Although there are multiple referencing styles, formatting a paper in MLA is the most recommended for literature and humanity disciplines.

Formatting a paper in MLA

MLA has flexible guidelines with few general formatting rules to follow. These rules include:

• Numbering your pages
• 1-inch margins (all sides)
• Readable fonts
• Double spaced
• ½ inch indents for new paragraphs
• Only one space between sentences

Below are the steps to proper formatting of MLA paper:

1. Cover Page

An MLA cover page has general information for your research paper. It includes the following:

• University/school’s name
• Title of the page
• The subtitle if you have one
• Your name
• Course name and number if you need it
• Professor
• Due date

The information presented on the cover page should be centered. The school’s name should be on the top with the title at the center of the page. Your name, course name and number, the professor and due date all going towards the bottom of the page.

2. Headings

Apart from a cover page, your paper also has a title on the first page of your work. The header includes your name, instructor, course and date aligned to the left. Additionally, each page of your paper has a running header with your name and page number including the work cited.

3. Body text and formatting

Your body typically consists of readable fonts, right spacing, numbers and abbreviations. There are a few recommended fonts which are: Arial and Times New Roman with a font size of either 11 or 12. For the spacing it is recommended to stick with double spacing throughout the entire body and citing. You need to make sure that your text is left justified.

It is also vital to indent every new paragraph by pressing your tab button. To keep things neat and clean it is vital to follow the punctuation rules for commas and periods. There are other things within the formatting sector that you need to address. They are;

• Numbers – There are a few rules when it comes to numbering that you need to follow. MLA clarifies when to use Arabic and Roman numerals and when to spell out numbers.
• Abbreviations – The rules need to be followed for abbreviations. For months longer than four letters you should abbreviate them and you end abbreviations with a period if they end in lower case letters.

4. Formatting tables

When it comes to tables you need a clear and well written table format for easy presentation.

• You need to label it “table” and ensure it’s to the left followed by an Arabic numeral (table 1).
• You need to give the source of your table right below the table. It needs to be left and should include a hanging indent.
• The information should be double spaced, and a dividing line should be used to separate the source from the table.

5. Citation

For how to cite a research paper in MLA format you need to follow the following simple rules. First you use the author’s last name and page number from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken. An example is: (Smith 163). But if the source does not use page numbers, you should not include a number in your citation. For example: (Smith).

Final Take

This MLA quick guide should guide you to editing your paper to avoid any plagiarism issues relating to referencing. It would be best if you searched for an MLA research paper sample to check the above tips in use.

As such, you should master this format if you are looking to prepare a paper in a related field. Read on to discover how to write a paper in APA format step by step.

Why is APA style important?

With the variety of referencing methods at your disposal, why use APA format? APA makes it easy for a reader to trace sources through in-text citations and the reference section.

This style allows you to credit ideas borrowed from other authors, therefore avoiding plagiarism. APA also recommends a general paper outline that helps keep your work organized, ensuring a more accessible review.

Additionally, APA ensures the consistency of materials within a discipline. This makes it easier for other scholars in the domain to determine the sources on which you based your argument.

General APA guide

When using the APA writing format, you should structure your paper into various parts. The significant parts of an APA paper include:

1. The title page
2. An abstract
3. An introduction
4. Literature review
5. Data collection methods
6. The results
7. A discussion
8. A conclusion
9. References

However, depending on the type of assignment, you may omit some of these sections from your paper.

The Title Page

This page should show your name and details (for instance, the registration number for school assignments, the course number, the instructor’s name, and the date when your paper is due. This gives your readers a quick overview of what your essay will cover and for what purpose it was prepared.

Abstract

This section ranges between 100 to 200 words and covers a summary of your argument.

Main body

This is the main section of your paper and includes the introduction, data collection methods, results, discussion, research, and conclusion.

References

This is the last page of your work. Your bibliography should entail all the sources used during research and background reading. References should appear in alphabetical order by the author’s name.

If you tackle multiple sources from the same author, you should order the materials according to their publishing date.

Referencing in APA format tutorial

In-text citations

These are placeholders used to show the borrowed ideas within the main body of an APA paper. Intext citations correspond to the complete reference in your references list.

These citations comprise the surname of the author and the year of the publication. i.e. (Doe, 1998). The intext citation may vary when citing a direct quote. E.g. (Doe, 1998, p.69).

Referencing work from one author

When dealing with work that one individual published, your references will appear as:

Intext: (Doe, 1998)

Reference list: John Doe. (1998). A study of APA referencing. Cambridge, England: My Publisher

Referencing work from multiple authors

Intext: (Doe & Hendrick & Morris, 1998)

Reference list: Doe, J., Hendrick, M., & Morris, Y.N. (1998). A study of APA referencing. Cambridge, England: My Publisher

Citing a journal in APA

In-text: (Omotosho, 2008)

Full reference: Omotosho, J. (2008). Mastering the APA Style of Referencing with Ease. Nigerian Journal Of Guidance And Counselling, 12(1). doi: 10.4314/njgc.v12i1.37061

When citing an online journal, you may include the access date if the information may change over time.

Citing online sources

In-text: (Lab, 2021)

Full reference: Lab, P. (2021). APA Style Introduction // Purdue Writing Lab. Retrieved 12 October 2021, from https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html

Referencing a white paper

Similar to the references mentioned above, the number of authors affects the references when writing an APA-style white paper. For a group of authors, the white paper reference may appear as:

Department for Education and Social Sciences. (1989). Best Note-Taking Strategies: The Cornell Note-Taking Style[White paper]. Crown. Garner’s Modern American Usage. 4th edition. by Bryan A. Garner

You will present the white paper with an individual writer as:

Doe, J. (1998). Addressing Student Cognitive Challenges [White paper]. Milwall Tech College of Social Sciences. https://MTCss.temple.edu/~JOHN/threads_whitepaper.pdf