Research Tutorials | MLA 9

Sample MLA 9 First Page Header

MLA 9 does not specify a title page for a research paper but requires a specific heading for the first page of your document.

The first page of your research paper should have the following information:

• Your full name

• Your instructor’s name

• The name of the course or class

• The assignment’s due date

• The title of the paper

1. Position your name one inch from the top and left margins of the page.

2. Add a double space beneath your name, and type the name of your instructor.

3. Below the professor, or instructor’s name, should be a double space, followed by the name of the course, class, or section number (if available).

4. Below it, include another double space and add the assignment’s due date (Day Month Year).

5. The title of the paper should be centered on the page after a double space.  The title should not be bolded, underlined,  or in italics.

Sample Headings

1. Headings should be styled in descending order of prominence. 

2. After the first level, the other headings are subheadings.

3. Changes in size and style indicate subheading levels.

4. No heading should be used alone.  If you use heading style 1 once, you should have at least one other heading that uses style 1.

Example:

Heading 1

Heading 2

Heading 3

Heading 4

Works Cited

Sample Works Cited Page

Works Cited 

• Reference page should begin on a new page in your document.

• The page should have the words Work Cited at the top, in bold, centered.

• All text should be double-spaced with no extra spaces between citations.

• Citations should use a hanging indent.  The first line of the citation is flush with the left margin and the rest of the citation is indented 1/2 inch.  (Noodletools will do this for you.)

Basic Citation Format

Author’s Last name, Author’s First name. “Title of Source.” Title of Container, Names of other contributors along with their specific roles, Version of the source (if it differs from the original or is unique), Any key numbers associated with the source that aren’t dates (such as journal issue numbers or volume numbers), Name of the Publisher, Publication date, Location (such as the location of specific page numbers or a website’s address). 

Common Citation Formats

BOOK

Author’s Last name, First name and First name Last name of any other authors.  Title of Book. City of Publication, Publisher, Publication Date. 

REFERENCE BOOK

Print Reference Source

Author’s Last name, First name and First name Last name of any other authors. "Title of Chapter or Section of Book." Title of Book. City of Publication, Publisher, Publication Date.  

Electronic Reference Source (found in database or eBook collection)

Author’s Last name, First name and First name Last name of any other authors.   "Title of Chapter or Section of Book." Title of Book, edited by editor's name. City of Publication, Publisher, Publication Date.  Name of Database, URL or DOI.  Accessed on day month year.

ARTICLES IN A MAGAZINE

Print

Author’s Last name, First name and First name Last name of any other authors. "Title of Article." Title of Periodical, Volume, issue, date of publication, pages.

Electronic Source (database)

Author’s Last name, First name and First name Last name of any other authors.  "Title of Article."  Title of Magazine.  Volume, issue, date of publication.  Database Name, DOI or URL.  Accessed on day month year.

ARTICLE IN NEWSPAPERS

Print

Author’s Last name, First name and First name Last name of any other authors.  “Title of the article.” Title of the Newspaper, Version (if applicable), Number, Publication Date, Location in Source. 

Electronic Source (database)

Author’s Last name, First name and First name Last name of any other authors.  “Title of the article.” Title of the Newspaper, Version (if applicable), Number, Publication Date, Location in Source. Database Name, DOI or URL. Accessed on day month year.

ARTICLES IN JOURNAL

Print

Author(s). "Title of Article." Title of Journal. Volume, issue, date of publication, pages. 

Electronic Source (database)

Author(s). "Title of Article."  Title of Journal. Volume, issue, date of publication, pages.  Database Name, DOI.  Accessed on day month year.

WEB PAGE

Author’s Last name, First name and First name Last name of any other authors.  “Title of the Article or Individual Page.” Title of the Website, Name of the Publisher, Date of Publication in Day Month Year format, URL.  Accessed on day Month year.

FILM OR VIDEO

Watched Live or Accessed through TV or Streaming Service

Last name, First name of the creator. “Title of the Film or Video.” Title of the Website, role of contributors and their First name Last name, Version, Numbers, Publisher, Publication date.

Electronic Source (database)

Last name, First name of the creator. “Title of the Film or Video.” Title of the Website, role of contributors and their First name Last name, Version, Numbers, Publisher, Publication date. Database Name, DOI or URL.  Accessed on day month year.

Podcast

Listened Live or Accessed through Internet

Last name, First name of the creator. “Title of podcast.” Title of the website, role of contributors and their First name Last name, Version, Numbers, Publisher, Publication date, URL. 

Electronic Source (database)

Last name, First name of the creator. “Title of podcast.” Title of the website, role of contributors and their First name Last name, Version, Numbers, Publisher, Publication date, URL. Database Name, DOI or URL.  Accessed on day month year.

MLA 9 uses the author and page number for direct quotes.  If the source is electronic, then MLA 9 uses just the author.

Examples: 

1 Author:  (Edwards 5)

2 Authors:  (Ahrendts and Edwards 25)

3 or more Authors:  (Titunik, et. al. 145)

Direct Quote:  (Titunik, et. al.102)

Remember:  

• Each work cited must appear in the reference list, and each work in the reference list must be cited in the text (or in a table, figure, footnote, or appendix). 

• Both paraphrases and quotations require citations.