How to Format a Research Paper

Although requirements may vary from teacher to teacher, or even from one subject to another, the following is a general format for research and term papers.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Dictionaries
• Printers
• Printer Paper

1. Place the contents of the paper in the following order: title page, paper abstract, outline or table of contents, list of illustrations, the text of the paper, footnotes or endnotes, bibliography and index.
2. Create a title page by typing - centered and about halfway down the page - the title of your paper, your name, your instructor's name, the title of the course and the date. Each entry should be on its own line.
3. Write a paper abstract on a separate page. Type a brief summary of either the form or content of your paper.
4. Develop outlines prior to the final paper. To make a table of contents, simply rework your outline by adding the appropriate page numbers of the items and sections you've outlined.
5. List illustrations on a separate page. Write down the name and page number of all illustrations included in your paper.
6. Create an index. On a separate page or pages, list all major topics, citations, names and references that appear in your paper, along with the page number on which each reference occurs. Do this in alphabetical order.
7. Add page numbers in the upper right-hand corner of each page, excluding the title page. Although the title page does not receive a page number, it must be counted among your total pages. Thus, the page following the title page will be marked "2".

Tips & Warnings

• Paper abstracts, outlines and tables of contents, lists of illustrations and indexes are often omitted from the final paper and are rarely required by teachers.
• Some formats for research papers do not require separate title pages. In these cases, paper information is to be written on the first page of text, usually in the upper left-hand corner, with the title placed two lines below that and centered in the middle of the page.
• Always consult with your instructor about his or her format requirements.
• Creating an index is tedious and time-consuming. If it's not required, don't volunteer to add it to your paper.