The Modern Language Association (MLA) is a professional organization that promotes the study and teaching of language and literature. One of the most widely used citation styles in the field of humanities, the MLA format provides a set of guidelines for writing and formatting research papers and other documents.
The latest version of the MLA format is the 8th edition, which was published in April 2016. This edition made several significant changes to the formatting and citation guidelines, so it is important for students and researchers to be familiar with these updates.
One of the main changes in the 8th edition is the way in which sources are cited in the text of a paper. In previous editions of the MLA format, citations included the author's name and the page number(s) of the source. In the 8th edition, however, the format for in-text citations has been simplified. Now, citations include the author's last name and the page number(s), or just the page number(s) if the author's name is already mentioned in the sentence.
Another significant change in the 8th edition is the way in which sources are listed in the works cited page at the end of the paper. In previous editions, the works cited page was organized alphabetically by the author's last name. In the 8th edition, however, the works cited page is organized by the type of source. For example, books are listed first, followed by articles from scholarly journals, and then other sources such as websites and newspapers.
The 8th edition also includes guidelines for citing new types of sources, such as social media posts and personal interviews. In addition, the 8th edition provides specific formatting guidelines for the use of visual and audio materials, such as images and podcasts.
Overall, the 8th edition of the MLA format is a helpful tool for writers and researchers in the field of humanities. By providing clear and consistent guidelines for citing and formatting sources, the MLA format helps to ensure that research papers and other documents are professional and well-organized.
Formatting the Paper
This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. The use of a 12-point font size is recommended as this is the default size for many word processing programs. Sample Section Headings The following sample headings are meant to be used only as a reference. How do you do it? These lists should be considered, technically, as one single sentence. Written and edited by Michele Kirschenbaum and Elise Barbeau. Section Headings Section headings can be used to break up the paper into parts. However, if the organization is both the author and 2.
Do not manually type in the page number. While earlier editions emphasized the importance of following specific guidelines for formatting, the eighth edition focuses on the practice and process of scholarly documentation. Your instructor may accept a different font style: however, Times New Roman 12 Black is a standard setting in school and business. Use the full title if mentioned in the text itself, but an abbreviated title if included in parentheses. In the text of the project or paper where the figure is discussed, include the label in parentheses to ensure the reader knows where to find the figure in your paper. Notes should be labeled with a letter, rather than a numeral, so the reader is able to differentiate between the notes of the text and the notes of the table.
Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use. Always follow your instructor's guidelines. The items can be complete sentences or fragments. Remember that citing sources is a rhetorical task, and, as such, can vary based on your audience. When citing a physical object that you experienced firsthand, identify the place of location. Items in a list are included in your prose, rather than the traditional vertical style. If so, simply use the name of the organization.
Titles longer than a standard noun phrase should be shortened into a noun phrase by excluding articles. For example, a television series might have aired on a broadcast network on one date, but released on Netflixon a different date. Date of original publication: If a source has been published on more than one date, the writer may want to include both dates if it will provide the reader with necessary or helpful information. These types of footnotes and endnotes are helpful when explaining translations, adding background information, or sharing counterexamples to research. In general, boldface indicates greater prominence, while italics are appropriate for subordinate headings.
This gives writers a flexible method that is near-universally applicable. In both formats, begin each item in lowercase. Times New Roman and Arial are recommended, but many other fonts work as well. It should, however, be consistent throughout the document. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use. More specifically, whatever signal word or phrase you provide to your readers in the text must be the first thing that appears on the left-hand margin of the corresponding entry on the Works Cited page. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.
This version includes the volume and number 24. An essential part of the research process involves adding direct quotes and paraphrases into projects. To include a footnote or endnote, add a superscript number at the end of the sentence the footnote or endnote refers to. Since texts have become increasingly digital, and the same document may often be found in several different sources, following a set of rigid rules no longer suffices. The title of the container is usually italicized and followed by a comma, since the information that follows next describes the container. In this case, omit the publisher element.
The information included above and below any images or table should be double spaced, similar to the rest of the project or paper. Notice too that the double-space format of the document is consistent and does not change throughout. The caption in this case is also centered. The publication year is not required in in-text citations. Actually, are you looking for help on using another style? Citing transcripts, plays, or screenplays Sources that take the form of a dialogue involving two or more participants have special guidelines for their quotation and citation. Journal of Marketing Research, vol.
Running head Write the running head in the top right of the page at 0. The logic here is basic: a style guide should offer a method that is widely applicable. Each element should be followed by the corresponding punctuation mark shown above. When comparing works cited entries in the new eighth edition with the former seventh edition, see that differences in citation style are minimal; punctuation is streamlined, volume and issue numbers are identified as such, and there is no excess information such as city of publication or media type. When you combine information from outside sources with your own writing style, it demonstrates your ability as a researcher to showcase your understanding and analyzation of a topic.
Here is an example of how your first page should look. The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction. It is important to cite these containers within containers so that your readers can find the exact source that you used. Put a space after the colon, then provide the page number s. In the first row of the upper left-hand corner of the first page is where you would place your name. Choose a standard, high quality paper to print your project on. Plagiarism Guidance This section focuses on recognizing and avoiding plagiarism through quoting, paraphrasing, and identifying when documentation is optional.
For instance, if your headings are typically short phrases, make all of the headings short phrases and not, for example, full sentences. It also expands on how to style parenthetical citations with quotation marks. It expands beyond common knowledge as a reason for omitting documentation and introduces passing mentions, allusions, and epigraphs. In the first example an online magazine article , the writer has chosen not to include the author name in-text; however, two entries from the same author appear in the Works Cited. See Related Documents on right sidebar for an image of alignment settings. Otherwise, only use italics for emphasis. One of his latest website and marketing projects has been building the website for the now New York Times Bestselling author, We are a bunch of passionate writers who are here to help other writers like you improve your craft, narrow in on your writing dream, and achieve your greatest writing goals.
