MLA Header: Format, Examples, and Step-by-Step Instructions

An MLA header is the four-line block of identifying information at the top of the first page of an MLA-formatted paper. It includes your name, your instructor's name, the course, and the date, all left-aligned and double-spaced. A separate running head, with your last name and the page number, appears in the upper right corner of every page. The two are often confused, and getting them mixed up is one of the most common formatting mistakes graders flag.

This guide explains the MLA header in full, with exact formatting rules, visual layout, step-by-step instructions for Microsoft Word and Google Docs, special cases like group papers and title pages, common mistakes, and a comparison with APA and Chicago headers. Everything follows the 9th edition of the MLA Handbook, the current authoritative source.

What Is an MLA Header?

The term "MLA header" can refer to two different things in the same paper, and that's where most of the confusion starts. Understanding the distinction is the foundation for getting the format right.

The first-page heading is the block of four lines in the upper left corner of page one. It contains your name, your instructor's name, the course, and the date. It's the MLA equivalent of a title page and replaces the title page in most undergraduate writing.

The running head is what appears at the top right of every page, including page one. It contains your last name and the page number, separated by a single space. It's set inside the document's header area (the section above the one-inch top margin) so that word processors can number pages automatically.

When instructors and style guides say "MLA header," they usually mean both elements together. This article covers both, in the order you'd build them in your document.

The First-Page Heading: Four Lines, Left-Aligned

The first-page heading sits in the upper left corner of page one, starting one inch from the top and one inch from the left edge. The four lines, in order, are:

1. Your full name. First and last name, exactly as you'd want it to appear on a graded paper. No titles, no middle initials unless that's how you go by.
2. Your instructor's name. Use the form your instructor prefers, usually their title and last name (Dr. Smith, Professor Garcia). When in doubt, follow the syllabus or the way they sign emails.
3. The course number and name. Use the official course code from your registration system (ENG 101, HIST 2050). Include the full course title if your instructor asks for it.
4. The date. Day-month-year format with no commas: 5 May 2026. Spell out the month rather than using a number.

All four lines are double-spaced, left-aligned, and use the same font and size as the body of the paper. No bolding, no italics, no underlining. After the date line, double-space once and center the title of your paper in title case. Don't bold, italicize, underline, or add quotation marks to your own title.

Visual Layout of the First Page

A correctly formatted MLA first page looks like this from top to bottom:

• Top right (running head): Lastname 1
• Line 1, left-aligned: Your Full Name
• Line 2, left-aligned: Instructor's Name
• Line 3, left-aligned: Course Number
• Line 4, left-aligned: Date in day-month-year format
• Line 5, centered: Title of Your Paper in Title Case
• Line 6 onward, indented half an inch: First paragraph of the body

First-Page Heading Example

Here's a complete example of how the first-page heading should appear in a finished paper:

The Running Head: Last Name and Page Number

The running head appears in the upper right corner of every page, one-half inch from the top of the page, flush with the right margin. It contains your last name, a single space, and the page number in Arabic numerals.

There's no comma between your last name and the page number. There's no "p." or "pg." abbreviation. No styling, no italics, no bold. The font and size match the rest of the paper. A correctly formatted running head looks like:

The running head as it appears in the upper right corner of page one. On page two, it would read "Chen 2," on page three "Chen 3," and so on.

The running head appears on page one as well, even though the first-page heading is also on that page. Word processors handle this automatically through the page number feature, so you don't have to type it on each page manually. Some instructors ask students to omit the running head from page one. If your instructor gives that instruction, follow it. If they don't say anything, include the running head on page one along with every other page.

How to Set Up an MLA Header in Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word has built-in tools for both the first-page heading and the running head. Here's the process for current versions of Word on Windows and Mac.

Step 1: Set Margins and Font

Open a new document. Go to the Layout tab and click Margins. Choose Normal, which sets all four margins to one inch. On the Home tab, set the font to Times New Roman, size 12. In the Paragraph section, click the Line Spacing button and choose 2.0 for double spacing.

Step 2: Type the First-Page Heading

With your cursor at the top of the page, type your name and press Enter. Type your instructor's name and press Enter. Type your course number and press Enter. Type the date in day-month-year format and press Enter. Press Tab to center, or use the alignment buttons, then type your title in title case. Press Enter and Tab to begin the first paragraph.

Step 3: Insert the Running Head

Go to the Insert tab. Click Page Number, then Top of Page, then choose the right-aligned option (often labeled "Plain Number 3"). Word will open the header area and insert the page number. Click immediately before the page number, type your last name, then add a single space. Close the header by clicking back into the body of the document or pressing Escape.

Step 4: Verify on Subsequent Pages

Type or paste enough content to push the document to a second page. Check the upper right corner of page two. You should see your last name and the number 2. If the page number is missing or appears in a different position, the header settings need adjustment. Double-click the header area to edit it.

How to Set Up an MLA Header in Google Docs

Google Docs handles MLA formatting slightly differently from Word, but the result is the same.

Step 1: Use the MLA Template (Optional)

Open Google Docs. Click Template Gallery in the upper right of the home screen. Under the Education section, find the Report MLA template. This pre-formats margins, font, spacing, and the running head. You can also build the document manually using the steps below.

Step 2: Set Margins and Font Manually

Click File, then Page Setup, and confirm all four margins are set to 1 inch. From the toolbar, set the font to Times New Roman, size 12. Click Format, Line and Paragraph Spacing, and choose Double.

Step 3: Type the First-Page Heading

Type your name, then press Enter. Type your instructor's name and press Enter. Type the course and press Enter. Type the date in day-month-year format and press Enter. Center the cursor and type your title in title case. Press Enter and use the indent button or Tab to start your first paragraph.

Step 4: Insert the Running Head

Click Insert, then Headers and Footers, then Header. The header area will open at the top of the page. Right-align using the alignment buttons. Type your last name and a single space. Click Insert, Page Numbers, and choose the option that places page numbers in the top right starting from page one. The page number will appear right after the space you typed.

MLA Header Format for Group Papers

Group papers handle the heading differently because there are multiple authors. MLA recommends a separate title page when a paper has more than one author, with the same information that would normally appear in the four-line heading.

On the title page, list each author's full name on a separate line, centered. Below the names, list the instructor, course, and date in the same format as a single-author heading. The title appears centered on the title page, partway down. The body of the paper begins on the next page.

For the running head on a group paper, MLA suggests using the page number alone if all the authors' last names won't fit on one line. If the names are short enough to fit, list all last names separated by spaces, followed by the page number. Always check with your instructor before submitting, since group paper conventions vary by department.

When to Use a Title Page Instead of a Heading

MLA does not require a separate title page for most papers. The four-line first-page heading takes its place. There are three cases where a title page replaces the heading:

• The instructor specifically requests one. Always follow your instructor's instructions over the default MLA recommendation.
• The paper is a group project. See the previous section for the multi-author title page format.
• The paper is a thesis, dissertation, or formal manuscript. These typically follow institutional formatting guidelines that include a title page.

When you do use a title page, the body of the paper still uses the running head with your last name and page number on every page after the title page.

MLA Header vs APA Header vs Chicago Header

Students who switch between style guides for different courses often mix up the headers. The table below shows the key differences at a glance.

The differences look minor on paper but matter for graded assignments. Submitting an APA-style title page for a paper that asked for MLA format is a quick way to lose points before the grader reads your first sentence.

Common MLA Header Mistakes

The same errors show up over and over in student papers. Knowing them in advance can save you a deduction.

• Confusing the first-page heading with the running head. The first-page heading is four lines, left-aligned, and only on page one. The running head is one line, top-right, and on every page. They're not interchangeable.
• Adding a separate title page when one isn't needed. MLA papers don't use a title page by default. Adding one and then also including the four-line heading on page one duplicates information.
• Putting the date in the wrong format. MLA uses day-month-year (5 May 2026), not month-day-year. Don't use numerical dates like 05/05/2026 or 5/5/26.
• Including a comma between the last name and page number. The running head reads "Chen 1," not "Chen, 1." There's a single space and no punctuation.
• Bolding or styling the title. Your paper's title is in plain text and title case. No bold, italics, underline, or quotation marks around it.
• Forgetting the running head on page one. Unless your instructor says otherwise, the running head appears on every page, including page one.
• Using single spacing or 1.5 spacing. Everything in an MLA paper is double-spaced, including the four-line heading. No extra blank lines between heading lines.
• Adding extra information. The four-line heading is exactly four lines. Don't add your student ID, the assignment name, or your major. If your instructor wants additional information, they'll tell you where to put it.

MLA Header Checklist

Before you submit your paper, run through this checklist. Each item maps to a rule in the MLA Handbook 9th edition.

• Margins are set to one inch on all four sides
• The font is 12-point Times New Roman or another readable serif font
• The entire document is double-spaced, including the heading
• The first-page heading has exactly four lines: name, instructor, course, date
• The heading is left-aligned, not centered
• The date is in day-month-year format with the month spelled out
• The title is centered on the line below the date, in title case, with no styling
• The running head shows your last name and the page number, separated by one space
• The running head is in the upper right corner of every page, one-half inch from the top
• The first paragraph of the body is indented one half-inch from the left margin

Frequently Asked Questions

Professional Editing for Your MLA Paper

Formatting is the easy part. The harder part is making sure your sentences are clear, your argument holds together, and your citations match the works cited page exactly. A correctly formatted header won't save a paper that has run-on sentences or unclear thesis statements. It also won't catch a missing comma in your in-text citation or a date mismatch between your text and your works cited entry.

Editor World provides academic editing and proofreading services for student papers, theses, and dissertations. Every editor is a native English speaker from the United States, the United Kingdom, or Canada, with an advanced degree in their field. Every document is reviewed by a real person, never by AI. To see who would be working on your paper, you can choose your own editor from the Editor World roster, or request a free sample edit of up to 300 words before committing to a full edit. Pricing is fully transparent through an instant price calculator that shows your exact cost before you commit.

A certificate of editing confirming human-only native English editing is available as an optional add-on. For more on academic writing and formatting, see our research methodology guide and population vs sample guide.

This article was reviewed by the Editor World editorial team. Editor World, founded in 2010 by Patti Fisher, PhD, provides professional editing and proofreading services for graduate students, academics, and researchers worldwide. BBB A+ accredited since 2010 with 5.0/5 Google Reviews and 5.0/5 Facebook Reviews. More than 100 million words edited for over 8,000 clients in 65+ countries.