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Essay Structure
Writing an academic essay means fashioning a coherent set of ideas into an argument. Because essays are essentially linear—they offer one idea at a time—they must present their ideas in the order that makes most sense to a reader. Successfully structuring an essay means attending to a reader's logic.
The focus of such an essay predicts its structure. It dictates the information readers need to know and the order in which they need to receive it. Thus your essay's structure is necessarily unique to the main claim you're making. Although there are guidelines for constructing certain classic essay types (e.g., comparative analysis), there are no set formula.
Answering Questions: The Parts of an Essay
A typical essay contains many different kinds of information, often located in specialized parts or sections. Even short essays perform several different operations: introducing the argument, analyzing data, raising counterarguments, concluding. Introductions and conclusions have fixed places, but other parts don't. Counterargument, for example, may appear within a paragraph, as a free-standing section, as part of the beginning, or before the ending. Background material (historical context or biographical information, a summary of relevant theory or criticism, the definition of a key term) often appears at the beginning of the essay, between the introduction and the first analytical section, but might also appear near the beginning of the specific section to which it's relevant.
It's helpful to think of the different essay sections as answering a series of questions your reader might ask when encountering your thesis. (Readers should have questions. If they don't, your thesis is most likely simply an observation of fact, not an arguable claim.)
"What?" The first question to anticipate from a reader is "what": What evidence shows that the phenomenon described by your thesis is true? To answer the question you must examine your evidence, thus demonstrating the truth of your claim. This "what" or "demonstration" section comes early in the essay, often directly after the introduction. Since you're essentially reporting what you've observed, this is the part you might have most to say about when you first start writing. But be forewarned: it shouldn't take up much more than a third (often much less) of your finished essay. If it does, the essay will lack balance and may read as mere summary or description.
"How?" A reader will also want to know whether the claims of the thesis are true in all cases. The corresponding question is "how": How does the thesis stand up to the challenge of a counterargument? How does the introduction of new material—a new way of looking at the evidence, another set of sources—affect the claims you're making? Typically, an essay will include at least one "how" section. (Call it "complication" since you're responding to a reader's complicating questions.) This section usually comes after the "what," but keep in mind that an essay may complicate its argument several times depending on its length, and that counterargument alone may appear just about anywhere in an essay.
"Why?" Your reader will also want to know what's at stake in your claim: Why does your interpretation of a phenomenon matter to anyone beside you? This question addresses the larger implications of your thesis. It allows your readers to understand your essay within a larger context. In answering "why", your essay explains its own significance. Although you might gesture at this question in your introduction, the fullest answer to it properly belongs at your essay's end. If you leave it out, your readers will experience your essay as unfinished—or, worse, as pointless or insular.
Mapping an Essay
Structuring your essay according to a reader's logic means examining your thesis and anticipating what a reader needs to know, and in what sequence, in order to grasp and be convinced by your argument as it unfolds. The easiest way to do this is to map the essay's ideas via a written narrative. Such an account will give you a preliminary record of your ideas, and will allow you to remind yourself at every turn of the reader's needs in understanding your idea.
Essay maps ask you to predict where your reader will expect background information, counterargument, close analysis of a primary source, or a turn to secondary source material. Essay maps are not concerned with paragraphs so much as with sections of an essay. They anticipate the major argumentative moves you expect your essay to make. Try making your map like this:
- State your thesis in a sentence or two, then write another sentence saying why it's important to make that claim. Indicate, in other words, what a reader might learn by exploring the claim with you. Here you're anticipating your answer to the "why" question that you'll eventually flesh out in your conclusion.
- Begin your next sentence like this: "To be convinced by my claim, the first thing a reader needs to know is . . ." Then say why that's the first thing a reader needs to know, and name one or two items of evidence you think will make the case. This will start you off on answering the "what" question. (Alternately, you may find that the first thing your reader needs to know is some background information.)
- Begin each of the following sentences like this: "The next thing my reader needs to know is . . ." Once again, say why, and name some evidence. Continue until you've mapped out your essay.
Your map should naturally take you through some preliminary answers to the basic questions of what, how, and why. It is not a contract, though—the order in which the ideas appear is not a rigid one. Essay maps are flexible; they evolve with your ideas.
Signs of Trouble
A common structural flaw in college essays is the "walk-through" (also labeled "summary" or "description"). Walk-through essays follow the structure of their sources rather than establishing their own. Such essays generally have a descriptive thesis rather than an argumentative one. Be wary of paragraph openers that lead off with "time" words ("first," "next," "after," "then") or "listing" words ("also," "another," "in addition"). Although they don't always signal trouble, these paragraph openers often indicate that an essay's thesis and structure need work: they suggest that the essay simply reproduces the chronology of the source text (in the case of time words: first this happens, then that, and afterwards another thing . . . ) or simply lists example after example ("In addition, the use of color indicates another way that the painting differentiates between good and evil").
Copyright 2000, Elizabeth Abrams, for the Writing Center at Harvard University
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MLA Format | Complete Guidelines & Free Template
Published on December 11, 2019 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on June 16, 2022 by Jack Caulfield.
The MLA Handbook provides guidelines for creating MLA citations and formatting academic papers. This quick guide will help you set up your MLA format paper in no time.
Start by applying these MLA format guidelines to your document:
- Times New Roman 12
- 1″ page margins
- Double line spacing
- ½” indent for new paragraphs
- Title case capitalization for headings
Download Word template Open Google Docs template
(To use the Google Docs template, copy the file to your Drive by clicking on ‘file’ > ‘Make a copy’)
Table of contents
How to set up mla format in google docs, header and title, running head, works cited page, creating mla style citations, headings and subheadings, tables and figures, frequently asked questions about mla format.
The header in MLA format is left-aligned on the first page of your paper. It includes
- Your full name
- Your instructor’s or supervisor’s name
- The course name or number
- The due date of the assignment
After the MLA header, press ENTER once and type your paper title. Center the title and don’t forget to apply title-case capitalization. Read our article on writing strong titles that are informative, striking and appropriate.
For a paper with multiple authors, it’s better to use a separate title page instead.
At the top of every page, including the first page, you need to include your last name and the page number. This is called the “running head.” Follow these steps to set up the MLA running head in your Word or Google Docs document:
- Double-click at the top of a page
- Type your last name
- Insert automatic page numbering
- Align the content to the right
The running head should look like this:
The Works Cited list is included on a separate page at the end of your paper. You list all the sources you referenced in your paper in alphabetical order. Don’t include sources that weren’t cited in the paper, except potentially in an MLA annotated bibliography assignment.
Place the title “Works Cited” in the center at the top of the page. After the title, press ENTER once and insert your MLA references.
If a reference entry is longer than one line, each line after the first should be indented ½ inch (called a hanging indent ). All entries are double spaced, just like the rest of the text.
Generate accurate MLA citations with Scribbr
Prefer to cite your sources manually? Use the interactive example below to see what the Works Cited entry and MLA in-text citation look like for different source types.
Headings and subheadings are not mandatory, but they can help you organize and structure your paper, especially in longer assignments.
MLA has only a few formatting requirements for headings. They should
- Be written in title case
- Be left-aligned
- Not end in a period
We recommend keeping the font and size the same as the body text and applying title case capitalization. In general, boldface indicates greater prominence, while italics are appropriate for subordinate headings.
Chapter Title
Section Heading
Tip: Both Google Docs and Microsoft Word allow you to create heading levels that help you to keep your headings consistent.
Tables and other illustrations (referred to as “figures”) should be placed as close to the relevant part of text as possible. MLA also provides guidelines for presenting them.
MLA format for tables
Tables are labeled and numbered, along with a descriptive title. The label and title are placed above the table on separate lines; the label and number appear in bold.
A caption providing information about the source appears below the table; you don’t need one if the table is your own work.
Below this, any explanatory notes appear, marked on the relevant part of the table with a superscript letter. The first line of each note is indented; your word processor should apply this formatting automatically.
Just like in the rest of the paper, the text is double spaced and you should use title case capitalization for the title (but not for the caption or notes).
MLA format for figures
Figures (any image included in your paper that isn’t a table) are also labeled and numbered, but here, this is integrated into the caption below the image. The caption in this case is also centered.
The label “Figure” is abbreviated to “Fig.” and followed by the figure number and a period. The rest of the caption gives either full source information, or (as in the example here) just basic descriptive information about the image (author, title, publication year).
Source information in table and figure captions
If the caption of your table or figure includes full source information and that source is not otherwise cited in the text, you don’t need to include it in your Works Cited list.
Give full source information in a caption in the same format as you would in the Works Cited list, but without inverting the author name (i.e. John Smith, not Smith, John).
MLA recommends using 12-point Times New Roman , since it’s easy to read and installed on every computer. Other standard fonts such as Arial or Georgia are also acceptable. If in doubt, check with your supervisor which font you should be using.
The main guidelines for formatting a paper in MLA style are as follows:
- Use an easily readable font like 12 pt Times New Roman
- Set 1 inch page margins
- Apply double line spacing
- Include a four-line MLA heading on the first page
- Center the paper’s title
- Indent every new paragraph ½ inch
- Use title case capitalization for headings
- Cite your sources with MLA in-text citations
- List all sources cited on a Works Cited page at the end
The fastest and most accurate way to create MLA citations is by using Scribbr’s MLA Citation Generator .
Search by book title, page URL, or journal DOI to automatically generate flawless citations, or cite manually using the simple citation forms.
The MLA Handbook is currently in its 9th edition , published in 2021.
This quick guide to MLA style explains the latest guidelines for citing sources and formatting papers according to MLA.
Usually, no title page is needed in an MLA paper . A header is generally included at the top of the first page instead. The exceptions are when:
- Your instructor requires one, or
- Your paper is a group project
In those cases, you should use a title page instead of a header, listing the same information but on a separate page.
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. (2022, June 16). MLA Format | Complete Guidelines & Free Template. Scribbr. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from https://www.scribbr.com/mla/formatting/
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How to Format an Essay
Last Updated: August 26, 2022 References
This article was co-authored by Carrie Adkins, PhD and by wikiHow staff writer, Aly Rusciano . Carrie Adkins is the cofounder of NursingClio, an open access, peer-reviewed, collaborative blog that connects historical scholarship to current issues in gender and medicine. She completed her PhD in American History at the University of Oregon in 2013. While completing her PhD, she earned numerous competitive research grants, teaching fellowships, and writing awards. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 68,852 times.
You’re opening your laptop to write an essay, knowing exactly what you want to write, but then it hits you—you don’t know how to format it! Using the correct format when writing an essay can help your paper look polished and professional while earning you full credit. There are 3 common essay formats—MLA, APA, and Chicago Style—and we’ll teach you the basics of properly formatting each in this article. So, before you shut your laptop in frustration, take a deep breath and keep reading because soon you’ll be formatting like a pro.
Setting Up Your Document
- If you can’t find information on the style guide you should be following, talk to your instructor after class to discuss the assignment or send them a quick email with your questions.
- If your instructor lets you pick the format of your essay, opt for the style that matches your course or degree best: MLA is best for English and humanities; APA is typically for education, psychology, and sciences; Chicago Style is common for business, history, and fine arts.
- Most word processors default to 1 inch (2.5 cm) margins.
- Do not change the font size, style, or color throughout your essay.
- Change the spacing on Google Docs by clicking on Format , and then selecting “Line spacing.”
- Click on Layout in Microsoft Word, and then click the arrow at the bottom left of the “paragraph” section.
- Using the page number function will create consecutive numbering.
- When using Chicago Style, don’t include a page number on your title page. The first page after the title page should be numbered starting at 2. [4] X Research source
- In APA format, a running heading may be required in the left-hand header. This is a maximum of 50 characters that’s the full or abbreviated version of your essay’s title. [5] X Research source
- For APA formatting, place the title in bold at the center of the page 3 to 4 lines down from the top. Insert one double-spaced line under the title and type your name. Under your name, in separate centered lines, type out the name of your school, course, instructor, and assignment due date. [6] X Research source
- For Chicago Style, set your cursor ⅓ of the way down the page, then type your title. In the very center of your page, put your name. Move your cursor ⅔ down the page, then write your course number, followed by your instructor’s name and paper due date on separate, double-spaced lines. [7] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
- Double-space the heading like the rest of your paper.
Writing the Essay Body
- Use standard capitalization rules for your title.
- Do not underline, italicize, or put quotation marks around your title, unless you include other titles of referred texts.
- A good hook might include a quote, statistic, or rhetorical question.
- For example, you might write, “Every day in the United States, accidents caused by distracted drivers kill 9 people and injure more than 1,000 others.”
- "Action must be taken to reduce accidents caused by distracted driving, including enacting laws against texting while driving, educating the public about the risks, and giving strong punishments to offenders."
- "Although passing and enforcing new laws can be challenging, the best way to reduce accidents caused by distracted driving is to enact a law against texting, educate the public about the new law, and levy strong penalties."
- Use transitions between paragraphs so your paper flows well. For example, say, “In addition to,” “Similarly,” or “On the other hand.” [12] X Research source
- A statement of impact might be, "Every day that distracted driving goes unaddressed, another 9 families must plan a funeral."
- A call to action might read, “Fewer distracted driving accidents are possible, but only if every driver keeps their focus on the road.”
Using References
- In MLA format, citations should include the author’s last name and the page number where you found the information. If the author's name appears in the sentence, use just the page number. [14] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
- For APA format, include the author’s last name and the publication year. If the author’s name appears in the sentence, use just the year. [15] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
- If you don’t use parenthetical or internal citations, your instructor may accuse you of plagiarizing.
- At the bottom of the page, include the source’s information from your bibliography page next to the footnote number. [16] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
- Each footnote should be numbered consecutively.
- If you’re using MLA format , this page will be titled “Works Cited.”
- In APA and Chicago Style, title the page “References.”
- If you have more than one work from the same author, list alphabetically following the title name for MLA and by earliest to latest publication year for APA and Chicago Style.
- Double-space the references page like the rest of your paper.
- Use a hanging indent of 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) if your citations are longer than one line. Press Tab to indent any lines after the first. [17] X Research source
- Citations should include (when applicable) the author(s)’s name(s), title of the work, publication date and/or year, and page numbers.
- Sites like Grammarly , EasyBib , and MyBib can help generate citations if you get stuck.
Formatting Resources
Expert Q&A
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- ↑ https://www.une.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/392149/WE_Formatting-your-essay.pdf
- ↑ https://content.nroc.org/DevelopmentalEnglish/unit10/Foundations/formatting-a-college-essay-mla-style.html
- ↑ https://camosun.libguides.com/Chicago-17thEd/titlePage
- ↑ https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/page-header
- ↑ https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/title-page
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_17th_edition/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html
- ↑ https://www.uvu.edu/writingcenter/docs/handouts/writing_process/basicessayformat.pdf
- ↑ https://www.deanza.edu/faculty/cruzmayra/basicessayformat.pdf
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_in_text_citations_the_basics.html
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_the_basics.html
- ↑ https://library.menloschool.org/chicago
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Essay Writing Guide
Essay Format
Essay Format: A Basic Guide With Examples
Published on: Sep 24, 2017
Last updated on: Jan 23, 2023
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Writing essays is an important part of every student’s life. However, it is not just about to list down ideas in a linear manner. But essay writing also involves a well-structured outline and format to organize all the research in one place.
Many institutions require a standard format that a paper of any kind must follow such as MLA, APA, and Chicago. The purpose of each format is to present the information in a more structured way.
In this article, find out what is an essay format and the general guidelines in each format type. The application of these formats could range from high school essays to college essays.
Refer to this guide and follow the instructions for a perfectly formatted paper.
What is an Essay Format?
An essay format refers to a set of guidelines that decides how the elements of your paper should be arranged. The format guidelines cover the essay structure, title, citations, and the basic outline of the essay.
When formatting a paper, there are certain things that you need to pay attention to. These include the structure of an essay, title page, works cited page, and in-text citations.
The guidelines for the standard essay outline and format are as follows:
Basic Essay Outline
Each essay needs an introduction, body paragraph, and conclusion to include all the key information. The following outline shows the basic format for all types of essay and research papers.
Introduction
- Body of your essay
Here is a detailed description of each step for creating the basic essay outline.
Start your essay by introducing your topic and provide some background information. Don’t forget to end this with a strong thesis statement that shows the main argument of the paper.
Body of the essay
In each body paragraph, write a topic sentence at the start and provide the main arguments to support the thesis.
In the last paragraph, provide a summary of the entire paper and restate the thesis statement. Provide a call to action or give the readers something to think about.
Learn how to write a conclusion and better wrap up the information by bringing together all of your key points.
Standard Essay Format Guidelines
Below are the standard essay format guidelines that you should follow for an organized piece of writing.
- The one-inch margin on all sides of the page.
- Line spacing (e.g single spacing or double spacing).
- Specific font style and size like New Times Roman 12pt.
- Page headers to contain information like the author’s last name or shortened title etc.
- Heading and subheading (this structure usually differs in different formatting style requirements).
- Pages numbers are usually included in the page headers.
- The indentation should be half an inch.
Basic Essay Format Template
Below is an essay format template that you can refer to while crafting your essays or any other type of academic writing.
Essay Format Template
Essay Format MLA Style Guidelines
MLA is the most commonly used format style used in the field of humanities. To craft an essay in MLA format, here are the basic guidelines that you are required to follow:
- The font should be New Times Roman 12pt.
- Double spacing throughout the paper and make sure there is no extra space between paragraphs.
- One inch margin on all sides of the paper.
- Last name and page numbers in the header of every page.
- In the upper left-hand corner, write your name, instructor's name, class, and date.
- An essay title should be centered.
- For the indentation press tab.
- List down the sources on the page entitled ‘Works Cited’.
To know more about this specific format, we have a detailed MLA format guide to help you understand the concept better.
MLA Format Essay Example
Writing a paper in MLA format can be a challenging task if you don’t know the basic guidelines to follow.
Here is a free MLA format example to help you better understand what to include in this specific format style.
Essay Format APA Style Guideline
APA stands for American Psychological Association and is mostly used in scientific papers. Many behavioral and social science students make use of the APA format to structure their papers.
Here are the basic APA format guidelines for you if you don’t know how to write an essay in APA format.
- Text style and size should be Times New Roman 12pt.
- Double spacing.
- One-inch margin.
- Include a shortened title (at the top left) and page number (at the top right) in the header of every page.
- The title page should include the name of the author and institution affiliation, date, and the name of the instructor.
- Citations are listed on the references page.
Related: APA Format - Basic Rules & Sample Paper
APA Format Essay Example
Looking for an APA essay format pdf example? Here is a well-designed APA format essay example to help you nail your next essay formatting.
Essay Format Chicago Style Guidelines
The Chicago style contains a set of comprehensive guidelines for formatting papers and essays. Precise citations and footnotes are key for a perfect and successful Chicago-style paper.
Here are the guidelines for formatting a paper in Chicago style.
- Double spacing everywhere.
- Text style should be Times New Roman 12pt.
- Include the last and page number in the header of every page.
- This format requires footnotes as well on the paraphrased or quoted passages.
- The bibliography of the Chicago style format is quite similar to the MLA format. List the information in alphabetical order on the page entitled ‘Bibliography’.
Chicago Style Format Example
Here is an expert Chicago-style essay format example that you can go through and learn how to format an essay.
Hopefully, this short guide helps you in understanding the various elements of a well-formatted paper. Follow the above guidelines for crafting good essays that are coherent and easy to read throughout.
After formatting the paper, don’t forget to revise your paper to remove all the formatting mistakes. Make sure the paper complies with the correct format required by your institution.
Get Expert Help In Formatting Your Paper
Still, confused and looking for essay help to make sure your paper follows a correct format? Contact our customer service agents at MyPerfectWords.com and get help with your academic papers.
Following are the formats in which you can get help from our top essay writing service :
- 5 paragraph essay format
- MLA essay format
- APA essay format
- Chicago essay format
- Argumentative essay format
- College essay format
- Graduate school essay format
- Common app essay format
- Narrative essay format
- Compare and contrast essay format
- Scholarship essay format
- Persuasive essay format
- Descriptive essay format
- Expository essay format
Let our best essay writers craft any type of paper in any format for you. Contact us today and let our expert writers take care of your academic needs!
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Learn the Standard Essay Format: MLA, APA, Chicago Styles
Being able to write an essay is a vital part of any student's education. However, it's not just about linearly listing ideas. A lot of institutions will require a certain format that your paper must follow; prime examples would be one of a basic essay format like MLA, the APA, and the Chicago formats. This article will explain the differences between the MLA format, the APA format, and the Chicago format. The application of these could range from high school to college essays, and they stand as the standard of college essay formatting. EssayPro — dissertation services , that will help to make a difference!
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What is an Essay Format: Structure
Be it an academic, informative or a specific extended essay - structure is essential. For example, the IB extended essay has very strict requirements that are followed by an assigned academic style of writing (primarily MLA, APA, or Chicago):
- Abstract: comprised of 3 paragraphs, totaling about 300 words, with 100 words in each.
- ~ Paragraph 1: must include a research question, thesis, and outline of the essay’s importance.
- ~ Paragraph 2: Key resources, scope and limits of research, etc.
- ~ Paragraph 3: Conclusion that you’ve already reached in your essay.
- Table of Contents (with page numbers)
- ~ Research question
- ~ Introduction
- ~ Arguments
- ~ Sub-headings
- ~ Conclusion
- ~ Works cited (bibliography)
- Introduction
- ~ The research question is required
- Bibliography (Works Cited)
This outline format for an extended essay is a great example to follow when writing a research essay, and sustaining a proper research essay format - especially if it is based on the MLA guidelines. It is vital to remember that the student must keep track of their resources to apply them to each step outlined above easily. And check out some tips on how to write an essay introduction .
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How to write an essay in mla format.
To write an essay in MLA format, one must follow a basic set of guidelines and instructions. This is a step by step from our business essay writing service
- Font : 12pt Times New Roman
- ~ Double spaced everywhere
- ~ No extra spaces, especially between paragraphs
- Heading : Example of the heading on the first page of the essay (upper left corner)
- ~ Your name (John Smith)
- ~ Teacher’s / Professor’s name (Margot Robbie)
- ~ The class (Depends on course/class)
- ~ Date (20 April 2017)
- Margins : One-inch margin on the top, bottom, left and right.
- Page Numbers : Last name and page number must be put on every page of the essay as a “header”. Otherwise, it would go in place of the text.
- Title : There needs to be a proper essay title format, centered and above the first line of the essay of the same font and size as the essay itself.
- Indentation : Just press tab (1/2 inch, just in case)
- Align : Align to the left-hand side, and make sure it is aligned evenly.
It’s important to remember that the essay format of MLA is usually used in humanities, which differs from other types of academic writing that we’ll go into detail later. For now, feast your eyes upon an MLA format essay example:
Essay in MLA Format Example
Mla format example essay, mla vs. apa.
Before we move on to the APA essay format, it is important to distinguish the two types of formatting. Let’s go through the similarities first:
- The formatting styles are similar: spacing, citation, indentation.
- All of the information that is used within the essay must be present within the works cited page (in APA, that’s called a reference page)
- Both use the parenthetical citations within the body of the paper, usually to show a certain quote or calculation.
- Citations are listed alphabetically on the works cited / reference page.
What you need to know about the differences is not extensive, thankfully:
- MLA style is mostly used in humanities, while APA style is focused more on social sciences. The list of sources has a different name (works cited - MLA / references - APA)
- Works cited differ on the way they display the name of the original content (MLA -> Yorke, Thom / APA -> Yorke T.)
- When using an in-text citation, and the author’s name is listed within the sentence, place the page number found at the end: “Yorke believes that Creep was Radiohead’s worst song. (4).” APA, on the other hand, requires that a year is to be inserted: “According to Yorke (2013), Creep was a mess.”
Alright, let’s carry over to the APA style specifics.
How to Write an Essay in APA Format
The APA scheme is one of the most common college essay formats, so being familiar with its requirements is crucial. In a basic APA format structure, we can apply a similar list of guidelines as we did in the MLA section:
- Spacing : Double-space that bad boy.
- Margins : One Inch margins on all sides.
- Page Numbers : Insert a header at the top left of every page that includes a shortened title of your essay, below 50 characters including punctuation. Slap a number in there too (top right corner).
- Title Page : Title of the paper, author’s name, institutional affiliation. Additional information may be required, such as course title, instructor name and date.
- Headings: All headings should be written in bold and titlecase. Different heading levels have different additional criteria to apply.
You can also ask us to write or rewrite essay in APA format if you find it difficult or don't have time.
Note that some teachers and professors may request deviations from some of the characteristics that the APA format originally requires, such as those listed above.
Note that some teachers and professors maybe have deviations to some of the characteristics that the APA format originally requires, such as those listed above.
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Essay in APA Format Example
Apa format essay example, chicago style.
The usage of Chicago style is prevalent in academic writing that focuses on the source of origin. This means that precise citations and footnotes are key to a successful paper.
Chicago Style Essay Format
The same bullet point structure can be applied to the Chicago essay format.
- ~ Chicago style title page is all about spacing.
- ~ Down the page should be the title, with regular text. If longer than one line, double-spaced.
- ~ Next, in the very middle, center your full name.
- ~ Down the page - course number, instructor’s name and the date in separate double-spaced lines.
- Margins : Use one-inch margins apart from the right side.
- ~ Double spaced everywhere.
- ~ No extra spaces, especially between paragraphs.
- Font : Times New Roman is the best choice (12pt)
- Page Numbers
- ~ Last name, page number in the heading of every page on the top right
- ~ Do not number the title page. The first page of the text should start with a 2.
- Footnotes : The Chicago format requires footnotes on paraphrased or quoted passages.
- Bibliography : The bibliography is very similar to that of MLA. Gather the proper information and input it into a specialized citation site.
Essay Format: Video Guide
Tips for writing an academic paper.
There isn’t one proper way of writing a paper, but there are solid guidelines to sustain a consistent workflow. Be it a college application essay, a research paper, informative essay, etc. There is a standard essay format that you should follow. For easier access, the following outline will be divided into steps:
Choose a Good Topic
A lot of students struggle with picking a good topic for their essays. The topic you choose should be specific enough so you can explore it in its entirety and hit your word limit if that’s a variable you worry about. With a good topic that should not be a problem. On the other hand, it should not be so broad that some resources would outweigh the information you could squeeze into one paper. Don’t be too specific, or you will find that there is a shortage of information, but don’t be too broad or you will feel overwhelmed. Don’t hesitate to ask your instructor for help with your essay writing.
Start Research as Soon as Possible
Before you even begin writing, make sure that you are acquainted with the information that you are working with. Find compelling arguments and counterpoints, trivia, facts, etc. The sky is the limit when it comes to gathering information.
Pick out Specific, Compelling Resources
When you feel acquainted with the subject, you should be able to have a basic conversation on the matter. Pick out resources that have been bookmarked, saved or are very informative and start extracting information. You will need all you can get to put into the citations at the end of your paper. Stash books, websites, articles and have them ready to cite. See if you can subtract or expand your scope of research.
Create an Outline
Always have a plan. This might be the most important phase of the process. If you have a strong essay outline and you have a particular goal in mind, it’ll be easy to refer to it when you might get stuck somewhere in the middle of the paper. And since you have direct links from the research you’ve done beforehand, the progress is guaranteed to be swift. Having a list of keywords, if applicable, will surely boost the informational scope. With keywords specific to the subject matter of each section, it should be much easier to identify its direction and possible informational criteria.
Write a Draft
Before you jot anything down into the body of your essay, make sure that the outline has enough information to back up whatever statement you choose to explore. Do not be afraid of letting creativity into your paper (within reason, of course) and explore the possibilities. Start with a standard 5 paragraph structure, and the content will come with time.
Ask for a Peer Review of Your Academic Paper
Before you know it, the draft is done, and it’s ready to be sent out for peer review. Ask a classmate, a relative or even a specialist if they are willing to contribute. Get as much feedback as you possibly can and work on it.
Final Draft
Before handing in the final draft, go over it at least one more time, focusing on smaller mistakes like grammar and punctuation. Make sure that what you wrote follows proper essay structure. Learn more about argumentative essay structure on our blog. If you need a second pair of eyes, get help from our service.
Read also our movie review example and try to determine the format in which it is written.
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Proper Essay Format Guide (Updated for 2021)
Content is king. The substance of what you write is the most important thing in your essays and term papers .
However, you also have to nail the mechanics of academic writing. You need to master good grammar and sentence structure, and use appropriate vocabulary for your subject or assignment. Many instructors take points off for incorrect formatting.
You also need to understand different types of essay format, and use the one that is appropriate to your assignment. This article introduces you to the basic elements of essay format, and helps you to improve your essay formatting.
What is Proper Essay Format?
The format of an essay refers to its basic structure , layout, and even its appearance on the page. Although it seems confusing at first, mastering the different essay formats is not that hard.
There are different formats you will use in different classes, but they share many elements in common. After you write enough essays, you will become familiar with the main essay formats used in typical college classes. Also, some subject areas have preferred essay formats or styles.
Standard College Essay Format
Technically, there is no “right” college essay format. Each teacher will have personal preferences for how they want their students’ papers to appear. Each class will have its own rules, and it is up to you to follow whatever rules your professor provides.
However, there are some basic elements in a college essay format including font or typeface, linen spacing, margins, and whether to include page numbers, headers, headings, and/or a title page. With a few possible variations, the common formatting elements in college essays include the following:
Standard college essays use standard fonts to create a uniform appearance. The most widely acceptable font used in college essays is Times New Roman, but Arial is sometimes acceptable too. Typically, you will be asked to standardize the size of your font to 12 point, but some instructors prefer 10. Read this article for more information on how to write an essay .
Line Spacing
Most of the time, you will be asked to use double spacing in your college essays. Occasionally you will be asked to use single spacing, or even 1.5 spacing.
The most common margin size is one inch all around.
Page Numbers and Title Page
Short essays usually do not take a title page, but some do. Likewise, you may be asked to include page numbers only for longer assignments.
First Line Indent
Your college essay will be formatted a lot like the books you read, with the first line of each paragraph being indented. Typically, the first line indent is .5 inch. Also, your college essay should be left aligned, as opposed to centering the text on the page.
Essay Format Headings vs. Headers
Some of your college professors may request that you use a heading, while others will ask that you use a header. Some may ask for both. What is the difference between a heading and a header ?
A heading appears only on the first page, and will typically include your name, your professor’s name, the name of the class, and the date of the assignment. For example, MLA style formatting frequently asks for a heading in addition to a running header.
A running header appears on all the pages of your college essay and typically includes only the title of the essay and the page number. Your pages will look like this:
Essay Format Outline
Essay outlines also have their own formats. If you have to create a formal outline for an academic essay, it is always best to check with your professor to see if there is a specific style you are supposed to follow. A typical college essay outline is as follows, using Roman numerals as the top level:
I. Introduction
A. Body section
1. Sub-section
a. Detail
b. Detail
2. Sub-section
B. Body section
III. Conclusion
Essay Format Templates
Scholarship essay format.
If you ever hope to earn a scholarship, now is the time to master the scholarship essay . A scholarship essay should be tailored to the specific fund you are applying for, and it is best to avoid a generalized essay. The main components of the scholarship essay format are similar to those in a standard college essay:
- 12-point font (Times New Roman or Arial)
- First line indent
- Double-spacing
- 1-inch margins
Unlike most college essays, a scholarship essay is going to be written in the first person, because it is about you. You are supposed to talk about yourself in a scholarship essay, whereas in a college essay, you should be writing in third person unless instructed otherwise. The scholarship essay will give you a chance to show how much work you have done to reach your goals, and why you stand out from the crowd.
Even for needs-based scholarships, you will want your reader to know that receiving financial aid is not the only reason you are worthy of receiving the scholarship. Talk at length about what motivates you and what makes you tick. Even if your future goals and career plans are not etched in stone, you can share information about your visions and dreams for the future and how you believe a college education will help you contribute to society.
College Application Essay Format
Like a scholarship essay, a college application essay should be written in the first person. Some college essays will be as short as 100 words, whereas others will be 1500 words or even more. Always follow the instructions, while also keeping in mind the standard rules for what the admissions committee wants:
If you are sincere about getting into a school, spend time on your admissions essay. Make sure the formatting is correct, that you answered the question or responded to the prompts, and that you use good grammar.
For many college application essays, you want to start with a powerful introduction. Telling a brief story about something that happened in your life to shape your character is a good start. Then, be honest and tell the admissions committee about who you are, and why you are interested in their institution. You should ideally share information about your interests and goals, and what courses you are interested in as well. Many college entrance essays have prompts that ask you to reflect on a personal experience that shaped who you are, a position of leadership that you held, or a story about how you overcame a challenge or defeated an obstacle. Because a college application essay is a high stakes situation, it is advisable to seek help from a professional writer or tutor to help you polish your prose. Remember, you are competing with hundreds of applicants and your essay needs to stand out.
Reflective Essay Format
A reflective essay is naturally less formal than an ordinary expository essay. However, there are still formats that you would be expected to follow when you prepare a reflective essay. Some reflective essays are written in the first person, whereas others are more formal like a typical college essay. The format of the reflective essay will include the basic rules of font, paragraph and line formatting, and page setting like margins.
Some reflective essays ask you to reflect on an event in your life or on your own personality. However, not all reflective essays are that personal. Many reflective essays ask you to comment on a specific text that you have been reading in class, a work of art or music, or a current event. When asked to write a more formal reflective essay like this, it helps to begin with an introduction to the object of reflection. If you are reflecting on a scholarly article, your introductory paragraph would include information about the author and title of the publication, and a brief summary of the main arguments. Then, you would begin the reflection as if you were having a conversation with the author.
A sample reflective essay outline is as follows:
A. Name, date, and title of the article, piece of music, or work of art.
B. Brief overview or summary of the object of reflection
C. Thesis: Your opinion or take on the article.
1. Do you agree or disagree with the author, or like or dislike the piece?
2. Introduce a new angle or line of thinking that adds to or challenges the original piece.
A. Focus on one element of the source, weaving in your own ideas or personal experiences.
B. Focus on another element of the source, weaving in your own ideas or personal experiences.
A. Wrap up the reflective essay with a brief summary
B. Suggestions for further research or reflection
Persuasive Essay Format
When you write a persuasive essay , your goal is to influence your reader. For example, you want to talk your reader into changing his or her voting habits, or you want your reader to stop eating meat. When you write a persuasive essay, you have the opportunity to use all the rhetorical strategies you have been learning, such as pathos, ethos, and logos. Use strong and emotionally powerful diction, tone, and imagery, but also rely on credible evidence to substantiate your claim.
A persuasive essay can be of almost any length, and is written in formal academic style. You will follow the structure and outline used for a standard academic essay with an introduction, body, and conclusion. Persuasive essays are also strongly driven by a thesis statement .
A. Hook your reader with a fun or controversial opening statement.
B. Lead into the main topic with background information.
C. State your case, persuade your reader with a strong thesis statement.
A. Reason one
B. Reason two
C. Reason three
D. Acknowledge the opposing or alternative points of view
E. Respond to and refute the opposing points of view
A. Restate your claim
B. Urge the audience to take action
Use the same essay format for standard college essays, with 12-point Times New Roman font throughout and double spacing.
APA Essay Format
The American Psychological Association (APA) offers one of the most widely used essay formats. It is unlikely you will get through college without having to write at least one essay using APA style citation . Psychology classes almost always rely on APA formatting, but APA formatting is standard in a range of other social science disciplines including criminal justice and nursing.
APA formatting follows the basic rules for a standard college essay:
- 12-point font (Times New Roman)
However, APA formatting also includes a title page, a running header with both title and page numbers, and in some cases, an abstract.
APA Title Page
A title page helps your completed essay look polished and presentable in class. On the APA formatted title page, you will include the title of your essay, centered on the page. On a line immediately below the title, also centered, you will write your name. You may also write the name of your class or institution below your name, as well as the date.
APA Running Header
A running header is what appears at the top of every page of the completed essay. In APA format, your essay header will include the TITLE OF THE ESSAY IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, and also the page numbers. An example of a title page with the running header in APA format is as follows:
APA Abstract
Longer research papers in APA format may include an abstract. An abstract is similar to a summary in that it includes the main points of your research. Especially if you are preparing the results of your own research, you will include an abstract that reviews the methods and results of your experiment. Not all papers require an abstract. Usually an abstract accompanies original research in which you want the reader to have a snapshot or overview of how you conducted the study and what the results indicate.
Some APA format papers follow the standard format of research publications, which include the following sections after the abstract:
Introduction or Background
- Review of Literature
Conclusions
Not all APA format papers are research reports, though. Some will be standard college essays, some will be article reviews, and others will be responses to essay questions or prompts.
In APA formatting, when you have a longer paper it helps to organize it with subheadings. The subheadings help draw the reader’s eye to the different sections of your paper. You can use bold font to identify the subheadings, as follows:
- Introduction
This is the introduction to your topic, and where you hook the audience into reading the rest of the paper.
The review of literature is where you describe some of the most important research studies that have already been done on this topic.
The methods section is where you describe the research participants and procedures of the experiment. If you did not conduct an experiment, then you would discuss how you went about compiling data, such as through a search of academic databases or through interviews.
This is the section where you list the raw data from your survey or experiment, or where you simply discuss the results without making inferences or analyses.
In the discussion section of an APA paper, you analyze the results of your research, placing those results into the context of prior literature. Talk about whether you proved your hypothesis. Also discuss limitations to the research, and suggestions for future research.
Wrap up all your research neatly, mentioning how your research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on the topic.
Always list the sources you used in the paper, but do not list any sources that you do not cite directly in the body of the essay using parenthetical citations.
Appendix or Appendices
Include the survey instrument you used, a list of interview questions, or important tables and charts.
MLA Essay Format
Another one of the common essay formats you will encounter in college is from the Modern Language Association (MLA). Used most commonly in the arts and literature classes, MLA format shares some elements in common with other college essays, such as:
Unlike APA formatting, MLA does not typically require a title page. However, you may be asked to put your name, professor’s name, class name, and date in the upper left corner of the first page of your essay instead. For example:
Another thing that differentiates MLA format from APA and other types of essay formats is how you cite your sources. In MLA, you always offer the page number even when you do not quote directly. This may seem problematic when you are paraphrasing an author’s main idea, but it is nevertheless standard practice. MLA papers tend to be discursive. You are expected to engage a work of art or literature in a sort of conversation, weaving in what other people have said on the topic.
Chicago Essay Format
Chicago style format is also common in college essays, particularly in classes in history, political science, and public policy. With Chicago style, you can stick to the basics:
Chicago style formatting also has a title page, similar to APA format. However, you will insert a lot of space between the title of the essay and your name and date as follows:
Another thing that differentiates Chicago style from other styles of essay formats is the citation style. Whereas APA and MLA style essays use in-text parenthetical citations, Chicago style usually takes footnotes.
Additional Elements of an Essay
Some types of essays, such as longer research papers or dissertations , also include other elements. A table of contents is one thing that is unnecessary in all shorter essays, but essential for long assignments like dissertations or Masters theses. Software like Microsoft Word can help you create a table of contents that takes into account the important headings or subheadings of your document.
Types of Essay Formats
The most common types of essay format you are likely to encounter in college include the following:
- APA essay format
- MLA essay format
- Chicago essay format
- Harvard essay format
- Persuasive essay format
- Argumentative essay format
- Research essay format
- Reflective essay format
- Expository essay format
- Compare and contrast essay format
- Cause and effect essay format
- Analytical essay format
Essay Format Example
The main elements of any standard college essay include the following:
- Running Header (Title and Page Number)
- Bibliography/References/Works Cited
The main elements of an APA format essay include the following:
- Introduction/Background
The format of an essay is important for its overall appearance and structure. When you master the different essay formats, you will find it much easier to complete your assignments. Each essay format has its own set of rules and guidelines, but all college essays share certain elements in common.
Almost all essays have an introduction, body, and a conclusion. In some cases, you will also need a title page, an abstract, and a running header. Each class and each instructor will give you specific instructions about the formatting of your essay.
After reading this article, you have a better understanding of the most common essay formats you will encounter during your academic career. You can apply what you have learned about standard college essays to any assignment you encounter. In addition to this guide, you can also consult with a writing coach or assistant to help you with your work.
Other Resources:
- Creating A Study Guide
- How To Write A Research Proposal 2021 Guide
- Guide To Citing In MLA
- Guide To Citing In APA Format
- Chicago Style Citation Guide
- Harvard Referencing And Citing Guide
- How To Cite Paper Due & Electronic Inspiration LLC
- How To Complete An Informative Essay Outline
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How to Write an Essay in APA Format
Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author and educational consultant focused on helping students learn about psychology.
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What Is APA Format?
Apa essay format basics, steps to a successful essay, frequently asked questions.
If your instructor has asked you to write an APA format essay, it might at first seem like a daunting task, especially if you are accustomed to using another style such as MLA or Chicago. But you can master these rules too.
An essay is one type of paper that can be written in APA format; others include lab reports, experimental reports, and case studies. Before you begin, familiarize yourself with some of the basic guidelines of writing a paper in APA format. Of course, it will also be important to follow any other formatting instructions that are part of your assignment.
Whether you’re taking an introductory or graduate-level psychology class, chances are strong that you will have to write at least one paper during the course of the semester. In almost every case, you will need to write your paper in APA format, the official publication style of the American Psychological Association . It is also used for academic journals.
APA format is used in a range of disciplines including psychology , education, and other social sciences. The format dictates presentation elements of your paper including spacing, margins, and how the content is structured.
Most instructors and publication editors have strict guidelines when it comes to how your format your writing. Not only does adhering to APA format allow readers to know what to expect from your paper, but it also means that your work will not lose critical points over minor formatting errors.
While the formatting requirements for your paper might vary depending upon your instructor's directions, your essay will most likely need to include a title page, abstract, introduction, body, conclusion, and reference sections.
Your essay should have a title page in APA format. This title page should include the title of your paper, your name, and school affiliation. In some instances, your teacher might require additional information such as the course title, instructor name, and the date.
- The title of your paper should be concise and clearly describe what your paper is about.
- Your title can extend to two lines, but it should be no longer than 12 words.
An abstract is a brief summary of your paper that immediately follows the title page. It is not required for student papers, according to APA style. However, your instructor may request one.
If you include an abstract , it should be no more than 100 to 200 words, although this may vary depending upon the instructor requirements.
Your essay should also include a reference list with all of the sources that were cited in your essay,
- The reference section is located at the end of your paper.
- References should be listed alphabetically by the last name of the author.
- References should be double-spaced.
For an APA-style essay, the text will include the actual essay itself: The introduction, body, and conclusion.
- There should be uniform margins of at least one inch at the top, bottom, left, and right sides of your essay.
- The text should be in Times New Roman size 12 font.
- Your paper should be double-spaced.
- Every page should include a page number in the top right corner.
- The first word of each paragraph in your paper should be indented one-half inch.
For professional papers (usually not student papers), every page of the essay also includes a running head at the top left. The running head is a shortened form of the title, often the first few words, and should be no more than 50 characters (including spaces).
In addition to ensuring that you cite your sources properly and present information according to the rules of APA style, there are a number of things you can do to make the writing process a little bit easier.
Choose a Topic
Start by choosing a good topic to write about. Ideally, you want to select a subject that is specific enough to let you fully research and explore the topic, but not so specific that you have a hard time finding sources of information.
If you choose something too specific, you may find yourself with not enough to write about. If you choose something too general, you might find yourself overwhelmed with information.
Research Your Topic
Start doing research as early as possible. Begin by looking at some basic books and articles on your topic to help develop it further. What is the question you are going to answer with your essay? What approach will you take to the topic?
Once you are more familiar with the subject, create a preliminary source list of potential books, articles, essays, and studies that you may end up using in your essay.
Remember, any source used in your essay must be included in your reference section. Conversely, any source listed in your references must be cited somewhere in the body of your paper.
Write Your Rough Draft
With research in hand, you are ready to begin. Some people like to create an outline to organize their argument prior to drafting. You may want to start with a very rough outline, and then add details.
Once you have a detailed outline, the next step is to translate it from notes to complete sentences and paragraphs. Remember, this is a first draft. It doesn't have to be perfect.
As you write your essay, be sure to keep careful track of the sources that you cite.
Review and Revise
After you have prepared a rough draft of your essay, it's time to revise, review, and prepare your final draft. In addition to making sure that your writing is cohesive and supported by your sources, you should also check carefully for typos, grammar errors, and possible formatting mistakes.
How do you write an interview essay in APA format?
When citing information or quotations taken from an interview, APA format requires that you cite the source, how the information was collected, and the date of the interview. They should not be included in the reference section, however, because they are not something that can be located by a reader in any published source or searchable database.
Instead, the information should be cited parenthetically in the main body of the text. For example: “There was an increase in the number of college students who screened positive for depression/anxiety” (R. Heathfield, personal communication, May 9, 2021).
How do you cite an essay in APA format?
If the essay is in a chapter of a book, edited collection, or anthology, APA format states that you should cite the last name, first name, title of essay, title of collection, publisher, year, and page range. For example: Smith, John, "The Light House," A Book of Poems , editing by Peter Roberts, Allworth Press, 2005, pp. 20-25.
How do I write a two-part essay in APA format?
According to APA format, a two-part essay is formatted the same as an essay, however, you'll need to create two title pages.
How do I include a direct quote in an APA format essay?
If you're including a short direct quote in your APA-format essay, you will need to cite the author, year of publication, and page number (p.) or page number span (pp.). Quotations longer than 40 words should omit the quotation marks and be put in the text using block quotation formatting, on its own line and indented 1/2 inch from the left margin.
How do I make a cover page for an essay in APA format?
The cover page or "title page" for an essay in APA format should always include the title of your paper, your name, and school affiliation as well as the course title, instructor name, and date, if requested by your teacher.
Nagda S. How to write a scientific abstract. J Indian Prosthodont Soc. 2013;13(3):382-383. doi:10.1007/s13191-013-0299-x
American Psychological Association. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Washington DC: The American Psychological Association; 2019.
By Kendra Cherry Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author and educational consultant focused on helping students learn about psychology.
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How To Write An Essay
Essay Format
Essay Format - An Easy Writing Guide & Examples
11 min read
Published on: Nov 14, 2020
Last updated on: Mar 9, 2023
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Drafting a perfect college essay is very important for students for their academics. And to write a perfect essay, its formatting is important.
An essay is a formal piece of writing. Any formal writing requires proper structure and formatting. You can not just jumble up information and expect your essay to be effective. Its clarity depends on the format you choose.
This blog is written to give a better understanding of an essay format and the general guidelines of each type of format to present the gathered information in a disciplined way.
What is an Essay Format?
An essay format is a way in which the information is organized for your essay. The format of an essay has a lot to do with the presentation of the text. If your essay is poorly structured or lacks a format, your readers will have difficulty understanding the main argument and the idea.
Readers will never continue reading something that is confusing or gives the impression that a writer is sloppy.
A standard format to write your essay or paper is through the linear approach. In this, each idea is presented to make it easier for the readers to understand. If you know how to structure an essay, you are halfway through.
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Importance of Essay Format
An essay format is important for so many reasons. It helps the readers understand the ideas and thoughts presented in the essay in a logical flow by the writer. Not just that, readability is essential. If the information is just presented randomly, the clarity will be missing.
Also, if the essay doesn’t appeal to the eyes, it will not grab the people’s attention. So the way an essay is written decides whether it would be read by the audience or not.
In addition to this, the format is important for the writer as well. As it provides a guideline, it works as a checklist for a writer. To make sure every important aspect is discussed in the essay, a format is used.
Types of Essay Formats
There are 3 basic formatting styles or types in which all essays and papers are formatted. They are:
Whether you are writing a research paper or a general academic essay, you have to choose a format to draft it. Students are often assigned a format by their instructors, so they should read the guidelines carefully.
In order to understand each essay format type, we shall discuss it in detail.
MLA format style is quite common in the humanities world. Papers and essays that are to be written in this format should fulfill the following requirements.
- The font you are using should be Times New Roman in 12pt.
- Double spacing.
- No extra space between the new paragraphs
- One inch margin on both sides of the paper
- Page number in the header.
- Essay title in the center of the page.
- Sources mentioned in “work cited”
MLA Format Essay Example (PDF)
Unlike MLA format, APA format is used for scientific papers and essays. Essays are written for behavioral or social sciences follow this format. Following are the guidelines for the American Psychological Association format:
- Font or Text in Times New Roman 12pt
- One inch margin (both sides)
- Double spacing in the text
- A short title on the upper left-hand corner in the header
- The page number on the right in the header
- A title page with the information, including the writer’s name, institution, instructor, and date.
- Reference page (for the citation)
APA Format Essay Example (PDF)
Chicago Format
This format is a bit similar to the other format style guides. This format includes:
- Double spacing
- Margins (one inch both left margin and right margin)
- Times New Roman 12pt font size
- Page number in the header
- Footnotes on quoted and paraphrased passages
- An alphabetical arrangement of citations on the bibliography page.
Chicago Format Essay Example (PDF)
Basic Parts Of An Essay Format
A typical and general format that an essay uses is simple. Every type of essay can be written in that format. Following are the parts that an essay format is based on:
In order to make sure that your academic essay is effective, each of the parts should be drafted professionally. Continue reading to understand each part in detail.
Continue reading to understand each part in detail.
The cover or title page is the first page on which the topic of your paper or essay is presented. Along with this, the title page includes other information such as the name of the writer, instructor, institution, course, and the submission date.
An abstract is a brief summary of your essay or research paper. It is usually a 300-word long paragraph and precisely presents the purpose of the essay, the main thesis statement, and the design of the study.
When you are drafting a long essay or paper, a table of content is developed. In this table, headings and subheadings are presented along with their page numbers. The reader navigates your work using this table of content.
An introduction is the first section of your essay. When writing a short essay of about 300 - 1000 words, a writer directly starts with an introduction after stating the essay topic.
An introduction of an essay is as important as the body of it. The introduction discloses the main idea of the essay and attempts to motivate readers to read the essay. Apart from the presentation of the main idea, it also contains background information about the topic.
A writer then forms a thesis statement which is the main argument of an essay. A thesis statement is the essence of the essay, and all other information provided in the body of an essay justifies it and proves it.
The main body of your essay is the soul of it. Without it, the thesis statement will just be meaningless. The information you gather on the topic is presented in the body which acts as evidence to prove the argument right or wrong depending on the writer.
A format helps the body give a logical flow that walks the reader towards the end. The point to prove your argument is to persuade the reader that your thesis statement is right. Make sure you give a topic sentence to all your body paragraphs.
Then comes the conclusion part of the essay. This is the final verdict of an essay writer. In this, a writer avoids giving new ideas to the readers and tries to sum up the whole conversation. This is done by restating the thesis statement in different words and providing a summary of the key ideas. At last, “call to action” is given.
An appendix is formulated when a writer uses unusual terms, phrases, and words in the document. This is a list prepared to describe those unordinary words for the readers.
When gathering information for your essay or paper, a writer has to consult different sources. Therefore, when using such sources and information in your content, a bibliography is created to provide their references.
A bibliography is a reference list presented at the end of the essay where all the cited sources are given along with the details.
Formatting an Essay
Formatting an essay means working on the essay structure. When writing an academic essay, make sure that every part is drafted according to format. Your title page, in-text citation, essay outline, and reference list should be following the chosen format.
To understand the formatting of the different parts better, continue reading.
According to the MLA style, the title page of an essay should be written in the following way:
- Writing the name of the writer, course, instructor, and date.
- Double spacing between paragraphs
- Institute’s name in the top center of a page
- Title of your essay or paper
- Font Times New Roman (12pt)
If you are using an APA style formatting for your essay, make sure to format your title page in the following way:
- Title written in all caps
- The margin on both sides (1 inch)
- 12pt font Times New Roman
- Name of writer and institute
A title page is the first thing that an instructor sees in your assignment. Therefore, it is very important to form it in a neat format.
Before you start writing your essay, format your first page. To do this, add a header in which you give your last name and the page number. Place the header on the right-hand corner of your page.
Follow this for every page of your essay except the last page; the “work cited” page
On the left upper corner, write your name, instructor’s, course’s, and the date. Put the title in the center and use double-spacing throughout the essay.
When you are conducting research for your essay, you will come across a lot of text which will complement your essay topic. Without knowing the consequences, people take the text from the internet and add it to the essay.
Citing the source properly is essential. If you do not cite the sources properly, you will be accused of plagiarism, a crime in the writing world. Therefore, even if you are using other’s words in the form of quotation marks or rephrasing it, it needs to be cited to avoid plagiarism.
Get to know which style of the in-text citations is recommended by your instructor and follow that. In APA format, the citation is done in the following way:
- Give the author’s name (last name), followed by the publication date and the paragraph number of the original work.
The other way is to cite in MLA style:
- Give the author’s last name and the page number of the publication you are taking words from.
Therefore, cite your sources according to the essay format and make your essay writing phase easy.
Format The Bibliography
The last page of your essay is the “works cited” page. This page is written in the way presented below:
- Sources are alphabetically arranged
- Double spacing is used on the entire page
- Hanging indention is also used.
Essay Format Examples
There are several types of academic essays that students get assigned. No matter which type the essay is, it has to be properly formatted. Carefully examine the formats provided below for the different essay types:
Argumentative Essay Format (PDF)
College Essay Format (PDF)
Narrative Essay Format (PDF)
Descriptive Essay Format (PDF)
Scholarship Essay Format (PDF)
Writing a good essay includes the proper representation of the text. For this purpose, formatting is done. Unfortunately, when students rush to finish their assignments, they often end up with poorly formatted content. This not only results in untidy writing but also makes students lose their grades.
If you are out of time or having any issues in producing structured content for your essays, you can get help from professionals online.
Writers at CollegeEssay.org provide high-quality writing services to students of every type and style of writing. Get assistance from our expert to help you write flawless and ‘A’ worthy essays, term papers, and research papers for you.
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Barbara is a highly educated and qualified author with a Ph.D. in public health from an Ivy League university. She has spent a significant amount of time working in the medical field, conducting a thorough study on a variety of health issues. Her work has been published in several major publications.
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How to Title an Essay, With Tips and Examples
If you read this blog regularly, you’ll notice something about our blog posts’ titles: They all summarize what their post is about. This is so you know exactly what you’ll find in the post, so if you’re looking for specific tips, you know exactly which post to read.
An essay title does the same thing. There are a lot of similarities between essays and blog posts , and one of those similarities is that for the title to be effective, it needs to be concise and clear. It should also contain one or more keywords, which tells readers the essay’s main topic. Write papers with confidence Grammarly helps you make the grade Write with Grammarly
What is the purpose of an essay title?
An essay title tells readers what your essay is about. This gives them a heads up on what to expect from the essay and, if they’re reading it to conduct their own research, whether it’s relevant to their area of study.
Ideally, an essay title also catches readers’ attention and stokes their curiosity, prompting them to read your work. How important it is to achieve this depends on the kind of essay you’re writing—if it’s an assigned essay and your instructor has to read it, an engaging title isn’t your top priority. But if you’re submitting your essay to a contest, as part of an application to college or graduate school, or pitching it for publication, it needs a catchy, intriguing title because the title is the first part of your work the editor or admissions committee will see. And depending on the title’s catchiness and other circumstances of your submission, it could be the deciding factor in whether they read your essay.
As we mentioned above, a strong essay title gives a clear preview of what the reader will find in your writing . You don’t have to give it all away, but it should act as a general briefing on what to expect from your work and make them want to continue reading it.
>>Read more: How to Start an Essay: 7 Tips for a Knockout Introduction
What are the rules for essay titles?
Guidelines for essay titles in mla format.
In MLA format , your essay’s title should be in title case. That means every principle word— words that aren’t articles , prepositions , coordinating conjunctions , or the word “to” paired with an infinitive —is capitalized. The only exception to this is when one of these words is the first or last word in the essay’s title. Here’s a quick example:
Looking Through the Rear Window: Perspective in Hitchcock’s Films
Guidelines for essay titles in APA format
Similarly to MLA format, APA format requires essay titles to be in title case. In addition to this formatting requirement, APA requires that essay titles be succinct and specifically not contain any abbreviations or unnecessary words. Here is an example of how an essay title looks in APA format:
Effects of Blue Light on Boston Lettuce Crops
See how straightforward this essay title is? You know exactly what the essay is going to be about: How exposure to blue light impacts growing Boston lettuce crops. Keep in mind that APA format is typically used for scientific and technical work, so it’s unlikely you’ll use figurative language in your title.
Guidelines for essay titles in Chicago Manual of Style format
Chicago style also requires that essay titles be in title case. Other than that, Chicago style doesn’t have specific guidelines for what a title should or shouldn’t include. Here is an example of an essay title in Chicago style:
2021 Returns: What We Projected vs. Actual Returns
How to brainstorm your essay title
When you’re brainstorming for your essay, think about the potential titles you can choose. Jot down your keyword and the kind of essay you’re writing, such as an analytical or compare-and-contrast essay . This won’t only help you determine an effective title, but it can also help you determine the best way to structure your essay .
Stay away from punny or otherwise funny titles unless you’re writing a humorous or personal piece—your creative writing class is probably the only course where that kind of title is appropriate.
Here’s what your essay title should include
- One or more relevant keywords to your subject
- Any other necessary words or phrases that tell the reader what to expect from your essay
- When applicable, a catchy phrase or figurative language
Let’s take another look at the example essay titles from the section above. In the first example, Looking Through the Rear Window: Perspective in Hitchcock’s Films , we have the following elements:
- An attention-grabbing phrase that references one of Hitchcock’s most well-known films
- The keyword “perspective,” which tells us immediately what this essay is about
- Clarity around how the essay specifically explores perspective in Hitchcock’s films and instances where Hitchcock used perspective as a storytelling device
Now take a look at the example APA title essay, Effects of Blue Light on Boston Lettuce Crops. This one is more straightforward and technical. But still, it’s got the key elements that make up a strong essay title:
- A clear preview of exactly what’s in the essay: data on how an environmental factor affects specific crops
- Clear keywords: “blue light” and “Boston lettuce crops”
Additionally, notice how the tone is different from the tone in the MLA essay title. This essay title feels more objective and detached from its subject, giving a preview of the tone the reader will find in the essay.
What not to include in your essay title
It’s usually best to stay away from negative or controversial terms. Do this even if your essay is taking a stand against something or arguing that another position is harmful. Instead, reframe your position using neutral or positive words to avoid potentially offending a reader or undermining your own position by coming across as aggressive or bitter. Compare these two essay titles:
- Why Rerouting Campus Traffic Is a Terrible Idea
- Finding Solutions to Campus Traffic Challenges
See how the second option, the one that avoids negative language, sounds more engaging and promises a more resolution-oriented read? Remember, your reader is supposed to draw their own conclusions from your essay—don’t attempt to do their work for them by telling them what to think in your title.
As you brainstorm titles, write them down so you can revisit them after you complete your first draft. Once you have a finished draft , it can be a lot easier to determine the title that fits your essay best.
Essay title examples
Take a look at these example essay titles and take note of how the tones and vocabulary vary between essay types. A title that’s perfect for a persuasive essay might not be right for a college application or expository essay . And similarly, a title that works for a comparative essay might be too lackluster for a personal or argumentative essay .
Personal essays
Why I’ll Never Wear a Blue Baseball Cap Again
How 20 Years in Corporate America Made Me a Better Parent
Analytical essays
What is Love? How Romantic and Modern Artists’ Answers Differ
Three Reasons Why We Won’t See a Repeat of the 2008 Bubble
Argumentative essays
The Correlation between New School Buildings and Higher Test Scores—Three Stats You Can’t Ignore
Are We Using the Right Success Metrics for Students?
Persuasive essays
Four Ways Free Wi-Fi Will Boost the City’s Economy
Unless We Take Action, This Heat Wave Is Just the Beginning
Compare-and-contrast essays
Dynamite, Profit, and the Pursuit of Power: Chasing White Whales in Moby Dick and Jaws
Outdoor Growth Patterns of Shiitake and Lion’s Mane Mushrooms
College application essays
What Scooping Ice Cream Taught Me about Human Nature
Dancing and Math Are More Similar than You Realize
Essay title FAQs
What is an essay title.
An essay title concisely states what an essay is about.
Why is an essay title important?
An essay title is important because it accomplishes a few things:
- Tells readers what the essay is about
- Catches potential readers’ attention
- Helps researchers sort essays and find the ones most relevant to their work
What should you consider when creating an essay title?
When creating an essay title, think about the essay’s purpose. Then, explain the essay’s subject and purpose in a brief clause or short sentence, making it appropriately intriguing to draw readers’ attention.
Purdue Online Writing Lab College of Liberal Arts
APA Sample Paper
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Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.
Note: This page reflects the latest version of the APA Publication Manual (i.e., APA 7), which released in October 2019. The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style can be found here .
Media Files: APA Sample Student Paper , APA Sample Professional Paper
This resource is enhanced by Acrobat PDF files. Download the free Acrobat Reader
Note: The APA Publication Manual, 7 th Edition specifies different formatting conventions for student and professional papers (i.e., papers written for credit in a course and papers intended for scholarly publication). These differences mostly extend to the title page and running head. Crucially, citation practices do not differ between the two styles of paper.
However, for your convenience, we have provided two versions of our APA 7 sample paper below: one in student style and one in professional style.
Note: For accessibility purposes, we have used "Track Changes" to make comments along the margins of these samples. Those authored by [AF] denote explanations of formatting and [AWC] denote directions for writing and citing in APA 7.
APA 7 Student Paper:
Apa 7 professional paper:.
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How To Make/Create an Essay [Templates + Examples] 2023
Essays are one of the most distinct forms of writing that individuals are familiar with during their school year age, gradually easing into business writing with more detailed reports . Whether you are writing an essay for school work or to express a business essay to your clients, knowing how to properly write and compose the document helps you accomplish requirements.
Table of Content
Build an essay template – step-by-step instructions, essay templates & examples, argumentative essay format template, opinion essay template, compare and contrast essay template, visual essay template, narrative essay template, step 1: browse for an essay template, step 2: select the essay template, step 3: develop an essay header, step 4: write the essay title, step 5: write your introduction, step 6: compose the body of the essay, step 7: end the essay with a conclusion, step 8: save the changes to the essay.
How do you structure an essay?
What are the parts of an essay, what makes a good essay, more in documents.
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How to cite a piece of text in MLA format
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Citing sources in essays, articles, research papers, and other writing projects is a common and essential practice. However, some students are not familiar with all the citation requirements for different formatting styles. Due to the fact that copy-pasted statements are forbidden in all essay types and writing works, in-text citations are crucial while handling writing assignments.
MLA in-text citations are a way to avoid plagiarism in your essay. Nevertheless, there is a vast bulk of intricacies in the format instructions. We prepared this detailed MLA in-text citations guide to help you get familiar with this style and simplify the process of formatting citations in your papers.
What Are MLA In Text Citations ?
MLA format is a popular style of arranging in-text citations and references in academic papers of every kind. There are two relevant editions of the Manual , both of them include the rules of how to do in text citations MLA for websites professionally.
The ninth edition is the latest and contains the largest number of updates on MLA in text citations.
There is also the eighth edition, which is still relevant but less popular among learners and scientists. The modern edition is more common for students with a major in humanities sciences like Literature, Arts, and other related disciplines. MLA format is looming much larger in its popularity and remains one of the more commonly used formats for academic writing.
How to Do MLA In Text Citations
It seems that MLA format has simpler requirements compared to similar formats such as APA and Chicago. This style has a comprehensible author-page format that implies citing a source in the text and adding a corresponding citation to the list on the reference page.
There are solely two points that MLA format for in text citations requires:
- Firstly, in-text citation contains the author’s last name, comma, space.
- In addition, in-text citation includes the page number .
Such a structure provides parenthetical citations that should be situated at the end of the sentence where you cite a source.
How to Write In Text Citations MLA
As mentioned above, you can write in text citations MLA format at the end of the sentence in parentheses. In addition, MLA guidelines also allow shortened citations. It implies you can mention the author’s surname in the sentence if the context requires it, and then indicate the page number in parentheses.
MLA Format In Text Citations
The author-page format is used for most in text MLA citations. It exclusively indicates the author’s surname and page number to which you refer. A comma between two items is required. Of course, if you do in text citations, go at the end of the sentence and use parentheses. You cannot use any quote or data without properly citing the source. If you fail to format MLA citations in text correspondingly, this information can be considered plagiarism.
Examples of In Text Citations MLA
In-text citation logic is the same for all source types. However, each source has its peculiarities. It is almost impossible to provide a single template on how to do in text MLA citations. Usually, in-text citation consists of the author’s last name or organization’s name and page number if such information exists.
Let’s refer to the MLA Citation Guide for the examples of in text citations:
MLA in-text citation style uses the author’s last name and the page number from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken, for example: (Smith 163). If the source does not use page numbers, do not include a number in the parenthetical citation: (Smith).
How to Use In Text Citations MLA?
MLA style requires quotation marks for all the quotes in the text. No source titles are required for in-text citations. The only obligatory criteria are the author’s surname and page number. This information should correspond to the information provided on the separate page with works cited. Now you know how to make in text citations MLA perfect every time. Still can’t understand MLA in-text citations? Don’t worry! Our experts have a huge experience in writing different assignments and citing in MLA, APA, Chicago and other formats. Order Now
How to Format MLA In Text Citations for Websites
While completing writing tasks, students often use the online databases and sources of information to find relevant material. Websites are the most common sources that writers cite and refer to in their academic papers. So, how to format MLA in text citations for websites properly?
- The place of publication is no longer required in the MLA format.
- Italics and capitalization apply to each in text citations MLA example.
- Quotation marks are necessary for indicating a source title in the citation.
- The date of access to the website takes place at the end of the citation example.
- If there is no author, the website name can be acceptable . Italicized and capitalized text style is required in this case.
- URL does not apply to in text web citations MLA but is required for citations and references.
- The date of publication comes before a URL address and includes the day, month, and year of publication.
MLA rules for website citation vary from the source type. The most common formatting of in-text citations in MLA format includes either author’s last name or source title. Parentheses are required for in-text citations. If you still question your skills and ask “how to do in text citations for websites MLA?”, expert MLA paper formatting help may become your magic wand!
How to Make In Text Citations MLA Perfectly?
While being quite a comprehensible formatting style, MLA still appears to be complicated to some writers. This ultimate MLA in-text citation guide prepared by our competent writers can come in handy. If you stick to our instructions, citation formatting will take less time and performed perfectly for each and every paper. If you still have troubles with doing in-text citations in MLA format, don’t hesitate and contact our writers. We do editing, proofreading and writing along with academic help with your papers of any format.
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How to Format a College Admissions Essay: Complete Guide -2023
In essay writing, essay format is vital. Without a legitimate essay format, you can't write a fair essay. You could think about the style (MLA, APA) , format, and so forth, to keep the essay coordinated.
An essay writer at https://myperfectwords.com reliably follows the legitimate essay format and makes the essay extraordinary. For the essay format, you can visit the (space) .
A lot of guidelines pick how your paper ought to be orchestrated. In essay format, several things are covered like title, essay structure, diagram, end, reference, and so forth assuming you appropriately format the essay, you don't have to contemplate how to do my essay for me.
At the point when you begin formatting the essay, you ought to really attempt to understand how to make a snare statement for an essay, in-text references, legitimate essay structure, and numerous other significant things.
In this article, you ought to attempt to understand how to make a fitting format for an essay.
At the point when you make the cover sheet, you want to remember some center interests.
• Utilize 12 text dimensions and Time New Roman. • Utilize twofold space and not utilize single space. • Write the title of your essay, under the name of the establishment. • Write the name of the establishment. • At the lower part of the paper, write the writer's name, the educator's name, the course number/name, and the due date.
Here is the development of the principal page of your paper. Investigate it and appropriately write the principal page of your essay.
• Write the essay title as the focal point of the paper. • Under the essay title, write the principal passage of an essay. • Spot the heading at the upper left-hand corner of the paper.
Each essay and examination paper contains three areas introduction, body passages, and an end. At the point when you realize how to write these parts, you can undoubtedly write an essay on any theme.
In the introduction, portray the principal motivation behind your paper. Backing your fundamental idea in the body segments and end, wrap up the whole essay.
If you are as yet jumbled and need help you can also direct myperfectwords a professional online service.
At the point when you allude to another writer's work, utilize an in-text reference, and show the peruser where you tracked down that information. Utilize the legitimate format for the in-text reference. It is the most effective way of staying away from literary burglary.
Make the reference page where you list all of the alluded sources utilized in the paper.
Rundown all of the sources in the sequential solicitation. To start with, you write the last name of the writer, trailed by his most memorable name. Then, at that point, write the essay title and pass on the information.
There are distinctive referring to styles, so counsel your educator first and afterward write it.
The standard essay format is given beneath:
• Utilize twofold line separating. • Times New Roman textual style is utilized. • Utilize 1-inch page edges. • The text dimension is 12 utilized. • In the page header, write the writer's last name, title, and so on • Use page numbers and remember them for the page header. • The headings and subheadings of various levels rely on the formatting style and text dimension.
Before long, you really ought to understand how to format an essay. Assuming you actually have any disarray, you find support from the essay writing service site. Their accomplished writers help you, and you can undoubtedly format your essay.
On the off chance that you don't have time, you can tell everyone of your requirements to them, and they write your essay according to your necessities and finish time.
You can essentially say to them, write my essay. Regardless your essay point is, they will help you and make your writing stage basic.
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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to format a college essay: 15 expert tips.
College Essays
When you're applying to college, even small decisions can feel high-stakes. This is especially true for the college essay, which often feels like the most personal part of the application. You may agonize over your college application essay format: the font, the margins, even the file format. Or maybe you're agonizing over how to organize your thoughts overall. Should you use a narrative structure? Five paragraphs?
In this comprehensive guide, we'll go over the ins and outs of how to format a college essay on both the micro and macro levels. We'll discuss minor formatting issues like headings and fonts, then discuss broad formatting concerns like whether or not to use a five-paragraph essay, and if you should use a college essay template.
How to Format a College Essay: Font, Margins, Etc.
Some of your formatting concerns will depend on whether you will be cutting and pasting your essay into a text box on an online application form or attaching a formatted document. If you aren't sure which you'll need to do, check the application instructions. Note that the Common Application does currently require you to copy and paste your essay into a text box.
Most schools also allow you to send in a paper application, which theoretically gives you increased control over your essay formatting. However, I generally don't advise sending in a paper application (unless you have no other option) for a couple of reasons:
Most schools state that they prefer to receive online applications. While it typically won't affect your chances of admission, it is wise to comply with institutional preferences in the college application process where possible. It tends to make the whole process go much more smoothly.
Paper applications can get lost in the mail. Certainly there can also be problems with online applications, but you'll be aware of the problem much sooner than if your paper application gets diverted somehow and then mailed back to you. By contrast, online applications let you be confident that your materials were received.
Regardless of how you will end up submitting your essay, you should draft it in a word processor. This will help you keep track of word count, let you use spell check, and so on.
Next, I'll go over some of the concerns you might have about the correct college essay application format, whether you're copying and pasting into a text box or attaching a document, plus a few tips that apply either way.
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Formatting Guidelines That Apply No Matter How You End Up Submitting the Essay:
Unless it's specifically requested, you don't need a title. It will just eat into your word count.
Avoid cutesy, overly colloquial formatting choices like ALL CAPS or ~unnecessary symbols~ or, heaven forbid, emoji and #hashtags. Your college essay should be professional, and anything too cutesy or casual will come off as immature.
Mmm, delicious essay...I mean sandwich.
Why College Essay Templates Are a Bad Idea
You might see college essay templates online that offer guidelines on how to structure your essay and what to say in each paragraph. I strongly advise against using a template. It will make your essay sound canned and bland—two of the worst things a college essay can be. It's much better to think about what you want to say, and then talk through how to best structure it with someone else and/or make your own practice outlines before you sit down to write.
You can also find tons of successful sample essays online. Looking at these to get an idea of different styles and topics is fine, but again, I don't advise closely patterning your essay after a sample essay. You will do the best if your essay really reflects your own original voice and the experiences that are most meaningful to you.
College Application Essay Format: Key Takeaways
There are two levels of formatting you might be worried about: the micro (fonts, headings, margins, etc) and the macro (the overall structure of your essay).
Tips for the micro level of your college application essay format:
- Always draft your essay in a word processing software, even if you'll be copy-and-pasting it over into a text box.
- If you are copy-and-pasting it into a text box, make sure your formatting transfers properly, your paragraphs are clearly delineated, and your essay isn't cut off.
- If you are attaching a document, make sure your font is easily readable, your margins are standard 1-inch, your essay is 1.5 or double-spaced, and your file format is compatible with the application specs.
- There's no need for a title unless otherwise specified—it will just eat into your word count.
Tips for the macro level of your college application essay format :
- There is no super-secret college essay format that will guarantee success.
- In terms of structure, it's most important that you have an introduction that makes it clear where you're going and a conclusion that wraps up with a main point. For the middle of your essay, you have lots of freedom, just so long as it flows logically!
- I advise against using an essay template, as it will make your essay sound stilted and unoriginal.
Plus, if you use a college essay template, how will you get rid of these medieval weirdos?
What's Next?
Still feeling lost? Check out our total guide to the personal statement , or see our step-by-step guide to writing the perfect essay .
If you're not sure where to start, consider these tips for attention-grabbing first sentences to college essays!
And be sure to avoid these 10 college essay mistakes .
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AMA Citation Format. How to Cite Your Medical Papers
If you belong to the medical or scientific community, you may be familiar with the AMA format and the AMA citation. The AMA guidelines have made the lives of students worldwide difficult as the guideline is 1032 pages! The guideline discusses how to write in AMA format. If you don’t have enough time for reading it, but still would like to master it, this article from SuperbPaper — essay writing service — will guide you through the basic paper format and citation rules according to the American Medical Association (AMA) Style. For your extra benefit, our writers have added a format example, a template for print, and electronic sources. But let’s start with the definition.
What Is AMA Format?
AMA format is a guideline for arranging and organizing your academic papers. It helps students studying health care, medicine, and nursing to present their ideas with a clear structure for their reading audiences.The American Medical Association first published the AMA Style Guide in 1962, along with the AMA Citation Guide, and they have not introduced many changes since that year. The goal was to make a simple and standard structure for students to present their essays and research papers with evidence from credible sources to support their arguments.
It is important to master the AMA reference format for several reasons:
To logically structure your papers
To make it easier to follow your texts
To follow a guideline for your arguments and thesis statement(s)
To credit the names of talented contributors
To avoid issues with plagiarism
Finally, using AMA format is almost always a requirement for medical research papers. It is impossible to earn full credits without formatting your work. Without citing sources, a student risks having problems with plagiarism, and it often results in an ‘F’. AMA style has numerous variations for various educational institutions and publications. To provide a complete answer to the question of “What is AMA format?”, we should analyze the parts of this writing style.
Basic Formatting of AMA Papers
We have mentioned that AMA guidelines have not changed dramatically since 1962. So, what are its basic principles? Each time a writer needs to add an AMA style citation, they need to come up with a number in superscript and then need to cite the source in full in the “Reference List” with that corresponding number.
General Rules of AMA Formatting
Making sure the numbers are in chronological order is important. Memorize these basic rules of formatting:
Double space your text
Use 1" margins
The Font Size should be 12 and can be any font type. You can use two typefaces (a serif for body text and a sans serif for titles and subheads) with appropriate use of styles, such as bold and italics for a scholarly publication. (5.22.4)
Use 1/2" indents
You should add page numbers—beginning with the title page. Pages should be numbered consecutively. Page numbers are usually placed in the upper right corner.
References should be listed and numbered in the order they were cited in your paper.
Basic Rules for AMA Citation
The superscript numbers will make it possible to discover the complete reference on your AMA “Reference List” page.
Each citation number should match the reference number.
Apply Arabic superscript numerals.
The complete references must begin with their corresponding numbers.
The way a reference is written depends on the type of source a student has to cite; knowing how to cite a website does not mean a student automatically knows how to cite a book.
A bibliographical entry should have the writer’s last name and the first & middle initial without punctuation.
Apply a comma to add more than one writer. Example: 3. Lawrence T, Barman PJ. Cardiac denervation in diabetes. BMJ. 1973;4:584-586.
Apply sentence case for titles—with no exceptions (capitalize the first word of the title—no need to do it with the rest of the words. Example: GONE with the wind).
Abbreviate and italicize titles of materials based on the National Library of Medicine database.
Separate every reference with periods into bibliographic categories.
Invert the names of the writers. Use initials for the first and middle names without putting periods between initials. It should be like this: AuthorLastname, FirstInitialMiddleInitial.
Add issue numbers in parentheses after volume numbers (for journals).
Rules in Regard to Punctuation Marks
Use a comma in cases where the items are sub-elements of a bibliographic component or a set of interconnected components like writers’ names.
Use a semicolon if the elements in the category vary from one another (the release date & title of the source) / if numerous occurrences of interconnected components are available within a group + before the volume identification information.
Use a colon before the publisher’s name, between the title and the subtitle, and after a connective phrase (e.g., “In,” “Presented at”).
To make it clear, we would like to share a universal AMA citation example with you.
AMA citation example: The Cannabis herb has been used in medicine for ages. Historical evidence proves its medical use dated back to 2737BCE¹.
References in the AMA Bibliography
AMA paper format means using proper references within the text and Reference List, but also using the proper stylistic matters. This includes such things as using headings and capitalizing them appropriately, or using line spacing, margins, text styles (such as using "one" or "1", using AM, a.m., or A.M.), placement of page numbers, font, spacing for graphs, size and shape for tables, etc.
AMA style requires the use of standard National Library of Medicine [NLM] abbreviations for all journal titles when available.
Here are some AMA citation general formatting guidelines:
Corresponding superscript number.
Article title.
Date; volume(issue): pages.
Online Journal Articles.
Example: Kumar RN, Chambers W, Pertwee RG. Pharmacological Actions and Therapeutic Uses of Cannabis and Cannabinoids. Anesthesia. 2001 Dec 7; 56(2): 1059-1068. 2. O'Barry M, Sakras S. Determining the implications of obesity in adults and children. J Adult Health. 2010 Sep 14; 45(10): 583-596.
Here are other important rules:
Acronyms, abbreviations, and initialisms: It is discouraged to use acronyms, abbreviations, and initialisms, except if they are well-known. It may include accepted units of measurement and some well-recognized terms. If you do use an acronym, abbreviation, or initialism, spell it out with its first use, even if it is well-known. Do not place periods between the letters of an acronym, abbreviation, or initialism. Stated names should always appear as full names in the text of a manuscript. If included in references, use the two-letter abbreviation (first name initial and middle name initial).
Numbers: Numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.) should be used in all writing, except when: the number begins the sentence or title. To indicate a time of day, use AM or PM in small letters (6 pm). Conventional 12-hour clock time is preferred. However, 24 hour or military time convention can also be used if you need to show precise timing.
Dates: When you need to provide a date in the text, it is preferable to use numerals for the day and year, and write out the month – e.g. October 2, 2020. If you are using dates in a table, you may use numerals for the month (e.g. 4/2/2010).
Measurements: To write measurements, it’s better to use SI standard measurements (The International System of Units). Numbers are always written in plain text. There is a space after the number and before the unit, and never a period after the unit (unless it ends a sentence). Do not include commas in longer numbers (e.g. 1600 km, not 1,600 km).
AMA Title Page
The title page should include the following:
The Title [Capitalize the first letter of each major word in titles and subtitles]
Page Number in the top right corner
First Name and Last Name
Student Number
Course Title
In-Text Citation: Format and Rules
In-text citations are the notes that you make within the text of your paper when you use a borrowed piece of information and/or idea and should be identified using superscript numbers. If you use a direct quote from another work, you should enclose the quote within quotation marks. If the direct quote is longer than four lines, the quote should be set off and indented in a distinct block, should be presented in reduced type, and should appear without quotation marks. The superscript numbers that identify your use of a borrowed piece of information and/or idea should appear outside (or to the right) of commas, periods, and quotation marks, and should appear inside (or to the left) of colons and semicolons.
If you borrow pieces of information and/or ideas from more than one source in a single passage or sentence, be sure to identify each of the sources with a unique superscript number. Multiple superscript numbers should be separated by commas and should not have spaces between them. Pieces of information and/or ideas borrowed from personal communications – including interviews, emails and letters – should be cited parenthetically within the text of your paper. You should include the person’s name, as well as the type and the date of the communication, in the citation.
Personal communications should not be assigned a superscript number and should not be included in the list of references at the end of your paper. Listed below are two examples of in-text citations using the AMA format citation style:
Example: Indirect quotation (citation after a comma, period): The smoking is believed to deteriorate the breathing functions ⁸. British Columbia Institute of Technology 2. Direct quotation (citation after quotation mark): The engineer announced that “the house was built on solid ground.” ⁸
AMA Reference List
When using AMA format, you need to create a comprehensive list of references at the end of your paper that offers details about your chosen sources. The list of references should present detailed information about the sources that you consulted in your research, borrowed pieces of information, and/or ideas from other sources you used in your paper. The in-text citations appear throughout the text, while the full entry to each of those references are included on a separate page of the essay.
The AMA Reference List format allows readers to find the source of the information on the topic covered and allows them to go on researching the problem in-depth. A writer should link both the in-text citation, and its corresponding reference, by a superscript number. The superscript number is predetermined by its order of appearance within the essay (beginning with ¹, ², etc.)
General Rules
The references are to be listed numerically in the order that they appeared within the text of your paper.
The type, the order, and the format of the information that you are to include in a Reference List will vary depending on the type of source that you borrowed the piece(s) of information and/or idea(s) from.
Regardless of the type of source that you are referencing, you should never insert a comma between the last name and the first initials of an author, editor, or director.
If you borrow a piece of information and/or idea from a specific page or range of pages within a printed work or a paginated web resource, you should identify said page(s) at the end of the corresponding reference.
When you identify a page number, or numbers, in an entry in your list of references, be sure to insert the numbers in full (for example use 111–112, not 111–2).
Digital Documents
All references to digital journals should include the following elements:
Title of article and subtitle (as applicable)
Abbreviated and italicized name of the journal
Volume number
Issue number
Part or supplement number, when pertinent
Inclusive page numbers—Do not omit digits from inclusive page numbers. The year of the publication is followed by a semicolon; the volume number and the issue number (in parentheses) are followed by a colon; the initial page number is followed by a hyphen, and the final page number is followed by a period.
Example: Compston A, Coles A. Multiple sclerosis. The Lancet. 2008;372(9648):1502-1517. 2. Beran RG, Braley TJ, Segal BM, Chervin RD. Sleep-disordered breathing in multiple sclerosis. Neurology. 2013;80(14):1354-1355. 3. Pollart SM, Calleigh AS. Changing conversations, changing culture: A medical education journal club. Med Educ. 2011;45(11):1134.
Example: Love and reconciliation: examining human emotions. Web site. https://www.ama-assn.org/ . Published 1997. Accessed April 30, 2004.
Online Newspapers
Example: Bros R. The promise of precision prescriptions. Washington Post. June 24, 2000: A1. https://www.washingtonpost.com . Accessed October 10, 2001.
Online Journal Article:
Example: Jahden JS. Can preparedness for biological terrorism save us from pertussis? Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2004;158(2):106‐107. https://www.ama-assn.org/ . Accessed June 1, 2004.
Online Government/Organization Reports
Example: Kahdyen L, Gruber J. Does public insurance improve the efficiency of medical care? Medicaid expansions and child hospitalizations. https://www.nber.org/papers/w755 . Published February 2000. Accessed February 26, 2004.
Online Conference Proceedings/Presentations
Example: Loshabel F. Talk presented at: National Human Research Protections Advisory Committee; April 9, 2001; Bethesda, MD. https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/ . Accessed February 26, 2004
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Print Materials
All references to print books should include the following elements:
Authors’ surnames and first and middle initials
Chapter title (if there)
Surname and first and middle initials of the book’s author(s) or editor(s) (or translators if any)
Title of book, and subtitle (if any)
Volume number and volume title (when there is more than one volume)
Edition number (do not indicate the first edition)
Place of publication
Country names must be spelt out when they appear alone.
Name of publisher
Year of copyright
Page numbers (when specific pages are cited)
Examples: Luckerston A, Luckerston VB, Nunn LS. Destiny. Maryland, MN: Twenty-First Century Books; 2020. Charston SK, Adams JN. Childhood Cancer: A Nursing Overview. Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett; 1987.
Here are AMA citation examples how to cite books:
Book with One Author:
Example: Sacks O. Uncle Tungsten. New York, NY: Alfred A Knopf; 2001.
Book with Two to Six Authors: Separate the authors’ names using a comma.
Example: Beckon O, Laurent B. Miracles working. New York, NY: Alfred A Knopf; 2009.
Book with Seven or More Authors: List the first three authors, and then put “et al.”
Example: Beckon O, Laurent B, Seichen P et al. Miracles working. New York, NY: Alfred A Knopf; 2009.
Book with an Editor:
Example: Galanter M, ed. Services Research in the Era of Managed Care. New York, NY: Kluwer Academic/Plenum; 2001.
Book by an Organization:
Example: World Health Organization. Injury: A Leading Cause of the Global Burden of Disease, 2000. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2002.
Book of Second or Later Edition
Example: Adkinson N, Yunginger J, Busse W, Bochner B, Holgate S, Middleton E, eds. Middleton’s Allergy: Principles and Practice. 6th ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby; 2003.
Book Chapter
Example: Solensky R. Drug allergy: desensitization and treatment of reactions to antibiotics and aspirin. In: Lockey P, ed. Allergens and Allergen Immunotherapy. 3rd ed. New York, NY: Marcel Dekker; 2004:585‐606.
Print Journal Article
Example: Colbert S, Thomas D, Tokarz D, et al. Myofibrillogenesis regulator 1 gene mutations cause paroxysmal dystonic choreoathetosis. Arch Neurol. 2004;61(7):1025‐1029.
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Title Page Setup
A title page is required for all APA Style papers. There are both student and professional versions of the title page. Students should use the student version of the title page unless their instructor or institution has requested they use the professional version. APA provides a student title page guide (PDF, 199KB) to assist students in creating their title pages.
Student title page
The student title page includes the paper title, author names (the byline), author affiliation, course number and name for which the paper is being submitted, instructor name, assignment due date, and page number, as shown in this example.
This guidance has been revised from the 6th edition.
Related handouts
- Student Title Page Guide (PDF, 263KB)
- Student Paper Setup Guide (PDF, 3MB)
Student papers do not include a running head unless requested by the instructor or institution.
Follow the guidelines described next to format each element of the student title page.
Professional title page
The professional title page includes the paper title, author names (the byline), author affiliation(s), author note, running head, and page number, as shown in the following example.
Follow the guidelines described next to format each element of the professional title page.
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Structuring your essay according to a reader's logic means examining your thesis and anticipating what a reader needs to know, and in what sequence, in order to grasp and be convinced by your argument as it unfolds. The easiest way to do this is to map the essay's ideas via a written narrative.
Throughout your paper, you need to apply the following APA format guidelines: Set page margins to 1 inch on all sides. Double-space all text, including headings. Indent the first line of every paragraph 0.5 inches. Use an accessible font (e.g., Times New Roman 12pt., Arial 11pt., or Georgia 11pt.). Include a page number on every page.
This quick guide will help you set up your MLA format paper in no time. Start by applying these MLA format guidelines to your document: Times New Roman 12 1″ page margins Double line spacing ½" indent for new paragraphs Title case capitalization for headings Download Word template Open Google Docs template
Use a title page with APA or Chicago Style format. This page serves as a brief introduction to your assignment, stating the title of the essay, your name, and any other relevant information. Title pages are commonly used in college and university courses and are formatted like this:
To format a paper in APA Style, writers can typically use the default settings and automatic formatting tools of their word-processing program or make only minor adjustments. The guidelines for paper format apply to both student assignments and manuscripts being submitted for publication to a journal.
An essay format refers to a set of guidelines that decides how the elements of your paper should be arranged. The format guidelines cover the essay structure, title, citations, and the basic outline of the essay. When formatting a paper, there are certain things that you need to pay attention to.
To write an essay in MLA format, one must follow a basic set of guidelines and instructions. This is a step by step from our business essay writing service Font: 12pt Times New Roman Spacing: Double spaced everywhere No extra spaces, especially between paragraphs Heading: Example of the heading on the first page of the essay (upper left corner)
The format of the reflective essay will include the basic rules of font, paragraph and line formatting, and page setting like margins. 12-point font (Times New Roman or Arial) First line indent Double-spacing 1-inch margins Some reflective essays ask you to reflect on an event in your life or on your own personality.
While the formatting requirements for your paper might vary depending upon your instructor's directions, your essay will most likely need to include a title page, abstract, introduction, body, conclusion, and reference sections. Title Page Your essay should have a title page in APA format.
Formatting an essay means working on the essay structure. When writing an academic essay, make sure that every part is drafted according to format. Your title page, in-text citation, essay outline, and reference list should be following the chosen format. To understand the formatting of the different parts better, continue reading.
Guidelines for essay titles in MLA format In MLA format, your essay's title should be in title case. That means every principle word— words that aren't articles, prepositions, coordinating conjunctions, or the word "to" paired with an infinitive—is capitalized.
Paper Format The preparation of papers and manuscripts in MLA Style is covered in part four of the MLA Style Manual. Below are some basic guidelines for formatting a paper in MLAStyle: General Guidelines Type your paper on a computer and print it out on standard, white 8.5 x 11-inch paper.
APA Formatting and Style Guide (7th Edition) General Format In-Text Citations: The Basics In-Text Citations: Author/Authors Reference List: Basic Rules Reference List: Author/Authors Reference List: Articles in Periodicals Reference List: Books Reference List: Other Print Sources Reference List: Electronic Sources Reference List: Audiovisual Media
Step 2: Select the Essay Template. After choosing the essay document you want to use for your paper, click on the image to bring you to the template window; for this example, the funny self-introduction essay template. Choose a file format from the selection on the product page to download the specific format to your device, select the Free ...
There are solely two points that MLA format for in text citations requires: Firstly, in-text citation contains the author's last name, comma, space. In addition, in-text citation includes the page number. Such a structure provides parenthetical citations that should be situated at the end of the sentence where you cite a source.
In essay writing, essay format is vital. Without a legitimate essay format, you can't write a fair essay. You could think about the style (MLA, APA), format, and so forth, to keep the essay coordinated. An essay writer at https://myperfectwords.com reliably follows the legitimate essay format and makes the essay extraordinary. For the essay format, you can visit the (space). A lot of ...
There are two levels of formatting you might be worried about: the micro (fonts, headings, margins, etc) and the macro (the overall structure of your essay). Tips for the micro level of your college application essay format: Always draft your essay in a word processing software, even if you'll be copy-and-pasting it over into a text box.
Double space your text. Use 1" margins. The Font Size should be 12 and can be any font type. You can use two typefaces (a serif for body text and a sans serif for titles and subheads) with appropriate use of styles, such as bold and italics for a scholarly publication. (5.22.4) Use 1/2" indents.
Follow the guidelines described next to format each element of the student title page. Professional title page The professional title page includes the paper title, author names (the byline), author affiliation (s), author note, running head, and page number, as shown in the following example.