MLA Tutorial

MLA Tutorial

MLA Style Paper Formatting (9th edition)

START

What will you learn?

In this tutorial, you will get an overview of MLA citation style (9th edition) rules. By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to:

• Identify important components of a paper formatted in MLA style.
• Understand how to use Google Docx tools to format a paper following MLA style.

There will be a quiz at the end of the tutorial to test your knowledge.

Can't wait!

Instructions

1. Review all 6 MLA Paper Formatting Components (9th edition).
2. As you review each component, read the information carefully. Some components have pop quiz questions, and you won't know what they will get quizzed on.
3. Some questions are timed. If the timer runs out, click on the button on the bottom right corner to try a new question.
4. If you are unable to complete the second question before the timer runs out, you will have to refresh your browser. Refreshing implies restarting the tutorial, so take your time reading through the citation rules.
5. Once you review all 6 components, there will be a final 8-question quiz. Get a 100% on the quiz to earn your certificate.
6. If you get a question wrong, you will have the opportunity to review the rule being asked and return to the question where you left off.

I got it.

MLA paper formatting components covered in this tutorial:

1. Last Name + Page #
2. First Page
3. Font, Size, & Double-Space
4. Title & Subheadings
5. Paragraphs & Indenting
6. Works Cited

I'm Ready!

Last Name + Page # Structure

Every page will have your last name and page number at the top right corner of the page.

Next.

How To: Last Name + Page # Structure

Steps:

1. On the top left corner, click on "Insert."
2. Hover down to "Page elements."
3. Hover down to "Page numbers."
4. Click on the top-left option, which will add page # to the page.
5. Add your mouse before the page # and type in your last name.

Next component.

First Page Structure

On the top left corner of the first page of an MLA paper, you need to add the following 4 components:

1. Your first and last name
2. Your instructor's first and last name
3. Your class name and section number.
4. The day month and year the paper will be due.

I got this. Test my knowledge.

Review Page #.

01:00

Click on the answer choices.

Run out of time? Try a new question!

Oops.

Try Again!

If the timer runs out, refresh your browser.

Oops.

Try Again!

Font, Size, & Double-Space

The entire paper should follow one font style. MLA recommends:

• Times New Roman
• Arial
• Calibri

Recommended font size: 11-13 pt. The entire paper should be double-spaced.

Next.

Review First Page

How To: Font, Size, & Double-Space

Steps:

1. Highlight the text.
2. Select the font from the options located on the top-left corner of the tool bar.
3. Change the font size to 12 pt.
4. Locate the "Line and paragraph spacing" on the top-right corner of the tool bar.
5. Select "double" from the options.

Next component.

Title & Subheadings

• The title of the paper is centered.
• Subheadings are flushed left, in bold, and a in a larger font than the body text (e.g. 13 pt).
• Subheadings within a section are flushed left, in italics, and in the same font size as the body (i.e. 12 pt.).
• Capitalize the first letter of every word except articles (a, an, the), prepositions (to, in, at), and FANBOYS.

Next.

Review Font & Size

How to: Title & Subheadings

Steps:

1. Highlight the title.
2. Select the "Align & indent" tool from the top-right corner of the toolbar.
3. Select "center align."
4. Make Heading 1 be in "Bold." Located next to the font size.
5. Make Heading 2 be in "Italic." Located to the right of the "Bold."

Pop Quiz Time!

00:30

Run out of time? Try a new question!

Oops.

Try Again!

If the timer runs out, refresh your browser.

Oops.

• The title of the paper is centered.
• Subheadings are flushed left, in bold, and a in a larger font than the body text (e.g. 13 pt).
• Subheadings within a section are flushed left, in italics, and in the same font size as the body (i.e. 12 pt.).
• Capitalize the first letter of every word except articles (a, an, the), prepositions (to, in, at), and FANBOYS.

Try Again!

Paragraph & Indenting

• Breaking up your paper into paragraphs is encouraged to support readibility.
• Indent the first line of every new paragraph half-an-inch.

Review Title

Next.

How To: Paragraph & Indenting

Steps:

1. Place your mouse to the left of the first line of a paragraph.
2. Click "tab" on your keyboard.
3. Place your mouse to the left of where you want to start a new paragraph.
4. Click "return" or "enter" on your keyboard. This depends on what type of device you are using (e.g. Mac has the "return" key).

Next component.

Works Cited

• The Works Cited features all the sources cited in the paper.
• It is located as it's own page(s) at the end of a paper.
• The heading "Works Cited" is centered.
• Souces are alphabetized.
• If a source is longer than 1 line, add a hanging indent (indent lines 2+ half-an-inch).

Next.

Review Paragraph

How To: Works Cited

Steps:

1. Insert a new page by placing your mouse to the left of the title. Locate "Insert" on the top-left corner of the toolbar ==> Click "Break" ==> "Page break."
2. Center the heading by highlighting it. Click "Align & indent" ==> "Center align."
3. Create the hanging indent by placing the mouse at the end of line 1, press "return" ==> press "tab" on the keyboard.

Pop Quiz Time!

02:00

Click on the answer choices.

Run out of time? Try a new question!

Oops.

Try Again!

If the timer runs out, refresh your browser.

Oops.

Try Again!

You reviewed the 6 components. You are now ready to test your knowledge. Get a 100% on the quiz to earn the following certification: Basic MLA Paper Formatting

START QUIZ

Question 1 of 8

Oops. Do you want to try the question again or study the tutorial before returning to the question?

Study the tutorial.

Try Again!

What will you learn?

In this tutorial, you will get an overview of MLA citation style (9th edition) rules. By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to:

• Identify important components of a paper formatted in MLA style.
• Understand how to use Google Docx tools to format a paper following MLA style.

There will be a quiz at the end of the tutorial to test your knowledge.

Try Question Again

Question 2 of 8

Oops. Do you want to try the question again or study the tutorial before returning to the question?

Study the tutorial.

Try Again!

Review: Title & Subheadings

• The title of the paper is centered.
• Subheadings are flushed left, in bold, and a in a larger font than the body text (e.g. 13 pt).
• Subheadings within a section are flushed left, in italics, and in the same font size as the body (i.e. 12 pt.).
• Capitalize the first letter of every word except articles (a, an, the), prepositions (to, in, at), and FANBOYS.

Try Question Again

Question 3 of 8

Oops. Do you want to try the question again or study the tutorial before returning to the question?

Study the tutorial.

Try Again!

Review: Font, Size, & Double-Space

The entire paper should follow one font style. MLA recommends:

• Times New Roman
• Arial
• Calibri

Recommended font size: 11-13 pt. The entire paper should be double-spaced.

Try Question Again

Question 4 of 8

Oops. Do you want to try the question again or study the tutorial before returning to the question?

Study the tutorial.

Try Again!

Review: Font, Size, & Double-Space

The entire paper should follow one font style. MLA recommends:

• Times New Roman
• Arial
• Calibri

Recommended font size: 11-13 pt. The entire paper should be double-spaced.

Try Question Again

Question 5 of 8

Oops. Do you want to try the question again or study the tutorial before returning to the question?

Study the tutorial.

Try Again!

Review: Works Cited

• The Works Cited features all the sources cited in the paper.
• It is located as it's own page(s) at the end of a paper.
• The heading "Works Cited" is centered.
• Souces are alphabetized.
• If a source is longer than 1 line, add a hanging indent (indent lines 2+ half-an-inch).

Try Question Again

Question 6 of 8

Complete the 7 steps for formatting the first page of an MLA paper.

Oops. Do you want to try the question again or study the tutorial before returning to the question?

Study the tutorial.

Try Again!

Review: First Page Structure

On the top left corner of the first page of an MLA paper, you need to add the following 4 components:

1. Your first and last name
2. Your instructor's first and last name
3. Your class name and section number.
4. The day month and year the paper will be due.

Try Question Again

Question 7 of 8

Oops. Do you want to try the question again or study the tutorial before returning to the question?

Study the tutorial.

Try Again!

Review: Paragraph & Indenting

• Breaking up your paper into paragraphs is encouraged to support readibility.
• Indent the first line of every new paragraph half-an-inch.

Try Question Again

Question 8 of 8

Oops. Do you want to try the question again or study the tutorial before returning to the question?

Study the tutorial.

Try Again!

Review: Works Cited

• The Works Cited features all the sources cited in the paper.
• It is located as it's own page(s) at the end of a paper.
• The heading "Works Cited" is centered.
• Souces are alphabetized.
• If a source is longer than 1 line, add a hanging indent (indent lines 2+ half-an-inch).

Try Question Again

Congrats on earning your certificate!

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION

Tutorial Name:

Basic MLA Paper Formatting

FINISH

Take a screenshot of the certificate above to serve as proof of completion of this tutorial.

What have we learned?

✅ The basic MLA paper formatting components. ✅ The steps for formatting a paper in MLA style in Google Docx.

You're now ready to start formatting MLA papers on your own!

This is the end of the tutorial. Close your browser, to close the tutorial.