MLA Citation Style: Formatting Your Academic Paper

Introduction:
MLA (Modern Language Association) style is widely used in humanities, literature, and cultural studies. MLA emphasizes simplicity and clarity in writing and citation. This guide will help you properly format your citations and references using MLA style in 2024.

General Formatting Guidelines:

Font: Times New Roman, 12-point.
Margins: 1-inch margins on all sides.
Spacing: Double-space the entire document, including your references.
Title Page: MLA doesn’t typically require a title page. If one is required, include the title, your name, the instructor’s name, and the course name.
Page Numbers: Place page numbers in the top-right corner of each page.

In-Text Citations:

MLA uses parenthetical citations for in-text references.
- Example: (Smith 2020) for paraphrasing, or (Smith 2020, 15) for a direct quote.

Works Cited Page:

The Works Cited page appears at the end of your paper, listing all referenced sources.

Book Example:
- Smith, John. The Psychology of Human Behavior. 2nd ed., New York: Academic Press, 2020.
Journal Article Example:
- Brown, Patricia. “Social Media and Mental Health.” Journal of Social Psychology, vol. 12, no. 3, 2018, pp. 123-135.

Conclusion:
MLA style is perfect for the humanities and helps ensure your research is clear, concise, and easy to navigate. Following these guidelines will ensure you meet MLA standards in your academic writing.