Formatting

West Junior High

English 9
Formatting
EVERY essay that you turn in should follow a
few basic MLA formatting rules.
Heading
Heading
A heading is what you put at the top of your assignment
to help identify the following:
What?
Who?
When?
Every time you turn in an assignment for English class,
whether it is typed or handwritten, you will use the same
heading at the top of your paper.
Heading, cont.
A correct MLA heading lists four pieces of
information:
Your name (first and last)
Your teachers name
The class
The date (1 September 2011)

An easy way to remember the order:
You and me on a classy date.

Heading, cont.
This information (You and me on a classy date) should be
aligned to the left.
Classy
You
Me
Date
Heading, cont.
A correct MLA heading also includes your last
name and the page number in the upper
right-hand corner.
Classy
You
Me
Date
Last name [space] page number
Heading, cont.
When you type an assignment for English
class, you will double-space the entire
assignment, including the heading:
Double-
space
Heading, cont.
When you write an assignment by hand, you
will single-space the entire assignment,
including the heading.
You
Me
Date
Classy
Heading
Typed




Double-spaced
Handwritten




Single-spaced
Handwriting Tips
Write neatly
Think before you write.
Use black or blue ink
Yellow, pink, purple, and green ink can be difficult
to read.
Pencil can be erased and smudged.

Handwriting Tips
When you make a mistake, you have two
options:
1. Use a correction pen or white out.
2. Use one line to cross out your mistake and
continue your sentence.
Do not scribble or black out the mistake.