Formatting Papers

Different format styles have different requirements in terms of the title pages, headings, margins, and pagination. Some of the most common formats and their requirements are:

MLA Style

Your research paper must be typed on standard-sized paper with double spacing (8.5 X 11 inches). Each page should have one-inch margins on all four sides. A title page is not necessary unless your professor specifically instructs you to include one. MLA formatting demands a heading on the first page of your document in place of a title page. The heading is double-spaced and situated in the upper-left corner of the first page. Your name, the name of your professor, the name of the course you are enrolled in, and the date appear in the headline. Just one line below the heading, center your title. Use both capital and lowercase letters to write your title. Your last name should come first, followed by the page number, in the upper right corner, 1/2 inch from the top.

APA Style

Your research paper must be typed on standard-sized paper with double spacing (8.5 X 11 inches). Use one to one and a half inch margins on each page’s four edges. A title page is required by APA (American Psychological Association). There is no need for a running head on this page unless you are submitting your article for publication. You should write what is referred to as a “manuscript header” at the top of your title page, flush right, and half an inch from the top edge of the paper (inside your top margin). One or two important words from your title, followed by the page number, make up a document header. On this page, your title will be written in both capital and lowercase characters in the center. Double-space between lines if your title spans more than one. One double-spaced line under your title will contain your name, centered, in both capital and lowercase letters. One double-spaced line below your name will be devoted to the name of your school. If you are a communication major, you should also list your department’s name below the name of the university.