23 Mastering MLA Format and Essay Outlines

This chapter provides a step-by-step guide to creating an MLA format template and developing a robust essay outline. Mastering these skills will ensure your essays meet the required formatting standards and are well-structured for clear and persuasive argumentation.

Part 1: Creating an MLA Format Template

The following steps will help you create a basic MLA format template that you can use for all the essays in this course. This will ensure the fundamental elements of MLA style are consistently present in your work. The specific steps for implementing these settings may vary depending on your word processing software (Microsoft Word, Google Docs, etc.) and version, but readily available online resources can guide you through the process. If you encounter any difficulties, please contact your instructor for personalized assistance.

1. Margins: Set all margins to 1 inch.

2. Page Numbers: Insert page numbers in the upper right-hand corner of every page. Your last name should precede the page number, separated by a space (e.g., Smith 1).

3. Spacing: Enable double spacing throughout the entire document. This includes the heading, the essay text, and the Works Cited page—everything should be double-spaced.

4. Heading: Create a heading in the upper left-hand corner of the first page of your essay (not within the header section). The heading should include the following information, each on a separate line:

   • Your Name
   • Instructor’s Name
   • Course Name
   • Date (Day Month Year format, e.g., 9 October 2023)

Part 2: Developing an Essay Outline

A well-structured outline is essential for organizing your thoughts and ensuring a logical flow in your essay. This section guides you through creating an effective outline.

Outline Structure:

Your outline should follow this basic structure:

• Introduction
  • Thesis: [Enter a working thesis statement here. This will be the last sentence of your introductory paragraph.]
• Body
  • Subtopic 1: [Write your subtopic as a complete sentence that makes a claim related to your thesis. This may become your topic sentence.]
    • Evidence: [Quote or paraphrase from a source with MLA in-text citation.]
    • Evidence: [Quote or paraphrase from a source with MLA in-text citation.]
  • Subtopic 2: [Write your subtopic as a complete sentence that makes a claim related to your thesis. This may become your topic sentence.]
    • Evidence: [Quote or paraphrase from a source with MLA in-text citation.]
    • Evidence: [Quote or paraphrase from a source with MLA in-text citation.]
  • Subtopic 3: [Write your subtopic as a complete sentence that makes a claim related to your thesis. This may become your topic sentence.]
    • Evidence: [Quote or paraphrase from a source with MLA in-text citation.]
    • Evidence: [Quote or paraphrase from a source with MLA in-text citation.]
• Conclusion
  • Notes: [Explain how the subtopics presented prove your thesis.]

Guidance on Outline Components:

• Thesis: Your thesis statement should be the central argument of your essay. While you will have a full activity dedicated to thesis statements later, include a working thesis in your outline now.
• Subtopics: Subtopics should be key aspects of your argument, presented in a logical order. Think about what a reader needs to know to be persuaded by your thesis. While the outline uses numbers, these represent sections, not necessarily individual paragraphs. Each subtopic may require several paragraphs to fully develop.
• Evidence: Include at least two pieces of evidence (quotes or paraphrases) for each subtopic, along with proper MLA in-text citations. Ensure that all three of your library sources are represented in your outline.
• Conclusion Notes: Your conclusion should synthesize your main points and explain how they collectively support your thesis. It’s more than just a summary; it’s where you demonstrate the significance of your argument. You don’t need to write the entire conclusion now, but include notes about how you plan to connect your subtopics and prove your thesis.

Part 3: Mastering In-Text Citations

Accurate in-text citations are crucial for giving credit to your sources and avoiding plagiarism. Review the following guidelines:

• In-text citations typically include the first word that appears in the corresponding entry on your Works Cited page (usually the author’s last name or, if no author is listed, the first word of the title).
• Page numbers are included in parentheses after the quote or paraphrase (e.g., (Smith 123)). MLA format does not use the year in in-text citations.
• If the author’s name is mentioned in the sentence, only the page number is needed in the parentheses (e.g., Smith argues that… (123)).
• Place the closing quotation mark before the parenthetical citation, and the sentence’s end punctuation (period or comma) after the citation.

Part 4: Creating a Works Cited Page

A properly formatted Works Cited page is essential for documenting your sources. Follow these steps:

1. The Works Cited page begins at the top of the last page of your essay (it is not a separate document).

2. Center the title “Works Cited” at the top of the page. Do not bold, italicize, underline, or use quotation marks around the title.

3. List your sources alphabetically.

4. Use a hanging indent for each entry. The first line of each citation should be at the left margin, and subsequent lines should be indented. Use your word processor’s formatting tools to create hanging indents.

Revised Reading Questions:

1. Remembering: What are the four components of the MLA heading, and in what order should they appear?
2. Understanding: Explain how an in-text citation connects the reader to the corresponding entry on the Works Cited page.
3. Application: How would you format an in-text citation if you mention the author’s name within the sentence itself? Provide an example.
4. Analysis: Why does the chapter emphasize that subtopics in an essay outline should be presented as complete sentences that make claims related to the thesis?
5. Synthesis: Compare the relationship between the purpose of the thesis statement (as presented in the introduction) and the purpose of the conclusion (as described in the outline notes section). How do these two components work together to frame and complete an essay’s argument?
6. Evaluation: Based on the information in the chapter, what conclusions can you draw about the importance of both MLA formatting and a well-structured essay outline in academic writing?