Section 2: The Basics
How Should Your Paper Look?
- All papers need a title. Include the title centered at the top of the first page, right below the header.
- Type or print on one side of standard 8.5 x 11 inch paper.
- Double-space ALL lines of the paper, including the heading and the title.
- Use either a ten or twelve point font size.
- Do not include a title page unless specifically requested by the instructor.
- Use a heading located on the left side of your first page.
- Use a header that includes your last name and the page number in the upper right-hand corner.
- The right-hand margin should not be justified.
- Set ALL margins to 1 inch.
- Indent the first word of each paragraph one-half inch.
- A paragraph should have at least two sentences.
- When a paragraph exceeds five or six sentences, think about subdividing it.
- Paragraphs in the body of the paper should be approximately the same length.