MLA stands for the Modern Language Association , a professional organization focused on the study and teaching of language and literature
. The term "MLA" is most commonly associated with the MLA format, a widely used style guide for writing and citing sources in academic papers, especially in humanities disciplines such as English, literature, and cultural studies
. The MLA style provides standardized guidelines for formatting manuscripts, crediting sources, and organizing research papers to ensure clarity, consistency, and academic integrity
