RESEARCH PAPER FORMAT GUIDE
ENGL 102.3
WRITING AND RESEARCH
010103 ©1998 Jim Kosmicki 0/4
Format of Research Papers:
Research papers have very specific formats that they are to follow. MLA and APA each have their own
distinctive format that they wish you to use. I will present both of them in the pages following. First, I will
present an overview of the format style, then I will show you a sample of that style. I will do MLA on first, and
then APA.
MLA TITLE PAGE FORMAT GUIDE
For the MLA paper, note that:
1. MLA officially does not require a title page, but your instructor most likely will ask for
one. Thus the examples show you the actual MLA format, and the common revised title page
format.
2. If you use a title page in MLA, it is not counted in the page count. Page 1 is ALWAYS the first
page containing the text of your paper.
3. If you use a title page, page 1 begins with the title centered 2 inches from the top of your
paper. This is the only deviation allowed from the standard 1 inch margin.
4. You must include your last name 3 spaces to the left of the page number in the upper right
hand corner of every page of text, including the Works Cited page. This information should be
located in the Header 1/2 inch from the top of the paper.
Being a research paper, your paper will also have:
1. 1 inch margins all around: top, bottom, left and right
2. everything double spaced
3. A Works Cited page that is a numbered page beginning on the first page following the last
page of text.
REALIZE THAT THESE ARE THE GUIDELINES FROM THE MLA HANDBOOK.
YOUR INSTRUCTOR MAY REQUIRE A DIFFERENT FORMAT. ALWAYS BE
WILLING TO ADAPT TO THE INSTRUCTOR'S PREFERENCES, AS THEY GIVE
THE GRADE.