Format of MLA term paper ensures that the students are referencing the sources they have consulted by parenthetical citation in their essays as well as in their work cited pages using a particular system. The main aim of this template is to teach the students to write systematically if writing in the English language. The students should be very careful in following the guidelines laid down by this template while structuring their papers.
Along with the other styles of writing the purpose of this style of writing is to protect the students from plagiarism. Using this structure of referencing would add credibility to their work. The best way of gathering information about how to write a research assignment using this structure of writing is to consult the latest edition of handbooks meant for writers of research papers who are using this style of writing. Useful handbooks that guide students to write using this style of referencing are available in all the good libraries and writing labs. You can also go to a bookstore and buy a personal copy for yourself so that you are able to consult it always. There are websites dedicated to this style of referencing, so you can easily avail information from there too.
While structuring an assignment using this style, your essay should be computer typed and then printed on a page of 8.5 x 11 inches size. There should be a 1-inch margin on all sides of the page. Always do double spacing of your written text. Use fonts like Courier or Times New Roman while typing. After periods or other punctuation marks leave just one space if not advised otherwise by your tutor.
While writing the first line of each paragraph, indent it by pressing the tab once or by leaving five spaces. This ensures that each paragraph leaves a half-inch before it begins. All the pages should be numbered and the page number should be written on the upper right hand corner of each page. You might be asked to omit the page number on the first page by your tutor. Follow his instructions.
If you want to provide extreme emphasis to a point in your essay then you can either write it in italics or you can underline it. Include the endnotes if any, just before the works cited page.
If your tutor has not asked you then do not make a title page of your assignment. Instead write your name, the name of your tutor, the name of your course and the date of submission on the upper left hand corner of the first page. Do double spacing in writing this part as well. The title of your essay should also be double spaced and written on the center of the page. It should appear after all the information that you have written about yourself and your course. The title should not be underlined or put in quotation marks. Do not write the entire letters of the title in capital.
This is the basic Format of MLA term paper, you can ask your tutor and consult stylebooks for further guidance.