MLA 8 Edition th Created by Kennedy-King College Librarians 1

MLA 8 Edition th Created by Kennedy-King College Librarians 1

MLA 8th Edition Formatting the paper Margins The document should have 1” margins at the top, bottom, left and right. Text Formatting Use an easily readable font like Times New Roman or Georgia, in 12-point size 2

Formatting the paper Title Do not use a period after your title. Begin your text on a new, double-spaced line after the title, indenting the first line of the paragraph half an inch from the left margin. 1” 1/2 ” Double space 1” 1/2” 1” 3

Formatting the paper Headings If you use headings, center them above the text of the section they relate to. Do not use boldface, underline or italics. Running Head with Page Numbers Create a header at the top of the page, aligned to the right margin, with your last name and a page number. Do NOT use the number 1 for the first page — insert a page number! The page number will change with each additional page in the document. 4

Formatting the paper Placement of the List of Works Cited Begin the list on a new page at the end of the paper. The list contains the same running head as the main text. The page numbering in the running head continues uninterrupted throughout. Center the title, Works Cited, an inch from the top of the page. Begin each entry flush with the left margin; if an entry runs more than one line, indent the subsequent line or lines half an inch from the left margin. This format is called hanging indentation. Double-space the entire list. Continue it on as many pages as necessary. 5

Formatting the paper Tables and Illustrations If tables or illustrations are used: Place them as close as possible to the parts of the text to which they relate. A table is usually labeled Table, given an Arabic numeral, and titled. Type both label and title flush left on separate lines above the table, and capitalize them as titles. Give the source of the table and any notes immediately below the table in a caption. Double-space throughout; use dividing lines as needed. 6

Changes There are significant changes in MLA formatting guidelines from the 7th edition. There may be more than one correct way to cite a source. No need to specify the medium. (Print, web site, etc.) Volume and issue numbers: now vol. 66, no. 3 instead of 66.3 Sponsor of site is no longer needed. Date of access is no longer needed. 7

Changes One of the biggest changes is the concept of CONTAINERS: Print book: complete in itself Chapter in a print book: contained in the book Chapter in an electronic book: contained in the book, which is contained in a database Article in a print journal: contained in the journal Article in a journal from an online database: contained in the journal, which is contained in the database 8

Containers To Illustrate: (Marquette University Libraries, Citation Styles) 9

MLA Practice Template (MLA Practice Template) 10

MLA Practice Template You can use the MLA Practice Template, found on the MLA Style page ( https://style.mla.org/interactive-practice-template/), to approximate a citation by inserting the available information into the appropriate boxes. The citation will NOT match the formatting required in MLA papers. (MLA Style Page) 11

Multiple ways to cite University of Pittsburgh. “MLA 8th Edition.” Citation Styles: APA, MLA, Chicago, Turabian, IEEE MLA 8th Edition, University Library System, University of Pittsburgh, January 28, 2020, https://pitt.libguides.com/citationhelp. (Generated by the interactive template on the MLA’s web site) “MLA 8th Edition.” Citation Styles: APA, MLA, Chicago, Turabian, IEEE , University of Pittsburgh, 28 Jan. 2020, pitt.libguides.com/citationhelp. (Generated by the citation generator at Purdue OWL) 12

Works Cited “Interactive Practice Template.” The MLA Style Center, Modern Language Association, 2020, style.mla.org/interactive-practice-template/. Marquette University Libraries. “Citation Styles -- APA, MLA, Etc.: MLA.” Research Guides, Marquette University, 5 Mar. 2020, libguides.marquette.edu/citationhelp/mla. “MLA Practice Template .Pdf.” Interactive Practice Template, Modern Language Association, 2020, style.mla.org/app/uploads/sites/3/2016/04/practice-template.pdf. 13