The MLA (Modern Language Association) format dictates specific rules for formatting documents and citing sources. It is important to emphasize that MLA style does not refer to a specific type of document but instead provides guidelines for formatting a document appropriately. The most common types of documents formatted using MLA style are research papers. MLA style research papers include in-text citations as well as a Works Cited page at the end. In-text citations provide brief information, usually the author’s last name and a page number, to indicate the source of a quotation or an idea in the body of the paper. The Works Cited page appears at the end of the paper and is a list of all sources cited in the paper and contains full reference information, such as the author’s name, title of the book or article, and publication information. The Works Cited page is formatted the same way as the rest of the paper; however, it does not include a heading in the top left corner. The entries on the Works Cited page are listed in alphabetical order. In MLA style, all text is double spaced and the default font is 12-point Times New Roman. Margins are one inch on all sides. The entire paper should be left aligned, or flush left with the uneven right margin. The first line of each paragraph should be indented one-half inch from the left margin. Additionally, MLA dictates using parenthetical documentation for in-text citations and using a hanging indent (all lines of the entry after the first flush left) and double-spacing for each entry in the Works Cited list. Although MLA style does not require you to use a specific kind of document, the guidelines provide instructions on how to create a structured, thorough research paper that is properly formatted and cited.
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