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What is the best font size for assignment in MS Word?

Asked by Dhanya 27/11/2023 Last Modified 07/12/2023

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Pooja R. Jain

As a seasoned tutor registered on UrbanPro.com, I understand the importance of not only excelling in academic assignments but also mastering the tools that facilitate the process. Microsoft Word is a fundamental tool for creating assignments, and the right training can significantly enhance your proficiency.

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Addressing the Assignment Font Size Dilemma

When it comes to the best font size for assignments in MS Word, it's essential to strike a balance between readability and professionalism. UrbanPro's MS Word training covers these nuances to ensure your documents meet academic standards.

Guidelines for Choosing Font Size:

Standard Fonts: Stick to standard fonts such as Times New Roman, Calibri, or Arial for a professional look.

Font Size: The recommended font size for assignments is typically 12 points. However, it's crucial to check the specific guidelines provided by your institution or instructor.

Readability: Ensure that your chosen font size maintains readability. Avoid going below 10 points, as smaller fonts may strain the reader's eyes.

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StudySkills@Sheffield
Academic writing skills
Referencing, proofreading and formatting

How to format your work

Illustrated step-by-step guides to help you understand the general formatting and presentation expectations of university assignments.

Introduction

Although formatting your essay, report or dissertation can feel like a minor element of the writing process, it is an important way to ensure your ideas are given the spotlight through visually accessible, professional presentation.

Formatting can be a minefield, especially if left to the last minute; it’s important to leave a few days before your deadline for formatting.

Formatting requirements can vary between Schools and disciplines - always check the general requirements for your School or the individual assignment.

Some referencing styles also have a style guide containing formatting requirements.

Formatting key information

Assignment cover sheets.

You may be expected to include a cover sheet as the first page of your assignment, your School may provide a template for this. This is a page including key information, such as your module code, student registration number, essay title, and submission date.

You may be asked to submit a plagiarism declaration and to make your markers aware of any disabilities through the yellow sticker system .

Assignment titles

Place your assignment title at the top of your first page, either centre or left aligned, in bold font. Your title or question may be pre-determined, a choice from several possible titles, or one which you design yourself. A good title contains instruction words that indicate the appropriate approach to take to your response.

You may be asked to state your word count, either on your cover sheet or at the beginning of your essay. If you are asked to include this information, make sure your word count accurately reflects the assessment guidance. Are references included in your word count? Is the word count a fixed maximum or are you allowed to go slightly over/under this?

Visual clarity

Line spacing.

Most assignment guidelines specify that you should increase the space between each line on the page, from the standard 1.0 spacing to either 1.5 or 2.0 spacing. You are asked to do this to make the text easier to read, by breaking up the number of lines on each page.

View our step-by-step illustrated guide to line spacing in Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

Fonts

Most non-examination based assignments should be word processed rather than handwritten. Most assignment descriptions will specify that for visual clarity, you should use a plain, sans-serif font such as Arial. For readability, this should be in 11 or 12 point size. Check your departmental or assignment guidance for any specific rules about font choices.

Page numbering, headers and footers

Including page numbers in your assignments makes them more accessible. You may be asked to include these in either the header or the footer of your essay (the blank space above and below where the text would go on a normal page in a document). It may also be helpful to include your registration number and the module code of the assignment in the header or footers.

View our step-by-step illustrated guide to adding page numbers, headers and footers in Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

Page layout

Margins .

A margin is the amount of blank space around the edges of your page on a word processor. As most assignments are no longer printed, margin settings are less important and may not need to be changed from the default.

For dissertations and theses, you may receive specific guidance about the suitable layout of margins, as these are more likely to be printed: see this guide to formatting PhD theses .

View our step-by-step illustrated guide to adjusting document margins in Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

Paragraph alignment

Most formatting instructions specify that paragraphs should be aligned to the left hand edge of the page, but left jagged on the right hand edge (like this page). This is called left alignment, or flush-left style, and should be the default alignment setting for your word processor. This style can be helpful for visual accessibility if it is permitted by your School.

View our step-by-step illustrated guide to adjusting paragraph alignment in Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

Paragraph indentation

You may be asked to add indents to your paragraphs: an indent is an additional small gap between the margin and the beginning of a paragraph (it makes a ‘dent’ in the first line of your paragraph). Indents provide extra clarification that the reader is starting a new paragraph after finishing the last one: therefore, they should not be used in the first paragraph of your essay. Indents are not always required, and whether you are expected to use them may depend on your referencing style, and any formatting instructions for your School.

View our step-by-step illustrated guide to indenting paragraphs in Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

Formatting referenced material

Footnotes and endnotes .

Some referencing systems require you to use footnotes or endnotes to format your references, you can check our How to reference guide for more information. Inserting a footnote adds a superscript number (a number formatted in a smaller font) to the sentence. It creates a note with a matching number at the bottom of that page in the footer, which you can add the reference information to.

Endnotes work in the same way, but instead of appearing at the bottom of the page, the reference list appears at the end of the document.

View our step-by-step illustrated guide to manually inserting footnotes and endnotes in Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

References and bibliographies

Some referencing systems ask you to include a bibliography and/or a reference list at the end of your assignment.

A reference list is a list of all the sources you have directly referred to in the text, which may be ordered numerically or alphabetically.

A bibliography lists all the sources you have consulted that have influenced your ideas, whether they are included in the text or not.

If you auto-generate your citations in Microsoft Word or Google Docs, you can auto-generate your bibliography instead of creating it manually. If you use a different reference manager , such as Mendeley, Zotero, or Endnote, these have their own specific instructions for auto-generating bibliographies.

View our step-by-step illustrated guide to manually or automatically formatting a bibliography or reference list in Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

Block quotations

When you need to include a quotation in your essay that is three or more lines long, you can add this as a block quotation. A block quotation appears on a new line, and is indented from the left-hand margin. Quotation marks are not used, so the indentation indicates that you are using a quotation.

Check our How to reference guide and any departmental guidance to learn more about the relevant rules. Use block quotations sparingly as they break the flow of your text and use of your word count. They are helpful for close analysis of text.

View our step-by-step illustrated guide to formatting block quotations in Microsoft Word.

Advanced formatting

Headings and contents tables .

Most essays only include the essay title and reference/bibliography list heading. Section headings may be required for some longer or more structured types of academic writing, such as project reports, dissertations and theses.

Check the specific formatting guidelines issued with your brief and make sure that formatting is consistently applied throughout the document.

Longer lab reports may require a table of contents to help the reader navigate between sections. Contents tables are generally standard practice in longer assignments such as dissertations and theses.

View our step-by-step illustrated guide to formatting headings and contents tables in Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

Figures and tables

Some kinds of essays, dissertations and reports will require you to make use of figures (pictures, diagrams, and graphs) and tables (any data in a table format). Figures and tables are normally numbered in sequence, e.g. ‘Table 1’, ‘Figure 4’, and are directly referred to in the text according to their number, rather than according to their location on the page (e.g. ‘as shown in Table 2’ rather than ‘as shown below’).

If your document has several figures, it may also be helpful to include a list of figures immediately after the table of contents. Check our How to reference guide for specific rules about presenting and referencing tables and figures, and any requirements in your assignment brief.

View our step-by-step illustrated guide to inserting figures and tables and creating lists of figures/tables in Microsoft Word and Google Docs. Displaying data in graphs and tables Workshop: Book here

Appendices

An appendix provides supporting information for the reader that might be too long, detailed or awkward to insert into the main body of the assignment without breaking up its flow.

Appendices might contain:

Interview questions or transcripts
Sample questionnaires
Raw data
Figures, diagrams or photographs
Detailed research protocols

The reader should be able to understand the text without this supporting information, as all the most important information is included in the body. Your appendices must be clearly signposted and explained in the body of your report so that the reader understands their relevance. Do not include any appendices that are not referenced in the text itself.

The appendices should be placed in numerical or alphabetical order, and signposted according to this specific system (e.g. ‘Appendix B indicates that…’) They should be clearly labelled, using headings that match up to the in-text reference. Appendices usually appear at the very end of the assignment and appear in your table of contents.

Appendix headings, and in-text references to these should meet the requirements of your assignment brief and referencing style.

View our step-by-step illustrated guide to inserting appendices and creating lists of appendices in Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

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Further Resources

Creating accessible Word documents

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A step-by-step guide for creating and formatting APA Style student papers

The start of the semester is the perfect time to learn how to create and format APA Style student papers. This article walks through the formatting steps needed to create an APA Style student paper, starting with a basic setup that applies to the entire paper (margins, font, line spacing, paragraph alignment and indentation, and page headers). It then covers formatting for the major sections of a student paper: the title page, the text, tables and figures, and the reference list. Finally, it concludes by describing how to organize student papers and ways to improve their quality and presentation.

The guidelines for student paper setup are described and shown using annotated diagrams in the Student Paper Setup Guide (PDF, 3.40MB) and the A Step-by-Step Guide to APA Style Student Papers webinar . Chapter 1 of the Concise Guide to APA Style and Chapter 2 of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association describe the elements, format, and organization for student papers. Tables and figures are covered in Chapter 7 of both books. Information on paper format and tables and figures and a full sample student paper are also available on the APA Style website.

Basic setup

The guidelines for basic setup apply to the entire paper. Perform these steps when you first open your document, and then you do not have to worry about them again while writing your paper. Because these are general aspects of paper formatting, they apply to all APA Style papers, student or professional. Students should always check with their assigning instructor or institution for specific guidelines for their papers, which may be different than or in addition to APA Style guidelines.

Seventh edition APA Style was designed with modern word-processing programs in mind. Most default settings in programs such as Academic Writer, Microsoft Word, and Google Docs already comply with APA Style. This means that, for most paper elements, you do not have to make any changes to the default settings of your word-processing program. However, you may need to make a few adjustments before you begin writing.

Use 1-in. margins on all sides of the page (top, bottom, left, and right). This is usually how papers are automatically set.

Use a legible font. The default font of your word-processing program is acceptable. Many sans serif and serif fonts can be used in APA Style, including 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, 12-point Times New Roman, and 11-point Georgia. You can also use other fonts described on the font page of the website.

Line spacing

Double-space the entire paper including the title page, block quotations, and the reference list. This is something you usually must set using the paragraph function of your word-processing program. But once you do, you will not have to change the spacing for the entirety of your paper–just double-space everything. Do not add blank lines before or after headings. Do not add extra spacing between paragraphs. For paper sections with different line spacing, see the line spacing page.

Paragraph alignment and indentation

Align all paragraphs of text in the body of your paper to the left margin. Leave the right margin ragged. Do not use full justification. Indent the first line of every paragraph of text 0.5-in. using the tab key or the paragraph-formatting function of your word-processing program. For paper sections with different alignment and indentation, see the paragraph alignment and indentation page.

Page numbers

Put a page number in the top right of every page header , including the title page, starting with page number 1. Use the automatic page-numbering function of your word-processing program to insert the page number in the top right corner; do not type the page numbers manually. The page number is the same font and font size as the text of your paper. Student papers do not require a running head on any page, unless specifically requested by the instructor.

Title page setup

Title page elements.

APA Style has two title page formats: student and professional (for details, see title page setup ). Unless instructed otherwise, students should use the student title page format and include the following elements, in the order listed, on the title page:

Paper title.
Name of each author (also known as the byline).
Affiliation for each author.
Course number and name.
Instructor name.
Assignment due date.
Page number 1 in the top right corner of the page header.

The format for the byline depends on whether the paper has one author, two authors, or three or more authors.

When the paper has one author, write the name on its own line (e.g., Jasmine C. Hernandez).
When the paper has two authors, write the names on the same line and separate them with the word “and” (e.g., Upton J. Wang and Natalia Dominguez).
When the paper has three or more authors, separate the names with commas and include “and” before the final author’s name (e.g., Malia Mohamed, Jaylen T. Brown, and Nia L. Ball).

Students have an academic affiliation, which identities where they studied when the paper was written. Because students working together on a paper are usually in the same class, they will have one shared affiliation. The affiliation consists of the name of the department and the name of the college or university, separated by a comma (e.g., Department of Psychology, George Mason University). The department is that of the course to which the paper is being submitted, which may be different than the department of the student’s major. Do not include the location unless it is part of the institution’s name.

Write the course number and name and the instructor name as shown on institutional materials (e.g., the syllabus). The course number and name are often separated by a colon (e.g., PST-4510: History and Systems Psychology). Write the assignment due date in the month, date, and year format used in your country (e.g., Sept. 10, 2020).

Title page line spacing

Double-space the whole title page. Place the paper title three or four lines down from the top of the page. Add an extra double-spaced blank like between the paper title and the byline. Then, list the other title page elements on separate lines, without extra lines in between.

Title page alignment

Center all title page elements (except the right-aligned page number in the header).

Title page font

Write the title page using the same font and font size as the rest of your paper. Bold the paper title. Use standard font (i.e., no bold, no italics) for all other title page elements.

Text elements

Repeat the paper title at the top of the first page of text. Begin the paper with an introduction to provide background on the topic, cite related studies, and contextualize the paper. Use descriptive headings to identify other sections as needed (e.g., Method, Results, Discussion for quantitative research papers). Sections and headings vary depending on the paper type and its complexity. Text can include tables and figures, block quotations, headings, and footnotes.

Text line spacing

Double-space all text, including headings and section labels, paragraphs of text, and block quotations.

Text alignment

Center the paper title on the first line of the text. Indent the first line of all paragraphs 0.5-in.

Left-align the text. Leave the right margin ragged.

Block quotation alignment

Indent the whole block quotation 0.5-in. from the left margin. Double-space the block quotation, the same as other body text. Find more information on the quotations page.

Use the same font throughout the entire paper. Write body text in standard (nonbold, nonitalic) font. Bold only headings and section labels. Use italics sparingly, for instance, to highlight a key term on first use (for more information, see the italics page).

Headings format

For detailed guidance on formatting headings, including headings in the introduction of a paper, see the headings page and the headings in sample papers .

Alignment: Center Level 1 headings. Left-align Level 2 and Level 3 headings. Indent Level 4 and Level 5 headings like a regular paragraph.
Font: Boldface all headings. Also italicize Level 3 and Level 5 headings. Create heading styles using your word-processing program (built into AcademicWriter, available for Word via the sample papers on the APA Style website).

Tables and figures setup

Tables and figures are only included in student papers if needed for the assignment. Tables and figures share the same elements and layout. See the website for sample tables and sample figures .

Table elements

Tables include the following four elements:

Body (rows and columns)
Note (optional if needed to explain elements in the table)

Figure elements

Figures include the following four elements:

Image (chart, graph, etc.)
Note (optional if needed to explain elements in the figure)

Table line spacing

Double-space the table number and title. Single-, 1.5-, or double-space the table body (adjust as needed for readability). Double-space the table note.

Figure line spacing

Double-space the figure number and title. The default settings for spacing in figure images is usually acceptable (but adjust the spacing as needed for readability). Double-space the figure note.

Table alignment

Left-align the table number and title. Center column headings. Left-align the table itself and left-align the leftmost (stub) column. Center data in the table body if it is short or left-align the data if it is long. Left-align the table note.

Figure alignment

Left-align the figure number and title. Left-align the whole figure image. The default alignment of the program in which you created your figure is usually acceptable for axis titles and data labels. Left-align the figure note.

Bold the table number. Italicize the table title. Use the same font and font size in the table body as the text of your paper. Italicize the word “Note” at the start of the table note. Write the note in the same font and font size as the text of your paper.

Figure font

Bold the figure number. Italicize the figure title. Use a sans serif font (e.g., Calibri, Arial) in the figure image in a size between 8 to 14 points. Italicize the word “Note” at the start of the figure note. Write the note in the same font and font size as the text of your paper.

Placement of tables and figures

There are two options for the placement of tables and figures in an APA Style paper. The first option is to place all tables and figures on separate pages after the reference list. The second option is to embed each table and figure within the text after its first callout. This guide describes options for the placement of tables and figures embedded in the text. If your instructor requires tables and figures to be placed at the end of the paper, see the table and figure guidelines and the sample professional paper .

Call out (mention) the table or figure in the text before embedding it (e.g., write “see Figure 1” or “Table 1 presents”). You can place the table or figure after the callout either at the bottom of the page, at the top of the next page, or by itself on the next page. Avoid placing tables and figures in the middle of the page.

Embedding at the bottom of the page

Include a callout to the table or figure in the text before that table or figure. Add a blank double-spaced line between the text and the table or figure at the bottom of the page.

Embedding at the top of the page

Include a callout to the table in the text on the previous page before that table or figure. The table or figure then appears at the top of the next page. Add a blank double-spaced line between the end of the table or figure and the text that follows.

Embedding on its own page

Embed long tables or large figures on their own page if needed. The text continues on the next page.

Reference list setup

Reference list elements.

The reference list consists of the “References” section label and the alphabetical list of references. View reference examples on the APA Style website. Consult Chapter 10 in both the Concise Guide and Publication Manual for even more examples.

Reference list line spacing

Start the reference list at the top of a new page after the text. Double-space the entire reference list (both within and between entries).

Reference list alignment

Center the “References” label. Apply a hanging indent of 0.5-in. to all reference list entries. Create the hanging indent using your word-processing program; do not manually hit the enter and tab keys.

Reference list font

Bold the “References” label at the top of the first page of references. Use italics within reference list entries on either the title (e.g., webpages, books, reports) or on the source (e.g., journal articles, edited book chapters).

Final checks

Check page order.

Start each section on a new page.
Arrange pages in the following order:
Title page (page 1).
Text (starts on page 2).
Reference list (starts on a new page after the text).

Check headings

Check that headings accurately reflect the content in each section.
Start each main section with a Level 1 heading.
Use Level 2 headings for subsections of the introduction.
Use the same level of heading for sections of equal importance.
Avoid having only one subsection within a section (have two or more, or none).

Check assignment instructions

Remember that instructors’ guidelines supersede APA Style.
Students should check their assignment guidelines or rubric for specific content to include in their papers and to make sure they are meeting assignment requirements.

Tips for better writing

Ask for feedback on your paper from a classmate, writing center tutor, or instructor.
Budget time to implement suggestions.
Use spell-check and grammar-check to identify potential errors, and then manually check those flagged.
Proofread the paper by reading it slowly and carefully aloud to yourself.
Consult your university writing center if you need extra help.

About the author

Undergraduate student resources

HOW TO – Format papers in standard academic format (using Microsoft Word)

This guide explains how to format your documents in Microsoft Word so that they follow the standard rules for formatting academic papers as described in most MLA and APA style books for undergraduate writing. These rules apply to most of the papers you will submit in your college classes, but in some cases your professors will want you to follow specific guidelines that may differ from those below. Always clarify with your professor which set of guidelines he or she wants you to follow before you submit a paper.

Using standard formatting for academic papers shows that you understand the customs of the university community and therefore helps to boost your own credibility. Using unusual or highly distinctive formatting, on the other hand, suggests that your previous schooling did not adequately prepare you for university work. Consider the impact of unusual formatting: not only does it call attention to your paper in a way that might not be positive, professors might also see it as a sign that you’re trying to artificially inflate page length.

Note: These instructions apply to all versions of Word for Mac and for the 2003 version of Word for Windows. I haven’t yet updated them to include instructions for the 2007 version of Word for Windows, but the tools should nevertheless be easy to find if you look around on the toolbar at the top.

2 DOCUMENT MARGINS
3 INDENTATION
5 ALIGNMENT
6.1 Heading
6.3 Sample First Page
7 PAGE NUMBERS
8.1 Document Spacing
8.2 Paragraph Spacing
9 CREATE NEW PAGE
10 BLOCKED QUOTATIONS
11 RESOURCES

DOCUMENT MARGINS

Rule : Papers submitted for review or grading should have 1” margins all around. This should be the default for Word, but if your default setting is to have left and right margins of 1.25”, change your default. Page length requirements are based on 1” margins.

Instructions : Go to the Format menu, drag down to Document, change the margins, and the click on the Default button and accept the change to the Normal template. Make sure you leave the gutter set to 0” or you’ll mess up your document formatting.

INDENTATION

Rule : The first line of each paragraph should be automatically indented.

Instructions : This should be the default for Word, but if not, you might want to change your Normal style, as described above. To change the indentation format for a document, choose Select All from the Edit menu. Then go to the Format menu, drag down to Paragraph, look under the “Special” drop-down menu in the Indentation section, and select “First Line.” This setting automatically indents the first line of a new paragraph so that you don’t have to do it manually.

Rule : College papers should be in a standard academic font: either Times New Roman or Cambria, in 12pt size. (If you submit a paper in another font, I will change it on the file I download.)

Instructions : Times New Roman or Cambria 12pt should be the default for Word, but if yours is different then change your default. Go to the Format menu, drag down to Style, make sure “Normal” is selected from the list of styles, and click “modify.” Choose the correct font and size from the Formatting menu. Click “OK” to make the change to your default settings.

Rule : The text of your paper should be left aligned, NOT justified, as justified text is hard to read if it hasn’t been professionally typeset. The default in Word is left alignment, so don’t change it.

FIRST PAGE FORMAT

Rule : In the upper left corner of the first page of your document, type your name, the date, the course number and section (or topic), and the version of the paper (such as Paper 1 Second Draft), each on a separate line. Be sure to change the date and paper version when you submit revisions and final versions. See the sample below.

DO NOT use the “headers” feature from the header/footer menu to create this full heading as that will make it appear on every page, which is not customary in academic writing. Also do NOT use a title page unless the assignment specifically asks for one.

Rule : Skip a line after the heading and center an original title that conveys the topic of your paper. Do not use underlining or italics in the heading (unless you’re referring to the title of a book or periodical). Do not use bold text or ALL CAPS.

Sample First Page

Page numbers.

Rule : All papers should have automatically inserted page numbers that show in the upper right corner on all pages except the first. Do not insert these page numbers by hand. Instead, use Word’s Header/Footer tool.

For documents following MLA format, put your last name and page number in the upper right corner. For documents following APA format, put a short version of your title (instead of your last name) and the page number in the upper right corner.

Instructions : Go to the View menu and choose “Header and Footer.” You’ll see a header box appear at the top and a footer box at the bottom. Click in the header box, type your last name (or title), make it align to the right, and then select Page Numbers from the Insert menu.

When you’re finished, click on the “Close” tab under the Header view. Each page of your document should now display a page number at the upper right that updates automatically when you make changes to the document. It will appear as grayed out text unless you active the Header and Footer tool to make changes.

To change the setting so that page numbers do not display on the first page, go to the Format men, drag down to Document, and click on the Layout button. Then check the box next to “Different First Page.” Click OK. If necessary, remove the header that appears on the first page and insert a header on the second page, which will automatically appear on all subsequent pages as well.

Document Spacing

Rule : The entire paper should be double-spaced, including the heading and bibliography.

Instructions : Choose “Select All” from the Edit menu, go to the Format menu and drag down to Paragraph, and choose “double” from the “line spacing” menu in the Spacing section. Or you can use these keyboard shortcuts. On a Mac, use Cmd-A to select all and Cmd-2 to double-space. On a PC, use Ctrl-A to select all and Ctrl-2 to double space.

Paragraph Spacing

Rule : Papers should have no extra spacing after paragraphs. This should be the default for Word, but if your default setting is to have 10pt spacing after paragraphs, change your default.

Instructions : Go to the Format menu, drag down to Style, make sure “Normal” is selected from the list of styles, and click “modify.” In the lower left corner, select the dropdown menu that starts with “Format” and drag down to Paragraph. In the paragraph settings menu that pops up, change the settings for Spacing After to 0pt.

CREATE NEW PAGE

Instead of using a lot of returns before starting your bibliography, create a new page for it following these instructions.

Go to the Insert menu, drag down to Break, and then drag over to Page Break.

BLOCKED QUOTATIONS

Rule : If a quotation will exceed four lines within a paragraph, you should separate it out by blocking and indenting it. As with any quotation, a blocked quotation should be clearly introduced by the sentence that leads up to it and it should also be properly cited, but the rules for blocked quotations are somewhat different. The blocking take the place of quotation marks, and unlike in a regular in-paragraph quotation, the parenthetical citation goes outside of the final period instead of inside of it (given that the blocked quote might contain several sentences.)

Instructions : Type the quotation in its own paragraph, without quotation marks, and remove the indent from the first line. Type the source in parentheses after the last period of the last sentence. With your cursor, select the quotation, from the first word to the end of the parenthetical citation, and click the Increase Indent button from the Paragraph Formatting menu.

MLA Formatting Guidelines for College Papers
APA Formatting Guidelines for College Papers
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Formatting and presenting your assessments correctly is important because many include marks for presentation.

This may include marks for things such as:

formatting and layout
APA referencing
writing style
grammar and spelling.

Before you start on your assessment:

check your assessment question, emails from your course leader, and learning materials for how it should be presented
read the instructions carefully. Make sure you understand them and follow them exactly
if you're not sure about what’s required contact your course leader.

Please note that assessments for psychology courses have specific requirements for formatting and presentation. Refer to the information and guidance provided on our Library and Learning Centre website:

APA Style for Psychology assessments

General guidelines for electronic submissions

Most assessments should be produced using Microsoft Word.
You can also submit assessments using: .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx or .rtf.
if you don’t have Microsoft Word go to My Open Polytechnic to download and access your free version
if you're not sure about the file type required, contact your course leader.
Use a clear, readable font, such as Verdana, Calibri, Tahoma or Arial and use the same font throughout.
Use black text on a white background.
Avoid coloured backgrounds or text in a colour other than black, unless you have special permission to use them.
Use 11 or 12 point font for the body of your assessment.
Use 1.5 spacing and 2.53 cm (1”) wide margins.
Leave a blank line between paragraphs.
If the questions are short, leave a blank line between each question. If they are long, start each question on a new page.
Left-justify your work (also known as left-aligned).
Use bold for headings.
Essays don’t usually need subheadings; reports usually do.

Most assessments need a title page, which should include:

the title and number of the assessment
the course number and name
the due date
your full name and student number.

Centre this information on the page, starting approximately one-third of the way down the page.

Number and clearly label figures and tables.
Add numbers as follows: Figure 1, Figure 2, Table 1, Table 2, and so on.
Put table and figure captions above the table.
Don't number the items in a reference list.

For more help with figures and tables, check:

Get more help with tables and figures – APA Style website

Headers and footers

Insert a header or footer on each page (except the title page). It should contain:

your name (last name, first name/s)
your student number
the course code
the assessment number
page numbers.

Reference list

The reference list comes at the end of the assessment and should start on a new page labelled 'References'.

Need more help with reference lists? Check out the guides below:

Quick referencing APA guidelines (PDF 47 KB; opens in a new window)

Guide to APA referencing (PDF 395.11 KB; opens in a new window)

Appendices are used for information that:

is too long to include in the body of your assessment
supplements or complements the information you are providing.

Start each appendix (if applicable) on a new page. If there's just one appendix label it ‘Appendix’ without a number. If there is more than one, label them Appendix A, Appendix B, and so on.

In the main text of your assessment, refer to the Appendix by the label – for example, Appendix A.

Tops and bottoms of pages

Check the top and bottom of your pages to ensure they avoid:

widows – single lines of text at the top of a page
orphans – first lines of paragraphs at the bottom of a page
tombstones – headings or subheadings alone at the bottom of a page
split lists – lists that are divided between two pages (if possible).

General guidelines for hard copies

Most of the guidelines above also apply to hard copies (printed or handwritten documents).

If your course requires or allows handwritten assessments, be sure to follow the course instructions on presenting handwritten assessments.

Word limits and word count guidelines

Word limits support the development of concise writing skills. Word count guidelines help you to understand the expectation of workload for an assessment.

For more detailed information about these go to:

Word limits and word count guidelines

Got a question?

If you want to talk with someone about formatting and presenting your assessments, contact The Library and Learning Centre | Te Whare Pukapuka Wāhanga Whakapakari Ako.

Contact the Library and Learning Centre

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Assignments vary in their requirements for formatting and layout. Check for formatting requirements in your course materials or with your course coordinator. Aim for consistency in your formatting. Most assignments are now submitted electronically and formatted as follows:

Use a clearly legible font and font size (Times New Roman is the most common font and 12 point is the most common size).
Set page margins to around 1 inch/2.5cm.
Use 1.5 or double line spacing.
Keep the space between paragraphs consistent. Two styles are:
Do not indent paragraphs and leave a blank line between paragraphs. (This is the most common style.)
Indent the first line of each paragraph, but leave no spaces between paragraphs.
Ensure text alignment is consistent throughout the document. Assignment guidelines and style guides vary when it comes to text alignment . If you are following APA style , then align text left (also see the annotated sample APA student assignment ).
For help with formatting in Microsoft Word see Basic formatting .

Always double-check for the formatting requirements of your individual course.

Cover sheet

Assignments that are submitted electronically via Stream will not usually require a cover sheet. If you have been asked to include a cover sheet, then refer to your assignment guidelines, which should detail what is to be included. If in doubt, contact your lecturer or course coordinator directly for clarification.

Most assignments do not require a title page. Usually, it is sufficient to include the assignment title or question at the top of the first page and to place other details (name, student ID number, and course number) in a header . If a cover sheet is included, all the necessary information is already included on the cover sheet. However, title pages are sometimes needed for longer assignments, postgraduate assignments, or certain types of report.

The format of these title pages varies according to the specific requirements of the assignment, but typically contain:

The title, centred, in the upper half of the page (e.g., about 3 or 4 lines down from the top margin of the page). Your title should be concise and, ideally, no more than a single line. If you have a subtitle, it can be separated from the main title with a blank, double-spaced line. The title should be in bold font and in title case (i.e., the first word of major words over three letters is capitalised). The title font is the same style and size and the rest of the cover page details (e.g., Times New Roman or Calibri, 12pt). Note: According to the 7th edition of the APA style guide, the title (in bold, centred, and title case) should appear on the first line of the first page of text. This may not be necessary, however, and you should ask your lecturer or course coordinator for clarification.
The author's name and ID number. Use one blank double-spaced line between the assignment title and your centred name and ID. Write your name in full rather than using initials. Your name should be non-bold and the same size and font as the rest of the cover page. Omit all titles, degrees or licenses (e.g., Dr, Ms, Mr, PhD, RN). Multiple authors should be given alphabetically. The lecturer’s name and title (e.g., Dr.). The lecturer’s name should follow a blank, double-spaced line after the class code and name, and be non-bold and the same size and font as the rest of the cover page.
The due date of the assignment. The due date should follow a blank, double-spaced line after the lecturer’s name, and be non-bold and the same size and font as the rest of the cover page.

If you've been asked to format your title page using APA style, see here for formatting guidelines. See here for an example of a title page formatted according to APA 7th edition guidelines.

Some assignment types require headings and sub-headings, whereas others do not use any.

Essays , for example, do not usually use sub-headings unless you have specific instructions that they can be included. The only sub-heading common in essays is References, for the reference list. Instead of headings, the first sentence of each paragraph should signal the topic to the reader (see essay body paragraphs for more on this).

Reports , on the other hand, often require specific headings, such as Introduction, Discussion, and so forth.

If you are unsure whether to use headings or not, ask your course coordinator for clarification. If you do use headings and sub-headings, keep the style consistent throughout the assignment. If you are using APA style , see here for advice about formatting headings.

Tables and figures

Most assignments do not use appendices, but sometimes you need to include additional information, transcripts, questionnaire details, or raw data. These should go in an appendix.

If there is only one appendix, it is given the title “Appendix”. If there are several appendices, each is given a letter (follow the same order that they are mentioned in the body of the assignment): “Appendix A”, “Appendix B”, “Appendix C”, etc.

The title is used to refer to the appendix in the body of the assignment:

The analysis shows that the mean was well above expected (see Appendix B for details).

Style guides differ on whether the appendices should come before or after the reference list / bibliography.

APA style (the style most commonly used at Massey University) and Massey University's Thesis Presentation Guide put the appendices after the reference list / bibliography.

Page authorised by Director - Centre for Learner Success Last updated on 28 April, 2021

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Writing Assignments 101: Formatting and Typography Essentials

Formatting Styles

Apa style formatting, the title :, institutional affiliation, apa typography rules, mla style formatting, mla typography rules.

How do I style headings and subheadings in a research paper? (2018, December 13). MLA Style Center. https://style.mla.org/styling-headings-and-subheadings/ Mandernach, B. J., Zafonte, M., & Taylor, C. (n.d.). Instructional Strategies to Improve College Students’ APA Style Writing. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1093747.pdf MLA Quick Citation Guide. (n.d.). PennState University Libraries. https://guides.libraries.psu.edu/mlacitation/intext Paper format. (n.d.). APA Style. https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format The Main Body Formatting the Main Body. (n.d.). Keuka College. https://libguides.keuka.edu/apa/mainbody

Assignment Writing: Formatting Assignments

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Correct formatting for written assignments

Your written assignment needs to be formatted a certain way to make it easy for your tutors to read and mark your work.

Before submitting your written assignment, format it in the following ways:

Change your font type and size to Arial 11, Calibri 11 or Times New Roman 12
Change the line spacing to 1.5
Write your ID number in the header (the top margin of each page), not your name
Insert page numbers in the footer (the bottom margin of each page)
Add a 5cm margin to the left side of the page

If your tutors have requested it, attach a cover page to the front of your assignment. There should be a copy of the cover page in Moodle.

Check the APA Referencing Guide to see how to correctly format your reference list.

If you are in studying in the School of Health and Social Services , it is a requirement to format your written assignments in this way. It may not be necessary for other programmes.

If you are unsure, ask your tutor.

Everything you write in the header or footer will appear the same on every page.

Page numbers must to added using this button so that they change on every page.

Once you have format your margin in this way, it will then appear at the top of the margin tab under the label 'Last Custom Setting'. Next time you can click that setting instead of going through the whole process again.

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Last Updated: Sep 16, 2024 2:38 PM
URL: https://whitireia.libguides.com/Assignment_Writing

APA (7th Edition) Referencing Guide

Information for EndNote Users
Authors - Numbers, Rules and Formatting
In-Text Citations
Reference List
Books & eBooks
Book chapters
Journal Articles
Conference Papers
Newspaper Articles
Web Pages & Documents
Specialised Health Databases
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Using Tables in Assignments & Class Presentations
Custom Textbooks & Books of Readings
ABS AND AIHW
Videos (YouTube), Podcasts & Webinars
Blog Posts and Social Media
First Nations Works
Dictionary and Encyclopedia Entries
Personal Communication
Theses and Dissertations
Film / TV / DVD
Miscellaneous (Generic Reference)
AI software

APA 7th examples and templates

Apa formatting tips, thesis formatting, tables and figures, acknowledgements and disclaimers.

What If...?
Other Guides
EscAPA7de - the APA escape room
One Minute Video Series (APA)

You can view the samples here:

APA Style Sample Papers From the official APA Style and Grammar Guidelines

Quick formatting notes taken from the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association 7th edition

Use the same font throughout the text of your paper, including the title and any headings. APA lists the following options (p. 44):

Sans serif fonts such as 11-point Calibri, 11 point-Arial, 10-point Lucida,
Serif fonts such as 12-point Times new Roman, 11-point Georgia or 10-point Computer Modern.

(A serif font is one that has caps and tails - or "wiggly bits" - on it, like Times New Roman . The font used throughout this guide is a sans serif [without serif] font). You may want to check with your lecturer to see if they have a preference.

In addition APA suggests these fonts for the following circumstances:

Within figures, use a sans serif font between 8 and 14 points.
When presenting computer code, use a monospace font such as 10-point Lucida Console or 10-point Courier New.
Footnotes: a 10-point font with single line spacing.

Line Spacing:

"Double-space the entire paper, including the title page, abstract, text, headings, block quotations, reference list, table and figure notes, and appendices, with the following exceptions:" (p. 45)

Table and figures: Words within tables and figures may be single-, one-and-a-half- or double-spaced depending on what you decide creates the best presentation.
Footnotes: Footnotes appearing at the bottom of the page to which they refer may be single-spaced and formatted with the default settings on your word processing program i.e. Word.
Equations: You may triple- or quadruple-space before and after equations.

"Use 1 in. (2.54 cm) margins on all sides (top, bottom, left, and right) of the page." If your subject outline or lecturer has requested specific margins (for example, 3cm on the left side), use those.

"Align the text to the left and leave the right margin uneven ('ragged'). Do not use full justification, which adjusts the spacing between words to make all lines the same length (flush with the margins). Do not manually divide words at the end of a line" (p. 45).

Do not break hyphenated words. Do not manually break long DOIs or URLs.

Indentations:

"Indent the first line of every paragraph... for consistency, use the tab key... the default settings in most word-processing programs are acceptable. The remaining lines of the paragraph should be left-aligned." (p. 45)

Exceptions to the paragraph indentation requirements are as follows:

Title pages to be centred.
The first line of abstracts are left aligned (not indented).
Block quotes are indented 1.27 cm (0.5 in). The first paragraph of a block quote is not indented further. Only the first line of the second and subsequent paragraphs (if there are any) are indented a further 1.27 cm (0.5 in). (see What if...Long quote in this LibGuide)
Level 1 headings, including appendix titles, are centred. Level 2 and Level 3 headings are left aligned..
Table and figure captions, notes etc. are flush left.

Page numbers:

Page numbers should be flush right in the header of each page. Use the automatic page numbering function in Word to insert page numbers in the top right-hand corner. The title page is page number 1.

Reference List:

Start the reference list on a new page after the text but before any appendices.
Label the reference list References (bold, centred, capitalised).
Double-space all references.
Use a hanging indent on all references (first line is flush left, the second and any subsequent lines are indented 1.27 cm (0.5 in). To apply a hanging indent in Word, highlight all of your references and press Ctrl + T on a PC, or Command (⌘) + T on a Mac.

Level 1 Heading - Centered, Bold, Title Case

Text begins as a new paragraph i.e. first line indented...

Level 2 Heading - Flush Left, Bold, Title Case

Level 3 Heading - Flush Left, Bold, Italic, Title Case

Level 4 Heading Indented, Bold, Title Case Heading, Ending With a Full Stop. Text begins on the same line...

Level 5 Heading, Bold, Italic, Title Case Heading, Ending with a Full Stop. Text begins on the same line...

Please note : Any formatting requirements specified in the subject outline or any other document or web page supplied to the students by the lecturers should be followed instead of these guidelines.

What is an appendix?

Appendices contain matter that belongs with your paper, rather than in it.

For example, an appendix might contain

the survey questions or scales you used for your research,
detailed description of data that was referred to in your paper,
long lists that are too unweildy to be given in the paper,
correspondence recieved from the company you are analysing,
copies of documents being discussed (if required),

You may be asked to include certain details or documents in appendices, or you may chose to use an appendix to illustrate details that would be inappropriate or distracting in the body of your text, but are still worth presenting to the readers of your paper.

Each topic should have its own appendix. For example, if you have a survey that you gave to participants and an assessment tool which was used to analyse the results of that survey, they should be in different appendices. However, if you are including a number of responses to that survey, do not put each response in a separate appendix, but group them together in one appendix as they belong together.

How do you format an appendix?

Appendices go at the very end of your paper , after your reference list. (If you are using footnotes, tables or figures, then the end of your paper will follow this pattern: reference list, footnotes, tables, figures, appendices).

Each appendix starts on a separate page. If you have only one appendix, it is simply labelled "Appendix". If you have more than one, they are given letters: "Appendix A", "Appendix B", "Appendix C", etc.

The label for your appendix (which is just "Appendix" or "Appendix A" - do not put anything else with it), like your refrerence list, is placed at the top of the page, centered and in bold , beginning with a capital letter.

You then give a title for your appendix, centered and in bold , on the next line.

Use title case for the appendix label and title.

The first paragraph of your appendix is not indented (it is flush with the left margin), but all other paragraphs follow the normal pattern of indenting the first line. Use double line spacing, just like you would for the body of your paper.

How do I refer to my appendices in my paper?

In your paper, when you mention information that will be included or expanded upon in your appendices, you refer to the appendix by its label and capitalise the letters that are capitalised in the label:

Questions in the survey were designed to illicit reflective responses (see Appendix A).

As the consent form in Appendix B illustrates...

How do I use references in my appendices?

Appendices are considered to be part of your paper for the purpose of referencing. Any in-text citations used in your appendix should be formatted exactly the same way you would format it in the body of your paper, and the references cited in your appendices will go in your reference list (they do not go in a special section of your reference list, but are treated like normal references).

If you have included reproduced matter in your appendices, treat them like an image or a table that has been copied or adapted. Place the information for the source in the notes under the reproduced matter (a full copyright acknowledgement for theses or works being published, or the shorter version used at JCU for assignments), and put the reference in the reference list.

Thesis Formatting Guide Our Library Guide offers some advice on formatting a thesis for JCU higher degrees.
Setting up a table in APA 7th
Setting up a figure in APA 7th

If you are required to include an acknowledgement or disclaimer (for example, a statement of whether any part of your assignment was generated by AI, or if any part of your assignment was re-used, with permission, from a previous assignment), this should go in an author note .

The author note is placed on the bottom half of the title page, so if you are using an author note, you will need to use a title page. Place the section title Author Note in centre and in bold. Align the paragraph text as per a normal paragraph, beginning with an indent. See the second image on this page for an example of where to place the author note: Title Page Setup .

The APA Publication Manual lists several paragraphs that could be included in an author note, and specifies the order in which they should appear. For a student assignment, you will probably only require a paragraph or sentence on disclosures and acknowledgements.

An example author note for a student paper could be:

Author Note

This paper was prepared using Bing Copilot to assist with research and ChatGPT to assist with formatting the reference list. No generative AI software was used to create any part of the submitted text.

No generative AI software was used to create any part of this assignment.

If the use of generative AI was permitted for drafting or developing parts of your assignment, you will need to include a description in the methodology section of your paper specifying what software was used, what it was used for and to what extent.
If your subject outline has a specific disclaimer to use, use that wording in your author's note.
If the use of generative AI software is permitted, you will still need to review the material produced by the software for suitability and accuracy, as the author of the paper is ultimately responsible for all of the content.
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Essay writing: Formatting

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Essays are formal documents and should look professional Advice from the Skills Team

Whilst there are no hard rules about how you format essays, there are some conventions and common practices that are best to follow. If you use the settings on this page, you will produce an acceptably formatted essay.

Document layout

Visual display of the information on this page.

Margins - between 2 cm and 2.54 cm (1 inch) all around.

Line spacing - either 1.5 or double-line spacing.

Paragraph spacing - either 1 clear line between or at least 8 pt space after each paragraph (more if double-line spaced)

Alignment - left aligned (fully justified with a straight right-edge is not recommended as this reduces readability and accessibility). Some longer essays may require subheadings which should also be left-aligned.

Indents - no indents on first lines of paragraphs are needed.

It is also good practice to put your student number and module number in the header of the document and a page number at the bottom of the page.

Text formatting

Font - the default font that comes with MS Word (currently Calibri) is fine for academic work. You may see persistent advice in handbooks that suggests you should use Times New Roman or Arial. If you prefer these, you can change it - but this is no longer a requirement.

Font size - fonts should be 11 or 12 point.

Font style - headings and subheadings, if they are required (most essays will not use them), are usually formatted in bold and should be at least 2 point sizes larger than the standard text. Underlining should be avoided as this is seen as rather dated. Some text can be formatted in italics - see our page Italics, when to use them , for guidance.

Shorter quotations in the text do not need to be italicised and should have double-quotations marks "like this" to indicate they are direct quotations. Longer quotations (what counts as this differs depending on your referencing style) should be created in their own paragraph, single spaced and indented by 1cm from both left and right margins:

For example:

Graduate attributes for employability are described as:

a set of achievements – skills, understandings and personal attributes – that makes graduates more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen occupations, which benefits themselves, the workforce, the community and the economy. (Yorke, 2006)

The main change in this definition compared to the earlier definition of graduate attributes from Bowden (2000) is that that the attributes are no longer ...

UoH Harvard/APA

Your reference list should be in alphabetical order (by author surname) and single line spaced. There should be a clear line space (or at least 6 pt space) between each reference. All references should be left-aligned with no indentation. For information about how to format individual references, see the Harvard Hull Referencing Guide.

UoH Footnotes

Your reference list should be in alphabetical order (by first author surname) and single line spaced. All references should be left-aligned and have a hanging indent (all but the first line are indented by approx. 1cm). For information about how to format individual references, see the Footnotes Hull Referencing Guide.

Other referencing styles

Please see your individual departmental guidance.

We provide here a Microsoft Word template that can be used for your essays. It has the correct layout and formatting, including useful styles.

Essay template

Download this template to somewhere you can access easily. When you click to open it, it will open a new document based on the template , leaving the original intact.

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Microsoft Word Essentials

Listed below are some common requirements for formatting your assignments.

Student ID/name as a header/footer
Page numbers
2.5cm margins
Size 12, Times New Roman font
First line indented
Hanging indent for reference list
1.5 or double line spacing.

The sections below will demonstrate how to change each of these settings.

Note: Your tutor will specify the individual requirements for your assignment. If you are unsure about what exactly is required, make sure you check with them before submission.

Adding a header/footer

Your tutor will usually require your name and student ID to be a header across the top, or a footer at the bottom of each of your pages. To insert your name and ID on each page, follow the steps below.

Go to the Insert tab
Choose Header (for top of page) or Footer (for bottom of page)
Select the style that you want, or choose Blank
Type your text (for example your name and student ID)
Select Close Header and Footer .

Adding and formatting page numbers

Adding a page number.

To add a page number, again go to the Insert tab.

Select Page Number
Choose the location and style of your page numbers ( Note: If you add a page number in the same area as your header or footer, the text you typed will be overwritten)

Formatting page numbers

To change the format of your page numbers, go to the Insert tab

Select Page Number > Format Page Numbers
In this window, you can change the number format (for example, to Roman numerals) and the number you want to start the numbering at. If you need different numbering styles throughout your document (for example Roman Numerals for the Contents page, and standard numbering for the body of your assignment) you will need to insert section breaks.

Adding a page number and header/footer on the same line

To add your page number and header/footer on the same line, follow these instructions:

Double-click in the header or footer where you want the page numbers to go
Type your name and ID if you haven’t already, and click to place your cursor at the end of your text
Press the Tab key on your keyboard to move your cursor to the position you want your page number
Go to the Insert tab, OR the Header and Footer Tools (these should automatically appear when you double-click in the header or footer area)
Select Page Number > Current Position
Choose a style
Close Header and Footer.

Note: If you need to make further changes to the position of the page number, click in front of the number and press the Tab key to move it to the right, or the Backspace key to move it to the left.

The playlist below covers each of the three topics above.

Formatting page numbers between different sections

To change the formatting of your page numbers between different sections of your assignment, you will need to insert section breaks.

Insert a section break by going to Layout > Breaks > Section Break (next page)

Next, you’ll need to break the link between your sections, so that you can format them independently.

Double-click in the section of your header or footer on your second page, and deselect “Link to Previous”
You can then format the page numbers or text of your header and footer independently.

Note: If you only want to remove the page number and header/footer on the first page, you will not need to add section breaks. Instead, double-click into the footer of the first page and select “Different first page” under the Design tab. Your header, footer and page numbers will be removed from the first page, and you can re-add them in the format you need.

Check your assignment guidelines carefully to see whether your tutor has specified the margin size for your assignment. For this example, we’ll assume the requirement is 2.5cm on all sides.

Go to the Layout tab
Click on the arrow under Margins
Select the option at the very bottom of the list that says Custom Margins…
You can then change each of the settings for the top, bottom, left and right sides

Changing your font

Most of your changes to your font can be done in the Home tab, within the Font box.

In the image below, we have highlighted the areas you can edit your font size (e.g. 12), type (e.g. Times New Roman), emphasis (e.g. bold or italics ) and colour (of the text or highlighted background).

Labelled image of the Font box in Word, illustrating where to change the font size, type, emphasis and colour.

Styles store the formatting settings you use frequently, so that you can be consistent in your headings and body text.

You should be able to see the default styles in the Home tab. You can use these styles as they are, modify them, or create your own. To use an existing style, type some text, highlight it, and then select the style you want to change it to (such as Heading 1).

The ‘Normal’ style is the default style of Word. You’ll notice that when you press Enter to get to a new line, the style will revert back to Normal. Keep this in mind when adding text to your assignment.

Modifying an existing style

If you like the look of an existing style, but just want to change it a little bit, you can do so by modifying it.

Highlight the text you want to change
Make your changes (change font size to 16, Times New Roman, bold)
Right-click on the style you want to update (such as Heading 1)
Select Update Heading 1 to match selection
You should see your changes reflected in the style you have just updated.

Now, whenever you add a Heading 1 style, it will automatically be formatted with your changes. Word will also automatically update the style throughout your document if you make any further modifications.

Creating a new style

To create a new style, follow steps 1 and 2, above. Then,

Right-click on the text you have updated
Select Styles , and Create a Style
Type a name for your new style, such as “Style 1”

First line indented and hanging indents

First lines are usually indented to indicate the start of a new paragraph. A hanging indent is used commonly for reference lists (such as APA style).

Type a few lines of text and highlight them (you will only be able to see your changes reflected if your text spans across multiple lines)
In the Home tab, select Paragraph settings (click the small downwards arrow in the bottom right-hand corner of the Paragraph box)
In the Indents and Spacing window, change the indentation under Special to “Hanging” or “First line”
You will see a preview of what your paragraph text will look like
If you want to, you can highlight the text you have formatted and create a new style (for example “Paragraph text” or “Reference list”).

Line spacing

Highlight your body text
In the Indents and Spacing window, change the Line spacing to “1.5 lines” or “Double”, depending on your assignment requirements
Highlight your text and update your paragraph style to match the selection.

Aihber Khan

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June 5, 2023

The Ultimate College Assignment Formatting Guide

In this blog post, we’re going to dive headfirst into everything that has to do with college assignment formatting and talk about its significance. We’ll explore the impact of formatting on our academic journey and why paying attention to this often underestimated detail can make a world of difference in our grades and overall success.

Let’s face it: formatting assignments can be a daunting task. What font do you use? How do you structure your paragraphs? How can you create a bibliography? Fear not! By the end of this blog post you will have the answer to all your questions.

This post will cover everything from the essential elements of a properly formatted college assignment to refining your formatting skills.

This post is all about college assignment formatting.

Header & footer, margins & spacing, introduction, in-text citations, bibliography, fine-tuning your assignment format, font & typography, headings & subheadings, figures, tables, and appendices, proofreading and editing, formatting checklist, this post was all about college assignment formatting., other posts you may like:, understanding the basics of college assignment formatting.

The title page is the gateway to your assignment, providing essential information about the work you’ve produced. When it comes to formatting the title page, there are a few key elements to include. First, make sure your title accurately describes the content of your assignment. It should be concise, captivating, and informative, while setting the tone for the rest of the assignment.

Furthermore, your title page should also include your full name as the author of the assignment, followed by the course and professor for which you are submitting the assignment. This is important to ensure proper identification of the assignment.

Next, be sure to include the submission date. This helps establish a timeline and ensures that your assignment is submitted on time.

Finally, use a clean and legible font style, such as Times New Roman or Arial, and use a font size of 12 points. Align your text in the center of the page to create a balanced look.

Headers and footers play an important role in assignment formatting by providing essential information continuously throughout your document. Headers are located at the top of each page, while footers are placed at the bottom.

In the header, include your last name and the page number. This helps keep track of all the pages and identify them as yours. The page numbers should be positioned flush right, aligning with the right margin of your document.

For an extra layer of identification, you can also include your student identification number in the header.

Footers can be utilized to display other relevant information, such as the course name or the title of your assignment. However, the footer section is not typically used for substantial content.

Margins and spacing are important elements of college assignment format, as they effect readability and organization. The recommended margin size for most assignments is 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides of the page allow for sufficient white space and provides room for professors to add comments if need be.

Spacing is equally important when it comes to formatting your assignment and double-spacing is the standard practice. Make sure your entire document, including the main body, quotations, and references, follows the double-spacing convention.

Note that there may be times where specific formatting requirements differ. For example, some professors may request single-spacing or different margin sizes so it is important that you review your professor’s own assignment guidelines and follow those instructions!

Structuring Your Assignments

The introduction is a crucial part of your assignment, capturing the reader’s attention and guiding them through your work. Provide background information and state your thesis clearly. Outline the main points you’ll cover in the body paragraphs to give the reader an overview of the assignment’s structure. Keep it concise and about one to three paragraphs long. A well-crafted introduction sets the stage for a compelling assignment.

In the main body of your assignment, present your arguments, evidence, and analysis in a structured manner. Start each paragraph with a clear topic sentence that introduces the main point. Provide supporting evidence and examples to strengthen your arguments. Use transitional words to connect your ideas smoothly. Maintain a balanced structure by giving appropriate attention to each point. You can also use subheadings for further organization if necessary.

For your assignment to be completed and to have an impact, a powerful conclusion is necessary. Without presenting additional material, summarize your essential ideas. Restate your thesis and consider the importance of your findings. Finally, give the reader a compelling final thought that motivates additional thought.

References & Citations

When writing academic assignments, you need to acknowledge the sources you have used to support your arguments and ideas. In-text citations serve as brief references within the body of your assignment, indicating where specific information or ideas originated.

Different citation styles, such as APA (American Psychological Association), MLA (Modern Language Association), or Chicago, have specific guidelines for in-text citations. Familiarize yourself with the citation style recommended by your professor and follow it consistently throughout your assignment.

In-text citations usually include the author’s last name and the year of publication. For direct quotations, it is important to include the page number as well. Place the in-text citation immediately after the information you have derived from the source, making sure that the citation is placed within parentheses or as a part of the sentence.

A reference list or bibliography is crucial for your assignment as it lists all the sources you cited during your research. It helps readers locate and verify your sources’ credibility. Follow the specific formatting guidelines of your chosen citation style. Alphabetize the entries by the author’s last name or the title of the work. Be sure to double-check the accuracy of each entry, including capitalization, punctuation, and formatting. Proper referencing strengthens your arguments and demonstrates academic integrity which is incredibly important especially in academic writing. Familiarize yourself with citation style guidelines and apply them diligently to avoid plagiarism accusations and penalties.

Like we briefly covered before, the choice of font and typography can significantly impact the readability and visual appeal of your assignment. Select a legible and professional font style, such as Arial, Times New Roman, or Calibri, and maintain consistency throughout your assignment.

Furthermore, a font size of 12 points is recommended for the main body of your assignment, however, consult your assignment guidelines to confirm the font size requirements. Avoid using excessively large or small font sizes, as they can make your work difficult to read and look unprofessional.

Additionally, use double-spacing or whatever your professor instructs and ensure that your paragraphs are indented consistently, usually by half an inch, to signify new paragraphs and aid in visual organization.

Headings and subheadings are helpful guiding the reader through its structure. They make it easier for the reader to navigate and comprehend your work.

Use descriptive headings that accurately reflect the content of each section. Depending on the length and complexity of your assignment, you may have multiple levels of headings, such as main headings (Level 1), subheadings (Level 2), and further subheadings as needed.

Figures, tables, and appendices enhance your assignment by providing supplementary information, data, or visual representations. Follow formatting guidelines to maintain consistency and professionalism.

Number figures sequentially and add descriptive captions. Place figures near relevant text and refer to them within your assignment.

Similarly, number and title tables clearly. Format tables consistently with proper headers and labels. Explain their relevance and findings in your assignment.

Lastly, you can use appendices for additional materials that support your main arguments. Label them with letters or numbers and provide clear titles.

Polishing Your Assignment

Editing and proofreading your assignment is essential for improving its quality before submission. Here are some practical strategies to catch errors:

Take a break: Step away from your assignment after the initial draft. Returning with fresh eyes helps you spot mistakes and areas for improvement.
Read aloud: Reading your assignment aloud helps identify awkward phrasing and grammar errors. Pay attention to sentence structure, punctuation, and flow.
Use grammar and spelling tools: Word processing software often includes checking tools. While not perfect, they can catch basic errors. However, use them as a complement to proofreading.
Seek feedback: Ask a friend, classmate, or professor to review your assignment. They may spot errors and offer suggestions for improvement.
Check formatting: Follow the formatting requirements provided by your instructor. Ensure consistency in font, spacing, indentation, margins, in-text citations, reference list, and figures/tables.

By dedicating time to editing and proofreading, you can enhance your assignment’s clarity, conciseness, and accuracy.

To help you ensure that your assignment meets all the necessary formatting requirements, here is a handy checklist:

Title Page: Verify that your title page includes the required elements such as the title of the assignment, your name, the course name, the instructor’s name, and the submission date.
Header and Footer: Confirm that your headers and footers contain the necessary information, such as page numbers and your name.
Margins and Spacing: Check that your assignment adheres to the recommended margin sizes and spacing guidelines. Ensure that your paragraphs are properly indented, and your text is double-spaced unless instructed otherwise.
Font and Typography: Ensure consistency in font style and size throughout your assignment.
Headings and Subheadings: Ensure consistent formatting.
In-text Citations: Verify that your in-text citations follow the designated citation style. Check that you have included all necessary information, such as the author’s name and publication year, and that they are properly formatted within parentheses or as part of the sentence structure.
Bibliography: Ensure that your reference list or bibliography follows the formatting guidelines of the citation style you are using. Double-check the accuracy of each entry, including the correct formatting of authors’ names and publication information
Figures and Tables: Review the formatting of any figures or tables in your assignment. Ensure that they are appropriately labeled, numbered, and referenced within the text.
Appendices: If you have included any appendices in your assignment, ensure that they are properly labeled and organized.
Proofreading: Lastly, thoroughly proofread your assignment for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Check for consistency in tense, subject-verb agreement, and sentence structure.

Remember, formatting is not just a mundane task; it is an essential part of your journey as a student. Embrace it as an opportunity to refine your writing skills, enhance your academic work, and pave the way for success in your studies.

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APA Style 7th edition
APA format for academic papers and essays

APA Formatting and Citation (7th Ed.) | Generator, Template, Examples

Published on November 6, 2020 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on September 5, 2024.

The 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual provides guidelines for clear communication , citing sources , and formatting documents. This article focuses on paper formatting.

Generate accurate APA citations with Scribbr

Throughout your paper, you need to apply the following APA format guidelines:

Set page margins to 1 inch on all sides.
Double-space all text, including headings.
Indent the first line of every paragraph 0.5 inches.
Use an accessible font (e.g., Times New Roman 12pt., Arial 11pt., or Georgia 11pt.).
Include a page number on every page.

Let an expert format your paper

Our APA formatting experts can help you to format your paper according to APA guidelines. They can help you with:

Margins, line spacing, and indentation
Font and headings
Running head and page numbering

How to set up apa format (with template), apa alphabetization guidelines, apa format template [free download], page header, headings and subheadings, reference page, tables and figures, frequently asked questions about apa format.

Scribbr Citation Checker New

The AI-powered Citation Checker helps you avoid common mistakes such as:

Missing commas and periods
Incorrect usage of “et al.”
Ampersands (&) in narrative citations
Missing reference entries

References are ordered alphabetically by the first author’s last name. If the author is unknown, order the reference entry by the first meaningful word of the title (ignoring articles: “the”, “a”, or “an”).

Why set up APA format from scratch if you can download Scribbr’s template for free?

Student papers and professional papers have slightly different guidelines regarding the title page, abstract, and running head. Our template is available in Word and Google Docs format for both versions.

Student paper: Word | Google Docs
Professional paper: Word | Google Docs

In an APA Style paper, every page has a page header. For student papers, the page header usually consists of just a page number in the page’s top-right corner. For professional papers intended for publication, it also includes a running head .

A running head is simply the paper’s title in all capital letters. It is left-aligned and can be up to 50 characters in length. Longer titles are abbreviated .

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

APA headings have five possible levels. Heading level 1 is used for main sections such as “ Methods ” or “ Results ”. Heading levels 2 to 5 are used for subheadings. Each heading level is formatted differently.

Want to know how many heading levels you should use, when to use which heading level, and how to set up heading styles in Word or Google Docs? Then check out our in-depth article on APA headings .

The title page is the first page of an APA Style paper. There are different guidelines for student and professional papers.

Both versions include the paper title and author’s name and affiliation. The student version includes the course number and name, instructor name, and due date of the assignment. The professional version includes an author note and running head .

For more information on writing a striking title, crediting multiple authors (with different affiliations), and writing the author note, check out our in-depth article on the APA title page .

APA title page - student version (7th edition)

The abstract is a 150–250 word summary of your paper. An abstract is usually required in professional papers, but it’s rare to include one in student papers (except for longer texts like theses and dissertations).

The abstract is placed on a separate page after the title page . At the top of the page, write the section label “Abstract” (bold and centered). The contents of the abstract appear directly under the label. Unlike regular paragraphs, the first line is not indented. Abstracts are usually written as a single paragraph without headings or blank lines.

Directly below the abstract, you may list three to five relevant keywords . On a new line, write the label “Keywords:” (italicized and indented), followed by the keywords in lowercase letters, separated by commas.

APA Style does not provide guidelines for formatting the table of contents . It’s also not a required paper element in either professional or student papers. If your instructor wants you to include a table of contents, it’s best to follow the general guidelines.

Place the table of contents on a separate page between the abstract and introduction. Write the section label “Contents” at the top (bold and centered), press “Enter” once, and list the important headings with corresponding page numbers.

The APA reference page is placed after the main body of your paper but before any appendices . Here you list all sources that you’ve cited in your paper (through APA in-text citations ). APA provides guidelines for formatting the references as well as the page itself.

Creating APA Style references

Play around with the Scribbr Citation Example Generator below to learn about the APA reference format of the most common source types or generate APA citations for free with Scribbr’s APA Citation Generator .

Formatting the reference page

Write the section label “References” at the top of a new page (bold and centered). Place the reference entries directly under the label in alphabetical order.

Finally, apply a hanging indent , meaning the first line of each reference is left-aligned, and all subsequent lines are indented 0.5 inches.

Tables and figures are presented in a similar format. They’re preceded by a number and title and followed by explanatory notes (if necessary).

Use bold styling for the word “Table” or “Figure” and the number, and place the title on a separate line directly below it (in italics and title case). Try to keep tables clean; don’t use any vertical lines, use as few horizontal lines as possible, and keep row and column labels concise.

Keep the design of figures as simple as possible. Include labels and a legend if needed, and only use color when necessary (not to make it look more appealing).

Check out our in-depth article about table and figure notes to learn when to use notes and how to format them.

The easiest way to set up APA format in Word is to download Scribbr’s free APA format template for student papers or professional papers.

Alternatively, you can watch Scribbr’s 5-minute step-by-step tutorial or check out our APA format guide with examples.

APA Style papers should be written in a font that is legible and widely accessible. For example:

Times New Roman (12pt.)
Arial (11pt.)
Calibri (11pt.)
Georgia (11pt.)

The same font and font size is used throughout the document, including the running head , page numbers, headings , and the reference page . Text in footnotes and figure images may be smaller and use single line spacing.

You need an APA in-text citation and reference entry . Each source type has its own format; for example, a webpage citation is different from a book citation .

Use Scribbr’s free APA Citation Generator to generate flawless citations in seconds or take a look at our APA citation examples .

Yes, page numbers are included on all pages, including the title page , table of contents , and reference page . Page numbers should be right-aligned in the page header.

To insert page numbers in Microsoft Word or Google Docs, click ‘Insert’ and then ‘Page number’.

APA format is widely used by professionals, researchers, and students in the social and behavioral sciences, including fields like education, psychology, and business.

Be sure to check the guidelines of your university or the journal you want to be published in to double-check which style you should be using.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Streefkerk, R. (2024, September 05). APA Formatting and Citation (7th Ed.) | Generator, Template, Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved September 16, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-style/format/

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APA 7 Style: Formatting Guidelines

Common guidelines for apa-format papers.

APA 7 (2020) has introduced new guidelines for student papers that differ from the guidelines for professional papers being submitted for publication. Make sure to check with your professor or teaching assistant on whether they prefer that you use the student or professional format for your work.

Common Guidelines for All APA-Format Papers

Line Spacing

Paragraph alignment and indentation, page numbers.

Figures and Tables

References Page

Guidelines Specific to Student Papers

Guidelines Specific to Professional Papers Being Submitted for Publication

Headers with Running Head and Page Numbers

Guidelines for All APA-Format Papers

APA 7 (2020) accepts the use of a wider range of fonts than previous editions. Use a consistent font throughout the paper. While the size of the font in the text of the paper should confirm to one of the options below, figures may include a smaller or larger font size as needed.

Font options include:

Times New Roman (12-point)
Calibri (11-point)
Arial (11-point)
Lucinda (10-point)
Sans Unicode (10-point)
Georgia (11-point)
Computer Modern (10-point)

The entire paper, including the title page, body of the paper, references and appendices, should be double-spaced. The bodies of figures and tables are excluded from this rule. Do not add extra line spaces between paragraphs or after a heading.

Use 2.54 CM (1 inch) margins on all sides of the paper.

All paragraphs should be left-aligned (do not full-justify text). For each new paragraph indent five spaces or ½ inch. Use the tab key to indent paragraphs.

All papers should have a page number in the top right corner of the header. Page numbers should be on every page of the paper, with the title page being page 1.

APA 7 (2020) recommends the use of headings in order to clarify the organization of papers. Note that a heading for the introduction is not needed or recommended. The number and level of headings required depend on the length and complexity of the paper.

Level One headings are centred and bolded and use title case capitalization (all key words capitalized). The text of the paper begins on the next line as a new paragraph.
Level 2 Headings are left-aligned and bolded and use title case capitalization (all key words capitalized). The text of the paper begins on the next line as a new paragraph.
Level 3 Headings are left-aligned, bolded, and italicized . They use title case capitalization (all key words capitalized). The text of the paper begins on the next line as a new paragraph.
Level 4 Headings are indented, bolded and use title case capitalization (all key words capitalized). There is a period at the end of a level 4 heading, and the text of the paragraph begins immediately after the period.
Level 5 Headings are indented, bolded, and italicized . They use title case capitalization (all key words capitalized). There is a period at the end of a level 5 heading, and the text of the paragraph begins immediately after the period.

Sample Paper with Different Levels of Headers

Tables and Figures

Label both tables and figures, numbering them consecutively in the order that they are discussed in the text.

Tables include a numbered label, such as “Table 1”, and this bolded label is placed above the title. Below the label, insert a table title in italics; this title should briefly identify the data in the table that follows the label.

Figures can include maps, graphs, charts or other images. Place a label, such as "Figure 1", above the figure; this label is in bold. Below the label, insert a figure title using title case and italics. Below the image, place a caption to offer more detailed information on the figure.

Refer to all tables and figures in the text of your paper by their label: “In Table 1, it is clear that . . .” or “. . . area is separated into five geographically distinct sections (see Figure 2).

APA 7 (2020) offers two options for the placement of tables and figures. They can either be integrated into the text of the paper soon after it is first mentioned in the text. Or, tables and figures can be included after the references. If you choose to position tables and figures after the references page, each table should be positioned on a separate page followed by each figure positioned on a separate page.

More advice on figures and tables from the APA Style website

APA (2020) recommends that you ask your professor or the editor to which you are submitting a manuscript for publication whether they have a preference as to whether figures and tables be integrated into the text or included on separate pages after the references.

All sources cited in the paper (except for personal communications) should be included in a references list. Begin the references page on a separate page, following the conclusion on the text of the paper. On the top line of the references page, the word References should be centred and bolded. The first reference begins on the next line of the reference page.

For further information on how to format the references page, see APA 7 Style: References .

Sample References Page

Appendices

An appendix includes relevant, supplementary information to the paper. Appendices should be placed after the references page and tables and figures (if relevant).

Each appendix should begin on a separate page and should have a label and title.
The appendix label and title should be centred and bolded. Write the label on one line and then the title on the next line.
If you have only one appendix, label it Appendix.
If you have more than one appendix, label them Appendix A, Appendix B, or Appendix C etc. in the order that it is discussed in the text of the paper.
You must refer to all appendices in the text of your paper by their label (see Appendix) or (see Appendix A).

Sample Appendix

Formatting your work

General advice.

The format of your assignment (eg margin size, font size, word count, line spacing) will vary module by module. Please consult your module handbook (via Blackboard ) or ask your module tutor for advice.

Library staff have produced a sample essay in the UWE Harvard style (PDF) you can refer to and guidance for using figures and tables (PDF) in your work.

Formatting Appendices

What is it.

An appendix includes additional information that provides useful background and context for your topic. This must be relevant and aid the reader in understanding your work. This could include your own research data or information from other sources. If you are using more than one appendix, you would refer to them as appendices.

What to include in your appendices

Supporting information for your work from other sources, for example data or diagrams. If you have conducted your own research, it is a good idea to include your raw data for example: interview transcripts, surveys, correspondence (emails, letters etc.), statistics. Additionally, consider putting images or graphs in an appendix, whether your own or from another source.

Where are they?

They are located at the end of your work after your reference list or bibliography.

What do they look like?

To make it clearer for your reader, consider breaking down long appendix into separate ones.
Keep information in a single appendix within a particular focus area, for instance interviews on a topic with participants.
Label each new appendix alphabetically, for example appendix A, appendix B.
Give each appendix a meaningful title.
Start each appendix on a new page.
Refer to individual tables or sources within the appendix as numbered items. This ensures you can easily refer to these individual sources within your body of work. Order the appendices as they are referred to within the main body of the text for the first time. If your work includes a contents page, add appendices to the table of contents.
Continue page numbers from the end of your main body of work.

How to refer to appendices in your work

All appendices should be mentioned in your work. You could do this in the following ways: The data I gathered on this topic suggests there’s a correlation (see appendix A). Appendix B suggests … If your appendix contains more than one information source, refer to it in the following way: (see appendix A1) As shown in appendix B3 … If your appendix refers to your own research or data you do not need to provide a reference. However, if your appendix refers to the work of others, provide an-text citation in the appendix and add the full reference to your reference list. For instance, if you’ve created a table using someone else’s work, underneath the table it could look like this: (Table author’s own, data from Greig, 2021.)

Quoting other works in your assignment

You are expected to acknowledge the books, journal articles and other sources of information that you use when preparing and completing your university work. This is known as referencing .

You will often find you need to quote from your sources of information. Use your own judgement to make sure that the layout and flow of your writing is logical, and that use of quotations is clear and easy to follow as well as being consistent throughout your assignment.

(The following guidance applies when referencing using the UWE Bristol Harvard style only.)

Quoting one or two lines

Put quotation marks around the quote and include within a standard-format paragraph of your text. Include any italics and errors of spelling or punctuation found in the original. Example: As Pearson et al . state (2007, p.72), "The basis of evidence-based practice is, of course, evidence".

Quoting more than two lines

Indent the quotation in its own paragraph and leave out the quotation marks. Include any italics and errors of spelling or punctuation found in the original. Example: Pearson et al . (2007, p.74) summarise the issue as follows:

Critical appraisal is a difficult component of the systematic review process, and a good understanding of research design is required. The major aim of critical appraisal of any type of evidence is to establish the validity of the evidence for practice. Validity refers to the soundness of the evidence; in other words, it is about the degree to which we can accept the evidence as trustworthy and believable.

Editing a quote

You can make minor changes to a direct quotation as long as you don't change the meaning and indicate where you have made changes:

If you insert your own words, or different words, into a quotation, put them in square brackets [ ]
To draw attention to an error in a quotation (for example a spelling mistake) do not correct it, but write [sic] after the error
To emphasise something in a quotation, put the emphasised words in italics, and state that the emphasis is your own

"Mobile-learning (m-learning) is learning in which mobile technologies play a central role" (Davis, 2011, p.125, my italics)

Omitting text within a quote

If you wish to omit part of a quote, indicate the omission by inserting a space, three full-stops, and another space. Example: Pearson et al . (2007. p.74) conclude that "Critical appraisal is a difficult component of the systematic review process ... The major aim of critical appraisal of any type of evidence is to establish the validity of the evidence for practice."

Single or double quotation marks

When quoting from other works you can use single or double quotation marks. If your source of information is quoting direct speech, use the two types of quotation marks to differentiate them. Check with your module tutor if you need advice and be consistent with the use of single or double quotation marks throughout your piece of work.

In-text citations and quotations are included in your assignment's word count.
References, bibliographies and footnotes containing references are not included in the word count, unless it is clearly stated in the coursework instructions that the module is an exception to this rule.

Please consult the UWE Bristol Policies for further advice (includes the Assessment Content Limit policy).

Library study skills support

There are a number of ways you can get support from the library, such as talking to us at helpdesks, using our online chat service, booking 1:1s or attending workshops.

Get feedback on your writing

Find out different ways to get feedback on your writing before you submit your work.

Get feedback

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Online advice and tutorials to help you develop your research skills.

The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Understanding Assignments

What this handout is about.

The first step in any successful college writing venture is reading the assignment. While this sounds like a simple task, it can be a tough one. This handout will help you unravel your assignment and begin to craft an effective response. Much of the following advice will involve translating typical assignment terms and practices into meaningful clues to the type of writing your instructor expects. See our short video for more tips.

Basic beginnings

Regardless of the assignment, department, or instructor, adopting these two habits will serve you well :

Read the assignment carefully as soon as you receive it. Do not put this task off—reading the assignment at the beginning will save you time, stress, and problems later. An assignment can look pretty straightforward at first, particularly if the instructor has provided lots of information. That does not mean it will not take time and effort to complete; you may even have to learn a new skill to complete the assignment.
Ask the instructor about anything you do not understand. Do not hesitate to approach your instructor. Instructors would prefer to set you straight before you hand the paper in. That’s also when you will find their feedback most useful.

Assignment formats

Many assignments follow a basic format. Assignments often begin with an overview of the topic, include a central verb or verbs that describe the task, and offer some additional suggestions, questions, or prompts to get you started.

An Overview of Some Kind

The instructor might set the stage with some general discussion of the subject of the assignment, introduce the topic, or remind you of something pertinent that you have discussed in class. For example:

“Throughout history, gerbils have played a key role in politics,” or “In the last few weeks of class, we have focused on the evening wear of the housefly …”

The Task of the Assignment

Pay attention; this part tells you what to do when you write the paper. Look for the key verb or verbs in the sentence. Words like analyze, summarize, or compare direct you to think about your topic in a certain way. Also pay attention to words such as how, what, when, where, and why; these words guide your attention toward specific information. (See the section in this handout titled “Key Terms” for more information.)

“Analyze the effect that gerbils had on the Russian Revolution”, or “Suggest an interpretation of housefly undergarments that differs from Darwin’s.”

Additional Material to Think about

Here you will find some questions to use as springboards as you begin to think about the topic. Instructors usually include these questions as suggestions rather than requirements. Do not feel compelled to answer every question unless the instructor asks you to do so. Pay attention to the order of the questions. Sometimes they suggest the thinking process your instructor imagines you will need to follow to begin thinking about the topic.

“You may wish to consider the differing views held by Communist gerbils vs. Monarchist gerbils, or Can there be such a thing as ‘the housefly garment industry’ or is it just a home-based craft?”

These are the instructor’s comments about writing expectations:

“Be concise”, “Write effectively”, or “Argue furiously.”

Technical Details

These instructions usually indicate format rules or guidelines.

“Your paper must be typed in Palatino font on gray paper and must not exceed 600 pages. It is due on the anniversary of Mao Tse-tung’s death.”

The assignment’s parts may not appear in exactly this order, and each part may be very long or really short. Nonetheless, being aware of this standard pattern can help you understand what your instructor wants you to do.

Interpreting the assignment

Ask yourself a few basic questions as you read and jot down the answers on the assignment sheet:

Why did your instructor ask you to do this particular task?

Who is your audience.

What kind of evidence do you need to support your ideas?

What kind of writing style is acceptable?

What are the absolute rules of the paper?

Try to look at the question from the point of view of the instructor. Recognize that your instructor has a reason for giving you this assignment and for giving it to you at a particular point in the semester. In every assignment, the instructor has a challenge for you. This challenge could be anything from demonstrating an ability to think clearly to demonstrating an ability to use the library. See the assignment not as a vague suggestion of what to do but as an opportunity to show that you can handle the course material as directed. Paper assignments give you more than a topic to discuss—they ask you to do something with the topic. Keep reminding yourself of that. Be careful to avoid the other extreme as well: do not read more into the assignment than what is there.

Of course, your instructor has given you an assignment so that they will be able to assess your understanding of the course material and give you an appropriate grade. But there is more to it than that. Your instructor has tried to design a learning experience of some kind. Your instructor wants you to think about something in a particular way for a particular reason. If you read the course description at the beginning of your syllabus, review the assigned readings, and consider the assignment itself, you may begin to see the plan, purpose, or approach to the subject matter that your instructor has created for you. If you still aren’t sure of the assignment’s goals, try asking the instructor. For help with this, see our handout on getting feedback .

Given your instructor’s efforts, it helps to answer the question: What is my purpose in completing this assignment? Is it to gather research from a variety of outside sources and present a coherent picture? Is it to take material I have been learning in class and apply it to a new situation? Is it to prove a point one way or another? Key words from the assignment can help you figure this out. Look for key terms in the form of active verbs that tell you what to do.

Key Terms: Finding Those Active Verbs

Here are some common key words and definitions to help you think about assignment terms:

Information words Ask you to demonstrate what you know about the subject, such as who, what, when, where, how, and why.

define —give the subject’s meaning (according to someone or something). Sometimes you have to give more than one view on the subject’s meaning
describe —provide details about the subject by answering question words (such as who, what, when, where, how, and why); you might also give details related to the five senses (what you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell)
explain —give reasons why or examples of how something happened
illustrate —give descriptive examples of the subject and show how each is connected with the subject
summarize —briefly list the important ideas you learned about the subject
trace —outline how something has changed or developed from an earlier time to its current form
research —gather material from outside sources about the subject, often with the implication or requirement that you will analyze what you have found

Relation words Ask you to demonstrate how things are connected.

compare —show how two or more things are similar (and, sometimes, different)
contrast —show how two or more things are dissimilar
apply —use details that you’ve been given to demonstrate how an idea, theory, or concept works in a particular situation
cause —show how one event or series of events made something else happen
relate —show or describe the connections between things

Interpretation words Ask you to defend ideas of your own about the subject. Do not see these words as requesting opinion alone (unless the assignment specifically says so), but as requiring opinion that is supported by concrete evidence. Remember examples, principles, definitions, or concepts from class or research and use them in your interpretation.

assess —summarize your opinion of the subject and measure it against something
prove, justify —give reasons or examples to demonstrate how or why something is the truth
evaluate, respond —state your opinion of the subject as good, bad, or some combination of the two, with examples and reasons
support —give reasons or evidence for something you believe (be sure to state clearly what it is that you believe)
synthesize —put two or more things together that have not been put together in class or in your readings before; do not just summarize one and then the other and say that they are similar or different—you must provide a reason for putting them together that runs all the way through the paper
analyze —determine how individual parts create or relate to the whole, figure out how something works, what it might mean, or why it is important
argue —take a side and defend it with evidence against the other side

More Clues to Your Purpose As you read the assignment, think about what the teacher does in class:

What kinds of textbooks or coursepack did your instructor choose for the course—ones that provide background information, explain theories or perspectives, or argue a point of view?
In lecture, does your instructor ask your opinion, try to prove their point of view, or use keywords that show up again in the assignment?
What kinds of assignments are typical in this discipline? Social science classes often expect more research. Humanities classes thrive on interpretation and analysis.
How do the assignments, readings, and lectures work together in the course? Instructors spend time designing courses, sometimes even arguing with their peers about the most effective course materials. Figuring out the overall design to the course will help you understand what each assignment is meant to achieve.

Now, what about your reader? Most undergraduates think of their audience as the instructor. True, your instructor is a good person to keep in mind as you write. But for the purposes of a good paper, think of your audience as someone like your roommate: smart enough to understand a clear, logical argument, but not someone who already knows exactly what is going on in your particular paper. Remember, even if the instructor knows everything there is to know about your paper topic, they still have to read your paper and assess your understanding. In other words, teach the material to your reader.

Aiming a paper at your audience happens in two ways: you make decisions about the tone and the level of information you want to convey.

Tone means the “voice” of your paper. Should you be chatty, formal, or objective? Usually you will find some happy medium—you do not want to alienate your reader by sounding condescending or superior, but you do not want to, um, like, totally wig on the man, you know? Eschew ostentatious erudition: some students think the way to sound academic is to use big words. Be careful—you can sound ridiculous, especially if you use the wrong big words.
The level of information you use depends on who you think your audience is. If you imagine your audience as your instructor and they already know everything you have to say, you may find yourself leaving out key information that can cause your argument to be unconvincing and illogical. But you do not have to explain every single word or issue. If you are telling your roommate what happened on your favorite science fiction TV show last night, you do not say, “First a dark-haired white man of average height, wearing a suit and carrying a flashlight, walked into the room. Then a purple alien with fifteen arms and at least three eyes turned around. Then the man smiled slightly. In the background, you could hear a clock ticking. The room was fairly dark and had at least two windows that I saw.” You also do not say, “This guy found some aliens. The end.” Find some balance of useful details that support your main point.

You’ll find a much more detailed discussion of these concepts in our handout on audience .

The Grim Truth

With a few exceptions (including some lab and ethnography reports), you are probably being asked to make an argument. You must convince your audience. It is easy to forget this aim when you are researching and writing; as you become involved in your subject matter, you may become enmeshed in the details and focus on learning or simply telling the information you have found. You need to do more than just repeat what you have read. Your writing should have a point, and you should be able to say it in a sentence. Sometimes instructors call this sentence a “thesis” or a “claim.”

So, if your instructor tells you to write about some aspect of oral hygiene, you do not want to just list: “First, you brush your teeth with a soft brush and some peanut butter. Then, you floss with unwaxed, bologna-flavored string. Finally, gargle with bourbon.” Instead, you could say, “Of all the oral cleaning methods, sandblasting removes the most plaque. Therefore it should be recommended by the American Dental Association.” Or, “From an aesthetic perspective, moldy teeth can be quite charming. However, their joys are short-lived.”

Convincing the reader of your argument is the goal of academic writing. It doesn’t have to say “argument” anywhere in the assignment for you to need one. Look at the assignment and think about what kind of argument you could make about it instead of just seeing it as a checklist of information you have to present. For help with understanding the role of argument in academic writing, see our handout on argument .

What kind of evidence do you need?

There are many kinds of evidence, and what type of evidence will work for your assignment can depend on several factors–the discipline, the parameters of the assignment, and your instructor’s preference. Should you use statistics? Historical examples? Do you need to conduct your own experiment? Can you rely on personal experience? See our handout on evidence for suggestions on how to use evidence appropriately.

Make sure you are clear about this part of the assignment, because your use of evidence will be crucial in writing a successful paper. You are not just learning how to argue; you are learning how to argue with specific types of materials and ideas. Ask your instructor what counts as acceptable evidence. You can also ask a librarian for help. No matter what kind of evidence you use, be sure to cite it correctly—see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial .

You cannot always tell from the assignment just what sort of writing style your instructor expects. The instructor may be really laid back in class but still expect you to sound formal in writing. Or the instructor may be fairly formal in class and ask you to write a reflection paper where you need to use “I” and speak from your own experience.

Try to avoid false associations of a particular field with a style (“art historians like wacky creativity,” or “political scientists are boring and just give facts”) and look instead to the types of readings you have been given in class. No one expects you to write like Plato—just use the readings as a guide for what is standard or preferable to your instructor. When in doubt, ask your instructor about the level of formality they expect.

No matter what field you are writing for or what facts you are including, if you do not write so that your reader can understand your main idea, you have wasted your time. So make clarity your main goal. For specific help with style, see our handout on style .

Technical details about the assignment

The technical information you are given in an assignment always seems like the easy part. This section can actually give you lots of little hints about approaching the task. Find out if elements such as page length and citation format (see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial ) are negotiable. Some professors do not have strong preferences as long as you are consistent and fully answer the assignment. Some professors are very specific and will deduct big points for deviations.

Usually, the page length tells you something important: The instructor thinks the size of the paper is appropriate to the assignment’s parameters. In plain English, your instructor is telling you how many pages it should take for you to answer the question as fully as you are expected to. So if an assignment is two pages long, you cannot pad your paper with examples or reword your main idea several times. Hit your one point early, defend it with the clearest example, and finish quickly. If an assignment is ten pages long, you can be more complex in your main points and examples—and if you can only produce five pages for that assignment, you need to see someone for help—as soon as possible.

Tricks that don’t work

Your instructors are not fooled when you:

spend more time on the cover page than the essay —graphics, cool binders, and cute titles are no replacement for a well-written paper.
use huge fonts, wide margins, or extra spacing to pad the page length —these tricks are immediately obvious to the eye. Most instructors use the same word processor you do. They know what’s possible. Such tactics are especially damning when the instructor has a stack of 60 papers to grade and yours is the only one that low-flying airplane pilots could read.
use a paper from another class that covered “sort of similar” material . Again, the instructor has a particular task for you to fulfill in the assignment that usually relates to course material and lectures. Your other paper may not cover this material, and turning in the same paper for more than one course may constitute an Honor Code violation . Ask the instructor—it can’t hurt.
get all wacky and “creative” before you answer the question . Showing that you are able to think beyond the boundaries of a simple assignment can be good, but you must do what the assignment calls for first. Again, check with your instructor. A humorous tone can be refreshing for someone grading a stack of papers, but it will not get you a good grade if you have not fulfilled the task.

Critical reading of assignments leads to skills in other types of reading and writing. If you get good at figuring out what the real goals of assignments are, you are going to be better at understanding the goals of all of your classes and fields of study.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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What is the best font size for assignment in MS Word?
Guidelines for Choosing Font Size: Standard Fonts: Stick to standard fonts such as Times New Roman, Calibri, or Arial for a professional look. Font Size: The recommended font size for assignments is typically 12 points. However, it's crucial to check the specific guidelines provided by your institution or instructor. Readability: Ensure that ...
Formatting your assignments
Fonts . All non-examination based assignments should be word processed rather than handwritten. Most assignment descriptions will specify that for visual clarity, and to ensure a professional appearance, you should use a plain, sans-serif font such as Arial. For readability, this should be in 11 or 12 point size.
A step-by-step guide for creating and formatting APA Style student papers
The page number is the same font and font size as the text of your paper. Student papers do not require a running head on any page, unless specifically requested by the instructor. ... History and Systems Psychology). Write the assignment due date in the month, date, and year format used in your country (e.g., Sept. 10, 2020). Title page line ...
HOW TO
FONT. Rule: College papers should be in a standard academic font: either Times New Roman or Cambria, in 12pt size. (If you submit a paper in another font, I will change it on the file I download.) Instructions: Times New Roman or Cambria 12pt should be the default for Word, but if yours is different then change your default. Go to the Format ...
Formatting for Assignments
Use a clear, readable font, such as Verdana, Calibri, Tahoma or Arial and use the same font throughout. Use black text on a white background. Avoid coloured backgrounds or text in a colour other than black, unless you have special permission to use them. Use 11 or 12 point font for the body of your assessment.
PDF Student Paper Setup Guide, APA Style 7th Edition
Indent the first line of every paragraph of text 0.5 in. using the tab key or the paragraph-formatting function of your word-processing program. Page numbers: Put a page number in the top right corner of every page, including the title page or cover page, which is page 1. Student papers do not require a running head on any page.
How to format your assignment
Learn how to set up your assignment formatting in Microsoft Word. Includes: margins, font style and size, line spacing, line indents, header, headings and r...
Formatting and layout
Most assignments are now submitted electronically and formatted as follows: Use a clearly legible font and font size (Times New Roman is the most common font and 12 point is the most common size). Set page margins to around 1 inch/2.5cm. Use 1.5 or double line spacing. Keep the space between paragraphs consistent.
PDF Manual for Formatting Requirements for Font Size, Style, and Type and
Font size should be 11 or 12 point. Italicized fonts are only accepted where allowed or required by your chosen style guide (Chicago, APA, ASA, MLA, etc.) Font size and font type must be consistent throughout the text. Chapter titles and sections can be a larger font size than the standard text, if in accordance with the student's approved ...
Writing Assignments 101: Formatting and Typography Essentials
Writing assignments is a necessary practice for everyone pursuing any academic endeavor. You must understand how to format your academic paper. ... Your chosen font should be legible and in a standard font size, preferably 12-point; The font's regular and italic types should be recognizable, with enough contrast to make the two styles easy to ...
LibGuides: Assignment Writing: Formatting Assignments
Before submitting your written assignment, format it in the following ways: Change your font type and size to Arial 11, Calibri 11 or Times New Roman 12. Change the line spacing to 1.5. Write your ID number in the header (the top margin of each page), not your name. Insert page numbers in the footer (the bottom margin of each page)
APA Format for Assignments
Font: Use the same font throughout the text of your paper, including the title and any headings. APA lists the following options (p. 44): Sans serif fonts such as 11-point Calibri, 11 point-Arial, 10-point Lucida, Serif fonts such as 12-point Times new Roman, 11-point Georgia or 10-point Computer Modern.
Formatting
Font size - fonts should be 11 or 12 point. Font style - headings and subheadings, if they are required (most essays will not use them), are usually formatted in bold and should be at least 2 point sizes larger than the standard text. Underlining should be avoided as this is seen as rather dated.
PDF Formatting your assignment
Be sure to check the assignment requirements given to you by your tutor, as they may differ from what is on this sheet. Formatting instructions: Font (or typeface) Use the same font throughout your paper, including the reference list. Calibri size 11 is recommended. Other acceptable fonts are Times New Roman size 12, Arial 11, Lucida Sans
PDF Microsoft Office: Word (Assignment Formatting)
Font size 1. Click Home 2. Click To expand This is where you change your font size. Be sure that when submitting assignments the academic staff may ask for the submission to be in a certain font size. Press both CTRL and A to select all text. For this we are using font size: 12. 6. Font colour 1.
Document setup
Check your assignment guidelines carefully to see whether your tutor has specified the margin size for your assignment. For this example, we'll assume the requirement is 2.5cm on all sides. ... Make your changes (change font size to 16, Times New Roman, bold) Right-click on the style you want to update (such as Heading 1) Select Update ...
The Ultimate College Assignment Formatting Guide
Finally, use a clean and legible font style, such as Times New Roman or Arial, and use a font size of 12 points. Align your text in the center of the page to create a balanced look. Header & Footer. Headers and footers play an important role in assignment formatting by providing essential information continuously throughout your document.
APA Formatting and Citation (7th Ed.)
Throughout your paper, you need to apply the following APA format guidelines: Set page margins to 1 inch on all sides. Double-space all text, including headings. Indent the first line of every paragraph 0.5 inches. Use an accessible font (e.g., Times New Roman 12pt., Arial 11pt., or Georgia 11pt.). Include a page number on every page.
Lect#: 29 Recommended Font & Font Size for Letter, Report, Assignment
How to set recommended font & font size for all type of Word documentslike Letter, application, report, assignment, research paper, thesis, book notes etc.An...
APA 7 Style: Formatting Guidelines
APA 7 (2020) accepts the use of a wider range of fonts than previous editions. Use a consistent font throughout the paper. While the size of the font in the text of the paper should confirm to one of the options below, figures may include a smaller or larger font size as needed. Font options include: Times New Roman (12-point) Calibri (11-point ...
Formatting your work
The format of your assignment (eg margin size, font size, word count, line spacing) will vary module by module. Please consult your module handbook (via Blackboard) or ask your module tutor for advice. Library staff have produced a sample essay in the UWE Harvard style (PDF) you can refer to and guidance for using figures and tables (PDF) in ...
Understanding Assignments
Read the assignment carefully as soon as you receive it. ... "Your paper must be typed in Palatino font on gray paper and must not exceed 600 pages. It is due on the anniversary of Mao Tse-tung's death." ... the page length tells you something important: The instructor thinks the size of the paper is appropriate to the assignment's ...

What is the best font size for assignment in MS Word?

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How to format your work

Introduction

Formatting key information

Assignment titles

Visual clarity

Fonts

Page numbering, headers and footers

Page layout

Paragraph alignment

Paragraph indentation

Formatting referenced material

References and bibliographies

Block quotations

Advanced formatting

Figures and tables

Appendices

Further Resources

A step-by-step guide for creating and formatting APA Style student papers

Basic setup

Line spacing

Paragraph alignment and indentation

Page numbers

Title page setup

Title page line spacing

Title page alignment

Title page font

Text elements

Text line spacing

Text alignment

Block quotation alignment

Headings format

Tables and figures setup

Table elements

Figure elements

Table line spacing

Figure line spacing

Table alignment

Figure alignment

Figure font

Placement of tables and figures

Embedding at the bottom of the page

Embedding at the top of the page

Embedding on its own page

Reference list setup

Reference list line spacing

Reference list alignment

Reference list font

Final checks

Check headings

Check assignment instructions

Tips for better writing

About the author

Popular Posts

HOW TO – Format papers in standard academic format (using Microsoft Word)

DOCUMENT MARGINS

INDENTATION

FIRST PAGE FORMAT

Sample First Page

Document Spacing

Paragraph Spacing

CREATE NEW PAGE

BLOCKED QUOTATIONS

HELP & HOW-TO

STUDENT SAMPLES

Formatting and presenting assessments

General guidelines for electronic submissions

Headers and footers

Reference list

Tops and bottoms of pages

General guidelines for hard copies

Word limits and word count guidelines

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