You Just Finished Your Paper, But the Title Looks Wrong
You’ve spent hours researching and writing your paper. The arguments are solid, the citations are in place, and you’re ready to submit. Then you glance at the top of the page. A wave of doubt hits. Is your title formatted correctly? Should it be in quotes? Is it bolded? Is the capitalization right?
This moment of uncertainty is incredibly common. The Modern Language Association (MLA) format has specific, sometimes subtle, rules for titles that differ from how we write them in everyday documents. Getting it wrong can make your otherwise excellent work look unpolished before your professor or reader even starts the first paragraph.
This guide cuts through the confusion. We’ll walk through the exact rules for formatting your paper’s title, the titles of sources within your paper, and how to handle every tricky situation in between. By the end, you’ll be able to format any title with confidence.
Understanding the Core MLA Title Principle
Before diving into the mechanics, it’s crucial to understand the “why” behind MLA’s title rules. MLA style, used primarily in the humanities, prioritizes clarity and consistency. Its title conventions are designed to create a uniform, professional appearance and to clearly distinguish between different types of works—your original paper, a book you cited, a journal article, a website.
The system uses a combination of capitalization style and typographical treatment (like italics or quotation marks) to signal this information instantly to the reader. Mastering these signals is a key part of scholarly communication.
The Two Title Worlds in MLA
In MLA, you are essentially dealing with two categories of titles, each with its own rules.
– The Title of Your Own Paper: This is the original title you create for your essay, research paper, or report. It appears on your first page.
– Titles of Sources You Cite: These are the titles of the books, articles, poems, websites, and other works you reference within your paper and in your Works Cited list.
Mixing up the rules for these two categories is the most frequent mistake. Let’s clarify each one.
Formatting the Title of Your MLA Paper
This is the title you invent. The rules here are straightforward and apply to the title that sits on your first page, above your introductory paragraph.
Placement and Basic Formatting
Your paper’s title belongs on the first page, not on a separate title page (unless specifically requested by your instructor). It should be centered on the line. Use the same readable font as the rest of your paper, like Times New Roman 12pt. Do not use any of the following:
– Do not put the title in boldface.
– Do not underline the title.
– Do not put the title in a larger font size.
– Do not put the title in quotation marks.
– Do not italicize your own title.
It should appear in standard title case, which we will define next.
MLA Title Case: The Capitalization Rules
MLA uses standard title case capitalization for your paper’s title. This means you capitalize the first word, the last word, and all principal words. The trick is knowing what counts as a “principal word.” Here is the simple breakdown:
– Capitalize: Nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and subordinating conjunctions (e.g., although, because, since, unless).
– Do NOT Capitalize: Articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, for, nor, so, yet), and prepositions (regardless of length, e.g., of, in, to, for, with, between, through), when they are in the middle of the title.
Let’s look at correct and incorrect examples.
Incorrect: An Analysis Of Symbolism In The Great Gatsby
Correct: An Analysis of Symbolism in The Great Gatsby
In the incorrect version, the preposition “Of” and the article “The” are incorrectly capitalized. In the correct version, only the principal words and the first word are capitalized. Note that “The” in “The Great Gatsby” is capitalized because it is part of the book’s actual title, which we will treat differently later.
Another example:
Incorrect: Love And Death In Italian Sonnets: A Comparative Study
Correct: Love and Death in Italian Sonnets: A Comparative Study
Here, the coordinating conjunction “and” and the preposition “in” are not capitalized.
Formatting Titles of Sources Within Your Paper
This is where the rules change. When you mention a book, article, or other source in the body of your text, you must format its title properly to indicate what kind of work it is. The rule of thumb is based on the source’s “container.”
The Big Rule: Italics vs. Quotation Marks
– Use Italics for titles of full-length, standalone works. These are works that are published or could stand on their own.
– Use Quotation Marks for titles of shorter works or works that are part of a larger whole.
Italicize the titles of:
– Books (The Catcher in the Rye)
– Plays (Hamlet)
– Long poems published as books (The Odyssey)
– Journals, Magazines, and Newspapers (The New York Times)
– Websites as a whole (YouTube)
– Films and Television Series (Inception)
– Music Albums (Abbey Road)
– Paintings and Sculptures (Mona Lisa)
Put in quotation marks the titles of:
– Articles from journals, magazines, or newspapers (“The Effects of Climate Change on Coastal Cities”)
– Essays from a collection (“A Modest Proposal”)
– Short stories (“The Tell-Tale Heart”)
– Short poems (“The Road Not Taken”)
– Chapters of a book (“Chapter 3: The Industrial Revolution”)
– Episodes of a TV series (“The One Where Everybody Finds Out”)
– Songs (“Blinding Lights”)
– Web pages or specific posts on a site (“MLA Formatting and Style Guide” from the Purdue OWL)
Capitalization for Source Titles
When writing the title of a source, you generally reproduce the capitalization exactly as it appears on the source itself. This is called “copy capitalization.” Modern sources often use standard title case, but many use sentence case (only the first word and proper nouns capitalized), especially for online articles.
If you are citing an article titled “why sleep matters for memory,” you would write it as “why sleep matters for memory” in quotation marks, not “Why Sleep Matters for Memory.” Always look at the original.
Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Your Paper’s Title
Let’s apply everything with a practical, step-by-step process for creating your title page.
Step 1: Write Your Draft Title
Don’t worry about formatting yet. Just write the descriptive, engaging title you want for your paper. For example: “Exploring the role of nature in the poetry of William Wordsworth.”
Step 2: Apply MLA Title Case
Go through your draft title and apply the capitalization rules.
– Capitalize the first and last word: “Exploring…Wordsworth.”
– Identify and capitalize all principal words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.): “Role,” “Nature,” “Poetry,” “William,” “Wordsworth.”
– Do not capitalize articles, coordinating conjunctions, or prepositions in the middle: “the,” “of,” “in,” “of.”
Result: “Exploring the Role of Nature in the Poetry of William Wordsworth”
Step 3: Format on the Page
On the first page of your document, ensure your formatting is correct.
– Move to the first line.
– Center-align the text.
– Type your formatted title.
– Make sure the font and size match the body (e.g., Times New Roman, 12 pt).
– Press Enter, then left-align your text for the first paragraph.
– Begin your paper immediately after the title. Do not add extra blank lines.
Handling Complex and Tricky Title Situations
Real-world sources often have titles that include other titles or punctuation. Here’s how to manage them.
Titles Within Titles
What if you need to mention a short story within the title of your paper about it? The general rule is to use the opposite formatting for the nested title.
– If your paper title includes a title that is usually in quotation marks, use italics for it instead.
– If your paper title includes a title that is usually in italics, keep it in italics.
Example Paper Title: Irony and Satire in “A Modest Proposal”
Since “A Modest Proposal” (an essay) would normally be in quotes, you italicize it when it appears within your own paper’s title, which is not formatted with quotes or italics.
Example Paper Title: The American Dream in The Great Gatsby
Since *The Great Gatsby* (a novel) is always italicized, it remains italicized within your paper’s title.
Titles with Punctuation
If a source title ends with a question mark or exclamation point, include that punctuation inside the quotation marks or as part of the italics. It becomes part of the title. You do not need to add an extra period after it.
Example: His article “Who Is to Blame?” sparked debate.
Do not add a comma after the question mark unless the sentence structure demands it.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Even with the rules in hand, certain errors persist. Let’s troubleshoot.
Mistake 1: Formatting Your Own Title Like a Source
Never put your own essay title in quotes or italics. This is the top giveaway of uncertainty. Your title stands alone, centered, in plain text.
Mistake 2: Inconsistent Capitalization
Switching between title case and sentence case in your Works Cited list or in-text citations looks sloppy. For your own paper’s title, always use MLA title case. For source titles, always copy the capitalization from the source.
Mistake 3: Forgetting the “Container” Rule
Remember the italics/quotes distinction is about the work’s nature, not its length. A very long journal article is still part of a journal, so it goes in quotes. A very short book of poetry is still a standalone book, so it is italicized.
Mistake 4: Incorrectly Formatting Website Titles
This is a major point of confusion. The name of the overall website (e.g., *BBC News*, *Twitter*) is italicized. A specific article, page, or post on that website (e.g., “New Policy Announced for Student Visas”) is placed in quotation marks.
Your Actionable Checklist for Perfect MLA Titles
Before you submit any paper, run through this final checklist.
– My paper’s title is centered on the first page, in the same font as the body.
– My paper’s title is not bolded, underlined, italicized, or in quotes.
– I have used MLA title case for my paper’s title (first/last/principal words capped).
– All source titles in my paper’s body are formatted correctly: italics for full works, quotes for parts of works.
– I have copied the capitalization of source titles directly from the original publication.
– Titles within titles have been handled with the opposite-formatting rule.
– Punctuation that is part of a source title is included inside the quotes or italics.
– My Works Cited page follows the same title formatting rules consistently.
Mastering the Detail That Frames Your Work
Formatting a title in MLA style might seem like a minor technical detail, but it serves a critical purpose. It frames your work within the established conventions of academic writing, signaling your attention to detail and respect for the scholarly conversation. A correctly formatted title creates an immediate impression of competence, allowing your ideas to take center stage without distraction.
The rules, once broken down, are logical and consistent. Use this guide as a reference, apply the step-by-step process, and rely on the final checklist. With this knowledge, you can turn that moment of doubt at the top of the page into one of confidence, knowing your paper is polished and professional from the very first word.
