How to Format Rudimentary Elements - Tutorial
Margins:
- 1 inch (2.54cm) on all sides, include top, bottom, and left and right sides.
Page Header & Number:
- Include a page number in top right corner of all pages, including: title page, reference pages, and appendix pages.
- Page number should be the same font as the rest of the paper.
- Running head:
- Student Style: No running head
- Professional Style: Include a running head
Font:
- Acceptable fonts include: 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode, 11-point Arial, 11-point Calibri, 11-point Georgia, and 12-point Times New Roman.
- Use the same font throughout the paper.
- Check with your instructor if they have a specific font requirement.
Line Spacing:
- The entire paper, including the title page, references pages, and block quotations, should be double-spaced. To double-space your paper, set the line spacing to “2.0.”
- Do not include additional spacing between paragraphs or before or after headings.
- There are a few exceptions to double spacing, such as in tables and figures (see below).
Paragraph Alignment and Indentation:
- Paragraphs should be aligned to the left of the page (left justified). The text on the right margin will be uneven (i.e. do not use full justification).
- The first line of all paragraphs should be indented, except the abstract (Note: most student papers do not require an abstract).
- The first line of each paragraph should be indented by ½ inch (or 1.27cm). For consistency throughout your paper, click your “Tab” key one time.
- Use a Hanging Indent for all reference citations (see Reference List - Format section below for more information)
