MLA Format

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MLA Format The Basics
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• Very basically, the Modern Language Association
  (MLA) has prescribed a standard way of laying out
  text on the page. This format provides scholars
  in the Humanities with a simple, neat, and
  effective way of presenting information and of
  communicating ideas. It may, in the beginning,
  seem irritating to learn the format, but the
  reality is that most disciplines adopt a style,
  and conformityat least at the college levelis
  required.

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Styles Used by Various Disciplines

Humanities Modern Language Association Manual of
Style (MLA)
Sciences Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association (APA)
Journalism Chicago Manual of Style
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Here are the basics for setting up a document in
MLA Style
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• Here are the basics for setting up a document in
  MLA Style
• First, set up the margins to 1 all the way
  around.

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• Here are the basics for setting up a document in
  MLA Style
• First, set up the margins to 1 all the way
  around.
• Second, change the font to Times New Roman.

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• Here are the basics for setting up a document in
  MLA Style
• First, set up the margins to 1 all the way
  around.
• Second, change the font to Times New Roman.
• Third, change the font size to 12-point.

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• Here are the basics for setting up a document in
  MLA Style
• First, set up the margins to 1 all the way
  around.
• Second, change the font to Times New Roman.
• Third, change the font size to 12-point.
• Fourth, change the spacing to double.

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• Here are the basics for setting up a document in
  MLA Style
• First, set up the margins to 1 all the way
  around.
• Second, change the font to Times New Roman.
• Third, change the font size to 12-point.
• Fourth, change the spacing to double.
• Fifth, insert a page number in the header and
  type your last name in front of it.

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Sample First Page in MLA Style
½
1
Brown 1
Sarah Brown Professor Spalding ENG 110A 29
September 2007
1
1
Memoir A Night to Remember The moon was
full, as I recall, casting long, blue shadows
against the wall. As we wound our way through
the streets, small, bright orange pumpkins
clasped in our hands, I had the eerie sense
that we were being followed . . .
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• Please note that the header, which is left
  justified, is set up in a very specific order
• (1) Your name
• (2) Your professors name
• (3) Your class name and section
• (4) The date
• Note You may not vary or approximate this
  order. It is what it is.

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Sarah Brown Professor Spalding ENG 110A 29
September 2007
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Just a word about the Professors name In
general, you ought to write the title out in
full, i.e., Professor Spalding. If you are
tempted to abbreviate and use Prof., then there
are a number of MLA rules to keep in mind. It is
only proper to use the term Prof. if you are
including the Professors first name. Hence,
Prof. Mark Spalding is acceptable, whereas Prof.
Spalding is incorrect. This is true of most
professional titles, i.e., Doctor Watson, but
Dr. Jonathan Watson, etc.
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• Note, please, that the date is set up in a very
  specific way
• the day
• the month
• the year
• You may not vary this structure. It is not
  optional. It may not be abbreviated or
  rearranged according to your preferences.
• September 29, 2007
• 29 Sep 2007
• Sep 29, 2007
• 29/9/07
• 9/29/07

With no punctuation.
29 September 2007
These are non-standard formats and are
unacceptable in an MLA paper.
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A Note On The Title All MLA-style essays
require a title. Note that the title is
centered. It should not be in block capitals,
italicized, bolded, in quotation marks, or
underlined. All major words should begin with a
capital letter.
Every essay requires a title.
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Be aware, too, that there is no other spacing in
MLA Format besides double spacing. I repeat,
there is no other spacing in MLA Format besides
DOUBLE SPACING.
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And for those of you who may be a little hard of
hearing, I will reiterate for a third time
THERE IS NO OTHER SPACING IN MLA FORMAT
BESIDES DOUBLE SPACING.
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None
Zip
No single spacing.
Nada
No triple spacing.
Nothing
No quadruple spacing.
DOUBLE SPACING ONLY
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If you can master the basics of setting up your
page in MLA style, you will be well on the way
toward understanding the MLA system.

Brown
1 Sarah Brown Professor Spalding ENG 110A 29
September 2007 Memoir A Night to Remember
The moon was full, as I recall, casting
long, blue shadows against the wall. As we
wound our way through the streets, small,
bright orange pumpkins clasped in our hands, I
had the eerie sense that we were being followed.
What made me believe this, besides a cold,
prickling sen- sation in my spine, and a
distinct sense of unease, I may . . .
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And finally, a note on professors who require
variations on MLA Style
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• And finally, a note on professors who require
  variations on MLA Style
• Periodically, you will run across professors who
  insist on minor variations from MLA Style.

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• And finally, a note on professors who require
  variations on MLA Style
• Periodically, you will run across professors who
  insist on minor variations from MLA Style.
• Humor them.

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• And finally, a note on professors who require
  variations on MLA Style
• Periodically, you will run across professors who
  insist on minor variations from MLA Style.
• Humor them.
• If they want a cover page, give them their cover
  page.

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• And finally, a note on professors who require
  variations on MLA Style
• Periodically, you will run across professors who
  insist on minor variations from MLA Style.
• Humor them.
• If they want a cover page, give them their cover
  page.
• If they want the title in block capitals, give
  them their block capitals.

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• And finally, a note on professors who require
  variations on MLA Style
• Periodically, you will run across professors who
  insist on minor variations from MLA Style.
• Humor them.
• If they want a cover page, give them their cover
  page.
• If they want the title in block capitals, give
  them their block capitals.
• Remember, the professor is the one who will give
  you your grade.

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• And finally, a note on professors who require
  variations on MLA Style
• Periodically, you will run across professors who
  insist on minor variations from MLA Style.
• Humor them.
• If they want a cover page, give them their cover
  page.
• If they want the title in block capitals, give
  them their block capitals.
• Remember, the professor is the one who will give
  you your grade.
• That said, please observe the following rule of
  thumb

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When the monkey wants peanuts, give it PEANUTS!
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The End
PowerPoint Presentation by Mark A. Spalding, BA,
MEd, MA, 2007.