Different disciplines (subjects or areas of study) format documents such as essays, in different ways:

• ENGLISH-BASED COURSES

  • Modern Language Association (MLA) Citation Style [currently using 9th edition]

• HISTORY-BASED COURSES

  • Chicago Citation Style [currently using 17th edition]

• SOCIAL SCIENCE-BASED COURSES

  • American Psychological Association (APA) Citation Style [currently using 7th edition]

Each of these formatting styles has different:

• page set up [margins and spacing within documents] 

• text elements [title, page numbers, etc.]

• in-text citations [formatting of references in the body of work]

• end of text citation [formatting of references at the end of the work]

Be sure to double check with your classroom teacher and review all instruction expectations so that you can format your work in the correct style before submitting for assessment and grading. 

HOW TO FORMAT (SET UP) AN ESSAY IN MLA STYLE

• Margins: there must be a 1-inch margin all around each page of your essay 

• Font:  MLA format requires the use of an easy-to-read font set to a standard size . Traditionally, Times-New Roman in a size 12pt is always safe

• Line-spacing: All typed work in a MLA formatted paper must be double-spaced

• Page Headers and Numbers: All pages in a MLA formatted paper must include your last name, followed by the page number. Each page of the document must be formatted in this way

• Submission Information: MLA papers do not require a title page. Include important submission information in the top left-hand corner of the 1st page only.  This information includes:

  • Your name [first and last]

  • Teachers name

  • Course code

  • Submission date written as: Day, Month, Year 

• Title: MLA papers include a title in the center of the 1st page only. Title text must be plain - no italics, underlining, or font variation

• Citations: MLA style uses both in-text and end-of-text citations. End-of-text citations appear on a separate page titled Works Cited

HOW TO FORMAT (SET UP) AN ESSAY IN APA STYLE

• Margins: there must be a 1-inch margin all around each page of your essay 

• Font:  APA format requires the use of an easy-to-read font set to a standard size . Traditionally, Times-New Roman in a size 12pt is always safe

• Line-spacing: All typed work in a APA formatted paper must be double-spaced

• Page Numbers: All pages in a APA formatted paper must be numbered. Page numbers must appear in the top-right corner of each page

• Title Page: APA papers do require a title page. Include important submission information in the center of the 1st page only.  This information includes:

  • Title of the work [give you essay a title and write it first] 

  • Your name [first and last]

  • Teachers name

  • Course code

  • Submission date written as: Month, Day, Year

  • NOTE the title page in an APA paper is numbered as page 1 

• Title: Repeat the title of your work on the 2nd page of the essay only, before you begin typing the body of your work. The title should be centered to the page and the font should be bold

• Sub-headers: Because APA style is used in social-science based papers, these essays are typically broken down and arranged into sections. Each section of an APA paper must have a sub-header. A sub-header must be typed using bold font and appear on the left - side of the page, not in the center 

• Citations: APA style uses both in-text and end-of-text citations. End-of-text citations appear on a separate page titled References

HOW TO FORMAT (SET UP) AN ESSAY IN CHICAGO STYLE

• Margins: there must be a 1-inch margin all around each page of your essay 

• Font:  Chicago format requires the use of an easy-to-read font set to a standard size . Traditionally, Times-New Roman in a size 12pt is always safe

• Line-spacing: All typed work in the body of your essay must be double-spaced. In Chicago style, block quotations and foot notes are single spaced

• Page Numbers: All pages in a Chicago formatted paper must be numbered. Page numbers must appear in the top-right corner of each page

• Title Page: Chicago papers do require a title page. Include important submission information in the center of the 1st page only.  

  • Write the title of the work, written in all capital letters about 1/3rd of the way down the page

  • Include the following information about 2/3rd down the rest of the page 

    • Your name [first and last]

    • Teachers name

    • Course code

    • Submission date written as: Month, Day, Year 

  • NOTE: the title page in a Chicago paper is not numbered but does count as the 1st page; therefore, the first page of the text is numbered 2.

• Citations:  Chicago style uses both in-text and end-of-text citations. End-of-text citations appear on a separate page titled Bibliography. In-text citations are formatted using footnotes - this is when a small number appears immediately after any reference. That reference is then expanded [details] in the foot of the corresponding page