The MLA Handbook is currently in its 9th edition, published in 2021. This quick guide to MLA style explains the latest guidelines for citing sources and formatting papers according to MLA.

MLA Eighth Edition: What’s New and Different. In April 2016, MLA replaced its seventh edition resources with a new eighth edition. This updated version reflects the ways in which digital publication has changed how writers and researchers document sources.

The MLA Style Center New to the ninth edition are hundreds of additional example citations and visuals; expanded guidance on formatting papers, citing sources, quoting and paraphrasing, and avoiding plagiarism; and entirely new sections on inclusive language, annotated bibliographies, and notes.

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MLA Handbook grew out of the initial MLA Style Sheet of 1951 (revised in 1970), a 28-page “more or less official” standard. The first five editions, published between 1977 and 1999 were titled MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations….Editions.

The Modern Language Association (MLA) updated its style manual in April 2021. This 9th edition focuses on clarification, guidance, and expansion on MLA 8, an edition that featured extensive changes.

“When comparing works cited entries in the new eighth edition with the former seventh edition, see that differences in citation style are minimal; punctuation is streamlined, volume and issue numbers are identified as such, and there is no excess information such as city of publication or media type.”

The MLA 9 Handbook contains significantly more content than its predecessor, the eighth edition, which was released in April 2016. MLA 8 has 146 pages, whereas MLA 9 has 367. The increased length is explained by the following added chapters: A chapter on formatting an MLA style paper.

The biggest difference between MLA 8 and the previous versions is in the methods used to create the Works Cited page. You’ll be glad to know this has become a great deal less pedantic. The reason they’ve changed so dramatically is to bring themselves inline with modern research techniques and technology.

MLA 9 confirms that various spellings are acceptable but must be used consistently, except in quotations from another text. It also provides guidance on using plurals correctly.

The equivalent resource for the older MLA 8 can be found here. The Modern Language Association (MLA) updated its style manual in April 2021. MLA 9, however, provides more guidance and focus for those seeking it after the last update, especially warranted with emerging sources, digital and otherwise.

Here is another informative site which may help with further understanding of MLA citation format. Use white 8 ½ x 11” paper. Make 1 inch margins on the top, bottom, and sides. The first word in every paragraph should be indented one half inch. Indent set-off or block quotations one half inch from the left margin.

In April 2016, MLA replaced its seventh edition resources with a new eighth edition. This updated version reflects the ways in which digital publication has changed how writers and researchers document sources. Therefore, the new edition includes significant shifts in the approach to source documentation in academic writing.

When it comes to references, MLA bibliography format requires months longer than four letters to be abbreviated. Example: July = July; November = Nov. Other abbreviations that are perfectly acceptable to use in a bibliography (not the body of a project) include: p. or pp. for page and page numbers; ch. for chapter; ed. for edition

Most research papers use a standard MLA format heading, like the one seen above. If your instructor requires you to create a standalone title page, ask him or her for specifications. MLA does not have specific instructions for developing an MLA title page.