An MLA header refers to two distinct formatting elements on the first page of a paper written in MLA style: the four-line identification block in the upper-left corner and the running page number in the upper-right corner. Both are required for papers following the MLA format, which is the standard style for most English, humanities, and liberal arts courses.
The Four-Line Identification Block
The top of your first page starts with four lines of information, each on its own line, aligned to the left margin and double-spaced like the rest of your paper. The four lines appear in this exact order:
- Your full name
- Your instructor’s name
- The course name and number
- The date
MLA uses a day-month-year format for the date. So instead of writing “June 15, 2025,” you would write “15 June 2025.” No comma separates the month and year.
This block only appears on the first page. It replaces a separate title page, which MLA does not require unless your instructor specifically asks for one.
The Paper Title
Directly after the four-line block, you center your paper’s title on the next double-spaced line. The title uses standard capitalization (capitalize major words) but should not be bolded, italicized, underlined, or put in a larger font size. It appears in the same font and size as the rest of your paper. After the title, you begin your first paragraph on the next double-spaced line, indented half an inch.
The Running Header With Page Numbers
Separate from the identification block, every page of your paper (including the first) gets a running header in the upper-right corner. This header contains your last name followed by a space and the page number. For example: Johnson 3.
This header sits one-half inch from the top of the page, flush with the right margin. In most word processors, you create this by opening the header area of your document and selecting right alignment. The page number should update automatically on each page if you insert it using your word processor’s page number function rather than typing the numbers manually.
Font, Spacing, and Margins
MLA does not mandate a single specific font, but it requires a readable typeface where regular and italic styles are easy to distinguish. Times New Roman in 12-point size is the most widely accepted choice and what most instructors expect. The entire paper, including the identification block and the running header, uses the same font and size.
Every line in the document is double-spaced. That includes the four-line identification block, the title, and the body text. Do not add extra space before or after the title or between the heading lines. Set your margins to one inch on all sides.
How to Set It Up in a Word Processor
In Google Docs or Microsoft Word, start by setting your margins to one inch (most templates default to this) and your line spacing to double. Then open the header area by double-clicking at the top of the page. Align it to the right, type your last name, add a space, and insert an automatic page number. Close the header.
Back in the main body of the document, make sure your text is left-aligned. Type your name on the first line, press Enter, type your instructor’s name, press Enter, type the course name, press Enter, and type the date in day-month-year format. On the next line, switch to center alignment and type your title. Then switch back to left alignment, press Enter, indent half an inch (using the Tab key), and begin writing your paper.
Headings and Subheadings Within the Paper
If your paper is long enough to need section headings beyond the title, MLA allows up to five levels of headings. There is no single mandatory style for these, but consistency matters. Each heading at the same level should look identical throughout the paper. A common approach is to use bold for first-level headings and italic for second-level headings, keeping them in the same font size as body text. Avoid using all capital letters for headings, as MLA considers this hard to read. Adding a blank line above and below a heading improves readability.
Most short papers (under five pages) do not need section headings at all. The identification block, title, and running header are the only formatting elements required.