Examples of mla essays

MLA Sample Argumentative Papers (Note: these sample papers are in MLA 7th ed. format). For sample papers in MLA 8th ed., please ask a librarian or check the Documenting Sources in MLA Style: 2016 Update: A Bedford/St. Martin's Supplement pp. 30-41, at Skyline College Library's Ready Reference shelf.

Please note that the papers were lightly edited and that missing bibliographic information, such as page numbers, was supplied or invented for illustrative purposes. The 2019 judges were Jessica Edwards, University of Delaware; Deb Holdstein, Columbia College, Chicago; and Liana Silva, César E. Chavez High School, Houston, Texas.

The sample papers were written by MLA staff members who are experienced college teachers. You may find that the writing and documentation seem polished. Because the sample papers serve as models, we aimed to make them free of errors in grammar and documentation.

The following essays, which won the 2019 MLA Student Paper Contest, provide models for organizing an argument and working with sources. They also demonstrate MLA documentation style and paper formatting.