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How to Write an Essay Cover Page

What you include in your cover page depends slightly on which citation style you are using, but the rules are generally the same.

Guide Overview

• APA cover pages
• MLA cover pages

For APA cover pages:

Include the title of the paper, running head, the author’s name, institutional affiliation, and an author’s note.

Here is an example of a cover page in APA:

For MLA cover pages:

Cover pages are not as frequently used in MLA format, as the inclusion of headers is preferred.

A header looks like this:

Cover pages can include the name of your school, your paper title, your name, your course name, your teacher or professor’s name, and the due date of the paper. If you are unsure of what to include, check with your instructor.

Here is an example of a cover page in MLA format:

For more help making cover or title pages, visit our title page generator   here.

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Essay Cover Page - MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and APA Format Cover Sheet

Picture this, you have completed your daily duties and now settling in to complete an essay. What is the worst that would happen? Well, the majority of high school, college, university, and graduate students undervalue the need to format an essay cover page properly. In return, most of them end up with either great essays with a poorly done cover page or a poorly done essay with a poorly formatted cover page.

I don’t know which of the above categories, but mine was worse. It is a great mistake to care less about the proper formatting of a title page for any essay. Sometimes the content in the entire class can be great, and the cover page becomes what separates a good grade from a poor grade. You do not have to leave anything to chance when working to maintain a good GPA, do you?

Why master how to make an essay Cover Sheet?

Your title page informs the reader or the professor what to anticipate in your essay. Sometimes, if they are in a hurry, a catchy topic can entice them to read your essay from introduction to conclusion.

The cover page has your name, title of the essay, institution, instructor, and date. A well-formatted title page is enough a getaway to a strict professor’s marks or grade fountain.

And when you are almost giving up on your cover page, we give you a reason to smile. In this article, we will teach you how to make a cover page for an essay, MLA cover page format, Chicago cover page format, APA cover page format, and Harvard cover page format, with examples.

Why should you learn How to Make a Cover Page for an essay?

Sometimes professors and instructors assume the basic things like formatting a college essay. In the end, students end up losing marks over flimsy mistakes. A common question students ask is “how do you make a cover page for an essay?” or “what is to be included on a title page?”

If you have had these questions or related ones, you are in the right place at the right time. We will take you through cover page essay essentials. But before then, why do we have an essay cover page. Or simply, what is an essay cover page?

An essay cover page is the opening page, sometimes called the title page, and offers a comprehensive description of the essay title, identifies the student, and sometimes bears the date and the instructors’ names.

You will notice that the cover pages for essays differ depending on the specific format you are using. For instance, when creating the MLA essay cover page format, you should only do so if the essay prompt requires you to. If not asked for one, there is never any need to include one. The same applies to Harvard, Chicago, and APA cover page formats.

MLA Essay Cover Page Format with Template/Example

Also known as the Modern Language Association, MLA is a unique essay writing and citation format. It is important to mention that most MLA essays do not require an essay cover page. Nevertheless, some instructors insist on you having a cover page for your MLA paper.

When requested to have an opening or cover page for MLA papers, these are some of the details to include:

• Author’s Name
• Instructor’s Name
• The Due Date

Here is a sample MLA cover page template

Note that the format for MLA research paper cover page is slightly different. It will contain:

• Name of university
• Title of the Research Paper
• The subtitle of the research paper
• Your Name (Author’s Name)
• Course Name and Number
• Instructor/Professor’s Name

Below is a sample MLA research paper cover sheet

Some professors or instructors will advise you to use the research paper MLA format title page for your essay.

How do you format an MLA Cover Page?

Formatting an MLA title page is easy!

• It should be double-spaced.
• The preferable font is Times New Roman size 12 or a legible font.
• All the letters must be in Title Case.
• It should have 1-inch margins throughout the paper.
• Ensure that the title page is double spaced.
• Remove any spaces between paragraphs from your Microsoft Word settings page.

See the details in the sample MLA format cover page provided above. Notice the difference between the two and always read the instructor’s essay prompt before deciding on which one to settle for.

APA Cover Page Format with Example/Template

Students have been asking this for a while, and we felt like addressing it would save many of you out there. “How do I make an APA cover sheet?” Well, just like MLA, an APA essay cover page is easy to make.

To begin with, the APA style title page should include:

• Running head (Left aligned in the header section).
• Page Number (Right aligned).
• Title and subtitle of the essay/paper (centered)
• Name of the author (centered).
• Institutional Affiliation (centered).
• Author’s Note (for long research papers, thesis, and dissertations).

An important note, in APA the title should not exceed 50 characters and should be in capital letters. Times New Roman font size 12 is always preferred as well.

For more details, see the example APA title page provided below.

Note that there are changes to APA 6. In APA 7, there is no "Running head" instead, you will only need a page number situated to the top left of the paper. Here is a sample APA 7 Cover page.

Chicago Cover Page Format with Example/Template

Even though less common in academic essay writing, understanding the Chicago essay title page is necessary. It can save you some trouble when writing a Chicago style paper, which is the case with most literature and humanities subjects such as history. Thus, after reading this, you should understand how to format a Chicago essay title cover page correctly.

Here are tips when making Chicago format opening page:

• Chicago title page has no page number or running head in the header section.
• Using Times New Roman or any legible font of size 12 is preferred.
• All the text on the cover page is centered.
• The cover page is double spaced with no spaces between paragraphs

You see, a Chicago style paper opening page is relatively simple to make. A caution, though, when making any type of cover page, your professor’s guidelines are your rule book. Therefore, everything you need to format an essay cover page is always in the prompt.

Chicago style papers are the easiest to handle. However, despite the ease of inserting a title page, it remains a challenge to most students. Sometimes, seeking professional help can be the only option. Our experts can help you craft your Chicago format essays and research papers, talk to us!

Here is a Chicago style format essay cover page.

Harvard Cover Page Format with Example/Template

Harvard formatting has a specific and well-organized cover page.

• The shortened version of the title of the paper comes in the header section (aligned to the right) and is preceded by the page number).
• The full title, written in all capital letters , appears halfway through the page.
• The author’s name (three lines from the title).
• Then four lines down you will have class name and code, name of the professor, City and State the university is located, and the due date.

Here is an example of the Harvard format Cover Sheet Page.

Bottom Line

A cover page for an essay is a critical aspect when undertaking your academic writing tasks. Even though it might seem boring and unnecessary, it can be the only aspect left to differentiate who passes a course and who fails.

When writing an APA, MLA, Harvard, or Chicago format paper, produce an essay cover page that fits each formatting and citation style. I don’t know about you, but I find it easier to do the cover page as the last part of the essay after writing and proofreading. Yet some in our team prefer setting the cover page for their essays first before they outline the essays . As a ritual, it is my last part to shake hands with the mighty Microsoft Word or Google Document applications.

Check out our article on indenting paragraphs and how to title an article when writing an essay. 

Sometimes, you can ask the instructor or professor how to make a cover page for your essay. We believe no teacher will reprimand you. These are essential basics to keep with you as they will help you understand how to make a cover page for an essay. If you need help writing an essay, our professional writers can always come in handy. Until then, have a happy academic writing session!

Gradecrest is a professional writing service that provides original model papers. We offer personalized services along with research materials for assistance purposes only. All the materials from our website should be used with proper references. See our Terms of Use Page for proper details.

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• APA Title Page (7th edition) | Template for Students & Professionals

APA Title Page (7th edition) | Template for Students & Professionals

Published on November 6, 2020 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on January 17, 2024.

APA provides different guidelines for student and professional papers. The student version of the APA title page should include the following information (double spaced and centered):

Paper title

• Author name
• Department and university name
• Course number and name
• Instructor name
• Due date of the assignment

The professional title page also includes an author note (flushed left), but not a course name, instructor name, or due date.

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Table of contents

Title page example (student and professional version), institutional affiliation, course information, author note, page header, including an image on the title page.

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Write an informative, striking title that summarizes the topic of your paper. Try to keep the title focused and use relevant keywords.

Place the title three or four lines down from the top of the paper. Center align and bold it. Don’t forget to use title case capitalization (capitalize the first letter of each word, except small words such as articles and short prepositions).

Write the author’s name under the paper title (leave a blank line in between). Give their full names (first name, middle initial(s) and last name), but don’t include titles (Dr., Prof.) or degrees (Ph.D., MSc).

Multiple authors on the title page

List the authors in order of their contribution. If there are two authors, separate their names with the word “and”, like this:

If there are more than two authors, separate their names with a comma. Only write “and” before the last author, like this:

Write the author’s affiliation on the next line under the author names. Students should specify the department and institution where they’re attending school. Professional researchers should specify the department and institution where they conducted their research.

Multiple authors with different affiliations

Use superscript numbers on the author line to indicate which institution they’re affiliated with. Don’t use superscript numbers if all authors are affiliated with the same institution (and department).

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On a student title page, provide information about the course. List the following information on separate (double spaced) lines under the author’s affiliation:

• Instructor(s)
• Assignment’s due date

For professional papers, you may include an author note. This note may contain the author’s ORCID iD, affiliation changes, disclosures of conflicts of interest, brief acknowledgments, and contact information (in that specific order). Present this information in separate paragraphs.

Place the author note on the bottom half of the page. Center the label “Author note” and apply bold styling. The paragraphs in the author note are left-aligned. The first line of each new paragraph is indented.

For more information about formatting the author note, see section 2.7 of the APA Publication Manual.

For a student title page, the page header consists of just a page number in the top-right corner. There is no need for a running head (as was the case in APA 6th edition).

A professional title page does have a running head. The running head is an abbreviated version of the paper title in all capital letters. The maximum length is 50 characters (counting spaces).

Images are not usually included on an APA title page, and APA does not provide any guidelines for doing so. It’s usually viewed as unprofessional to include an image, since the title page is there to provide information, not for decoration.

If you do decide to include an image on your title page, make sure to check whether you need permission from the creator of the image. Include a note directly underneath the image acknowledging where it comes from, beginning with the word “ Note .” (italicized and followed by a period):

• If you found the image online or in another source, include a citation and copyright attribution .
• If it’s an image you created yourself (e.g., a photograph you took, an infographic you designed), explain this (e.g., “Photograph taken by the author.”).

Don’t give the image a label, title, or number. Only images within the text itself are labeled as figures .

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, January 17). APA Title Page (7th edition) | Template for Students & Professionals. Scribbr. Retrieved April 2, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-style/apa-title-page/

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Cover Page – APA, MLA & Chicago Style With Examples

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In the academic and professional realms, the presentation of written work is nearly as crucial as the content itself. The most popular guidelines are the APA, MLA, and Chicago style. Each has its unique specifications and nuances, particularly when it comes to crafting the cover page , a pivotal aspect that provides the first impression of any document. This article delves into the distinct features and requirements with examples .

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• 1 Cover page in a nutshell
• 2 Definition: Cover page
• 3 When is a cover page used?
• 4 Essentials of a cover page
• 6 Cover page for students

Cover page in a nutshell

What is a cover page? A cover page is also called the title page and is the first page of an academic essay or other kinds of academic papers. It displays its title, the author’s name, and other relevant information, serving as an introduction or a preview of what’s inside. Think of it like the cover of a book, giving a glimpse of what the content is about.

Definition: Cover page

The cover page serves as a representation of the author. The format will differ based on the style you choose. It typically contains:

• Name of the author
• Name of the professor
• Name of the student’s educational establishment
• Due date of the paper

The topic of the paper and the course name are always included on the title page, regardless of the format used. As the name suggests, it is placed at the front of the paper and is the first thing your professor will see when they receive your paper. When writing an academic paper, you have to adhere to certain established standards. A cover page is required for many papers, as it introduces the professor to the project. In this article, we will look at the different types and their formats.

When is a cover page used?

A cover page is used in various academic, professional, and publishing contexts to provide a clear and organized introduction to a document. Its usage can vary based on the style guide in reference. Here’s a brief overview of when it is used in APA, MLA, and Chicago styles .

• APA style always requires a title page for both student papers and professional articles or studies. You can read more in our article about the APA format title pages.
• Title of the paper, author’s name, institutional affiliation, course name and number (for students), instructor’s name (for students), and due date
• MLA style does not typically require a title page for research papers , unless specifically requested by the instructor. Instead, essential details are usually placed in the top-left corner of the first page.
• Title, name of the author, instructor’s name, course, and date

Chicago style

• Its usage depends on specific publication or institutional requirements. For formal publications and individual assignments, a title page is typically preferred.
• Title, author’s name, often the specific class or course information, and date of submission

Essentials of a cover page

A cover page requires:

• A running head
• The title of your academic paper
• The name of your university
• The name of the author or authors

Besides these requirements, your professor may ask you to add extra information . As mentioned earlier, you should refer to the latest guidelines to see how the cover should be formatted. With APA style, you have to use 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spacing, and 1-inch margins.

The running head has to be left-aligned, and it should be capitalized. Besides the ‘running head,’ your header should have a maximum of 50 characters.

The title of your paper should also be properly formatted. It should be in the title case, meaning the first letters of every word is capitalized. The only words that should not be capitalized are small words like articles and prepositions . The title should be no more than 12 words in length. For the title, you should use whole words only. Avoid contractions and abbreviations.

The names of the authors should also be properly formatted. If multiple authors were involved in writing the paper, they should all be mentioned, along with the institutions they are affiliated with. Students with different affiliations should be listed separately.

The cover page should not be spruced up unnecessarily. Its only objective is to provide the reader or professor with essential information. Don’t use colored paper, colored text, or fancy images to make it look more attractive. That will only make you appear less professional.

There are as many kinds of cover pages as there are academic writing formats. The most commonly used cover page formats are MLA , APA , and Chicago . The difference lies in their format and content. Here is an overview of each of these types.

APA cover page

The APA format cover page should start with the running head, positioned at the top left of your paper. The page number is on the top right. Your paper title is to be in title case, in the upper half of the page. For the title, you simply respect the rules for capitalization in titles . APA recommends that your title should be 12 words in length or less, and it should not include any abbreviations or contractions. Words that serve no purpose should also be left out. The title can take up one or two lines.

The information for an APA format cover is below the title of your paper, then the names of the authors and their institutional affiliations are listed. The author’s name should include first name, middle initial(s), and last name. The titles of the author(s) and their educational qualifications should not be included in this part of the paper. The institutional affiliation is included under the author’s name, and it shows where the researcher carried out the research.

For more information, read our article about the APA cover page .

MLA cover page

When using an MLA format cover page, it is not required. Your instructor will let you know whether they require a cover. For some assignments, a cover can make your paper look more professional, so you should always consider adding one. For MLA, you will have to include:

• School or university name
• Title of your paper
• Name of the class
• Name of your professor
• Date of submission

Note: Different instructors may have different style requirements. You may need to add other details to the cover page.

Like in APA, the format cover page is double-spaced and the letters are centered on the page. The name of your university should be typed first, after which you can skip down to a third of the page and add the title of the research paper. From here, you can skip several lines and add the rest of the details. These details should be on the bottom half of the page.

Chicago style cover page

Usually, the Chicago style does not require a cover. However, they may be requested for individual assignments. In this case, the Chicago cover page includes the title of your page, the name of the author, the name of your teacher, the course title, and the due date. The title should be typed at about one-third of the way down the page. Some professors accept covers using 11 pt. Arial font, but the most widely used font is 12 pt. Times New Roman. You should generally avoid using fancy fonts or underlining the text. You can only use bold for the title and subtitle. The page should be double-spaced. The page number should not be included in a Chicago style cover page.

Cover page for students

Creating a student cover page involves considering the essential elements that offer a concise overview of the work, while also adhering to any style or formatting guidelines in place. Here’s a general outline of what should be included.

• Title of the document/paper Ideally placed at the center of the page Should be specific and concise, capturing the essence of the paper
• Student’s name Usually positioned under the title Full name is recommended unless specified otherwise
• Course name and code Essential for academic submissions to ensure the paper reaches the correct instructor or department
• Instructor/professor’s name Specify the honorific title (e.g., Dr., Prof.) if applicable
• Date of submission Can be written in different formats (e.g., September 21, 2023, or 21-09-2023) depending on institutional or style guide preferences
• Institution Name Name of the school, college, or university
• Class or section If applicable Especially useful for larger courses with multiple sections
• Assignment number or type Optional E.g., “Assignment 1”, “Final Project”, “Research Paper”, etc.

Formatting tips

Use a readable font like Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri. Typically, a 12 pt. font size is recommended. Details on the cover are usually double-spaced for clarity. Ensure you have standard margins (typically 1 inch, so 2.54 cm, on all sides) unless specified otherwise by your institution or style guide. Most of the details are typically centered on the page, but some style guides might have different requirements. Always refer to specific institutional guidelines or the requested style guide (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago) as they may have distinct stipulations for page composition.

How do you write a title page for an essay?

The title page of your academic essay should be simple and straightforward, and it should only consist of text. For the cover page design, you should consult the latest manual of your institution. You may be required to use a certain style of formatting, such as APA, or MLA. The requirements for an APA title page differ from the requirements of an MLA title page .

Does the title page count as one page?

The title page will take up a whole page of your essay. However, it does not count as one page in terms of the page count for your essay . The table of contents and bibliography are also not included in the word/page count of your essay.

How do you format the names of multiple authors?

If more than one person was involved in writing the paper, all the names should be clearly indicated. The format used will depend on the affiliations of the authors and the institution that they’re working with. For an APA cover page, the authors should be listed below the title of the paper. List their first names, middle initials, and last names with any titles and qualifications.

Is a cover page always required?

The cover page is typically required when you use the APA citation style. With the MLA and Chicago formats, your instructor will advise you on whether you have to include a cover. However, more often than not, MLA formatting does not require a title page.

Will you be penalized for adding a cover page when it is not required?

No instructor will penalize you for including a cover page when it is not strictly required. You should consider adding one if you are uncertain whether it is required for your academic writing work. Nevertheless, you should check with your institution anyway to ensure that you’re fulfilling all requirements.

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How to Make a Cover Page

Last Updated: January 12, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Amber Rosenberg, PCC . Amber Rosenberg is a Professional Life Coach, Career Coach, and Executive Coach based in the San Francisco Bay Area. As the owner of Pacific Life Coach, she has 20+ years of coaching experience and a background in corporations, tech companies, and nonprofits. Amber trained with the Coaches Training Institute and is a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF). There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 143,726 times.

Many professional and academic documents will require a cover page, but the information required for a cover page varies depending on the nature of the document. Some cover pages, like those you would send with a resume, are actually letters. Others, like those used for academic essays, are actually title pages. For all cover letters, using a standard font such as Times New Roman, in at least a 12-point size, is recommended.

Formatting a Cover Page For Your Resume

• You should usually use standard 1-inch (2.5-cm) margins, but you can use margins as small as 0.7 inch (1.8 cm) as long as they are the same on all sides.

• If you have a fax number, you should include it below your phone number and above your e-mail address.

• Write out the full name of the month, rather than abbreviating by using a number. For example, rather than write 1/1/2001, you should write January 1, 2001.
• Leave a blank line above and below the date.

• Note that you do not need to include an e-mail address, phone number, or fax number for the company.
• If you do not know the name of a specific contact at the company, skip over that information.

• When you can determine the gender of the receiver, leave out his or her first name and address the receiver as "Mr." or "Ms." For example, "Dear Ms. Smith" or "Dear Mr. Johnson."
• If you do not know the gender of the receiver, skip the title and use his or her full name. For example, "Dear Pat Roberts."
• Leave a blank line before and after you address the receiver.

• If you are a student, state the university you attend and your major.
• Indicate what position you are applying for as well as how or where you heard about the position.
• You can also mention the name of a professional or academic contact you know who has a positive connection to the reader or company.

• List any special projects, awards, or accomplishments that have a clear connection to the skill set requested by the employer.

• You can include your phone number and e-mail address, as well, but it is not entirely necessary since this information is included in your header.

• Always use black ink to sign formal documents.

Making a Cover Page For a Fax

• Include your phone number and your fax number beneath your name and address.
• Leave at least two blank lines below this header and the rest of the document.

• It's a good idea to save your document as a template for future fax use, since the general format will remain the same.
• The most important quality to your fax cover sheet is that it be clear and easy to read.

• Label the date with "DATE," the receiver's name with "TO," your name with "FROM," and your phone number with "PHONE."
• In the United States, the date will be written in "Month, Day, Year," while in most other countries, it will be written "Day, Month, Year."

• Label the time with "TIME," the receiver's fax number with "FAX," your fax number with "FAX," and your e-mail address with "EMAIL."
• Note that the receiver's name and fax number should be placed on the same horizontal line. Likewise, your name and fax number should be placed on a shared horizontal line of their own.

• Note that this line does not need to be in all capital letters.

• If you had previous contact with the receiver concerning this fax, state that information.
• Introduce your message with the label "MESSAGE:"
• Below your message, ask the receiver to verify the receipt of the document by calling the phone number provided or using the e-mail address provided.

• Specific privacy guidelines for transmission of protected confidential information may vary. If you work for a health provider, you may need to follow additional guidelines to protect the privacy of your client.

Formatting a Cover Page For Your Manuscript

• Use your real name. If you are submitting the manuscript under a pen name, you can follow your real name with your pen name. Introduce a pen name with "A.K.A." or "(Pen name: John Doe)."
• If you're submitting your work to a context that will be judged anonymously, you'll include your contact information on the cover page, while omitting your name and contact information from the title page.

• You do not need to use an exact word count. For instance, if your manuscript is 63,472 words, round it off to 63,000 or 63,500.
• Introduce the word count with "Approximately ______ words."

• Typing the title in all capital letters is a fairly common practice, but it is not necessary.
• It's not necessary to underline, italicize, or bold the title.

• You don't have to include any indication of copyright protection, as your work is automatically protected.
• Never bind or connect the pages of your manuscript in any way. Your cover letter, like the other pages of your manuscript, should be unbound and placed in an envelope or box.

Using APA Style For Your Cover Page

• Introduce the running head with the words "Running head." Follow this label with a colon.
• The running head itself should be in all capital letters.
• The running head should be no longer than 50 characters, including spaces and punctuation.

• The page number and running head should be evenly aligned horizontally.

• Capitalize the first letter of all major words but not for minor words. For example: How to Make a Cover Page
• Do not italicize, bold, or underline the title.

• For example, if you are submitting the paper for a class taken at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, you should include this in the line beneath the author's name (i.e. your name, and the names of your co-authors.)
• Check with your professor for any additional guidelines.

Using MLA Style For Your Cover Page

• Be aware that cover pages are not standard in MLA format, but some professors do request them.

• Do not bold, italicize, or underline either the title or the subtitle.

• Your name should be written using the same font and size as the other words on your title page.
• Don't try to use a cute or clever font for any part of your cover page, as professors don't care for this.

• Introduce your instructor as "Dr." when appropriate. If you cannot use this title to address your instructor, at least introduce him or her as "Professor." For example, "Dr. John Doe" or "Professor John Doe."
• Include both the course name and number.

Using Chicago Style For Your Cover Page

• In Chicago style, cover page and title page refer to the same thing.
• Your professor may have other requirements. Make sure you use the preferred formatting for your course.

• Capitalize the first letter of each major word in your title, but not those belonging to minor words. For example: How to Make a Cover Page
• Alternatively, some style guides suggest that the title be presented in ALL CAPS.
• Do not underline, italicize, or bold the title.
• If you have a subtitle, place a colon following your title and write the subtitle on the following line.

• Your name should be typed about three quarters of the way down the page.
• Use the same font and size that you've used throughout the cover page.

• Include both the name and course number of the subject.
• Write your professor's full name and title. Use "Dr." only when appropriate. For example: "Dr. John Doe" or "Professor John Doe."

Expert Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://careercenter.georgetown.edu/major-career-guides/resumes-cover-letters/resume-formatting-tips/
• ↑ Amber Rosenberg, PCC. Pacific Life Coach. Expert Interview. 8 March 2022.
• ↑ http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/549/01/
• ↑ http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/create-edit-fax-cover-page#1TC=windows-7
• ↑ https://winningwriters.com/resources/manuscript-tips
• ↑ http://academictips.org/mla-format/mla-format-cover-page/
• ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/717/02/

About This Article

To make a cover page using MLA format, start by setting your margins to 1 inch on all sides and keeping the alignment centered. Next, choose 12 point Times New Roman for your font and place your title roughly one-third of the way down, capitalizing the first letter of every major word in your title. Then, skip several lines below the title and write your full name, as well as any other collaborators. Finally, list the name of your instructor, the name of the class, and the date, making sure to separate each element with a double-spaced line. To learn more, like how to make a cover page using APA or Chicago Style, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Erin Wright Writing

Writing-Related Software Tutorials

How to Create a Cover Page in Microsoft Word (Built-In and Custom)

By Erin Wright

This tutorial shows how to create a cover page in Microsoft Word. First, we’ll create a cover page using a built-in design. Then, we’ll create a custom cover page that can be reused. Next, we’ll delete a cover page. Plus, the bonus section at the end shows how to remove page number zero from a cover page.

Quick Links:

• How to Create a Built-In Cover Page

How to Create a Custom Cover Page

• How to Delete a Cover Page

How to Remove Page Number Zero from a Cover Page

This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time.

Watch more than 250 other writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel .

The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365 on a PC. These steps will also work in Word 2021, Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, and Word 2010. However, your interface may look slightly different in those older versions of the software.

How to Create a Built-In Cover Page in Microsoft Word

You can quickly create a cover page using a built-in design.

• Select the Insert tab in the ribbon.

• Select Cover Page in the Pages group.

• Choose a built-in design from the gallery in the drop-down menu. (Hover over More Cover Pages from Office.com for additional options.)

• (Optional) To insert your cover page somewhere other than the top of your document, right-click the built-in design, and then choose a location from the shortcut menu.

• Place your cursor in the sample text, and then type your information.

Pro Tip: To delete a section of sample text, right-click it, and then select Remove Content Control from the shortcut menu.

The built-in cover page should now be part of your Word document.

You can create a custom cover page that can be reused in other Word documents.

• Open a blank document. ( Pro Tip: Press Ctrl + N to open a blank document.)
• Create your cover page, including images if necessary.
• Select all the text and images that should be included in the cover page.

• Select the Insert tab in the ribbon (see figure 1).
• Select Cover Page in the Pages group (see figure 2).
• Select Save Selection to Cover Page Gallery from the drop-down menu.

• Type a unique name into the Name text box in the Create New Building Block dialog box. (Cover pages are part of Word’s building block system of reusable content.)

• (Optional) Add additional information into the Description text box, if necessary.

Important Note: I strongly recommend leaving the default settings for the other options in this dialog box.

• Select the OK button.

Your custom cover page should now be added to the Cover Page Gallery.

• Close the document used to create your custom cover page. (You don’t have to save this document.)
• Select Save in the alert box asking if you want to save changes to Building Blocks.dotx.

• Open the document to which you want to add the custom cover page.
• Select the Insert tab (see figure 1).
• Select your custom cover page from the gallery.

Your custom cover page should now be added to your current document.

Pro Tip: How to Delete a Custom Cover Page from the Cover Page Gallery

• Right-click the custom cover page in the Cover Page drop-down menu, and then select Organize and Delete from the shortcut menu.

Caution: Your custom cover page will be automatically selected when the Building Blocks Organizer dialog box opens. Take care not to select another item.

• Select the Delete button in the Building Blocks Organizer dialog box.

• Select the Yes button in the question dialog box asking if you are sure you want to delete the selected building block.

• Select the Close button in the Building Blocks Organizer dialog box.

Your custom cover page should now be removed from the Cover Page Gallery.

How to Delete a Cover Page in Microsoft Word

The following steps show how to remove a cover page from an individual document.

• Select Remove Current Cover Page from the drop-down menu.

Your cover page should be removed from your document.

If your document has page numbers, the page number zero may show up unnecessarily on the cover page. The following steps show how to remove page number zero.

• Double-click the top of any page to open the Header & Footer tab.

• Select Different First Page in the Options group.

• Select the Close Header and Footer button.

The page number zero should now be removed from your cover page.

Related Resources

How to Insert Citations in Microsoft Word

How to Create a Citation with Multiple Sources in Microsoft Word

How to Insert Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word

Updated July 02, 2023

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APA Title Page (Cover Page) Format, Example, & Templates

Saul Mcleod, PhD

Editor-in-Chief for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester

Saul Mcleod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.

Learn about our Editorial Process

Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc

Associate Editor for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Psychology of Education

Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and associate editor for Simply Psychology. She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.

On This Page:

In APA Style (7th edition), the cover page, or title page, should include:

• A running head (professional papers only) and page number
• The title of the paper
• The name of the author(s)
• The institutional affiliation
• An author note; optional (professional papers only)
• A student paper should also include course information

Note : APA 7 provides slightly different directions for formatting the title pages of professional papers (e.g., those intended for scholarly publication) and student papers (e.g., those turned in for credit in a high school or college course).

Professional paper APA title page

Student paper APA title page

Formatting an APA title page

Note : All text on the title page should be double-spaced and typed in either 12-point, Times New Roman font. In the 7th edition, APA increaded the flexibility regarding font options: which now include Calibri 11, Arial 11, Lucida Sans Unicode 10, Times New Roman 12, or Georgia 11. All words should be centered, and capitalize the first letter of important words.

Running Head

In the 7th edition of the APA style manual, running heads are only required for professional papers that are being submitted for publication (student papers do not require a running head, but still need a page number).

Your title page should contain a running head that is flush left at the top of the page and a page number that is flush right at the top of the page.

Place the running head in the page’s header:

• The running head is the abbreviated title of the paper (IN UPPERCASE LETTERS) aligned left on the page header of all pages, including the title page. APA (7th edition) guidelines require that running heads be a maximum of 50 characters (spaces count as characters).
• The “Running head:” label used in the APA sixth edition is no longer used.
• Place the page number in this same header, but align right, beginning with page number 1 on the title page.
• This header should be 1 inch from the top. Some instructors allow for 1/2 inch, too, but the default is 1 inch.

Paper Title

Position the title of the paper in the upper half of the page. The title should be centered and written in boldface, and important words should be capitalized.

The APA recommends that your title should be a maximum of 12 words and should not contain abbreviations or words that serve no purpose.

Author Name(s)

Institutional affiliation.

Position the school or university’s name below the author(s) name, centered.

A student paper should also include the course number and name, instructor name, and assignment due date.

Further Information

• APA Student Title Page Guide
• APA Referencing
• How to Write a Lab Report
• Essay Writing Guide for Psychology Students
• APA Style Citations & References
• Example of an APA Formatted Paper

• How to setup your software
• Sample MLA Paper – normal paper
• Sample MLA Paper – has cover page
• Sample APA Paper
• Sample Chicago Paper
• Sample CSE Paper
• APA Format Guidelines
• MLA Format Cover Page

The Modern Language Association (MLA) does not require you to create a cover page when you complete your research paper, but some instructors may require it.

If your instructor requires your paper to have a cover page, here is how to make it (very easy). This cover page should include: your school name, your research paper title, your name, your class, your professor name and your paper due date.

How to Format Your MLA Cover Page:

• This page is double spaced and the letters are centered.
• Font: Times New Roman
• Font size: 12
• The first letter of each word should be capitalized with the exception of very short words such as: the, and, of, or, a, an, in, to, for. Note: the first letter of the first word should be capitalized, regardless of what kind of word it is.
• Type the name of your university or college.
• Skip to about one-third of the page and type your research paper title, include a subtitle if you have.
• Skip several lines down and type your name, your course name and number, your instructor name and your paper’s due date.

Sample MLA Format Cover Page:

Sample MLA Format Cover Page

Alternate First Page:

If your instructor requires a cover page, you would omit the main heading on your first page. Here is an example of the first page if a cover page is used. You still need your last name and page number on the first page and every other page.

Sample MLA Format First Page with Cover Page

Sample MLA Paper:

Visit here for a sample paper with the cover page. The cover page can vary slightly. This paper also has the outline page for your sample.

If you find this website useful, please share with a friend:

How do I get the header on the second page on down? I tried editing it but then it takes the header away from all the pages.

In word select the header then go to: Header & Footer>Page Number>Format Page Numbers>Page Numbering>Start at page>Set to 0

How do I get the header on the second page on down? I tried editing it but then it takes the header away from all the pages. I am using windows. Also, the page numbers are not working for me either. Please help me.

How should I start the page after my cover page?

https://mlaformat.org/mla-format-heading/

Thank you so much Stephen !!! Helped a lot in my written assignments 🙂

Great site ! Thank you so much. Just returned to school to complete my bachelors and needed a little refreshing. Has all the information I needed !

Thanks so much for all of the great information! I have not used MLA before and was a little panic stricken. I have found all of my answers here. This is now saved to my favorites so I can use it regularly. Thanks again!

Should the lines on the cover page be double spaced?

Thanks so much for the picture of the cover page it has helped a lot. But, I was wondering do I still need to put my Title at the top of every page after the header?

Hello Lydia. You do not.

After your cover page, your next page’s heading should look like the “Alternate First Page” above.

After the “Alternate First Page” => your next pages should have “The Inner Pages” heading: https://mlaformat.org/mla-format-heading/

Sample paper: https://mlaformat.org/mla-format-sample-paper-with-cover-page-and-outline/

hey Lydia you don’t need to but if you want to you can

Thank you so so much. I love the simplicity of the website, very easy to understand. I finally have a cover page for my paper!!

I love this website!! It helped so many times with all my essays. I’m working on a college one and this was very useful. Thank you soo much. And thanks for the examples im a visual person I needed that 🙂

Hi Kaylin, I am glad you find this site useful. Take care!

By the way (sorry i forgot!) for the coverpage, would the text font be 12 times new roman???

You can set everything 12, Times New Roman. Or you can set the Title a little larger than 12, that should work too.

In the example above, I have the title larger than 12.

Here is an example with everything set at 12.

Thank you so much for your help on this useful website! I found it very organized and I’m very glad that I came across this particular article. Thanks!!!!!!!:)

I have a question regarding the cover page and the following pages. If I have a cover page as the example provided, do I still need the heading on the next page? And should the pages after that contain my last name on the top left as the header does on the on the previous pages? or do I not need the header at all if I have the cover page and just my name?

Excellence question, Stella! I have updated this article with information on the first page if a cover page is used. Please see “Alternate First Page” above.

You can omit the main heading but you still need your last name and page number on the first page and all subsequent pages. Take care!

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• MLA Format Cover Page

The Modern Language Association (MLA) does not require you to create a cover page when you complete your research paper, but some instructors may require it.

If your instructor requires your paper to have a cover page, here is how to make it (very easy). This cover page should include: your school name, your research paper title, your name, your class, your professor name and your paper due date.

How to Format Your MLA Cover Page:

• This page is double spaced and the letters are centered.
• Font: Times New Roman
• Font size: 12
• The first letter of each word should be capitalized with the exception of very short words such as: the, and, of, or, a, an, in, to, for. Note: the first letter of the first word should be capitalized, regardless of what kind of word it is.
• Type the name of your university, college or high school.
• Skip to about one-third of the page and type your research paper title, include a subtitle if you have.
• Skip several lines down and type your name, your course name and number, your instructor name and your paper due date.

Sample MLA Format Cover Page:

Sample MLA Format Cover Page

Alternate First Page (Important):

If your instructor requires a cover page, you would omit the main heading on your first page.

Here is an example of the first page if a cover page is used. You still need your last name and page number on the first page and every other page.

Sample MLA Format First Page with Cover Page

Sample MLA Paper:

Visit here for a sample paper with the cover page. The cover page can vary slightly. This paper also has the outline page for your sample.

For some reason, it warms my heart to see people saying “thanks” in this era — despite how old this guide is. OP is here saving lives in the year 2024 o7

ty ty ty ty

thank you sir

thank you so much for this amazing guide

thanks a lot!

this was very helpful thank you mrs. silvey

yeah thanks mrs. story

Thank you for the example of the cover page.

thank mrs story

Thank You Ms. K! (¬‿¬)

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How to Make a Cover Page for an Essay?

The essay writing always involves making a cover page, and this is usually the first thing that your readers see. Therefore, you should use this opportunity to make a good impression and make sure that your readers will understand what your essay or research paper is about, and why it can be interesting to them. In this quick guide, we will consider cover pages in more detail and share some tips on how to make a cover page for an essay when dealing with different citation styles.

What an Essay Cover Page (Title Page) Is

A cover page is the very first page of an essay, research paper, or another academic paper. The cover page, which can also be called the title page, provides basic information about the author and the paper. The title page also features information on the author’s institution, and the publication date. The format of the title page and its content depends on what citation format you should use. For instance, some citation formats require you to include a running head.

The main purpose of a cover page is to help your readers immediately understand what your essay is, what it’s about, what its purpose is, and who wrote it. A proper cover page also makes your essay look more professional and formal. Quite often, a cover page isn’t a mandatory part of an academic paper. However, it’s usually included in papers formatted according to the APA style. Professors usually provide students with instructions regarding the cover page so if you’re not sure whether or not you need to write it for your essay, we recommend that you talk to your instructor.

Generally, it’s better to include the cover page because, even if your instructor doesn’t ask for it, nobody will deduct your points for providing it. The main thing is to know the required formatting because cover pages written in different styles may look completely differently. Let’s take a closer look at the common types of cover pages.

MLA format cover is one of the most common ones. Usually, papers written according to the MLA format don’t feature a cover page. If you need to include information about you, your course, professor, and date of writing, you can do it in the top left corner above the essay titlefname. However, sometimes professors ask students to make a title page for their MLA essays, and in this case, you should know what an MLA title page looks like.

The name of your university should be centered and written at the top of the page. In the middle of the cover page, include the title of the paper. You may also add the necessary subtitles and a running head with your last name and the page number. Author's name, course name and number, the date of writing, and your professor’s name should be written at the bottom of the page. You should also add 1 inch margins on all sides and use the 12 pt Times New Roman font size.

MLA Cover Page Format

Image source: https://www.chegg.com/writing/guides/style-guides/mla-format/mla-title-page-format-example/

As we’ve already mentioned above, cover pages are common in APA papers. When creating an APA cover page, you should include your name, the essay title, and the name of your institution (institutional affiliation). You should also add a running head to the top of your page. The running head should include the page number, and it may also feature the shortened title of your paper written in all caps. You may even include the words “running head” before the paper title, but on the first page only.

Just like all the other pages of your essay, the title page should have one-inch margins on all sides. Make your document double-spaced and use Times New Roman font size 12 or Arial font. Make sure that the entire title page is double-spaced and don’t include any additional spaces. Here's the cover page template that you can use as an example.

APA Cover Page Format

Image source: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/title-page

Chicago Style

When dealing with the Chicago format, your cover page should look similar to an MLA cover page. At the same time, these two formatting styles also have some differences. For instance, Chicago style requires you to include the title of your essay in the top half of the page. At the bottom, you should provide name of the author, name of the course, and the date. The Chicago cover page format doesn’t require you to provide the name of your university.

Chicago Cover Page Format

Image source: https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org

Although making a cover page for an essay isn’t always required, it’s better to know what a title page should look like depending on the format. Adding a title page to your essay is always a good decision because it will make your essay look more professional. Cover pages are necessary elements of formal writing, and if you need to write a well-formatted cover page, our tips will help you.

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How-To Geek

How to create custom cover pages in microsoft word.

A great cover page draws in readers.

Quick Links

How to add a ready-to-use cover page to your word document, how to create a custom cover page in microsoft word.

A great cover page draws in readers. If you use Microsoft Word, you're in luck, because Word has ready to use cover pages. But did you know that Word also lets you create custom cover pages? Here's how to use both.

Word includes some cover page templates you can insert and then customize a bit if you need a quick cover page for your document.

To find them, switch over to the "Insert" tab on Word's Ribbon and then click the "Cover Page" button. (If your window isn't maximized, you might see a "Pages" button instead. Click that to show the "Cover Page" button.)

On the drop-down menu, click the cover page you want to use.

You can now add your document title, subtitle, date, and other information, as well as change the design up a bit if you want.

Creating a cover page from a template is easy enough, but if you don't like any of the built-in designs, you can create your own. You can do this on an existing document, but it's easiest to start with a blank document. We're going to be saving the custom cover page so that you can quickly insert it into an existing document anyway.

You can create your cover page using pretty much any of Word's tools. You can add a background color, picture, or texture . You can also position those elements how you want and even apply Word's text wrapping tools to them.  Make it look however you want.

When it comes to content, you have a couple of options. You can just type the text you want, but that wouldn't make it much of a template unless you want the same text on the cover page every time you use it.

Instead, you can use Word's Quick Parts feature to add document properties to the document. To do that, switch over to the "Insert" tab and then click the "Quick Parts" button.

On the drop-down menu, point to the "Document Property" submenu, and you'll see a bunch of different properties you can insert into your document: author, title, company, publish date, and so on. Go ahead and insert whichever properties you want to appear on your title page.

When you're done, you'll have several fields on your page. When you insert your cover page into a document later on, those fields are populated with the actual properties from the document (and you can also edit them on the fly if you want).

They're super plain to start with, but you can treat them like any other text in Word by applying styles and formatting, centering them on the page---whatever. Here, we've centered them on the page, applied the Title style to the title, shifted things down on the page a bit, and inserted a filigree illustration for a little flair. It's not the prettiest cover page around, but it's a good working example.

Now that we've got our cover page the way we want it, it's time to create a cover page template out of it.

First, select everything in the document (that's why we recommend starting this in a blank document) by pressing Ctrl+A. Next, head back to the "Insert" tab and then click that "Cover Page" button again.

This time, choose the "Save Selection to Cover Page Gallery" command from the drop-down menu.

In the window that opens, give your cover page a name and fill out a brief description if you want. Click "OK" when you're done.

Now when you open the "Cover Page" drop-down menu in the future, you'll see your new cover page template in the "General" section. Click to insert it just like you would one of Word's built-in cover pages.

And that's it. Creating custom cover pages for your document is pretty easy once you know where to look. While you're at it, learn a few more quick tips on putting together professional-looking documents in Word .

Ultimate Guide to Writing Your College Essay

Tips for writing an effective college essay.

College admissions essays are an important part of your college application and gives you the chance to show colleges and universities your character and experiences. This guide will give you tips to write an effective college essay.

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Student Story: Admissions essay about personal identity

Get the perspective of a current college student on how she approached the admissions essay.

Student Story: Admissions essay about community impact

Student story: admissions essay about a past mistake, how to write a college application essay, tips for writing an effective application essay, sample college essay 1 with feedback, sample college essay 2 with feedback.

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