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MLA Format LibreOffice

This tutorial will show you how to do MLA Format using LibreOffice. We will perform the following settings:


I. How to Set the Font and Size:

  1. By default, LibreOffice uses font “Times New Roman” and size 12 and that’s correct so we do not need to change them.
    libreoffice-fontandsize

II. How to Set the Margins in LibreOffice:

  1. Click on Format.
  2. Click on Page.
  3. Click on the Page tab.
  4. Under Margins, set the margins for top, right, bottom, left to 1 inch (1″).
    libreoffice-margins

III. How To Create a Header in LibreOffice:

  1. Click Insert => Header => click on Default Style.
    libreoffice-headers
  2. Click on the Align Right icon.
  3. Type your Last Name => then press the Spacebar key on your computer keyboard once.
  4. Click Insert => Fields => Page Number (to insert automatic page numbering).
    libreoffice-headers2
  5. Click on your document area to begin setting up your first page information.
    libreoffice-headers3

IV. How to Setup Line Spacing to Double Spaced:

  1. Click on Format => Paragraph.
  2. Click on the Indents & Spacing tab.
  3. Under Line Spacing, click on the up/down arrows => click on Double.
  4. Click OK to apply the setting.
    libreoffice-doublespaced

V. How to Enter the First Page Information:

  1. Type your full name => press Enter.
  2. Type your professor’s name => press Enter.
  3. Type course title => press Enter.
  4. Type your paper’s due date => press Enter.
  5. Click on the Align Center icon on the formatting toolbar (to center your blinking cursor) => Type the title of your paper, capitalizing the first letter and all major words and proper nouns. Do not use italics, boldfaced type, underlining, or all caps to format your title. Do not type a period at the end of the title => press Enter.
  6. Click on the Align Left icon (to bring your blinking cursor to the left).
  7. Click on the Tab key to indent 1/2 inch to begin your first paragraph. Use the Tab key on every next new paragraphs. Your completed setting should look like this:
    libreoffice-mlafirstpage

VI. How to Setup the Works Cited Page:

Follow this how-to when you are ready to work on your Works Cited page. The Works Cited page has the following characteristics:

  • A heading “Works Cited” centered one inch below the top edge of a new page. Do not bold or underline this heading.
  • No indent on the first line of each entry. If an entry runs more than one line, indent the subsequent line or lines 1/2 inch from the left margin.
  • Alphabetize entries in your list of works cited by the author’s last name, using the letter-by-letter system.
  1. Immediately after typing the final line of your paper, click on Insert => Manual Break => click on Page Break => click OK (to begin a new page). Your header with your last name and automatic page numbering should appear at the top right of your paper.
  2. Click on the align center icon so that the text is centered.
  3. Type Works Cited (do not underline, boldface, italicize, or enclose the title in quotation marks).
  4. Press the Enter key once to begin a new line.
  5. Click on the align left icon so that the text is aligned left.
  6. The feature to setup indentation on the subsequent line/lines is called Hanging Indent. To setup hanging indent, click on Format => Paragraph => click on the Indents & Spacing tab => change the Before Text value to 0.50 => change the First Line value to 0.50 => click on OK to set the Hanging Indent.
    libreoffice-mlaworkscited
  7. Now type your sources and finish your paper.

I hope you found this tutorial helpful. Take care!

{ 16 comments… add one }
  • Robert Crawford December 26, 2022, 11:55 am

    I realize this is an older document, but is there a way to have LibreOffice manage the citations (allow me to enter the citations as I use them) and insert and organize them in the works cited section in some automated manner?

  • Daniel Monarrez April 18, 2020, 5:31 pm

    Ok would you add this to android’s because I’m guessing Microsoft has issues on windows

  • Wayne Landerholm September 25, 2019, 2:14 pm

    A similar guide for WPS Free Office Suite would be helpful. Thanks for the good work creating the visuals on your other format guides.

  • Holly January 26, 2018, 10:54 am

    It seems Default header is set to 1″ (Libreoffice 2017) MLA Format calls for 1/2″. In header settings there is only left and right margin options, not top, to potentially set to -0.50″. If I set top page margin to 1/2″ this will be reflected across all of my pages. How to get header to 1/2″ from top???

  • Tim Collins April 26, 2017, 11:58 pm

    This doesn’t explain how to setup a cover page.

  • Lizzy September 23, 2016, 9:17 am

    Thankyou soooo much , it was super helpful for me and my friends 🙂

  • Noah Portis September 14, 2016, 4:49 pm

    Thank you so much my good sir!

  • Beau August 21, 2016, 11:21 am

    Handy tip for students like me that visit this page a lot: If you’re stuck on a word in your paper, select it and right click for Synonyms.

    Praise to the LibreOffice gods.

  • Scott May 3, 2016, 4:33 am

    I have done this manually for so long. Thanks

  • Casey March 30, 2016, 12:11 am

    Thanks very much!!

  • Michael March 28, 2016, 10:16 am

    So helpful, I was able to write an colleg entry essay in an hour! Such a big help thank you so very much!

  • Elijah McNeish December 12, 2015, 11:37 pm

    “Libreoffice now uses Liberation Serif but i dont see tnr as an option.”
    If you’re on Linux, you probably have to install Times New Roman yourself. Search for “Microsoft fonts” in your distro’s package repo. MLA style doesn’t require Times New Roman, however. While it’s probably the most preferred, you’re permitted to use any font that is legible so long as bold and italic type can be distinguished easily.

  • Timotthy December 3, 2015, 10:09 pm

    Thanks

  • Eric September 25, 2015, 2:19 pm

    Thank you for the tips!!

  • Chris August 22, 2015, 1:58 am

    Libreoffice now uses Liberation Serif but i dont see tnr as an option.

  • Ricardo January 12, 2015, 3:49 am

    Thank you so much Stephen

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