Are grade levels hyphened in MLA style?

MLA style hyphens grade levels in adjective form but not in noun form: a third-grade student, a student in third grade, a third grader. Read… Read More

If I am citing two poems, each by a different poet, should I use the word line or lines the first time I quote from each poet’s work?

Yes. The MLA Handbook says that “in your first citation” of a poem, “use the word line or lines and then, having established that the numbers designate lines, give… Read More

How should I capitalize a salutation in a letter?

The MLA provides style recommendations for research papers. For guidance on how to capitalize salutations addressed to various categories of persons (e.g., religious, governmental, military),… Read More

Should I insert “page 1” at the top of a one-page assignment?

Listing a page number for a one-page assignment is likely not necessary, but you should check with your instructor about pagination and other formatting matters. Read More

How do I cite stories and comments in a Microsoft Word document posted on Blackboard?

If your instructor posts a document that contains stories with comments on a course management system like Blackboard, follow the MLA format template to cite it. Read More

If I am discussing but not directly quoting scenes from a film, should I still include timings?

You should generally include in your citations any information that will help your reader locate the material you are citing. When you summarize a scene… Read More

How do I style a title or short title enclosed in parentheses in my parenthetical citation?

If a title or short title in parentheses must be given in a parenthetical citation, do not nest parentheses within parentheses. Instead, change the parentheses… Read More

How do I cite my own medical record?

How you cite your own medical record depends on its location, but as always, follow the MLA format template. If the record is in your… Read More

What should I do if several lines of my block quotation do not fit at the bottom of the page?

In a manuscript or student paper, it is fine for a block quotation to be split across two pages or for the entire quotation to… Read More

How do I cite a headnote, an introduction, or other material that introduces a work in an anthology?

Sometimes each individual work in an anthology has a headnote, an introduction, or other material introducing it. To cite this material, follow the MLA format… Read More