MLA style, published by the Modern Language Association, is the standard for research papers in English, literature, languages, cultural studies and many other humanities courses.
The current version is the MLA Handbook, ninth edition. MLA papers are judged on two things at once: the quality of the argument and the accuracy of the formatting and citations.
A strong interpretation loses marks if quotations are not integrated or the Works Cited page is wrong, and perfect formatting cannot rescue a paper that merely summarizes its sources.
This guide covers both sides. It explains how to set up an MLA research paper, how to cite in the text and on the Works Cited page using the MLA 9 core elements, how to quote and integrate evidence, and how to structure a research paper around a clear thesis. It includes examples and a checklist of the mistakes instructors see most often.
MLA paper format in brief
An MLA 9 research paper uses 1-inch margins, a readable 12-point font, double spacing throughout, a header with your name, instructor, course and date at the top left of the first page, a centered title, and your surname and page number at the top right of every page. Cite sources in the text with the author's surname and page number in parentheses, for example (Morrison 42), and list all sources alphabetically on a Works Cited page with hanging indents, built from the MLA core elements.
MLA Page Format
| Element | MLA 9 rule |
|---|---|
| Margins | 1 inch on all sides |
| Font | Readable font such as Times New Roman, usually 12 point |
| Spacing | Double-spaced throughout, including quotations and Works Cited |
| Header (first page) | Top left, on separate lines: your name, instructor's name, course, date (for example, 7 October 2026) |
| Running head | Your surname and page number, top right, half an inch from the top, on every page |
| Title | Centered, in title case, no bold, italics, underlining or quotation marks (except for titles of works within it) |
| Title page | Not required unless your instructor asks for one |
| Paragraphs | First line indented half an inch |
| Headings | Optional; if used, keep them consistent |
In-Text Citations
MLA uses brief parenthetical citations that point to the full entry on the Works Cited page. The basic form is the author's surname and the page number, with no comma between them. If you name the author in your sentence, give only the page number in parentheses.
| Situation | Example |
|---|---|
| One author | (Smith 27) |
| Author named in sentence | Smith argues that... (27). |
| Two authors | (Smith and Jones 27) |
| Three or more authors | (Smith et al. 27) |
| No author | Shortened title: ("Rising Seas" 4) |
| No page numbers | Author only (Smith), or another locator such as paragraph or timestamp if the source provides it |
| Two works by the same author | Add a short title: (Smith, Modern Cities 27) |
| Poetry | Line numbers: (lines 5-8) at first, then just numbers |
| Play in verse | Act, scene and line: (Hamlet 3.1.56-60) |
The Works Cited Page and MLA Core Elements
MLA 9 builds every Works Cited entry from a list of core elements, in a fixed order, using only those that apply to your source. This flexible template is why MLA can handle any source type, from novels to podcasts.
| Order | Core element | Followed by |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Author | Full stop |
| 2 | Title of source | Full stop |
| 3 | Title of container | Comma |
| 4 | Contributor | Comma |
| 5 | Version | Comma |
| 6 | Number | Comma |
| 7 | Publisher | Comma |
| 8 | Publication date | Comma |
| 9 | Location (pages, DOI or URL) | Full stop |
The Works Cited page starts on a new page with the title "Works Cited" centered. Entries are alphabetized by the first word of the entry, double-spaced, with a half-inch hanging indent. Titles of whole works (books, journals, websites) are italicized; titles of parts (articles, chapters, poems) go in quotation marks.
Book: Morrison, Toni. Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination. Harvard UP, 1992.
Journal article from a database: Author, First. "Title of Article." Journal Name, vol. 41, no. 2, 2021, pp. 115-38. Database Name, https://doi.org/xxxx.
Web page: Author, First. "Title of Page." Website Name, Publisher (if different), 12 Mar. 2024, URL.
For many more source types, see our MLA 9 citation guide.
Quoting, Paraphrasing and Block Quotations
Integrate quotations into your own sentences rather than dropping them in alone. Introduce each one with a signal phrase, quote only the words you need, and follow it with your analysis.
Prose quotations longer than four lines, and poetry quotations longer than three lines, are set as block quotations: indented half an inch from the left margin, without quotation marks, with the parenthetical citation after the final punctuation.
Dropped quotation: "The past is never dead. It's not even past" (Faulkner 73). This shows the theme of memory.
Integrated: Faulkner's characters live in a present shaped by history, a point Gavin Stevens makes explicitly when he insists that "the past is never dead. It's not even past" (73). The line turns the novel's courtroom into a stage where old injustices are replayed rather than resolved.
Paraphrases need citations too. A good paraphrase changes both the wording and the sentence structure while keeping the meaning, and still gives the page number.
Structuring an MLA Research Paper
MLA does not prescribe a structure, but most humanities research papers follow the same logic: an introduction ending in a clear, arguable thesis, body paragraphs that each develop one point with evidence and analysis, engagement with other critics or scholars, and a conclusion that explains the significance of the argument.
| Part | What it does |
|---|---|
| Introduction | Introduces the text or topic, the critical conversation and your thesis |
| Body paragraphs | Topic sentence (a claim), evidence (quotation or paraphrase), analysis, link to thesis |
| Engaging scholarship | Shows where critics agree, disagree or overlook something your argument addresses |
| Counterargument | Considers a reasonable alternative reading and responds to it |
| Conclusion | Draws together the argument and explains why it matters, without simply repeating |
Writing a Research Thesis
A research paper thesis makes a specific, debatable claim that your evidence can support. It should go beyond what the text says to what it means or how it works.
Weak: "In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley writes about the creature and Victor."
Stronger: "In Frankenstein, Shelley locates monstrosity not in the creature's body but in Victor's refusal of responsibility, turning a Gothic horror story into a critique of scientific ambition without ethics."
Finding and Using Scholarly Sources
Humanities research papers usually expect primary sources (the novels, poems, films or historical documents you are analyzing) and secondary sources (scholarly articles and books about them). Use your library's databases, such as the MLA International Bibliography and JSTOR, to find peer-reviewed criticism.
Read for arguments, not just facts: the best research papers position their thesis in relation to what other scholars have said. Keep careful notes of page numbers as you read, since every quotation and paraphrase needs one.
Worked Example: Introduction Paragraph
Readers have long treated Victor Frankenstein's creature as the novel's monster, and early stage adaptations reinforced that reading by stripping the creature of speech. Yet Shelley gives the creature the most eloquent voice in the book, and critics have increasingly read its story as a study of rejection rather than innate evil. Building on that work, this essay argues that Shelley locates monstrosity in Victor's refusal of responsibility, turning a Gothic horror story into a critique of scientific ambition pursued without ethical limits.
Notice the movement: an established reading, a complication, the current critical conversation, then a specific thesis. In a real paper, the claims about critics and adaptations would each be supported with citations to sources you have read.
What Changed in MLA 9
The ninth edition, published in 2021, kept the core elements model from MLA 8 but expanded guidance. It added detailed advice on inclusive language, more examples for different source types, clarified guidance on formatting and on notes, and expanded explanations of how to handle sources with missing information.
If your instructor still uses MLA 8, the differences in most citations are small. Our guide to MLA 8 citations covers the earlier edition.
Common MLA Mistakes
| Mistake | Correct practice |
|---|---|
| Comma between author and page: (Smith, 27) | No comma: (Smith 27) |
| "p." or "pg." before page numbers | Numbers only |
| Bold or underlined title | Plain, centered title |
| Works Cited single-spaced or not alphabetized | Double-spaced, alphabetical, hanging indent |
| Sources in Works Cited never cited in the text | List only works you cite |
| Quotations left without analysis | Follow every quotation with your interpretation |
| Using "Bibliography" as the heading | Use "Works Cited" for sources cited |
Final Checklist Before You Submit
Run through this list with the finished paper open. Most of the points take seconds to check, and together they catch the formatting errors that cost easy marks. Then read the paper once more purely for argument: does every paragraph advance the thesis?
- Header, running head with surname and page number, and centered title are in place.
- The whole paper, including block quotations and Works Cited, is double-spaced.
- Every quotation and paraphrase has a parenthetical citation with a page number where one exists.
- Every in-text citation matches an entry on the Works Cited page, and vice versa.
- Works Cited entries are alphabetized, with hanging indents and correct italics and quotation marks.
- Each body paragraph opens with a claim and closes by linking back to the thesis.
- Quotations are introduced, integrated and followed by analysis.
How GradeEssays Helps with MLA Research Papers
Send your prompt or assignment sheet, the primary text and any required secondary sources, your draft if you have one, and your deadline.
A writer experienced in humanities research helps develop an arguable thesis, find and integrate scholarly sources, structure the argument and format the paper and Works Cited page in MLA 9, delivered as a custom paper or an edit of your draft.
Every paper is written from scratch and plagiarism-checked, revisions within the scope of your original request are free, and your identity is never shared with the writer.
Get an MLA Research Paper That Is Formatted and Argued Well
Share your prompt, required sources and deadline. A writer experienced in MLA builds a clear argument, integrates sources and formats every citation correctly.
Start My MLA Research PaperFree revisions · Full refund if late · Written from scratch for your order
Frequently Asked Questions
No, unless your instructor requests one. MLA uses a header on the first page instead.
Use the author's name alone, or another locator the source provides, such as a paragraph number, section heading or timestamp.
The larger work that holds your source, such as a journal for an article, a website for a web page, or an anthology for a poem. Some sources have two containers, such as a journal accessed through a database.
MLA 9 recommends including a DOI when available, otherwise a URL (without "https://" if your instructor prefers). Some instructors ask you to omit URLs; follow their guidance.
For prose longer than four lines, indent the whole quotation half an inch from the left margin, omit quotation marks and place the citation after the final punctuation.
Yes, including the header, block quotations and the Works Cited page.
Yes, MLA allows headings, particularly in longer papers. Keep them consistent in style and level.
MLA 9 keeps the core elements model of MLA 8 but expands guidance on inclusive language, more source types, notes and formatting. Most citations look the same.