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13.1 Formatting a Research Paper

Learning objectives.

• Identify the major components of a research paper written using American Psychological Association (APA) style.
• Apply general APA style and formatting conventions in a research paper.

In this chapter, you will learn how to use APA style , the documentation and formatting style followed by the American Psychological Association, as well as MLA style , from the Modern Language Association. There are a few major formatting styles used in academic texts, including AMA, Chicago, and Turabian:

• AMA (American Medical Association) for medicine, health, and biological sciences
• APA (American Psychological Association) for education, psychology, and the social sciences
• Chicago—a common style used in everyday publications like magazines, newspapers, and books
• MLA (Modern Language Association) for English, literature, arts, and humanities
• Turabian—another common style designed for its universal application across all subjects and disciplines

While all the formatting and citation styles have their own use and applications, in this chapter we focus our attention on the two styles you are most likely to use in your academic studies: APA and MLA.

If you find that the rules of proper source documentation are difficult to keep straight, you are not alone. Writing a good research paper is, in and of itself, a major intellectual challenge. Having to follow detailed citation and formatting guidelines as well may seem like just one more task to add to an already-too-long list of requirements.

Following these guidelines, however, serves several important purposes. First, it signals to your readers that your paper should be taken seriously as a student’s contribution to a given academic or professional field; it is the literary equivalent of wearing a tailored suit to a job interview. Second, it shows that you respect other people’s work enough to give them proper credit for it. Finally, it helps your reader find additional materials if he or she wishes to learn more about your topic.

Furthermore, producing a letter-perfect APA-style paper need not be burdensome. Yes, it requires careful attention to detail. However, you can simplify the process if you keep these broad guidelines in mind:

• Work ahead whenever you can. Chapter 11 “Writing from Research: What Will I Learn?” includes tips for keeping track of your sources early in the research process, which will save time later on.
• Get it right the first time. Apply APA guidelines as you write, so you will not have much to correct during the editing stage. Again, putting in a little extra time early on can save time later.
• Use the resources available to you. In addition to the guidelines provided in this chapter, you may wish to consult the APA website at http://www.apa.org or the Purdue University Online Writing lab at http://owl.english.purdue.edu , which regularly updates its online style guidelines.

General Formatting Guidelines

This chapter provides detailed guidelines for using the citation and formatting conventions developed by the American Psychological Association, or APA. Writers in disciplines as diverse as astrophysics, biology, psychology, and education follow APA style. The major components of a paper written in APA style are listed in the following box.

These are the major components of an APA-style paper:

Body, which includes the following:

• Headings and, if necessary, subheadings to organize the content
• In-text citations of research sources
• References page

All these components must be saved in one document, not as separate documents.

The title page of your paper includes the following information:

• Title of the paper
• Author’s name
• Name of the institution with which the author is affiliated
• Header at the top of the page with the paper title (in capital letters) and the page number (If the title is lengthy, you may use a shortened form of it in the header.)

List the first three elements in the order given in the previous list, centered about one third of the way down from the top of the page. Use the headers and footers tool of your word-processing program to add the header, with the title text at the left and the page number in the upper-right corner. Your title page should look like the following example.

The next page of your paper provides an abstract , or brief summary of your findings. An abstract does not need to be provided in every paper, but an abstract should be used in papers that include a hypothesis. A good abstract is concise—about one hundred fifty to two hundred fifty words—and is written in an objective, impersonal style. Your writing voice will not be as apparent here as in the body of your paper. When writing the abstract, take a just-the-facts approach, and summarize your research question and your findings in a few sentences.

In Chapter 12 “Writing a Research Paper” , you read a paper written by a student named Jorge, who researched the effectiveness of low-carbohydrate diets. Read Jorge’s abstract. Note how it sums up the major ideas in his paper without going into excessive detail.

Write an abstract summarizing your paper. Briefly introduce the topic, state your findings, and sum up what conclusions you can draw from your research. Use the word count feature of your word-processing program to make sure your abstract does not exceed one hundred fifty words.

Depending on your field of study, you may sometimes write research papers that present extensive primary research, such as your own experiment or survey. In your abstract, summarize your research question and your findings, and briefly indicate how your study relates to prior research in the field.

Margins, Pagination, and Headings

APA style requirements also address specific formatting concerns, such as margins, pagination, and heading styles, within the body of the paper. Review the following APA guidelines.

Use these general guidelines to format the paper:

• Set the top, bottom, and side margins of your paper at 1 inch.
• Use double-spaced text throughout your paper.
• Use a standard font, such as Times New Roman or Arial, in a legible size (10- to 12-point).
• Use continuous pagination throughout the paper, including the title page and the references section. Page numbers appear flush right within your header.
• Section headings and subsection headings within the body of your paper use different types of formatting depending on the level of information you are presenting. Additional details from Jorge’s paper are provided.

Begin formatting the final draft of your paper according to APA guidelines. You may work with an existing document or set up a new document if you choose. Include the following:

• Your title page
• The abstract you created in Note 13.8 “Exercise 1”
• Correct headers and page numbers for your title page and abstract

APA style uses section headings to organize information, making it easy for the reader to follow the writer’s train of thought and to know immediately what major topics are covered. Depending on the length and complexity of the paper, its major sections may also be divided into subsections, sub-subsections, and so on. These smaller sections, in turn, use different heading styles to indicate different levels of information. In essence, you are using headings to create a hierarchy of information.

The following heading styles used in APA formatting are listed in order of greatest to least importance:

• Section headings use centered, boldface type. Headings use title case, with important words in the heading capitalized.
• Subsection headings use left-aligned, boldface type. Headings use title case.
• The third level uses left-aligned, indented, boldface type. Headings use a capital letter only for the first word, and they end in a period.
• The fourth level follows the same style used for the previous level, but the headings are boldfaced and italicized.
• The fifth level follows the same style used for the previous level, but the headings are italicized and not boldfaced.

Visually, the hierarchy of information is organized as indicated in Table 13.1 “Section Headings” .

Table 13.1 Section Headings

A college research paper may not use all the heading levels shown in Table 13.1 “Section Headings” , but you are likely to encounter them in academic journal articles that use APA style. For a brief paper, you may find that level 1 headings suffice. Longer or more complex papers may need level 2 headings or other lower-level headings to organize information clearly. Use your outline to craft your major section headings and determine whether any subtopics are substantial enough to require additional levels of headings.

Working with the document you developed in Note 13.11 “Exercise 2” , begin setting up the heading structure of the final draft of your research paper according to APA guidelines. Include your title and at least two to three major section headings, and follow the formatting guidelines provided above. If your major sections should be broken into subsections, add those headings as well. Use your outline to help you.

Because Jorge used only level 1 headings, his Exercise 3 would look like the following:

Citation Guidelines

In-text citations.

Throughout the body of your paper, include a citation whenever you quote or paraphrase material from your research sources. As you learned in Chapter 11 “Writing from Research: What Will I Learn?” , the purpose of citations is twofold: to give credit to others for their ideas and to allow your reader to follow up and learn more about the topic if desired. Your in-text citations provide basic information about your source; each source you cite will have a longer entry in the references section that provides more detailed information.

In-text citations must provide the name of the author or authors and the year the source was published. (When a given source does not list an individual author, you may provide the source title or the name of the organization that published the material instead.) When directly quoting a source, it is also required that you include the page number where the quote appears in your citation.

This information may be included within the sentence or in a parenthetical reference at the end of the sentence, as in these examples.

Epstein (2010) points out that “junk food cannot be considered addictive in the same way that we think of psychoactive drugs as addictive” (p. 137).

Here, the writer names the source author when introducing the quote and provides the publication date in parentheses after the author’s name. The page number appears in parentheses after the closing quotation marks and before the period that ends the sentence.

Addiction researchers caution that “junk food cannot be considered addictive in the same way that we think of psychoactive drugs as addictive” (Epstein, 2010, p. 137).

Here, the writer provides a parenthetical citation at the end of the sentence that includes the author’s name, the year of publication, and the page number separated by commas. Again, the parenthetical citation is placed after the closing quotation marks and before the period at the end of the sentence.

As noted in the book Junk Food, Junk Science (Epstein, 2010, p. 137), “junk food cannot be considered addictive in the same way that we think of psychoactive drugs as addictive.”

Here, the writer chose to mention the source title in the sentence (an optional piece of information to include) and followed the title with a parenthetical citation. Note that the parenthetical citation is placed before the comma that signals the end of the introductory phrase.

David Epstein’s book Junk Food, Junk Science (2010) pointed out that “junk food cannot be considered addictive in the same way that we think of psychoactive drugs as addictive” (p. 137).

Another variation is to introduce the author and the source title in your sentence and include the publication date and page number in parentheses within the sentence or at the end of the sentence. As long as you have included the essential information, you can choose the option that works best for that particular sentence and source.

Citing a book with a single author is usually a straightforward task. Of course, your research may require that you cite many other types of sources, such as books or articles with more than one author or sources with no individual author listed. You may also need to cite sources available in both print and online and nonprint sources, such as websites and personal interviews. Chapter 13 “APA and MLA Documentation and Formatting” , Section 13.2 “Citing and Referencing Techniques” and Section 13.3 “Creating a References Section” provide extensive guidelines for citing a variety of source types.

Writing at Work

APA is just one of several different styles with its own guidelines for documentation, formatting, and language usage. Depending on your field of interest, you may be exposed to additional styles, such as the following:

• MLA style. Determined by the Modern Languages Association and used for papers in literature, languages, and other disciplines in the humanities.
• Chicago style. Outlined in the Chicago Manual of Style and sometimes used for papers in the humanities and the sciences; many professional organizations use this style for publications as well.
• Associated Press (AP) style. Used by professional journalists.

References List

The brief citations included in the body of your paper correspond to the more detailed citations provided at the end of the paper in the references section. In-text citations provide basic information—the author’s name, the publication date, and the page number if necessary—while the references section provides more extensive bibliographical information. Again, this information allows your reader to follow up on the sources you cited and do additional reading about the topic if desired.

The specific format of entries in the list of references varies slightly for different source types, but the entries generally include the following information:

• The name(s) of the author(s) or institution that wrote the source
• The year of publication and, where applicable, the exact date of publication
• The full title of the source
• For books, the city of publication
• For articles or essays, the name of the periodical or book in which the article or essay appears
• For magazine and journal articles, the volume number, issue number, and pages where the article appears
• For sources on the web, the URL where the source is located

The references page is double spaced and lists entries in alphabetical order by the author’s last name. If an entry continues for more than one line, the second line and each subsequent line are indented five spaces. Review the following example. ( Chapter 13 “APA and MLA Documentation and Formatting” , Section 13.3 “Creating a References Section” provides extensive guidelines for formatting reference entries for different types of sources.)

In APA style, book and article titles are formatted in sentence case, not title case. Sentence case means that only the first word is capitalized, along with any proper nouns.

APA 7th ed. Style Guide

• Formatting Your Paper
• In-text Citations
• Textual Works
• Data Sets, Software, Tests
• Audiovisual Media
• Online Media

Formatting guidelines and sample papers are found in chapter 2 of the APA 7th edition Publication Manual

Sample papers.

You can find sample papers from Purdue OWL's website, APA 7th edition Publication Manual, or APA style website.

• APA Style Student Paper with Annotations in the Comments A Word Document featuring an APA 7th edition Style Student Paper that includes annotations as comments.
• APA Style Professional Paper with Annotations in Comments A Word Document featuring an APA 7th edition Style Professional Paper that includes annotations as comments.
• Purdue OWL Sample Papers

General Formatting Guidelines

Follow these guidelines throughout your paper:

• Double space text
• Header for student and professional papers includes the page number in the upper right hand corner
• Single space after ending punctuation
• Font size and style: Times New Roman 12 pt, Arial 11 pt, Calibri 11 pt, or Georgia 11 pt
• Use the same font type and size throughout the paper (exceptions for figure images, computer code, and footnotes - see 2.19 in APA Manual)
• Margins: 1 inch on all sides
• Left align paragraphs and leave ragged (uneven) margins on the right
• Indention: use 0.5 inch indention for the first line of every paragraph (use tab key for consistency)

Formatting Title Page

The 7th edition Publication Manual for APA introduced the student and professional papers. The major difference between these two types of papers is found on the title page. Please, see the guidelines below for formatting the title page of your document. Also note, follow your professors' guidelines for formatting the title page.

General Title Page Guidelines:

• Double space
• The title should summarize the main idea and be focused/succinct (avoid unnecessary words)
• Title written in title case (the first letter of each word is capitalized), bold, centered, and positioned in the upper half of the title page
• Use the author(s) first name, middle initial, and last name as the author's byline

Student Papers:

• title of the paper
• name of the author(s)
• author affiliation (department and institution name)
• course number and name 
• instructor name
• assignment due date (i.e. November 4, 2020)
• page number (in the header)

Professional Papers:

• author affiliation
• author note
• running head (abbreviated title) - Flush with left margin and written in all capital letters

Formatting Headings

Follow this format for headings (see 2.27 of the Publication Manual for additional details):

Level 1 headings are written in bold title case and aligned to the center. The text begins as a new paragraph.

Level 2 headings are written in bold title case and aligned flush to the left. The text begins as a new paragraph.

Level 3 headings are written in bold, italicized title case, and aligned flush to the left. The text begins as a new paragraph.

Level 4 headings are written in bold title case, indented from the left, and end with a period. The text begins after the period and continues like a regular paragraph.

Level 5 headings are written in bold, italicized title case, indented from the left, and end with a period. The text begins after the period and continues like a regular paragraph.

Formatting Reference List

The following are guidelines for formatting your reference list:

• Start on a new page after the last page of text
• Label the page Reference(s) with a capitalized R, written in bold and centered
• Double space all entries
• Use hanging indent for reference entries (first line of the reference is flush with left margin, subsequent lines are indented 0.5 inches)
• Order alphabetically (see chapter 9 section 44-49 for additional instructions on entry order)
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AMA Style Guide

Paper format.

• Reference Works
• Miscellaneous
• Mechanics of Style
• Citation Ethics

AMA does not have a specific style for formatting papers, so check with your instructor or assignment guidelines when it comes to margins, line spacing, fonts, indents, title papers, etc.

Recommended Formatting Guidelines

Always refer to the assignment guidelines when it comes formatting your writing. If your assignment does not specify any formatting, follow these general AMA guidelines:

• Margins:  One inch margins are required around the text. Leave the right margin unjustified (ragged). No columns!
• Line Spacing:  Double-space the main text (single space only within the abstract, notes, titles and headings, block quotes, tables and figures, and references—everything but the main text)
• Font:  Use Times New Roman, 12-point font
• Indents:  Half-inch indents are standard (use the “tab” button) for new paragraphs
• Page Numbers:  Place page numbers in the top right-hand corner throughout (starting with the title page)
• Page Headers:  Put the title of your document in the top left-hand corner of the page
• Title of document
• Your Instructor’s name
• Course title
• Your instructor’s name

References Page

• This is a separate page at the end of your paper. Each citation in the text must be listed on the References page; each listing on the References page must appear in the text. 
• Left-justify the word References.  Then double space and start your list with 1.
• References are listed numerically in the order they are cited in the text of the paper.  Put a period after each number.
• Single space each reference.  Double space between references.
• If the citation extends to a second line, do NOT indent.
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MLA 9th Edition : Research Paper Formatting

• Create Citation
• Research Paper Formatting
• In-Text Citations
• Works Cited Page
• ChatGPT & other AI tools
• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Evaluating Sources This link opens in a new window

About Research Paper Formatting in MLA 9th ed.

The Gateway Libraries recommend that students consult their course syllabus and assignment details for any course specifics and additional faculty requirements.  

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Citing Sources

• ZoteroBib (For APA & MLA)

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Resources for faculty & staff, help & tutorials, research paper format: summary of notable mla 9th ed. changes.

What has changed from the 8th ed. to the new MLA 9th ed? Not much! The good news is that the  format for both in-text and Works Cited citations remains the same through this update.  The 9th ed. includes expanded lists of examples, more in-depth guidance on using the MLA template, and recommendations for using inclusive language in your research papers. 

MLA 9 Research Paper Formatting

The basics for an MLA 9th ed. formatted research paper are:

• Margins: 1-inch margins on all sides
• Font: use an easily readable font (Times New Roman for example) between 11-13 point font. Always follow instructor guidelines. 
• Spacing: double-spacing throughout
• Running Header: Surname and page number, right justified 
• Names and class information: on just the top of the first page, left justified, type your first and last name, the instructor's name, the course name and number, and the date on separate double-spaced lines.
• Title: place the title of the paper below the date, centered, in upper and lower case letters, unbolded. 
• Body: indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch from the left margin.
• Use only one space after a period in the body of the paper.
• MLA 9th ed. Research Paper Format

Details for formatting your paper in MLA Style (9th Edition). 

Additional information:

MLA 9 Templates & Guide

• MLA 9th ed. Word Template Save this template to your desktop or flash drive and then adapt it for your paper. Margins, font, spacing, header with page numbers, title page, and works cited page are preset to meet MLA 9th edition.
• MLA 9th ed. Google Docs Template MAKE SURE YOU ARE LOGGED INTO GOOGLE DOCS (OR GMAIL) before accessing this link. Select the link, select "Use Template," and then adapt it for your paper. Margins, font, spacing, headers, page numbers, title page, and works cited page are preset to meet MLA 9 specifications.

Sample MLA 9th ed. Papers

• MLA Style Sample Papers (9th ed.) Several sample papers from the Modern Language Association (MLA).
• MLA Style Student Research Paper Sample
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Research Process: A Step-By-Step Guide: 5a. MLA Formatting

• Getting Started
• 1a. Books and Ebooks
• 1b. Videos & Images
• 1c. Articles and Databases
• 1d. Internet Resources
• 1e. Periodical Publications
• 1f. Government and Corporate Information
• 1g. One Perfect Source?
• 2a. Know your information need
• 2b. Develop a Research Topic
• 2c. Refine a Topic
• 2d. Research Strategies: Keywords and Subject Headings
• 2e. Research Strategies: Search Strings
• 3a. The CRAAP Method
• 3b. Primary vs. Secondary Sources
• 4a. Incorporate Source Material
• 4b. Plagiarism
• 4c. Copyright, Fair Use, and Appropriation
• 4d. Writing Strategies
• 5a. MLA Formatting
• 5b. MLA Citation Examples
• 5c. APA Formatting
• 5d. APA Citation Examples
• 5e. Chicago Formatting
• 5f. Chicago Examples
• 5g. Annotated Bibliographies
• Visual Literacy

Format of the Research Paper

• Use 1" margins for the entire document.
• Indent the first line of paragraphs a 1/2" from the left margin.
• Indent set-off quotations 1" from the left margin.

Text Formatting

• Pick a readable 12 pt font (e.g. Times New Roman).
• Do not justify the text or use hyphenation
• Double-space the text of your paper
• Leave only one space after periods or other punctuation marks.

Heading and Title

• Do not use a title page unless required by your instructor
• Place your name, the instructor's name, the course number and the date on separate lines at the top of the first page, flush with the left margin.
• Center and double-spaced the title between the course heading and the first line of text.
• Do not underline, italicize, or place your title in quotation marks

Page Numbers

• Place page numbers in a header in the upper right-hand corner, 1/2" inch from the top and flush with the right margin.
• Type your last name before the page number.
• Do not use the abbreviation p. or pg before the page number or any other mark or symbol.
• If you have any endnotes, include them on a separate page before your Works Cited page.
• Entitle the section Notes (centered, unformatted).

Format of In-Text Citations

In-text citations in the body of your paper point the reader to specific sources listed on your Works Cited page. They usually include:

• author’s last name
• title (if no author is given)
• relevant page numbers (if given)

Author's name in text Author has expressed this concern (118-21) .

Author's name in parenthetical reference This concern has been expressed (Author 118-21).

Format of the Works Cited Page

The Works Cited list provides bibliographic information for the sources you used, thereby allowing your reader to identify and locate those materials. To format the page:

• Begin the list on a new page at the end of your paper
• Use 1" margins
• Continue the page numbers of the text (i.e., the Work Cited will be labeled page 11, if the paper ends on page 10)
• Place in the upper right-hand corner a 1/2" from the top flush with the right margin
• Center the Works Cited title
• List sources alphabetically
• Double space within and between entries
• Indent entries longer than one line by a 1/2"

MLA 8 Video Tutorials

MLA Handbook

Consult the Works Cited Examples page for examples of in-text citations and work cited entries.

Citation Generators

• BibMe BibMe is a free automatic citation creator that supports MLA formatting. BibMe leverages external databases to quickly fill citation information for you (or you can enter it manually). BibMe will then format the citation and compile a bibliography according to the guidelines of the MLA style manual.
• EasyBib Free automatic MLA citation style generator. Allows you to cite more than the usual assortment of sources including photographs, emails, patents, paintings, and more. It also lets you search by ISBN.
• Microsoft Word In Microsoft Word, you can automatically generate a bibliography based on the source information that you provide for the document.
• Son of a Citation Marchine Helps students and professional researchers to properly credit the information that they use. Simply click the MLA Style button, choose the resource you want to format, and enter the information.
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Writing Research Papers

• Formatting Research Papers

Research papers written in APA style should follow the formatting rules specified in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association .  Most research papers that are written for psychology courses at UCSD, including the B.S. Degree Research Paper and the Honors Thesis, have to follow APA format.  Here we discuss the formatting of research papers according to APA style.

How to Format a Research Paper in APA Style

For the most accurate and comprehensive information on formatting papers in APA style, we recommend referring directly to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Reputable online sources (e.g., the official APA Style website and the Purdue University Online Writing Lab’s guide to APA style) are also recommended. 

According to the Publication Manual, the major sections and components of APA style research papers should adhere to the following guidelines.  Note that how closely these guidelines are followed may vary depending on the course and instructor.  

General Formatting Rules

• Papers should have at least 1-in. margins on all sides. 1
• All text should be double spaced . 1
• Times New Roman, 12 point font is preferred. 1
• All lines of text should be flush-left and should not be justified, except where noted in the Manual. 1
• The first line of every paragraph should be indented. Exceptions to the indenting rule are the Abstract, quotations, titles and headings, as well as Tables and Figures. 1
• Pages should be numbered at the top right, with the title page numbered page 1, the Abstract numbered page 2, and the text starting on page 3. 1
• An abbreviated title called the Running Head should be placed at the top of each page, flush-left in uppercase letters. 1
• Two spaces should be used after punctuation marks at the end of each sentence (in other words, there should be two spaces after the period that ends each sentence). 2

Formatting the Title Page

• The title should be typed in the upper half of the title page, centered, and with the first letters of all but minor words capitalized. 3
• The name(s) of the author(s) should be typed below the title and followed with the institutional affiliation(s) of the author(s). 3
• An Author Note should appear below the aforementioned items. The Author Note can have up to four paragraphs.  These respectively describe the author(s)’ departmental and institutional affiliation, any changes in affiliation, acknowledgments, and contact information. 3

Formatting the Abstract

• The Abstract typically should not exceed 250 words. 4
• The Abstract should be placed on a separate page, with the label Abstract appearing at the top center of that page and followed by the text of the Abstract. 4
• The Abstract should not be indented. 4

Formatting the Main Body of Text

• The main body of text should begin on a separate page after the Abstract. 5
• It should begin with the Introduction section. 5
• The Introduction section should be titled with the title of the research paper and not the word “Introduction.” The title should appear at the top of the page, centered, and should not be bolded. 5
• The remainder of the text should be flush-left, with each new paragraph indented except where noted above (see General Formatting Rules ). 5
• Each of the subsequent sections of the paper should be prefaced with a heading. APA guidelines specify different heading formats (for more information on Levels of Headings , see below). 5

Formatting References

• The references section should begin on a separate page after the main body of text. 6
• It should begin with the word “References” placed at the top of the page and centered. 6
• All references should be listed in alphabetical order by the last name of the first author of each reference. 6
• All references should be double-spaced and should use a hanging indent format wherein the first line of each reference is flush-left and all subsequent lines of that reference are indented (with that pattern repeating for each reference). 6
• All references should use the appropriate APA reference format (for more information, please see the Citing References section of this website). 6

Levels of Headings in APA Style

As of the sixth edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (released in 2010), the five possible levels of heading in APA-formatted manuscripts are: 7

• Level 1: centered, bold, on a separate line, and the first letters of all but minor words capitalized.
• Level 2: flush-left, bold, on a separate line, and the first letters of all but minor words capitalized.
• Level 3: indented, bold, as a paragraph heading (the first part of a paragraph; regular text follows on the same line), and in lowercase letters ending with a period.
• Level 4: indented, bold, italicized, as a paragraph heading (the first part of a paragraph; regular text follows on the same line), and in lowercase letters ending with a period.
• Level 5: indented, not bold, italicized, as a paragraph heading (the first part of a paragraph; regular text follows on the same line), and in lowercase letters ending with a period.

Depending on the structure of your research paper, some or all of the five levels of headings may be used.  The headings have a “hierarchical nested structure” where Level 1 is the highest and Level 5 is the lowest.  For example, you may have a research paper which uses all five levels of heading as follows:

Downloadable Resources

• How to Write APA Style Research Papers (a comprehensive guide) [ PDF ]
• Tips for Writing APA Style Research Papers (a brief summary) [ PDF ]
• Example APA Style Research Paper (for B.S. Degree – empirical research) [ PDF ]
• Example APA Style Research Paper (for B.S. Degree – literature review) [ PDF ]

Further Resources

How-To Videos     

• Writing Research Paper Videos

External Resources

• APA Style Guide from the Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL)
• APA Tutorial on the Basics of APA Style
• EasyBib Guide to Writing and Citing in APA Format
• Sample APA Formatted Paper
• Sample APA Formatted Paper with Comments
• Tips for Writing a Paper in APA Style

1 VandenBos, G. R. (Ed). (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.) (pp. 228-229).  Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

2 vandenbos, g. r. (ed). (2010). (pp. 87-88). , 3 vandenbos, g. r. (ed). (2010). (pp. 23-25). , 4 vandenbos, g. r. (ed). (2010). (pp. 25-27)., 5 vandenbos, g. r. (ed). (2010). (pp. 41-49). , 6 vandenbos, g. r. (ed). (2010). (pp. 37-38, 49-51). , 7 vandenbos, g. r. (ed). (2010). (p. 62). .

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• Research Paper Structure
• Using Databases and Finding References
• What Types of References Are Appropriate?
• Evaluating References and Taking Notes
• Citing References
• Writing a Literature Review
• Writing Process and Revising
• Improving Scientific Writing
• Academic Integrity and Avoiding Plagiarism
• Writing Research Papers Videos

• Cite: Why? When?
• Book or E-book
• Article or Class Handout
• Web Sources
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools
• In-Text Citation

Format Your Paper

• MLA Format Template Document
• MLA Annotated Bibliography Example

Order of Sections

• Introduction/Thesis
• Body (includes tables, figures, and illustrations)
• Works Cited (starts on new page)

Paper Size, Margins, & Page Numbers

• Use letter-sized (8.5 x 11 inch) paper.
• 1-inch margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
• Indent first line of each paragraph 1/2 inch from left margin.
• In the upper right-hand corner of the margin, insert page numbers and add your last name (ex. Smith 1).

Text Format

• Use easy-to-read font so that regular and italicized text is easy to distinguish (ex. Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri).
• Use a standard size (ex. Times New Roman 12, Arial 11, Calibri 11 or 12).
• Left-align text and start paragraphs with a half-inch indent. Do not justify text.
• Turn off automatic hyphenation.
• Double-space everything.
• Leave one space after concluding punctuation marks, not two.

Heading & Title

• At the top left of the page, type your name, instructor's name, course number, and date.
• Include any information your instructor requires.
• Center title. Do not italicize, underline, or bold. No quotation marks, all caps, or periods.
• Capitalize the first word, principle words, and each part of a hyphenated word. Do not capitalize articles (a, an, the), prepositions, conjunctions, and to-infinitives.

Tables, Figures, & Illustrations

• Put them close to the related text and align them on the left.
• Above tables: capitalize the title of the table like other titles and number it (ex. Table 1).
• Below the table: give the source of the table and any notes with lower-case letters. Double-space it and use dividing lines.
• Below a figure or illustration: label it as "Figure" or "Fig." and number it (ex. Figure 1).

Quotations (p. 75-76, 81*)

• Short quotations (less than four lines) or those without special emphasis are included in the text with quotation marks
• Longer quotations (four lines or more) or those with special emphasis are indented 1/2 inch from left margin and double-spaced with no quotation marks.
• Use an ellipsis with spaces ( . . . ) when omitting sections from a quote. When the ellipsis is at the end of a sentence, use four periods ( . . . . ).
• For poetry, use slashes (/) to show line breaks and double slashes (//) for stanza breaks and keep all punctuation as it appears in the poem.
• Cite your quotes using in-text citation.

Works Cited List (p. 102*)

Begin your Works Cited list on a separate page and put the entries in alphabetical order. Double-space and give entries a hanging indent (i.e the first line is on the left margin and the following lines are indented a half inch from the left).

Annotated Bibliography

Double-space the entire bibliography. give each entry a hanging indent. in the following annotation, indent the entire paragraph a half inch from the left margin and give the first line of each paragraph a half inch indent..

Check with your professor for the length of the annotation and which elements you should evaluate.

*Page numbers refer to the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, available in the UW-Whitewater libraries in print .

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How to format a research paper step by step

Discover many styles for producing your research paper, how to correctly arrange and format your research paper in this easy-to-read article.

Whatever form of research you conduct, if you are writing a paper, an outline will help you organize your thoughts and also serve as a model for the rest of your work.

A research paper’s layout should not take longer than the research itself and should aid in making it visually simpler to read. A research paper outline acts as a visual reminder to include all important parts of your chosen subject. It’s simply a skeleton version of the actual document that you can utilize throughout the writing process. 

Understanding the many styles and structures that you may use to outline your research paper will help you learn how to format a research paper properly. This guide will walk you through the steps and help you complete them more quickly.

Research Paper Structure

Before understanding and learning how to format a research paper, it is critical to comprehend the proper structure and how to write it appropriately.

Your research paper, like any other paper you produce, requires a cover page with the title of your study. It also requires the names and institutional affiliations of you and any co-writers.

Introduction

The introduction part informs the reader about the problem that your research is aiming to tackle. You can also discuss the study’s importance and uniqueness here. In the form of a thesis statement, clearly define the research question.

You can learn more about How to write an introduction for a research paper in our recent article.

Background Information

In the background section, you might provide historical facts or clarify previous theories that provide context for your research. It’s also an excellent place to discover your audience and what information they’ll need to understand the rest of your piece.

Literature Review

The literature review part takes research papers or books from the background section and examines them in further depth.

Understanding your study requires knowing if you utilized qualitative or quantitative methodologies. You can mention all of the methods you used to obtain data, such as experiments, surveys, or research.

What conclusions has your research drawn? In this area, you should present your results and data. Use an objective viewpoint here; leave the evaluation until your closing section, the conclusion.

In conclusion, explain why your findings are noteworthy. This part allows you to assess your outcomes and reflect on your process.

We also have an article in the blog about How to Write a Conclusion for a Research Paper .

Reference Page

The reference list includes information for readers who want to access the sources you cited in your work. Your reference page is located at the bottom of your article.

Make sure to mention all of the used references in the proper citation format; there are many formats presently in use, such as MLA and APA, which, while similar, rely on distinct citation styles that must be followed consistently.

How to format a research paper

General formatting.

• If you’re working on a printed research paper, make sure to use clean, good quality 8 1/2′′ x 11′′ white paper,  only printed on one side. 
• Leave 1-inch margins on the top, bottom, left, and right edges of each page of your essay. 
• Page numbers, which are flushed to the right margin, are set 1/2 inch from the top upper-right hand corner; arabic numerals must be used for page numbers and they should not be decorated in any way.
• The letters are centered on this double-spaced page.
• Each word’s first letter should be capitalized, except for extremely short phrases such as prepositions or articles.
• Add the name of your institution, college, or high school. 
• Enter your research paper title, including a subtitle if applicable, about one-third of the way down the page.
• After skipping a few lines, enter your name, course name and number, instructor name, and paper due date, when applicable.

Some formats may not require an abstract; check with your format style to see whether it is required.

• Start a new page.
• The abstract page should include the page header.
• Center and bold the word “Abstract” on the first line of the abstract page (no italics, underlining, or quotation marks). 
• Your study subject, research questions, participants, methodology, findings, data analysis, and conclusions should all be included in your abstract.
• Your abstract should be one paragraph long and double-spaced. Typically, your abstract should be no more than 250 words long. 
• In some styles, such as AMA, you should also incorporate keywords from your article in your abstract. Start a new paragraph, then type Keywords: (italicized), followed by a list of your keywords.

• The entire research should have double spacing between lines.
• One space should be left between words and one space after each comma, semi-colon, or colon. 
• A space should never be placed in front of a punctuation mark.

A quote’s specific format is determined by its length and the research style applied. It is vital to avoid plagiarism by quoting and referencing sources correctly.

If you want to learn how to avoid Plagiarism in your research, there’s an article that explains everything you should know.

Styles of research papers

Here are some instances and distinctions between some research paper styles. Other styles that may be used include Turabian, AIP, ACS, CSE, and many others.

Level up your research paper with infographics!

Make your research paper more aesthetically appealing by including visually appealing elements. Learn about Mind The Graph, a tool for communicating information using infographics.

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How to format a research paper.

This article provides helpful tips on how to format a research paper, with steps to include supporting materials.

Original research can be essential for obtaining a sought-after degree, landing the perfect job, or getting published. Even if your research is excellent, it may not be taken as seriously as it could be if you use incorrect formatting. To help your research paper get all the awareness it deserves, pay close attention to its structure and style.

What are the research paper format styles?

When it comes to formatting a research paper, different academic disciplines often require specific style guidelines to ensure consistency and proper citation. Understanding how to format your research paper according to the appropriate style is essential for presenting your work professionally. The three most commonly used research paper format styles are:

• Modern Language Association (MLA)
• American Psychological Association (APA)
• Chicago Manual of Style (CMS)

Each style has its own set of guidelines for formatting, citation, and reference listing.

How to format a research paper for each style.

Formatting a research paper correctly is crucial for academic writing, as it not only enhances the readability and organization of your work but also ensures that your sources are properly cited. Different academic disciplines often follow specific style guidelines when it comes to formatting research papers.

1. Use APA research paper format.

• Select 1-inch margins on all sides.
• Set the font as 12-point Times New Roman.
• Double-space the entire document, including the title page, abstract, main body, and references.
• Include a running head at the top of each page, with a shortened version of your paper’s title (limited to 50 characters) aligned to the left and the page number aligned to the right.
• On the title page, include the full title, author’s name, institutional affiliation, and running head.
• Begin the main body with an introduction, followed by headings and subheadings as appropriate.
• Cite sources using the author-date format in parentheses within the text and provide a corresponding reference list at the end of the paper.

2. Use MLA format for a research paper.

• Set 1-inch margins on all sides.
• Use a legible font, such as 12-point Times New Roman.
• Double-space the entire document.
• Include a header with your last name and page numbers in the top-right corner.
• On the first page, include your name, instructor’s name, course title, and date aligned to the left.
• Create a title centered on the next line without bold or underlined formatting.
• Start the main body with an introduction, followed by sections and subsections as needed.
• Use parenthetical in-text citations, including the author’s last name and page number, whenever referencing sources.
• Compile a Works Cited page listing all sources cited in the paper.

3. Format a research paper using Chicago style.

• Use a readable font, preferably 12-point Times New Roman.
• Insert footnotes or endnotes for in-text citations and additional explanations or comments.
• Include a bibliography page listing all sources cited in the paper.
• Use title capitalization for headings in the main body.
• Begin the paper with a title page that includes the title, author’s name, course information, and date.
• Organize the main body with clear sections and subheadings as required.

Research paper PDF format tips.

As you begin formatting your research paper, be sure you know which style guide you’re required to follow. If there is no requirement, pick the one you want to follow and stick with it. To augment your original research, you will probably want to include supporting material such as charts and graphs. Those documents will likely come as PDFs, so it’s important to know how to edit PDFs and add or extract pages. Here are three tips to help you format a research paper when working with PDFs:

• Add comments and page numbers to PDFs to illustrate their relevance and keep the writing organized.
• Add important pages such as charts, graphs, and other supporting documents as a part of your paper.
• When adding documents to support your research, extract pages that aren’t relevant or that could cause confusion.

Groundbreaking ideas and a new perspective will make up the substance of your research paper, but don’t stop there. How the piece is put together with concise and relevant supporting documents, as well as learning how to write an executive summary that’s strong, can make a difference in a reader’s impression of the work. Look at your labor from a total package perspective and ensure that it’s tight and accurate.

Take a moment to explore what more you can do with Adobe Acrobat online services today.

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Formatting Requirements

Page layout, margins and numbering.

Your scholarly approach may call for a different presentational method. These are the requirements and recommendations for text-based theses.

For a text-based thesis, or the text portions of a thesis, the page size must be 8.5" x 11", and the text must be in a single, page-wide column. Do not use two or more columns in your thesis.

The text of the thesis is written in paragraph form.

• the first line of each paragraph should be indented, OR
• there should be a larger space between paragraphs than there is between lines.

Each chapter should generally start at the top of a new page.

Left: 1.25 inches (32 mm) is recommended if you intend to bind copies of your thesis; 1 inch minimum.

Right, top, and bottom: 1 inch recommended; 0.75 inches (19 mm) minimum

Page Numbering

Preliminary pages:.

• must be numbered in lower case Roman numerals (ii, iii, iv, etc.)
• the title page is "i" but this number must not appear on the page
• numbering begins at "ii" on the committee page
• the first page of the abstract is page iii

Body of thesis:

• must be numbered in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.)
• the first page of the text is "1"
• subsequent pages are numbered continuously throughout, including pages with tables and figures, bibliographies, appendices, and index

Whole thesis:

• every page except the title page must have a number on it
• there must be no blank pages in the thesis.

Page numberS:

• must be placed at least .5 inches (12 mm) from the edge of the page
• may be either in the lower centre or on the top or lower right of the page, when the page is viewed in portrait view. Lower right is preferred.

Landscape Pages

Landscape pages must be orientated in your PDF so that they are readable without rotation. You do not need to change the location or orientation of the page number, but may if you wish.

Facing Pages

Facing pages are not acceptable; you must use one-sided layout and pagination. If the caption for a figure, table, etc., cannot appear on the same page as its accompanying illustration, place the illustration on a separate page after the caption.

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

MLA General Format 

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This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

MLA Style specifies guidelines for formatting manuscripts and citing research in writing. MLA Style also provides writers with a system for referencing their sources through parenthetical citation in their essays and Works Cited pages. 

Writers who properly use MLA also build their credibility by demonstrating accountability to their source material. Most importantly, the use of MLA style can protect writers from accusations of plagiarism, which is the purposeful or accidental uncredited use of source material produced by other writers. 

If you are asked to use MLA format, be sure to consult the  MLA Handbook  (9th edition). Publishing scholars and graduate students should also consult the  MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing  (3rd edition). The  MLA Handbook  is available in most writing centers and reference libraries. It is also widely available in bookstores, libraries, and at the MLA web site. See the Additional Resources section of this page for a list of helpful books and sites about using MLA Style.

Paper Format

The preparation of papers and manuscripts in MLA Style is covered in part four of the  MLA Style Manual . Below are some basic guidelines for formatting a paper in  MLA Style :

General Guidelines

• Type your paper on a computer and print it out on standard, white 8.5 x 11-inch paper.
• Double-space the text of your paper and use a legible font (e.g. Times New Roman). Whatever font you choose, MLA recommends that the regular and italics type styles contrast enough that they are each distinct from one another. The font size should be 12 pt.
• Leave only one space after periods or other punctuation marks (unless otherwise prompted by your instructor).
• Set the margins of your document to 1 inch on all sides.
• Indent the first line of each paragraph one half-inch from the left margin. MLA recommends that you use the “Tab” key as opposed to pushing the space bar five times.
• Create a header that numbers all pages consecutively in the upper right-hand corner, one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin. (Note: Your instructor may ask that you omit the number on your first page. Always follow your instructor's guidelines.)
• Use italics throughout your essay to indicate the titles of longer works and, only when absolutely necessary, provide emphasis.
• If you have any endnotes, include them on a separate page before your Works Cited page. Entitle the section Notes (centered, unformatted).

Formatting the First Page of Your Paper

• Do not make a title page for your paper unless specifically requested or the paper is assigned as a group project. In the case of a group project, list all names of the contributors, giving each name its own line in the header, followed by the remaining MLA header requirements as described below. Format the remainder of the page as requested by the instructor.
• In the upper left-hand corner of the first page, list your name, your instructor's name, the course, and the date. Again, be sure to use double-spaced text.
• Double space again and center the title. Do not underline, italicize, or place your title in quotation marks. Write the title in Title Case (standard capitalization), not in all capital letters.
• Use quotation marks and/or italics when referring to other works in your title, just as you would in your text. For example:  Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas  as Morality Play; Human Weariness in "After Apple Picking"
• Double space between the title and the first line of the text.
• Create a header in the upper right-hand corner that includes your last name, followed by a space with a page number. Number all pages consecutively with Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.), one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin. (Note: Your instructor or other readers may ask that you omit the last name/page number header on your first page. Always follow instructor guidelines.)

Here is a sample of the first page of a paper in MLA style:

The First Page of an MLA Paper

Section Headings

Writers sometimes use section headings to improve a document’s readability. These sections may include individual chapters or other named parts of a book or essay.

MLA recommends that when dividing an essay into sections you number those sections with an Arabic number and a period followed by a space and the section name.

MLA does not have a prescribed system of headings for books (for more information on headings, please see page 146 in the MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing , 3rd edition). If you are only using one level of headings, meaning that all of the sections are distinct and parallel and have no additional sections that fit within them, MLA recommends that these sections resemble one another grammatically. For instance, if your headings are typically short phrases, make all of the headings short phrases (and not, for example, full sentences). Otherwise, the formatting is up to you. It should, however, be consistent throughout the document.

If you employ multiple levels of headings (some of your sections have sections within sections), you may want to provide a key of your chosen level headings and their formatting to your instructor or editor.

Sample Section Headings

The following sample headings are meant to be used only as a reference. You may employ whatever system of formatting that works best for you so long as it remains consistent throughout the document.

Formatted, unnumbered:

Level 1 Heading: bold, flush left

Level 2 Heading: italics, flush left

Level 3 Heading: centered, bold

Level 4 Heading: centered, italics

Level 5 Heading: underlined, flush left