Ever formatted a paper at 2 a.m. and suddenly frozen on something dumb? Still, like, is the works cited page double spaced or not? Also, you'd think after years of essays it'd be automatic. It isn't.
Here's the thing — MLA formatting looks simple until you're staring at a blank Google Doc wondering if the rules changed since last semester. Now, they mostly haven't. But the works cited page trips up more people than comma splices ever did.
So let's just talk about it like a person who's been there. The short version is yes, your MLA works cited is double spaced. But the reasons, the exceptions, and the "why does my professor keep docking points" stuff? That's where it gets interesting.
What Is an MLA Works Cited Page
It's the list at the end of your paper where you tell the world where your sources came from. Not a bibliography — MLA calls it works cited because it only lists things you actually quoted or paraphrased. If you read it and didn't use it, it doesn't go there.
The page sits on its own sheet if you're printing, or its own section at the end if it's digital. Title it "Works Cited" — no italics, no bold, just centered. And yeah, that title is not counted as a heading in the body. It's just the label for the list.
How MLA Thinks About Spacing
MLA style is built on the idea that text should breathe. The works cited page is part of the paper, not some appendix with different rules. The whole paper is double spaced — every line, every paragraph, every block quote. So it gets the same treatment.
Turns out a lot of confusion comes from word processors. In real terms, that's not MLA. In real terms, microsoft Word loves to add extra space after paragraphs by default. That's just Microsoft being helpful in the worst way Small thing, real impact..
What Counts as a Source Entry
Each source is a separate entry, starting at the left margin. It looks clean. That means the first line sticks out left, and the rest tuck in. ) gets a hanging indent. Even so, if an entry runs past one line, the second line (and third, etc. It also makes scanning authors faster.
But the space between entries? Still double. The space within an entry's lines? Double. No single spacing anywhere on that page.
Why It Matters
Why does this tiny spacing rule even matter? Professors and editors use format as a signal. Because MLA is a visual language. A sloppy works cited suggests a sloppy argument — fair or not, that's how it reads.
I know it sounds simple — but it's easy to miss. One skipped double space between sources and you've silently told the reader "I didn't check." In practice, that's where half the point deductions come from. Not plagiarism. And not bad sources. Just spacing.
And here's what most people miss: the works cited page is often the only part of the paper some instructors read closely first. They scan it to see if you used real sources. Also, if it's single spaced and cramped, it looks like you're hiding something. Even so, you aren't. You just didn't know Which is the point..
How It Works
Let's get into the actual mechanics. This is the part where you stop guessing.
The Baseline Rule
Your entire works cited page is double spaced. No exceptions for short lists. Line to line, entry to entry. No "well it's only three sources" loophole. Double space it Took long enough..
Setting It Up in Word or Docs
Open the paragraph settings. Even so, " Then kill the "space after paragraph" setting — set it to zero. Set line spacing to "Double.That's the fix most guides skip. If you don't do that, you'll have double spacing plus extra air after each entry, which looks wrong and reads as triple spacing Simple, but easy to overlook..
Then apply a hanging indent. In Word: select entries, right-click, paragraph, indentation special = hanging. In Google Docs: format, align and indent, indentation options, special = hanging. Done.
What a Correct Entry Looks Like
Smith, John. The Quiet Art of Citation. Penguin, 2019.
That's a book. Now imagine three lines of that, double spaced, hanging indent on line two. Plus, notice the italics on the title. Consider this: notice the periods. That's the whole vibe Simple as that..
Alphabetical Order
Entries go by author last name. Day to day, no numbers, no grouping by type. If no author, use the title. The double spacing doesn't change just because the first entry starts with "Z" and the next with "A" — still double between them.
Digital vs Print
Same rules. Which means don't let the screen fool you into thinking "it's digital so tighter is fine. A Google Doc submitted to Canvas gets the same double spacing as a printed packet. " It isn't And that's really what it comes down to. Simple as that..
Common Mistakes
Honestly, this is the part most guides get wrong — they list the rule and stop. But the mistakes are where you actually learn.
Using single space to save paper. Some students compress the works cited to fit on one page. Bad idea. If it spills to page two, it spills. Let it. Single spacing signals you didn't read the style guide And it works..
Extra space between entries. This is the opposite error. You double space lines, but then hit enter twice between sources. Now there's a blank line. MLA doesn't want that. One double-spaced line gap, not a blank one.
Forgetting the hanging indent. Without it, every line starts at the margin and the page looks like a wall. Professors notice. It's not technically a spacing error, but it messes with the rhythm the double space is supposed to create Turns out it matters..
Mixing MLA 8 and 9 habits. The core rule — double space — hasn't changed across editions. But container titles and access dates shifted. People blame "new MLA" for spacing changes that never happened. They didn't.
Trusting the template. Word's "MLA template" is decent but not perfect. It often leaves extra space after paragraphs. Check it. Always check it.
Practical Tips
Here's what actually works when you're under deadline Small thing, real impact..
Set your styles once. Still, in Word, modify the "Normal" style to double space, zero after, hanging indent for the works cited paragraph style. Name it "WC.And " Use it every time. You'll never fix this by hand again.
Use a citation generator — but read the output. EasyBib and Zotero get spacing right if you export to plain text and paste into your styled doc. They don't catch a professor's weird preference for "no URL if DOI exists." That's on you.
Print a test page. That's why seriously. Screens lie. A printed works cited shows you exactly where the air is. If it looks cramped or gappy, you'll see it in paper form instantly.
And look — if you're doing this on a phone, stop. Format on a real screen. The mobile docs apps hide paragraph settings behind three taps and a prayer. You'll mess up the double spacing without knowing Small thing, real impact..
One more: when in doubt, double space. The worst a professor does with "too much air" is nothing. The worst they do with single space is mark it.
FAQ
Is the works cited page double spaced in MLA 9? Yes. The 9th edition kept the same rule as every edition before it — the entire page, including between entries, is double spaced Turns out it matters..
Do you double space the title "Works Cited"? The title sits on its own line, centered, and the first entry starts one double-spaced line below it. The title itself isn't "spaced" — it's just text. But everything under it is double.
What if my source runs two pages? The entry still gets double spacing within its lines and a hanging indent on the wrap. Page count of the source doesn't change your formatting Small thing, real impact..
Can I use 1.5 spacing if my professor is cool? Only if they say so. MLA says double. A relaxed teacher might accept 1.5, but that's permission, not standard. Don't assume Small thing, real impact..
Why does my Word doc look triple spaced? You've got double line spacing plus "space after paragraph." Turn off the after-paragraph space. That fixes it Turns out it matters..
Most of us learn this the hard way, with a red mark and a sigh. But once you set it up right, the MLA works cited double spaced question just disappears from your life
— and you stop dreading the final step of every paper.
The truth is, the works cited page isn't a trap. Consider this: it's a system. Practically speaking, mLA built it to be predictable so that readers can scan sources fast and writers don't have to reinvent the wheel each time. When you treat double spacing as a default rather than a decision, you free up mental space for the part that actually matters: the argument on the pages before it.
So build the style, trust your eyes on paper, and let the generator handle the grunt work. The red marks don't have to be part of the process. Get the air right once, and the only thing left to worry about is whether your thesis holds Simple, but easy to overlook..
Counterintuitive, but true.
