What should be on the first line of the first page of an MLA style research paper

MLA Title Page | When You Need One & How to Format It

Published on July 12, 2021 by Jack Caulfield. Revised on August 2, 2021.

In MLA style, a title page is usually not required for your paper. Instead, MLA recommends including a header on your first page listing your name, your instructor’s name, the course name and number, and the submission date, followed by the title of your paper.

However, you should include a separate title page instead in these cases:

  • Your instructor requires it
  • The paper is a group project (i.e. you need to list multiple authors)

The formats for a separate title page and a first-page header are shown below. You can also use our templates in Word or Google Docs.

Word template Google Docs template

MLA title page format

To create an MLA format title page, list the following on separate lines, left-aligned at the top of the page:

  • Your name
  • Your co-authors’ names, each on its own line, if it’s a group project
  • Your instructor’s name
  • The course name and number
  • The submission date

Then leave a few blank lines and list the title of the paper, centered and in title case, halfway down the page. All text should be double-spaced and in the same font as the rest of the paper.

What should be on the first line of the first page of an MLA style research paper

Note: If you’re using a title page because your instructor requires one, any instructions they give overrule the guidelines here.

Most MLA papers will instead list this information in a header, which appears on the same page as your opening paragraphs instead of on a separate page before them. In the header, left-aligned, list

  • Your name
  • Your instructor’s name
  • The course name and number
  • The submission date

Then on the next line, write the title of your paper, centered and in title case. On the line after that, start your first paragraph. The header and title should be double-spaced, like the rest of the paper.

What should be on the first line of the first page of an MLA style research paper

Note: If you include all this information on a separate title page instead, you don’t need a header or title on your first page.

Frequently asked questions about MLA format

Do I need a title page for my MLA paper?

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.

If you’re working on a group project and therefore need to list multiple authors for your paper, MLA recommends against including a normal header. Instead, create a separate title page.

On the title page, list each author on a separate line, followed by the other usual information from the header: Instructor, course name and number, and submission date. Then write the title halfway down the page, centered, and start the text of the paper itself on the next page.

What font and size is used in MLA format?

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.

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Caulfield, J. (2021, August 02). MLA Title Page | When You Need One & How to Format It. Scribbr. Retrieved November 23, 2022, from https://www.scribbr.com/mla/mla-title-page/

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What is included in an MLA style parenthetical reference (and in which order)?

A. Year published, last name of the author, and the page number in the referenced source
B. last name of the author, the page number in the referenced source, and the publication date
C. last name of the author, the page number in the referenced source
D. last name of the author, the year published of the referenced source

What goes on the first line of an MLA heading?

Formatting the Header in MLA Begin one inch from the top of the first page and flush with the left margin. Type your name, your instructor's name, the course name and number, and the date on separate lines, using double spaces between each. Double space once more and center the title.

What is MLA format for a research paper?

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..

What should be included at the top of every page including the first page in MLA?

Include your last name and page numbers in the upper right-hand corner of every page. The page numbers will be one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin. If your instructor prefers no page number on the first page, begin numbering from 2 on the second page.