How to Properly Format Word for MLA Format and keep it that way!

Transcription

1 How to Properly Format Word for MLA Format and keep it that way! If you don t have the current version of Microsoft Word this tutorial might not be 100% accurate, but don t worry! You can go to the Hub and they ll install it for you for free. (Well not free exactly because you paid for it with your technology fee so take advantage :) The first thing we re going to do is set your default font. Word probably has you set to use Calibri as your default, but MLA dictates that you select a legible font like Times New Roman, ( so that s what we re going to use. From the Home tab you can see the font box. Click the little arrow in the bottom right to open up the font window.

2 Make sure you have Times New Roman, regular, size 12 selected. Click Set As Default in the bottom left corner.

3 This window will open: Select the button next to All documents based on the Normal template so Word will remember this next time you open it, then click OK.

4 Next we re going to check your line spacing and indents. You can skip this step if you want. We re just going to tell Word to always double space your documents and always have the first line indented. You can easily set these things manually, but I primarily use Word for essays so I find this setting the easiest for me. Click on the little arrow in the bottom right of the Paragraph box.

5 Set the options in the box to match mine. The Special indent has three options: None, First line, and Hanging. You ll use Hanging for your Works Cited page, but for your default you ll want First line. Select Set As Default.

6 It ll ask you the same question as when you set the font so tell it the same things.

7 Now we re going to check your page margins: Select the tab that says Page Layout. One of the boxes says Page Setup. To set your default, click the little arrow in the bottom right.

8 This is what you want your margins to look like: each side should be set at 1. You can ignore the rest of these options and click Set As Default.

9 This time it just wants a confirmation, so click Yes and go to the next step.

10 Now for a little more about MLA formatting. This is what the first page of your paper should look like. In the left hand corner you should have your name, the class abbreviation, your professor s name, and the due date. While MLA format typically wants this section double-spaced, Dr. Bonner prefers this area single-spaced. Starting from the title down, double-space your text. Centered under that but with NO extra space should be the title of your paper, properly capitalized. You ll notice that it s written in a plain font: no underlining, italicizing, quotation marks, and it s the same size as the rest of your paper.

11 All subsequent pages should have your surname and a page number. You ll add this in what s called the header of the page this way it doesn t move around when you re editing your text and you don t have to manually add it to each page.

12 Double click at the top of the page (above your first line) and Word will open the header for you to edit. Type your last name and make sure it s aligned to the right!

13 Click the large button that says Page # and Word will open this menu. Hover over Current Position and select Plain Number. This updates for each page so it ll always be the right number. You ll also want to make sure Different First Page is checked. You don t have to do anything else here you re done with the header.

14 Your very last page should be your Works Cited page. This page is formatted a little differently than the rest of your paper. It begins with a title that just says Works Cited and one space down you begin posting your citations. The Writers Studio ( should be able to help you with the formatting if you re not sure how to do it, but the basic format is what s called a hanging indent instead of the first line being pushed in half and inch, the first line is normal and all of the other lines have a half inch indent. Remember when we set our line spacing and first line indent? Open the same window, and select Hanging Indent instead. Make sure to me if you have any questions about the formatting. My is kknight9@student.clayton.edu. I m also available for Skype meetings in the evenings and on weekends just me and we can set up a time!