Gavilan College
All formal essays, including the research paper, must feature proper MLA format. MLA stands for Modern Language Association. They are the organization that sets the standards for most college level English essays. MLA format governs everything from where to place your name and page numbers to how to document your sources for a research paper. MLA format will be especially important when it comes time to do your research paper, but for now, use these guidelines for all your essays:
- All papers must be double-spaced, in 12 point Times New Roman font.
- In the upper left hand corner, write:
| Your name, first and last |
| The class name (“English 1A”) |
| My last name (“Crook”) |
| The date the paper is due. (Note that this is not the day you are writing it, or the date you’re actually turning it in. Type the official due date from the original assignment description. You write it this way: day, month, and year. Example: 20 June 2007.) |
- Margins are 1” all the way around (top, bottom, left and right.)
- Paragraphs are indented 5 spaces from the left margin.
- Number your pages in the upper right hand corner, ½” from the paper’s edge. The page number will be preceded by your last name. You don't need to number the first page.
- Don’t forget to include a title for formal essays.
Example
The first page of Frank Zappa’s first formal paper, due on October 9th, would look like this.