How to Format an MLA Paper
in Word 2010, 2013, & 2016
By: Dina Steinmetz
Table of Contents
How to Format an MLA Paper ................................................................................................................................... 1
Page margins .............................................................................................................................................................. 1
Font Type and Size ..................................................................................................................................................... 2
Line Spacing ............................................................................................................................................................... 3
Header: Last Name and Page Number ....................................................................................................................... 6
Heading ...................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Center Your Title ........................................................................................................................................................ 4
Paragraph Alignment ................................................................................................................................................. 5
Format Quotes ........................................................................................................................................................... 5
Works Cited Page ....................................................................................................................................................... 6
Citation Format: Hanging Indent ............................................................................................................................... 7
Alphabetize the List of Works Cited ........................................................................................................................... 8
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How to Format an MLA Paper
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Margins should be 1” on all sides
Font: Times New Roman 12 Pt
Line Spacing: Double
Paragraph Format: No space before or after, first line indent of 0.5” for body paragraphs, 1” left
indent for long quotes.
Header with last name and page number
Heading, with your name, instructor name, course title, and date
Works Cited page, with works alphabetized, hanging indent on paragraphs
Page margins
On the Page Layout tab, in the Page Setup group, click Margins
In the drop down list that appears, click Normal.
Figure 1. Picture of the Layout Tab, Page Margin group.with a red circle around the selected Margins button,
showing the drop down list of margins options with a red arrow showing the Normal margins selected.
Your entire document will now have 1” margins
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Font Type and Size
You need to change the font to Times New Roman, 12 pt.
Figure 2. Picture of a portion of the Home tab showing the Font Type box and Font Size box.
Each are pointed out by red boxed call-outs and arrows.
On the Home tab, Click the Font Type box. This will select the name of the current font.
Figure 3. Picture of the Font Type box with Font name selected. A red boxed call-out with a red arrow pointing to the selected font name.
Start typing Times. By the time you have typed the first word, you will see the rest of the font name
appear as the font type.
Figure 4. Picture showing the Font Type name Auto-completed. A red circle depicted the highlighted auto completed name.
Press the tab button to accept the font and move to the Font Size box. Type 12 and press the Enter key.
Figure 5. A picture of the Font Size Box with a red circle around the highlighted size 11 font.
Your font is now set to Times New Roman, 12 pt
Figure 6. A picture of the Font Type and Font Size Boxes with a red circle around the highlighted size 11 font.
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Line Spacing
Line spacing should be double, no extra space before or after paragraphs
On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click the bottom right corner to open the paragraph dialog
box.
Figure 7. A section of the Home tab, showing the Paragraph group, showing where to click
the bottom right corner to open the paragraph dialog box.
Make sure your settings match those shown below to type the heading.
Figure 8. Paragraph Format Box, showing the proper settings for typing the heading paragraphs.
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Heading
Your heading goes at the top left of the first page. It is double spaced and has no indent
It consists of four lines containing the student's name, instructor's name, course title, and the date. It
should look like the picture below:
Figure 9. Picture of the MLA heading that goes at the top of the first page. It consists of the
student's name, instructor's name, course title, and the date.
Center Your Title
After typing the heading, press the Enter key one time, then type the title of the paper. Either before or
after typing the title, make sure you insertion point is on the same line as the title.
On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click the Center Alignment button to center the title.
Figure 10. The Alignment buttons of the Paragraph Group on the Home Tab. Text labels with red arrows
point to the Left, center, right, and justified alignment buttons.
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Paragraph Alignment
Body paragraphs, must be left aligned.
Paragraph Format: Body Paragraphs
On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click the bottom right corner to open the Paragraph dialog
box.
For Body paragraphs, under Special, click the drop down list arrow, and select First Line, by 0.5”.
Figure 11. Picture of the Indentation section of the Paragraph dialog box. A red circle indicated the Special heading, and a red arrow points
to the drop down list arrow. The First line option is selected, as depicted by blue highlighting.
Format Quotes
For shorter quotations, you can put them in quotation marks, and include them directly in the text.
For Long Quotes (more than 4 lines) , indent the quote one inch from the left margin and do not use
quotation marks.
On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click the bottom right corner to open the Paragraph dialog
box.
Under Indentations set the Left indent to 1”
Figure 12. Picture showing the Indentation section of the Paragraph Format dialog box. There is a red arrow pointing to the
Indentation heading, and a red circle indicating the one inch left indent set for the paragraph.
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Header: Last Name and Page Number
1. From the Insert tab, click Page Number. A drop-down menu will appear.
2. Select Top of Page. A drop down menu will appear
3. Select Plain Number 3.
The menu will close. You will then see your insertion point before the page number 1.
Type in your Last Name, followed by 1 space.
Select the text and on the Home tab, format the font to Times New Roman 12 pt
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To close the header, you can click the close button, or simply double
click in the body of the document.
NOTE: when you are in the body of the paper, the header will look gray. When you are in the header, the
body of the paper will appear gray. This is so you will know which is “active.” When you print the
paper, both the header and the body will appear equally black.
Works Cited Page
Works Cited is centered at the top of the page. It is not bold.
Citation Format: Hanging Indent
The citation paragraphs must have a hanging indent of 0.5 inch.
Select the paragraphs of your works you have cited.
On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click the bottom
right corner to open the Paragraph dialog box.
Under Special, click the drop down list arrow, and
select Hanging, by 0.5”.
Under Line spacing, click the drop down list arrow,
and select Double.
Click OK to apply the format and close the dialog
box.
** NOTE: While you have your paragraphs selected,
you need to alphabetize the list of works cited, shown
on the next page.
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Alphabetize the List of Works Cited
With the paragraphs selected, on the Home tab, in the
Paragraph group, click the Sort button.
The Sort Text dialog box will appear, as seen below:
You want to sort by paragraphs, text,
ascending (A to Z).
Click OK, the dialog box will close and your
paragraphs will be in alphabetical order.
Your works cited page should look like this:
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