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How to Do MLA Format on Google Docs

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What Is MLA Format?

  • Step-by-Step: Use an MLA Format Template in Docs
  • Extra: How to Do MLA Format on Docs

How to Set MLA Works Cited in Google Docs

How to create a hanging indent in google docs.

If you use your Google Drive for schoolwork, you should know how to do MLA format on Google Docs . There is a Google Docs template you can use, but it helps to know how to set up MLA format manually as well.

Instructions in this article apply to the web version of Google Docs. The steps are the same for all web browsers and operating systems .

While your instructor may have specific requirements, the general guidelines for MLA format are as follows:

  • Size 12 Times New Roman font
  • Double-spaced text with no extra spaces between paragraphs
  • One-inch page margins on all sides
  • A header with your last name and a page number in the top-right of every page
  • Your full name, the instructor's name, the course name, and the due date in the top-left of the first page
  • A centered title above the body text
  • Body paragraphs begin with a 1/2 inch indent
  • A Works Cited page at the end of the paper

How to Use an MLA Format Template in Google Docs

Google Docs has some templates available that can help users get a jump on formatting documents. The Google Docs Report MLA add-on is one such template. To set up MLA in Google Docs using this template:

Open a new document and select File > New > From template .

The template gallery will open in a separate browser tab. Scroll down to the Education section and select Report MLA Add-on .

There are also templates for other academic styles such as APA.

A new document will open with dummy text that you can replace with your own. The formatting for the document will already be in place. You won't need to change anything but the words.

How to Do MLA Format on Docs

If you don't trust using a template, or if you have an altered version of MLA format you must stick to, then you can also set up MLA format in Google Docs manually. Once you've set it up, you can also save it as your own, customized template so you don't have to do it again the next time you need the format.

Change the font to Times New Roman and the font size to 12 .

Google Docs uses 1-inch margins on all sides by default, so there is no need to adjust the margins.

Select Insert > Headers & footers > Header .

If you want to remove the headers from your Google Doc later, it's a simple process if you're using Google Docs in a web browser. A little harder if you're using Google Docs on an iOS and Android mobile device

Note that the font for the header changes back to the default. Change it to 12 point Times New Roman , then select Right Align .

Type your last name followed by a space, then select Insert > Page numbers .

Adjust your Page numbers options as needed and then select Apply .

Click or tap anywhere below the header, then select Format > Line Spacing > Double .

Alternatively, you can click the Line spacing icon in the toolbar at the top of the page and choose Double .

Type your name , the instructor's name , the course name , and the due date on separate lines.

Press Enter to go to the next line, then select Center Align and type the title of your paper .

Capitalize the first letter of every major word. Do not use bold, italics, or other text formatting options.

Press Enter to go to the next line, then select Left Align .

Press the Tab key to indent, then start typing your first paragraph. Begin every new paragraph with an indent.

After you finish the body of your paper, select Insert > Break > Page Break to create a blank page for the Works Cited page.

The last page of your paper should begin with the words “Works Cited” (without quotation marks) centered below the heading. The format for each works cited entry is different depending on the format of the source. For example, use this format for articles found on the web:

  • Author name (last, first). "Title." Publication, Date (day, month, year). URL. Accessed date.

Therefore, an entry for an online news article may appear as follows:

  • Kelion, Leo. "Coronavirus: UK contact-tracing app is ready for Isle of Wight downloads." BBC News, 4, May, 2020. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-52532435 . Accessed 8 May 2020.

Sources should be alphabetized by the author's last name. All works cited entries should have a hanging indent , which means that each line after the first is indented.

For specific examples of how to put different types of sources in MLA format, visit the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) website .

To get a hanging indent in Google Docs for your Works Cited page:

Highlight all of the text on your Works Cited page and select Format > Align & Indent > Indentation options .

In the Indention options dialog box select Hanging from the Special indent dropdown box and then select Apply .

The default ident of 0.5 inches is acceptable for MLA style.

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  • MLA Style Manual

MLA Format in Google Docs: Easy Guide to Setting Up Your Paper

Last Updated: October 14, 2024 Fact Checked

MLA Format Checklist

  • Using the MLA Template

Setting Margins

Double spacing, setting font size and type, adjusting alignment, adding a heading and title, page numbering, indenting paragraphs.

  • Works Cited & Citations

Indenting Block Quotes

This article was co-authored by Annaliese Dunne and by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA . Annaliese Dunne is a Middle School English Teacher. With over 10 years of teaching experience, her areas of expertise include writing and grammar instruction, as well as teaching reading comprehension. She is also an experienced freelance writer. She received her Bachelor's degree in English. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.

If you're writing a paper that needs to be in the MLA format, there are many little formatting quirks to remember. Your instructor will inspect your paper closely to ensure you understand the formatting, so you need to get it right. Fortunately, doing MLA format in Google Docs is easy—there's an MLA template to start with, and a citation tool that can build a Works Cited page automatically! Read on to learn how to do MLA style formatting in Google Docs, with expert advice from Middle School Teacher Annaliese Dunne.

MLA Formatting in Google Docs: Fast Facts

  • Your paper must be double-spaced, have 1-inch margins on all sides, be left-justified, and be written in 12-pt Times New Roman font.
  • If you haven't started writing yet, select the MLA Report template in Google Docs to skip setting margins, double-spacing, and other tasks.
  • Use Google Docs' Citations tool to format your references and create a Works Cited page automatically.

Basic MLA formatting standards you need to know

  • 1-inch margins
  • Double-spaced lines
  • Times New Roman font, 12 pt size
  • Left-justified text
  • Heading & title on the first page (no separate title page)
  • Page numbers at the top-right
  • 1/2-inch indent at the beginning of each paragraph
  • A "Works Cited" page with hanging indent
  • Parenthetical in-text citations
  • 1/2-inch indent for block quotes

How to Use the MLA Template

Step 1 Try the Google Docs MLA template.

  • Go to https://docs.google.com and log in.
  • Click the Template gallery menu at the top.
  • Scroll down to the "Education" section.
  • Click the Report template that says "MLA" beneath it to create your new document.

Step 2 Fix the page numbering.

  • Double-click the page number at the top of page 1 to open the Header box.
  • Place your cursor before the page number.
  • Type your last name and press the spacebar. You should now have something like Smith 1 at the top of the first page.
  • Click anywhere on the page to close the header field.

Step 3 Replace the template text with your own.

  • Place your cursor at the end of the date.
  • Press the delete key on your keyboard once—this will move the title awkwardly close to the date.
  • Press Enter or Return to get the title back onto its own line.
  • Recenter the title. To do so, highlight it with your mouse, click the "Align & indent" menu (the horizontal lines with a down arrow above the document), and click the icon of center-aligned lines.

Step 5 Work on your Works Cited page.

  • If you've already written part of your paper, select the text you've already written first.

Step 2 Select Times New Roman.

  • While you shouldn't write your paper using any special stylizations like bold or italics, Middle School Teacher Annaliese Dunne notes you should always use italics when mentioning the title of a book in your paper.
  • You may also use italics to provide emphasis on certain words, but only when absolutely necessary. [4] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source

Step 1 Click the Format menu.

  • If you wrote your paper with a group, type each group member's name on a single line.
  • You should not add a separate cover page unless instructed by your teacher. [5] X Research source

Step 2 Press ↵ Enter or ⏎ Return and type your instructor's name.

  • Highlight the title you just typed with your mouse or trackpad.
  • Click the "Align & indent" menu, which is the series of horizontal lines right next to a downward-pointing arrow at the top of Google Docs.
  • Click the second icon (the centered lines) to center your title.
  • Click a blank area of your document to deselect the title.

Step 7 Press  ↵ Enter or ⏎ Return to start writing your paper.

  • if you're not sure whether to include a page number on your first page, ask your instructor for clarification. [7] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
  • Leave the rest of the options as their defaults.

Step 4 Click Apply.

  • You'll see a "Header" box at the top of the page now. If you click outside of this area, the box will disappear. To bring the Header box back at any point, double-click the page number.

Step 5 Type your last name before the first page number.

  • Place your cursor right before the "1" on the first page (or the "2" on the second page, if you don't place a page number on the first page). If the "Header" box has disappeared, double-click the page number first to select it, then place your cursor before the 1.
  • Type your last name only, followed by a space. You should now see something like Smith 1 at the top-right corner.
  • Click any other blank area of your document to close the Header box.
  • Your last name will now appear at the top-right corner of each page, right before the page number.

The MLA format requires a 1/2-inch indent at the beginning of each paragraph.

Citing Sources

Step 1 Open the Citations panel.

  • If you feel more comfortable formatting your Works Cited page manually, skip down to our instructions on formatting the page manually .
  • Annaliese Dunn reminds us of the importance of finding good sources . "Do your research—don't just go on Google to find out what different people say". Instead, go to the library and ask a reference librarian to help you find articles and books that relate to the topic you're writing about.

Step 2 Select MLA (8th ed).

  • If you're citing a book, you have the option of automatically building the citation by searching for the ISBN. If you don't want to do that, click Cite manually to continue.

Step 5 Fill out the citation form.

  • You can list multiple contributors by clicking + Contributor under the first author or editor name.

Step 6 Click Add citation source to add it to your citation list.

  • The Citations panel will remain open until you click the X to close it. If you close it, you can bring it back by clicking the Tools menu again and selecting Citations .

Step 7 Add additional references.

  • Click anywhere after the last character in your paper.
  • Click the Insert menu.
  • Select Break .
  • Click Page break . This adds a new blank page.

Step 9 Click the Insert Works Cited button on the Citations panel.

  • If you want to add additional sources later, reopen the Citations tool. But once you add new sources, you will need to delete your existing Works Cited page content and read it—this is so Google Docs can correctly alphabetize your sources.

Step 10 Add in-text citations.

  • "This is a direct quote from a book" (Author 22).
  • For more detailed information about MLA in-text citations, visit our guide on How to Do In-Text Citations in MLA .
  • If you're citing a block quote , click the mouse after the period at the end of the quote, then press the spacebar—insert your citation at this location.
  • In the Citations panel, hover your cursor over a source, then click Cite .
  • If the source is a book, replace the # symbol with the page number.

Step 11 Format your Works Cited page manually (optional).

  • Create a blank new page at the end of your document.
  • Highlight the words Works Cited with your mouse or trackpad.
  • Click the second icon (the centered lines) to center the title.
  • Click the Format menu and select Align & indent .
  • Click Indentation options .
  • Under "Special indent," select Hanging , and leave the default size of 0.5 selected.
  • Click Apply .

Step 1 Select the block quote.

  • Leave the "Special indent" menu set to None .

Step 6 Click Apply.

Expert Q&A

  • Only add a single space after the periods at the end of each sentence. While it used to be customary to add two spaces, this is no longer standard. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • Because you double-spaced your paper, it will look like your header and title take up a lot of space on the page. This is normal! Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

mla format essay template docs

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Alphabetize in Google Docs

  • ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_general_format.html
  • ↑ https://mlahandbookplus.org/books/book/5/chapter/56255/Title
  • ↑ https://www.chegg.com/writing/guides/style-guides/mla-format/mla-title-page-format-example/
  • ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_in_text_citations_the_basics.html

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mla format essay template docs

How to write an MLA format paper in Google Docs using a template or other built-in features

  • Google Docs has all the features you need to write a paper in MLA format.
  • The basics of MLA format include double-spaced lines, one-inch margins, headers on all pages, and more.
  • Google Docs also offers an automatic MLA format template, if you don't want to set it up manually.

Anyone who has had to write an English paper has heard of MLA format. MLA — short for Modern Library Association — is a standardized method for writing academic papers. It lays down specific rules for what the page should look like, which font you use, how you cite your sources, and more.

If you're writing a paper in MLA format, consider using Google Docs. It lets you customize your documents in dozens of ways, making it a great choice for MLA writing.

Here's how to set up MLA format in Google Docs, either manually or with a template.

How to set up MLA format in Google Docs

MLA format has a variety of different rules and guidelines. Here are the most important ones, along with tips on how to follow those rules in Google Docs.

  • The font needs to be size 12, and written in a "readable" font.

Contrary to popular belief, MLA doesn't require you to use Times New Roman, just a "readable" or "legible" font. That said, Times New Roman is a great choice for this, and comes installed in Google Docs by default. 

You can find it in the font menu at the top of the screen, and you can change the font size with the menu next to it.

  • Every page needs to have one-inch margins on all sides.

You probably don't need to worry about this one — new Google Docs documents have one-inch margins by default. 

But if you want to double-check, or if you've been told to not use one-inch margins, you can change the margins using the Page Setup menu or ruler feature .

  • All body text needs to be double-spaced.

There's a Line & paragraph spacing menu in the toolbar above your document. Select Double in this menu to turn on double-spacing . If you've already written some text without double-spacing, highlight it before you turn on double-spacing.

  • Every page needs a header in the top-right corner with your last name and the current page number.

Google Docs lets you place both headers and footers on any page. You can add automatic page numbers through the Insert menu , and then double-click the headers to type your last name next to them.

Remember that they need to be in the same font and font size as the rest of your paper.

( And if you ever need to remove the header, you can do that quickly too .)

  • The paper's title should be centered one line above your first paragraph.

Google Docs has four alignment options, which you can find in the toolbar above your document. Click the second option — Center align — to move your cursor to the center of the screen.

  • Your full name, your instructor's name, the name of the class, and the current date should be written in the top-left corner of the first page, each on a separate line.

Left align is the default alignment setting, so you shouldn't have to do anything special to write in the top-left. But if you've changed the alignment, you can change it back using the alignment options in the toolbar.

  • Body paragraphs all begin with a half-inch indent.

Google Docs has a feature that lets you automatically indent paragraphs — but it's probably easier to just hit the Tab key on your keyboard at the start of every paragraph.

  • Your paper should end with a Works Cited page, and each entry should be written with a hanging indent.

Once you've finished writing your paper and want to move onto the Works Cited, make sure to create a new page . The Works Cited needs to be on its own page (or pages, depending on the length).

The words Works Cited should be centered on the very first line of the page. You can center the words using the alignment options mentioned above.

Finally, list your citations in alphabetical order, and use the ruler to give each one a hanging indent — in other words, every line after the first needs to be indented .

How to use Google Docs' MLA format template

While you can format your paper manually, Google does offer an MLA template. This will let you meet most of the formatting requirements automatically, although you'll likely need to change some of it.

To use this template:

1. Head to the Google Docs homepage and click Template gallery in the top-right.

2. Scroll down the templates page until you reach the Education section. In this section, click MLA [Add-on] .

3. A page will open with a two-page paper already written in fake Lorem Ipsum language. Most of the formatting is there, so you just need to replace the pre-written words with your own.

You can find this template in the mobile app by tapping the plus sign icon in the bottom-right, and then selecting Choose template .

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mla format essay template docs

MLA 9th Edition Formatting

A Simple, Step-by-Step Guide + Free Template

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Reviewer: Eunice Rautenbach (DTech) | July 2023

Formatting your paper in MLA style can feel like a pretty daunting task . In this post, we’ll show you exactly how to set up your paper for MLA (9th edition), as quickly and easily as possible. We’ll also share our popular free MLA template , to help you fast-track your writing.

Overview: MLA 9th Edition Formatting

  • Structure and layout
  • General page setup
  • The opening section
  • The main body
  • Works cited (reference list)
  • Free MLA 9 template

MLA Structure and Layout

Let’s start by looking at the overall structure of a typical student paper formatted for MLA 9th edition, before diving into the details of each section. For the most part, MLA papers follow a standardised structure, consisting of the following parts:

The opening section : While MLA doesn’t require a dedicated title page (unlike APA ), it does require an opening section that details some important information about yourself, your university and the paper itself.

The main body : The main body begins directly after the opening section on the first page. This is the “heart” of your paper and there are a very specific requirements regarding how you present and format this content.

The appendix (or appendices):  While using an appendix in a student paper is relatively uncommon, you’ll place this section directly after the main body section, if required by your university.

The “Works Cited” list : This section is equivalent to what we’d usually call a references page and it’s where you’ll detail all the reference information corresponding to the in-text citations in the main body of your paper.

These four sections form the standard structure and order of a student paper using MLA 9th edition. As we mentioned, not all sections are always required , so be sure to double check what your university expects from you before submitting. Also, it’s always a good idea to ask your university if they have any  style requirements in addition to the standard MLA specification.

Now that we’ve got a big-picture view of the typical paper structure, let’s look at the specific formatting requirements for each of these sections.

Generic Page Setup

Before you jump into writing up your paper, you’ll first need to set up your document to align with MLA’s generic page requirements. Alternatively, you can download our MLA paper template (which comes fully preformatted).

MLA 9th edition requires a 1-inch margin on all sides , for all pages. That said, if you’re writing a dissertation, thesis or any document that will ultimately be printed and bound, your university will likely require a larger left margin to accommodate for physical binding.

Fonts & sizing

MLA does not require that you use any specific font, but we do recommend sticking to the tried and tested , well-accepted fonts. For example, you might consider using one of the following:

  • Sans serif fonts : Calibri (11), Arial (11), or Lucida Sans Unicode (10)
  • Serif fonts : Times New Roman (12), Georgia (11), or Computer Modern (10)

Whichever font you opt for, be sure to use it consistently throughout your paper . Don’t chop and change, or use different fonts for different parts of the document (e.g., different fonts for the body text and the headings). Also, keep in mind that while MLA does not have a specific font requirement, your university may have its own preference or requirement. So, be sure to check with them beforehand regarding any additional specifications they may have.

In general, all text throughout your document needs to be left-aligned and should not be justified (i.e., leave an uneven right edge). You might consider using a different alignment for section headings, but in general, it’s best to keep things simple .

Line spacing

MLA 9th edition requires double line spacing throughout the document . There should also be no extra space before and after paragraphs . This applies to all sections of the paper, including the “Works Cited” page (more on this later).

Page header

Last but not least, you’ll need to set up a running header for your document. This should contain your last name, followed by the page number. Both of these should be positioned in the top right corner of all pages (even the first page). On a related note, there’s no need for you to include any footer content unless your university specifically requests it.

Now that we’ve looked at the generic formatting considerations, let’s dive into the specific requirements for each section of your paper.

The Opening Section

While MLA-formatted papers typically don’t require a title page, there are very specific requirements regarding the opening section of the first page .

Here’s how you can set your first page up for MLA 9th edition.

  • On the first line, write your full name (flush left)
  • On a new line, write your professor or instructor’s full name
  • On a new line, write the course code and course name
  • On a new line, write the full date spelt out (e.g., 15 June 2023)
  • On a new line, write the full title of your paper , centre-aligned and using title case (consider using a title case converter if you’re not familiar with this)
  • On a new line, begin your body content

All of the above should be in plain, unformatted font – in other words, you don’t need to apply any boldfacing, underlining , etc. That said, you should use italics whenever you’re writing out the titles of other works (for example, titles of books or articles).

To make it all a little more tangible, below is an example of a first page formatted according to the MLA specifications that we just covered.

An example of the opening section of a paper formatted for MLA 9

The Main Body

While the formatting requirements for the body section are relatively light for MLA (at least when compared to APA ), there are still quite a few important things to pay attention to. Here’s what you need to know to get started.

Each of your paragraphs needs to start on a new line , and the first sentence of each paragraph requires a half-inch indent (while the rest of the paragraph is flush left aligned). Note that each paragraph simply starts on a new line and doesn’t require an additional blank line.

MLA 9th edition is fairly flexible in terms of heading formatting. There is no specified formatting, so you can decide what works best for you. However, there are still a few basic rules you need to follow:

  • All your headings should be written in title case – never use all caps
  • There should be no period following a heading
  • Each heading level needs to be uniquely formatted and easily distinguishable from other levels (for example, a distinct difference in terms of boldfacing, underlining or italicisation)
  • You can have as many heading levels as you need, but each level must have at least two instances

Abbreviations

When using abbreviations, you’ll need to make sure that you’re using the MLA version of the abbreviation . Below we’ve listed a few common ones you should be aware of:

  • Appendix: app.
  • Circa: c. or ca.
  • Chapter: ch.
  • Column: col.
  • Definition: def.
  • Department: dept.
  • Example: e.g.
  • Edition: ed.
  • Figure: fig.
  • Foreword: fwd.
  • That is: i.e.
  • Journal: jour.
  • Library: lib.
  • Manuscript(s): MS
  • Number: no.
  • Quoted in: qtd. in
  • Revised: rev.
  • Section: sec. or sect.
  • Series: ser.
  • Translation: trans.
  • Version: vers.
  • Variant: var.
  • Volume: vol.

If you’re interested, you can find a more comprehensive list here . Alternatively, if you have access to the MLA 9th edition handbook, you can find the full list in the first appendix.

APA 7 editing

In-text citations

MLA 9 has a very specific set of requirements regarding how to cite your sources within the body of your paper. Here are some of the most important things to help you get started with MLA citations.

Author-page number system: in-text citations consist of (at a minimum) the lead author’s last name, followed by the page number of the paragraph you are citing. There is no comma between the two components (only a space).

Types of citations: MLA allows two types of in-text citations: parenthetical and narrative . Parenthetical citations feature the author and page number in parentheses (brackets) at the end of the respective sentence. Here’s an example:

MLA 9th edition is easy to grasp if you visit the Grad Coach blog (Jansen 13).

Narrative citations, on the other hand, weave the author’s name into the flow of the sentence and then present the publication date in parentheses at the end of the sentence. Here’s an example:

Jansen states that MLA 9th edition is easy for students to grasp if they visit the Grad Coach blog (13).

In general, it’s a good idea to utilise a mix of both in your writing. Narrative citations are particularly useful when you want to highlight or contrast authors or their viewpoints, while parenthetical citations are useful when you want to strengthen your own academic voice. In other words, both formats have their respective strengths and weaknesses, so try to use citation format strategically in your writing.

Quotations: when quoting text verbatim from a source, there is no need to do anything differently in terms of the citation itself, but do remember to wrap the verbatim text in quotation marks. Here’s an example:

Jansen proposes that MLA 9th edition is “easy to grasp if you visit the Grad Coach blog” (13).

Multiple authors: when citing resources that were authored by three or more people, you only need to list the lead author, followed by “et al.”. Here’s an example:

MLA 9th edition is easy to grasp if you visit the Grad Coach blog (Jansen et al. 13).

 Below are a few more examples from our free MLA template .

Example of MLA in-text citations

Please keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list of all the MLA 9th edition citation-related requirements – just a shortlist of the most commonly relevant ones. If you’d like to learn more, consult the MLA handbook .

The Works Cited (Reference List)

The final section that you’ll need to pay close attention to is the “Works Cited” page, which should contain a list of reference information for all the sources cited in the body of the paper. Again, MLA has a quite a meaty set of specifications regarding the content and formatting of this list, but we’ll cover the basics here to get your started on the right foot. 

Basic setup

Your reference list needs to start on a new page and should be titled “Works Cited”. The title should be unformatted and centred . The reference list should then start on the next line. As with the rest of your document, you should use double line spacing throughout.

When it comes to the reference list itself, you’ll need to keep the following in mind:

  • All the sources that you cited in the body of your document should feature in the reference list. Make sure that every citation is accounted for .
  • The references should be ordered alphabetically , according to the lead author’s last name .
  • The exact information required within each entry depends on the type of content being referenced (e.g., a journal article, web page, etc.)
  • Components that may need to feature (other than the author) include the title of the source, the title of the container, other contributors, the article version or number, the publisher, the publication date, and the location.
  • All references should be left-aligned and should use a hanging indent – i.e., the second line of any given reference (if it has one) should be indented a half inch.

We have to stress that these are just the basics. MLA 9th edition requires that your references be structured and formatted in a very specific way , depending on the type of resource. If you plan to draft your reference list manually, it’s important to consult your university’s style guide or the MLA manual itself. This leads us to our next point…

In general, it’s a bad idea to write your reference list manually . Given the incredibly high level of intricacy involved, it’s highly likely that you’ll make mistakes if you try to craft this section yourself. A better solution is to use (free) reference management software such as Mendeley or Zotero . Either of these will take care of the formatting and content for you, and they’ll do a much more accurate job of it too. 

If you’re not familiar with any sort of reference management software, be sure to check out our easy-to-follow Mendeley explainer video below.

Wrapping Up

In this post, we’ve provided a primer covering how to format your paper according to MLA 9th edition. To recap, we’ve looked at the following:

  • The structure and layout
  • The general page setup
  • The “Works Cited” page (reference list)

Remember to always check your university’s style guide to familiarise yourself with any additional requirements they may. Also, if your university has specified anything that contrasts what we’ve discussed here, please do follow their guidance . 

If you need any help formatting your paper for MLA 9, take a look at our “done for you” language editing and proofreading service . Simply send us your document and we’ll take care of all the MLA formatting intracies on your behalf. 

Ragini

Very well recounted!

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

MLA Sample Paper

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This resource contains a sample MLA paper that adheres to the 2016 updates. To download the MLA sample paper, click this link .

Using MLA Format

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Document Sources

Works cited quick guide.

Learn how to use the MLA format template.

Digital Citation Tool

Build citations with our interactive template.

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Endnotes and Footnotes

Read our guide about using notes in MLA style.

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Set Up Your Paper

Setting up a research paper.

Get our guidelines for setting up academic research papers.

Formatting Captions

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Sample Papers

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Learn how to set up an annotated bibliography.

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Recent questions from Ask the MLA

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No. Google’s AI Overviews feature is a form of search results, and as we note in this post, “[s]earch results are not a work.” If… Read More

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  5. 38 Free MLA Format Templates (+MLA Essay Format) ᐅ TemplateLab

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  3. How to Set Up an MLA Format Paper with Works Cited Page in Google Docs

  4. How to Format Your Essay in MLA Style with Microsoft Word

  5. How to Make an MLA Format Paper with Works Cited Page in Google Docs

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COMMENTS

  1. MLA Template - Google Docs - Google Sheets

    Your Name Your Teacher’s Name Class Name and Period Date Title of Your Paper Press tab, and begin typing your paper here. As you can see, it is already double-spaced. Don’t forget to use easybib to generate your citations properly, and to put the citations in the Works Cited page at the end. ...

  2. MLA Format | Complete Guidelines & Free Template - Scribbr

    Apply MLA format to your title page, header, and Works Cited page with our 3-minute video, template, and examples.

  3. How to Do MLA Format on Google Docs - Lifewire

    If you use your Google Drive for schoolwork, you should know how to do MLA format on Google Docs. There is a Google Docs template you can use, but it helps to know how to set up MLA format manually as well. Instructions in this article apply to the web version of Google Docs.

  4. How to Do MLA Format in Google Docs: The Ultimate Guide

    Fortunately, doing MLA format in Google Docs is easy—there's an MLA template to start with, and a citation tool that can build a Works Cited page automatically! Read on to learn how to do MLA style formatting in Google Docs, with expert advice from Middle School Teacher Annaliese Dunne.

  5. How to Set up MLA Format in Google Docs - Business Insider

    It lets you customize your documents in dozens of ways, making it a great choice for MLA writing. Here's how to set up MLA format in Google Docs, either manually or with a template.

  6. MLA 9 Formatting: Step-By-Step Guide + Free Template - Grad Coach

    Learn how to format your student paper using MLA 9th edition. Step-by-step explainer with examples and a free MLA template.

  7. MLA Formatting and Style Guide - Purdue OWL®

    This resource, updated to reflect the MLA Handbook (9th ed.), offers examples for the general format of MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the Works Cited page.

  8. MLA Sample Paper - Purdue OWL® - Purdue University

    Purdue OWL. Research and Citation. MLA Style. MLA Formatting and Style Guide. MLA Sample Paper. This resource contains a sample MLA paper that adheres to the 2016 updates. To download the MLA sample paper, click this link. Cite your source automatically in MLA. Using citation machines responsibly. Powered by.

  9. Using MLA Format - MLA Style Center

    Learn how to use the MLA format template. Digital Citation Tool. Build citations with our interactive template. In-Text Citations. Get help with in-text citations. Endnotes and Footnotes. Read our guide about using notes in MLA style.

  10. Student's Guide to MLA Style (2021) | Citation & Format - Scribbr

    MLA format for academic papers and essays Apply MLA format to your title page, header, and Works Cited page with our 3-minute video, template, and examples.