How to write a cover page
The cover page of your essay or research paper is the first thing your reader sees. It represents not only you as an individual, but what you have to say as well. A neat, clean cover page identifies the project and writer at a glance.
Some writers are tempted to dress up the cover page of an essay with art, bright colors and fancy fonts. Unless you’re taking a course in graphics or design, this is probably not a good idea. Your instructor has probably given you a handout or specified a certain style sheet to follow. Locate that reference material before you even think about setting up your cover page. The pointers below will help you write a cover page that will make your teacher happy.
Using a style sheet for your cover page
Some confusion can arise when your teacher refers to a “style sheet.” These sheets were originally used by printers and publishers as a reference. Typesetters could refer to the company style sheet to determine which fonts to use for headlines, how wide to make margins and columns, how much space to leave between paragraphs, and other details.
In the academic world, style sheets refer to a complete system of rules that regulate the appearance of a submitted paper. The sheet can be as short as a one-page handout provided by the instructor or the school library to a complete section in the course textbook. Graduate students normally are required to purchase a manual or handbook dedicated to the style chosen by the institution or department.
The most commonly used styles are MLA, APA, Chicago, LSA, CSE, and Turabian. Be sure you follow the style sheet specified by your teacher. Make sure you are using an up-to-date version. These styles change from time to time. For example, MLA previously required a title page. Now—unless your teacher says differently—you should skip the title page and place only a heading on the first page of text.
Cover page basics
Your cover page is part of the manuscript you submit. Therefore, it should match the paper, font, and spacing used in the paper itself. It should be attached at the front, usually with a staple or paper clip in the upper left corner.
The cover page should be typed on white, 8 1/2x11, 20 pound paper on only one side. Double space all elements. If your teacher doesn’t indicate which font to use, stick with Times New Roman or Courier 12. If you’re taking an online class, you may be asked to use a Sans Serif font, such as Arial or Calibri.
Elements to include
At a minimum, you should include the title of your paper, your name, and the date. The title is not placed in quotation marks, neither should it be italicized or underlined.
Additional items your instructor may want to include are the course identification, professor’s name, and name of the educational institution. Some instructors may ask for a student’s address or email.
Generally speaking, these items should all use the same font as the rest of your paper. Most style sheets require title case, which means only the key words are capitalized. A few ask that the title be written in all capital letters. One example of this is in APA papers. When a paper is submitted for publication in APA style, you will place an abbreviated form of the title near the top left of your paper. This is a running head, used to identify the article at the top margin of a magazine or journal. It is not generally required for student papers.
Placement
Most items on the title page are centered between the left and right margins and begin in the top third of the page. The writer’s name comes next, sometimes preceded by the word “by” in lower case, centered on a line by itself. Your word processor may try to capitalize it for you. You will have to override this automated function.
If you are required to include a header with the page number on each page, it may or may not be placed on the title page. Find out also if the title page is included in the word count. Sometimes it will be considered as page one, even if the number does not actually appear. In other cases, it is not included in the numbering.
Theses and dissertations
A paper done in graduate school is part of the prescribed requirements for successful completion of a degree program. Because of this, the cover page can include many more elements. Name of the department and/or program and names and signatures of your committee members may be required here, if not on a separate sheet.
Format assumes even more importance for graduate papers. You may be asked to supply the wording “in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of . . . ” Use the specific wording requested.
Fine tuning
Never submit your finished project without checking the stated requirements one last time. Refer to handouts, course textbooks, and information that might be posted online. An actual sample paper in the preferred style is the best resource. Your cover page may be letter perfect, but if doesn’t conform to what your instructor has specified, you could be in big trouble.
The cover page represents what the rest of your paper will look like. You can set the tone for the potential reader by polishing your front cover. Learning how to write a cover page is an important skill. Master it and your work will receive the reading it deserves.
