MLA page numbers

Formatting a running head

A running head should appear ½ inch from the top and 1 inch from the right side of each page of your essay. A running head in MLA should follow the last name page number format, listing your last name followed by the number of the page.

Structure:

Your Last Name page #

Examples:

Kleinman 1

Smith 5

Key Points

• In MLA, number the pages using Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.). Do not use a comma or “p.” in the running head.
• If you are including a title/cover page for your paper (refer to your instructor’s guidelines), do not put the running head on your cover page. The running head will begin on the first page of your essay.
• You must include the running head on the Works Cited page.
• You must include the running head on the Works Consulted page (if applicable – always ask your instructor before including a Works Consulted page).

Formatting page numbers

Use page numbers in your in-text citations whenever possible to make finding the sources of your information easier for the reader. In-text citations follow the last name page number format, enclosed in parentheses.

Structure:

(Author Last Name page #)

Examples:

(Hemingway 14)

(Briggs 129)

Key Points:

• Omit the first repeating digit in page numbers (eg: 263-67, not 263-267 or 263-7).
• Do not use “p.” or “pp.” in the in-text citations.
• All sources included in an in-text citation must have a full citation on the Works Cited page at the end of the research paper.
• If you are citing a source without page numbers, MLA suggests referring to paragraph numbers if applicable, but never assign page numbers or make up your own page number system.

In your Works Cited page, include an MLA citation page number whenever possible for each source. This is especially important for situations like citing a journal article in MLA, or other sources that are part of a larger work, so that your audience can easily locate the particular source you are citing. Page numbers on a Works Cited page should look like this:

Examples:

p. 119

pp. 63-72

Key points

• As with in-text citations, omit the first digit in repeating page numbers (eg: 263-67, not 263-267 or 263-7).
• Use the abbreviation p. to cite a single page and pp. to cite multiple pages.
• If you are citing a source without page numbers, MLA suggests referring to paragraph numbers if applicable, but never assign page numbers or make up your own page number system.