Many academic journals and presses in humanities disciplines such as English, literature and foreign languages require that manuscripts be submitted in a form known commonly as MLA Style. The MLA offers two useful books that are to serve as style guides for writers in the humanities. There is The MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing which is more suited to scholarly writing for publication and then there is The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers which is aimed at students.
The following is a brief overview of MLA Style. It is not intended as a complete or authoritative reiteration of MLA Style guidelines, but serves to acquaint readers with a few major distinctions and signifiers, that the reader may recognize it in practice, and decide if it is something they might like to learn, practice, or include in their curriculum. Students and professionals that are asked, or expected to use MLA Style should refer to the most recent editions of the above-mentioned publications- which have, and which will continue to evolve to accommodate the latest innovations in word processing and digital publishing.
MLA Style Guidelines for Research Papers:
– All pages should be numbered consecutively in the upper right hand corner.
– Standard paper size is 8.5×11”, with 1” margins, and paragraphs indented .5” from the left margin.
– Text should be double-spaced, and font size should be 12pt.
– Type the title on centre, and double-space between the title and the first line of text.
– If writing for a class, in the upper left hand corner of the first page list your name, followed by your instructor’s name, the name of the course, and the date – each double-spaced.
– If you have notations and citations, list them at the end of the writing on pages titles “notes” and “works cited,” respectively. Notes are for where you may want to add an additional remark and works cited is the page that lists the sources used.
– If an essay is divided in to sections, number those sections with an Arabic number and a period, followed by a space and the section name, capitalizing as you would when writing any proper title e.g.:
1. In the Beginning
2. After the Beginning
3. The Middle
4. And So Forth
Additional information about specific style concerns can be found in the published Style Guides or by referencing the MLA website www.mla.org
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