The title page of a research paper is an important component of the entire paper as it establishes to the reader what the paper is about. An MLA style title page follows specific formatting guidelines established by the Modern Language Association to ensure consistency in academic writing. This sample MLA title page discusses the key elements that must be included and how they should be formatted.
The heading on the top left corner of the title page includes the author’s name, the instructor’s name, the course name or number, and the date. The author’s name should be written in an inverted format with the last name first followed by a comma and the first name. For example:
Smith, John
The instructor’s name is written in regular format with no punctuation after it. So it would look like:
Professor Wilson
The course name or number is written directly below the instructor’s name with no punctuation after it. For example:
English 101
The date should be written in the numeral format, such as:
15 December 2022
These four elements in the heading are double spaced from each other with no extra spacing above or below the heading.
Centered one inch below the heading is the title of the paper written in title case format with no underlining, bolding, or italicizing. The title needs to concisely yet fully describe what the paper is about. Long titles stretching over two lines are allowed in MLA format but should still be easy to read.
Below the title again centered and double spaced is the author’s name repeated as it appears in the heading. This repetition establishes the paper owner and distinguishes the title page from any other similar paper.
No other text or images should appear on the title page besides these elements that have been discussed. Page numbers are not included on the title page in MLA style. The heading, title, and repeated author name constitute the only text that must be present.
Now let’s look at a sample title page in MLA format with dummy text filled in:
Smith, John
Professor Wilson
English 101
15 December 2022
An Analysis of Themes of Isolation and Community in Early 20th Century American Literature
John Smith
As can be seen, the heading is in the top left corner with the author name, instructor name, course identification, and date listed on separate double spaced lines. Centered below is the title of the example paper in title case without bolding, underlining or italics. And centered below that on the last line is the repetition of the author’s name.
The one inch double spacing between each element establishes a clear visual structure for the title page that is easy for the reader to navigate and understand at a glance. Additional spacing is not needed above or below these elements. The title itself is concise yet descriptively captures the overall focus of the paper. And the repeated author name clearly labels the paper owner.
Now let’s examine some additional important details about an MLA style title page:
Font Style: A commonly used and legible serif font like Times New Roman is recommended in 12 point size.
Margins: One inch margins are required on all four sides of the page in MLA format.
Page Number: As mentioned earlier, the title page is the only page that does not display a page number in the top right header. Page numbers start with page 2.
Title Alignment: The title can be centered or left aligned on the page as long as it is consistent. Centered titles tend to look cleaner.
Page Length: A title page should be only one single page in length with the five key elements of the heading, title, and repeated author name filling the page.
Spacing: All spacing, whether between lines in the heading or between elements, should be set to double space to match the rest of the paper.
Taking care with these MLA style guidelines will ensure a professional title page that makes a strong first impression with consistent presentation of key identifying information for the reader. The sample title page shown provides a clear template to follow that incorporates proper formatting of the author name, instructor, course, date, paper title and repetition of the author’s name. Consistency in following MLA specifications is important for academic credibility.
To conclude, having a well formatted title page is a fundamental component of scholarly research papers. It sets the tone for what follows and immediately establishes to readers what they are about to analyze or consider. The MLA format facilitates a clear, clean title page design that presents an author’s credentials and their paper topic in an organized, easy to parse manner. Careful adherence to heading structure, font choice, spacing, alignment and other specifications detailed in this sample will result in a polished title page that favorably introduces the substance of the academic work contained within.