mla research paper structure

Search Modern Language Association

Log in to Modern Language Association

• Annual Report
• MLA News Digest Archive
• Mission and Strategic Priorities
• Advertising
• Join the MLA Mailing List
• The MLA Staff
• Delegate Assembly
• Executive Council
• Related Organizations
• Donate to the MLA
• Leading Contributors to the MLA
• MLA Webinars Site
• ADE-ALD Summer Seminar and MAPS Leadership Institute
• MLA Convention Seminars
• Presidential Theme for the 2025 Convention
• 2025 Convention Program Forms
• A Letter from MLA Executive Director Paula M. Krebs Urging Support of Convention Attendance
• MLA Exhibit Hall
• Access Guidelines for MLA Convention Session Organizers and Presenters
• Calls for Papers
• Policies for Forums and Allied Organizations
• Procedures for Organizing Convention Meetings
• Exhibiting at the 2025 MLA Convention
• Sponsorship and Marketing
• Convention History
• Appropriate Conduct at the MLA Annual Convention
• Membership Benefits
• Join the MLA
• MLA Academic Program Services
• MLA Newsletter
• MLA Strategic Partnership Network
• Member Search
• Renew Your Membership

MLA Handbook Plus

• Buy the MLA Handbook
• MLA Style Support

Publications

• Backlist Titles
• Forthcoming Titles
• Library Subscriptions
• What We Publish
• What We Value
• How to Propose a Volume
• Contribute to a Book in Development
• Request Your Complimentary MLA Handbook
• About the MLA International Bibliography
• Free Online Course
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Submitting Work to the MLA International Bibliography
• Tutorial Videos
• Using the MLA International Bibliography
• A Video from Paula Krebs about Humanities Successes
• Executive Council Actions
• MLA Pathways
• Resources on Academic Freedom, Free Speech, and the Right to Protest
• Resources on Collective Action
• 2024 MLA Institutes on Reading and Writing Pedagogy
• Career Resources
• Conferences, Fellowships, and Announcements
• MLA Grants and Awards
• MLA Professional Development Webinars
• MLA Sit and Write Sessions
• MLA Webinars on the Public Humanities
• Reimagining Humanities Coursework for Career Readiness: A Workshop
• MLA Language Map
• Reports and Professional Guidelines

Request Your Free Member Copy

Buy the  MLA Handbook

The MLA Style Center

What is mla style.

Building confidence in the information and ideas we share with one another is perhaps more important today than ever before, and for nearly a century it has been the driving principle behind MLA style, a set of standards for writing and documentation used by writers to find and evaluate information, alert their audience to the trustworthiness of their findings through citation, and shape the expression of their ideas in conversation with others. 

Resources for MLA Style

Our new, subscription-based digital platform, MLA Handbook Plus is

• Trusted: The only authorized subscription-based digital resource featuring the latest edition of the MLA Handbook is available for unlimited simultaneous users.
• Evolving: Get the same content as the print edition, plus seamless annual updates and forthcoming additional resources such as videos and companion titles.
• Dynamic: Features an easy-to-search interface, cross-linking of related material, and a split view that lets students see illustrations while reading corresponding content.
• Flexible: Whether on campus, at home, or in a coffee shop, students can access the platform from anywhere—perfect for remote or hybrid learning environments.
• Affordable: Tiered pricing model based on full-time undergraduate enrollments in US higher education institutions (with custom pricing options for secondary schools, consortia, international schools, campus systems, and other organizations).
• Accessible: Meets current accessibility standards—ensuring that learning MLA style is available to all.

Contact [email protected] for more info.

MLA Handbook , 9th Edition

The ninth edition of the MLA Handbook , published in spring 2021, builds on the MLA's unique approach to documenting sources using a template of core elements—facts common to most sources, like author, title, and publication date—that allows writers to cite any type of work, from books, e-books, and journal articles in databases to song lyrics, online images, social media posts, dissertations, and more. With this focus on source evaluation as the cornerstone of citation, MLA style promotes the skills of information and digital literacy so crucial today. The new edition offers

• New chapters on grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, numbers, italics, abbreviations, and principles of inclusive language
• Guidelines on setting up research papers in MLA format with updated advice on headings, lists, and title pages for group projects
• Revised, comprehensive, step-by-step instructions for creating a list of works cited in MLA format that are easier to learn and use than ever before
• A new appendix with hundreds of example works-cited-list entries by publication format, including websites, YouTube videos, interviews, and more
• Detailed examples of how to find publication information for a variety of sources
• Newly revised explanations of in-text citations, including comprehensive advice on how to cite multiple authors of a single work
• Detailed guidance on using notes in MLA style
• Instructions on quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, and avoiding plagiarism
• Annotated bibliography examples
• Numbered sections throughout for quick navigation
• Advanced tips for professional writers and scholars

The MLA Style Center offers free online resources on MLA style, including an interactive MLA format template, answers to common questions on Ask the MLA, advice from the MLA editors, and more. Get updates by signing up for The Source newsletter, and follow us on Twitter @MLAstyle .

MLA Style Guide, 8th & 9th Editions: Formatting Your MLA Paper

• Works Cited entries: What to Include
• Title of source
• Title of container
• Contributors
• Publication date
• Supplemental Elements
• Book with Personal Author(s)
• Book with Organization as Author
• Book with Editor(s)
• Parts of Books
• Government Publication
• Journal Article
• Magazine Article
• Multivolume Works
• Newspaper Article
• Other Formats
• Websites, Social Media, and Email
• About In-text Citations
• In-text Examples
• How to Paraphrase and Quote
• Citing Poetry
• Formatting Your MLA Paper
• Formatting Your Works Cited List
• MLA Annotated Bibliography
• MLA 9th Edition Quick Guide
• Submit Your Paper for MLA Style Review

MLA recommends using 12-point Times New Roman font or another readable typeface (e.g. serif ).

Line Spacing & Margins

Use double-spacing throughout the entire paper.

Leave 1 inch margins on the top, bottom, and each side.

Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch from the left margin.

Quotes longer than 4 lines should be written as a block of text a half an inch from the left margin.

Heading and Title

An MLA research paper does not need a title page, but your instructor may require one. If no instructions are given, follow the MLA guidelines below:

Type the following one inch from the top of the first page, flush with the left margin (double spacing throughout).

Your Instructor's Name

Course Number or Name

Center the title on the next line. Follow the rules for capitalization. Do not italicize, underline, or bold the title. An exception is when your title includes a title.  Example:  The Attitude toward Violence in A Clockwork Orange

Indent the next line and begin typing your text.

Include your last name and page numbers in the upper right-hand corner of every page. The page numbers will be one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin. If your instructor prefers no page number on the first page, begin numbering from 2 on the second page.

Sample Papers from MLA

There are sample papers available in the MLA Style Center. Check them out to see the correct formatting.

Styling Headings and Subheadings

According to the MLA Style Center website, writers should avoid using headings in shorter papers. If you are writing a longer research paper, you may want to include headings and subheadings to help organize the sections of your paper. Advice from the MLA Style Center :

"Levels

The paper or chapter title is the first level of heading, and it must be the most prominent.

Headings should be styled in descending order of prominence. After the first level, the other headings are subheadings—that is, they are subordinate. Font styling and size are used to signal prominence. In general, a boldface, larger font indicates prominence; a smaller font, italics, and lack of bold can be used to signal subordination. For readability, don’t go overboard: avoid using all capital letters for headings (in some cases, small capitals may be acceptable):

Heading Level 1

Heading Level 2

Heading Level 3

Note that word-processing software often has built-in heading styles.

Consistency

Consistency in the styling of headings and subheadings is key to signaling to readers the structure of a research project. That is, each level 1 heading should appear in the same style and size, as should each level 2 heading, and so on. Generally, avoid numbers and letters to designate heads unless you are working in a discipline where doing so is conventional. Note that a heading labeled “1” requires a subsequent heading labeled “2,” and a heading labeled “a” requires a subsequent heading labeled “b.” 

In a project that is not professionally designed and published, headings should be flush with the left margin, to avoid confusion with block quotations. (The exception is the paper or chapter title, which is centered in MLA style.)

For readability, it is helpful to include a line space above and below a heading, as shown in this post.

No internal heading level should have only one instance. For example, if you have one level 1 heading, you need to have a second level 1 heading. (The exceptions are the paper or chapter title and the headings for notes and the list of works cited.) You should also generally have text under each heading.

Capitalization

Capitalize headings like the titles of works, as explained in section 1.2 of the MLA Handbook.

The shorter, the better."

Modern Language Association. "How Do I Style Headings and Subheadings in a Research Paper?" MLA Style Center., 13 December 2018,  style.mla.org/styling-headings-and-subheadings .

MLA Style Paper Template

• MLA 9th Edition Paper Template This template was created and saved as a Word template for Microsoft Word 2016. The process for saving and using the template is the same for the instructions given above for 2013.

You can save a personal template in Microsoft Word (IRSC students, download Office for free, see a librarian if you need help). Above is a template you can use every time you need to set-up a research paper using MLA style format. Simply open the template and type your own information every time you need to write an MLA style paper. Microsoft Word will allow you to save personal templates. Once you have the template opened in Word

Click "Save as"

Give the file a name

Under "Save as type", select Word Template

Then when you open Word, you will be able to choose a template rather than a blank document. You might have to select Personal to find your template.

Sample MLA Paper

How to Use the MLA Style Template

Formatting Group Project Papers

For a research paper written collaboratively by several students, such as for a group project, create a title page instead of listing all authors in the header on page 1 of the essay. On the title page, list each student's full name, placing one name on each double-spaced line. After the final student name, enter the professor's name. After the professor's name, give the course name. The last line of the heading will be the date in 5 August 2021 format. Press Enter a few times to move down the page then give the paper title, centered.

• << Previous: Citing Poetry
• Next: Formatting Your Works Cited List >>
• Last Updated: May 21, 2024 5:26 PM
• URL: https://irsc.libguides.com/mla

• My Library Account
• Articles, Books & More
• Course Reserves
• Site Search
• Advanced Search
• Sac State Library
• Research Guides

MLA Style Guide

• Student Paper Format
• In-Text Citations
• Miscellaneous

MLA Resources

• Official MLA Style Center The Modern Language Association provides many useful resources on their website.
• Print MLA Handbook Find a paper copy in the library.
• MLA Overview (Purdue OWL) The Online Writing Lab (OWL) created by Purdue University provides detailed information on MLA formatting.

Paper Format

• Formatting a Research Paper (MLA)
• General Format (OWL)

Sample Papers

• Sample Papers (MLA)
• Sample Paper (OWL)

General Formatting (MLA 1.1, 1.2)

• Margins are 1" from both side, top, and bottom. 
• Use Times New Roman size 12 font. 
• Double space all lines. 
• Running head: in the right corner, one-half inch from the top, put the last name of the author(s) and the page number (Ex. Smith 1). 

Heading (MLA 1.3)

• Writer's Name(s)
• Instructor's Name(s)
• Course Number (Ex.: English 5)
• Date (Number Month Year; Ex.: 2 April 2020)
• NOTE: your instructor may prefer that you use a title page, in which case move all the information in the header and title to its own page starting one-quarter of the way from the top of the page. 

Title (MLA 1.3)

• On the line immediately after the date in the header. 
• Centered. 
• Use plain text (not bold, italicized, underlined, or in quotation marks).
• Capitalize all words except articles and prepositions. 
• NOTE: your instructor may prefer that you use a title page, in which case move all the information in the header and title to its own page starting one-quarter of the way from the top of the page. 

Text (MLA 1.2)

• Indent the first line of every paragraph by a half-inch. 
• Short quotes can be surrounded by quotation marks and inserted in the lines of the text.
• Long quotes do not use quotation marks and are separated out onto their own lines, all of which begin one-half inch from the left margin. 
• Do not hyphenate words in order to separate them onto two separate lines. This often happens because your document is not set to left justify or because you have auto-hyphenate on. 
• The punctuation mark at the end of a sentence is followed by a single space. 

Works Cited (MLA 1.6)

• Begin on a new page. 
• Center the title "Works Cited" (if there is only one entry, title "Work Cited"). 
• The first line of a citation is flush left and any subsequent lines are indented one-half inch from the left (a.k.a. a "hanging indent"). 
• Alphabetize the list by first word in the citation.
• See more guidelines in the Works Cited tab. 
• << Previous: Home
• Next: In-Text Citations >>
• Last Updated: Jun 13, 2024 9:14 AM
• URL: https://csus.libguides.com/mla

How to Format Your Research Paper

• APA 7 Paper Format

Writing Your Paper: MLA

Mla style papers.

• Chicago Paper Format
• Hanging Indents
• Ask a Librarian

MLA Resources

• Ask the MLA Search a list of Frequently Asked Questions about the MLA style. If you donʻt see the answer youʻre looking for, ask the MLA yourself!
• Purdue OWL: MLA Style Guide This Purdue OWL citation guide will help you in citing your sources in the MLA (Modern Language Association) Style commonly used to cite sources within the area of language arts. You can find written and video instructions with examples on how to format your citations. Click on the title above to see more...

Always consult your assignment guidelines for course-specific formatting.

Things to know before you begin:

• Font:  An easily readable typeface (Times New Roman, Calibri, Arial, etc...) that is maintained throughout the paper.
• Font Size:  11-13 point 
• Margins:  1 inch
• Paragraphs: All paragraphs should be indented.
• Spacing: All of the text in your paper should be double-spaced.

Typical MLA style papers have two sections:

• Works Cited

See the tabs below for a breakdown of how each portion should be formatted.

• Paper Templates
• Sample Papers

Below you will find templates for MLA Style papers. Click the link to make a copy of the file. 

• Google Docs : To make a copy of this template you must first sign in to your Google account. After you’re signed in, click file and then click “make a copy.”
• Microsoft Word : To make a copy of this template, simply download the file. 

• MLA Style Paper Template - Word Make a copy of this Word Doc and change the pre-filled information to your own.

Below you will find an example of an accurately formatted MLA Style paper. 

• Sample Paper MLA: 3D Printing (.pdf) Click here to see a sample of an accurately formatted MLA style paper.
• Sample Paper MLA: 3D Printing Click here to see a sample of an accurately formatted MLA style paper.

• Your paper should have your name, your instructor's name, the class name, and the due date in the top left corner of the page. It should be double spaced and use the same font type and size as the rest of your paper.
• The title of your paper should be centered on the first line after your heading. It should be in Title Case and use the same font type and size as the rest of your paper.
• Place your last name and page numbers in the header in the same font type and size as the rest of your paper. Be sure to use the header function, do not type this into the body of your paper.

• Center the words "Works Cited" on the first line of a new page. If you only have a single reference, use "Work Cited" instead.
• Your citations should be alphabetical.
• All entries should be double-spaced with no extra lines between them.
• Be sure to use a hanging indent for any citations that require more than one line. 

Need help formatting your MLA style citations using the 8th edition of the  Modern Language Association Handbook ? Click the image or link below to go to the citation guide.

• MLA Style Citations

Need help learning what hanging indents are and how to create them using Google Docs or Microsoft Word? 

• Hanging Indents This page gives a brief description of what they are, where to find information on when and how to properly use them, and also video tutorials on how to create them.
• << Previous: APA 7 Paper Format
• Next: Chicago Paper Format >>
• Last Updated: Jun 21, 2024 10:45 AM
• URL: https://necc.mass.libguides.com/formatting

To cite this LibGuide use the following templates:

APA : Northern Essex Community College Library. (Date updated). Title of page . Title of LibGuide. URL

MLA : Northern Essex Community College Library. "Title of Page." Title of LibGuide, Date updated, URL.

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• Research paper
• Research Paper Format | APA, MLA, & Chicago Templates

Research Paper Format | APA, MLA, & Chicago Templates

Published on November 19, 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on January 20, 2023.

The formatting of a research paper is different depending on which style guide you’re following. In addition to citations , APA, MLA, and Chicago provide format guidelines for things like font choices, page layout, format of headings and the format of the reference page.

Scribbr offers free Microsoft Word templates for the most common formats. Simply download and get started on your paper.

APA |  MLA | Chicago author-date | Chicago notes & bibliography

• Generate an automatic table of contents
• Generate a list of tables and figures
• Ensure consistent paragraph formatting
• Insert page numbering

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

Table of contents

Formatting an apa paper, formatting an mla paper, formatting a chicago paper, frequently asked questions about research paper formatting.

The main guidelines for formatting a paper in APA Style are as follows:

• Use a standard font like 12 pt Times New Roman or 11 pt Arial.
• Set 1 inch page margins.
• Apply double line spacing.
• If submitting for publication, insert a APA running head on every page.
• Indent every new paragraph ½ inch.

Watch the video below for a quick guide to setting up the format in Google Docs.

The image below shows how to format an APA Style title page for a student paper.

Running head

If you are submitting a paper for publication, APA requires you to include a running head on each page. The image below shows you how this should be formatted.

For student papers, no running head is required unless you have been instructed to include one.

APA provides guidelines for formatting up to five levels of heading within your paper. Level 1 headings are the most general, level 5 the most specific.

Reference page

APA Style citation requires (author-date) APA in-text citations throughout the text and an APA Style reference page at the end. The image below shows how the reference page should be formatted.

Note that the format of reference entries is different depending on the source type. You can easily create your citations and reference list using the free APA Citation Generator.

Generate APA citations for free

Scribbr Citation Checker New

The AI-powered Citation Checker helps you avoid common mistakes such as:

• Missing commas and periods
• Incorrect usage of “et al.”
• Ampersands (&) in narrative citations
• Missing reference entries

The main guidelines for writing an MLA style paper are as follows:

• Use an easily readable font like 12 pt Times New Roman.
• Use title case capitalization for headings .

Check out the video below to see how to set up the format in Google Docs.

On the first page of an MLA paper, a heading appears above your title, featuring some key information:

• Your full name
• Your instructor’s or supervisor’s name
• The course name or number
• The due date of the assignment

Page header

A header appears at the top of each page in your paper, including your surname and the page number.

Works Cited page

MLA in-text citations appear wherever you refer to a source in your text. The MLA Works Cited page appears at the end of your text, listing all the sources used. It is formatted as shown below.

You can easily create your MLA citations and save your Works Cited list with the free MLA Citation Generator.

Generate MLA citations for free

The main guidelines for writing a paper in Chicago style (also known as Turabian style) are:

• Use a standard font like 12 pt Times New Roman.
• Use 1 inch margins or larger.
• Place page numbers in the top right or bottom center.

Chicago doesn’t require a title page , but if you want to include one, Turabian (based on Chicago) presents some guidelines. Lay out the title page as shown below.

Bibliography or reference list

Chicago offers two citation styles : author-date citations plus a reference list, or footnote citations plus a bibliography. Choose one style or the other and use it consistently.

The reference list or bibliography appears at the end of the paper. Both styles present this page similarly in terms of formatting, as shown below.

To format a paper in APA Style , follow these guidelines:

• Use a standard font like 12 pt Times New Roman or 11 pt Arial
• Set 1 inch page margins
• Apply double line spacing
• Include a title page
• If submitting for publication, insert a running head on every page
• Indent every new paragraph ½ inch
• Apply APA heading styles
• Cite your sources with APA in-text citations
• List all sources cited on a reference page at the end

The main guidelines for formatting a paper in MLA style are as follows:

• Use an easily readable font like 12 pt Times New Roman
• Include a four-line MLA heading on the first page
• Center the paper’s title
• Use title case capitalization for headings
• Cite your sources with MLA in-text citations
• List all sources cited on a Works Cited page at the end

The main guidelines for formatting a paper in Chicago style are to:

• Use a standard font like 12 pt Times New Roman
• Use 1 inch margins or larger
• Place page numbers in the top right or bottom center
• Cite your sources with author-date citations or Chicago footnotes
• Include a bibliography or reference list

To automatically generate accurate Chicago references, you can use Scribbr’s free Chicago reference generator .

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2023, January 20). Research Paper Format | APA, MLA, & Chicago Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved June 26, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-paper/research-paper-format/

Is this article helpful?

Jack Caulfield

Other students also liked, apa format for academic papers and essays, mla format for academic papers and essays, chicago style format for papers | requirements & examples, get unlimited documents corrected.

✔ Free APA citation check included ✔ Unlimited document corrections ✔ Specialized in correcting academic texts

MLA Format Research Paper: Examples & 9 Steps Guide

Learn how to write a research paper in MLA format with examples. Get tips, guidelines, and sample papers to ace your academic writing.

Last updated on Mar 26th, 2024

When you click on affiliate links on QuillMuse.com and make a purchase, you won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll get a small commission—this helps us keep up with publishing valuable content on QuillMuse.  Read More .

Table of Contents

Writing a research paper in MLA format requires attention to detail and allegiance to particular rules set by the Modern Language Association. From formatting the title page to citing sources accurately, MLA format is fundamental for academic success. Let’s start by synthesizing the key components and steps included in making a well-structured and properly formatted MLA research paper.

What is MLA Format?

A research paper in MLA (Modern Language Association) format is an academic report that follows the rules built up by the MLA for formatting and citing sources. It typically incorporates an introduction, a thesis statement, body paragraphs with supporting ideas, and a conclusion. In MLA format, particular rules oversee the formatting of the paper, including margins, font size and type, spacing, headings, and page numbering. Moreover, MLA format requires the use of in-text citations to recognize sources and a Works Cited page posting all the sources used within the paper.

The MLA research paper format provides important guidelines to help represent your research paper with a focus on every point in detail and delivered in a concise but interesting way. Following MLA format guidelines ensures consistency, clarity, and appropriate attribution of sources in academic writing.

Why is an MLA-format research paper significant in academic life?

The significance of the MLA format in academic writing cannot be overstated. It serves as a standardized framework that ensures consistency and clarity in academic communication. Here are a few key reasons why the MLA format for research papers is significant: 

1. Validity : Following the MLA format illustrates your commitment to academic standards and consideration for detail, upgrading the validity of your research. 

2. Consistency : MLA format gives a uniform structure for citing sources, formatting papers, and organizing content, encouraging ease of reading and comprehension for both writers and readers. 

3. Accurate Attribution : Proper MLA citations permit readers to follow and verify your sources, empowering them to explore the research and ensuring academic integrity. 

4. Maintaining a strategic distance from plagiarism : MLA format makes a difference when writers properly attribute ideas and data to their unique sources, guard against inadvertent plagiarization, and maintain ethical writing practices. 

5. Availability : By following the MLA format, you make your research more available to others inside your academic community, empowering effective communication and collaboration. 

6. Professionalism : Following MLA standards reflects professionalism and competence in academic writing, contributing to the overall quality and impact of your research. 

Steps for Writing an MLA Format Research Paper

1. select a topic.

Select a researchable topic that interests you and adjusts to the requirements of your task or academic goals. 

2. Conduct research

Accumulate relevant sources, such as books, journal articles, websites, and other academic materials related to your topic. Take detailed notes and record bibliographic data for each source. 

3. Create an Outline 

Create an outline to organize your research paper into logical areas, including an introduction, thesis statement, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Must write the main points and supporting ideas for each section.

4. Start to write a paper 

Start writing your research paper according to the outline, including information from your collected sources and adding in-text citations for paraphrases, summaries, and direct quotations. Follow the MLA guidelines for page formatting, including margins, font size, spacing, and page numbering. 

5. Cite sources 

Insert in-text citations within the body of your paper to identify your information sources. Use the author-page format for in-text citations (example: (Salmon 321)) or include the author’s name in the signal state, followed by the page number in brackets. You can visit Scribbr [1] and cite your source easily. 

6. Works Cited Page 

Make a Works Cited page after the conclusion of your paper, listing all the sources you cited in your research. Organize the sections in order by the authors’ last names and follow the MLA format for each citation type (books, articles, websites, etc.). 

7. Revise and edit

Revising and editing allow us to correct any grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors in our paper. Eliminating these errors improves the professionalism and credibility of our writing. Be alert to your common writing errors . If you want to write more advanced, you should know how to improve your writing skills . For grammar check, Grammarly and QuillBot are the easiest ways that help you improve grammatical errors and improve your writing. 

8. Look for feedback

Share your research paper with your brilliant, intelligent peers, experienced instructors, researchers, or writing centers to get feedback on its structure in MLA format. Join constructive feedback to upgrade the effectiveness of your paper. 

9. Finalize and submit 

Before submitting the reset paper, do one more final check to understand whether the corrections and editing you have done so far are correct.

By following these steps, you will be able to write a research paper in MLA format that successfully communicates your ideas and thoughts and contributes to the academic discussion in your field. 

Are there any benefits to writing a research paper according to the MLA format?

The MLA format is one of the best research paper writing formats. The MLA format is easy to follow as compared to other formats and does not require extra effort to write a research paper. Here are six benefits of an MLA-format research paper:

1. Worldwide Acceptance :  The MLA format is widely recognized and accepted in academic institutions around the world, making it simpler to share and spread research findings across the world. 

2. Ease of Use : Once you become familiar with MLA guidelines, writing papers in MLA format gets easier and more productive. Many online resources and citation generators are available to assist you in making citations and organizing your paper accurately. 

3. Career Opportunities : MLA format has a great role in making high-quality research papers that can improve your academic and professional reputation, leading to career advancement opportunities in academia. 

Example of MLA Format Research Paper

Let us share with you one MLA research paper format that was done by me and my teammates. I hope it will play a special role in your undergraduate life.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, MLA format is crucial for academic writing, ensuring consistency, validity, and adherence to academic standards. By following MLA guidelines for formatting, citing sources, and making a Works Cited page, scholars contribute to the clarity and accessibility of their research. Whether creating research papers within the humanities or related fields, understanding MLA format cultivates compelling communication and maintains moral standards in academic discourse. 

Embracing these standards not only upgrades the professionalism of research papers but also advances intellectual judgment and fosters a culture of academic excellence. Let the accuracy of the MLA format be your guide to academic success and impactful research endeavors. 

Is there any cover page in the MLA research paper?

Generally, MLA-format research papers do not require a cover page; it is completely optional. You should include just the student name, instructor name, designation, and date of submission on the top left side of the first page.

When is MLA format used in a research paper?

Most of the time, MLA format is used only in cultural studies, humanities, and literature subjects.

Is there any online tool to make MLA references and citations?

There are various online tools and citation machines available on the internet to create citations and references as per MLA guidelines. If you share your chosen links in these tools, MLA citations and references will automatically be made easily.

How we've reviewed this article

Our content is thoroughly researched and fact-checked using reputable sources. While we aim for precision, we encourage independent verification for complete confidence.

1. Scribbr Citation Generator: https://www.scribbr.com/citation/generator/

We keep our articles up-to-date regularly to ensure accuracy and relevance as new information becomes available.

• Current Version
• Mar 26th, 2024

Share this article

Leave a Comment Login Please login to comment 0 Comments Inline Feedbacks View all comments

Prev Previous Next Next

How to Write a Research Paper Introduction

We write different types of papers for academic and professional reasons. Research paper is one of the most important papers and it is different from other papers. There are different types of rules for writing a research paper, the first part is the introduction. Through this article, we will try

How to Write a Research Paper Conclusion With Example 

The conclusion is the last part of every research paper or document. Without a conclusion, your research paper will not be complete. A few days ago, I got some comments on our website about how to write a research paper conclusion. Some are interested in knowing about research paper conclusion

How to Write an Abstract for a Research Paper | 4 Examples

Abstract writing is essential for researchers looking to communicate the substance of their work concisely. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll systematically explore the process of writing a compelling abstract. From defining its purpose to exploring formatting requirements, understanding the key components and strategies ensures the effective communication of a research

Report this article

Let us know if you notice any incorrect information about this article or if it was copied from others. We will take action against this article ASAP.

• Profile Page
• Edit Profile
• Add New Post

Read our Content Writing Guide .

Deadline Extended for Our Information Literacy Prize: Apply Now !

What’s New on MLA Handbook Plus ?

What is mla handbook plus .

MLA Handbook Plus is a new, subscription-based digital product providing online access to the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook. To learn more about MLA Handbook… Read More

What’s New in the Ninth Edition of the MLA Handbook (Spring 2021)

Published in April 2021, the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook works as both a textbook and a reference guide. You can order a copy… Read More

MLA Guide to Digital Literacy , 2nd Edition: An Interview with the Author

by Ellen C. Carillo

Ellen C. Carillo talks to the MLA about the MLA Guide to Digital Literacy , second edition. Read More

How do I alphabetize Irish surnames in the works-cited list?

This post explains how to alphabetize Irish surnames Read More

Teaching Resources

A Century of Queer Korean Fiction : An Interview with Samuel Perry

Toward Educational Justice: An Interview with the Editors of Teaching Literature and Writing in Prisons

Henrique Maximiano Coelho Neto’s Sphinx: A Neo-Gothic Novel from Brazil : An Interview with M. Elizabeth Ginway

A Reflection on Disability Studies: Enabling the Humanities on Its Twentieth Anniversary

Teaching Claire de Duras’s Ourika

Teaching Nineteenth-Century Activist Rhetorics Today: An Interview

How and Why to Teach Late-Twentieth-Century Mexicana and Chicana Writers: An Interview

Advice from the Editors

Similar but Different: Using Compare with and Compare to

Forego versus Forgo

Was and Were with the Subjunctive

Their , There , and They’re : Learn the Difference

Attributive Nouns; or, Why There Is Sometimes No Apostrophe in Terms Such As Teachers Union

Terms for Key Concepts

Laying versus Lying

Getting to the Bottom of Principle and Principal

Ask the MLA

How do i alphabetize a works-cited-list entry that begins with a hashtag or another symbol.

The MLA recommends that writers should “ignore symbols when alphabetizing” (“How”). This includes hashtags. Thus, if an entry begins with a hashtag or another symbol,… Read More

How do I cite a work accessed through Wayback Machine ?

Wayback Machine is an archive of websites that lives on the Internet Archive ’s site, so you would treat the Internet Archive as the container of… Read More

Home / MLA Sample Paper

MLA Sample Paper

Mla sample paper #1.

If you’ve been wondering how to produce a research paper that is strong in both formatting and writing, you’ve come to the right place.

Check out our first sample paper below. It is a helpful and clearly labeled visual aid to refer to. Note that while these sample papers do not include MLA abstracts , you should check with your instructor to see if an abstract should be included.

Visual Sample Paper

The example research paper below is one that was written in college for a course on the Inklings. The Inklings were a group of writers in England before WWII, including C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.

The abbreviated MLA paper below (linked here without annotations) is about J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and how the author used myth, story, and song to link all of his works together. Tolkien is famous for creating a fantasy universe called Middle-earth, which readers can’t truly understand until they read all of the books about Middle-earth ( The Silmarillian, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings ).

Since we’re here to learn how to format an essay, we’ve pointed out some important things about the paper to help you write a correctly formatted essay.

For starters, the essay is in MLA format. That means it follows the style manual of the Modern Language Association, which tells you how to format the paper itself and every source you cite. You’ll also see notes like how long a paragraph should be, how to use commas properly, and how to correctly punctuate a title. Some of these guidelines are different from those in APA format , so be sure to confirm you are using the correct style in your paper.

Pay special attention to the MLA format works cited. We only used one type of source (books), but both citations are correct according to the 9th edition of MLA, published in 2021. When you’re writing your own paper, you need to make sure you always use the most recent edition of the style manual. You’ll also want to check with your instructor to see if you need to include an MLA annotated bibliography with your paper, which contains additional information summarizing and evaluating each source after the regular citation.

Whether you need MLA, APA citations , or Chicago style notes, look up the latest edition before turning in a paper.

MLA Sample Paper #2

See below for an example paper or click below to download it as a Word Document.

The MLA header should be one inch from the top and left margins. The heading and the entire paper should be double spaced.

Eli YaffarabeProfessor Rapheor

28 August 2018

Privatization of Prisons in Texas

              The privatization of governmental services has increased dramatically in the past decade as local, state, and federal agencies have searched for ways to cut costs while still meeting their mandated responsibility to provide various public services. This privatizing trend has particularly affected the criminal justice system. Since the early 1990s, privatized correctional facilities have increased significantly, nationally and statewide. This policy has far-ranging consequences not only within the criminal justice system, but as an instructive example for government officials when considering the costs and benefits of privatization as a public policy option. By 2001, thirty states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico had privately-operated correctional facilities (Austin and Coventry 4). This movement has incited considerable debate and controversy, mainly because prison privatization calls for giving the private sector direct control over the lives of a captive human population.

Surprisingly, there has been little objective and concrete analysis of the privatization of prisons in the United States. This is probably for two reasons: first, ideological arguments on the matter have pushed out substantive research, and second, because this trend has only recently accelerated in the U.S. and mainly on a state level. However, case studies and statistics at the state level are more accessible. With capacity for over 30,000 prisoners in 43 facilities, the state of Texas has privatized more of its prison system than any state in the nation (McDonald and Patten Jr. iv).

Yaffarabe 2

              Public policy concerning the criminal justice system has become more daunting and important in the last decade. The problems in the system are twofold: an overcrowding prison population, mainly due to “three strikes” legislation and reducing early parole; and the costs of operating prisons with this growing population (Austin and Coventry). According to the most recent U.S. Department of Justice survey, slightly over 2.2 million people were incarcerated in correctional facilities in this country in 2003. In comparison, in 1993, 1.37 million people were imprisoned in this country (Beck and Harrison 1).

At the same time, the growth of privately operated correctional facilities has increased significantly in this country. Private prisons now hold 95,522 inmates in this country, which is 6.5 percent of total prisoners (Beck and Harrison 5). In Texas, 16,570 inmates (10 percent of its prison population) are held in private facilities, about 10,000 more than the next highest state. Furthermore, six states had at least 25 percent of their prison population housed in private prisons, led by New Mexico (44%), Alaska (31%), and Montana (29%). These current statistics show that while state governments have been forced to manage and operate overcrowded and over-capacity prisons at considerable costs, many have turned to the private sector to operate prisons (McDonald and Patten Jr.). According to the General Accounting Office, prison operating costs have grown steadily since 1980, increasing almost 550 percent since 1980 based on inflation-adjusted dollars (Austin and Coventry 1).

Prison privatization started in the early 1980s, ostensibly to ease the burden on taxpayers by offering financial relief to private companies to run state prisons. Thomas Beasley founded Corrections Corporation of America in 1983, “the nation’s leader in the construction and management of private prisons” (Darling). That year, Corrections Corporation of America set up the first privately-operated prison in Tennessee. Since then, the number of private

Yaffarabe 3

correctional facility firms has grown to 14 (Austin and Coventry 3). The privatization of prisons occurs in two ways. First, state government can contract out (or outsource) specific services in a correctional facility to a private company after a bidding process. Second, and more radically, private companies build their own privately-managed prisons and contract with state governments to house their inmates. This latter approach, giving private correctional facility firms wide latitude over inmates, is taken in the Texas criminal justice system. In fact, many of these privately operated facilities “have no relationship at all with the state governments in these states, other than an obligation to pay corporate income taxes” (McDonald and Patten Jr. v).

(Due to its length, the remainder of this sample paper is omitted).

Yaffarabe 4

Works Cited Page

Austin, James, and Garry Coventry. Emerging Issues on Privatized Prisons . Bureau of Justice Assistance, Feb. 2001, www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/bja/181249.pdf.

Beck, Allen J., and Paige Harrison. Prisoners in 2003 . Bureau of Justice Statistics, Nov. 2004, www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/p03.pdf.

McDonald, Douglas, and Carl Patten Jr. Governments’ Management of Private Prisons . Abt Associates, 15 Sept. 2003, www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/203968.pdf.

Darling, Michael. “Pitt News: University of Pittsburgh Shouldn’t Lend Its Name to Prison Privatization.” CorpWatch , 15 Nov. 2004, corpwatch.org/article/pitt-news-univeristy-pittsburgh-shouldnt-lend-its-name-prison-privatization.

MLA Formatting Guide

MLA Formatting

• Annotated Bibliography
• Bibliography
• Block Quotes
• et al Usage
• In-text Citations
• Paraphrasing
• Page Numbers
• Sample Paper
• Works Cited
• MLA 8 Updates
• MLA 9 Updates
• View MLA Guide

Citation Examples

• Book Chapter
• Journal Article
• Magazine Article
• Newspaper Article
• Website (no author)
• View all MLA Examples

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

An in-text citation is a short citation that is placed next to the text being cited. The basic element needed for an in-text citation is the author’s name . The publication year is not required in in-text citations. Sometimes, page numbers or line numbers are also included, especially when text is quoted from the source being cited. In-text citations are mentioned in the text in two ways: as a citation in prose or a parenthetical citation.

Citation in prose

Citations in prose are incorporated into the text and act as a part of the sentence. Usually, citations in prose use the author’s full name when cited the first time in the text. Thereafter, only the surname is used. Avoid including the middle initial even if it is present in the works-cited-list entry. An example of the first citation in prose for a source with one author is given below:

Doug Barry explains the status of the UK.

Parenthetical

Parenthetical citations add only the author’s surname at the end of the sentence in parentheses. An example of a parenthetical citation is given below:

The status of the UK is explained (Barry).

Examples of in-text citations

Here are a few examples of in-text citations for works with various numbers and types of authors:

Use both the first name and surname of the author if you are mentioning the author for the first time in the prose. In subsequent occurrences, use only the author’s surname. Always use only the author’s surname in parenthetical citations.

Citation in prose:

First mention: Stephen George asserts …. (17).

Subsequent occurrences: George argues …. (17).

Parenthetical:

…. (George 17).

Two authors

Use the first name and surname of both authors if you are mentioning the work for the first time in the prose. In subsequent occurrences, use only the surnames of the two authors. Always use only the authors’ surnames in parenthetical citations. Use “and” to separate the two authors in parenthetical citations.

First mention: Kane Williams and Clark Ronald ….

Subsequent occurrences: Williams and Ronald ….

…. (Williams and Ronald).

Three or more authors

For citations in prose, use the first name and surname of the first author followed by “and others” or “and colleagues.” For parenthetical citations, use only the surname of the first author followed by “et al.”

Krishnan Sethu and colleagues…. or Krishnan Sethu and others ….

…. (Sethu et al.).

Corporate author

For citations in prose, treat the corporate author like you would treat the author’s name. For parenthetical citations, shorten the organization name to the shortest noun phrase. For example, shorten the Modern Language Association of America to Modern Language Association.

The Language Literary Association of Canada….

…. (Language Literary Association).

If there is no author for the source, use the source’s title in place of the author’s name for both citations in prose and parenthetical citations.

When you add such in-text citations, italicize the text of the title. If the source title is longer than a noun phrase, use a shortened version of the title. For example, shorten the title Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them to Fantastic Beasts .

Endgame explains …. (121).

…. ( Endgame 121).

In MLA style, two types of citations are used to cite a source: a short citation used within the text (called the in-text citation) and a full citation (called the works cited list entry) within the works cited list, which appears at the end of a paper.

The works cited list entry provides the complete details of a source. An in-text citation is a short citation that is placed next to the text being cited. The in-text citation lets the reader know that the information is derived from the cited source, and helps the reader find the full citation within the works cited list.

In order to properly cite a source in MLA style, you must have both citation types in your paper. Every in-text citation has a works cited list entry. Every works cited list entry has at least one (maybe more) corresponding in-text citation.

In-text citations

The basic element needed for an in-text citation is the author’s surname . The publication year is not required in in-text citations. Sometimes, page numbers or line numbers are also included, especially when text is quoted from the source being cited.

First mention: Sian Anderson studies ….

Subsequent occurrences: Anderson analyzes ….

….(Anderson)

or if quoting directly:

…(Anderson 9)

First mention: Paul Fin and Anna Gabriel ….

Subsequent occurrences: Fin and Gabriel ….

….(Fin and Gabriel)

…(Fin and Gabriel 27)

Paul Hill and colleagues…. or Paul Hill and others ….

….(Hill et al.)

…(Hill et al. 138)

Examples of works cited list entries

Below are a few examples of different types of works cited list entries. The examples given are for one author.

Steinman, Louise. The Knowing Body: Elements of Contemporary Performance and Dance . Shambhala Publications, 1986.

Journal article                                      

Barad, K. “Nature’s Queer Performativity.” Qui Parle , vol. 19, no. 2, 2011, pp. 121–58.

Webpage of a website

Midgelow, Vida L. “Experiences and Perceptions of the Artistic Doctorate: A Survey Report.” Artistic Doctorates in Europe,  5 Feb. 2018, www.artisticdoctorates.com/2017/12/28/experiences-and-perceptions-of-the-artistic-doctorate-survey-report/ .

YouTube video

“Behind the Scenes Chili’s Baby Back Ribs Spot.” YouTube , uploaded by Alvin Chea, 11 Sept. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTDLh7gNRYA .

MLA Citation Examples

Writing Tools

Citation Generators

Other Citation Styles

Plagiarism Checker

Upload a paper to check for plagiarism against billions of sources and get advanced writing suggestions for clarity and style.

Get Started

Verify originality of an essay

Get ideas for your paper

Find top study documents

Learn How to Write a Research Paper in MLA Format with Samples

Updated 19 Jun 2024

This guide will help you learn how to format and structure your research paper based on MLA format guidelines. We shall focus on general formatting guidelines and essential MLA research paper structure. Our guide will provide several helpful tips that will add to your writing confidence. Essentially, you will learn how to write a research paper in MLA format correctly.

What is MLA Formatting? 

MLA stands for Modern Language Association and is currently in its 9th edition , which has been published in 2021. In simple terms, MLA style formatting is a special system of referencing and structuring research papers. The main purpose is to cite sources correctly and keep your research writing always accurate. By learning how to write a research paper in MLA format, you will be able to submit your college homework according to specified rules and will avoid confusion. You will also learn how to format and structure the list of bibliography references for a research or essay paper by using the Works Cited page. It is another essential aspect of MLA style format.

MLA style format aims to help your college professor and the target audience to navigate through your paper by turning to various in-text citations with an opportunity to see where information has been taken. Since MLA has specific standards, your academic advisor will check whether you have followed the rules and used the same format, font sizes, headers, and other aspects that make research writing universal. What is MLA format then? The MLA style is mostly used by college students majoring in English, Literature, social sciences, arts, and humanities. One can assume that MLA style format is one of the most accessible writing standards, which is why it is often required during an introductory course where students learn how to structure their papers and keep information properly referenced.

When you are looking for reliable sources online, it will be easy to recognize the use of MLA format because of the famous MLA header that is always included on the first page where you must mention your full name, instructor's name, your course, and the date. It is also necessary to use page formatting with your last name on each page, which also helps to determine that an MLA format has been used. We shall discuss this aspect further on as you proceed with our guide. 

MLA Research Paper Format: General Guidelines 

If you are already familiar with at least one other academic writing format, you will already know the basics and it will be easier for you to process the information in MLA style. The majority of formats of research paper writing stand for the general rules on how to structure your page layout and a list of rules regarding correct citation. The most important is to start with the MLA header, which will look this way:

Adam Greeley

Professor Smith

Humanities 7311

14 May 2022 

This header is always placed at the top left corner of the first page (no title page is required in most cases!) with the page number and your name aligned to the top right of the page. It will look this way: 

The other rules on how to write a MLA research paper include:

• The recommended fonts include Times New Roman, Arial, or Verdana in 12 pt size. 
• All the margins of the page in MS Word or a similar processor should be set at 1 inch. 
• The main content is double-spaced unless specified otherwise. 
• The MLA header is included only on the first page of your research paper. 
• The title of your work must be centered. 
• Every new research paper paragraph should have a hanging indent. 
• The MLA style uses the author-page citation pattern where you should list the author's last name with the page number. 
• The Bibliography page has the "Works Cited" title at the top and center of the first page with your citations. 
• The sources are listed alphabetically. 
• Do not place a period after the title or headers. 
• Do not underline words unless it’s necessary.

It is recommended to use the rules of inclusive language, according to the latest manual edition of the MLA style. It means that you must avoid certain terms that focus on ethnic peculiarities, religion, gender, disability, age, or social challenges unless it is absolutely necessary. You can also use words like "human-made" to specify gender-neutral aspects. 

MLA Research Paper Structure: Essential Parts

One of the most important parts of writing a research paper successfully is following the correct structure that is specified by the chosen writing style. Here are the MLA research paper format parts that you should consider:

It should have your university's name on top of the page, then the title of your research paper at the center of the page, and at the bottom of the page: your name, course name, professor's name, and the paper's due date (all centered).

Section Headings

The main heading should include your name, instructor's name, relevant class information, and the paper's delivery date.

The other MLA page headings:

First Level Heading.

Your text 

Second Level Heading.

Third Level Heading 

Fourth Level Heading

Fifth Level Heading 

Research Paper Outline

Title of the page (centered)

1. Introduction

• Talk about the importance of your subject. 
• An interesting topic sentence.

2. Thesis Statement

3. Body Paragraphs

• Methodology. 
• Research Justification. 
• Research Findings.

4. Research Discussion

5. Conclusion

• Thesis explanation. 

Introduction & Thesis

Talk about the importance of your research and use a strong thesis statement. Research paper MLA style guidebook recommends allocating about 10% of your final word count to this part.

This is where you must use in-text citations to support your arguments. Always introduce the subject that you want to explore, make a claim, and use citing only then to make it suitable.

In-text Citations

The classic in-text citation will look this way: According to Darren Smith, “certain peculiarities have been noticed in Shakespeare’s perception of time and death” (9). The majority of references to youth and the fragility help to understand how age has been limited by social circumstances (Smith 11).

Works Cited Page.

If you already know how to format your Bibliography, it is essential to look for complete information and provide as much as you can. If you are citing from a poetry book or an analysis paper that has been published:

Last Name, First Name of the author. "Title of your research paper." Title of Collection , edited by Editor's Name(s), Publisher, Year, page range of the data you have used.

Research paper MLA style Works Cited page example: 

Stanley, Lace. "Shakespeare's Psychology." The Collected Classic English Poems, edited by John Langsley, Penguin Books, 2006, p.26.

Citing something from Jstor scientific database:

Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title.” Title of Scientific Journal , vol. Volume, no. Issue, Month Year of publication, pp. Pages, https://doi.org/DOI, or any relevant identifier.

Enciso, Patricia, et al. “Children’s Literature: Standing in the Shadow of Adults.” Reading Research Quarterly , vol. 45, no. 2, 2010, pp. 252–63. JSTOR , http://www.jstor.org/stable/20697185. Accessed 20 Jun. 2022.

Research Paper in MLA Format Writing Tips

Contrary to the popular belief, research paper writing in MLA format is not too difficult if you know the basic rules. If you plan to learn how to write a research paper in APA format , you will feel even more confident because you will be able to differentiate the styles. As a way to help you with your research writing, we have collected these simple MLA formatting for research paper tips:

• Always start with the sources and check for Bibliography pages that may be included. 
• Use only verified sources and look for databases like Google Scholar, Jstor, PubMed, etc. 
• Always introduce your subject and talk about its importance.
• Do not overuse citations in your research paper. 

Correct Research Paper Formatting Helps to Avoid Plagiarism

Numerous college students often ask about the purpose of correct research formatting, be it MLA, APA, Chicago, or any other format. In addition to structuring things according to academic standards, the most important aspect of staying accurate, as you research, is to provide correct structure and citations if you use any external sources. It will help you to prepare your writing for publishing purposes and let you avoid plagiarism issues. It is the main purpose of correct research paper formatting. This guide contains the main rules that provide a checklist that will help you stay safe and follow all the essential rules. 

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback, related blog posts, research paper format guidelines: let formatting trouble you no more.

Writing a research paper is not that difficult providing you know what to start from and what pitfalls you can face. We’ve prepared a short guide t...

Learn How to Write a Research Paper in APA Format Style

This guide will provide you with essential information on how to write a research paper in APA format by following the rules of APA 7th edition. Yo...

150+ Medical research paper topics for students

Med Research Topics: What Makes a Good One? Several essential attributes characterize an excellent medical research topic. First and foremost, i...

Join our 150K of happy users

• Get original papers written according to your instructions
• Save time for what matters most

• Essay Editor

Essay Format Tips from an English Teacher

Writing a solid and well-crafted essay is crucial for students and researchers, as it involves presenting arguments clearly and succinctly. Whether you are writing a paper for an assignment, a scientific journal, or a personal statement, understanding the correct essay format is pivotal. This meticulously collated guide covers key features of essay formatting and provides tips to refine your writing.

What is an Essay Format?

An essay format is a blueprint for shaping your written assignment, comprising the work’s headings, the title page, paragraphs, and references. Accurate structuring enhances readability and professionalism, thus adhering to academic standards. Instructors across disciplines may specify paper-formatting styles to apply, for instance, Chicago, APA, or MLA formatting, each with unique guidelines tailored to various academic fields.

The essay structure serves as the framework for effectively building and conveying ideas. It is the roadmap that leads the audience via the writer's reflection process, securing coherence, precision, and logical progression of supporting arguments.

Struggling to craft a refined and captivating essay? Want to know how to format an essay? Consider using Aithor's AI writing assistant. The AI Essay Generator is a revolutionary tool designed to streamline the writing procedure, offering assistance in editing, refining, and generating content. With its advanced algorithms, this tool assists in enhancing overall flow and consistency in your projects.

How to Format an Essay

Composing a well-structured piece is crucial for scholastic success and leaves a long-lasting impression on the audience. Structuring your text includes several key components to guarantee its clarity and coherence:

•  Proper Heading: Start from the piece’s top left corner, typing your name, lecturer’s name, related course title, and current date. This heading provides essential facts about the essay's author and context.
•  Margins: On the paper’s all four sides, set one-inch-long margins for consistency and compliance with educational standards.
•  Spacing: Skip a line or double-space your writing unless specified otherwise. This enhances the composition’s clarity and allows room for annotations or feedback.
•  Font & Size: Use a legible font, let’s say, 12-point sized Arial or Times New Roman. This provides uniformity and clarity all over your composition.
•  Indentation: Leave a standard half an inch of space in the first line of each section to visually separate essay parts and improve the overall article structure.

Following these basic guidelines will guarantee an A-level presentation, increasing the readability and effectiveness of your piece. 

How to Write an Essay: MLA Format vs. APA Format

Learning the essentials of correct essay formatting required by standard styles like MLA and APA is pivotal for scholastic success. While both are broadly used, they significantly differ in their arrangement and requirements. Knowing these distinctions ensures your assignment meets disciplinary standards and effectively communicates ideas.

MLA Format:

•  Primarily utilized in the humanities area.
•  Necessitates a Works Cited collection that catalogs alphabetically all academic materials used.
•  Requires a text heading in the top left angle of the opening paper, and the project title centrally positioned on the succeeding line.
•  For the in-text citations apply the ‘author-page’ format (e.g., (Smith 123)).
•  Italicizes the work headings of larger pieces, for instance, literature and films.
•  Typically, it is not obligatory to make a separate cover page for standard essays.
•  Does not mandate inserting URLs for online resources in the Works Cited list. 

APA Format:

•  Generally employed in the space of social sciences.
•  Demands a title page containing a so-called running head, a piece’s abstract, and a list of References.
•  Uses the arrangement called ‘author-date’ for in-text references (e.g., (Smith, 2019, p. 123)).
•  Italicizes the headings of larger essays but uses quotation marks for shorter pieces like articles.
•  Demands a separate cover page containing a running head.
•  Requires all URLs for online sources to be alphabetized in the list of References.

In summary, mastering both MLA and APA organizations is essential for educational settings. Comprehending their unique rules and adhering to their specific guidelines will ensure that your pieces are well-crafted and effectively convey your message to the audience.

How to Create a Title Page

Generating an effective title page is crucial for arranging an academic paper as it briefly introduces the content, sets the writing tone, and demonstrates crucial identification details. Yet, the particulars vary conditional on the assigned essay style format, with preferred MLA or APA organization styles requiring distinct approaches.

In MLA structure, the cover page is generally unnecessary for standard papers unless specified. If you decide to generate it, then center the composition’s title at the top of the opening page. Below it, indicate yours with the lecturer’s name, the discipline, current date, all centered.

In an APA-based organization, designing the title page is obligatory. Center the article’s or research’s heading at the top half of the opening page. Below that, put your name, and the educational institution's title, then in the header section, put a title’s shortened form. Additionally, set the page number correctly in the sheet’s top right corner.

Largely, MLA and APA differ in title sheet settings and layout. By sticking to the particular rules of each scholarly writing style, you can be confident that your notion is presented professionally and accurately mirrors educational standards.

The First Page of Your Essay

The opening page of the scholarly composition acts as the first encounter with your concept, offering a prospect to engage your audience and provide essential details about your subject matter and text organization style.

The MLA-based structure includes a left-aligned heading on the opening page. The proper heading for essay must contain your and the educator’s name, the related discipline with the current date. The composition’s title is adjusted centrally on the opening page, and the intro of your assignment is placed below without added introductory sections.

In contrast, APA organization begins with the document’s title aligned centrally at the page’s upper section. Under the title, indicate your name and indicate the educational institution. APA also entails a running head with a summarized title and page number located in the header. The intro paragraph commences below the title.

In essence, adhering to educational MLA or APA standards for the opening page of your written task is vital for establishing its content, tone, and format. By complying with the fixed procedures of each style, you can effortlessly generate an engaging and professional opening that effectively introduces your thoughts to the audience.

Introduction, Body, and Conclusion

As writers, we navigate a labyrinth of words, constructing compositions that captivate our readers' minds. The fundamental structure of paragraphs leads us through the maze of ideas, functioning as the backbone of our message. Here's how each section contributes:

Introduction

A solid intro is vital, establishing the setting and a captivating hook to engage the audience. Present your topic, add background data, and state your central idea, or thesis statement concisely.

Each body section must focus on a single aspect of your viewpoint, supported by illustrations and evidence. Use transitional phrases for smooth shifts, maintaining unity and clarity. Reinforce your points with facts and details to enhance credibility.

Recap your key points, reiterate the thesis, and offer a final perspective. Summarize the strongest arguments without introducing new details. The last paragraph provides closure and underlines your composition’s relevance.

Essay writing is akin to navigating a literary labyrinth, where structure guides comprehensibility and impact. A well-structured text that leaves a lasting impression is essential for academic accomplishment. By keeping to readability, organizing your thoughts reasonably, and supporting key arguments with evidence, your text becomes a powerful tool for conveying message and persuasion.

In-Text Citation

Scholarly essays require precise citation practices to demonstrate utilized sources and uphold the integrity of your ideas. Citing materials is needed for crediting them and promoting original writing.

•  In MLA-based style, quotes typically indicate in parentheses the writer's surname and book’s page number, (e.g., Smith 23), making source identification easier.
•  In contrast, the APA-focused formatting method indicates the author's surname with the book’s publication year, like (Smith, 2023), giving a brief reference to the literature’s publication date.

Adhering to the referencing rules leads to scholarly rigor and ethical integrity. Accurately citing used sources is a winning approach to increase the integrity of your points and demonstrate academic integrity.

Works Cited Page

In research, precise source citation is critical for demonstrating the integrity of your study and preventing plagiarism. A well-ordered Works Cited (in MLA) or References (in APA) list is a way to showcase the depth of your investigation and respect for any intellectual property.

Here’s how to format the bibliography list:

•  MLA: Title it "Works Cited," alphabetize sources by listing all writers’ last names with indentation for clarity.
•  APA: Title it "References," adding details about the author, book publication year, brief title, and literature to enhance credibility.

A meticulously curated Works Cited or References page heightens your proficiency, bolstering your composition’s overall reliability.

Utilizing Templates and Tools

Using templates and formatting-related tools can greatly simplify the process of crafting academic works. Word processing programs offer templates for MLA, APA, or Chicago styles to meet academic standards. Additionally, online tools and bibliography generators like Aithor AI streamline the creation of accurate citations with reference lists, saving your time and ensuring precision.

It's essential, however, to always review AI-generated content for accuracy and logic, as automated tools may occasionally introduce errors. For more comprehensive guidelines, consult authoritative sources such as Wikipedia's formatting guidelines, official academic style manuals, and scholarly publications.

Following the mentioned essay-formatting tips enables students, writers, and researchers to create clear, well-organized compositions that meet demanding academic standards. Proficient formatting not only enhances your readability and professionalism but also underscores your commitment to scholarly excellence.

By mastering specific style guidelines, organizing content efficiently, and employing correct citation practices, your pieces will resonate with clarity and flow. Upholding these standards ensures your assignment not only meets academic criteria but also communicates your notions effectively to readers.

Related articles

What is an appendix in a research paper | aithor.

What is an appendix in a research paper? An appendix is a supplementary section at the end of a research paper after the list of references. It contains more information that helps explain the main ideas in the paper. It's not needed in the main part because it would make the paper too long or go “off-topic." The appendix gives readers more details to help them understand the research better without making the main argument hard to follow. The length of an appendix can differ depending on what ...

Types of Case Studies: a Comprehensive Guide

The art of writing involves multiple types of materials, which makes both writing and reading a pleasure that is informative and conducive to conveying knowledge and experience. However, when it comes to academic writing, there is a need to distinguish between the many types of materials based on their appropriateness to a certain kind of information. Each type of material with its own structure and manner of writing is best suited for certain types of topics. The latter can range from anything ...

How to Write Essay Thesis Statement: A Comprehensive Analysis

In academic writing, creating an impactful text that can deftly relay your opinion and persuade your audience is one of the key skills. That’s why it is essential to learn how to write a strong thesis statement. In this article, you will find all you need to know for creating a persuasive thesis statement. What is an essay thesis? In academic essays, a thesis is a part of the introduction that expresses the main idea and purpose of the essay. It aims to give the audience a brief overview of t ...

Expository Essay Examples: Developing Skills in Informative Writing

Is your assignment to prepare a fine and well-structured expository essay but you don't know what point to start with? This material lends a helping hand to you. Here we discuss how to begin an expository essay, what parts should be in the text, and what linguistic means a person should use when creating a project mentioned above. We also introduce you a few tips on how to sharpen your skills in informative writing. So be ready to read and learn, the adventure to the land of expository papers ge ...

The Basics of Crafting an Outstanding Persuasive Essay Outline

When writing a persuasive essay, having a well-structured outline is critical to effectively presenting your argument and convincing your audience. An outline serves as a roadmap for your essay, organizing your thoughts and supporting evidence in a logical sequence that flows cohesively. In this guide, we will explore the essential components of a persuasive essay outline and provide tips on how to craft a compelling structure for your writing. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned writer, ma ...

How to Make an Essay Longer: 7 Useful Tips

Are you having trouble getting your essay to the right length? Do you look at your essay and think, "It's too short!" but don't know what to do? Don't worry, we've got some great ideas on how to make an essay longer without making it worse.  Why is it Important to Make an Essay Longer? When you're writing an essay, it's important to make sure it's long enough. If your essay isn't as long as required, you might get a lower grade, even if the content of your essay is exceptional. By making your ...

How to Conclude an Essay: A Guide for Academic Writing

Every essay requires a proper conclusion. It is particularly important in academic writing where texts can be several dozen pages long. A conclusion helps the audience remember the contents of your essay and retain important information. In this article, you will learn how to write a conclusion for an essay. Why the conclusion matters When writing essays, we always strive to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the topic. We do our research, present different perspectives, and provide examples ...

Diagnostic Essay Writing Guide and Outline Sample

Imagine stepping into a classroom on the first day and being asked to write an essay. This exercise, commonly referred to as a diagnostic essay, is a common tool used by instructors to gauge their students' writing proficiency. Interestingly, in a study exploring the effectiveness of evaluation papers, over 70% of participants reported that these tasks significantly improved their understanding of their writing strengths and challenges. This finding underscores the assessment assignment's role i ...

June 15, 2024

How to do MLA format in Google Docs

Need to create a document using MLA format? We’ll explain this format’s specifications and how to create your paper using MLA in Google Docs.

Are you required to compose your school essay or assignment using MLA format? We’ll explain the requirements for this format, show how to use a built-in template, and walk through formatting the document yourself using an example.

We’ll also explain how to use Plus AI in Google Docs to make adjustments to your content when you’re struggling with it.

Requirements for the MLA format

MLA format has certain requirements including page setup, font style and size, and paragraph spacing. It’s important to follow these when writing an essay or paper using MLA format.

• Use 8.5 by 11 inches paper size.
• Set one-inch margins on all sides.
• Use a 12-point font.
• Choose a standard, legible font style such as Times New Roman.
• Double-space the document.
• Enter only one space after a period.
• Indent the first line of each paragraph one half-inch (using the Tab key.)
• Use quotation marks or italics for titles such as books and movies.
• Insert a header placing the page numbers in the top right-hand corner aligned to the right margin.

First-page formatting

You should also format the first page of the document a particular way.

• Do not include a title page unless requested.
• Include your name, instructor’s name, course, and date on the upper left side of the page.
• Double-space and center the title beneath.
• Double-space and enter the first paragraph below the title.

For additional MLA format instructions such as citations, lists, abbreviations, or tables, check out Purdue Online Writing Lab on the web page for assistance.

Method 1: Use an AI tool

To save time creating content for an MLA format page, you can use Plus AI for Google Docs . For example, you can instruct Plus AI to add a page with a list of your references.

• With your Google Doc open, select Extensions > Plus AI > Write with Plus AI .
• Go to the Generate tab in the sidebar and enter your instructions in the What do you want to write? box. 

As an example, we instruct Plus AI to create an MLA works cited page with our list of book titles.

• Click Generate and you’ll see your Works Cited page in MLA format with all of the necessary book details including author, year, and publisher.

Not only does Plus AI provide you with a reference page, but it can also help do the research for you!

Method 2: Use the Google Docs MLA template

If you need additional formatting for your document, the simplest way to create a document using MLA format is to take advantage of the Google Docs MLA template. You can obtain the template for free directly in the Google Docs Template Gallery.

• Visit Google Docs , sign in, and open the Template Gallery at the top.

• Move down to the Education section and select the MLA Report template.

• When the template opens, change the document name per your preference and then use the placeholders to insert your own details and content.

Method 3: Create a Google Doc in MLA format

If you don’t want to use the Google Docs template or already have a document with content that just needs formatting, you can do so easily. Let’s walk through how to format each of the MLA requirements above for the document you see below.

Set up the document

Selecting the page size and adjusting the margins is the best place to begin. When you access these settings, you may already have these options selected, so simply confirm.

• Go to File > Page setup in the menu.
• In the Apply to drop-down menu, choose Whole document .
• Below Orientation , mark Portrait .
• For Paper size , pick Letter (8.5” x 11”) .
• Keep white as the page color unless specified otherwise.
• In the four margin locations on the right, enter the number 1 for each.
• Your settings should match the screenshot below. Select OK when you finish.

Adjust the font and spacing

Next, you can set the font style and size as well as double-space the document. If you already have text in your document, be sure to select it so that the changes apply to the existing content.

• Select the Font drop-down menu in the top toolbar and choose Times New Roman .

• In the Font size box to the right, enter or choose 12 .

• Use the Line & paragraph spacing drop-down menu in the toolbar or Format > Line & paragraph spacing in the menu to choose Double .

Insert the document header and page numbers

Finally, insert a header and add the page numbers. If requested by your instructor, you can include your last name in front of the page number as explained below.

• Go to Insert > Headers & Footers in the menu and pick Header .

• When the header appears, open the Align drop-down menu in the top toolbar and pick Right align . This moves your cursor to the right margin where you’ll insert the page number.

• Select Options and choose Page numbers .

• In the Page Numbers pop-up window, choose Header for the Position, check the box for Show on first page , and confirm that Start At is set to 1 .

• Click Apply and you’ll see your page numbers in the header of each page.

If you need to add your last name to the header, place your cursor in front of (to the left) of the page number and type your name with a space after. Your last name then appears in the header along with the page numbers in the entire document.

Note that if the font style isn’t set to Times New Roman in the header, simply select the text and use the Font drop-down menu in the top toolbar to change it.

Once you have your document set to the above MLA format , you’re ready to go. But be sure to keep the other requirements in mind as you create your content including indenting paragraphs, using quotes or italics for titles, and inserting only one space after each period.

Get help with changes using Plus AI

While there are arguments on both sides for whether or not students should be allowed to use AI in school, you may be in a situation where your instructor encourages it in some circumstances.

With Plus AI, you can get the help you need. You can take your existing content and use artificial intelligence to assist with the changes you want to make. For example, you might need to adjust the tone for a different audience or translate the text you’ve written.

Using Plus AI with Google Docs, you simply select your current content and choose a preset and/or provide instructions on how to change the text.

Along with assistance in Docs, you can use Plus AI for help with Google Slides presentations and Microsoft PowerPoint slideshows . By selecting an attractive template and entering a prompt, you can instruct Plus AI to build engaging and appealing presentations .

If you’re required to create an essay or other academic paper using MLA format, it’s easy to do in Google Docs. With the list of requirements, template, and example provided, you should be well on your way to a perfectly structured MLA formatted document.

For future projects, especially slideshows, remember that Plus AI can assist not only with content but presentation appearance as well!

How do I indent the MLA format in Google Docs?

With the MLA format, you should indent the first line of each paragraph one half-inch. Normally, you can simply press your Tab key which provides the correct space for the indent.

Alternatively, place your cursor at the start of the line and move the First Line Indent indicator (blue line) in the Google Docs Ruler to 0.5 inches .

How do I do a reference page in MLA?

In Google Docs, you can use the Citations feature to create a bibliography or works cited page. Go to Tools > Citations . In the sidebar that appears, select MLA for the format, add your citations, and click Insert Works Cited when you finish.

Do I skip a line between paragraphs in MLA?

The short answer is “no.” The entire document should be double-spaced including the spacing between paragraphs. Press Enter or Return only once to begin a new paragraph.

Latest posts

Latest post.

How to embed a YouTube video in PowerPoint

A video in your slideshow can invoke emotion, provide information, or demonstrate a product or task. Here’s how to embed a YouTube video in PowerPoint.

Everything you need to know about Pecha Kucha

An overview of Pecha Kucha, example Pecha Kucha presentations, and tips for your next presentation

PowerPoint Karaoke: Rules, tips, and free slide decks

Overview of PowerPoint Karaoke, rules, and free slide decks for PowerPoint Karaoke

Why Chatbots Aren’t Working

Four reasons chatbots are not the right interface for AI

More resources

How to prepare presentation slides.

Tips, tricks, and a shortcut to getting your next slide deck ready

How to combine PowerPoints

Wondering how to merge or combine PowerPoints to save time, blend ideas, or address a different audience? These methods for combining slideshows have you covered.

How to give a great presentation: Move your viewers with these tips and tricks

Learn how to structure and give a killer presentation on any topic.

Get science-backed answers as you write with Paperpal's Research feature

How to Structure an Essay

Essay writing is a fundamental skill, a basic task, that is expected of those who choose to pursue their undergraduate and master’s degrees. It constitutes a key requirement for students to complete a given course credit. However, many students and early career researchers find themselves struggling with the challenge of organizing their thoughts into a coherent, engaging structure. This article is especially for those who see essay writing as a daunting task and face problems in presenting their work in an impactful way.  

Table of Contents

• Writing an essay: basic elements and some key principles  
• Essay structure template 
• Chronological structure 
• Problem-methods-solutions structure 
• Compare and contrast structures 
• Frequently asked questions on essay structure 

Read on as we delve into the basic elements of essay writing, outline key principles for organizing information, and cover some foundational features of writing essays.  

Writing an essay: basic elements and some key principles

Essays are written in a flowing and continuous pattern but with a structure of its own. An introduction, body and conclusion are integral to it. The key is to balance the amount and kind of information to be presented in each part. Various disciplines may have their own conventions or guidelines on the information to be provided in the introduction.  

A clear articulation of the context and background of the study is important, as is the definition of key terms and an outline of specific models or theories used. Readers also need to know the significance of the study and its implications for further research. Most importantly, the thesis or the main proposition should be clearly presented.  

The body of the essay is therefore organized into paragraphs that hold the main ideas and arguments and is presented and analyzed in a logical manner. Ideally, each paragraph of the body focuses on one main point or a distinct topic and must be supported by evidence and analysis. The concluding paragraph should bring back to the reader the key arguments, its significance and food for thought. It is best not to re-state all the points of the essay or introduce a new concept here. 

In other words, certain general guidelines help structure the information in the essay. The information must flow logically with the context or the background information presented in the introductory part of the essay. The arguments are built organically where each paragraph in the body of the essay deals with a different point, yet closely linked to the para preceding and following it. Importantly, when writing essays, early career researchers must be careful in ensuring that each piece of information relates to the main thesis and is a building block to the arguments. 

Essay structure template

• Introduction 
• Provide the context and share significance of the study 
• Clearly articulate the thesis statement 
• Body  
• Paragraph 1 consisting of the first main point, followed by supporting evidence and an analysis of the findings. Transitional words and phrases can be used to move to the next main point. 
• There can be as many paragraphs with the above-mentioned elements as there are points and arguments to support your thesis. 
• Conclusion  
• Bring in key ideas and discuss their significance and relevance 
• Call for action 
• References 

Essay structures

The structure of an essay can be determined by the kind of essay that is required.  

Chronological structure

Also known as the cause-and-effect approach, this is a straightforward way to structure an essay. In such essays, events are discussed sequentially, as they occurred from the earliest to the latest. A chronological structure is useful for discussing a series of events or processes such as historical analyses or narratives of events. The introduction should have the topic sentence. The body of the essay should follow a chorological progression with each para discussing a major aspect of that event with supporting evidence. It ends with a summarizing of the results of the events.  

Problem-methods-solutions structure

Where the essay focuses on a specific problem, the problem-methods-solutions structure can be used to organize the essay. This structure is ideal for essays that address complex issues. It starts with presenting the problem, the context, and thesis statement as introduction to the essay. The major part of the discussion which forms the body of the essay focuses on stating the problem and its significance, the author’s approach or methods adopted to address the problem along with its relevance, and accordingly proposing solution(s) to the identified problem. The concluding part offers a recap of the research problem, methods, and proposed solutions, emphasizing their significance and potential impact. 

Compare and contrast structures

This structure of essay writing is ideally used when two or more key subjects require a comparison of ideas, theories, or phenomena. The three crucial elements, introduction, body, and conclusion, remain the same. The introduction presents the context and the thesis statement. The body of the essay seeks to focus on and highlight differences between the subjects, supported by evidence and analysis. The conclusion is used to summarize the key points of comparison and contrast, offering insights into the significance of the analysis.  

Depending on how the subjects will be discussed, the body of the essay can be organized according to the block method or the alternating method. In the block method, one para discusses one subject and the next para the other subject. In the alternative method, both subjects are discussed in one para based on a particular topic or issue followed by the next para on another issue and so on.  

Frequently asked questions on essay structure

An essay structure serves as a framework for presenting ideas coherently and logically. It comprises three crucial elements: an introduction that communicates the context, topic, and thesis statement; the body focusing on the main points and arguments supported with appropriate evidence followed by its analysis; and a conclusion that ties together the main points and its importance .  

An essay structure well-defined essay structure enhances clarity, coherence, and readability, and is crucial for organizing ideas and arguments to effectively communicate key aspects of a chosen topic. It allows readers to better understand arguments presented and demonstrates the author’s ability to organize and present information systematically. 

Yes, while expert recommend following an essay structure, early career researchers may choose how best to adapt standard essay structures to communicate and share their research in an impactful and engaging way. However, do keep in mind that deviating too far from established structures can hinder comprehension and weaken the overall effectiveness of the essay,  By understanding the basic elements of essay writing and employing appropriate structures such as chronological, problem-methods-solutions, or compare and contrast, researchers can effectively organize their ideas and communicate their findings with clarity and precision. 

Paperpal is a comprehensive AI writing toolkit that helps students and researchers achieve 2x the writing in half the time. It leverages 21+ years of STM experience and insights from millions of research articles to provide in-depth academic writing, language editing, and submission readiness support to help you write better, faster.  

Get accurate academic translations, rewriting support, grammar checks, vocabulary suggestions, and generative AI assistance that delivers human precision at machine speed. Try for free or upgrade to Paperpal Prime starting at US$19 a month to access premium features, including consistency, plagiarism, and 30+ submission readiness checks to help you succeed.  

Experience the future of academic writing – Sign up to Paperpal and start writing for free!  

Related Reads:

Powerful academic phrases to improve your essay writing .

• How to Paraphrase Research Papers Effectively
• How to Use AI to Enhance Your College Essays and Thesis
• How to Cite Social Media Sources in Academic Writing? 

Leveraging Generative AI to Enhance Student Understanding of Complex Research Concepts 

You may also like, leveraging generative ai to enhance student understanding of..., how to write a good hook for essays,..., addressing peer review feedback and mastering manuscript revisions..., how paperpal can boost comprehension and foster interdisciplinary..., what is the importance of a concept paper..., how to write the first draft of a..., mla works cited page: format, template & examples, how to ace grant writing for research funding..., how to write a high-quality conference paper.

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

MLA Sample Works Cited Page

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Note: We have chosen to include the date of access for the online sources below. The latest MLA guidelines specify that this is optional, but strongly recommended for sources whose date of publication is unavailable.

Note also: The citation for  An Inconvenient Truth  below assumes the film has been cited by its title in the text. If it had been cited by the name of its director, the citation would need to begin with Guggenheim's surname. MLA guidelines specify that both styles are acceptable (see, e.g., this  "Ask the MLA" page ).

Works Cited

Dean, Cornelia. "Executive on a Mission: Saving the Planet." The New York Times , 22 May 2007, www.nytimes.com/2007/05/22/science/earth/22ander.html?_r=0. Accessed 29 May 2019.

Ebert, Roger. Review of  An Inconvenient Truth , directed by Davis Guggenheim.  Ebert Digital LLC , 1 June 2006, www.rogerebert.com/reviews/an-inconvenient-truth-2006. Accessed 15 June 2019.

Gowdy, John. "Avoiding Self-Organized Extinction: Toward a Co-Evolutionary Economics of Sustainability." International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology, vol. 14, no. 1, 2007, pp. 27-36.

Harris, Rob, and Andrew C. Revkin. “Clinton on Climate Change.”  The New York Times , 17 May 2007, www.nytimes.com/video/world/americas/1194817109438/clinton-on-climate-change.html. Accessed 29 July 2016.

An Inconvenient Truth . Directed by Davis Guggenheim, Paramount, 2006.

Leroux, Marcel. Global Warming: Myth or Reality?: The Erring Ways of Climatology . Springer, 2005.

Milken, Michael, et al. "On Global Warming and Financial Imbalances." New Perspectives Quarterly , vol. 23, no. 4, 2006, p. 63.

Nordhaus, William D. "After Kyoto: Alternative Mechanisms to Control Global Warming." American Economic Review , vol. 96, no. 2, 2006, pp. 31-34.

---. "Global Warming Economics." Science, vol. 294, no. 5545, 9 Nov. 2001, pp. 1283-84, DOI: 10.1126/science.1065007.

Regas, Diane. “Three Key Energy Policies That Can Help Us Turn the Corner on Climate.” Environmental Defense Fund , 1 June 2016, www.edf.org/blog/2016/06/01/3-key-energy-policies-can-help-us-turn-corner-climate. Accessed 19 July 2016.

Revkin, Andrew C. “Clinton on Climate Change.” The New York Times , 17 May 2007, www.nytimes.com/video/world/americas/1194817109438/clinton-on-climate-change.html. Accessed 29 July 2016.

Shulte, Bret. "Putting a Price on Pollution." US News & World Report , vol. 142, no. 17, 14 May 2007, p. 37. Ebsco, Access no: 24984616.

Uzawa, Hirofumi. Economic Theory and Global Warming . Cambridge UP, 2003.

Fall 2024 Semester

Undergraduate courses.

Composition courses that offer many sections (ENGL 101, 201, 277 and 379) are not listed on this schedule unless they are tailored to specific thematic content or particularly appropriate for specific programs and majors.

• 100-200 level

ENGL 151.S01: Introduction to English Studies

Tuesday and Thursday, 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Sharon Smith

ENGL 151 serves as an introduction to both the English major and the discipline of English studies. In this class, you will develop the thinking, reading, writing and research practices that define both the major and the discipline. Much of the semester will be devoted to honing your literary analysis skills, and we will study and discuss texts from several different genres—poetry, short fiction, the novel, drama and film—as well as some literary criticism. As we do so, we will explore the language of the discipline, and you will learn a variety of key literary terms and concepts. In addition, you will develop your skills as both a writer and researcher within the discipline of English.

ENGL 201.ST1 Composition II: The Mind/Body Connection

In this section of English 201, students will use research and writing to learn more about problems that are important to them and articulate ways to address those problems. The course will focus specifically on issues related to the mind, the body and the relationship between them. The topics we will discuss during the course will include the correlation between social media and body image; the efficacy of sex education programs; the degree to which beliefs about race and gender influence school dress codes; and the unique mental and physical challenges faced by college students today. In this course, you will be learning about different approaches to argumentation, analyzing the arguments of others and constructing your own arguments. At the same time, you will be honing your skills as a researcher and developing your abilities as a persuasive and effective writer.

ENGL 201.S10 Composition II: Environmental Writing   

Monday/Wednesday/Friday 1-1:50 p.m.

Gwen Horsley

English 201 will help students develop the ability to think critically and analytically and to write effectively for other university courses and careers. This course will provide opportunities to develop analytical skills that will help students become critical readers and effective writers. Specifically, in this class, students will:

• Focus on the relationships between world environments, land, animals and humankind.
• Read various essays by environmental, conservational and regional authors.
• Produce student writings. 

Students will improve their writing skills by reading essays and applying techniques they witness in others’ work and those learned in class. This class is also a course in logical and creative thought. Students will write about humankind’s place in the world and our influence on the land and animals, places that hold special meaning to them or have influenced their lives and stories of their own families and their places and passions in the world. Students will practice writing in an informed and persuasive manner, in language that engages and enlivens readers by using vivid verbs and avoiding unnecessary passives, nominalizations and expletive constructions.

Students will prepare writing assignments based on readings and discussions of essays included in "Literature and the Environment " and other sources. They may use "The St. Martin’s Handbook," as well as other sources, to review grammar, punctuation, mechanics and usage as needed.

ENGL 201.13 Composition II: Writing the Environment

Tuesday and Thursday 9:30-10:45 a.m.

Paul Baggett

For generations, environmentalists have relied on the power of prose to change the minds and habits of their contemporaries. In the wake of fires, floods, storms and droughts, environmental writing has gained a new sense of urgency, with authors joining activists in their efforts to educate the public about the grim realities of climate change. But do they make a difference? Have reports of present and future disasters so saturated our airwaves that we no longer hear them? How do writers make us care about the planet amidst all the noise? In this course, students will examine the various rhetorical strategies employed by some of today’s leading environmental writers and filmmakers. And while analyzing their different arguments, students also will strengthen their own strategies of argumentation as they research and develop essays that explore a range of environmental concerns.

ENGL 201 Composition II: Food Writing

S17 Tuesday and Thursday 12:30-1:45 p.m.

S18 Tuesday and Thursday 2-3:15 p.m.

Jodi Andrews

In this composition class, students will critically analyze essays about food, food systems and environments, food cultures, the intersections of personal choice, market forces and policy and the values underneath these forces. Students will learn to better read like writers, noting authors’ purpose, audience organizational moves, sentence-level punctuation and diction. We will read a variety of essays including research-intensive arguments and personal narratives which intersect with one of our most primal needs as humans: food consumption. Students will rhetorically analyze texts, conduct advanced research, reflect on the writing process and write essays utilizing intentional rhetorical strategies. Through doing this work, students will practice the writing moves valued in every discipline: argument, evidence, concision, engaging prose and the essential research skills for the 21st century.

ENGL 221.S01 British Literature I

Michael S. Nagy

English 221 is a survey of early British literature from its inception in the Old English period with works such as "Beowulf" and the “Battle of Maldon,” through the Middle Ages and the incomparable writings of Geoffrey Chaucer and the Gawain - poet, to the Renaissance and beyond. Students will explore the historical and cultural contexts in which all assigned reading materials were written, and they will bring that information to bear on class discussion. Likely themes that this class will cover include heroism, humor, honor, religion, heresy and moral relativity. Students will write one research paper in this class and sit for two formal exams: a midterm covering everything up to that point in the semester, and a comprehensive final. Probable texts include the following:

• The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The Middle Ages. Ed. Alfred David, M. H. Abrams, and Stephen Greenblatt. 9th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2012.
• The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The Sixteenth Century and Early Seventeenth Century. Ed. George M. Logan, Stephen Greenblatt, Barbara K Lewalski, and M. H. Abrams. 9th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2012.
• The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The Restoration and the Eighteenth Century. Ed. George M. Logan, Stephen Greenblatt, Barbara K Lewalski, and M. H. Abrams. 9th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2012.
• Gibaldi, Joseph. The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 6th ed. New York: The Modern Language Association of America, 2003.
• Any Standard College Dictionary.

ENGL 240.S01 Juvenile Literature Elementary-5th Grade

Monday, Wednesday and Friday noon-12:50 p.m.

April Myrick

A survey of the history of literature written for children and adolescents, and a consideration of the various types of juvenile literature. Text selection will focus on the themes of imagination and breaking boundaries.

ENGL 240.ST1 Juvenile Literature Elementary-5th Grade

Randi Anderson

In English 240 students will develop the skills to interpret and evaluate various genres of literature for juvenile readers. This particular section will focus on various works of literature at approximately the K-5 grade level. We will read a large range of works that fall into this category, as well as information on the history, development and genre of juvenile literature.

Readings for this course include classical works such as "Hatchet," "Little Women", "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "Brown Girl Dreaming," as well as newer works like "Storm in the Barn," "Anne Frank’s Diary: A Graphic Adaptation," "Lumberjanes," and a variety of picture books. These readings will be paired with chapters from "Reading Children’s Literature: A Critical Introduction " to help develop understanding of various genres, themes and concepts that are both related to juvenile literature and also present in our readings.

In addition to exposing students to various genres of writing (poetry, historical fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, picture books, graphic novels, etc.) this course will also allow students to engage in a discussion of larger themes present in these works such as censorship, race and gender. Students’ understanding of these works and concepts will be developed through readings, research, discussion posts, exams and writing assignments designed to get students to practice analyzing poetry, picture books, informational books and transitional/easy readers.

ENGL 241.S01: American Literature I

Tuesday and Thursday 12:30-1:45 p.m.

This course provides a broad, historical survey of American literature from the early colonial period to the Civil War. Ranging across historical periods and literary genres—including early accounts of contact and discovery, narratives of captivity and slavery, poetry of revolution, essays on gender equality and stories of industrial exploitation—this class examines how subjects such as colonialism, nationhood, religion, slavery, westward expansion, race, gender and democracy continue to influence how Americans see themselves and their society.

Required Texts

• The Norton Anthology of American Literature: Package 1, Volumes A and B Beginnings to 1865, Ninth Edition. (ISBN 978-0-393-26454-8)

ENGL 283.S01 Introduction to Creative Writing

Steven Wingate

Students will explore the various forms of creative writing (fiction, nonfiction and poetry) not one at a time in a survey format—as if there were decisive walls of separation between then—but as intensely related genres that share much of their creative DNA. Through close reading and work on personal texts, students will address the decisions that writers in any genre must face on voice, rhetorical position, relationship to audience, etc. Students will produce and revise portfolios of original creative work developed from prompts and research. This course fulfills the same SGR #2 requirements ENGL 201; note that the course will involve a research project. Successful completion of ENGL 101 (including by test or dual credit) is a prerequisite.

ENGL 283.S02 Introduction to Creative Writing

Jodilyn Andrews

This course introduces students to the craft of writing, with readings and practice in at least two genres (including fiction, poetry and drama).

ENGL 283.ST1 Introduction to Creative Writing

Amber Jensen, M.A., M.F.A.

This course explores creative writing as a way of encountering the world, research as a component of the creative writing process, elements of craft and their rhetorical effect and drafting, workshop and revision as integral parts of writing polished literary creative work. Student writers will engage in the research practices that inform the writing of literature and in the composing strategies and writing process writers use to create literary texts. Through their reading and writing of fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction, students will learn about craft elements, find examples of those craft elements in published works and apply these elements in their own creative work, developed through weekly writing activities, small group and large group workshop and conferences with the instructor. Work will be submitted, along with a learning reflection and revision plan in each genre and will then be revised and submitted as a final portfolio at the end of the semester to demonstrate continued growth in the creation of polished literary writing.

• 300-400 level

ENGL 424.S01 Language Arts Methods grades 7-12  

Tuesday 6-8:50 p.m.

Danielle Harms

Techniques, materials and resources for teaching English language and literature to middle and secondary school students. Required of students in the English education option.

AIS/ENGL 447.S01: American Indian Literature of the Present 

Thursdays 3-6 p.m.

This course introduces students to contemporary works by authors from various Indigenous nations. Students examine these works to enhance their historical understanding of Indigenous peoples, discover the variety of literary forms used by those who identify as Indigenous writers, and consider the cultural and political significance of these varieties of expression. Topics and questions to be explored include:

• Genre: What makes Indigenous literature indigenous?
• Political and Cultural Sovereignty: Why have an emphasis on tribal specificity and calls for “literary separatism” emerged in recent decades, and what are some of the critical conversations surrounding such particularized perspectives?
• Gender and Sexuality: What are the intersecting concerns of Indigenous Studies and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, and how might these research fields inform one another?
• Trans-Indigeneity: What might we learn by comparing works across different Indigenous traditions, and what challenges do such comparisons present?
• Aesthetics: How do Indigenous writers understand the dynamics between tradition and creativity?
• Visual Forms: What questions or concerns do visual representations (television and film) by or about Indigenous peoples present?

Possible Texts

• Akiwenzie-Damm, Kateri and Josie Douglas (eds), Skins: Contemporary Indigenous Writing. IAD Press, 2000. (978-1864650327)
• Erdrich, Louise, The Sentence. Harper, 2021 (978-0062671127)
• Harjo, Joy, Poet Warrior: A Memoir. Norton, 2021 (978-0393248524)
• Harjo, Sterlin and Taika Waititi, Reservation Dogs (selected episodes)
• Talty, Morgan. Night of the Living Rez, 2022, Tin House (978-1953534187)
• Wall Kimmerer, Robin. Braiding Sweet Grass, Milkweed Editions (978-1571313560)
• Wilson, Diane. The Seed Keeper: A Novel. Milkweed Editions (978-1571311375)
• Critical essays by Alexie, Allen, Cohen, Cox, King, Kroeber, Ortiz, Piatote, Ross and Sexton, Smith, Taylor, Teuton, Treuer, Vizenor, and Womack.

ENGL 472.S01: Film Criticism

Tuesdays 2-4:50 p.m.

Jason McEntee

Do you have an appreciation for, and enjoy watching, movies? Do you want to study movies in a genre-oriented format (such as those we typically call the Western, the screwball comedy, the science fiction or the crime/gangster, to name a few)? Do you want to explore the different critical approaches for talking and writing about movies (such as auteur, feminist, genre or reception)?

In this class, you will examine movies through viewing and defining different genres while, at the same time, studying and utilizing different styles of film criticism. You will share your discoveries in both class discussions and short writings. The final project will be a formal written piece of film criticism based on our work throughout the semester. The course satisfies requirements and electives for all English majors and minors, including both the Film Studies and Professional Writing minors. (Note: Viewing of movies outside of class required and may require rental and/or streaming service fees.)

ENGL 476.ST1: Fiction

In this workshop-based creative writing course, students will develop original fiction based on strong attention to the fundamentals of literary storytelling: full-bodied characters, robust story lines, palpable environments and unique voices. We will pay particular attention to process awareness, to the integrity of the sentence, and to authors' commitments to their characters and the places in which their stories unfold. Some workshop experience is helpful, as student peer critique will be an important element of the class.

ENGL 479.01 Capstone: The Gothic

Wednesday 3-5:50 p.m.

With the publication of Horace Walpole’s "The Castle of Otranto " in 1764, the Gothic officially came into being. Dark tales of physical violence and psychological terror, the Gothic incorporates elements such as distressed heroes and heroines pursued by tyrannical villains; gloomy estates with dark corridors, secret passageways and mysterious chambers; haunting dreams, troubling prophecies and disturbing premonitions; abduction, imprisonment and murder; and a varied assortment of corpses, apparitions and “monsters.” In this course, we will trace the development of Gothic literature—and some film—from the eighteenth-century to the present time. As we do so, we will consider how the Gothic engages philosophical beliefs about the beautiful and sublime; shapes psychological understandings of human beings’ encounters with horror, terror, the fantastic and the uncanny; and intervenes in the social and historical contexts in which it was written. We’ll consider, for example, how the Gothic undermines ideals related to domesticity and marriage through representations of domestic abuse, toxicity and gaslighting. In addition, we’ll discuss Gothic texts that center the injustices of slavery and racism. As many Gothic texts suggest, the true horrors of human existence often have less to do with inexplicable supernatural phenomena than with the realities of the world in which we live. 

ENGL 485.S01: Undergraduate Writing Center Learning Assistants 

Flexible Scheduling

Nathan Serfling

Since their beginnings in the 1920s and 30s, writing centers have come to serve numerous functions: as hubs for writing across the curriculum initiatives, sites to develop and deliver workshops and resource centers for faculty as well as students, among other functions. But the primary function of writing centers has necessarily and rightfully remained the tutoring of student writers. This course will immerse you in that function in two parts. During the first four weeks, you will explore writing center praxis—that is, the dialogic interplay of theory and practice related to writing center work. This part of the course will orient you to writing center history, key theoretical tenets and practical aspects of writing center tutoring. Once we have developed and practiced this foundation, you will begin work in the writing center as a tutor, responsible for assisting a wide variety of student clients with numerous writing tasks. Through this work, you will learn to actively engage with student clients in the revision of a text, respond to different student needs and abilities, work with a variety of writing tasks and rhetorical situations, and develop a richer sense of writing as a complex and negotiated social process.

Graduate Courses

Engl 572.s01: film criticism, engl 576.st1 fiction.

In this workshop-based creative writing course, students will develop original fiction based on strong attention to the fundamentals of literary storytelling: full-bodied characters, robust story lines, palpable environments and unique voices. We will pay particular attention to process awareness, to the integrity of the sentence and to authors' commitments to their characters and the places in which their stories unfold. Some workshop experience is helpful, as student peer critique will be an important element of the class.

ENGL 605.S01 Seminar in Teaching Composition

Thursdays 1-3:50 p.m.

This course will provide you with a foundation in the pedagogies and theories (and their attendant histories) of writing instruction, a foundation that will prepare you to teach your own writing courses at SDSU and elsewhere. As you will discover through our course, though, writing instruction does not come with any prescribed set of “best” practices. Rather, writing pedagogies stem from and continue to evolve because of various and largely unsettled conversations about what constitutes effective writing and effective writing instruction. Part of becoming a practicing writing instructor, then, is studying these conversations to develop a sense of what “good writing” and “effective writing instruction” might mean for you in our particular program and how you might adapt that understanding to different programs and contexts.

As we read about, discuss and research writing instruction, we will address a variety of practical and theoretical topics. The practical focus will allow us to attend to topics relevant to your immediate classroom practices: designing a curriculum and various types of assignments, delivering the course content and assessing student work, among others. Our theoretical topics will begin to reveal the underpinnings of these various practical matters, including their historical, rhetorical, social and political contexts. In other words, we will investigate the praxis—the dialogic interaction of practice and theory—of writing pedagogy. As a result, this course aims to prepare you not only as a writing teacher but also as a nascent writing studies/writing pedagogy scholar.

At the end of this course, you should be able to engage effectively in the classroom practices described above and participate in academic conversations about writing pedagogy, both orally and in writing. Assessment of these outcomes will be based primarily on the various writing assignments you submit and to a smaller degree on your participation in class discussions and activities.

ENGL 726.S01: The New Woman, 1880–1900s 

Thursdays 3–5:50 p.m.

Katherine Malone

This course explores the rise of the New Woman at the end of the nineteenth century. The label New Woman referred to independent women who rebelled against social conventions. Often depicted riding bicycles, smoking cigarettes and wearing masculine clothing, these early feminists challenged gender roles and sought broader opportunities for women’s employment and self-determination. We will read provocative fiction and nonfiction by New Women writers and their critics, including authors such as Sarah Grand, Mona Caird, George Egerton, Amy Levy, Ella Hepworth Dixon, Grant Allen and George Gissing. We will analyze these exciting texts through a range of critical lenses and within the historical context of imperialism, scientific and technological innovation, the growth of the periodical press and discourse about race, class and gender. In addition to writing an argumentative seminar paper, students will complete short research assignments and lead discussion.

ENGL 792.ST1 Women in War: Female Authors and Characters in Contemporary War Lit

In this course, we will explore the voices of female authors and characters in contemporary literature of war. Drawing from various literary theories, our readings and discussion will explore the contributions of these voices to the evolving literature of war through archetypal and feminist criticism. We will read a variety of short works (both theoretical and creative) and complete works such as (selections subject to change): "Eyes Right" by Tracy Crow, "Plenty of Time When We Get Home" by Kayla Williams, "You Know When the Men are Gone" by Siobhan Fallon, "Still, Come Home" by Katie Schultz and "The Fine Art of Camouflage" by Lauren Johnson.