MLA Manuscript

Question 1

Materials and font

Answer 1

Use good quality 8 1/2” x 11” white paper. If your instructor does not require a specific font, choose one that is standard and easy to read.

Question 2

Title and identification

Answer 2

MLA does not require a title page. On the first page of your paper, place your name, your instructor’s name, the course title, and the date on separate lines against the left margin. Then center your title.

Question 3

Pagination

Answer 3

Put the page number preceded by your last name in the upper right corner of each page, one-half inch below the top edge. Use Arabic numerals.

Question 4

Margins, line spacing, and paragraph indents

Answer 4

Leave margins of one inch on all sides of the page. Left-align the text. Double space throughout the paper. Do not add extra space above or below the title of the paper or between paragraphs. Indent the first line of each paragraph one-half inch from the left margin.

Question 5

Capitalization and italics

Answer 5

In titles of works, capitalize all words except articles, prepositions, coordinating conjunctions, and the “to” in the infinitives unless they are the first or last word of the title.

Question 6

Long quotations

Answer 6

When a quotation is longer than four typed lines of prose or three lines of verse, set it off from the text by indenting the entire quotation one inch from the left margin. Double space the indented quotation, and do not add extra space above or below it. Quotation marks are not needed when a quotation has been set off from the text by indenting.

Question 7

URL’s (Web addresses)

Answer 7

When you need to break a URL at the end of a line in the text of your paper, break it only after a slash and do not insert a hyphen.

Question 8

Headings

Answer 8

MLA neither encourages or discourages the use of headings and provides no guidelines for their use.

Question 9

Visuals

Answer 9

MLA classifies visuals as tables and figures. Label each table with an Arabic numeral and provide a clear caption that identifies the subject. Capitalize the caption as you would a title; do not italicize the label and caption or place them in quotation marks. The label and caption should appear on separate lines above the table, flush with the left margin.