The following are general guidelines for formatting papers in MLA 9th style. If your professor provides alternate instructions, follow those instead.
- Margins: 1" all around (except for the page number)
- Font: Select an easily readable font such as Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, etc. Size should be 12pt.
- Line-spacing: Double-space throughout the paper, including the heading, title, any block quotes, and your Works Cited page.
- Page Numbers: All pages should be numbered in the top right hand corner, ½ inch from top. Last name appears before the page numbers.
- Heading: Appears in top left corner. Include your name, your instructor's name, the course number, and the date. Date must be written in the following format: dd Month yyyy.
- Title: Centered and plain text (no italics, underlining, or other special formatting).
- Works Cited: Double-spaced with ½ inch hanging indent. Alphabetize citations by the author's last name. If no author is provided, use the title of the source instead.
MLA Handbook 9th Edition