This page gives you everything you need to format your paper in correct MLA style.
Choose the checklist that matches your device:
How-To videos are also included further down, if you need a visual guide:
MLA Checklist for Microsoft Word
Note to Apple users: in most cases, you will use the Command (⌘) key instead of the Ctrl key.
- Set 1-inch margins: Go to Layout → Margins → Normal.
- Apply Times New Roman, 12-point font: select the complete text by clicking Ctrl + A, then go to Home → Font → Times New Roman, 12 pt.
- Set double-spacing: Ctrl + A → Home → Paragraph → Line Spacing → Double.
- Remove extra paragraph spacing: Ctrl + A → Home → Paragraph → Spacing → Before = 0, After = 0.
- Make sure “Don’t add space between paragraphs of the same style” is checked with a check mark, not a dash. A dash means you have more than one style.
- Add your header: Your header info should appear at the top-right of every page.
- Double-click at the top of the page to open the header
- Go to Insert → Page Number → Top of Page → Plain Number 3
- Type your last name + space before the page number
- Select your last name and the page number and change the font to Times New Roman, 12 pt
- Create your identification block: Your header info should appear at the top-left of first page. It should not be indented. Place your cursor on the first line, then type:
- Your full name
- Instructor’s name
- Course name and section
- Date in day–month–year format (e.g., 24 January 2025)
- Add your title: On the line immediately following your identification block, type your title.
- Center your title by selecting the text. Then: → Home → Paragraph → Center Align or by clicking Ctrl + E
- No bold, italics, underline, or font-size changes
- The title should have no extra line space before or after.
- Format body text: Body text should be left aligned. There should be no extra space between paragraphs.
- Left Align:To make sure your paragraphs are left aligned, select your body text. Then: → Home → Paragraph → Left Align or by clicking Ctrl + L.
- No Extra Blank Line Space: Make sure you have not added any blank lines (by pushing Enter or Return) before or after your body paragraphs. There should be no extra line space between paragraphs.
- Indent the first line of body paragraphs. the first line of each body paragraph should be indented by half an inch.
- Go to Home → Paragraph Settings (the small box+arrow in the lower right-hand corner of the Paragraph area)
- Go to Special. Select First line → 0.5″.
- Click Ok.
- Check formatting consistency: Ensure no random bolding, font changes, spacing issues; headers appear on all pages with increasing page numbers.
- Works Cited page: If included, check formatting here.
- Profit!
MLA Checklist for Google Docs
Note to Apple users: in most cases, you will use the Command (⌘) key instead of the Ctrl key.
- Set 1-inch margins: Go to File → Page Setup → Margins → Top, Bottom, Left, Right = 1 inch → OK
- Apply Times New Roman, 12-point font: select the complete text by clicking Ctrl + A, then go to Toolbar → Font: Times New Roman, Size: 12
- Set double-spacing: Ctrl + A → Format → Line & Paragraph Spacing → Double
- Remove extra paragraph spacing: Ctrl + A → Format → Line & Paragraph Spacing → Custom Spacing → Line spacing: 2, Before = 0, After = 0 → Apply
- Add your header: Your header info should appear at the top-right of every page.
- Double-click at the top of the page to open the header
- Select Insert → Page Elements → Page numbers → top-left option (page number in header starting on the first page)
- Place your cursor in front of the page number, then type your last name plus a space before the page number
- Highlight your last name and page number. Align the text right by going to Format → Align & Indent → Right (or ctlr-shift R)
- Keep the text selected. Change the font to Times New Roman, 12 pt
- Create your identification block: Your header info should appear at the top-left of first page. It should not be indented. Place your cursor on the first line, then type:
- Name
- Instructor
- Course & section
- Date (day–month–year)
- Add your title: On the line immediately following your identification block, type your title.
- Center your title by selecting the text. Then go to Format → Align & Indent → Right (or Ctrl + Shift R
- No bold, italics, underline, or font-size changes
- The title should have no extra line space before or after.
- Format body text: Body text should be left aligned. There should be no extra space between paragraphs.
- Left-align body text: Select your body text. Then go to Format → Align & Indent → Left (or by clicking Ctrl + Shift + L).
- No Extra Blank Line Space: Make sure you have not added any blank lines (by pushing Enter or Return) before or after your body paragraphs. There should be no extra line space between paragraphs.
- Indent body paragraphs. the first line of each body paragraph should be indented by half an inch.
- Go to Format → Align & Indent → Indentation Options.
- Under Special Indent, select First line, then type in 0.5.
- Click Apply.
- Check formatting consistency: Ensure no random bolding, font changes, spacing issues; headers appear on all pages with increasing page numbers.
- Works Cited page: If included, check formatting here.
- Profit!
MLA Checklist for Apple Pages
- Set 1-inch margins: Go to Document → Document Margins and set Top, Bottom, Left, and Right margins to 1 inch.
- Apply Times New Roman, 12-point font: Select all text by pressing Command (⌘) + A, then open the Format sidebar (paintbrush icon) → Text tab → choose Times New Roman and set the size to 12 pt.
- Set double-spacing: With all text selected (⌘ + A), go to Format → Text → Spacing and set Line Spacing to 2.0.
- Remove extra paragraph spacing: With all text still selected, go to Format → Text → Spacing and set:
- Before Paragraph = 0 pt
- After Paragraph = 0 pt
- Ensure no extra space appears between paragraphs unless you press Enter twice.
- Add your header: Your header should appear in the top-right corner of every page and include your last name and page number.
- Go to Insert → Page Number
- Choose Top of Page → Right
- Double-click inside the header area
- Type your last name followed by a space before the page number
- Select the header text and set the font to Times New Roman, 12 pt
- Create your identification block: This appears at the top-left of the first page only. Do not indent.
- Your full name
- Instructor’s name
- Course name and section
- Date in day–month–year format (e.g., 24 January 2025)
- Add your title: On the line immediately following your identification block, type your title.
- Select the title and choose Center Align from Format → Text → Alignment
- Do not bold, italicize, underline, or change font size
- Ensure there is no extra spacing before or after the title
- Format body text: Body text should be left aligned. There should be no extra space between paragraphs.
- Left-align body text: Select your body paragraphs and choose Left Align from Format → Text → Alignment.
- No Extra Blank Line Space: Make sure you have not added any blank lines (by pushing Enter or Return) before or after your body paragraphs. There should be no extra line space between paragraphs.
- Indent body paragraphs: The first line of each body paragraph should be indented by 0.5 inches.
- Select your body text
- Go to Format → Text → Layout
- Set First Line Indent to 0.5 in
- Check formatting consistency: Ensure the font, spacing, and alignment are consistent throughout; headers appear on all pages; page numbers increase correctly.
- Works Cited page: If included, check formatting here.
- Profit!
And that’s it! The MLA potion is brewed, and your paper is formatted correctly. Now go forth and conquer the world one adjective at a time! 📝💻🎉
Step-by-Step MLA Setup Videos
Follow the video instructions below to set up or correct MLA formatting in your document.
Choose the video that matches your device, then complete each step from top to bottom to make sure your paper meets MLA standards.