How to write an essay in MLA format
Do not Panic! It is not as difficult and scary as it looks. You can easily learn how to write an essay in MLA format and it will not be as hard as it sounds.
What exactly MLA format mean?
It is actually the Modern Language Association's (MLA) format with respect to citations and bibliographies and such. It is important to make sure that credit is being mention where credit is due. MLA format is standard format for citing sources of information at the conclusion of essays, book reports or research papers.
Just follow these instructions and you will be able to compile a good essay in MLA format.
- Read the instructions carefully about writing the essay.
- Get all the possible research materials. If it is allowed to use the Internet, then the information bank is just a click away.
- Take all the good notes from all the relevant websites. Write down the site information in MLA format in Microsoft Word.
- The MLA format for using an entire website is:
Name of Website. Date of that article posting. Name of institution/organization making the site (sometimes found in copyright statements). Date you accessed the site [electronic address].
An example will look like this:
Writing- tips to write in MLA format. May 10, 2008. Website,com. May 10, 2009. [http://www.website.com/MLA.html].
- If using books, ask librarian for help or may be you can use the electronic card catalog to look for books related to your topic. After that, write the book's information in MLA format as shown below:
Last name, First name. The Title of Book. Place of the Publication: Publisher Name, Publication Year.
An example will look like this:
Sampat, Malvika. Designing: Creating websites. India: M S Publications, 2002.
- Now is the time to start taking your notes below your MLA-format citations, which you have already written.
Try to write all your notes in your own language and words whether writing in any word processor or on a sheet of paper. This will help you find things later and will prevent any plagiarism which may happen by mistake.
- Before starting to write, setup your word program to be double-spaced and be sure to use common fonts like Times New Roman or Arial, in 12-point size. Do not forget to leave margins on all sides at 1 inch.
- Write the page title page only if you are told to do so. Otherwise, the first page should have your name, the course name, instructor or teacher’s name and the date. All these should be doubling spaced and should flush with the left side at the top of the page.
- Now is the time to start the actual writing. Leave about two lines from top and write in a title, which should be double-spaced and centered, avoid using underline or italics totally.
- Create a header, which will appear on each page, which should only contain your last name and the page number.
- Start by writing the introduction paragraph. It should be appealing and should contain a question or an issue that you will solve in your essay. This should ideally be of one line.
- Start work on the body of your MLA format essay now. Each paragraph should contain only one point or issue. For a new explanation start a new paragraph.
- Now, comes the final ending of your MLA format essay writing i.e. the closing paragraph. Here, give a recap of all your main points from the body of the MLA format essay.
- Finally, create your bibliography page. Write the keyword "bibliography", at the center of the page, and put each source you have used in your essay in alphabetical order.