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3 posts categorized "Running heads"

May 10, 2012.

Mysteries of the Running Head Explained

The running head is one of the smallest parts of a manuscript, yet it seems to cause big problems for some. In previous posts, we’ve given an overview of the running head and how to format it, but recently we’ve received some new questions that have folks scratching their heads. What Is the Running Head? The running head is a shortened form of the title of your paper that appears  in  uppercase letters at the top left of each page of your manuscript. It helps to identify the pages of your paper and keep them together (without using your name, in case you’re submitting it for blind review). When your paper is published, this short title will appear at the top of each odd-numbered page. On the title page of your manuscript, the label “Running head:” precedes the running head itself. It’s there to let the typesetter know that this shortened title is, in fact, the running head for your article. (This is a holdover from the fifth edition of the APA Publication Manual, which required a “manuscript page header” on every page as well as a running head on the title page.) How Long Should the Running Head Be? The running head should be a brief version of the title of your paper, no more than 50 characters long (including spaces). The label “Running head:” that precedes the running head on the title page is not included in the 50-character count, because it’s not part of the title of your paper. (Unless, of course, the title of your paper is something like “Running Head: Feature or Bug?”) What Makes For a Good Running Head? It’s usually not a good idea to simply copy the first 50 characters of your title. The running head needs to both make sense as a phrase and give some idea of what your paper is about. Pop quiz: If the title of your paper is “A Review and Meta-Analysis of the First Decade of Articles About the Psychology of Llamas,” which would be a more informative running head? (a)    A REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS OF THE FIRST DECADE OF or (b)    REVIEW OF THE PSYCHOLOGY OF LLAMAS Where Does the Running Head Go? Use the automatic header feature of your word processing program to set the running head at the top left of the page. Don’t worry about the running head’s precise distance from the top of the page or relationship to the margin ; the default setting for your software is fine. For more about the running head, see the APA Publication Manual (6th ed., pp. 229–230).

Posted by Claire Merenda at 11:11 AM in Running heads | Permalink | Comments (3)

May 26, 2011

A Marginal Note

More Tales from the Style Expert Inbox

Dear Style Expert,

I would like a clarification about the margins for an APA Style paper. The APA Publication Manual (6th ed.) says to “leave uniform margins of at least 1 in. (2.54 cm) at the top, bottom, left, and right of every page” (p. 229). I believe the correct thing to do is to space 1 in. at the top margin, then single space down and insert the running head. Some of my students are using a ½ in. margin for the top of the page, then single spacing down to type in the header, followed by a double space where the text of the paper begins. Who is right here? A lot of grades are riding on this.

—Inquiring Instructor

Dear Inquiring,

Just set your margins at 1 in. (2.54 cm) and use the default setting for headers in your word-processing program. Voila! Your paper is correctly formatted in APA Style.

Now my whole study group is extremely confused, because your instructions seem to contradict the sample papers in the Publication Manual . It looks like there is more margin at the top of sample p. 4 than sample p. 3, and some of the pages are cut off at the bottom. What gives? —Going Cross-Eyed in Cincinnati

Dear Cross-Eyed,

The sample papers are illustrations, not scale models. Just enough of each page is shown to illustrate the rules that are called out in the attached boxes. They’re not intended to show every point of APA Style, however, and you certainly can’t deduce margin guidelines from them. Fortunately, those guidelines are clearly stated on pp. 229–230 of the Publication Manual . If there ever appears to be a contradiction between an illustration and the text, follow the text.

Why, that’s crazy talk! A margin is empty space. If you have a 1-in. margin, then there should be 1 in. of empty space at the top of the page, with no headers in it.

—Marginal Maniac

Dear Marginal,

Think of it this way: The margin is, by definition, the part of a page outside the main body of text. The running head (again, by definition) is not part of the main body of text. Therefore, it is included in the margin, not below it.

Got a Question?

If you have a question (marginal or otherwise) about APA Style that hasn’t been answered yet, post it in the comments here. We’ll do our best to demystify it for you!

Posted by David Becker at 10:00 AM in Computer tips , How-to , Publication Manual help , Running heads | Permalink | Comments (18)

Technorati Tags : APA Style , margins

November 11, 2010

Running Head Format for APA Style Papers

If you've ever been confused by what a running head is or wondered how to format one for an APA Style paper, read on. 

What Is a Running Head?

A running head is a short title that appears at the top of every page of your paper in the page header. The running head identifies the pages for the reader in case they get separated, and if you submit your paper for publication, it does this while preserving your anonymity during the review process (that is why the running head is a short title and not your name). In published articles the running head also identifies the article for the reader at a glance.

The length of the running head should be 50 characters or fewer, including spaces and other punctuation marks. If your paper title is already 50 characters or fewer, you can use the paper title as the running head. Otherwise, you can shorten your paper title however you want. Here is an example: 

Formatting Instructions

The running head appears in the header of every page along with the page number. (The header by nature is situated within the top margin of your paper; all the margins themselves should be set to 1 inch.) On the first page of the paper only, the running head is preceded by the words Running head and a colon. On all other pages, just the running head itself and the page number appear, without the label  Running head: .

These requirements mean you will probably need to set your word-processing program to have a different header on the first page. If you use APA Style CENTRAL to write your papers, the page header and running head will be formatting automatically for you.

If you use Microsoft Word to write your papers, you will have to take a few steps to get a different first page header. The basic premise in Microsoft Word is that you will click into the header of the paper, go to the Header & Footer Tools menu, and then click "Different First Page." 

Once you have set your paper to have a different first page header in Microsoft Word, follow these directions to set up the header on the first page of the paper: 

• Add a page number using the automatic page numbering function.
• Put the page number in the upper right-hand corner.
• In the header, type the label Running head:  (not in italic, with only the "R" capitalized), and then type the running head itself in all capital letters, making sure it is no longer than 50 characters (including spaces and other punctuation).
• Place the cursor between the end of the running head and the page number and hit the tab key to left justify the running head while leaving the page number right justified.
• If necessary, change the font in the header to 12-point Times New Roman. 

The first page header will look like this: 

On the second page of the paper, repeat the process of inserting the page number and running head into the page header, except do not include the label  Running head.  The header on the second and subsequent pages will look like this:

The page header should now be correctly formatted for APA Style on all pages of your paper. You can also see examples of the running head format in our APA Style sample papers .

Other Directions and Running Head Template

The screenshots in this post are from Word 2016; if you are using another version of Microsoft Word, follow these directions from Microsoft to set up the header . If you use other word-processing software, please feel free to share links or instructions in the comments. 

I've also created a  running head template for Word  you can download that has the running head set up for you already.

Please note this post has been updated as of May 9, 2018, to include instructions for newer versions of Microsoft Word as well as to show more examples and provide a template.

If you've ever been confused by what a running head is or wondered how to format one for an APA Style paper, read on.

Posted by Chelsea Lee at 12:30 PM in How-to , Publication process , Running heads | Permalink | Comments (46)

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• Tags: APA , APA Style , Formatting Guidelines

As per the latest formatting guidelines, an APA header is required for student and professional papers. In student papers, the header consists of merely a page number on the top right corner of the page. On the other hand, the header for professional papers is slightly more elaborate. It consists of an APA running header along with the page number. 

In this article, we’ll understand the purpose of an APA Style header and its formatting guidelines with the help of some APA header examples. Let’s start by understanding what an APA header is. 

What is an APA header?

An APA header is a line of text present on all pages of your document, indicating the subject of your research and the page number. The APA paper header format for students is generally limited to the page number. However, professional papers include a running head on the top left corner of each page.

An APA running header consists of an abbreviated title of the academic work. This abbreviated title, written in all caps, is less than 50 characters long, including spaces and punctuation. Similar to the student paper, the APA 7 header format for professional papers also includes the page number in the top right corner.

The point of including an APA header, especially the running head, is to help the reader understand the main topic or idea of the paper. On the other hand, including the page number makes it easier for the readers to navigate through your document. 

Now that we know the components of an APA header and its purpose, it’s time to learn how to format your paper header.

APA header format

The APA header format is different for student and professional papers. Although some professors may require students to use running headers, in most cases, the page number will suffice. However, we will provide step-by-step formatting guidelines for both student and professional papers. 

Here are the step-by-step guidelines for formatting an APA style header:

1. Activate the header by double-clicking on the top of the page.

2. Select the “Insert” tab located at the top of your window.

3. Select the “Page Number” option from the “Insert” toolbar.

4. Hover over “Top of Page” in the “Page Number” dropdown and select “Plane Number 3”.

5. Enter the abbreviated title of your paper in all caps and press the “Tab” key. Make sure to use the recommended fonts as per the APA 7 guidelines.  (This step is only applicable for professional APA Style running headers.)

Now that we’ve understood the step-by-step guidelines of how to create a header, let’s take a look at an APA-style header example. 

APA header example

The APA header example shown above consists of a title as well as the page number. If you’re a student looking to create a header for your work, you can simply omit the title unless instructed otherwise. 

The title in the above APA Style header example “Stigmatic Views and Mental Health Counseling” is already fairly concise. However, if you wish to shorten it further you can use “&” instead of “and”. Avoiding abbreviations is a good practice when it comes to the title, but you can use the ampersand when absolutely necessary.

The insert page number function allows you to label every page of your document. The numbering should start from the cover page, which is always page number one.

Now that you’re equipped with all the necessary knowledge on the APA page header, it’s time to start writing. If you still need help formatting your work, it could be a good idea to consult paper editing services . All the best!

Want to broaden your knowledge of a few more academic writing styles? Here are a few articles for you:

• MLA Formatting guidelines
• Chicago Style Formatting Guidelines
• How to Cite Sources in the MLA Format
• Citing References: APA, MLA, and Chicago
• The Top 5 Dos & Don’ts of Academic Writing
• How to Create an APA Title Page

Frequently Asked Questions

What should the apa header include, can the apa header be different for each page of the paper, are there any specific font or formatting requirements for the apa header, should the apa header be included in an abstract, can i include the page number in the footer instead of the header.

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APA Title Page and Running Head

A separate title page is required for all APA Styled papers.  Students should first check with their instructors regarding what is required  for their title page, but typically it is: title of the paper, name of the author, course name and number, instructor name, assignment due date and page number in the top right-hand corner.  

The title should summarize the main idea of your paper.  

Some instructors also require students to do something called a Running Head.  A Running Head is a shorted/abbreviated title that goes at the top left-hand side on all pages of the rest of your paper.  If you are required to do a Running Head, you can watch this video shows you how to make one in Microsoft Word.  

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How to Write a Running Head: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction

Academic papers adhere to specific formatting guidelines before submitting to a journal. One such formatting element is including a running head. So, let’s explore what a running head is and its significance in journal submissions.

What is a Running Head?

A running head is a concise version of the title of your paper appearing at the top of each page of the article. The use of a running head allows the reader to identify the article. It ensures the reader’s focus remains on the content. It is generally positioned flush left at the top of the page, with the page number flush right.

What is Running Head in Journal?

In a journal article, the running head includes a shorter version of the paper’s full title. The running head fulfills the abovementioned purpose and provides information about the article. This shortened version maintains consistency and avoids overcrowding the header section.

What is a Running Head on Title Page? With Example.

The title page is the first page of your paper. It includes essential information like the title, author names, affiliations, and abstract. The running head on the title page is an abbreviated form of the title, written in uppercase letters. It usually has a limit of 50 characters with spaces and punctuation marks.

If your article’s title is “The Impact of Social Media on Youth: A Comprehensive Study,” a suitable running head might be “Social Media’s Impact on Youth.”

Running Head Example for a Research Paper

Let’s see an example of an effective running head for a research paper to better understand.

For instance, if the paper title is “The Effects of Exercise on Mental Health in College Students.” The running head could be “Exercise’s Impact on Mental Health in College Students.”

A sample example of the running head is written just above the main heading.

Source: Shetty A, Rosario R, Hyder S. The impact of social media on youth. International Journal of Innovative Research in Computer and Communication Engineering. 2015;3(7):379-83.

Tips for Writing a Running Head

• Be concise: The running head should be brief yet convey the essence of your paper.
• Use title case: Capitalize the first letter of each significant word in the running head.
• Maintain consistency: It should be consistent throughout the document.
• Check the journal guidelines: Different journals may have specific requirements for running heads. So, before finalizing your running head, review the submission guidelines.
• Proofread: Double-check the running head for spelling or grammatical errors, maintaining professionalism.

Thus, a running head is a short but informative title in a journal article that appears at the top of every page. It helps readers identify the article and maintain their focus throughout the content. When writing a running head, remember to keep it concise, use upper case, and maintain consistency throughout the document. Following these guidelines, ensure your article meets the journal’s formatting requirements. It presents your research clearly and professionally.

Remember, the running head is one aspect of a well-written paper. Pay attention to other formatting guidelines to increase your chances of publication success. Good luck with your journal submissions!

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• The Complete Guide to APA Format in 2020

APA Title Page / Cover Page

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Details to include

The title page (also known as the cover page) is the front page of your paper. It should contain:

• The running head , a header at the top of the page.
• The first page number .
• The title of the paper
• The institution for which you writing.

Running head

The running head should be in the top-left corner of the page in uppercase. It should include a shortened title of your paper. On the front page only, it should also be prepended with "Running head:".

First page number

The first page number -- generally page 1 -- should be in the top-right corner of the page. Both the page number and the running head should be a half inch from the top of the page.

The title of the paper can contain upper and lowercase letters, and ideally should be no more than 12 words in length. It should be direct, and should not contain abbreviations or other unnecessary words. It should not span longer than 2 lines. The first letter of each word should be uppercase, except for articles (a, an, the), and conjunctions (and, but, for, or, yet).

Underneath the title should be your name (or the author's name if you're not the author). It should be displayed as the first name , middle initial , and last name . Do not add titles (such as Dr.) to the beginning, or qualifications (such as PhD) to the end of an author's name.

Your institution

Finally, underneath the author's name, state the full name of the institution or school you're writing the paper for.

The font for all text on the title page should be Times New Roman, size 12pt, with double line-spacing.

A correct title page will look like the below image:

After completing your title page you will move on to writing an abstract of your paper.

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Q. How do I add both a page number and a running head into the header of my Microsoft Word document?

Or, how do I change the page number on my paper in Microsoft Word, so cover page is blank and the second page begins numeric page numbering? 

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Answered By Library Staff Last Updated: Jul 22, 2024     Views: 44245

If using the web (online) or a newer version of Word, accessible through your student/employee email, it might look slightly different than what you see in the screenshots below. We recommend using the client/desktop version of your paper for these steps, rather than using the web-based version, because it is easier to verify your changes (the web version truncates updates to headers). Learn how to download Office in this FAQ.

> We also recommend you do the following to your document as a last step, rather than before you have multiple pages to work with. 

To create your running head and number your pages in Microsoft Word, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Cover Page  (or first page) of your document.

2. Choose the Insert menu.

3. Select the  Page Number  drop down, then, if in the client version of Word select  Top of Page (C hoose Plain Number 3 from the list of header options)  or in the web version , via the images where you want the number to show up (top right hand side option).  The page number will now show up in the header: 

If in the client version, place your cursor right in front of the page number in your header and type the abbreviated title of your paper in ALL CAPS just in front of the page number.  Press the tab key (about 3 times) until the abbreviated title is justified to the left. The page number will remain at the right. 

If in the web version , a table will appear where you can type the title:

4.  For the client version: While still keeping your cursor in the header area, click the Header & Footer Tool's  Design menu tab.  Note : this may already be selected.

For the web version: select the Options dropdown: 

8. Check or select Different First Page.   You will now see a blank header on your cover page. This allows you to have a different header on your cover page than you will have on the rest of your paper. This is what it looks like in the client version:

9. Type Running Head: YOUR PAPER TITLE . This will appear at the left side of your header. The paper title should be typed in ALL CAPS.

The subsequent pages of your paper will have only the abbreviated title and the page number in the header, while the cover page will now have the Running Head and no page number.

You will need to manually type the number 1 back into Running Head page. This is what it looks like in the client version : 

10.  Check the font size and style of your headers. They should be 12 pt. Arial or Times New Roman.

See below for a file template you can paste your paper into. The Writing Center site also has sample and example formatting documents. 

Do you have other general writing questions? 

TCC has Writing Centers  at each campus where writing tutors are available . 

Links & Files

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• Q. I have a "Different First Page" in my Word document, but the second page starts at 2 when I want it to start at 1. What do I do?
• APA_Template_For_Running_Header.docx

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General Format

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

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.

Note:  This page reflects APA 6, which is now out of date. It will remain online until 2021, but will not be updated. The equivalent APA 7 page can be found here .

Please use the example at the bottom of this page to cite the Purdue OWL in APA.

To see a side-by-side comparison of the three most widely used citation styles, including a chart of all APA citation guidelines, see the Citation Style Chart .

You can also watch our APA vidcast series on the Purdue OWL YouTube Channel .

General APA Guidelines

Your essay should be typed and double-spaced on standard-sized paper (8.5" x 11"), with 1" margins on all sides. You should use a clear font that is highly readable. APA recommends using 12 pt. Times New Roman font.

Include a page header (also known as the " running head ") at the top of every page. To create a page header/running head , insert page numbers flush right. Then type "TITLE OF YOUR PAPER" in the header flush left using all capital letters. The running head is a shortened version of your paper's title and cannot exceed 50 characters including spacing and punctuation.

Major Paper Sections

Your essay should include four major sections: the Title Page , Abstract , Main Body , and References .

The title page should contain the title of the paper, the author's name , and the institutional affiliation . Include the page header (described above) flush left with the page number flush right at the top of the page. Please note that on the title page, your page header/running head should look like this:

Pages after the title page should have a running head that looks like this:

After consulting with publication specialists at the APA, OWL staff learned that the APA 6th edition, first printing sample papers have incorrect examples of running heads on pages after the title page. This link will take you to the APA site where you can find a complete list of all the errors in the APA's 6th edition style guide.

Type your title in upper and lowercase letters centered in the upper half of the page. APA recommends that your title be no more than 12 words in length and that it should not contain abbreviations or words that serve no purpose. Your title may take up one or two lines. All text on the title page, and throughout your paper, should be double-spaced.

Beneath the title, type the author's name : first name, middle initial(s), and last name. Do not use titles (Dr.) or degrees (PhD).

Beneath the author's name, type the institutional affiliation , which should indicate the location where the author(s) conducted the research.

APA Title Page

Begin a new page. Your abstract page should already include the page header (described above). On the first line of the abstract page, center the word “Abstract” (no bold, formatting, italics, underlining, or quotation marks).

Beginning with the next line, write a concise summary of the key points of your research. (Do not indent.) Your abstract should contain at least your research topic, research questions, participants, methods, results, data analysis, and conclusions. You may also include possible implications of your research and future work you see connected with your findings. Your abstract should be a single paragraph, double-spaced. Your abstract should be between 150 and 250 words.

You may also want to list keywords from your paper in your abstract. To do this, indent as you would if you were starting a new paragraph, type Keywords: (italicized), and then list your keywords. Listing your keywords will help researchers find your work in databases.

APA Abstract Page

Please see our Sample APA Paper resource to see an example of an APA paper. You may also visit our Additional Resources page for more examples of APA papers.

How to Cite the Purdue OWL in APA

Individual Resources

The page template for the new OWL site does not include contributors' names or the page's last edited date. However, select pages, like the Citation Style Chart , still include this information.

In the absence of contributor/edit date information, treat the page as a source with a group author and use the abbreviation "n.d." for "no date":

Purdue Online Writing Lab.  (n.d.) .  Title of resource.   Retrieved from http://Web address for OWL resource

Purdue Online Writing Lab.  (n.d.).   General Writing FAQs . Retrieved from  https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/general_writing_faqs.html

The generic APA citation for OWL pages, which includes author/edit date information, is this:

Contributors' names. (Last edited date).  Title of resource . Retrieved from http://Web address for OWL resource

Paiz, J., Angeli, E., Wagner, J., Lawrick, E., Moore, K., Anderson, M.,…Keck, R. (2010, May 5).  General format . Retrieved from  http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

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MLA Format | Complete Guidelines & Free Template

Published on December 11, 2019 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on September 5, 2024 by Jack Caulfield.

The MLA Handbook provides guidelines for creating MLA citations and formatting academic papers. This includes advice on structuring parenthetical citations, the Works Cited page, and tables and figures. This quick guide will help you set up your MLA format paper in no time.

Cite your MLA source

Start by applying these MLA format guidelines to your document:

• Use an easily readable font like 12 pt Times New Roman
• Set 1 inch page margins
• Use double line spacing
• Include a ½” indent for new paragraphs
• Include a four-line MLA heading on the first page
• Center the paper’s title
• Use title case capitalization for headings
• Cite your sources with MLA in-text citations
• List all sources cited on a Works Cited page at the end

Alternatively, you can automatically apply the formatting with our MLA docx or Google Docs template.

Table of contents

How to set up mla format in google docs, header and title, running head, works cited page, creating mla style citations, headings and subheadings, tables and figures, frequently asked questions about mla format.

The header in MLA format is left-aligned on the first page of your paper. It includes

• Your full name
• Your instructor’s or supervisor’s name
• The course name or number
• The due date of the assignment

After the MLA header, press ENTER once and type your paper title. Center the title and don’t forget to apply title-case capitalization. Read our article on writing strong titles that are informative, striking and appropriate.

For a paper with multiple authors, it’s better to use a separate title page instead.

At the top of every page, including the first page, you need to include your last name and the page number. This is called the “running head.” Follow these steps to set up the MLA running head in your Word or Google Docs document:

• Double-click at the top of a page
• Type your last name
• Insert automatic page numbering
• Align the content to the right

The running head should look like this:

The Works Cited list is included on a separate page at the end of your paper. You list all the sources you referenced in your paper in alphabetical order. Don’t include sources that weren’t cited in the paper, except potentially in an MLA annotated bibliography assignment.

Place the title “Works Cited” in the center at the top of the page. After the title, press ENTER once and insert your MLA references.

If a reference entry is longer than one line, each line after the first should be indented ½ inch (called a hanging indent ). All entries are double spaced, just like the rest of the text.

Generate accurate MLA citations with Scribbr

Prefer to cite your sources manually? Use the interactive example below to see what the Works Cited entry and MLA in-text citation look like for different source types.

Headings and subheadings are not mandatory, but they can help you organize and structure your paper, especially in longer assignments.

MLA has only a few formatting requirements for headings. They should

• Be written in title case
• Be left-aligned
• Not end in a period

We recommend keeping the font and size the same as the body text and applying title case capitalization. In general, boldface indicates greater prominence, while italics are appropriate for subordinate headings.

Chapter Title

Section Heading

Tip: Both Google Docs and Microsoft Word allow you to create heading levels that help you to keep your headings consistent.

Tables and other illustrations (referred to as “figures”) should be placed as close to the relevant part of text as possible. MLA also provides guidelines for presenting them.

MLA format for tables

Tables are labeled and numbered, along with a descriptive title. The label and title are placed above the table on separate lines; the label and number appear in bold.

A caption providing information about the source appears below the table; you don’t need one if the table is your own work.

Below this, any explanatory notes appear, marked on the relevant part of the table with a superscript letter. The first line of each note is indented; your word processor should apply this formatting automatically.

Just like in the rest of the paper, the text is double spaced and you should use title case capitalization for the title (but not for the caption or notes).

MLA format for figures

Figures (any image included in your paper that isn’t a table) are also labeled and numbered, but here, this is integrated into the caption below the image. The caption in this case is also centered.

The label “Figure” is abbreviated to “Fig.” and followed by the figure number and a period. The rest of the caption gives either full source information, or (as in the example here) just basic descriptive information about the image (author, title, publication year).

Source information in table and figure captions

If the caption of your table or figure includes full source information and that source is not otherwise cited in the text, you don’t need to include it in your Works Cited list.

Give full source information in a caption in the same format as you would in the Works Cited list, but without inverting the author name (i.e. John Smith, not Smith, John).

MLA recommends using 12-point Times New Roman , since it’s easy to read and installed on every computer. Other standard fonts such as Arial or Georgia are also acceptable. If in doubt, check with your supervisor which font you should be using.

The main guidelines for formatting a paper in MLA style are as follows:

• Apply double line spacing
• Indent every new paragraph ½ inch

The fastest and most accurate way to create MLA citations is by using Scribbr’s MLA Citation Generator .

Search by book title, page URL, or journal DOI to automatically generate flawless citations, or cite manually using the simple citation forms.

The MLA Handbook is currently in its 9th edition , published in 2021.

This quick guide to MLA style  explains the latest guidelines for citing sources and formatting papers according to MLA.

Usually, no title page is needed in an MLA paper . A header is generally included at the top of the first page instead. The exceptions are when:

• Your instructor requires one, or
• Your paper is a group project

In those cases, you should use a title page instead of a header, listing the same information but on a separate page.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Streefkerk, R. (2024, September 05). MLA Format | Complete Guidelines & Free Template. Scribbr. Retrieved September 17, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/mla/formatting/

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How do I format my paper so that the phrase Running head appears on only the first page?

Go to 7th edition guidelines

Microsoft Word 2007 and Microsoft Word 2010:

• On the View tab, select the Print Layout document view.
• Double click the header area of the document.
• On the Header & Footer Tools Design tab, in the Options group, select the check box for  Different First Page .
• In the First Page Header box at the top of page 1, type Running head: and then your abbreviated title.
• Go to page 2 of your document and delete the phrase Running head .
• On page 1, Running head will remain in your first page header, and only your abbreviated title will appear on subsequent pages.

Microsoft Word 2003:

• On the View menu, click on Header and Footer .
• In the toolbar that appears, choose the Page setup image and then the tab Layout .
• In the menu, under Headers and footers , click the box that says Different first page .

APA Style Contacts