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MLA Format Heading

This page contains guidelines on how to properly format the headings of your research paper using the MLA format.

1. The Opening Page:

On the opening page or the first page, you would include the whole heading and your paper’s title. The whole heading would include the following information:

  • Your Name
  • Your Instructor’s Name
  • Your Class Information
  • Your Paper’s Due Date

Settings:

  • Font: choose an easy to read font such as Times New Roman.
  • Font Size: set the font size to be twelve (12) throughout your research paper, including your paper’s title. Never set the font site larger than 12.
  • Margins: 1-inch for top/bottom/right/left throughout your paper.
  • Double-space: double-space throughout your paper. Don’t add extra spaces (besides double-space) between your headings, your title and your paragraphs.

Sample of the Opening Page:

A sample of the first page of your paper.

2. The Inner Pages:

For the pages that follow the first page, set the heading like this: instead of the whole heading, you would use the header feature on your word processing program and including the following information: Your Last Name and the Page Number.

Sample of the Inner Page:

Example of the heading for inner pages.

3. The Works Cited Page:

Every research paper must include a works cited page.

  • The works cited list is placed at the end of your paper, on a new page.
  • The heading for your works cited pages should be the same as the heading for your inner pages, which include your name and the page number at the top.
  • Enter the title as “Works Cited” and place this title 1-inch from the top of the page, see more details in the example illustration picture below.

Sample of the Works Cited Page:

MLA Format Works Cited

Example of the works cited page.

Source:

– MLA Handbook, 8th edition

{ 19 comments… add one }
  • Nathan February 5, 2024, 7:25 pm

    This helped a lot thank you

  • Destiny Olivo October 27, 2020, 1:37 pm

    Thank you so much 😀

  • Joe Patterson October 15, 2020, 5:16 pm

    Thanks

    • Elle Sosa October 26, 2020, 7:25 pm

      Best website hands down. Got an A, thank you!

  • Kyle October 4, 2020, 8:07 pm

    Thank you and God bless you! Jesus loves you!

  • Moses October 21, 2019, 12:14 pm

    I like how this site tells us the perfect way to write an essay on paper.

  • Quintina Frost August 27, 2019, 3:39 pm

    This page is helpful to a new student.

  • billy July 26, 2019, 11:45 am

    this is great!

  • alan nelson February 22, 2019, 4:45 pm

    Cool. But how many grade school students will look at this website to see how to set up their papers.

  • Audrey December 4, 2017, 3:50 pm

    Wow, This site is amazing!

  • David January 21, 2017, 11:02 am

    I have the following level 3 heading in my thesis:

    Project management office and (pmo) metrics team.

    Should the abbreviation pmo be in lower case as it is or should it be in upper case?

    Please Advise. Thanks.

  • Emma November 9, 2014, 6:21 pm

    So for the works cited page, you don’t need the name, teacher, date, and period heading at all?

    • siebird September 20, 2020, 1:06 pm

      No. It should only be on the first page of the essay.

  • Terry August 19, 2014, 10:52 am

    This is some good stuff to know.

  • Kuriko December 9, 2013, 12:22 pm

    Thanks.

  • Corey April 24, 2012, 2:52 pm

    Thanks.

  • Shannan March 4, 2012, 5:45 pm

    I have to write a paper for an application and they want it to be in MLA format. I don’t know how to do the heading because it’s not going to one teacher in particular and it is not for one class.

    • Nate April 9, 2012, 2:17 am

      I don’t think you need a heading besides the “Last name-1” on the inner pages.

    • Christopher March 3, 2015, 9:55 pm

      Hey Shannon. You might try “To Whom it may concern” or something like that. Don’t trust me on this because I am not for sure on that and if you did do this you might get it wrong and whoever might not accept your application. I hope you figure out how to do it and do great on that application! 😀
      – Christopher

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