MLA Report Format The Basics
® Use a one-inch top, bottom, left, and right margin for the report. MS Word by default uses 1.25" for the left and right margins. You need to change the left and right [File/Page Setup].
® Use double spacing throughout the text (no extra spaces between paragraphs) [Format/Paragraph/Line spacing: double].
® Indent the first line of every paragraph 0.5 inches. Can use the tab key when typing or set a first-line indent [Format/Paragraph/Special: first line, 0.5"].
® The first page must include your name, your instructor, the class the report is for, the date paper is given to instructor (all flush left), and the title (centered) immediately followed by the text of your report (flush left).
® Use the Times New Roman font style in a 12 point size.
® A header should include your last name with the page number flush to the right [ViewlHeader and Footer] on every page.
® The last page should be the Works Cited page listing authors alphabetically [Table/Sort/Paragraphs/Text/Ascending] in MLA citation format. Continue to double space and use the hanging indent format when typing the citations [Format/Paragraph/Special: hanging, 0.5"].
® Use your Spell Checker [Tools/Spelling and Grammar ...] and carefully proofread your document before printing and submitting.
Citations
I used to keep an MLA citation guide on this page, but I found a much more extensive guide for MLA at the University of California Berkeley Library. They cover every possible source I could imagine using!
Last Page Update: January 2008