how to title an essay in mla format

how to title an essay in mla format

In MLA format, the title of your essay should be centered and placed at the top of the first page. Here’s how to format the title of your 1000-word essay in MLA style:

1. Center the Title:

• The title should be centered on the first page of your essay.

2. Use Title Case:

• Capitalize the first letter of each major word in the title. This includes nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, and adverbs.
• Do not capitalize articles (a, an, the), prepositions (in, on, of, with), and conjunctions (and, but, for, nor, or) unless they are the first word of the title.

3. Avoid Italics or Quotation Marks:

• Do not use italics or quotation marks for the title unless it includes the title of another work (e.g., a book, film, or song). In such cases, you should italicize or use quotation marks for the embedded title.

4. No Underlining:

• Do not underline the title.

5. Do Not Add Extra Formatting:

• Avoid adding extra formatting, such as bold or large font sizes, to the title. Keep it in the same font and size as the rest of the essay.

6. Placement:

• Place the title at the top of the first page, before the body of the essay.
• Do not use a separate title page in MLA format unless explicitly instructed by your instructor.

Here’s an example of how to format the title of your 1000-word essay in MLA style:

Remember to replace “Title of Your Essay” with your actual essay title. The title should provide a clear and concise indication of the essay’s topic or main theme.