MLA 8: Basics

The primary purpose of the MLA style guide is to ensure clarity, consistency, and integrity in academic writing. It offers detailed instructions for various aspects of writing, including in-text citations, works cited pages, headings, formatting, abbreviations, capitalization, and punctuation.

MLA 8: Basics

MLA 8: Basics

What is an MLA style guide? 

The MLA (Modern Language Association) style guide is a comprehensive set of guidelines for writing and documenting scholarly works in the fields of humanities and liberal arts. It provides researchers, students, and writers with a standardized approach to formatting papers, citing sources, and organizing bibliographic information.

The primary purpose of the MLA style guide is to ensure clarity, consistency, and integrity in academic writing. It offers detailed instructions for various aspects of writing, including in-text citations, works cited pages, headings, formatting, abbreviations, capitalization, and punctuation.

In terms of in-text citations, MLA requires writers to provide brief parenthetical references within the body of the text, indicating the source of the information being used. These citations typically include the author's last name and the page number(s) of the referenced material.

The works cited page, a separate section at the end of the paper, lists all the sources cited or consulted in the research. MLA specifies the required information for each source type, such as books, articles, websites, and more. It provides detailed instructions on formatting, including the order and punctuation of each element in the citation.

MLA also provides guidelines for other important components of academic writing, such as quotations, titles, headings, and the overall structure of the paper. It promotes clarity and consistency in these areas to enhance readability and ensure that the sources and ideas of others are properly acknowledged.

Overall, the MLA style guide serves as a valuable resource for researchers and writers in the humanities and liberal arts disciplines, offering a standardized and reliable framework for documenting and presenting scholarly work. By following the MLA guidelines, writers can maintain academic integrity, provide proper credit to sources, and contribute to scholarly conversation in their fields.

MLA 8 Style

MLA 8 refers to the 8th edition of the Modern Language Association (MLA) style guide. The MLA style is a set of guidelines for writing and documenting scholarly works, primarily used in the fields of humanities and liberal arts. It provides rules and conventions for formatting papers, citing sources, and organizing bibliographic information.

Here are some basic guidelines for formatting in MLA 8 style:

Page Setup:

Use 1-inch margins on all sides of the paper.

Use a legible font (e.g., Times New Roman) with a font size of 12 pt.

Double-space the entire document, including the Works Cited page.

Heading and Title:

Place your name, instructor's name, course number, and date on separate lines in the upper left corner of the first page.

Center-align the title of your paper, without bolding, italicizing, or underlining it.

Do not use a separate title page unless specifically requested by your instructor.

In-text Citations:

Use parenthetical citations to acknowledge the sources of information within the body of your paper.

Include the author's last name and the page number(s) for direct quotes or paraphrased information.

If there is no author, use a shortened version of the title.

Place the in-text citation immediately after the cited information.

Works Cited Page:

List all the sources you cited or consulted in your research on a separate page titled "Works Cited."

Arrange entries in alphabetical order based on the author's last name.

Use a hanging indent for each entry, where the first line is flush left, and subsequent lines are indented.

Provide complete bibliographic information for each source, including author(s), title, publication date, and source details.

Quotations:

Enclose short quotations (fewer than four lines) within double quotation marks within the text.

For longer quotations (more than four lines), create a block quote by indenting it 1 inch from the left margin. Do not use quotation marks.

Maintain double-spacing throughout the quotation, and include the in-text citation.

Images, Tables, and Figures:

Provide a descriptive caption and label for any visual elements used, such as images, tables, or figures.

Place the caption below the visual element, and include a corresponding citation if it is from a published source.

Refer to the visual element in the text and discuss its relevance or analysis.

Abbreviations and Punctuation:

Use standard abbreviations for commonly known terms, but spell out any abbreviations that may be unfamiliar to readers.

Use proper punctuation, such as commas, periods, and italics, according to MLA guidelines.

In-text Citations

In MLA 8 style, in-text citations are used to acknowledge the sources of information within the body of a research paper or essay. Here are the basics of in-text citations in MLA 8 style, along with examples:

Author's Last Name in the Sentence:

When the author's last name is mentioned in the sentence, only the page number is included in parentheses.

Example 1: According to Smith, the effects of climate change are becoming increasingly evident (45).

Author's Last Name in Parentheses:

When the author's last name is not mentioned in the sentence, it is included in parentheses along with the page number.

Example 2: The effects of climate change are becoming increasingly evident (Smith 45).

Multiple Authors:

For works with two authors, include both authors' last names in the same order as they appear on the source. For works with three or more authors, include the first author's last name followed by "et al."

Example 3: The study found that sleep patterns affect cognitive performance (Johnson and Brown 82).

Example 4: Recent studies have shown a decline in biodiversity (Smith et al. 27).

No Author:

For sources without a specified author, use the title or a shortened version of the title in the in-text citation.

Example 5: ("Global Warming and Its Impact" 14)

Citing Specific Parts of a Source:

If you are citing a specific part of a source (such as a chapter, page range, or section), include that information after the page number, separated by a comma.

Example 6: (Smith 45, ch. 3)

Example 7: (Brown 27-29)

Electronic Sources:

For electronic sources without page numbers, you can use other identifiers such as paragraph numbers (para.), section headings (sec.), or timestamps for audiovisual sources.

Example 8: (Johnson, sec. 2)

Example 9: (Smith, para. 5)

Remember to include a corresponding entry in the Works Cited page for each in-text citation.

Works Cited Page

The Works Cited page in MLA 8 style is a separate page at the end of your research paper that lists all the sources you cited or consulted in your work. Here are the basic guidelines for formatting the Works Cited page:

Page Title and Formatting:

Center-align the title "Works Cited" at the top of the page. Do not use bolding, underlining, or italicizing.

Double-space the entire Works Cited page, including the title.

Entries:

Begin each entry with the author's last name, followed by a comma and their first name or initials.

If there is no author, start the entry with the title of the source.

Arrange entries in alphabetical order by the author's last name. If there is no author, use the title of the source to determine the alphabetical order.

Use a hanging indent for each entry, where the first line is flush left, and subsequent lines are indented.

Basic Entry Format:

Book: Author(s). Title of Book. Publisher, Year.

Journal Article: Author(s). "Title of Article." Title of Journal, vol. #, no. #, Year, pp. #-#.

Website: Author(s) or Organization. "Title of Web Page." Website Name, Publisher or Sponsor, Date of Publication or Update, URL.

Capitalization and Italics:

Capitalize the first word and all major words in the titles of books, articles, and other sources.

Italicize the titles of books, periodicals, websites, and other self-contained works.

Use quotation marks for titles of shorter works, such as articles, poems, or short stories.

Author:

List the author's last name first, followed by a comma and their first name or initials.

For multiple authors, use "and" before the last author's name.

If there are more than three authors, you can use "et al." after the first author's name.

Publication Information:

Include the title of the source in title case and use proper punctuation.

Provide the publication information, such as the publisher's name, year of publication, volume and issue number for journals, and page numbers for articles or chapters.

Online Sources:

Include the URL or DOI (Digital Object Identifier) at the end of the entry for online sources.

Use the format: Accessed Day Month Year.

Examples of Entries in Works Cited Page

Here are some examples of how to format entries in the Works Cited page in MLA 8 style:

Book: Author(s). Title of Book. Publisher, Year.

Example: Smith, John. The Art of Writing. Penguin Books, 2019.

Journal Article: Author(s). "Title of Article." Title of Journal, vol. #, no. #, Year, pp. #-#.

Example: Johnson, Sarah. "The Impact of Climate Change on Biodiversity." Environmental Studies Journal, vol. 25, no. 2, 2020, pp. 45-62.

Website: Author(s) or Organization. "Title of Web Page." Website Name, Publisher or Sponsor, Date of Publication or Update, URL.

Example: National Parks Service. "Exploring the Grand Canyon." National Parks Service, 15 June 2022, www.nps.gov/grand-canyon/index.htm.

Edited Book: Editor(s). Title of Book. Edited by Editor(s), Publisher, Year.

Example: Adams, Lisa, editor. Contemporary Poetry Anthology. Edited by Lisa Adams, Oxford University Press, 2018.

Online Article: Author(s). "Title of Article." Website Name, Publisher or Sponsor, Date of Publication or Update, URL. Accessed Day Month Year.

Example: Brown, Emily. "Effective Study Habits for Academic Success." Study Skills Today, 1 Sept. 2021, www.studyskillstoday.com/effective-study-habits.html. Accessed 10 May 2022.

Format of A Student Assignment

When formatting a student assignment in MLA 8 style, there are specific guidelines to follow. Here is an overview of the formatting requirements:

Page Setup:

Use 1-inch margins on all sides of the paper.

Use a legible font such as Times New Roman, size 12.

Double-space the entire document, including the title, headings, and references.

Heading and Title:

In the upper left corner of the first page, include your name, your instructor's name, the course number, and the date.

Center-align the title of your assignment below the heading.

Do not use bolding, underlining, or italicizing for the title.

Do not use a separate title page unless instructed by your instructor.

Page Numbers:

Include a header in the upper right corner of each page, with your last name followed by the page number.

The page number should be right-aligned and half an inch from the top of the page.

Section Headings:

Use section headings to organize your paper if required.

Use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) and title case for first-level headings (e.g., 1. Introduction).

Use lowercase letters (a, b, c) and title case for second-level headings (e.g., a. Methodology).

Use italics or bolding for section headings, but be consistent throughout the paper.

In-text Citations:

Use parenthetical citations to acknowledge sources within the body of your paper.

Include the author's last name and the page number(s) for direct quotes or paraphrased information.

If there is no author, use a shortened version of the title.

Place the in-text citation immediately after the cited information.

Works Cited Page:

Include a separate page titled "Works Cited" at the end of your paper.

List all the sources you cited or consulted in alphabetical order.

Use a hanging indent for each entry, where the first line is flush left, and subsequent lines are indented.

Provide complete bibliographic information for each source.

Remember to consult the MLA Handbook or the official MLA website for more detailed instructions and specific examples for different types of sources. Additionally, always follow any specific guidelines given by your instructor or institution for formatting your student assignment.

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