Overview
MLA Style (Modern Language Association) is one of the most widely used referencing and formatting systems in academia — especially in the humanities, including literature, language, cultural studies, and philosophy.
It focuses on clarity, consistency, and crediting original authors properly using a simple author–page citation method.
MLA’s goal is to make papers easy to read, professionally formatted, and free of plagiarism, while maintaining flexibility across disciplines.
Structure of an MLA Paper
| Section | Key Requirements |
|---|---|
| Font | Times New Roman, 12 pt |
| Line spacing | Double-spaced throughout |
| Margins | 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides |
| Header | Author’s last name + page number (top-right corner) |
| Title page | Not required — begin with your name, instructor, course, and date |
| Text alignment | Left-aligned, no justification |
| Paragraph indent | 0.5 inches for the first line |
| Quotation format | Block quotes for text over 4 lines |
| Citation style | Author–page format → (Smith 22) |
| Reference list title | “Works Cited” centered at the top of a new page |
In-text Citation Examples
| Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Single author | (Johnson 45) |
| Two authors | (Williams and Brown 132) |
| Three or more authors | (Taylor et al. 59) |
| Corporate author | (World Health Organization 12) |
| No author | (“Global Climate” 8) |
| Multiple works by same author | (Miller, Human Nature 91) |
| Quoting indirect source | (qtd. in Adams 77) |
Works Cited Page Examples
| Source Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Book (1 author) | Morrison, Toni. Beloved. Vintage, 2004. |
| Book (2 authors) | Dorris, Michael, and Louise Erdrich. The Crown of Columbus. HarperCollins, 1991. |
| Edited book | Harris, Charles, editor. Critical Essays on Native American Literature. G.K. Hall, 1987. |
| Journal article | Lopez, Ana. “Postmodern Poetics.” Modern Language Review, vol. 85, no. 4, 2021, pp. 441–456. |
| Website | “MLA Style Center.” Modern Language Association, 2024, style.mla.org. |
| YouTube Video | TED. “The Power of Words.” YouTube, 10 Mar. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyz. |
| Online PDF | Bloom, Harold. Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. PDF file, Yale University Press, 2019. |
Major Differences Between MLA and Other Styles
| MLA | APA | Chicago | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-text | Author–page | Author–year | Footnote/endnote |
| Title page | Not required | Required | Optional |
| Works list title | Works Cited | References | Bibliography |
| Common fields | Literature, Arts | Psychology, Social Sciences | History, Law |
How to Format Quotations
- Short quotations:Integrated in text with quotation marks → “Art is long” (Keats 4).
- Long quotations:Indented one inch from the left margin, no quotation marks, followed by the parenthetical citation.
MLA Core Elements (9th Edition)
- Author.
- Title of source.
- Title of container.
- Other contributors.
- Version.
- Number.
- Publisher.
- Publication date.
- Location (pages, URL, DOI, etc.).
Example:
Lopez, Ana. “Modern Drama and Reality.” Cambridge Journal of Literature, vol. 12, no. 4, 2022, pp. 199–210. Cambridge UP. DOI: 10.12345/cjl.2022.199.
Ethical Use and Avoiding Plagiarism
- Always cite every paraphrase, summary, or quotation.
- Use plagiarism detection tools before submission.
- Maintain a consistent Works Cited format for transparency.
Recommended Resources
FAQ — MLA Style (Comprehensive)
General Formatting
Q1: What is the current edition of MLA?
A: The 9th edition (2021) is the latest and most widely adopted.
Q2: Is MLA used globally?
A: Yes, it’s the standard in most humanities journals and universities.
Q3: Do I need a title page?
A: No, MLA doesn’t require one unless specified by your institution.
Q4: Can I use footnotes in MLA?
A: Yes, but sparingly — mainly for extra context or commentary, not citations.
In-text Citations
Q5: What if there is no author?
A: Use a shortened title instead, e.g., (“Global Warming” 45).
Q6: How do I cite multiple pages?
A: (Smith 34–37).
Q7: How do I cite two works by the same author?
A: Add the shortened title → (Johnson, Modern Poetry 88).
Q8: Can I cite two sources in one parenthesis?
A: Yes: (Jones 44; Miller 22).
Q9: Should I include publication year in-text?
A: No, MLA does not use years in parentheses.
Works Cited
Q10: How should titles be formatted?
A: Italicize larger works (books, films); use quotation marks for shorter ones (articles, poems).
Q11: How do I alphabetize Works Cited?
A: By the author’s last name; if none, by title (ignore “A,” “An,” “The”).
Q12: Can I include URLs?
A: Yes, always include the stable URL or DOI.
Q13: Should I add access dates?
A: Optional, but recommended for online sources that may change.
Q14: How do I cite translated works?
A: Include the translator’s name after the title: The Stranger. Translated by Matthew Ward, Vintage, 1989.
Special Cases
Q15: How do I cite a YouTube video?
A: “Title of Video.” YouTube, uploaded by [Channel Name], Date, URL.
Q16: How do I cite a podcast episode?
A: “Episode Title.” Podcast Name, hosted by [Host], Season, Episode, Publisher, Date, URL.
Q17: How do I cite government documents?
A: Include agency as author and publication details.
Q18: How do I cite personal communication (emails, interviews)?
A: These are cited in-text only, not in the Works Cited list.
Academic & Ethical Use
Q19: What happens if I forget a citation?
A: It may be considered plagiarism; always double-check.
Q20: Can I use MLA for journal submissions?
A: Yes, especially for literary and humanities journals indexed in Europub.
Q21: Is there an MLA citation generator?
A: Yes, MLA.org provides an official tool, and others like Zotero or Mendeley support it.
Technical & Submission-Ready
Q22: How to convert APA to MLA?
A: Adjust author-year to author-page and rename “References” to “Works Cited.”
Q23: What if my software (Word, LaTeX) has different templates?
A: Always verify settings with MLA 9th edition guidelines.
Q24: How to format DOI links?
A: Use https://doi.org/ prefix, not “DOI:”
Q25: Can I include images or figures?
A: Yes, label them as “Figure 1,” “Figure 2,” etc., with a short descriptive caption.
For Students & Journals
Q26: Does Europub accept MLA submissions?
A: Yes, Europub journals allow MLA formatting for literature, language, and cultural fields.
Q27: Can I use MLA in research certificates or reports?
A: Yes, Europub’s Certificate Management System supports MLA-style metadata for author identification.
Created for Europub Publishing Company Ltd. UK
Source Verification & Certificate Platform: 
https://cms.europub.co.uk
