Formatting a research paper correctly is not optional — most professors deduct points for formatting errors, and journals reject manuscripts that don’t follow their style guidelines. This guide covers everything you need to know about research paper format for APA, MLA, and Chicago, with specific rules for every element from the title page to the reference list.
Research Paper Format: General Rules That Apply to All Styles
Regardless of which citation style you use, academic research papers share these universal formatting standards:
- Paper size: US Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) for North American institutions; A4 for UK, EU, and Australian institutions
- Margins: 1 inch on all four sides in all major styles
- Font: Times New Roman 12pt is standard across APA, MLA, and Chicago. APA 7th edition also permits Calibri 11pt, Arial 11pt, Georgia 11pt, and Lucida Sans Unicode 10pt as alternatives.
- Line spacing: Double-spaced throughout (body text, headings, block quotations, reference list)
- Paragraph indent: 0.5 inches for the first line of every paragraph
- No extra space between paragraphs: The double spacing already provides visual separation
APA Research Paper Format
APA Title Page (Student Paper)
APA student papers begin with a title page containing: the paper title (bold, centered, title case), your name, your department and institution on two separate lines, the course name and number, your instructor’s name, and the due date. All elements are centered and double-spaced. There is no running head on student papers in APA 7th edition. The page number (1) appears in the top right corner of the header.
APA Abstract
The abstract appears on page 2, after the title page. The centered, bold heading «Abstract» appears at the top. The abstract text is a single, unindented paragraph of 150–250 words. Below the abstract, a keywords line: Keywords: (italic, followed by a colon) then 3–5 lowercase keywords separated by commas. The abstract is optional for student papers unless specifically required.
APA Body Text
The body begins on the page after the abstract (or page 2 if no abstract). The paper title is repeated at the top of the first body page, centered and bold — this serves as the Level 1 heading for the introduction. The word «Introduction» is never used as a heading. The body uses APA’s five-level heading system for organization.
APA In-Text Citations
APA uses the author-date format: (Smith, 2024) for paraphrases; (Smith, 2024, p. 45) for direct quotes. Two authors: (Smith & Jones, 2024). Three or more: (Brown et al., 2023). All in-text citations must match an entry in the References list.
APA References Page
The References page begins on a new page. The heading «References» is centered and bold. Entries are alphabetical, double-spaced, with a hanging indent (first line flush left, subsequent lines indented 0.5 inches). Author initials only; year in parentheses immediately after author; sentence case for article and book titles; DOIs as hyperlinks.
MLA Research Paper Format
MLA Header (No Title Page)
MLA does not use a title page for student papers. Instead, a four-line header appears at the top left of page 1, double-spaced, in this order: your full name, your professor’s name, the course name, the date (Day Month Year format: 25 March 2026). The paper title follows on the next double-spaced line, centered, in title case, in regular (not bold, not italic) formatting.
MLA Page Header
Every page (including page 1) has a right-aligned header in the top right corner with your last name and the page number: Smith 1, Smith 2, etc. In Word: Insert → Header → right-align → type your last name, a space, then Insert → Page Number → Current Position → Plain Number.
MLA In-Text Citations
MLA uses the author-page format: (Smith 45). No comma between author and page number. No «p.» before the page number. Two authors: (Smith and Jones 78). Three or more: (Brown et al. 112). No year in the in-text citation — only in the Works Cited entry.
MLA Works Cited Page
Works Cited begins on a new page. The heading «Works Cited» is centered (not bold, not italic). Entries are alphabetical, double-spaced, with a hanging indent. First author is inverted (Last, First); additional authors are not inverted. Article and chapter titles go in quotation marks; book and journal titles are italicized.
Chicago Research Paper Format
Chicago Title Page
Chicago student papers use a title page. The paper title appears centered roughly one-third down the page. In the lower third, also centered: your name, the course name and number, your instructor’s name, your institution, and the date. The title page is not numbered.
Chicago Page Numbers
Chicago papers number pages in the top right corner. The title page is not numbered. Arabic numerals begin on page 1 (the first page of text). Some dissertations use Roman numerals for front matter (table of contents, etc.) and Arabic numerals for the body text.
Chicago Footnotes
Chicago NB system uses numbered footnotes at the bottom of the page for citations. The first citation of each source gives the full details; subsequent citations use a shortened form. Footnotes are single-spaced at 10pt, with a separator line above the footnote area. The paper body text is double-spaced at 12pt.
Chicago Bibliography
The bibliography appears on a new page at the end with the centered heading «Bibliography.» Entries are alphabetical, double-spaced, with a hanging indent. The first author is inverted. Periods separate elements rather than commas (different from footnote format).
Research Paper Format Comparison Table
| Element | APA 7th Ed. | MLA 9th Ed. | Chicago / Turabian |
|---|---|---|---|
| Title page | Yes (student format) | No — four-line header | Yes |
| Abstract | Usually yes | No | No (dissertations may) |
| Page number position | Top right | Top right (Last name + #) | Top right |
| Running head | No (student papers) | No | No |
| In-text citation | (Author, Year) | (Author Page) | Footnote superscript |
| Bibliography heading | References (bold, centered) | Works Cited (centered) | Bibliography (centered) |
| Author format in bibliography | Last, F. F. (Year). | Last, First. | Last, First. |
Common Research Paper Formatting Mistakes
- Single-spacing instead of double-spacing — All three styles require double spacing throughout, including the reference list. Single-spacing any part of the paper is incorrect.
- Adding extra space between paragraphs — Never press Enter twice between paragraphs. The double-spacing already provides visual separation. This is one of the most common formatting errors in Microsoft Word, often caused by default paragraph spacing settings.
- Not using a hanging indent in the reference list — All three styles require a hanging indent for every bibliography entry. First line flush left, subsequent lines indented 0.5 inches.
- Wrong heading format for the style — APA headings have five levels with specific bold/italic/indent rules. MLA headings are bold, flush left. Chicago headings may be centered or left-aligned depending on level. Each style’s heading rules are different.
- Using the wrong bibliography section title — APA: «References.» MLA: «Works Cited.» Chicago: «Bibliography.» Using the wrong title for the wrong style is a basic formatting error.
How to Set Up a Research Paper in Microsoft Word
- Set margins: Layout → Margins → Normal (1 inch all sides).
- Set font: Select all (Ctrl+A) → Home → Font → Times New Roman, 12pt.
- Set line spacing: Select all → Home → Line Spacing → 2.0 (double). Critically: also click «Remove Space Before Paragraph» and «Remove Space After Paragraph» in the same menu to prevent extra spacing between paragraphs.
- Set paragraph indent: Home → Paragraph → Indentation → Special → First Line → 0.5″.
- Add page number: Insert → Header → Edit Header → right-align → Insert Page Number.
The fastest approach is to download the pre-formatted template for your required style from this site and fill in your content directly.
Related Resources
- APA Format Template for Word — Free Download
- MLA Format Template for Word — Free Download
- Chicago Style Template for Word — Free Download
- APA vs MLA: Key Differences