The MLA style guide requires that papers be printed on 8.5-by-11-inch computer paper. The text should be double-spaced and in 12 point font. The font can vary, provided that it is clearly legible with contrast between standard and italicized font formats (such as Times New Roman or Courier). Italics exist for the titles of longer works and should be used sparingly, to add emphasis. Margins should be 1 inch all around. MLA style requires only one space after punctuation marks. All endnotes should be on a separate page after the main text but before the list of works cited.
Unless specifically required, papers written in the MLA style do not need a cover page. The upper left-hand corner of your first page should include your name, the name of your instructor, the course number and the due date of the paper. This area is double-spaced, as is the area between the paper information and the paper's title. Titles should be centered and in upper case without quotation marks or italics. The upper right-hand corner of each page should have your last name and the page number; however, the first page is subject to the requirements of your instructor or editor.
The MLA has different heading requirements according to the type of writing. Essays need only an Arabic numeral and the name of the section separate by a period. Subheadings are presented decimal-style, with the first subheading of the first section labeled 1.1, the next labeled 1.2 and so on.
There are no specific guidelines for books. However, section titles should match in grammatical structure. Headings can be phrases or full sentences, but the format should be consistent.
The MLA style has a complex system of requirements for writing a "works cited" page. Requirements vary from one media format to another. As a general rule, when conducting research you should collect as much information about your source as possible including the title, author, publisher and date and place of publication. Works cited pages go on a new page after the text, but continue the numbering from the main body of text. They should be alphabetized by the first letter in the entry, and all lines after the first should be indented. Book, magazine and film titles are underlined while article, poem and short story titles go in quotation marks.