MLA 9 paper format: heading, in-text citations and Works Cited
Updated 19 October 2026
MLA style (9th edition) is used mainly in the humanities: literature, languages, cultural studies and philosophy. It has no separate title page and uses short citations that point the reader to the page.
At a glance
- Page layout
- One column, 1-inch margins, no title page
- Font
- A readable 12 pt font such as Times New Roman
- Spacing
- Double spacing everywhere, including the Works Cited list
- First page
- Your name, instructor, course and date at top left, then the centred title
- Running header
- Your surname and the page number, top right
- In-text citation
- Author and page without a comma: (Smith 42)
- Reference list
- Titled Works Cited, alphabetical, hanging indent
The first page
Four lines at the top left give your name, your instructor's name, the course and the date (day month year). Below them comes the title, centred, in the same font as the text, with no bold, italics or underline. The paper starts directly under the title.
Citations in the text
MLA cites the author and the page, with no comma and no "p.": (Smith 42). If you name the author in the sentence, give only the page: Smith argues this clearly (42). For sources without page numbers, give the author only. Two authors are joined with "and"; three or more use the first author and "et al."
The Works Cited list
The list starts on a new page with the title Works Cited, centred. Entries are alphabetical by the author's surname, with a hanging indent, and use title case for titles. MLA describes each source by its "container", for example the journal that contains an article. Add the DOI as a link when there is one.
Author, First, and First Author. "Title of the Article in Title Case." Journal Name, vol. 12, no. 3, 2021, pp. 100-15. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx.
Quick checklist
- Name, instructor, course and date on the first page; surname and page number in the header.
- Every (Author page) citation has an entry in Works Cited, and every entry is cited.
- Double spacing and a hanging indent in the Works Cited list.
- You have checked any extra rule from your instructor.
Common questions
Does an MLA paper need a title page?
Not normally. MLA puts the heading block at the top of the first page. Add a title page only if your instructor asks for one.
Is the reference list called a bibliography in MLA?
It is called Works Cited. It lists only the sources you cite in the paper.
Do I put a comma between the author and the page in MLA?
No. MLA writes (Smith 42) with no comma and no "p."
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