How to make a cover page for an essay?
As the name implies, so this page is, it is the first page of your essay or academic paper, which contains important information regarding your work. The usefulness of titles or cover pages is to allow the reader to identify your work by appearance. Still, aside from that, it can help to make your essay look more organized and professional. In addition, it provides useful protection against fingerprints and will protect your work from anything that may be hidden in the bottom of the school backpack!
The cover page is popularly used for essays and assignments formatted in APA style rules; nevertheless, they are still useful while formatting other popular styles like MLA or Chicago. If you’re not sure whether you need to create a title page, consult your instructor or faculty advisor.
If the cover page is not included, if necessary, these could give a negative impression to anyone who reads your article. This can even cause you to miss marks for the presentation, so it does not matter what you do, do not be tempted to skip this simple formatting task that will only require few minutes out of your time.
What is a cover page?
The cover page reflects and represents the author. The cover page format will vary depending on the style of your choice, but usually includes the name of the author, the name of the professor, the student educational establishment, and the date the essay was delivered. The topic of the essay and the name of the course are always on the cover page, irrespective of the format you are using. As the name implies, the cover page is always at the front and is the first thing the professor will notice when receiving the paper, also from legit essay writing service.
The reason for using the cover page is simply to give your essay a formal appearance, accompanied by relevant information, to give the reader a quick idea of the author of the paper, when, where, and the purpose.
However, this page is not mandatory for every paper. It is often included in APA-style papers – however, even when a student is required to write using APA, the cover page is not mandatory every time. A professor will usually include in the instructions for a task whether or not a cover page is required. It is common, even in essays formatted in the APA, that no cover page is required. Sometimes, however, professors ask students to deliver complete essays according to the books – in this case, you need to know how the essential things needed to make a cover page.
Elements of a Cover Page
For every cover page, you will always need the following:
- A running head
- The academic paper titles
- The name of your university
- The name of the author or authors
In addition to these requirements, your professor might require you to add additional information. As already mentioned, you should consult the latest guidelines to learn how to format your cover page. It would be best if you used a Times New Roman font with 12- points and 1-inch margins double spacing for the APA style.
The running head must be left-aligned and capitalized. In addition to the running head, your header must be at most 50 characters long.
The title of your articles must also be formatted. It must be capitalized, which means that the first letters of each word must be capitalized. The only words that do not need capital letters are small words, such as articles and phrases. The title should not exceed 12 words. For the title, you should only use whole words. Avoid contractions and abbreviations.
The title of your paper also needs to be formatted. It needs to be capitalized, meaning the first letters of every word must be in capital letters. The only exception is the small words. However, the total words must not exceed twelve. For the title, you must always spell the words fully. Avoid using contractions and abbreviations.
It is very advisable that you format the names of the authors accordingly. If a lot of authors were involved in writing the essay, you must cite them all; also, the institutions they are connected to. However, if some students have different affiliations, you must list them separately.
The cover page should not appear without a purpose. Its main reason is to provide necessary information to the reader or teacher. Avoid colored paper, colorful text, images, or other colorful things for the cover page as they will make your work look less professional.
The precise details of the cover depending on the style of formatting used in the essay. The MLA formatted paper cover will look a little different than an APA formatted essay cover. Also, a Chicago-style newspaper will have a different style cover.
However, while there are differences, they are mostly minor. In general, all covers must be simple and clear in design.
Types of Cover Pages
There are different types of cover pages, and they are all determined by the formatting style used in the essay. Articles formatted with the APA will have their own cover page, while the MLA and Chicago also have their own page. The kind of cover page you will use will depend on the formatting style in the essay. Do not combine or match. Use one form throughout in order to ensure your essay is solid.
In other words, if your essay is formatted according to the MLA style, don’t supply it with an APA style cover page. Likewise, if you’re using the Chicago format, don’t mix it up with MLA or APA. One style should be used all the way through—from the cover page to the references page. (And for more tips on how to do a reference page in MLA or APA, click on the links [link to relevant pages]).
That is, if your essay is formatted in the MLA style, do not give it an APA style cover. In addition, if you use the Chicago format, do not confuse it with MLA or APA. A style should be used throughout the paper, right from the title page to the reference page.
The basic characteristics of the cover page are the Title, the name of the author, the name of the course you are writing the paper for, and the date.
Therefore, it is very good to use a cover page. Even if your professor doesn’t ask you to do so, you should get used to create them.
The main reason for writing a cover page is to provide coverage for the essay. Some professors will take away the first page before evaluating the essay to remove any bias from their evaluation. As the necessary information about who owns the paper is written on the cover, they have to put it aside while reading the essay, which will help them prevent any bias while grading.
The Cover page will not only enhance your entire article, giving it a more formal look, but it will also help you get used to following the formatting rules that suit the style of writing you use.
APA Cover Page
The APA cover page should begin with the running head on the top left of the paper. The page number would be at the top right. The title of your paper should be title case at the upper half of your page. The APA recommends that your title be 12 words or less and exclude abbreviations or contractions. Words that do not have any meaning must always be excluded also. The title can take one or two lines.
Under the title of your article, please list the names of the authors and their institutional membership. The author’s name must have a name, initials, and last name. Also, ensure you do not include the author’s title and their academic qualifications in the section of the paper. Their various institutions are included below the author’s name and show where the researcher conducted the research.
APA Cover Page Template
Use this template to fill out your own cover page for APA formatted papers:
- Running head
- Title of Your Paper
- Your Name
- The named of your School
MLA Cover Page Format
In fact, the MLA does not need you to use a cover page. The relevant information (author name, professor name, the course title, author, and date) is usually included above the paper in the upper left-hand corner over the paper title. But, sometimes, a teacher may ask a student to include a cover page for a paper formatted using MLA. In a situation like this, it would be best to have knowledge of how to design a cover page for season essay.
When using the MLA-style, the covers are slightly different from cover pages used for APA. MLA covers put the name of the university at the center top of the page. In the middle of the page is the title of the essay with a caption below (if necessary). The name of the writer, the name and number of the course, the name of the professor, and the due date of the paper beneath the page.
As usual, the same formatting rules appear in terms of margins, text, and space. The margins should be 1 inch on every side. The text must be Times New Roman, 12-point font. And all spaces must be doubled.
MLA Cover Page Template
Below is the template for the MLA cover page:
- Name of the University
- Title of Paper
- Subtitle
- The name of the Author
- Course Name and Number
- The name of the professor
- Due Date
Chicago Style Cover Page Format
The Chicago style is the same as the MLA because a cover page is not strictly necessary. Therefore, all relevant information can appear on the cover or on the first page of the essay like the MLA. However, there are some simple differences.
In Chicago style, the title page consists of the title in the upper half of the paper and the name of the author, course, and date in the lower half of the paper. There is no need to mention the institutional affiliation of the author on the cover page in Chicago style.
Chicago style template
Here is the cover page template for the Chicago style:
- Title
- Author’s Name
- Course Name and Number
- Date
- Conclusion
The cover page is essential while writing your essay. It may seem redundant, but if your professor requires you to do it, you will want to do it right to get good grades. Never joke with your cover page! Don’t forget that it should not be displayed in any way you want. If you are using the APA, MLA, or Chicago format, you will need to produce a cover page that fits these writing styles.
Below is the list of things you must note while making a cover page for essay:
The cover page is the highlight of your essay. It is similar to the cover of a book. According to the general saying, a book is not to be judged by its cover; however, when we see a very attractive cover, we are more inclined to take the book and view it. Therefore, it is important that you use the appropriate cover page for a format style. For example, if you are using an MLA, ensure the cover page is suited for MLA; if the format of your paper is APA, ensure the cover page is suitable for APA, and if you are using the Chicago, then the style must also be appropriate.
However, if you are skeptical about including a cover page or not, then don’t be scared to ask. In either case, you should always include one. As no professor will fail you for asking questions and neither going to punish you for doing extra work to include the cover page (even when not needed). In fact, sometimes doing extra work is the best way to make grades. And to be sincere, making a cover page is pretty simple. All you have to do is follow the templates above, and you are good to go.