatting Guide — Complete 9th Edition Style Guide

The Modern Language Association (MLA) format is the standard citation and formatting style used in humanities courses. Whether you are writing an English essay, a history paper, or a literature review, this complete MLA formatting guide covers everything you need to know.

What Is MLA Format?

MLA (Modern Language Association) style provides a consistent way to format academic papers and cite sources. The 9th edition of the MLA Handbook was published in April 2021 and introduced important updates to simplify citation rules.

MLA Format: Basic Paper Setup

MLA Heading

Your MLA heading goes in the top-left corner of the first page:

Your full name
Your instructor's name
Course name and number
Date (Day Month Year)

Example:

Jane Smith
Professor Johnson
ENG 101
15 March 2025

Page Header

Every page should have a running header in the top-right corner with your last name and page number: Smith 1

MLA Formatting Rules

Font: 12-point Times New Roman (or another legible serif font)
Spacing: Double-space throughout the entire paper
Margins: 1 inch on all sides
Indentation: First line of each paragraph indented 0.5 inches
Alignment: Left-aligned (do not justify)

MLA In-Text Citations

In-text citations briefly identify your sources within the body of your paper. The basic format is:

(Author Last Name Page Number)

Examples:

(Smith 45) — Direct citation
Smith argues that "academic writing requires practice" (45) — Author mentioned in text
(Smith and Jones 23) — Two authors
(Smith et al. 12) — Three or more authors

Special Cases

No page number available: Use the author's name alone: (Smith)

Corporate author: (World Health Organization 15)

Citing a website: (Johnson) — Use author name without page number

MLA Works Cited Page

Your Works Cited page lists full publication details for every source you cited. Key rules:

Start on a new page titled "Works Cited" (centered)
Alphabetize entries by the authors last name
Use hanging indentation (first line flush left, subsequent lines 0.5 inch indent)
Double-space all entries
Italicize book, journal, and website titles
Use quotation marks for article and chapter titles

Common MLA Citation Formats

Book:

Author Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.

Example: Smith, John. The Art of Academic Writing. Oxford UP, 2024.

Journal Article:

Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Journal Name, vol. #, no. #, Year, pp. #-#.

Example: Chen, Lisa. "Digital Rhetoric in College Essays." Journal of Writing Studies, vol. 15, no. 3, 2024, pp. 45-67.

Website:

Author Last Name, First Name. "Page Title." Website Name, Date, URL.

Example: Johnson, Maria. "How to Write a Research Paper." AcademicTuning, 25 May 2025, academictuning.com/blog/research-paper-guide.

MLA Format Example Essay

Here is a shortened MLA format example showing proper formatting:

                                                      Smith 1

Jane Smith
Professor Johnson
ENG 101
15 March 2025

                The Evolution of Digital Rhetoric

    In the twenty-first century, the way we communicate has

changed dramatically. According to research, "digital platforms

have reshaped rhetorical strategies in fundamental ways" (Chen

45). This paper examines how social media has transformed

traditional argumentation.

                             Works Cited

Chen, Lisa. "Digital Rhetoric in College Essays." Journal of

    Writing Studies, vol. 15, no. 3, 2024, pp. 45-67.

Smith, John. The Art of Academic Writing. Oxford UP, 2024.

MLA 8th vs 9th Edition: What Changed?

The 9th edition made several key changes from the 8th:

Feature	MLA 8th Edition	MLA 9th Edition
URLs	Include "https://"	Omit "https://"
DOIs	Optional	Recommended when available
Publisher	Include Co., Ltd.	Omit Co., Ltd., Inc.
Containers	Two containers max	Unlimited containers
Author	Up to 2 authors listed	Up to 2 authors listed (same)

Free MLA Citation Generator

Need help creating perfect MLA citations? Use our Free MLA Citation Generator to generate accurate 9th edition citations for books, websites, and journals instantly.

Common MLA Format Questions

Do I need a title page in MLA format? No — MLA does not require a separate title page unless your instructor specifically asks for one. Instead, place your heading in the top-left corner of the first page.

How do I cite a source with no author in MLA? Begin the citation with the title of the work instead of the author name.

Should my Works Cited page be numbered? Yes — the Works Cited page continues the page numbering from your paper.

What is a hanging indent? A hanging indent means the first line of each citation is flush left, while subsequent lines are indented 0.5 inches.

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