“Formatting Guidelines for a Research Paper: A Step-by-Step Guide”

1 The research paper should contain four sections. They are:
◦ title page—should include title, student name, course name, and date. Center all text and double-space. Include the page header in the upper-right corner.
◦ abstract—should appear on a separate page, double-spaced and not indented; center the word “Abstract” on the first line of the abstract page;
◦ main body—should be double spaced; the table should be labeled and include a caption
◦ reference list—should include the following:
▪ Indent the second and following lines of each reference by pressing the tab key once.
▪ Double space.
▪ Start each reference with the author’s name (last name, first name).
▪ Alphabetize the references by the last name of the author.
▪ Capitalize only the first letter of a book, article, or Web page.
▪ Capitalize all major words in journal titles.
▪ Italicize the title of a book, journal, newspaper, encyclopedia, or magazine.
2 Make sure that you follow the rules below as you format:
◦ Keep the margins at one inch on all sides of the paper. (This is the default setting for most word processors.)
◦ Double space. (Set your word processor so that double-spacing is automatic)
◦ Use 12 pt. Arial font.
◦ Indent the first line of each paragraph one-half inch by pressing the Tab key once.
◦ Include page numbers on all pages. (Use the page-numbering feature on your word processor)
◦ Label tables (Table 1) and include captions.
◦ Label images, photographs, or diagrams (Figure 1).
◦ Include a page header in the upper-right-hand corner of every page. To create a page header, type the first 2–3 words of the title of the paper, type five spaces, and type the page number.