Formatting Guidelines
Margins (A.1.1)
- Paper size - 8 1/2 x 11 inches
- 1 inch at top, bottom, and both sides
Font (A.1.2)
- Use easy to read font, such as Times New Roman
- 12-point font size
Spacing and Indentation (A.1.3)
- Double-space all text except the following, which should be single-spaced:
- Block quotations
- Table elements (titles and captions)
- Lists in appendixes
- Footnotes/endnotes and bibliography lists are single-spaced but with a blank line between items.
Pagination (A.1.4)
- Do not number the title page
- Page numbers start on the first page of the text using arabic numbers
- Place page numbers in a consistent location throughout the paper
- Can be placed in the center or right side of top or bottom of the paper
Title Page (A.1.5)
- Center all elements on the page
- Use the same font, type size, and formatting style for the title elements
- Font size can increase slightly for the title.
- Preferred format is boldface for title
- Title placed approximately 1/3 down page.
- Two-thirds down page place name, class title, and date
Text (A.2.2)
- Align the text to the left with a 1/2-inch left indent
- Double-space
- Include sections: introduction, chapters/sections, and conclusion
- Spell out long organization names and add the abbreviation in parenthesis, then just use the abbreviation
- Write out numbers up to nine and use a number for 10 or more
- Use a number for units of measurement, in tables, to represent statistical or math functions, and dates or times
- Capitalize major words in the titles of books and articles
Bibliography (A.2.3.5)
Begins on a new page following the text of your paper and includes complete citations for the resources you've used in your writing.
- Center "Bibliography" at the top of the new page, leaving two spaces between title and first entry
- Single-space and use hanging indents (where the first line is on the left margin and the following lines are indented a half inch from the left)
- List authors' last name first followed by the first and middle initials (ex. Skinner, B.F.) t
- Alphabetize the list by the first author's last name of of each citation, hen alphabetically by title if you list multiple works by one author.
- Annotated Bibliography
- Add full-sentence annotations on a new line indented from the left margin.
