MLA Conventions for Essays

Yes, they are arbitrary, but so are all rules, right? In the world of college writing, MLA is not the only standard you'll have to learn, but it is definitely quite common.

1. Use 1" margins
2. Use 12 pt. Times New Roman font
3. Double-space the text
4. Put last name and page number in upper right header
5. Use four-line heading on first page
6. Leave out extra spaces between paragraphs or around title
7. Are all sources cited, either in the sentence itself or in parentheses?
8. Double-check the punctuation of your citations in the text.
9. On Works Cited page, center the title Works Cited at the top (no italics).
10. Put works cited entries in alphabetical order and double-spaced.

Click here to see what the first page of an MLA paper looks like.
Go here to read more about MLA conventions.