How to Format a Research Paper — APA, MLA, and IEEE Guide 2026
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Research paper formatting is not just about aesthetics — it is about meeting the standards expected by journals, examiners, and readers in your field. The three most widely used formats — APA, MLA, and IEEE — have different rules for fonts, margins, headings, citations, and reference lists. Choosing the wrong format or applying it inconsistently is one of the most common reasons manuscripts are returned before peer review.
Which Format Should You Use?
| Format | Full Name | Primary Disciplines | Citation Style |
|---|---|---|---|
| APA 7th | American Psychological Association | Social sciences, education, psychology, management, nursing | Author-date: (Smith, 2021) |
| MLA 9th | Modern Language Association | Humanities, literature, arts, language studies | Author-page: (Smith 45) |
| IEEE | Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers | Engineering, computer science, electronics, IT | Numbered: [1] |
| Chicago 17th | Chicago Manual of Style | History, arts, humanities, social sciences | Notes-bibliography or author-date |
| Vancouver | Vancouver Referencing System | Medical, health sciences, biomedical research | Numbered: (1) |
APA 7th Edition: Complete Formatting Guide
| Element | APA 7th Requirement |
|---|---|
| Margins | 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides |
| Font | 12pt Times New Roman, Calibri 11pt, or Arial 11pt |
| Line spacing | Double-spaced throughout (including references) |
| Paragraph indent | 0.5-inch indent for first line of each paragraph |
| Page numbers | Top right corner, starting from page 1 |
| Title page | Title (bold, centred), author, affiliation, course, instructor, date |
| Abstract | Page 2; 150–250 words; no indent; followed by keywords |
| In-text citation | (Author, Year) or (Author, Year, p. X) for direct quotes |
| References list | New page at end; alphabetical; hanging indent (0.5 inch) |
| Heading levels | 5 levels; Level 1 bold centred; Level 2 bold left; Level 3 bold italic left |
MLA 9th Edition: Complete Formatting Guide
| Element | MLA 9th Requirement |
|---|---|
| Margins | 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides |
| Font | 12pt Times New Roman (or readable serif font) |
| Line spacing | Double-spaced throughout |
| Title page | No separate title page — header information on first page (top left) |
| Header (first page) | Name, instructor, course, date (each on separate line, left-aligned) |
| Running header | Last name + page number, top right, on every page |
| Paper title | Centred, title case, on first page (no bold, italics, or underline) |
| In-text citation | (Author Page) — e.g., (Smith 45) for print; (Smith) for digital without page numbers |
| Works Cited list | New page at end; alphabetical; hanging indent; each source in MLA container format |
IEEE Format: Complete Guide for Technical Papers
| Element | IEEE Requirement |
|---|---|
| Layout | Two-column format (conference papers); single column (some journals) |
| Font | Times New Roman 10pt (body); 24pt (title); 12pt (author names) |
| Title | Centred, above author names and affiliations; no title page |
| Abstract | 150–250 words; single paragraph; before Introduction |
| In-text citation | Bracketed numbers in order of appearance: [1], [2], [3] |
| References list | Numbered list; NOT alphabetical; each entry matches the in-text [number] |
| Headings | All caps for Level 1 (I. INTRODUCTION); Title case italic for Level 2 |
| Figures and tables | Numbered (Fig. 1., Table I.); caption below figure, above table |
General Research Paper Formatting Best Practices
- Always read the target journal's author guidelines — every journal has specific requirements that override general style rules
- Use a reference manager (Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote) to generate citations automatically and avoid errors
- Format tables and figures consistently — number them, caption them, and reference them in the text
- Use styles in Word — apply Heading 1, Heading 2, etc. properly to enable automatic table of contents generation
- Check your institution's thesis manual — many Indian universities have their own formatting requirements that modify standard styles
Quick Format Selection Guide for Indian PhD Scholars
- Management / Social Sciences / Education / Commerce: APA 7th edition
- Engineering / Computer Science / Electronics: IEEE
- Humanities / Languages / Literature: MLA 9th edition
- Medical / Pharmacy / Nursing: Vancouver or AMA style
- Always check your university's PhD thesis submission guidelines — they may specify a format or provide a custom template
Need your research paper formatted perfectly for journal submission or thesis examination? Thesis Ace Writers provides professional formatting services in APA, MLA, IEEE, Chicago, and Vancouver styles. Get a formatting quote today.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Click a question to expand the answer.
The citation style depends on your discipline and/or your institution's or journal's requirements: APA (American Psychological Association) is standard in social sciences, education, psychology, and management. MLA (Modern Language Association) is used in humanities, literature, and arts. IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) is used in engineering, computer science, and technology. Chicago/Turabian is common in history, arts, and humanities. Always check your university guidelines or target journal's author instructions first.
APA 7th edition requires: 1-inch (2.54 cm) margins on all sides; 12-point Times New Roman, Calibri, or Arial font; double-spaced throughout; page numbers in the top right header; a running head (shortened title) on each page for professional manuscripts (optional for student papers); a title page with title, author name, institutional affiliation, and date; an abstract (150–250 words) on page 2; and a References list at the end. All headings follow a five-level hierarchy.
IEEE formatting is significantly different: it uses a two-column layout for conference papers; references are numbered in square brackets [1] in the order they first appear in the text (not alphabetical); references are listed numerically at the end; font is typically Times New Roman 10pt; single spacing or specified line spacing; and the paper often follows the IMRAD structure strictly (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion). IEEE does not use a traditional title page but a header with title, author, and institutional affiliation.
APA 7th edition has five heading levels: Level 1 — Centred, Bold, Title Case; Level 2 — Left-aligned, Bold, Title Case; Level 3 — Left-aligned, Bold Italic, Title Case; Level 4 — Indented, Bold, Title Case, ending with a period (inline heading); Level 5 — Indented, Bold Italic, Title Case, ending with a period (inline heading). For most research papers, only 2–3 heading levels are needed.
Yes. For journal submission, always follow the specific journal's author guidelines, which specify the required style (APA, MLA, IEEE, Chicago, Vancouver, etc.), word count, heading structure, and figure/table formatting. For a thesis, follow your university's thesis manual, which may use a modified version of a standard style. Never assume the style — always download and read the official guidelines before formatting.