MLA style essays are a specific formatting and citation style that is widely used in the liberal arts and humanities. It is often used in English, literature, and language courses, as well as in other disciplines within the humanities. The style is defined by the Modern Language Association (MLA), which is a professional organization for scholars of language and literature.
One of the main features of MLA style essays is the use of in-text citations and a works cited page at the end of the essay. In-text citations are used to give credit to the sources that you have used in your essay. They are included within the body of the essay and consist of the author’s last name and the page number where the information was found. For example: (Smith 23). If the author’s name is not mentioned in the sentence, it is included in the in-text citation: (Smith 23).
The works cited page is a list of all the sources that you have used in your essay. It is placed at the end of the essay and is organized alphabetically by the author’s last name. Each entry in the works cited page includes the author’s name, the title of the work, the publication information, and the medium of publication. For example:
Smith, John. “The Role of Technology in Modern Society.” Journal of Technology, vol. 15, no. 3, 2010, pp. 30-35. Print.
In addition to in-text citations and the works cited page, MLA style essays also have specific guidelines for the format of the essay itself. These guidelines include the font, margin size, line spacing, and paragraph indentation. The font should be a standard, easy-to-read font such as Times New Roman or Arial. The margin size should be 1 inch on all sides of the page. The line spacing should be double-spaced, and the paragraph indentation should be half an inch.
There are also specific guidelines for the structure of the essay. The essay should begin with a heading that includes your name, your instructor’s name, the course number, and the date. The essay should also include a title that reflects the main topic of the essay. The title should be centered and placed in the upper half of the page.
The body of the essay should be organized into paragraphs that follow a logical structure. Each paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea of the paragraph. The rest of the paragraph should provide evidence and examples to support the main idea. The conclusion should summarize the main points of the essay and provide a final analysis or evaluation.
In addition to these general guidelines, there are also specific guidelines for citing different types of sources. For example, the citation for a book includes the author’s name, the title of the book, the publication information, and the medium of publication. The citation for a journal article includes the author’s name, the title of the article, the title of the journal, the volume and issue number, the publication date, and the page range. The citation for a website includes the author’s name, the title of the website, the date of publication or last update, the URL, and the date of access.
Overall, MLA style essays are a useful tool for scholars in the liberal arts and humanities to credit their sources and to present their ideas in a clear and organized manner. By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your essay is correctly formatted and that you are giving proper credit to the sources that you have used.
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The first step in writing an MLA style essay is to familiarize yourself with the guidelines. This includes understanding the format of the essay, the in-text citations, and the works cited page. To ensure that your essay is correctly formatted, you should use a standard, easy-to-read font such as Times New Roman or Arial and set the margins to 1 inch on all sides of the page. The line spacing should be double-spaced, and the paragraph indentation should be half an inch.
Once you have a good understanding of the formatting guidelines, you can start to research your topic and gather the sources that you will use in your essay. It is important to use credible and reliable sources, such as scholarly articles, books, and websites, to support your argument. As you research, you should take careful notes and record the necessary citation information for each source. This will make it easier to create the in-text citations and the works cited page later on.
After you have completed your research and gathered your sources, you can begin to outline your essay. The outline will help you organize your ideas and ensure that your essay has a clear structure. A typical MLA style essay consists of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The introduction should provide a clear overview of the main topic of the essay and include a thesis statement that presents your main argument. The body paragraphs should each focus on a specific aspect of the main topic and provide evidence and examples to support your argument. The conclusion should summarize the main points of the essay and provide a final analysis or evaluation.
Once you have completed your outline, you can start to write your essay. It is important to keep the formatting guidelines in mind as you write and to use in-text citations to give credit to the sources that you have used. The in-text citations should be included within the body of the essay and consist of the author’s last name and the page number where the information was found. For example: (Smith 23). If the author’s name is not mentioned in the sentence, it is included in the in-text citation: (Smith 23).
After you have written the body of the essay, you can create the works cited page. This is a list of all the sources that you have used in your essay, organized alphabetically by the author’s last name. Each entry in the works cited page includes the author’s name, the title of the work, the publication information, and the medium of publication. For example:
Smith, John. “The Role of Technology in Modern Society.” Journal of Technology, vol. 15, no. 3, 2010, pp. 30-35. Print.
Once you have completed the works cited page, you can finalize your essay by proofreading and editing for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. It is also a good idea to have someone else review your essay to catch any mistakes that you may have missed.
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