MLA Header Examples

Perfect examples of properly formatted MLA headers following the latest 9th edition guidelines. Use these as templates for your academic papers. Need to create your own? Try our free MLA header generator.

Perfect MLA Header Examples

📄 Standard Research Paper

Most common format for college essays and research papers

Johnson 1
Sarah Johnson
Professor Smith
English 101
24 September 2025
The Impact of Social Media on Modern Communication

In today's digital age, social media platforms have fundamentally transformed the way people communicate and interact with one another. This transformation has brought about both positive and negative consequences that deserve careful examination...

Key Elements:

  • ✅ Student's full name on first line
  • ✅ Instructor's name with title
  • ✅ Course name and number
  • ✅ Date in day-month-year format
  • ✅ Centered paper title
  • ✅ Running header with last name and page number

📚 Literature Analysis Paper

Example for English literature and analysis courses

Martinez 1
Maria Elena Martinez
Dr. Rebecca Thompson
English Literature 205
24 September 2025
Symbolism and Metaphor in Shakespeare's Hamlet

William Shakespeare's Hamlet stands as one of the most analyzed works in English literature, particularly for its rich use of symbolism and metaphor. Through careful examination of the play's imagery and language...

Perfect for:

  • 📖 Literature analysis papers
  • 📝 Critical essays
  • 🎭 Drama and poetry analysis
  • 📚 Book reports and reviews

🔬 Research Paper

Format for academic research and scientific papers

Chen 1
David Chen
Professor Williams
Psychology 301
24 September 2025
The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Cognitive Performance in College Students

Sleep deprivation among college students has become an increasingly prevalent issue in higher education. Recent studies indicate that insufficient sleep significantly impacts cognitive performance, memory consolidation, and academic achievement...

Research Paper Features:

  • 🔍 Longer, descriptive title
  • 📊 Research-focused content
  • 🎓 Advanced course number
  • 📈 Academic tone and language

⚖️ Comparative Essay

Format for comparison and contrast papers

Anderson 1
Emily Anderson
Ms. Rodriguez
World History 102
24 September 2025
Democracy vs. Authoritarianism: A Historical Perspective

Throughout history, societies have organized themselves under various forms of government, with democracy and authoritarianism representing two fundamentally different approaches to political organization...

Comparative Essay Tips:

  • ⚖️ Clear comparison in title
  • 🌍 Broad topic scope
  • 📅 Historical context
  • 🔄 Balanced perspective

✍️ Personal Narrative

Format for personal essays and reflective writing

Taylor 1
Jordan Taylor
Professor Davis
Composition 101
24 September 2025
Finding My Voice: A Journey Through Language and Identity

Growing up in a bilingual household shaped my understanding of language in ways I never fully appreciated until I began my college journey. The constant switching between English and Spanish...

Personal Narrative Elements:

  • 🎯 Personal, engaging title
  • 👤 First-person perspective
  • 💭 Reflective content
  • 📖 Storytelling approach

Essential MLA Header Formatting Tips

📏

Proper Spacing

Double-space everything - The header, title, and body text should all be double-spaced with no extra spaces between sections.

🔤

Font Requirements

Times New Roman, 12pt - Use only Times New Roman font in 12-point size for the entire paper, including the header.

📅

Date Format

Day Month Year - Always write dates as "24 September 2025" with the month spelled out completely.

📄

Page Numbers

Last name + page number - Running header should include your last name and page number in the top-right corner.

📐

Margins

1-inch margins - Set all margins (top, bottom, left, right) to exactly 1 inch on all sides.

🎯

Title Placement

Center the title - Paper title should be centered and use the same font and size as the rest of the paper.

Avoid These Common MLA Header Mistakes

❌ Wrong Date Format

John Smith
Professor Johnson
English 101
9/23/2025

Never use numerical date format (9/23/2025) or European format (23/09/2025)

✅ Correct Date Format

John Smith
Professor Johnson
English 101
24 September 2025

Always spell out the month completely in day-month-year format

❌ Missing Title Prefix

Sarah Davis
Johnson
History 201
24 September 2025

Don't forget to include proper titles (Professor, Dr., Ms., Mr.)

✅ Proper Title Usage

Sarah Davis
Professor Johnson
History 201
24 September 2025

Always include appropriate titles for instructors (Professor, Dr., etc.)

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