How to Customize the MLA Works Cited Style in Microsoft Word
Question details
The user needs to permanently format the MLA Works Cited page (Times New Roman, 12-point font, double spacing, black text, no paragraph spacing) so that the formatting does not reset when the bibliography is updated.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Formatting an academic paper and generating a Works Cited page using the MLA citation style.
- Observed behavior
- Manual formatting changes to the Works Cited section revert to default settings whenever citations or the bibliography are updated because the MLA preset cannot be directly customized through the standard citation menu.
Ensure your document already contains inserted citations and a generated bibliography so you can immediately preview the style modifications as you apply them.
Modify the Bibliography Paragraph Style
Update the built-in paragraph style assigned to the bibliography to ensure all formatting rules apply automatically and persist through updates.
Microsoft Word does not allow you to directly edit the built-in MLA citation preset (like creating an 'MLA 2.0' style) from the standard ribbon. However, you can achieve permanent formatting by modifying the underlying paragraph style that Word uses to display the generated references.
Navigate to the 'Home' tab on the top ribbon. In the Styles group, click the small dialog box launcher arrow in the bottom-right corner to open the Styles pane.
Scroll through the Styles pane to find the style currently applied to your references (typically named 'Bibliography' or 'Works Cited'). Right-click this style and select 'Modify'.
In the Modify Style dialog box, change the font to Times New Roman, set the size to 12, and ensure the text color is set to Automatic (black).
Click the 'Format' button at the bottom-left corner of the dialog box and choose 'Paragraph'. Set the line spacing to 'Double' and ensure both 'Before' and 'After' spacing are set to 0 pt. Click 'OK'.
To make these changes permanent for future academic papers, select the 'New documents based on this template' radio button in the Modify Style dialog box before clicking 'OK'.
Format MLA Works Cited Easily with WPS Writer
WPS Writer provides powerful style management and reference tools that make formatting academic papers highly intuitive. Customize your bibliography styles once and apply them flawlessly across all your documents.
- 1. Open your academic document: Launch WPS Writer and open the DOCX file containing your academic essay.
- 2. Generate the bibliography: Navigate to the 'References' tab, insert your citations, and click 'Insert Bibliography' to generate your Works Cited page.
- 3. Modify the applied style: Select the text in your bibliography, go to the 'Home' tab, right-click the active style in the Styles menu, and choose 'Modify Style'.
- 4. Apply MLA standards: Set the font to Times New Roman 12pt, choose double spacing, remove paragraph spacing, and save the style changes to your template.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Works Cited formatting revert when I update the bibliography?
When you manually highlight text and change the font or spacing, Word treats it as direct formatting. When you update the bibliography, Word rebuilds the section and applies the default paragraph style, wiping out direct changes. Modifying the actual paragraph style prevents this.
Can I create a custom citation preset like 'MLA 2.0' in Microsoft Word?
Word does not allow you to easily create a new citation preset from the standard interface, as these require editing complex underlying XML files. The most practical workaround is saving a customized document template (.dotx) with your modified bibliography paragraph styles.
How do I remove the extra space between paragraphs in the Works Cited section?
Right-click the bibliography style in the Styles pane, click Modify, go to Format > Paragraph, and set both the 'Before' and 'After' spacing values exactly to 0 pt. Make sure to check 'Don't add space between paragraphs of the same style' if necessary.
