MLA Heading Format

MLA format does not require a separate title page. Instead, the first page of your paper includes a heading in the top-left corner, followed by the centered title.

The heading identifies the paper: your name, your instructor's name, the course, and the date. It is plain text — left-aligned, double-spaced, in the same 12-point font as the rest of the paper, with no bold, italics, or extra spacing between the four lines. To create one quickly, use the MLA Heading Generator.

Where the Heading Sits on the Page

The heading begins one inch from the top edge of the paper and is flush with the left margin. The running header — your last name and the page number — sits above it in the top-right corner of the same page.

The full page layout — heading position, centered title, and first paragraph — is covered in the MLA first page format guide.

The MLA Heading Structure

The heading consists of four lines, left-aligned and double-spaced:

Line 1: Your Name

Your full name as it appears on your student ID or enrollment records.

Line 2: Instructor Name

Your instructor's name, preceded by their title (Professor, Dr., Mr., Ms., etc.).

Line 3: Course Name

The name or number of the course (e.g., ENG 101, Introduction to Literature).

Line 4: Date

MLA uses the Day Month Year format with no commas: 15 September 2024. Do not use ordinal numbers (15th) or abbreviations (Sept.).

Heading vs. Running Header

The MLA heading is easily confused with the running header, but they are different elements:

• MLA heading — the four-line block (name, instructor, course, date) at the top-left of the first page only. It is body text on the page itself.
• Running header — your last name and the page number (e.g., "Rubio 1") in the top-right corner of every page, placed half an inch from the top edge.

For a full side-by-side comparison, see the MLA heading vs. header guide. To create the running header, use the MLA Header Generator.

When a Title Page Replaces the Heading

If your instructor requires a separate title page, the heading information moves to that page instead of appearing at the top of the first content page. In that case the running header still appears on every page. See the MLA title page guide for how to set that up.

Common Mistakes

• Do not bold, underline, or italicize the heading text
• Do not add extra space between heading lines
• Do not center the heading — it must be left-aligned
• Do not use a title page unless your instructor specifically requires one
• Do not use "Date:" or "Instructor:" labels — just the information itself