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MLA Style Guide, 8th ed.: Introduction to MLA Style

Navigating This Guide

This guide gives you some general information about the importance of citation, formatting your paper, links to sample Works Cited pages and full MLA style papers. Click the tabs at the top to see specific MLA citation examples.

Citing Your Sources

Why is Citation Important? - Citing your sources in college assignments gives you credibility.

Consult these sources for proper MLA formatting:

Formatting a Research Paper

The following formatting rules can be found in the MLA Style Center.

  • Format your paper with 1 inch margins on all sides.
  • Select an easily readable font (e.g. 12 point, Times New Roman)
  • Double-space the entire paper. This should include text and the list of works cited.
  • Indent the first line of each paragraph one inch from the margin.
  • At the top left margin of the first page, type your name, your instructor’s name, the course number, and the date.
  • Type the title of your paper in the top, center of the first page following the standard rules for titles in MLA Style.
  • Include your last name and page numbers, consecutively on all pages in the upper right-hand corner.
  • Include a list of works cited beginning on a new page at the end of your paper.

Click the pictures below for more examples and MLA formatting tips.

 Sample "Works Cited" Page                     Sample Paper from the MLA Style Center

Sample MLA Works Cited page - links to actual Google document                                   Sample MLA paper from MLA Style Center - links to actual PDF

Why Citation is Important from Kimbel Library on Vimeo.

Video produced by Joshua Vossler for Coastal Carolina University. Used under a Creative Commons license.

Video Script

"Citation: A Very Brief Introduction" from NCSU Libraries - published under a Creative Commons 3.0 BY-NC-SA US license.