Editorial Policy

This Editorial Policy explains how MLAHeading.net develops, reviews, updates, and maintains the content you see on this site. It is meant for users, educators, contributors, and anyone interested in our quality, transparency, and standards.

Last updated: October 1, 2025

1. Purpose and Scope

This policy covers all types of content published on MLAHeading.net: guides, tutorials, sample citations, templates, blog posts, and downloadable resources. It complements (but does not replace) our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy by focusing specifically on editorial integrity, fact accuracy, and content governance.

2. Editorial Team & Contributor Vetting

  • Contributors (writers, reviewers, editors) must demonstrate proficiency in academic writing and citation standards (especially MLA 8/9).

  • All applicants submit writing samples and citation exercises, which are reviewed for correctness, clarity, and originality.

  • New contributors undergo a probation period during which their work is supervised and assessed by senior editors.

  • The editorial team includes subject-matter experts (e.g., instructors, librarians, academic editors) who review content for accuracy and consistency.

3. Content Creation & Review Process

  1. Topic assignment / proposal: potential content ideas go through approval, checking for relevance, user need, and duplication.

  2. Research: contributors consult authoritative sources (MLA Style Center, peer-reviewed journals, library guides, university writing centers).

  3. Drafting: content is written with clarity, proper structure (introduction, main sections, examples, conclusion).

  4. Internal review: a senior editor reviews for factual accuracy, proper MLA rules, grammar, style, consistency, and readability.

  5. Citation & source validation: all examples are verified; all external claims properly cited.

  6. Plagiarism check: each piece is scanned by plagiarism detection tools; similarity thresholds are low (e.g., ≤ 5 %) to ensure originality.

  7. Final editing & formatting: polish language, check headings, schema markup, internal links, meta tags.

  8. Publication: content goes live. A “last updated” date is displayed at top.

  9. Periodic Review: content is reviewed on a schedule (see section 6).

4. Source Policy & Fact‑Checking

  • We prefer primary and secondary authoritative sources (MLA Style Center, university writing labs, style manuals).

  • We avoid overreliance on tertiary aggregators (wikis, general blogs) except as background.

  • Data, statistics, dates, or historical claims must cite original source and publication year.

  • When citing quotes or examples from literary works, we indicate edition, translator (if any), and page numbers.

  • Where style rules change over time (e.g. MLA 8 → MLA 9), we note transitions and differences clearly.

5. Corrections, Updates & Revision Policy

  • Any factual error reported by users or discovered internally will be corrected within 48 hours, with a note appended: “Correction: [short description], updated on [date].”

  • For broader guidelines or style changes (e.g. new MLA updates), articles are audited annually.

  • “Last updated” timestamp appears at the top of every guide/article.

  • Major changes (restructuring, rewriting) are documented in a changelog or footnote.

6. Content Review Schedule

Type of Content Review Frequency
Core guides & tutorials Every 12 months
Examples, templates Every 12 months
Blog posts & news updates Every 6 months

During review we:

  • Update broken links

  • Verify citations

  • Adjust to new MLA rules

  • Incorporate community feedback

7. Plagiarism & AI Usage

  • All content must be originally written by human authors or thoroughly rewritten and fact‑checked if based on AI assistance.

  • Use of LLM (Large Language Model) tools is permitted only for ideation/outlining; any AI‑generated text must be edited, fact‑checked, and rephrased to human-quality standards.

  • Plagiarism scans are mandatory; content exceeding the allowed similarity threshold (e.g. 5 %) is revised or discarded.

8. Transparency, Conflicts of Interest & Disclosure

  • Contributors must disclose any conflict of interest (e.g., affiliation with educational services, publishers).

  • Sponsored content or affiliate links are clearly marked (e.g. “Sponsored”, “Partner”) and only used when aligned with our mission and integrity.

  • If a guide references tools or services (e.g. citation generators), we provide an objective assessment and disclose affiliation if any.

9. Appeal & Contact Regarding Policy Questions

If you have concerns about this policy, editorial decisions, or content accuracy, you may contact us via:

  • Email: [email protected]

  • Address: MLAHeading Editorial Office, 1240 Lexington Avenue, Suite 202, New York, NY 10028, USA

  • Phone: +1 (646) 555-0143

The Chief Editor oversees policy adherence and logs all inquiries.