MLA Manuscript
Format
From A Writer’s Reference
by Diana Hacker
http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/humanities/manuscript.html
Claremont Graduate University
Overview
Page Set-up
Titles
Spacing and Indentation
Quotations
Pagination
Punctuation
Other Common Problems
Claremont Graduate University
Purpose
 These
are the most common
errors students make when
formatting their papers
 Learning to follow one style
guide makes it easier to adhere
to others in various disciplines
Claremont Graduate University
Materials
 Use
only white paper
 Use only black ink
 Use a paper clip to fasten pages (unless
the instructor specifies a staple)
 Do not use a binder or folder unless
specified by instructor
Claremont Graduate University
Headings
 No
title page
necessary
 Set 1” to 1 ½”
margins at top and
on sides
 Use “File” pull-down
menu and select
“Page Setup”
Claremont Graduate University
First Page
At left margin, list
on separate lines:




Your name
Instructor’s
name
Course name and
number
Date
Double Space the
entire paper!
Claremont Graduate University
Titles
Compose a title that is descriptive of
the main idea in your paper
 Capitalize first word, last word, and all
other words besides articles,
prepositions, and coordinating
conjunctions (see S3-c)
 Don’t underline, “quote”, italicize or bold
your own title

Claremont Graduate University
Double Spacing
 Click
“Format”
then
“Paragraph”
to find dialog
box
Claremont Graduate University
Spacing
 Dialog
appear
Box will
Select
Space
Double
(Set
indentation
and tabs here
also)
Claremont Graduate University
Indentation

Indent each
paragraph with
one tab (five
spaces)
Do not add an
extra “return”
between
paragraphs
Claremont Graduate University
Long Quotations
(more than four typed prose lines or three lines of
poetry)
 Indent
two tabs (ten spaces)
 Do not use quotation marks
 Double space just like the rest of
the paper
 Place citation outside of
punctuation (see P6-b)
Claremont Graduate University
Pagination
Use the “header”
function to place
your last name
and page number
on each page
 Click “view” and
“header and
footer”

Claremont Graduate University
Pagination
 Type
in your last name, space,
then click on the # symbol
 Do not use p., pg., #, or any
other symbol with your page
numbers
Claremont Graduate University
Pagination
Link to Microsoft Word
Claremont Graduate University
Punctuation: ellipses
 Leave
a space between periods
for an ellipsis mark
 The typing should look like this
. . . and not this…so your reader
can see the ellipsis clearly
Claremont Graduate University
Punctuation: Dashes
To type a dash, type two hyphens
without a space before or
after:
Typing like this: . . . any work of
literature--most specifically a novel--can
be adapted into film . . .
 Should turn out like this: . . . any work
of literature—most specifically a novel—
can be adapted into film . . .

Claremont Graduate University
Caution:
Using only one hyphen connects,
rather than separates the
words:
. . . any work of literature-most
specifically a novel-can be
adapted into film . . .
Claremont Graduate University
Typing an Internet Address
Remove the hyperlink if it is set
automatically.
 Right-click the hyperlink you want to
remove, and then click “Remove
Hyperlink.”
 Add a space where you want to begin a
new line, and the margins will remain
consistent.

Claremont Graduate University
Subject Headings
 Check
with your instructor before
using internal headings in your
paper
 Make sure the text of your paper
includes smooth transitions in
addition to the headings
Claremont Graduate University
Visuals:
(graphs, charts, maps, pictures)
 Label
each visual (Table 1, Figure 4)
 If you cannot drop the visual into the
text, create an appendix and refer to
it in the text
 Visuals should always be referred to in
the text and should not be expected to
stand alone.
Claremont Graduate University
Sample Paper
You can view a sample MLA
formatted paper at the
Diana Hacker website:
http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/h
umanities/pdf/dalypaper.pdf
Claremont Graduate University
Acknowledgements


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MLA Format Rules: Hacker, Diana. A Writer’s Reference. New
York: Bedford/St.Martins, 2003. http://www.dianahacker.com/
writersref/
For header function image: http://www.utexas.edu/
its/training/handouts/word/
Good hypertextual site for many writing issues—especially good
for citing sources: http://web.uvic.ca/wguide/Pages/
StartHere.html
Good Microsoft Word Tutorial and place where I copied images
for tool bars: http://www.baycongroup.com/wlesson1.htm#title
Other images from a good interactive Word tutorial site:
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/msword_toolbar.htm
Page Setup Image & header and footer image:
http://graduate.gradsch.uga.edu/help/numbering.htm
Powerpoint Templates: http://www.brainybetty.com/
educators1.htm
Claremont Graduate University
Acknowledgements

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First Page Image: http://home.earthlink.net/
~jlsterk/format.html
Formatting Paragraphs Image (single space): http://www.qcc.
mass.edu/booth/wordprocess.html
Formatting Paragraphs Image (double space): http://ponce.
inter.edu/acad/cdi/TutorialWord.html
Header/footer images, paragraph pulldown: http://www.wordmedex.com.au/formatting/pagemsw60_mac.htm
Indenting image: http://www.oit.umass.edu/hds/docs/
thesis/word2000/about-template.html
Sample paper layout: http://www2.gasou.edu/facstaff/
jwalker/tutorials/mlaword.html
Claremont Graduate University