MLA Format Headings

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

If your instructor requires you to make a cover page, please follow instructions here.

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

• 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 Name and Page Number.

Inner Page Example:

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.

Example of the Works Cited page:

Example of the Works Cited page.

Source:

– MLA Handbook, 8th edition