Every page of an MLA-formatted paper includes a running header in the top-right corner. The header contains your last name followed by the page number.
Running Header Format
Smith 1
Smith 2
Placement
- The running header appears 0.5 inches from the top edge of the page
- It is aligned to the right margin
- It uses the same 12pt Times New Roman font as the rest of the paper
- There is a single space between the last name and the page number
- The header appears on every page, including the first page
MLA 9 Update
In previous editions, the first page sometimes omitted the running header. MLA 9 simplified this: the running header appears on every page with the same format. There is no special treatment for page 1.
How to Set Up the Header
In most word processors (Google Docs, Microsoft Word), you can set up the running header by:
- Double-click the top margin area to open the header
- Type your last name
- Press the spacebar once
- Insert a page number field (Insert > Page Numbers in most editors)
- Align the header to the right
- Close the header
Generate Headers Automatically
Use our free MLA Header Generator to create running headers for your paper.
Open Header Generator