How to Format Your Essay – ATS4002代写
100%原创包过,高质代写&免费提供Turnitin报告--24小时客服QQ&微信：120591129
How to Format Your Essay – ATS4002代写
How to Format Your Essay – ATS4002
Taken from the Modern Language Association Handbook, 7th Ed, Ch 4. “The Format
of the Research Paper”.
Readability and presentation are essential qualities of any research paper. Your
examiners will no doubt have dozens of essays to grade and will appreciate a wellformatted
document. A percentage of your overall mark may also be deducted if your
presentation is poor, inconsistent or difficult to read. Use the following checklist to
format your assignments according to MLA style.
1. Font
Always choose an easily readable typeface (e.g., Times New Roman or Arial) and set
it to a standard size (e.g., 12 points). Typeface and size should be consistent
throughout the document.
2. Margins
Leave margins of one inch (2.54cm) at the top and bottom and on both sides of the
text. In Microsoft Word, go to Page Layout -> Margins -> Custom Margins and enter
“2.54cm” into the Top, Bottom, Left and Right fields. Make sure you select “Whole
document” under the Apply field.
It is a good idea to set this as your default preference for future word documents.
3. Page numbers
Place page numbers on the top right hand side, next to your surname. Go to Insert ->
Page Number -> Top of Page -> Plain Number 3.
Type your last name in front of the page number, as a precaution in case of misplaced
pages (see example below). The page number should be located one-half inch from
the top and flush with the right margin.
Do not use the abbreviation p. before a page number or add a period, a hyphen, or any
other mark or symbol.
4. Spacing
Set your word processor to double-space the entire research paper, including
quotations, notes, and the list of works cited. Select the spacing icon under the Home
tab in Word and select “2.0”.
Indent new
paragraphs one-half
inch from the left
margin. Do not add a
space between
paragraphs.
Align text to the left.
Do not justify the lines
of text at the right
margins.
Quotations of more than three
lines should be indented one inch
from the left margin. Remember,
you do not have to use quotation
marks when using indented
quotations (but you still need to
list the page number in
parentheses).
5. Paragraphs
Indent the first word of a paragraph one-half inch from the left margin. Do not add a
space between paragraphs. Align the text to the left and do not justify your work.
6. Long quotations
If you decide to quote more than three lines of another author’s work, you must indent
your quotation. Indent long quotations one inch from the left margin. Do not justify
the lines of text at the right margin
7. The list of Works Cited
The list of works cited appears at the end of the paper; it only lists sources that are
mentioned (i.e. cited) in the essay. Begin the list on a new page. The page number
appears in the upper right-hand corner, half an inch from the top and flush with the
right margin (see fig. 12). Centre the title, Works Cited, an inch from the top of the
page. Double-space between the title and the first entry. Begin each entry flush with
the left margin; if an entry runs more than one line, indent the subsequent line or lines
one-half inch from the left margin. This format is sometimes called hanging indention,
and you can set your word processor to create it automatically for a group of
paragraphs. Hanging indention makes alphabetical lists easier to use. Double-space
the entire list, both between and within entries. Continue the list on as many pages as
necessary. Remember to list entries in alphabetical order.
8. Citing and referencing
Proper MLA citation and referencing style must be used. Go to
http://guides.lib.monash.edu/citing-referencing and select “MLA” from the menu.
How to Format Your Essay – ATS4002代写
