This is the MLA 9th edition research paper outline template used for humanities papers in English, history, philosophy, cultural studies, and modern languages. Unlike IMRaD science outlines, the MLA outline is thesis-first and argument-driven — your thesis appears at the top, and each major section is an argumentative move that supports it with textual or archival evidence. Word counts are calibrated to a 2500-word undergraduate essay. For the reasoning behind argument-driven outlining, read the companion research paper outline guide. For citation formatting, see the MLA citation style guide. The template is free.
PaperDraft is a writing assistant, not a paper generator — the template is free. The draft is your starting point, not your submission. You are responsible for editing, verifying sources, and following your school's academic integrity policy.
What this template includes
- A thesis-first outline sized for a 2500-word MLA humanities paper (scalable to 1500 or 5000 words).
- Four argumentative-move blocks with nested evidence and interlocutor sub-points.
- Bracketed placeholders for your thesis, primary text, scholarly sources, and counterargument.
- MLA parenthetical citation stubs — (Author page) — under each evidence bullet.
- A dedicated counterargument-and-response block between moves three and four.
- Word-count ranges for each section so you can budget before drafting.
- Works Cited reminder at the end, formatted per MLA 9.
MLA Research Paper Outline — copy the structure
I. Introduction (approx. 300 words)
- A. Hook — [opening image, quotation, or question that frames your inquiry]
- B. Context — [the text, period, or cultural moment your paper engages with, 2–3 sentences]
- C. Scholarly conversation — [one sentence naming the existing critical view you respond to; cite ([Author] [page])]
- D. Thesis statement (1 sentence) — [your argument, stated as a single declarative claim that a reasonable reader could disagree with]
- E. Roadmap — [the three to four moves your argument will make, in order]
II. Move 1: [name your first argumentative move] (approx. 500 words)
- A. Claim — [the specific sub-argument this move advances]
- B. Evidence from primary text
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- Passage or quotation — "[quoted text]" ([Author] [page])
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- Analysis — [how this passage supports the claim, 3–5 sentences]
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- C. Scholarly interlocutor — [which critic's reading you draw on or push against; ([Critic] [page])]
- D. Transition sentence to Move 2 — [the logical link]
III. Move 2: [name your second argumentative move] (approx. 500 words)
- A. Claim — [sub-argument]
- B. Evidence from primary text
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- Passage or quotation — "[quoted text]" ([Author] [page])
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- Analysis — [close reading, 3–5 sentences]
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- C. Additional evidence (optional) — [second passage or contextual source]
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- Passage — "[quoted text]" ([Author] [page])
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- D. Scholarly interlocutor — ([Critic] [page])
- E. Transition to Move 3
IV. Move 3: [name your third argumentative move] (approx. 500 words)
- A. Claim — [sub-argument, often the most complex move]
- B. Evidence from primary text
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- Passage — "[quoted text]" ([Author] [page])
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- Analysis — [close reading]
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- C. Contextual or archival evidence — [historical document, letter, contemporaneous review]
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- Source — ([Author] [page])
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- What it contributes — [one sentence]
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- D. Scholarly interlocutor — ([Critic] [page])
- E. Transition to counterargument
V. Counterargument and response (approx. 350 words)
- A. Strongest opposing view — [the reading a sophisticated critic might advance against your thesis; cite ([Critic] [page])]
- B. Why it is plausible — [2 sentences; steelman the objection]
- C. Your response — [where the objection falls short; cite additional evidence as needed]
- D. What survives from the objection — [honest acknowledgment of partial concession, if any]
VI. Move 4: [name your final argumentative move, often the paper's highest-stakes claim] (approx. 500 words)
- A. Claim — [the move that earns the paper's conclusion]
- B. Evidence synthesis — [pulling together threads from Moves 1–3]
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- Key passage — "[quoted text]" ([Author] [page])
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- Analysis — [why this is the pay-off of the argument]
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- C. Scholarly placement — [how your reading positions itself within the critical conversation]
- D. Transition to conclusion
VII. Conclusion (approx. 350 words)
- A. Restate the thesis in fresh language — [not a copy of I.D]
- B. Summarize the argument's contribution — [what your reading adds to the scholarly conversation]
- C. Broader implications — [what this reading opens up for the field, the text, or the period]
- D. Closing image or reflection — [memorable final sentence; no new argument introduced]
VIII. Works Cited — MLA 9 alphabetical, hanging indent, container-based format.
How to use this template
1. Copy the outline into your document
Paste the full template into a new Word or Google Doc. Keep the bold Roman numerals and bracketed placeholders visible — they mark your fill-in points. MLA papers use 12-point Times New Roman, double-spaced, one-inch margins throughout.
2. Write your thesis at the top first
MLA papers are argument-driven, and the argument must come before anything else. Fill in I.D before you touch any other block. A thesis that cannot be written in one sentence signals more reading or more thinking is needed.
3. Replace each bracketed placeholder
Work through each move. For every evidence bullet, paste the actual quoted passage and the MLA parenthetical citation. Name your scholarly interlocutor by critic and page number — vague "scholars argue" sub-points are warning signs.
4. Check that every move advances the argument
Read the outline top to bottom. Each major move should contribute something the thesis could not assert without it. A move that summarizes the text without making a claim is a move that belongs in your notes, not your paper.
5. Adjust length for your assignment
The template sits at 2500 words with four moves plus counterargument. For shorter essays, compress to three moves and fold the counterargument into Move 3. For longer seminar papers, add a fifth or sixth move and deepen the counterargument block.
6. Draft from the outline in argument order
Humanities papers draft in order: introduction, Move 1, Move 2, Move 3, counterargument, Move 4, conclusion. The linearity matters because each move sets up the next. See the MLA citation style guide for in-text and Works Cited formatting as you draft.
7. Verify every quotation and citation
Before submission, open each primary and secondary source and confirm the exact quotation wording, punctuation, and page number. MLA citation errors are the most common integrity issue in humanities grading — the template stubs them; you verify them.
Section-by-section guide
Introduction
The MLA introduction orients the reader to the text and the critical conversation, then states the thesis explicitly. Unlike IMRaD introductions, it does not preview methodology — the method in humanities is close reading, and it is demonstrated rather than named.
Argumentative moves (II–IV, VI)
Each move advances a sub-argument with textual evidence, close reading, and engagement with at least one scholarly interlocutor. The moves should build — Move 3 should not be substitutable for Move 1.
Counterargument and response
The counterargument block is where strong humanities writing lives. You state the best opposing view, steelman it, and then show what your reading handles that it does not. Weak papers either skip this or caricature the opposition.
Conclusion
The MLA conclusion restates the thesis in fresh language, names the contribution to the critical conversation, and points to broader implications. It should feel earned — the reader should finish understanding what changed by reading your paper.
Works Cited
MLA 9 uses the container system for Works Cited. Every source cited in text must appear, alphabetized by author surname, with hanging indent.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Outlining without stating a thesis. An outline without a thesis is a reading-response, not an argument. Force the thesis into one sentence before filling any move.
- Summary masquerading as analysis. If a move recounts plot or paraphrases the text without making a claim about it, it is summary. Add an interpretive sentence to each evidence bullet.
- Ignoring the counterargument. Papers without engagement with opposing views read as one-sided. The counterargument block is where your reading earns credibility.
- Dropping quotations without citation stubs. Every quoted passage needs (Author page) at outline stage — hunting for page numbers in drafting wastes hours.
- Treating the template as a substitute for close reading. The structure is a container; the interpretation must be yours. See the academic responsibility guide for the full frame.
Frequently asked questions
Does using an MLA outline template count as plagiarism?
No. An outline structure is not authored content — thesis-first argumentative organization is a humanities convention, not anyone's intellectual property. What must be yours is the thesis, the passage selection, the close reading, and the engagement with scholarly interlocutors. Submitting another student's filled-in outline would be plagiarism; using a blank structural template is not.
How is MLA outlining different from APA outlining?
MLA outlines are argument-driven: thesis at the top, followed by three to five argumentative moves. APA outlines are IMRaD-driven: Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion. Humanities papers almost never have a methods or results section in the empirical sense.
How long should quotations in my outline be?
Short — a single sentence or a key phrase per evidence bullet. Longer block quotes slow the outline down. Save full-length quotations for drafting, where they will be set off per MLA formatting (four lines or more).
Do I need to disclose using an outline template?
No. Structural templates are writing conventions, not authored content, and require no disclosure. If you use an AI tool to draft the content that fills the template, different rules apply; see the AI disclosure guide for academic papers.
Can I use this template for a comparative essay?
Yes, with one adjustment: rework Moves 1–3 so that each move makes a claim about both texts in parallel, rather than treating one text in Move 1 and the other in Move 2. Text-by-text structure usually produces two short essays side by side rather than one comparative argument.
Should my outline include the Works Cited page?
Yes — at least the author-page stubs. Keeping a running list of sources at the bottom of the outline saves hours in drafting and prevents citation loss between outline and draft.