How to Make a Title Page

Co-authored by Noah Taxis

Last Updated: February 14, 2024 Fact Checked

Title pages are not especially difficult to make, but you need to follow specific guidelines depending on the style guide your professor instructs you to use. The three major style guidelines are American Psychological Association (APA) style, the Modern Language Association (MLA) style, and Chicago style. Check with your professor if you're not sure which she prefers, though generally, APA is used in the sciences, MLA is used in the humanities, and Chicago is used in religion.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making an APA Title Page

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1
Space your title down the page. Use the return key to move your title down the page. It should be about 1/3 of the way down the page.
- If your title is especially long or it has a colon in the middle of it, you can place it on two lines.^{[1]
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- Cut out extra words and abbreviations. In APA style, you should be as precise as possible.
- Use title case capitalization. That means that you capitalize important words, such as nouns, verbs, adverbs, and adjectives, but that you don't capitalize unimportant words, such as articles, prepositions, and conjunctions. Basically, you don't capitalize words that are three letters or fewer unless they are at the beginning of a title or after punctuation.^{[2]
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Place your name under your title. Press the return key once. Type out your name. You should use your first name, middle initial or initials, and your last name. Skip titles such as "Dr."^{[3]
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- If more than one person is responsible for the paper, include all author names.
- Separate two names with the word "and." Separate three or more names with commas, placing the word "and" between the final two.
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Add your institution. The institution is your university or other organization you're affiliated with. Basically, you are telling your reader where you did the majority of your research.^{[4]
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- If you have multiple authors who are affiliated with the same institution, place the name of the institution after you list the names of the writers.
- If you have multiple authors who are affiliated with different institutions, separate the names of the authors and write the name of each writer's corresponding university below his or her name.
Highlight your text. In the paragraph group, under the "Home" tab of a Word document, select the line spacing button. Under the spacing drop-down menu, select "2." Your text should now be double-spaced.^{[5]
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Highlight the text on the page. At the top of the screen, click on the button under paragraph to center your text. It should move all of it to the center of the screen.^{[6]
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Add a running header. A running header goes at the top of your paper, and it continues throughout the paper. On the first page, your header will be "Running head: KEY TITLE WORDS." You do use all capital letters for the title here.^{[7]
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- Your header is not your full title. Rather, it is two or three key words. Generally it should be fewer than 50 characters long.
- Use your document's running page numbers to add a page number to the upper right-hand corner. You only need to add the number, not "p." or "pg."
- To add a header in most newer word processing systems, simply double click in the header area at the top of the page. You won't be able to see the area before you click. However, just double-click near the top of the page, and it should bring up the header section.
- You will also have to click "Different First Page" at the top of the screen, as your other headers will omit "Running head:" and just use the title of your paper in all capital letters.
Use 12-point Times New Roman font. Also, make sure all your margins are set to 1 inch.^{[8]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making a Title Page with MLA

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1
Skip the title page unless it is required by your teacher. MLA format doesn't require that you use a title. Therefore, unless your teacher requests a title page, you can just center your title on the first page of your paper and begin your text below.^{[9]
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- If you're doing your title this way, make sure to include your name, your teacher's name, your course, and the date. Double space the title and the information you just entered on the upper left-hand side.
- You'll also have a header on the page on the right side that includes your last name and the page number on the same line.
Again, you want to start about 1/3 of the way down the page. Type the title of your paper in. Put it all on one line, even if it has a subtitle separated by a semi-colon. If it's too long to fit on one line, divide it at the semi-colon. Use title capitalization, meaning you only capitalize important words.
3
Place your name under the title. Skip down a line (leaving a line blank), and write "by." Underneath that, write your name.^{[10]
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- If there are two writers, separate the names with the word "and."
- If there are more than two writers, separate the names with commas, placing the word "and" in between the last two names.
You will have three lines at the bottom, and the bottom line should be just above the margin. On the top line, write you class name and section. Below that, include your professor's name. Under that, write out the date.
Highlight the text on the page. Under the paragraph grouping, click the button to center the text.
Your title page, just like the rest of your paper, should have 1-inch margins all around. You should also use a readable font, such as Times New Roman, in 12-point size.^{[11]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Chicago Format to Make a Title Page

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Press return until you reach about 1/3 of the way down. Type your title in all capitals, trying to keep it on one line unless it has a subtitle. If the title has a subtitle, put it on the line underneath. The title should have a colon at the end if it has a subtitle underneath it.^{[12]
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Move your cursor down the page four or five lines at least. This portion of the title page should start about halfway down the page or below.^{[13]
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Write your name, class information, and date. Type in your name. Hit the return key, and type in your class information. Below that, add the date.^{[14]
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- Write out the name of the month. The day and year should be in numerical format, however, and separated with a comma.
- Here's an example: February 1, 2013.
Highlight the text on the page. Under the paragraph grouping, choose the button that centers text.^{[15]
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Use 1- to 1 1/2-inch margins, which should also apply to the rest of your paper. Make sure your font is legible. Chicago recommends Times New Roman or Palatino in 12-point font, though you can go as small as 10 point.^{[16]
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How can I improve my academic writing style?

Noah Taxis
English Teacher
Noah Taxis is an English Teacher based in San Francisco, California. He has taught as a credentialed teacher for over four years: first at Mountain View High School as a 9th- and 11th-grade English Teacher, then at UISA (Ukiah Independent Study Academy) as a Middle School Independent Study Teacher. He is now a high school English teacher at St. Ignatius College Preparatory School in San Francisco. He received an MA in Secondary Education and Teaching from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education. He also received an MA in Comparative and World Literature from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a BA in International Literary & Visual Studies and English from Tufts University.

Noah Taxis

English Teacher

Expert Answer

To improve your academic writing style, focus on clarity, precision, and coherence. Use clear and concise language to express your ideas effectively. Prioritize logical organization and coherent flow to guide readers through your arguments seamlessly. Additionally, incorporate evidence from credible sources to support your claims and maintain academic integrity. Regular practice, feedback from classmates or professors, and revisions are essential for refining your writing skills and achieving academic success.

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What is the name of a page where I can list the ingredients?

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Name the page "Ingredients" or "What You Need." Most cooking books do this.

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What if I need to add images to the title page?

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It is best to still use one of these styles, and then put pictures in around it. Otherwise, you could put pictures in first and have your title bigger and on top - this is most useful if you need to fill the entire page with pictures.

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Check with your professor whether or not there are any special requirements for your title page. Special requirements may include assignment-specific information such as the course name, course number, and due date.

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