The header is an important element of a research paper that allows readers to identify key information about the source at a glance. Using the Chicago style, which is one of the most commonly used citation styles in academic writing, the header should appear on the top left of each page and contain a shortened title and page number.
The header text should be brief but informative. It typically consists of the last name(s) of the author(s) along with a shortened title of the work. For a research paper on the impacts of climate change, the header may say “Jones, Climate Impacts” or “Jones and Smith, Climate Impacts.” When shortening the title, the goal is to give the reader an idea of what the source is about while keeping it concise. Avoid using solely the full title unless it is very short already.
Some key points about the Chicago style header:
Include only the last names of up to three authors, with “and” or “&” before the last. For four or more authors, use the first author’s last name followed by “et al.”
Capitalize the first letter of the last name and use lowercase for the rest.
Separate the last name(s) from the shortened title with a comma.
Italicize the shortened title but do not include quotation marks.
For book and journal articles that have subtitles, it may be best to use just the main title in the header to keep it short.
At the end of the header text, include the page number in plain text without any punctuation before or after. Right align this.
The header font should match the rest of the paper but be smaller, often around 10 point size.
Leave one blank line above the header and one below before starting the body text.
Some common situations where the header format may vary slightly include:
For chapters or essays within an edited collection, include the chapter or essay title after the last name(s), separated by a comma. For example, “Smith, Theories of Evolution,”.
When citing an entire website, use the site name as the “title.” For example, “History.com” or “World Health Organization”.
If repeating a source on a page where the author has changed, leave off the author name but include the page number.
For unpublished works, include a description of the work in “title” format in italics. For example, “Interview with Jane Doe” or “Class notes on immigration policy.”
It’s also important to proofread the headers carefully. Common errors include typos, incorrect punctuation or capitalization, or inconsistent formatting between pages. Consistency is key in Chicago style citations. Headers should look identical each time the same source recurs.
Some tips for constructing headers efficiently:
Set up a header style in your word processing program so the formatting is applied automatically.
Create a table on the first page with the full citation details, then copy/paste just the header text to subsequent pages.
Generate placeholders for headers at the start, then return to fill them in once references are complete.
Double check headers match the in-text citations and reference list entries to avoid mismatches.
Using headers properly establishes credibility and helps your reader navigate between your narrative and cited sources. Take care with formatting details to maximize coherence, readability and adhere to disciplinary standards. Consistently applying Chicago style creates flow and professional presentation of your research.
Chicago style headers serve a key purpose for navigation and citing sources within research papers. With practice and proofreading, they can be implemented correctly following the guidelines discussed to strengthen paper organization and citation quality. Mastering headers is an important element for students to demonstrate research writing proficiency.