MLA Quiz: Check Your Formatting and Citation Skills
Quick, free MLA format quiz with instant results and tips.
This MLA quiz helps you practice in-text citations, page layout, headings, and Works Cited so you can catch issues before you turn in a paper. Get instant results with brief tips on each question, and build confidence for real assignments. For targeted practice, try the Beowulf MLA citation quiz or the MLA letter format quiz.
Study Outcomes
- Apply MLA In-Text Citation Rules -
Demonstrate correct use of parenthetical and narrative citations by matching authors and page numbers to quoted or paraphrased material.
- Format a Works Cited Entry -
Create properly ordered and punctuated Works Cited entries for books, articles, and online sources according to MLA guidelines.
- Identify Common MLA Formatting Errors -
Spot and correct mistakes in margins, headings, title placement, and font style to ensure compliance with MLA style quiz standards.
- Differentiate Source Types -
Distinguish between formatting requirements for various sources - such as journals, websites, and multimedia - to apply accurate citation conventions.
- Evaluate Citation Accuracy -
Assess sample citations to determine if they adhere to MLA format, boosting your confidence and precision when completing a mla quiz.
Cheat Sheet
- Author-Page In-Text Citations -
MLA's author-page method requires the author's last name and page number in parentheses, e.g., (Smith 45). This concise format, outlined in the MLA Handbook and Purdue OWL, keeps your prose smooth and verifiable. Use the "A - P" mnemonic (Author - Page) to lock in this rule before your next mla quiz.
- Structuring the Works Cited Page -
Begin your Works Cited list on a new page titled "Works Cited," double-spaced, with hanging indents of 0.5" (MLA Handbook 9th ed.). Alphabetize entries by authors' last names and use a consistent format: Author. "Title." Container, Publisher, Year. A quick tip: think "A - T - C - P - Y" (Author, Title, Container, Publisher, Year).
- Italics vs. Quotation Marks for Titles -
Italicize standalone works like books and films (e.g., To Kill a Mockingbird) and use quotation marks for shorter pieces like articles or poems (e.g., "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"). Purdue OWL's guidelines emphasize clarity: Big works get italics, small works get quotes. Remember "Big Italics, Small Quotes" for quiz success.
- Citing Multiple Authors and Containers -
For two authors, list both names (Smith and Jones 78); for three or more, use Smith et al. 102 (MLA Handbook). When a source is part of a larger container (like a chapter in an anthology), include both titles: "Chapter Title." Anthology Title, edited by Editor Name, Publisher, Year, pp. 50 - 65. This layered approach is often tested on an mla format quiz.
- Handling Digital and Web Sources -
Include author, webpage title in quotes, website name in italics, publisher (if available), publication date, URL, and access date if no publication date exists. For example: Doe, Jane. "MLA Tips." WritingCenter.org, 12 Mar. 2021, www.writingcenter.org/mla-tips. Follow MLA guidelines to ensure your digital citations are as precise as print sources.