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Academic Writing
MLA Heading: How to Format It (With Example and Rules)
Learn how to format an MLA heading with this simple guide covering the four-line layout, date format, title placement, and running header. Discover MLA heading examples, essential formatting rules, common mistakes to avoid, and tips for preparing a properly formatted academic paper.
An MLA heading is the four line block at the top left of your first page. It lists your name, your instructor’s name, the course, and the date, each on its own double spaced line. A separate running header, with your last name and page number, sits in the top right corner.
This guide shows the exact layout, a sample, the rules guides often mix up, and the mistakes that cost points.
What is an MLA heading?
An MLA heading is the block of information at the top left of the first page of a paper. It has four lines: your full name, your instructor’s name, the course name and number, and the date. It appears on page one only. MLA style doesn’t require a separate title page, so this block does that job.
It comes from the MLA Handbook, ninth edition (2021). The Modern Language Association released that edition in April 2021, and a college writing center handout updated in October 2025 still teaches it. You’ll use it for college essays and most school papers in English and the humanities.
How do you format an MLA heading step by step?
Set one inch margins and double spacing first. Then type four lines flush left, one inch from the top: your name, your instructor, your course, and the date. Write the date as day month year with no punctuation. Center your title on the next line. Don’t bold, underline or quote it.
“Flush left” just means the lines start right at the left margin, like most normal text.
Set one inch margins on all sides and use a clear 12 point font such as Times New Roman.
Double space the whole paper, including the heading. In Word, turn off extra space between paragraphs.
Line one: your first and last name.
Line two: your instructor’s name.
Line three: the course name and number, like ENGL 111.
Line four: the date, like 21 Oct 2026. No commas, no periods.
Next line: your title, centered. Then start your first paragraph, indented half an inch.
What does an MLA heading example look like?
A correct example has your last name and page number at the top right. Below, on the left, come four lines: Jordan Rivera, Professor Lee, ENGL 111, and 21 Oct 2026. The title follows on the next line, centered, in plain text. These names are made up, so swap in your own details.
Part | Where it goes | What you type |
Running header | Top right, half an inch from the top | Rivera 1 |
Line 1 | Left, one inch from the top | Jordan Rivera |
Line 2 | Left, next double spaced line | ENGL 111 |
Line 3 | Left, next double spaced line | ENGL 111 |
Line 4 | Left, next double spaced line | 21 Oct 2026 |
Title | Centered, on the next line | Why Sleep Matters for Student Learning |
A note on the date. Most guides use day month year, and writing center handouts show short months like 25 Jan 2023. One college handout also lists month day year in another spot. If your teacher wants a different style, follow your teacher.
What’s the difference between an MLA heading and an MLA header?
The heading is the four line block on page one only. The header, also called the running header or running head, shows your last name and page number in the top right of every page. People mix the words up, but they’re two different parts.
Heading | Header (running head) | |
Where it appears | First page only | Every page, including page one |
What it contains | Name, instructor, course, date | Last name and page number |
Position | One inch from the top, flush left | Half inch from the top, flush right |
Spacing | Double spaced | One line, same font as your paper |
Keep both in plain text, with no bold or fancy styling.
How do you format the title and set up the header in Word or Google Docs?
Type the title on its own centered line below the date. Use title case, which means capitalizing all words except prepositions and coordinating conjunctions like in, at, for and and. Then open your header area, right align it, type your last name, add a space, and insert an automatic page number.
Two small tips. Capitalize the first and last word of the title even if they’re small words. Italicize only the parts you’d italicize in normal text, like a book title. And make sure the header shows on page one too, since every page is numbered, including the first.
Do you need an MLA title page?
Usually, no. MLA doesn’t require a title page, and the heading on page one replaces it. Add one only if your instructor asks, or if the paper is a group project. In that case, follow the instructions you’re given and list the same details on a separate page.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Common mistake | Better version |
Adding a cover page nobody asked for | Use the four line block on page one |
Writing the date as October 21, 2026 | Use 21 Oct 2026, with no punctuation |
Bold, underlined or quoted title | Plain text, centered |
Single spacing the heading | Double space every line |
Starting the running header on page two | Include it on page one too |
Typing the four lines inside the header area | Type them in the body so they appear once |
Quick tip: finish your formatting before you write your Works Cited page. When you’re picking sources, AI research paper summaries on Canyam can help you decide which papers are worth citing.
When do the MLA heading rules change?
They change when your instructor, school or publisher sets different rules. The MLA Handbook gives the default, but your assignment sheet wins. A group project can need a cover page. Some classes use another style, like APA, which has its own title and header rules.
Limits worth knowing: most guides say 12 point font, but one source allows 11 to 13 points. This article covers the first page only. It doesn’t cover in text citations or the Works Cited list. If you’re unsure what your field expects, Literature Help on Canyam is one place to start looking at published papers.
Conclusion and next step
The MLA heading is easy once you see it: four double spaced lines on the left, a centered title, and a running header on the right. Open your document now, set one inch margins and double spacing, type the four lines, then add your last name and page number. Then search research papers on Canyam to find sources for your Works Cited page.