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How to Format a Research Paper: APA MLA Chicago Side-by-Side Comparison

In Brief: The Universal Formatting Rules

Before diving into the specific rules for each style, every research paper—whether APA, MLA, or Chicago—shares these baseline formatting requirements:

  • Font: 12-point Times New Roman (or a comparable readable serif font like 11-point Georgia)
  • Margins: 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides
  • Spacing: Double-spaced throughout the entire document
  • Alignment: Left-aligned (do not use justified text)
  • Paragraphs: Indent the first line of each paragraph by 0.5 inches

These universal rules form the foundation of your paper. The differences between APA, MLA, and Chicago come in how they handle title pages, running headers, headings, and the bibliography/reference list.

Which Citation Style Should You Use?

The first decision you’ll make before formatting your paper is choosing the right citation style. Here’s a quick decision framework:

Discipline Recommended Style
Psychology, Sociology, Education, Nursing, Business APA
Literature, Philosophy, Arts, Religion, Languages MLA
History, Fine Arts, Publishing Chicago

Important: When in doubt, check your professor’s syllabus or assignment guidelines. Many instructors specify which style they expect. If they don’t, use the discipline-based guidelines above.

What we recommend: Follow your professor’s instructions exactly. If no style is specified, APA is the safest default—studies suggest it’s used in over 70% of US college courses.

APA Paper Formatting: Complete Rules

APA (American Psychological Association) style is the most widely used academic format in higher education. It emphasizes clarity, precision, and scientific rigor.

Title Page

APA requires a title page. Your title page should include:

  1. Paper title — centered, bold, title case, in the upper half of the page
  2. Your full name — first name, middle initial, last name (no titles like Dr.)
  3. Institutional affiliation — the university or organization where you conducted the research
  4. Course number and name — e.g., “PSYCH 301: Introduction to Psychology”
  5. Instructor’s name — professor or instructor name
  6. Assignment due date — month, day, and year

For professional manuscripts (journal submissions), the title page also includes an author note with ORCID iDs, affiliations changes, disclosures, and acknowledgements. Student papers do not need an author note.

APA title page example (student paper):

The Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Cognitive Performance
Jane M. Smith
University of Michigan
PSYCH 301: Introduction to Psychology
Dr. Robert Johnson
October 15, 2025

Page Header (Running Head)

In APA 7th edition, the page header placement differs for student and professional papers:

  • Student papers: Only the page number appears in the top right corner
  • Professional papers: The running head (abbreviated title in all caps, max 50 characters) appears flush left, and the page number appears flush right

Main Body Formatting

  • Headings: APA uses five levels of headings with distinct formatting for each level
    • Level 1: Centered, bold, title case (e.g., Method)
    • Level 2: Flush left, bold, title case (e.g., Participants)
    • Level 3: Flush left, bold italic, title case (e.g., Materials)
    • Level 4: Indented, bold, title case, ending with a period
    • Level 5: Indented, bold italic, title case, ending with a period
  • Font options: 12-pt Times New Roman, 11-pt Calibri, 11-pt Arial, 10-pt Lucida Sans Unicode, or 10-pt Computer Modern

Abstract

Some APA papers require an abstract on a separate page after the title page:

  • The word “Abstract” centered and bolded at the top
  • Single paragraph, 150-250 words, no indentation
  • Includes keywords on a separate indented line starting with “Keywords:” (italicized)

Reference Page

  • Title: “References” centered and bolded at the top of a new page
  • Entries alphabetized by the first author’s last name
  • Double-spaced with hanging indents
  • First line flush left; subsequent lines indented 0.5 inches

MLA Paper Formatting: Complete Rules

MLA (Modern Language Association) style is the standard format for humanities disciplines, particularly literature, philosophy, and the arts.

First-Page Heading

MLA does not require a separate title page. Instead, include a four-line heading in the upper left corner of the first page:

  1. Your name
  2. Instructor’s name
  3. Course number
  4. Date (day month year or month day year format)

Center the paper title below the heading (no bold, no italics, no underlining).

MLA first-page example:

Jane M. Smith
Dr. Robert Johnson
PSYCH 301
15 October 2025

The Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Cognitive Performance

Running Header

MLA uses a running header consisting of your last name and page number, flush right, 0.5 inches from the top of the page. Example: Smith 1, Smith 2, Smith 3.

Main Body Formatting

  • Headings: MLA does not prescribe a strict heading hierarchy. Consistent formatting with bold or italics is recommended to show levels.
  • Block quotes: Direct quotations of four lines or more (poetry: three lines or more) are set as block quotes, indented 0.5 inches on each side, without quotation marks.
  • Dates: Do not abbreviate dates; use the full month-day-year or day-month-year format.

Works Cited Page

  • Title: “Works Cited” centered at the top of a new page
  • Entries alphabetized by the first word (usually the author’s last name)
  • Double-spaced with hanging indents

Chicago Paper Formatting: Complete Rules

Chicago style offers flexibility with two distinct citation systems, each with different formatting conventions.

Title Page

Chicago typically requires a title page for longer papers and theses, though students may omit it if the instructor allows. A Chicago title page includes:

  1. Title — centered about one-third of the way down the page, headline-style capitalization
  2. Your name — below the title, near the bottom of the page
  3. Course information and date — optionally included

Chicago title page example:

The Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Cognitive Performance

Jane M. Smith

PSYCH 301: Introduction to Psychology
October 15, 2025

Page Numbers and Headers

  • Page numbers appear in the top right corner or bottom center
  • Chicago does not require a running header like APA or MLA

Headings

Chicago supports up to five heading levels:

  • Level 1: Centered, bold, headline-style capitalization
  • Level 2: Centered, plain text, headline-style capitalization
  • Level 3: Left-aligned, bold or italic, headline-style capitalization

Two Citation Systems

Chicago offers two distinct citation systems that affect how you format citations:

Notes and Bibliography (preferred in humanities):

  • Superscript numbers in the text correspond to footnotes or endnotes
  • Full citation on first reference, shortened form on subsequent references

Author-Date (used in sciences):

  • Parenthetical in-text citations like (Author Year, page)
  • Reference list at the end, similar to APA format

Bibliography

  • Title: “Bibliography” centered at the top of a new page
  • Entries alphabetized by the first author’s last name
  • Single-spaced within entries; blank line between entries
  • Hanging indents for each entry

Side-by-Side Comparison Tables

Paper Setup Comparison

Feature APA MLA Chicago
Title Page Required (student + professional) Not required Required for theses; optional for student papers
Heading on First Page No (title on title page) Yes (name, instructor, course, date) No (title on title page)
Running Header Page number only (student); running head + page number (professional) Last name + page number Page number (top right or bottom center)
Page Spacing Double-spaced Double-spaced Double-spaced
Font 12-pt Times New Roman or other approved fonts 12-pt readable serif font 12-pt serif or sans-serif
Margins 1 inch all sides 1 inch all sides 1 inch all sides (1.5 left for binding)

Heading Comparison

Feature APA MLA Chicago
Heading Levels 5 distinct levels No strict hierarchy 3 preferred levels
Level 1 Format Centered, Bold, Title Case Bold or italic Centered, Bold
Level 2 Format Flush Left, Bold Bold or italic Centered, Plain
Level 3 Format Flush Left, Bold Italic Plain text Left, Bold or Italic

Bibliography/Reference Comparison

Feature APA MLA Chicago
Page Title References Works Cited Bibliography
Spacing Double-spaced Double-spaced Single-spaced within entries
Indent Hanging indent (0.5″) Hanging indent (0.5″) Hanging indent (0.5″)
Order Alphabetical by author Alphabetical by author Alphabetical by author
First Author Last name, initial(s) Last name, first name Last name, first name (first author)

Common Formatting Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Mistake 1: Mixing Citation and Formatting Styles

Wrong: Using footnotes for citations (Chicago) with APA’s title page and running head.

Fix: Choose one complete style system and apply its rules throughout. If your professor specifies APA, use APA’s title page, running header, and reference list. Don’t mix systems.

Mistake 2: Wrong Title Page Setup

Wrong (APA): Forgetting the institutional affiliation on the title page, or using a title page for MLA papers.

Fix: Review your style’s title page requirements. APA requires it; MLA skips it; Chicago uses it selectively.

Mistake 3: Incorrect Font Size

Wrong: Using 11-pt Times New Roman for the main text.

Fix: APA 7th edition accepts multiple fonts, but 12-pt Times New Roman remains the universal standard. MLA and Chicago also recommend 12-pt. Stick with 12-pt across all styles.

Mistake 4: Wrong Spacing

Wrong: Single-spacing the main body of the paper.

Fix: All three styles require double-spacing throughout. Exceptions include block quotes (single-spaced) and bibliography entries in Chicago (single-spaced within entries).

Mistake 5: Missing Hanging Indents

Wrong: Using first-line indents for bibliography entries instead of hanging indents.

Fix: Set hanging indents in your word processor: first line flush left, subsequent lines indented 0.5 inches. Most word processors offer a “hanging indent” option in paragraph settings.

Mistake 6: Incorrect Date Formatting

Wrong: Writing dates as “10/15/2025” in MLA or “October 15th, 2025” in APA.

Fix:

  • APA: Use numerals for the year; no comma after month (e.g., “October 15, 2025”)
  • MLA: Write full month and day (e.g., “15 October 2025” or “October 15, 2025”)
  • Chicago: Similar to MLA; follow your professor’s preference

Templates and Checklists

APA Paper Template

[Title Page]

[Page 1: Body]
Heading 1: Main Body Text
    Body text with 0.5" first-line indent, double-spaced.
    Citation example: (Smith, 2025).

[References Page]
References
    Author, A. A. (Year). Title of work. Source.

MLA Paper Template

[First Page: Heading + Title]
Your Name
Instructor Name
Course Number
Date

Paper Title

[Body]
Body text with 0.5" first-line indent, double-spaced.
Citation example: (Smith 45).

[Works Cited Page]
Works Cited
    Author, Last Name. Title of Work. Publisher, Year.

Chicago Paper Template

[Title Page]

[Page 1: Body]
Heading 1: Main Body Text
    Body text with 0.5" first-line indent, double-spaced.
    Citation example: ¹ Smith, Title, Page.

[Bibliography Page]
Bibliography
    Author, First Name. Year. Title of Work. Publisher.

Decision Framework: How to Choose Your Style

Use this framework when your professor hasn’t specified a preferred style:

  1. Check the discipline: Social sciences → APA; humanities → MLA; history → Chicago
  2. Check previous assignments: Did your professor use a specific style in past classes?
  3. Check the department: Psychology departments almost always require APA; English departments typically require MLA
  4. Check the assignment: Does it mention footnotes? That suggests Chicago. Does it mention APA-style headings? Use APA
  5. Default to APA: When no clear guidance exists, APA is the safest choice for college and graduate work

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the margins for APA format research paper?

1 inch on all sides for APA, MLA, and Chicago. Chicago allows 1.5-inch left margins for papers that will be bound.

Is MLA spacing 1.5 or 2?

MLA requires double-spacing (2.0 spacing) throughout the main body of the paper. Block quotes may be single-spaced.

What are the margins for Chicago style?

Chicago uses 1-inch margins on all sides (2.54 cm). The left margin may be increased to 1.5 inches for binding purposes.

How many heading levels does APA use?

APA 7th edition uses five heading levels, each with distinct formatting. Most student papers only need levels 1 and 2.

Does MLA require a title page?

MLA does not require a title page. All required information appears in a four-line heading on the first page.

Related Guides

Summary and Next Steps

Formatting a research paper correctly is one of the most important yet overlooked aspects of academic writing. Whether you use APA, MLA, or Chicago, the universal rules—12-pt font, 1-inch margins, double-spacing, and left alignment—apply to every paper. The differences come in title pages, running headers, heading styles, and the bibliography.

Your next steps:

  1. Identify the required style from your syllabus or professor
  2. Set up your document with the correct margins, font, and spacing
  3. Format your title page or first-page heading according to that style
  4. Apply the correct heading structure to organize your paper
  5. Format your bibliography/reference list with hanging indents
  6. Proofread for consistency — don’t mix styles

Need help with the formatting process? Our expert editors ensure your papers meet academic standards. Get professional editing and formatting help today.

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