MLA 9 Formatting Rules — Quick Reference for Students
MLA is the standard in literature, languages, and most humanities. Formatting is strict — margins, spacing, header block, and Works Cited entries all matter to your grade.
Page setup
1-inch margins on all sides. Times New Roman or a similar readable serif at 12 pt. Double-spaced throughout, including quotes and Works Cited. Header in top-right with your last name and page number.
First-page header block
Top-left: Your name, instructor, course, date — each on a new line, double-spaced. Then the title, centered, in title case. No underlining, no bold.
In-text citations
(Smith 42) — no comma. If author is named in the sentence, just the page: (42). Multiple sources by same author: (Smith, 'Article' 42).
Works Cited
New page, title 'Works Cited' centered. Entries in alphabetical order by author last name. Hanging indent. Double-spaced. Author. Title. Container. Version, Publisher, Date, Location.
FAQ
Do I italicize the essay title on my first page?
No — only titles of works you cite are italicized, not your own essay title.
How do I cite a website in MLA 9?
Author. 'Article Title.' Site Name, Date, URL.
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