Cite Your Sources: Format a Paper in MLA

MLA has rules for formatting your research paper. Your paper should have:

• An easily readable font (most professors prefer Times New Roman)

• 11-13 point size (most professors prefer 12 point font)

• Double spacing

• 1-inch margins

• 1/2-inch indent on the first line of each paragraph in the body of your paper

• Hanging indent on each Works Cited citation

• Your last name and page number at the top right of each page header

• Heading information at the top left of the first page: 

  • Your Name

  • Your Professor's Name

  • Class and section number 

  • Date

• For more details see "Formatting Your Research Paper" on the MLA Style Center.

For help setting up your paper in MLA format, click through our Google Slides presentation with step-by-step screenshots using a desktop version of Word:

• Format a Word document in MLA

  This slideshow will lead you step-by-step through formatting a Word document in MLA style.

Need a visual? Take a look at our sample paper in MLA.

• Sample MLA Paper

  Word document formatted in MLA style.