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How to Write an Essay Cover Page
What you include in your cover page depends slightly on which citation style you are using, but the rules are generally the same.
Guide Overview
- APA cover pages
- MLA cover pages
For APA cover pages:
Include the title of the paper, running head, the author’s name, institutional affiliation, and an author’s note.
Here is an example of a cover page in APA:
For MLA cover pages:
Cover pages are not as frequently used in MLA format, as the inclusion of headers is preferred.
A header looks like this:
Cover pages can include the name of your school, your paper title, your name, your course name, your teacher or professor’s name, and the due date of the paper. If you are unsure of what to include, check with your instructor.
Here is an example of a cover page in MLA format:
For more help making cover or title pages, visit our title page generator here.
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APA Sample Paper
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Note: This page reflects the latest version of the APA Publication Manual (i.e., APA 7), which released in October 2019. The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style can be found here .
Media Files: APA Sample Student Paper , APA Sample Professional Paper
This resource is enhanced by Acrobat PDF files. Download the free Acrobat Reader
Note: The APA Publication Manual, 7 th Edition specifies different formatting conventions for student and professional papers (i.e., papers written for credit in a course and papers intended for scholarly publication). These differences mostly extend to the title page and running head. Crucially, citation practices do not differ between the two styles of paper.
However, for your convenience, we have provided two versions of our APA 7 sample paper below: one in student style and one in professional style.
Note: For accessibility purposes, we have used "Track Changes" to make comments along the margins of these samples. Those authored by [AF] denote explanations of formatting and [AWC] denote directions for writing and citing in APA 7.
APA 7 Student Paper:
Apa 7 professional paper:.
- How to setup your software
- Sample MLA Paper – normal paper
- Sample MLA Paper – has cover page
- Sample APA Paper
- Sample Chicago Paper
- Sample CSE Paper
- APA Format Guidelines
- MLA Format Cover Page
The Modern Language Association (MLA) does not require you to create a cover page when you complete your research paper, but some instructors may require it.
If your instructor requires your paper to have a cover page, here is how to make it (very easy). This cover page should include: your school name, your research paper title, your name, your class, your professor name and your paper due date.
How to Format Your MLA Cover Page:
- This page is double spaced and the letters are centered.
- Font: Times New Roman
- Font size: 12
- The first letter of each word should be capitalized with the exception of very short words such as: the, and, of, or, a, an, in, to, for. Note: the first letter of the first word should be capitalized, regardless of what kind of word it is.
- Type the name of your university or college.
- Skip to about one-third of the page and type your research paper title, include a subtitle if you have.
- Skip several lines down and type your name, your course name and number, your instructor name and your paper’s due date.
Sample MLA Format Cover Page:
Sample MLA Format Cover Page
Alternate First Page:
If your instructor requires a cover page, you would omit the main heading on your first page. Here is an example of the first page if a cover page is used. You still need your last name and page number on the first page and every other page.
Sample MLA Format First Page with Cover Page
Sample MLA Paper:
Visit here for a sample paper with the cover page. The cover page can vary slightly. This paper also has the outline page for your sample.
If you find this website useful, please share with a friend:
How do I get the header on the second page on down? I tried editing it but then it takes the header away from all the pages.
In word select the header then go to: Header & Footer>Page Number>Format Page Numbers>Page Numbering>Start at page>Set to 0
How do I get the header on the second page on down? I tried editing it but then it takes the header away from all the pages. I am using windows. Also, the page numbers are not working for me either. Please help me.
How should I start the page after my cover page?
https://mlaformat.org/mla-format-heading/
Thank you so much Stephen !!! Helped a lot in my written assignments 🙂
Great site ! Thank you so much. Just returned to school to complete my bachelors and needed a little refreshing. Has all the information I needed !
Thanks so much for all of the great information! I have not used MLA before and was a little panic stricken. I have found all of my answers here. This is now saved to my favorites so I can use it regularly. Thanks again!
Should the lines on the cover page be double spaced?
Thanks so much for the picture of the cover page it has helped a lot. But, I was wondering do I still need to put my Title at the top of every page after the header?
Hello Lydia. You do not.
After your cover page, your next page’s heading should look like the “Alternate First Page” above.
After the “Alternate First Page” => your next pages should have “The Inner Pages” heading: https://mlaformat.org/mla-format-heading/
Sample paper: https://mlaformat.org/mla-format-sample-paper-with-cover-page-and-outline/
hey Lydia you don’t need to but if you want to you can
Thank you so so much. I love the simplicity of the website, very easy to understand. I finally have a cover page for my paper!!
I love this website!! It helped so many times with all my essays. I’m working on a college one and this was very useful. Thank you soo much. And thanks for the examples im a visual person I needed that 🙂
Hi Kaylin, I am glad you find this site useful. Take care!
By the way (sorry i forgot!) for the coverpage, would the text font be 12 times new roman???
You can set everything 12, Times New Roman. Or you can set the Title a little larger than 12, that should work too.
In the example above, I have the title larger than 12.
Here is an example with everything set at 12.
Thank you so much for your help on this useful website! I found it very organized and I’m very glad that I came across this particular article. Thanks!!!!!!!:)
I have a question regarding the cover page and the following pages. If I have a cover page as the example provided, do I still need the heading on the next page? And should the pages after that contain my last name on the top left as the header does on the on the previous pages? or do I not need the header at all if I have the cover page and just my name?
Excellence question, Stella! I have updated this article with information on the first page if a cover page is used. Please see “Alternate First Page” above.
You can omit the main heading but you still need your last name and page number on the first page and all subsequent pages. Take care!
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A cover page (also known as a title page) is the first page of a paper or report that lists basic information, such as the title, author(s), course name, instructor, date, and sometimes the name of the institution.
What you include in your cover page depends slightly on which citation style you are using, but the rules are generally the same. Include the title of the paper, running head, the author’s name, institutional affiliation, and an author’s note. Here is an example of a cover page in APA:
However, for your convenience, we have provided two versions of our APA 7 sample paper below: one in student style and one in professional style. Note: For accessibility purposes, we have used "Track Changes" to make comments along the margins of these samples.
Write an informative, striking title that summarizes the topic of your paper. Try to keep the title focused and use relevant keywords. Place the title three or four lines down from the top of the paper. Center align and bold it.
Annotated diagrams illustrate how to set up the major sections of a student paper: the title page or cover page, the text, tables and figures, and the reference list. Seventh edition APA Style was designed with modern word-processing programs in mind.
If your instructor requires your paper to have a cover page, here is how to make it (very easy). This cover page should include: your school name, your research paper title, your name, your class, your professor name and your paper due date.