How to format a research paper

The formatting of a research paper varies depending on the style guide used. There are three common styles: APA, MLA, and Chicago, and each have their own set of formatting standards such as: 

  • Headings format
  • Page layout​
  • The font you use
  • Reference page structure

Regardless of the style, following a decent formatting has a number of advantages:

  • It demonstrates that you value other people’s efforts enough to credit them properly in different styles such as APA, MLA, etc.
  • It assists your reader in finding further resources if they want to learn more about your subject.

Now let’s continue with formatting an APA paper, which is among the most common types. 

Formatting an APA paper

The following are characteristics a paper in APA Style:

  • Use a standard font like Times New Roman 12 pt. or Arial 11 pt.
  • Set the page margins to 1 inch.
  • Double-space your lines.
  • If you’re submitting for publication, be sure to include a running head on each page.
  • Every new paragraph should be indented ½ inches.

Title page

In practice, your APA title page should look like this:

apa cover

When preparing an APA paper, make sure to include the following elements on the title page: 

  • Title of the paper
  • Author's (Student's) Name
  • Institutional Affiliation
  • Course Name
  • Instructor Name
  • Due Date (if exists)

Levels of APA headings and formations

Level Formatting Example
1
Centered, boldface, title case

The Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Cognitive Abilities
2
Flush left, boldface, title case capitalization
Literature Review: The Role of Sleep in Memory Consolidation
3
Indented, boldface, lowercase paragraph heading, period

Methodology and data collection.
4
Indented, boldface, italicized, lowercase paragraph heading, period

Data analysis and findings.
5
Indented, italicized, lowercase paragraph heading, period

Implications for further research.

In-text citations in APA papers

  • The author’s surname and year of publication should be included in the in-text citation. For instance, (Reed, 2009).
  • Include the page number as well for direct quotations, such as: (Reed, 2009, p. 27).
  • Use a paragraph number for sources without page numbers, such as websites and e-books. For example, (Reed, 2009, para. 4).

Reference page

APA Style requires in-text citations and a reference page at the end of the document. You can refer to the image below to create a proper reference page.

apa references

Formatting an MLA paper

The following are the significant guidelines for writing an MLA style paper:
  • Use a legible font, such as Times New Roman 12 pt.
  • Set the page margins to 1 inch.
  • Double-space your lines.
  • Every new paragraph should be indented ½ inches.
  • For headings, use title case capitalization.

Levels of MLA headings and formations

Level Formatting Example
1
Centered, boldface, title case capitalization

The Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Cognitive Abilities
2
Flush left, boldface, title case capitalization
Literature Review: The Role of Sleep in Memory Consolidation
3
Indented, boldface, title case capitalization, period

Methodology and Data Collection.
4
Indented, boldface, italicized, title case, period

Data Analysis and Findings.
5
Indented, italicized, title case capitalization, period

Implications for Further Research.

MLA first page

The first page of an MLA paper should have a heading above your title that includes the following information:

  • Your full name
  • Name of your instructor or supervisor
  • The name or number of the course
  • The assignment’s deadline
mla first page

In-text citations in MLA papers

MLA style uses the author-page approach for in-text citations.

  • When you use a quote or paraphrase from an author, you need to include their last name and the page number(s) in your paper. Additionally, your Works Cited page should have a complete citation.
  • The author’s name can be included in the sentence or in parenthesis after the quotation or paraphrase, but the page number(s) should always be in parentheses, not in the sentence itself.

Works cited page

It’s important to use MLA in-text citations when citing sources in your work. Additionally, make sure that you include a Works Cited page at the end of your paper that includes a list of all the sources you used.

The Works Cited page should follow the specific formatting style shown below.

mla works cited

Formatting a Chicago paper

The following are the key criteria for writing in Chicago style:

  • Use a regular font, such as Times New Roman 12 pt.
  • Use 1 inch or greater margins.
  • Double-space your lines.
  • Every new paragraph should be indented ½ inches.
  • Page numbers should be placed at the top right or bottom center of the page.

Title page

According to the Chicago style, class papers should either have a title page or the title should be present on the first page of the paper. In case your teacher or professor asks for a title page, make sure to follow these guidelines:

  • The title should be centered a third of the way down the page.
  • A few lines later, your name, class details, and the date should appear.
  • For subtitles, use a colon at the end of the title line and the subtitle on the line below the title.
  • Each line of the title page should be double-spaced.
chicago title page

Bibliography or reference list

There are two citation types available in Chicago: author-date citations with a reference list and a bibliography or footnote citations with a bibliography. Choose one of the two styles and stick with it.

  • Author-date style

Parenthetical citations are used within the text in order to refer to the author and year of publication of a source. As the name suggests, these citations are enclosed in parentheses.

  • Each parenthetical citation refers to a reference entry on the document’s References page.
  • In these ways, Author-date is similar to APA style.
chicago ref

  • Footnote citations

Numbered footnotes are used to direct the reader to a concise reference located at the bottom of the page.

  • This relates to a more detailed citation on the paper’s Bibliography page.
  • The citations are formatted differently than in Author-Date, despite the fact that the essential citation principles are the same.

Chicago style citation examples

Citation examples

A book reference as Citation
Scarring of the intestines can occur for a variety of causes (Ogilvie 1998, 26-28). Citation example

A magazine article citation
“The discovery of the Higgs boson was a monumental achievement in particle physics (Johnson 2012, 45-50).” Citation example

In Reference List

Johnson, Michael. 2012. “Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe: The Hunt for the Higgs Boson.” Scientific American 307 (5): 45-50.

Ogilvie, Timothy H. 1998. Large Animal Internal Medicine. Baltimore, MD: Williams and Wilkins.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between APA, MLA, and Chicago in-text citations?

  • APA: In-text citations include the author’s last name and publication year, separated by a comma. For example: (Smith, 2023).
  • MLA: In-text citations include only the author’s last name and page number, without a comma. For example: (Smith 42).
  • Chicago: In-text citations use footnotes or endnotes for referencing sources. The first citation includes the full bibliographic information, and subsequent citations use a shortened form of the reference.

All styles recommend using a legible font like Times New Roman or Arial, size 12.

What is the difference between footnotes and endnotes in Chicago style?

In Chicago style, footnotes appear at the bottom of the page where the reference is cited, while endnotes appear at the end of the document.

Deniz Akcaoglu
Deniz Akcaoglu
Content editor and writer. Probably out there trying to get into an obscure band she actually hates the sound of.

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