what font do you use for an essay

7 Best Fonts For University Essays (Teachers Choice)

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Choosing the best font for university essays is really difficult. As a university student, you have to stand out from other students’ academic papers.

What are the best fonts for university essays? Arial and Helvetica sans-serif style is a common font choice among university students. Some universities do have guidelines on their website about what fonts are allowed in academic essays, so make sure to check before you start typing.

The right font can make your paper look more professional and appealing to readers. But it’s hard to find fonts that are both beautiful and easy to read especially when there are thousands of them available online!

Best Fonts will help you easily choose the most suitable font for your project by offering expert suggestions based on your needs and interests.

I’ve dedicated myself to helping students succeed in their studies with our website full of useful tips on how to write an effective essay or research paper, as well as relevant information about different types of fonts (serif, sans serif, script, etc).

Our team consists of experienced writers who also know what it takes to get top grades at universities around the world! So if you need some extra help writing your next academic paper or just want some advice on choosing.

If you are in a hurry! Then you should be considered these quick recommended picks.

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What Are The Best Fonts For University Essays?

Students often use clear sans-serif style Arial, Times New Roman, Helvetica, Calibri fonts on their university academic essays, and some universities have a proper guideline on their website about the fonts that should be used.

But for my academic papers, I’ve been researching on the internet and find these 10 best fonts for university essays that are clear in human eyes and look so professional. Your university professor will love your academic papers and essays after using these fonts.

1. Wensley Modern Serif Font Family (Top Pick)

The font of choice for many university students, Wensley is a modern serif font typeface. If you want to impress your professors with an elegant and professional appearance then this style will be perfect for the job! This font includes non-english characters so it can fit any language perfectly.

Wensley Font

• This font is known as the perfect headline maker.
• Improved readability.
• Available in a variety of weights and styles.
• Fast delivery to your inbox.
• All fonts are 100% licensed, free lifetime support.

2. Madelin Serif Font Family

The font Madeline is a well accepted serif font among the universities and colleges. This high classed font includes all types of non-english characters and basic glyphs, making it perfect for students in academia. If you are a university student then this new typeface will drastically improve your academic papers.

Madelin Font

• Impress your professor with a professional looking paper.
• Make an academic research paper look more interesting and engaging to readers.
• Fonts that are easy to read on screens and in print.
• The best typeface for any design project.
• Be creative with your fonts!
• Unique and exciting typeface
• Can be used in any environment or situation
• Will have your audience drooling over this font
• Curvaceous letters make for an attractive design

3. Glamour Luxury Serif Font Family

Glamour Luxury Serif is a font for those looking to be both stylish and minimalistic. With many variations, it can make your paper stand out from the rest or you can use it on your resume as well!

Glamour Luxury Serif Font Family

The wide variety of options in Glamour Luxury Serif means that students will have an easy time finding this typeface for their institution work while professionals will find just what they need in order to maximize their efficiency at work with its clean design.

• The best way to express yourself on the academic papers
• Increase visibility, increase recognition and get a leg up on competitors
• Make your content stand out with bold fonts that are beautifully designed
• Fonts mixes aesthetics with readability so you can use them unapologetically

4. Adrina Modern Serif Font Family

Adrina is a modern rounded serif font with 3 weights that can be used by creatives and commercial professionals. It also has multilingual support to help university students, adults in the professional world, or anyone who needs it!

Aridina Font

• Give your design a unique touch with our extensive library of stylish fonts
• With over 100 fonts on offer you have an entire world to explore
• Whether it’s for personal or commercial use these typefaces are perfect for all occasions, big and small
• The variety means that there’s something to suit every project – whether it’s formal, laid back or fun.

5. Immani Serif Font Family Pack

Immani serif font is a logos-ready font with a modern, eye-catching serif look! This classy typeface is perfect for including in headings and other text collaborations within your project. With its sleek fonts, you can easily create stylish headlines or any other type of text that will catch the eyes of those all around you. It’s time to stop searching: this font is what you need!

Immani Font

Effortlessly design your next project with FontsTTD Serif TTF Typewriter Font. Including a variety of letter and number characters, as well as an additional 5 ornaments at each.

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• You will be able to combine both Font Weight Regular and Light
• Fonts with different fonts, ensuring any text is legible.
• You will also have the option of using a web font kit or downloading an OTF or TTF file.
• No worries about missing out on any key characters!

6. Bergen Text – Sans Serif Font

Bergen Text is an elegant, clean and minimalistic font for university and college academic papers. It has been designed specifically in a small 9-pixel size for easy legibility and accessibility reasons.

Bergen Font

In contrast to Fontana families (that are heavy with serifs), Bergen Text is very straightforward. This makes it the perfect candidate for creative works that need a commercial license and readability that will satisfy any customer’s needs.

UNLIMITED DOWNLOADS: 50 Million+ Fonts & Design Assets

All the Fonts you need and many other design elements, are available for a monthly subscription by subscribing to Envato Elements . The subscription costs $16.50 per month and gives you unlimited access to a massive and growing library of over 50 million items that can be downloaded as often as you need (stock photos too)!

Envato element offers key resources and parent tips about effective teaching strategies so students can learn more effectively, from pre-kindergarten to high school.

• Fonts designed for people who use small text sizes
• Sans font is available!
• Get a wide variety of fonts with just one purchase
• Improve legibility by using different weights and styles

7. Morton – Sans Serif Font

University students always find the best font to use on their academic papers and essays. However, some university has its own criteria to write these papers.

Morton Font

But most of the universities don’t have these font selections criteria on their academic guideline. That’s why students use basic and regular free fonts like Helvetica, Arial, Calibri.

If you want to stand out and increase your marks in academic and university essays. Then try to use a unique font. Because everyone is using the same font in their essays.

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That’s why choosing a unique and stylish sans serif font in your writing is the best way to mark better.

• Fonts are a single click away.
• It’s perfect for small text sizes.
• A grotesque typeface classic.
• Comes in nine weights and stylistic variations for the nerd in all of us.

Final Words

Unique fonts are the key to standing out and making eye-popping clear academic papers. These best fonts can be really unique with clean formatting. Students and professionals always need these great typefaces for their documents, presentations, or any other assignment that needs design

You can check out Envato elements Fonts to get the most out of it. Thank you

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7 Best Fonts For University Essays

When it comes to writing essays for university, the type of font you use can be just as important as the content itself. Different fonts can help set the tone and create a specific mood or atmosphere. Today, we’ll discuss seven of the best fonts to use for your college essays. These fonts are professional yet easy to read, so they’ll help you produce a high-quality paper that will definitely impress your professor!

What are the best fonts for academic essays?

When it comes to university essays, there are a few things that are more important than the font. The content, of course, is the essential part. But the font can also be important, as it can help to set the tone of the essay and make it more visually appealing. As you might already know, some fonts are better suited for academic works than others.

For example, Times New Roman is a classic choice that conveys seriousness and sophistication; but if you want to add a little personality to your essay, you could try a handwriting font like Comic Sans. Anyway, the best font for your school essay is the one that makes your work look its best. So experiment with different fonts until you find the perfect match. And if you’re still not sure what font to use, contact an essay help professional and ask them for advice. Sometimes getting the help we need can easily solve the issue we’re experiencing.

Why is font selection important when writing an essay?

Just as a well-tailored suit can make you look more professional, the right font can make your writing appear more polished. Of course, there’s more to font selection than simply finding something that looks good on the page. For instance, a playful script font might be appropriate for a casual invitation, but it would look out of place in a formal business letter. Likewise, a serious serif font would be inappropriate for a child’s homework assignment.

What are some of the most common types of fonts used in academic papers?

There’s no need to get too fancy when it comes to fonts for academic papers. In most cases, simple is best. Here are seven of the most common types used in academic writings:

• Times New Roman: This classic serif font is a go-to for many writers. It’s easy to read and has a timeless look.
• Arial: A popular sans serif font, Arial is also easy to read and works well for long paragraphs of text.
• Calibri: Another sans serif font, Calibri is slightly more modern than Arial and is a good choice for papers that need to make a strong visual impact.
• Courier: Courier is a classic monospaced font that works well for lengthy blocks of text, such as code or large tables.
• Helvetica: Helvetica is another popular sans serif font that exudes professionalism and simplicity.
• Georgia: Georgia is a beautiful serif font with a slightly more playful feel than Times New Roman. It’s perfect for papers that need a touch of personality.
• Comic Sans : Comic Sans might not be appropriate for all academic papers, but it can be used sparingly to add visual interest or levity to an otherwise dry subject matter. Just use caution with this one – too much Comic Sans can be overwhelming!

How can you choose the right font for your paper’s tone and style?

The font you choose should be legible and appropriate for the tone of your paper. For instance, a formal research paper would benefit from a more serious font, while a lighthearted personal essay could be written in a playful script. In the end, the best way to choose the right font is to experiment with different options until you find one that feels right for your project, as explained above.

What should you avoid when selecting a font for your essay?

While there are a few general guidelines you can follow, ultimately it comes down to personal preference (and the whims of your teacher). That being said, there are a few things you should avoid when selecting a font for your essay.

• Steer clear of any fancy script fonts – they may look nice, but they’re hard to read and will likely decrease your chances of getting a good grade.
• Avoid using excessively small or large fonts; stick to something that’s easy on the eyes and won’t annoy your reader.
• Don’t be afraid to experiment a bit – try out different fonts and see which one works best for you.

Choosing the right font for your university essay is important. The type you choose should be legible, appropriate for the tone of your paper, and easy on the eyes. When in doubt, experiment with different fonts until you find the perfect match.

What are some of your favorite fonts? Let us know in the comments below!

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to format a college essay: 15 expert tips.

College Essays

When you're applying to college, even small decisions can feel high-stakes. This is especially true for the college essay, which often feels like the most personal part of the application. You may agonize over your college application essay format: the font, the margins, even the file format. Or maybe you're agonizing over how to organize your thoughts overall. Should you use a narrative structure? Five paragraphs?

In this comprehensive guide, we'll go over the ins and outs of how to format a college essay on both the micro and macro levels. We'll discuss minor formatting issues like headings and fonts, then discuss broad formatting concerns like whether or not to use a five-paragraph essay, and if you should use a college essay template.

How to Format a College Essay: Font, Margins, Etc.

Some of your formatting concerns will depend on whether you will be cutting and pasting your essay into a text box on an online application form or attaching a formatted document. If you aren't sure which you'll need to do, check the application instructions. Note that the Common Application does currently require you to copy and paste your essay into a text box.

Most schools also allow you to send in a paper application, which theoretically gives you increased control over your essay formatting. However, I generally don't advise sending in a paper application (unless you have no other option) for a couple of reasons:

Most schools state that they prefer to receive online applications. While it typically won't affect your chances of admission, it is wise to comply with institutional preferences in the college application process where possible. It tends to make the whole process go much more smoothly.

Paper applications can get lost in the mail. Certainly there can also be problems with online applications, but you'll be aware of the problem much sooner than if your paper application gets diverted somehow and then mailed back to you. By contrast, online applications let you be confident that your materials were received.

Regardless of how you will end up submitting your essay, you should draft it in a word processor. This will help you keep track of word count, let you use spell check, and so on.

Next, I'll go over some of the concerns you might have about the correct college essay application format, whether you're copying and pasting into a text box or attaching a document, plus a few tips that apply either way.

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Formatting Guidelines That Apply No Matter How You End Up Submitting the Essay:

Unless it's specifically requested, you don't need a title. It will just eat into your word count.

Avoid cutesy, overly colloquial formatting choices like ALL CAPS or ~unnecessary symbols~ or, heaven forbid, emoji and #hashtags. Your college essay should be professional, and anything too cutesy or casual will come off as immature.

Mmm, delicious essay...I mean sandwich.

Why College Essay Templates Are a Bad Idea

You might see college essay templates online that offer guidelines on how to structure your essay and what to say in each paragraph. I strongly advise against using a template. It will make your essay sound canned and bland—two of the worst things a college essay can be. It's much better to think about what you want to say, and then talk through how to best structure it with someone else and/or make your own practice outlines before you sit down to write.

You can also find tons of successful sample essays online. Looking at these to get an idea of different styles and topics is fine, but again, I don't advise closely patterning your essay after a sample essay. You will do the best if your essay really reflects your own original voice and the experiences that are most meaningful to you.

College Application Essay Format: Key Takeaways

There are two levels of formatting you might be worried about: the micro (fonts, headings, margins, etc) and the macro (the overall structure of your essay).

Tips for the micro level of your college application essay format:

• Always draft your essay in a word processing software, even if you'll be copy-and-pasting it over into a text box.
• If you are copy-and-pasting it into a text box, make sure your formatting transfers properly, your paragraphs are clearly delineated, and your essay isn't cut off.
• If you are attaching a document, make sure your font is easily readable, your margins are standard 1-inch, your essay is 1.5 or double-spaced, and your file format is compatible with the application specs.
• There's no need for a title unless otherwise specified—it will just eat into your word count.

Tips for the macro level of your college application essay format :

• There is no super-secret college essay format that will guarantee success.
• In terms of structure, it's most important that you have an introduction that makes it clear where you're going and a conclusion that wraps up with a main point. For the middle of your essay, you have lots of freedom, just so long as it flows logically!
• I advise against using an essay template, as it will make your essay sound stilted and unoriginal.

Plus, if you use a college essay template, how will you get rid of these medieval weirdos?

What's Next?

Still feeling lost? Check out our total guide to the personal statement , or see our step-by-step guide to writing the perfect essay .

If you're not sure where to start, consider these tips for attention-grabbing first sentences to college essays!

And be sure to avoid these 10 college essay mistakes .

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Ellen has extensive education mentorship experience and is deeply committed to helping students succeed in all areas of life. She received a BA from Harvard in Folklore and Mythology and is currently pursuing graduate studies at Columbia University.

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Writing Guides  /  Proper Essay Format Guide (Updated for 2021)

Proper Essay Format Guide (Updated for 2021)

Content is king. The substance of what you write is the most important thing in your essays and term papers .

However, you also have to nail the mechanics of academic writing. You need to master good grammar and sentence structure, and use appropriate vocabulary for your subject or assignment. Many instructors take points off for incorrect formatting.

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You also need to understand different types of essay format, and use the one that is appropriate to your assignment. This article introduces you to the basic elements of essay format, and helps you to improve your essay formatting.

What is Proper Essay Format?

The format of an essay refers to its basic structure , layout, and even its appearance on the page. Although it seems confusing at first, mastering the different essay formats is not that hard.

There are different formats you will use in different classes, but they share many elements in common. After you write enough essays, you will become familiar with the main essay formats used in typical college classes. Also, some subject areas have preferred essay formats or styles.

Standard College Essay Format

Technically, there is no “right” college essay format. Each teacher will have personal preferences for how they want their students’ papers to appear. Each class will have its own rules, and it is up to you to follow whatever rules your professor provides.

However, there are some basic elements in a college essay format including font or typeface, linen spacing, margins, and whether to include page numbers, headers, headings, and/or a title page. With a few possible variations, the common formatting elements in college essays include the following:

Standard college essays use standard fonts to create a uniform appearance. The most widely acceptable font used in college essays is Times New Roman, but Arial is sometimes acceptable too. Typically, you will be asked to standardize the size of your font to 12 point, but some instructors prefer 10.  Read this article for more information on how to write an essay .

Line Spacing

Most of the time, you will be asked to use double spacing in your college essays. Occasionally you will be asked to use single spacing, or even 1.5 spacing.

The most common margin size is one inch all around.

Page Numbers and Title Page

Short essays usually do not take a title page, but some do. Likewise, you may be asked to include page numbers only for longer assignments.

First Line Indent

Your college essay will be formatted a lot like the books you read, with the first line of each paragraph being indented. Typically, the first line indent is .5 inch. Also, your college essay should be left aligned, as opposed to centering the text on the page.

Essay Format Headings vs. Headers

Some of your college professors may request that you use a heading, while others will ask that you use a header. Some may ask for both. What is the difference between a heading and a header ?

A heading appears only on the first page, and will typically include your name, your professor’s name, the name of the class, and the date of the assignment. For example, MLA style formatting frequently asks for a heading in addition to a running header.

A running header appears on all the pages of your college essay and typically includes only the title of the essay and the page number. Your pages will look like this:

Essay Format Outline

Essay outlines also have their own formats. If you have to create a formal outline for an academic essay, it is always best to check with your professor to see if there is a specific style you are supposed to follow. A typical college essay outline is as follows, using Roman numerals as the top level:

I. Introduction

A. Body section

1. Sub-section

2. Sub-section

B. Body section

III. Conclusion

Essay Format Templates

Scholarship essay format.

If you ever hope to earn a scholarship, now is the time to master the scholarship essay . A scholarship essay should be tailored to the specific fund you are applying for, and it is best to avoid a generalized essay. The main components of the scholarship essay format are similar to those in a standard college essay:

• 12-point font (Times New Roman or Arial)
• First line indent
• Double-spacing
• 1-inch margins

Unlike most college essays, a scholarship essay is going to be written in the first person, because it is about you. You are supposed to talk about yourself in a scholarship essay, whereas in a college essay, you should be writing in third person unless instructed otherwise. The scholarship essay will give you a chance to show how much work you have done to reach your goals, and why you stand out from the crowd.

Even for needs-based scholarships, you will want your reader to know that receiving financial aid is not the only reason you are worthy of receiving the scholarship. Talk at length about what motivates you and what makes you tick. Even if your future goals and career plans are not etched in stone, you can share information about your visions and dreams for the future and how you believe a college education will help you contribute to society.

College Application Essay Format

Like a scholarship essay, a college application essay should be written in the first person. Some college essays will be as short as 100 words, whereas others will be 1500 words or even more. Always follow the instructions, while also keeping in mind the standard rules for what the admissions committee wants:

If you are sincere about getting into a school, spend time on your admissions essay. Make sure the formatting is correct, that you answered the question or responded to the prompts, and that you use good grammar.

For many college application essays, you want to start with a powerful introduction. Telling a brief story about something that happened in your life to shape your character is a good start. Then, be honest and tell the admissions committee about who you are, and why you are interested in their institution. You should ideally share information about your interests and goals, and what courses you are interested in as well. Many college entrance essays have prompts that ask you to reflect on a personal experience that shaped who you are, a position of leadership that you held, or a story about how you overcame a challenge or defeated an obstacle. Because a college application essay is a high stakes situation, it is advisable to seek help from a professional writer or tutor to help you polish your prose. Remember, you are competing with hundreds of applicants and your essay needs to stand out.

Reflective Essay Format

A reflective essay is naturally less formal than an ordinary expository essay. However, there are still formats that you would be expected to follow when you prepare a reflective essay. Some reflective essays are written in the first person, whereas others are more formal like a typical college essay. The format of the reflective essay will include the basic rules of font, paragraph and line formatting, and page setting like margins.

Some reflective essays ask you to reflect on an event in your life or on your own personality. However, not all reflective essays are that personal. Many reflective essays ask you to comment on a specific text that you have been reading in class, a work of art or music, or a current event. When asked to write a more formal reflective essay like this, it helps to begin with an introduction to the object of reflection. If you are reflecting on a scholarly article, your introductory paragraph would include information about the author and title of the publication, and a brief summary of the main arguments. Then, you would begin the reflection as if you were having a conversation with the author.

A sample reflective essay outline is as follows:

A. Name, date, and title of the article, piece of music, or work of art.

B. Brief overview or summary of the object of reflection

C. Thesis: Your opinion or take on the article.

1. Do you agree or disagree with the author, or like or dislike the piece?

2. Introduce a new angle or line of thinking that adds to or challenges the original piece.

A. Focus on one element of the source, weaving in your own ideas or personal experiences.

B. Focus on another element of the source, weaving in your own ideas or personal experiences.

A. Wrap up the reflective essay with a brief summary

B. Suggestions for further research or reflection

Persuasive Essay Format

When you write a persuasive essay , your goal is to influence your reader. For example, you want to talk your reader into changing his or her voting habits, or you want your reader to stop eating meat. When you write a persuasive essay, you have the opportunity to use all the rhetorical strategies you have been learning, such as pathos, ethos, and logos. Use strong and emotionally powerful diction, tone, and imagery, but also rely on credible evidence to substantiate your claim.

A persuasive essay can be of almost any length, and is written in formal academic style. You will follow the structure and outline used for a standard academic essay with an introduction, body, and conclusion. Persuasive essays are also strongly driven by a thesis statement .

A. Hook your reader with a fun or controversial opening statement.

B. Lead into the main topic with background information.

C. State your case, persuade your reader with a strong thesis statement.

A. Reason one

B. Reason two

C. Reason three

D. Acknowledge the opposing or alternative points of view

E. Respond to and refute the opposing points of view

A. Restate your claim

B. Urge the audience to take action

Use the same essay format for standard college essays, with 12-point Times New Roman font throughout and double spacing.

APA Essay Format

The American Psychological Association (APA) offers one of the most widely used essay formats. It is unlikely you will get through college without having to write at least one essay using APA style citation . Psychology classes almost always rely on APA formatting, but APA formatting is standard in a range of other social science disciplines including criminal justice and nursing.

APA formatting follows the basic rules for a standard college essay:

• 12-point font (Times New Roman)

However, APA formatting also includes a title page, a running header with both title and page numbers, and in some cases, an abstract.

APA Title Page

A title page helps your completed essay look polished and presentable in class. On the APA formatted title page, you will include the title of your essay, centered on the page. On a line immediately below the title, also centered, you will write your name. You may also write the name of your class or institution below your name, as well as the date.

APA Running Header

A running header is what appears at the top of every page of the completed essay. In APA format, your essay header will include the TITLE OF THE ESSAY IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, and also the page numbers. An example of a title page with the running header in APA format is as follows:

APA Abstract

Longer research papers in APA format may include an abstract. An abstract is similar to a summary in that it includes the main points of your research. Especially if you are preparing the results of your own research, you will include an abstract that reviews the methods and results of your experiment. Not all papers require an abstract. Usually an abstract accompanies original research in which you want the reader to have a snapshot or overview of how you conducted the study and what the results indicate.

Some APA format papers follow the standard format of research publications, which include the following sections after the abstract:

Introduction or Background

• Review of Literature

Conclusions

Not all APA format papers are research reports, though. Some will be standard college essays, some will be article reviews, and others will be responses to essay questions or prompts.

In APA formatting, when you have a longer paper it helps to organize it with subheadings. The subheadings help draw the reader’s eye to the different sections of your paper. You can use bold font to identify the subheadings, as follows:

• Introduction

This is the introduction to your topic, and where you hook the audience into reading the rest of the paper.

The review of literature is where you describe some of the most important research studies that have already been done on this topic.

The methods section is where you describe the research participants and procedures of the experiment. If you did not conduct an experiment, then you would discuss how you went about compiling data, such as through a search of academic databases or through interviews.

This is the section where you list the raw data from your survey or experiment, or where you simply discuss the results without making inferences or analyses.

In the discussion section of an APA paper, you analyze the results of your research, placing those results into the context of prior literature. Talk about whether you proved your hypothesis. Also discuss limitations to the research, and suggestions for future research.

Wrap up all your research neatly, mentioning how your research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on the topic.

Always list the sources you used in the paper, but do not list any sources that you do not cite directly in the body of the essay using parenthetical citations.

Appendix or Appendices

Include the survey instrument you used, a list of interview questions, or important tables and charts.

MLA Essay Format

Another one of the common essay formats you will encounter in college is from the Modern Language Association (MLA). Used most commonly in the arts and literature classes, MLA format shares some elements in common with other college essays, such as:

Unlike APA formatting, MLA does not typically require a title page. However, you may be asked to put your name, professor’s name, class name, and date in the upper left corner of the first page of your essay instead. For example:

Another thing that differentiates MLA format from APA and other types of essay formats is how you cite your sources. In MLA, you always offer the page number even when you do not quote directly. This may seem problematic when you are paraphrasing an author’s main idea, but it is nevertheless standard practice. MLA papers tend to be discursive. You are expected to engage a work of art or literature in a sort of conversation, weaving in what other people have said on the topic.

Chicago Essay Format

Chicago style format is also common in college essays, particularly in classes in history, political science, and public policy. With Chicago style, you can stick to the basics:

Chicago style formatting also has a title page, similar to APA format. However, you will insert a lot of space between the title of the essay and your name and date as follows:

Another thing that differentiates Chicago style from other styles of essay formats is the citation style. Whereas APA and MLA style essays use in-text parenthetical citations, Chicago style usually takes footnotes.

Additional Elements of an Essay

Some types of essays, such as longer research papers or dissertations , also include other elements. A table of contents is one thing that is unnecessary in all shorter essays, but essential for long assignments like dissertations or Masters theses. Software like Microsoft Word can help you create a table of contents that takes into account the important headings or subheadings of your document.

Types of Essay Formats

The most common types of essay format you are likely to encounter in college include the following:

• APA essay format
• MLA essay format
• Chicago essay format
• Harvard essay format
• Persuasive essay format
• Argumentative essay format
• Research essay format
• Reflective essay format
• Expository essay format
• Compare and contrast essay format
• Cause and effect essay format
• Analytical essay format

Essay Format Example

The main elements of any standard college essay include the following:

• Running Header (Title and Page Number)
• Bibliography/References/Works Cited

The main elements of an APA format essay include the following:

• Introduction/Background

The format of an essay is important for its overall appearance and structure. When you master the different essay formats, you will find it much easier to complete your assignments. Each essay format has its own set of rules and guidelines, but all college essays share certain elements in common.

Almost all essays have an introduction, body, and a conclusion. In some cases, you will also need a title page, an abstract, and a running header. Each class and each instructor will give you specific instructions about the formatting of your essay.

After reading this article, you have a better understanding of the most common essay formats you will encounter during your academic career. You can apply what you have learned about standard college essays to any assignment you encounter. In addition to this guide, you can also consult with a writing coach or assistant to help you with your work.

Take the first step to becoming a better academic writer.

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• Chicago style citation guide
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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

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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The Study Blog : Tips

What is the best font for a college essay.

By Evans May 23, 2020

The best font for a college essay is Times New Romans, Font 12

The font you use when writing academic papers should have two main properties: it should be readable and it should have clearly contrasting italics. Taking these into account, this is my recommendation:

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Use a Serif Font

Serifs are the tiny strokes that extend on letters. Using this definition, serif fonts have the tiny strokes extending on their letters while sans serif fonts don’t have them.

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Examples of sans serif fonts are Ariel, Calibri, Verdana, and Helvetica, among others. These fonts don’t have true italics. Rather, their letters in italics are just slightly slanted to the right. For this reason, they don’t make for good body text. However, they are recommended for headings and single-line texts.

On the other hand, serif fonts have clearly defined italics with a sharper contract and are more readable for longer passages. For this reasons, they are recommended for use in the writing of academic papers. Examples of serif fonts are Times New Roman, Courier, Palatino and New Century Schoolbook. The best font for a college essay is Times New Roman.

The Type Size Should Be Readable

This is basically saying that the size of the font you choose should be big enough for you to read it comfortably without straining. This size is measured using the “point”. The point is basically the percentage of the screen that the letter(s) are occupying. One point is equivalent to approximately one pixel on a computer screen.

When writing academic papers, the recommended font size is between 10 to 12 points. These sizes make your text easy to read without necessarily looking bulky and oversized.

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Margins and Paragraphs

Your margins’ minimum size should be 2.5cm while the maximum should be 3cm. This can be edited from the “Page Layout” tool.

On the other hand, the choice of using an indent is dependent on the type of academic paper you are writing. If required, use the tab tool, to make your indent. This is equivalent to approximately 1.27cm.

Your paragraphs should have a Double or a 1.5 spacing. This spacing ensures that your words are neither too cramped together nor are they too spaced out. They are therefore easily readable.

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What Font Should I Use?

The Modern Language Association (MLA) provides explicit, specific recommendations for the margins and spacing of academic papers. (See: Document Format .) But their advice on font selection is less precise: “Always choose an easily readable typeface (e.g. Times New Roman) in which the regular style contrasts clearly with the italic, and set it to a standard size (e.g. 12 point)” ( MLA Handbook , 7th ed., §4.2).

So which fonts are “easily readable” and have “clearly” contrasting italics? And what exactly is a “standard” size?

For academic papers, an “easily readable typeface” means a serif font, and a “standard” type size is between 10 and 12 point.

Use A Serif Font

Serifs are the tiny strokes at the end of a letter’s main strokes. Serif fonts have these extra strokes; sans serif fonts do not. ( Sans is French for “without.”) Serif fonts also vary the thickness of the letter strokes more than sans serifs, which have more uniform lines.

Books, newspapers, and magazines typically set their main text in a serif font because they make paragraphs and long stretches of text easier to read. Sans serifs (Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Gill Sans, Verdana, and so on) work well for single lines of text, like headings or titles, but they rarely make a good choice for body text.

Moreover, most sans serifs don’t have a true italic style. Their “italics” are really just “obliques,” where the letters slant slightly to the right but keep the same shape and spacing. Most serifs, on the other hand, do have a true italic style, with distinctive letter forms and more compact spacing.

Since they’re more readable for long passages and have sharper contrast in their italics, you should always use a serif font for the text of an academic paper.

Use A Readable Type Size

The standard unit for measuring type size is the point . A point is 1 / 72 of an inch, roughly one pixel on a computer screen. The point size of a font tells you the size of the “em square” in which your computer displays each letter of the typeface. How tall or wide any given letter is depends on how the type designer drew it within the em square, thus a font’s height and width can vary greatly depending on the design of the typeface. That’s why if you set two fonts at the same point size, one usually looks bigger than the other.

Compare the following paragraphs, both set at 12 point but in different fonts:

For body text in academic papers, type sizes below 10 point are usually too small to read easily, while type sizes above 12 point tend to look oversized and bulky. So keep the text of your paper between 10 and 12 point .

Some teachers may require you to set your whole text at 12 point. Yet virtually every book, magazine, or newspaper ever printed for visually unimpaired grown-ups sets its body type smaller than 12 point. Newspapers use even smaller type sizes. The New York Times , for example, sets its body text in a perfectly legible 8.7 point font. So with proper spacing and margins, type sizes of 11 or 10 point can be quite comfortable to read.

Font Recommendations

I usually ask my students to use Century Schoolbook or Palatino for their papers. If your teacher requires you to submit your papers in a particular font, do so. (Unless they require you to use Arial , in which case drop the class.)

One thing to consider when choosing a font is how you submit your essay. When you submit a hard copy or a PDF, your reader will see the text in whatever typeface you use. Most electronic submission formats, on the other hand, can only use the fonts available on the reader’s computer. So if you submit the paper electronically, be sure to use a font your instructor has.

What follows is a list of some widely available, highly legible serif fonts well-suited for academic papers. I’ve divided them into four categories: Microsoft Word Fonts, Mac OS Fonts, Google Fonts, and Universal Fonts.

Microsoft Word Fonts

Microsoft Word comes with lots of fonts of varying quality. If your teacher asks you to submit your paper in Word format, you can safely assume they have Word and all the fonts that go with it.

Morris Fuller Benton designed Century Schoolbook in 1923 for elementary-school textbooks, so it’s a highly readable font. It’s one of the best fonts available with Microsoft Word. Because it’s so legible, U. S. Supreme Court Rule 33.1.b madates that all legal documents submitted to the Court be set in Century Schoolbook or a similar Century-style font.

Hermann Zapf designed Palatino in 1948 for titles and headings, but its elegant proportions make it a good font for body text. Named for Renaissance calligrapher Giambattista Palatino, this font has the beauty, harmony, and grace of fine handwriting. Palatino Linotype is the name of the font included with Microsoft Word; Mac OS includes a version of the same typeface called simply Palatino.

Microsoft Word includes several other fonts that can work well for academic essays: Bell MT , Californian FB , Calisto MT , Cambria , Garamond , and Goudy Old Style .

Mac OS Fonts

Apple has a well-deserved reputation for design excellence which extends to its font library. But you can’t count on any of these Mac OS fonts being on a computer that runs Windows.

Finding his inspiration in the typography of Pierre Simon Fournier, Matthew Carter designed Charter in 1987 to look good even on crappy mid-80s fax machines and printers. Its ability to hold up even in low resolution makes Charter work superbly well on screen. Bitstream released Charter under an open license, so you can add it to your font arsenal for free. You can download Charter here .

In 1991 Apple commissioned Jonathan Hoefler to design a font that could show off the Mac’s ability to handle complex typography. The result was Hoefler Text , included with every Mac since then. The bold weight of Hoefler Text on the Mac is excessively heavy, but otherwise it’s a remarkable font: compact without being cramped, formal without being stuffy, and distinctive without being obtrusive. If you have a Mac, start using it.

Other Mac OS fonts you might consider are Baskerville and Palatino .

Google Fonts

When you submit a paper using Google Docs, you can access Google’s vast library of free fonts knowing that anyone who opens it in Google Docs will have those same fonts. Unfortunately, most of those free fonts are worth exactly what you paid for them, so choose wisely.

IBM Plex is a super-family of typefaces designed by Mike Abbink and the Bold Monday type foundry for — you guessed it — IBM. Plex serif is a solid, legible font that borrows features from Janson and Bodoni in its design. Plex is, not surprisingly, a thoroughly corporate font that aims for and achieves a bland neutrality suitable for most research papers.

John Baskerville originally designed this typeface in the 1850s, employing new techniques to make sharper contrasts between thin and thick strokes in the letter forms. The crisp, elegant design has inspired dozens of subsequent versions. Libre Baskerville is based on the American Type Founder’s 1941 version, modified to make it better for on-screen reading.

Unfortunately. Google Fonts has few really good serif fonts. Some others you might consider are Crimson Pro and Spectral .

Universal Fonts

Anyone you send your document to will have these fonts because they’re built in to both Windows and Mac OS.

Matthew Carter designed Georgia in 1993 for maximum legibility on computer screens. Georgia looks very nice on web sites, but in print it can look a bit clunky, especially when set at 12 point. Like Times New Roman, it’s on every computer and is quite easy to read. The name “Georgia” comes from a tabloid headline: “Alien Heads Found in Georgia.”

Times New Roman is, for better or worse, the standard font for academic manuscripts. Many teachers require it because it’s a solid, legible, and universally available font. Stanley Morison designed it in 1931 for The Times newspaper of London, so it’s a very efficient font and legible even at very small sizes. Times New Roman is always a safe choice. But unless your instructor requires it, you should probably use something a bit less overworked.

What Are the Best Fonts for Essays? Expert Advice to Consider

Mon Aug 30 2021

By nickdeda

What are the best fonts for essays? Most people fuss about the best essay topics and forget about the presentation of the content they intend to write. Fonts play a crucial role in formatting; hence, the need to ensure you get it right. However, the myriad of font styles and sizes could be a little confusing.

Before deciphering the best fonts for essays, it is essential to find a font appealing to the eyes. The next step would be choosing the perfect size. Some people argue that 12 is the best for text and 14 for headings. However, others say that 18 is best for titles and 12 is better for the text.

The best font size for academic papers

The standard unit of determining the font size is a point (pt). A point is approximately 1/72, nearly the size of a pixel on a computer. The pt size determines the size of the "em square," where your computer displays every letter of the typeface. The length and width of a given letter depend on the design of the typeface. This concept explains the difference in the sizes of letters in different font styles.

What font is best for college essays? Choosing a type size below 10 pt in academic papers makes your text too small to read easily, while type sizes above 12 pt look too bulky and oversized. Therefore, the recommendable essays font for the body text is between 10 pt and 12 pt.

What style font should an MLA use? MLA recommends using 12 pt Times New Roman because it is easy to read. Other acceptable fonts for MLA writing style include Georgia and Arial.

What font is most pleasing to the eye?

What are the best fonts for papers? The general rule of thumb about fonts is that you should use either Serif or San Serif font. So, you might be wondering what Serifs and San Serif fonts are. Serifs are semi-structural details on the end of the strokes that make up letters. Serif fonts have these details, while San Serif fonts do not.

Before we get into details, I would like to introduce you to our team of reliable and competent writers who will wholeheartedly help you with your assignments. The best part about our team is we offer high-quality services at affordable rates. Therefore, if you need our assistance, reach out to us.

What font is best for college essays?

Microsoft Words has a variety of font styles that vary in size. In cases where your teacher asks you to submit your research paper or assignment in Word format, Microsoft Word has all the fonts you could use. If your teacher does not specify which style to use, this list provides the best font for assignments.

Universal fonts

Universal fonts are built in both Mac OS and Windows. Therefore, if you shared a document to a device with either of the two operating systems, the document will be displayed in universal fonts. They include,

Times New Roman

What font is most pleasing to the eye? Times New Roman is the standard and best font for academic papers. It is the default font on MS Word and is an example of a Serif font.

Most teachers prefer it because it is solid and universally available. It is also easily readable, even at small font sizes. Therefore, it is always a safe choice, although you should always opt for something less overworked.

Georgia is an example of a Serif font, and it offers the best clarity on computer screens. It is the biggest font for essays, especially when used in print documents, although it gives maximum clarity on computer screens. As a traditional font, it is preferred for websites.

Arial is an excellent Sans Serif font, although most people say it is a bland font, making it popular. It is a unique and the perfect option for your writings. It is also an excellent option for your essays.

If you are conversant with MS Word, you can attest to Cambria’s beauty. It is an alternative Serif font, preferred by those who do not wish to use Times New Roman. Most people consider it a traditional font, preferred for use when writing academic essays.

Garamond is a great and simplistic serif font option. It is a traditional font and one of the best choices. Its clarity on the screen makes it an ideal option if you wish to write a great essay.

Book Antiqua

Book Antiqua is an excellent old-school Serif font. It is an ideal option to settle for since Times New Roman and Garamond are often overused. Book Antiqua font is unique and gentle; hence, easy to read and qualifies as one of the best essay fonts.

Google Fonts

Google fonts are available, especially if you intend to submit your work using Google Docs. However, for the recipient to view the document in the same font, they should open it in Google Docs. Some Google fonts are free, while others are paid for. Therefore, before settling for one, you need to choose wisely.

IBM Plex is a       Serif solid and clear font. Its design borrows features from Bondoni and Janson. IBM Plex is a corporate font that achieves bland neutrality and is most suitable for research papers. So, if you were looking for the best fonts for college essays, IBM Plex is a great pick.

Libre Baskerville

Libre Baskerville is an ambiguously large font. If set at 12 pt, your word document will not look like an academic essay. When using it, consider a smaller font size like 11 pt or less.

Unfortunately, Google has a limited number of Serif fonts. The others that you could consider are Spectral and Crimson Pro.

What is the most professional font?

Century Schoolbook is one of the most recommendable fonts for professional writing. Its clarity makes it preferred. In the USA, legal documents are submitted to the court in Century Schoolbook font.

Helvetica is another preferred professional font. Helvetica is the perfect example of a San Serif font. Most companies prefer to use and consider it to be a modern font. It is among the most appealing fonts you could use.

Microsoft Word offers a wide range of font styles. However, the best fonts for essays depend on the specifications given by your teacher. Nonetheless, in rare cases, the fonts recommended in this article could work, depending on the type of writing.

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Learn the Standard Essay Format: MLA, APA, Chicago Styles

Being able to write an essay is a vital part of any student's education. However, it's not just about linearly listing ideas. A lot of institutions will require a certain format that your paper must follow; prime examples would be one of a basic essay format like MLA, the APA, and the Chicago formats. This article will explain the differences between the MLA format, the APA format, and the Chicago format. The application of these could range from high school to college essays, and they stand as the standard of college essay formatting. EssayPro — dissertation services , that will help to make a difference!

What is an Essay Format: Structure

Be it an academic, informative or a specific extended essay - structure is essential. For example, the IB extended essay has very strict requirements that are followed by an assigned academic style of writing (primarily MLA, APA, or Chicago):

• Abstract: comprised of 3 paragraphs, totaling about 300 words, with 100 words in each.
• ~ Paragraph 1: must include a research question, thesis, and outline of the essay’s importance.
• ~ Paragraph 2: Key resources, scope and limits of research, etc.
• ~ Paragraph 3: Conclusion that you’ve already reached in your essay.
• Table of Contents (with page numbers)
• ~ Research question
• ~ Introduction
• ~ Arguments
• ~ Sub-headings
• ~ Conclusion
• ~ Works cited (bibliography)
• Introduction
• ~ The research question is required
• Bibliography (Works Cited)

This outline format for an extended essay is a great example to follow when writing a research essay, and sustaining a proper research essay format - especially if it is based on the MLA guidelines. It is vital to remember that the student must keep track of their resources to apply them to each step outlined above easily. And check out some tips on how to write an essay introduction .

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How to Write an Essay in MLA Format

To write an essay in MLA format, one must follow a basic set of guidelines and instructions. This is a step by step from our business essay writing service

• Font : 12pt Times New Roman
• ~ Double spaced everywhere
• ~ No extra spaces, especially between paragraphs
• Heading : Example of the heading on the first page of the essay (upper left corner)
• ~ Your name (John Smith)
• ~ Teacher’s / Professor’s name (Margot Robbie)
• ~ The class (Depends on course/class)
• ~ Date (20 April 2017)
• Margins : One-inch margin on the top, bottom, left and right.
• Page Numbers : Last name and page number must be put on every page of the essay as a “header”. Otherwise, it would go in place of the text.
• Title : There needs to be a proper essay title format, centered and above the first line of the essay of the same font and size as the essay itself.
• Indentation : Just press tab (1/2 inch, just in case)
• Align : Align to the left-hand side, and make sure it is aligned evenly.

It’s important to remember that the essay format of MLA is usually used in humanities, which differs from other types of academic writing that we’ll go into detail later. For now, feast your eyes upon an MLA format essay example:

Essay in MLA Format Example

Mla format digital technology and health, mla vs. apa.

Before we move on to the APA essay format, it is important to distinguish the two types of formatting. Let’s go through the similarities first:

• The formatting styles are similar: spacing, citation, indentation.
• All of the information that is used within the essay must be present within the works cited page (in APA, that’s called a reference page)
• Both use the parenthetical citations within the body of the paper, usually to show a certain quote or calculation.
• Citations are listed alphabetically on the works cited / reference page.

What you need to know about the differences is not extensive, thankfully:

• MLA style is mostly used in humanities, while APA style is focused more on social sciences. The list of sources has a different name (works cited - MLA / references - APA)
• Works cited differ on the way they display the name of the original content (MLA -> Yorke, Thom / APA -> Yorke T.)
• When using an in-text citation, and the author’s name is listed within the sentence, place the page number found at the end: “Yorke believes that Creep was Radiohead’s worst song. (4).” APA, on the other hand, requires that a year is to be inserted: “According to Yorke (2013), Creep was a mess.”

Alright, let’s carry over to the APA style specifics.

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How to write an essay in apa format.

The APA scheme is one of the most common college essay formats, so being familiar with its requirements is crucial. In a basic APA format structure, we can apply a similar list of guidelines as we did in the MLA section:

• Spacing : Double-space that bad boy.
• Margins : One Inch margins on all sides.
• Page Numbers : Insert a header at the top left of every page that includes a shortened title of your essay, below 50 characters including punctuation. Slap a number in there too (top right corner).
• Title Page : Title of the paper, author’s name, institutional affiliation. Additional information may be required, such as course title, instructor name and date.
• Headings: All headings should be written in bold and titlecase. Different heading levels have different additional criteria to apply.

You can also ask us to write or rewrite essay in APA format if you find it difficult or don't have time.

Note that some teachers and professors may request deviations from some of the characteristics that the APA format originally requires, such as those listed above.

Note that some teachers and professors maybe have deviations to some of the characteristics that the APA format originally requires, such as those listed above.

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Essay in APA Format Example

Apa format chronobiology, chicago style.

The usage of Chicago style is prevalent in academic writing that focuses on the source of origin. This means that precise citations and footnotes are key to a successful paper.

Chicago Style Essay Format

The same bullet point structure can be applied to the Chicago essay format.

• ~ Chicago style title page is all about spacing.
• ~ Down the page should be the title, with regular text. If longer than one line, double-spaced.
• ~ Next, in the very middle, center your full name.
• ~ Down the page - course number, instructor’s name and the date in separate double-spaced lines.
• Margins : Use one-inch margins apart from the right side.
• ~ Double spaced everywhere.
• ~ No extra spaces, especially between paragraphs.
• Font : Times New Roman is the best choice (12pt)
• Page Numbers
• ~ Last name, page number in the heading of every page on the top right
• ~ Do not number the title page. The first page of the text should start with a 2.
• Footnotes : The Chicago format requires footnotes on paraphrased or quoted passages.
• Bibliography : The bibliography is very similar to that of MLA. Gather the proper information and input it into a specialized citation site.

Tips for Writing an Academic Paper

There isn’t one proper way of writing a paper, but there are solid guidelines to sustain a consistent workflow. Be it a college application essay, a research paper, informative essay, etc. There is a standard essay format that you should follow. For easier access, the following outline will be divided into steps:

Choose a Good Topic

A lot of students struggle with picking a good topic for their essays. The topic you choose should be specific enough so you can explore it in its entirety and hit your word limit if that’s a variable you worry about. With a good topic that should not be a problem. On the other hand, it should not be so broad that some resources would outweigh the information you could squeeze into one paper. Don’t be too specific, or you will find that there is a shortage of information, but don’t be too broad or you will feel overwhelmed. Don’t hesitate to ask your instructor for help with your essay writing.

Start Research as Soon as Possible

Before you even begin writing, make sure that you are acquainted with the information that you are working with. Find compelling arguments and counterpoints, trivia, facts, etc. The sky is the limit when it comes to gathering information.

Pick out Specific, Compelling Resources

When you feel acquainted with the subject, you should be able to have a basic conversation on the matter. Pick out resources that have been bookmarked, saved or are very informative and start extracting information. You will need all you can get to put into the citations at the end of your paper. Stash books, websites, articles and have them ready to cite. See if you can subtract or expand your scope of research.

Create an Outline

Always have a plan. This might be the most important phase of the process. If you have a strong essay outline and you have a particular goal in mind, it’ll be easy to refer to it when you might get stuck somewhere in the middle of the paper. And since you have direct links from the research you’ve done beforehand, the progress is guaranteed to be swift. Having a list of keywords, if applicable, will surely boost the informational scope. With keywords specific to the subject matter of each section, it should be much easier to identify its direction and possible informational criteria.

Write a Draft

Before you jot anything down into the body of your essay, make sure that the outline has enough information to back up whatever statement you choose to explore. Do not be afraid of letting creativity into your paper (within reason, of course) and explore the possibilities. Start with a standard 5 paragraph structure, and the content will come with time.

Ask for a Peer Review of Your Academic Paper

Before you know it, the draft is done, and it’s ready to be sent out for peer review. Ask a classmate, a relative or even a specialist if they are willing to contribute. Get as much feedback as you possibly can and work on it.

Final Draft

Before handing in the final draft, go over it at least one more time, focusing on smaller mistakes like grammar and punctuation. Make sure that what you wrote follows proper essay structure. Learn more about argumentative essay structure on our blog. If you need a second pair of eyes, get help from our service.

Read also our movie review example and try to determine the format in which it is written.

Want Your Essay to Stand Out in Structure and Style?

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What are the best fonts for college essays?

One choice that students will have to make when completing college essays is the font. Now, this may not appear like an important factor, however it can make a substantial difference to the presentation of your essay. Some college essay tasks will have a style guide, whereas others will allow students to choose the font. No matter what subject you are doing the essay for or what year of college you are in, the font should always be taken seriously. In this article, we will show you what are the best fonts for college essays.

Times New Roman

The first font that you should be aware of is Times New Roman. This is the default font for many college essays, and it is also one that is considered the standard in APA, MLA, Chicago, and other referencing styles. This is the most commonly used font, and it is considered fairly formal.

It is a serif typeface font that is hugely popular even outside of academia. It has a fantastic reputation, and it is known as a font that is both professional and easy on the eye. If you are unsure of which font to use, then Times New Roman is always a reliable option. This is true especially if the essay will be printed out, since the font looks excellent on paper.

Another well known font is Arial. In contrast to Times New Roman, it is a sans-serif typeface. This is a clean font that is both professional and neutral. It is easy to read which makes it an appealing font choice for college essays. It is also a font which immediately grabs the attention of the reader which makes it a solid choice if you want to impress your professor.

For a combination of modern and classic, Calibri is the font to choose. Calibri has become the new default font for many word processing software. This is because it looks easy on the eye when it is on a computer. If your essay will be submitted online, then this can be a perfect choice of font. It is a clear font that is both straightforward and easy to read.

Another traditional font that is well worth considering, is Georgia. This is another font that looks fantastic on screen, but not so amazing on paper. This font has a classic feel, and was designed to be used on the screen. You can consider using it to make your essays seem more professional and presentable.

Closing Thoughts

Presentation is just as important as the content. Firstly, it is vital to read the instructions of your college essay. Make sure that you fully understand the requirements, and follow the font guidelines if they are given. If there is a choice to be made, you will have a better idea of the best fonts for college essays. These fonts will allow your work to be easily readable, and they will make the best impression.

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Common App Essay Formatting & Style Guide + Common Grammar Mistakes

This guide to how to format the Common App essay and other college essays is dedicated to helping you take some of the guesswork out of punctuation, style, grammar. We’ll also share some common college essay grammar mistakes students make and show you how to fix them. 

How to use the guide: We recommend skimming the document, reading the sections most relevant to you, then returning periodically, as a reference, as you write your essays. Use Ctr+F to find something in particular, or scan the Table of Contents for links that’ll take you right to what you’re looking for. To make it easier for you to skim, we’ve listed the top mistakes and style questions first, in order of what we see most often, then list the rest, in alphabetical order.

Table of Contents

• 10 Common College Essay Grammar Mistakes & Style Questions
• Dangling/Misplaced Modifiers
• Absolutes/Extreme Language
• Subject-Verb Agreement
• Oxford Comma
• Em-Dash vs. En-Dash

Quotation Marks

• Parallel Structure
• Spacing at the End of a Sentence
• Exclamation Marks
• Common App Style: What You Need to Know

About the Common App Platform

• Activities List Style Exceptions
• Grammar & Style: What Else You Need to Know
• Ambiguous Pronouns
• Formatting Do’s and Don’ts

Capitalization

• Incomplete Comparisons
• Overused Words
• Passive Voice

Punctuation

Apostrophes, word choice, 10 common grammar & style mistakes, 1. dangling/misplaced modifiers.

• A dangling modifier occurs when the word the modifier is intended to modify is not clear or does not immediately follow the modifier. Examples: Incorrect : Exhausted from the trip, the hotel was a welcome sight for Pedro. (The hotel wasn’t exhausted. Who was? It’s not clear.) Incorrect : Exhausted from the trip, the sight of the hotel in the distance made Pedro smile. (The sight wasn’t exhausted; Pedro was.) Correct : Exhausted from the trip, Pedro was relieved to see the hotel in the distance.
• A misplaced modifier occurs when the modifier is too far away from the thing it is supposed to be modifying, making the meaning unclear or confusing. Examples Incorrect : The students were asked to choose a crayon from the box that represented their favorite color. (The box didn’t represent their favorite color; the crayon did.) Correct : Given a box of crayons, the students were asked to choose their favorite color.

2. Absolutes/Extreme language

Examples: Incorrect : Science has always been the lens through which I have observed the world, and it has shown me a different side of diversity. Correct : I observe the world through the lens of science, and it has shown me a different side of diversity. Incorrect : We used to go to the movies all the time. Correct : We frequently went to the movies.

Examples: Mary and her brothers prefer Thai food over Indian. The Lions and their mascot are taking the field.

Examples: The professor or the TA decides how the lab will be graded. Only a small car or a motorcycle fits in that spot.

Examples: Depending on who’s teaching the class, the professor or his assistants are in charge. Depending on who’s teaching the class, the TAs or the professor is in charge.

Examples: The box of cookies sits unopened on the counter. A class with 10 people of various skill sets is difficult to teach. The college campus , which has dozens of buildings spread over several square miles, is difficult to traverse.

Examples: On Friday, the committee votes to determine the new lunch policy. The girls varsity soccer team is on a winning streak. A family of ducks is living in the bush in front of my house.

Examples: The news these days is depressing. Sports is an all-too-common topic for personal statements.

Examples: His pants are too tight. The scissors are broken. The binoculars help you see long distances.

Examples: Everyone in the room knows at least one lyric to that song. No one in the class has earned an A on any of the tests so far. Anyone who has an interest is welcome to join the club.

4. Oxford Comma

The comma is commonly used in academic circles, so the people reviewing your essays are likely more used to seeing it than not. 

Not using the comma can cause confusion, as in this sentence: Asked to name her heroes, Sally listed her parents, Maya Angelou and Martin Luther King Jr. (Read one way, this may seem to suggest that Angelou and King are Sally’s parents.) Fun fact: The extra comma was so consequential in one famous instance that dairy farmers in Maine won a multimillion-dollar lawsuit that hinged on its omission—one more reason to favor the extra punctuation point. 

For students interested in hearing both sides of the debate, we recommend reading this essay for a well-presented argument against the comma’s use.

Examples: After running out of ingredients for the cake recipe, she went to the store to buy eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla. The course teaches kids how to bait their tackle, identify fish species, and cook their catches.

5. Em-Dash vs. En-Dash

Examples: The em-dash — so named because it’s the width of the letter m — is the longest dash. The en-dash – so named because (you guessed it) it’s the width of the skinnier letter n – is the shorter of the two.

Examples: The world-class design won many awards. The design was world class , winning many awards. She wanted to live in off-campus housing. Her dorm was off campus .

Examples: The teacher had a party in her classroom when she turned fifty-six . The Smiths have a 10-year-old .

Examples: He was a self-described genius. He was an ex-military officer. The class was all-inclusive .

Examples: The president-elect will be inaugurated in January. The mayor-elect gave a speech.

Examples: The revolt occurred in the mid-1900s . The pre-Civil War era is also considered the Antebellum Period. Federal authorities believe anti-aircraft missiles took the plane down.

7. Quotation Marks

Examples: “I love it when my teacher gives extra credit,” Sally said. “It helps me stress less about getting every answer right.” He was told to “stand his ground.” Rebecca didn’t know what her teacher meant when she said to “do the right thing,” asking for specific examples. Exception : When question mark isn’t part of the quote, as in: Why would anyone say, “It is what it is”?

Exception : Use single quotes to set off a quote within a quote, as in: “John keeps saying, ‘Don’t do that,’ when I twirl my hair,” Jackie said.

8. Parallel Structure

Examples: Do this : The camp offered fishing , boating and kayaking on weekends in the summer. Not this : The camp offered fishing , boating and rides in a kayak on weekends. Do this : The professor instructed the students to take out their pencils, write down what they think will be on the test, and turn their papers in. Or also : The professor instructed the students to take out their pencils, to write down what they think will be on the test, and to turn their papers in. Do this : The class had several main goals: to teach the basics of physics, to prepare students for advanced physics, and to get students used to working in teams. Or also : The class had several main goals: teaching the basics of physics, preparing students for advanced physics, and getting students used to working in teams. Not this : The class had several main goals: to teach the basics of physics, preparing students for advanced physics, and students learn how to work in teams.

9. Spacing at the End of a Sentence

10. exclamation marks.

Exception : As the cliché goes, there are exceptions to every rule, and the exclamation point is no exception. Below are examples of when the exclamation mark is more acceptable: In direct quotes that express emotion : She looked at me hard and snapped, “I can’t believe you even said that!” When using onomatopoeia : I turned around, and, bam! The door slammed in my face.

Common App Essay Formatting & Style: What You Need to Know

• It does not allow indenting (tabbing), so add an empty line between paragraphs to separate them.
• It allows italics, so see Italics in the Style Guide for guidelines on using italics.
• It allows bold and underline, but avoid those options because they can seem unprofessional (same with emojis and hashtags).
• Single space
• Simple font, like Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri or Cambria

Activities List Style Exceptions:

• Use & instead of “and” if needed.
• Use numerals for numbers (ranked top 2 in state).
• You don’t need to use “and” or & in lists that have longer than two items (Responsibilities included mentoring younger members, recruiting new members, scheduling speakers).
• Use acronyms on first and subsequent references (USC, UCLA).
• Drop the period at the end of each entry if needed.
• You don’t need to write in full sentences (Served as treasurer & social committee chair from 2016-17)

College Essay Grammar & Style: What Else You Need to Know

Ambiguous pronouns.

Examples: Incorrect : Julie took Sandy to the movies after she got home from work. Correct : After Julie got home from work, she took Sandy to the movies. Incorrect : When the vase toppled onto the glass shelf, it broke. Correct : The vase broke when it toppled onto the glass shelf.

Formatting Do’s & Don’ts

• Don’t use all caps to emphasize words . Use italics instead (or even better, use Word Choice ). Otherwise, it may SEEM LIKE YOU’RE SHOUTING.
• Use all caps for acronyms , but only after first spelling out the full name, with the acronym in parentheses. Do not put periods between the letters.

Examples: On first reference : The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an alert on the coronavirus Tuesday. On second reference : The CDC said all Americans who plan to travel to China should take specific precautions.

• Course names (don’t italicize or use quotation marks) (Ex.: Intro to Clinical Ethics, Medieval & Renaissance Studies)

Note: It’s not necessary to use course code (e.g., Chem 103) in the ‘Why us?’ or other essays, and leaving them out can help you save on word counts. But if you prefer to use them for a specific reason, that’s ok too.

• “The” if it’s part of a publication or entity’s name (The Wall Street Journal)
• Proper nouns (Sun Life Stadium, Los Angeles International Airport, Oliver Twist, Friday, Mom [but “my mother,” unless “My Mother” is what you always call her, which is highly unlikely—so remember, the proper noun is the specific name for the person])
• Job titles (sometimes) Deciding when to capitalize a job title comes down to context. If the title is used with a person’s name, capitalize it. If the title is not connected to the person’s name, don’t capitalize it. Same goes for political titles.

Examples: Chief Marketing Officer Mary Nunez was promoted Thursday. Mary Nunez is chief marketing officer for the Delta Farm Co. U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer has led the Senate as minority leader since 2017. Schumer is the Democratic senator from New York. Exceptions: Capitalize your positions or job titles on your resume and Common App activities list.

• Do not capitalize high school unless using it as part of a specific school’s name. We’re seeing this more and more in college essays, so we wanted to clarify this here. Take note.

Examples: I attended Berkeley High School for three years before finishing my studies at Fusion Academy Berkeley. My high school doesn’t offer AP classes.

• Use for emphasis. (but use sparingly)

Examples: When writing your personal statement, you have a choice: Do you tell the story of your life or a story from your life? The teacher gave us an assignment, but we knew we didn’t really have to do it.

• Use for foreign language words.

Examples: I walked into the house, and my abuela greeted me with two besos on the cheek. She had a certain c’est la vie attitude toward life.

• Use for internal dialogue.

Examples: If I don’t get started now, Johnny thought, I’ll never get it done. My mind was flooded with questions. How can they get to know me if they’ll never meet me in person? Should I try to get an interview? What if I can’t?

• Use for publication titles.
• Books ( Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Watch Us Rise )
• Films ( Moonlight, Avengers: Endgame, Get Out! )
• Magazines ( Vogue, Newsweek, Elle Girl )
• Newspapers ( The New York Times, Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal )
• Podcasts ( Serial, This American Life, Radiolab )
• TV shows ( Game of Thrones, Stranger Things, Grey’s Anatomy )
• Famous speeches (Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream , Theodore Roosevelt’s Duties of American Citizenship , Lincoln’s The Gettysburg Address )
• Long musical pieces (Max Richter’s Sleep , Puccini’s Madame Butterfly , Schubert's Winterreise —but use quotes for "Ave Maria" since it is a component of the larger work)
• Book-length poems (Milton’s Paradise Lost , C.D. Wright’s Deepstep Come Shining )
• Works of art ( Venus de Milo, Mona Lisa )
• Use for book chapter titles.

Examples: “How to Revise Your Essay in Five Steps,” from College Essay Essentials “The Ghost at the Window,” from Wuthering Heights

• Use for magazine, newspaper articles.

Examples: “Illinois state employee retires at 102” in USA Today “Germany Navigates Its Climate Policies” in U.S. News & World Report “The Flip Phone Is Back and It’s Not a Total Flop” in The Wall Street Journal

Note: Use the headline styling used by the publication you’re quoting. In these examples, for instance, USA Today uses sentence case, capitalizing only the first word or proper names, like you’d do in a sentence (Ex.:“Why did the DOW tumble again on Tuesday?”). U.S. News & World Report and The Wall Street Journal, on the other hand, use title case, capitalizing the first letter of each word except certain small words (Ex.: “Alcohol Grows as a Prime Time Killer”).

• Use for titles of research studies.

Examples: “An extra-uterine system to physiologically support the extreme premature lamb” “A Non-Canonical Function of BMAL1 Metabolically Limits Obesity-Promoted Triple-Negative Breast Cancer”

Note: Use the headline styling used by the publication you’re quoting.

• Use for direct quotes.

Examples: When quoting something someone said : “If you expect to pass this class, expect to put in the work,” our teacher says.

Pro tip: Use direct quotes for statements that express emotion, personality or something specific you’re trying to portray. Otherwise, paraphrase, especially for routine facts. For example:

Do this : The instructions said to only use a piece of paper and a black pen. Not this : “You may use only a piece of paper and a black pen for this exercise,” the instructions said.

When quoting from a publication : “More than half of all road traffic deaths occur among pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists,” the World Health Organization wrote in a recent press release.

Important note: If you cut and paste from another source—a particularly compelling quote, for example—you must use quotation marks and cite the source to avoid violating plagiarism rules. If you don’t want to use quotes and prefer to paraphrase, you have to substantially change the wording of the quote you’re citing.

Incomplete comparisons

Examples: Do this : The meal was healthier and tastier than the students expected of a lunchroom. Not this : The meal was healthier and tastier. Do this : The 2020 Chevy Impala is sleeker and more aerodynamic than earlier models. Not this : The 2020 Chevy Impala is sleeker and more aerodynamic.

• Use numerals for 10 and above

Exceptions: Spell out any number that starts a sentence (except years). Examples: She counted 11 people walking with her. Thirty people were standing in line. 2019 had arrived.

• Spell out numbers between 1 and 9
• Times (1 p.m.)
• Measurements (acres, feet, etc.)
• Court decisions (5-4 decision)
• Golf clubs (5-iron)
• Highway designations (Interstate 5)
• Numbers before million/billion (1 million people)
• Spell out fractions less than one (two-thirds, four-fifths)
• Abbreviate month where appropriate (Sept., Dec., but March and June)
• 11 p.m. (not 11 PM or 11pm)
• 9/11 is acceptable for the historical event.
• Note: Hyphenate words from twenty-one to ninety-nine.
• Use numerals for everything else (102, 546, 1,054).
• Don’t start a sentence with a numeral, so rewrite to avoid it. If you must start a sentence with a number or date, write it out (Two-thousand-and-nineteen had arrived.).
• Write out fractions (one-third, three-fourths).
• Write out spans of time (fifth century).
• Use numerals
• Before measurements (6 feet, 11 acres)
• With ratios (a 5:6 ratio)
• For money ($5,000)
• With large numbers (3.6 billion, but one million, ten billion)
• With specific times (‘At 7:15 a.m., the alarm went off,” but spell out general times like seven o’clock).
• Use words for numbers with the word “percent” (fifteen percent), but use numerals if using the character “%” (15%).
• Use the same form in comparative numbers and data (6 of 6,500 people surveyed; the temperature rose from 32 to 56 degrees).
• If you start your sentence with a spelled-out number, all other numbers in the sentence should follow the same format (Two hundred people signed up for the class, but only a hundred and twenty-five showed up on the first day.)
• APA generally follows the same rules as AP style with a couple notable exceptions:
• Use numerals for numbers under 10 when grouped with numbers 10 and over.
• Use words and numbers to express back-to-back modifiers.

Overused words

• Important, crucial, etc., unless it’s followed by an explanation about why or how something is important
• Interesting/interested in, unless it’s followed by an explanation about why or how something is interesting
• Expletive constructions (“it was,” “it is,” “there was,” “there is”—basically, an unclear pronoun plus a “to be” or “to have” verb), unless trying to emphasize info that follows (as in: It was clear—she didn’t know what she was doing.)
• “That” as a subordinating conjunction or following bridge verbs (as in: He knew that he was going to do well on the test.). Removing “that” in these instances is also a quick and easy way to trim excess words.
• Real-life and hands-on (especially in essays by engineering students)
• “Satiate my curiosity” (as in: “Brown’s PMLE program offers educational opportunities that will allow me to satiate my curiosity about how the body works.”)

Passive voice

For anyone who’s curious, passive voice is primarily a verb construction in which the verb contains a form of [to be] + past participle, like “was smashed” or “are driven” in the example above. (Passive voice is often defined as “when a thing isn’t doing the thing that it’s doing in a sentence”... but that doesn’t seem super useful or clear.) And if you really want to dig into it, in particular to see instances in which passive voice is a good choice, UNC Chapel Hill does so nicely here .

Examples: The girls’ soccer jerseys sported the embroidered championship patch from last year’s victory. It was the first time the girl’s mother met her teacher.

Examples: Incorrect : She went through high school and college in the 1990’s . Correct : She went through high school and college in the 1990s .

Examples: He knew what he had to do next: run.

Examples: Here are the top 10 reasons to lower the voting age: (followed by a bulleted or other list) This year, I plan to visit five cities in one trip: London, Manchester, Dublin, Paris, and Versailles.

Examples: I’ll tell you this: Punctuation is tricky. The dog knew how to beg: with his eyes.

After introductory clauses Example: After taking a shower, I put on some clean clothes and headed to bed. Before and after parenthetical clauses Example: She took out her tablet, which she bought two weeks ago, and tried to log in. When addressing someone Example: It’s time to take a bath, Johnny. Before and after a year in a date in the middle of a sentence Example: He was born on June 5, 2005, in Biloxi, Miss. After a state when used with a city in the middle of a sentence Example: He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in the dead of winter. In compound sentences, with a conjunction like “and” Example: My iPad captured their attention, and I could see their eyes light up.

After a question mark or exclamation mark in a quote Examples: Incorrect : “When are we going to be done already?,” she asked. Correct : “When are we going to be done already?” she asked. Around “too” Examples: There is no clear consensus around whether to use a comma before (and after, if it’s in the middle of a sentence) the word “too.” But we prefer not to use the commas because leaving them out saves characters and doesn’t force the reader to pause. (Ex.: He too believes her.). In the comma splice "Comma splice" is the term for when two independent clauses are mistakenly linked together by a comma (essentially, creating a run-on; not to be confused with the compound sentence, which does require a comma before its coordinating conjunction). Examples: Incorrect : He used to root for the Dolphins, now he’s a Patriots fan. Correct : He used to root for the Dolphins, but now he’s a Patriots fan. Correct : He used to root for the Dolphins; now he’s a Patriots fan. Correct : He used to root for the Dolphins. Now he’s a Patriots fan. Separating the subject and verb Examples: Incorrect : Thomas the Train, is still popular among toddlers. Correct : Thomas the Train is still popular among toddlers. After “but” or “yet” in the beginning of a sentence Examples: Incorrect : But, he knew he was wrong about trusting his former bandmate. Correct : But he knew he was wrong about trusting his former bandmate. Incorrect : Yet, those who knew him knew he wasn’t capable of such a crime. Correct : Yet those who knew him knew he wasn’t capable of such a crime. In “not only but also” construction Examples: Incorrect : He was not only kind, but also smart and helpful. Correct : He was not only kind but also smart and helpful.

Examples: He took the long way to school; he had no choice.

Examples: He plays the trombone, and he’s pretty good at it. He plays the trombone; he’s pretty good at it.

Examples: He was not only the smartest person in his class; he was also the most popular.

Examples: The class represented a wide range of cities from across the United States: Peoria, Illinois; Atlanta, Georgia; Los Angeles, California; Dallas, Texas; and Boston, Massachusetts. The campers learned how to tie a knot, using just one hand; how to fish, in a lake and a stream; how to kayak, with and without oars; and how to build a bonfire.

Examples: The campus is dark at night; however, lighted paths are available on certain paths.

Affect/effect

Examples: Her concussion affected her performance in all her classes. We’ve been seeing the effects of climate change for years now.

Allude/elude

Examples: The book alluded to Hitler’s mental decline. The escaped prisoner eluded the dragnet for six days before he was caught. It’s on the tip of my tongue, but the word eludes me. She’s won second place four times, but the top prize continues to elude her.

Assure/ensure/insure

Examples: Rich assured Katrina that he turned off the stove before he left the house. The nurses are responsible for ensuring patients get their medications on time. He didn’t worry about the damage to the fender because the car was insured .

Between/among

Examples: When asked to name my favorite treat, I had to choose between Kit Kats, strawberry ice cream, and gelato. When handing out the treats, the teacher had to distribute them evenly among the class.

Compliment/complement

Examples: The blazer complemented her outfit nicely. Tony complimented his brother on his passing techniques.

Complimentary/complementary

Examples: Freida wore a complementary ensemble of blues and greens. Ivan received nothing but complimentary feedback on his speech. The venue gave out complimentary beverages to military veterans.

Each other/one another

Examples: Tom and Nancy looked each other in the eye and promised not to lie. All 10 students sat next to one another , in adjoining seats, so they could study together.

Emigrate/immigrate

Examples: My parents emigrated from Europe in the 1940s. Juan’s family immigrated to America during the Mariel Boat Lift.

Everyday/every day

Examples: The writer was asked to put the manual in everyday language. Mary uses her favorite pen every day .

Farther/further

Examples: We had to drive farther than we wanted to reach our destination. I plan to explore the topic further when I get to college.

Examples: He tried to hand out supplies to the class, but he had fewer pencils and less paper than he needed. I drink less water than I should. (But: I drink fewer glasses of water than I should.)

Examples: He did well on his exam. The test was a good measure of what we learned in class.

Examples: The candidates homed in on their opponents’ weaknesses in the last month of the race. Shania wanted to find a summer internship that would allow her to hone her skills as a researcher.

Examples: Katrina’s loves classical movies ( e.g. , Casablanca, Some Like It Hot, and On the Waterfront). I prefer certain fruits over others ( i.e. , the ones with seeds and not pits).

Note: Both “i.e.” and “e.g.” are followed by periods and commas, and in formal writings (like college essays), they are typically set off by parentheses, as in the examples above.

Imply/infer

Examples: The instructions implied , without explicitly stating it, that you could take as much time as you wanted. She inferred from the group’s body language that they were getting bored with the lecture.

Examples: One in three women will develop cancer at some point in their lifetime. Sears announced in 2019 that it was closing most of its stores.

Examples: Jeetu lost his phone, but he thinks it’s in the classroom. The chair is in good condition, even though its upholstery is starting to fade.

Examples: Whenever I lie in the sun for longer than 10 minutes, I make sure to use sunscreen. She likes to lay her purse on the chair so she won’t forget it when she leaves. He lay in his bed for hours, tossing and turning, before he finally fell asleep. I laid the paper out on the counter so he could see it.

Examples: Jonathan took the lead in the last lap of the 10K, though he felt like his feet were made of lead. More than 30 Ram trucks led floats in last year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Examples: Joe Smith won the primary but went on to lose the general election. Amy wouldn’t spend more than $10 on sunglasses because she knew she’d lose them. The chain was loose around his neck.

Examples: Toby and I went to the movies. Santa left presents for me and my sister, but not for our dog Chase.

Note : “I” comes second in the grouping; “me” comes first. Pro tip : When in doubt on which to use, remove the other person from the sentence. So, for the first example, try: I went to the movies. It wouldn’t be “Me went to the movies,” so “I” is the correct choice. For the second example, try: Santa left presents for me. It wouldn’t be “Santa left presents for I,” so “me” is the correct choice.

Examples: I couldn’t hear the phone ring because the sound was on mute . Jessica was going to explain why she deserved the job, but the point was rendered moot when Clark offered her the position.

Number/amount

Examples: Our teacher taught us a number of lessons on displacement and velocity before our physics test. We had a good amount of practice before we were asked to try the long jump.

Examples: Incorrect : I should of known the concert would be sold out a week before the show. Correct : I should have known the concert would be sold out a week before the show.

Peak/peek/pique

Examples: About 5,000 people have reached the peak of Mount Everest. Rush hour peaks at 6 p.m. Charlie peeked around the corner to see if anyone was coming. His mother was piqued that he didn’t finish the souffle she made just for him. The question piqued my interest; I had to find out more.

Pro tip : Here’s one way to remember the differences: “Peak” has an a, like in “acme;” “peek” has two e’s, like in “eye;” and “pique” has que in it, like “question.”

Principal/principle

Examples: Nick O’Shea is the principal of John I. Leonard High School. Many people argue over the principal cause of the Democrats’ loss in the 2016 election. I agree with you in principle , but I take issue with your arguments. Nelson Mandela was a man of principle .

Examples: He was taller than I thought. Marcus graduated from UCLA, then pursued a doctoral degree in quantum physics at MIT.

Examples: The ball, which has three red spots, sat in the corner of the room. The ball that has three spots sat in the corner of the room.

Note that: The ball which has three spots is in the corner of the room. is also grammatically acceptable. But it’s probably not worth arguing with someone over. Also, some style manuals, such as The Chicago Manual of Style, recommend generally avoiding “which” in restrictive structures. When you’re in college, make sure you’re adhering to style guidelines for different fields (e.g. MLA, APA, Chicago). (*Note that in British usage, “which” and “that” are used interchangeably in restrictive clauses. In American usage, there’s disagreement. Though linguists generally seem to think the disagreement is silly —both work.)

are both fine.

Their/they’re/there

Examples: The Kims celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary on Wednesday. You’ll love my friends; they’re a blast. He wanted me to go there to bring him the keys. She knew there was only one answer to the question.

Examples: No one knew who ate all the pastries in the breakroom. (Here, “who” is the subject for the verb “ate.”) The coach was still deciding whom he should pick to start the next game. (Here, “whom” is the object of the verb “pick” → he should pick him/her/them/whom.) To whom it may concern: (Here, “whom” is the object of the preposition “to.”)

Note: Sometimes, using “whom” grammatically correctly can sound awkward or formal (in large part because of how we speak). In such instances, consider rewriting the sentence to avoid it. (For instance, “Have you decided whom to invite?” could be rewritten to say: “Have you chosen all your guests?”) General guideline: If you can replace it with “he” or “she,” use “who.” If you can replace it with “him” or “her,” use “whom.”

Your/you’re

Examples: Take your time; I’ll be here all day. You’re better off not knowing.

Nicole learned how to tell other people’s stories after a 30+-year career as a newspaper reporter, covering both the mundane and the unforgettable, from serial killer Duane Owen’s retrial, to the Bush/Gore nail-biter, to the homeless family of four who found refuge in a storage unit. Her ideal day is spent playing Cribbage with her dad, beating her husband at RummiKub and planning the next girls trip with her teenage daughters. Top values: Creativity | Growth | Meaningful Work

Frequently asked questions

What font and size is used in mla format.

MLA recommends using 12-point Times New Roman , since it’s easy to read and installed on every computer. Other standard fonts such as Arial or Georgia are also acceptable. If in doubt, check with your supervisor which font you should be using.

Frequently asked questions: MLA Style

In MLA style , footnotes or endnotes can be used to provide additional information that would interrupt the flow of your text.

This can be further examples or developments of ideas you only briefly discuss in the text. You can also use notes to provide additional sources or explain your citation practice.

You don’t have to use any notes at all; only use them to provide relevant information that complements your arguments or helps the reader to understand them.

No, you should use parenthetical MLA in-text citations to cite sources. Footnotes or endnotes can be used to add extra information that doesn’t fit into your main text, but they’re not needed for citations.

If you need to cite a lot of sources at the same point in the text, though, placing these citations in a note can be a good way to avoid cluttering your text.

According to MLA format guidelines, the Works Cited page(s) should look like this:

• Running head containing your surname and the page number.
• The title, Works Cited, centered and in plain text.
• List of sources alphabetized by the author’s surname.
• Left-aligned.
• Double-spaced.
• 1-inch margins.
• Hanging indent applied to all entries.

The MLA Works Cited lists every source that you cited in your paper. Each entry contains the author , title , and publication details of the source.

No, in an MLA annotated bibliography , you can write short phrases instead of full sentences to keep your annotations concise. You can still choose to use full sentences instead, though.

Use full sentences in your annotations if your instructor requires you to, and always use full sentences in the main text of your paper .

If you’re working on a group project and therefore need to list multiple authors for your paper , MLA recommends against including a normal header . Instead, create a separate title page .

On the title page, list each author on a separate line, followed by the other usual information from the header: Instructor, course name and number, and submission date. Then write the title halfway down the page, centered, and start the text of the paper itself on the next page.

Usually, no title page is needed in an MLA paper . A header is generally included at the top of the first page instead. The exceptions are when:

• Your instructor requires one, or
• Your paper is a group project

In those cases, you should use a title page instead of a header, listing the same information but on a separate page.

When an online source (e.g. web page , blog post) doesn’t list a publication date , you should instead list an access date .

Unlike a publication date, this appears at the end of your MLA Works Cited entry, after the URL, e.g. “A Complete Guide to MLA Style.” Scribbr , www.scribbr.com/category/mla/. Accessed 28 Mar. 2021 .

For offline sources with no publication date shown, don’t use an access date—just leave out the date.

The level of detail you provide in a publication date in your Works Cited list depends on the type of source and the information available. Generally, follow the lead of the source—if it gives the full date, give the full date; if it gives just the year, so should you.

Books usually list the year, whereas web pages tend to give a full date. For journal articles , give the year, month and year, or season and year, depending on what information is available. Check our citation examples if you’re unsure about a particular source type.

In an MLA Works Cited list , the names of months with five or more letters are abbreviated to the first three letters, followed by a period. For example, abbreviate Feb., Mar., Apr., but not June, July.

In the main text, month names should never be abbreviated.

In your MLA Works Cited list , dates are always written in day-month-year order, with the month abbreviated if it’s five or more letters long, e.g. 5 Mar. 2018.

In the main text, you’re free to use either day-month-year or month-day-year order, as long as you use one or the other consistently. Don’t abbreviate months in the main text, and use numerals for dates, e.g. 5 March 2018 or March 5, 2018.

In most standard dictionaries , no author is given for either the overall dictionary or the individual entries, so no author should be listed in your MLA citations.

Instead, start your Works Cited entry and your MLA in-text citation with the title of the entry you’re citing (i.e. the word that’s being defined), in quotation marks.

If you cite a specialist dictionary that does list an author and/or overall editor, these should be listed in the same way as they would for other citations of books or book chapters .

Some source types, such as books and journal articles , may contain footnotes (or endnotes) with additional information. The following rules apply when citing information from a note in an MLA in-text citation :

• To cite information from a single numbered note, write “n” after the page number, and then write the note number, e.g. (Smith 105n2)
• To cite information from multiple numbered notes, write “nn” and include a range, e.g. (Smith 77nn1–2)
• To cite information from an unnumbered note, write “un” after the page number, with a space in between, e.g. (Jones 250 un)

If you cite multiple Shakespeare plays throughout your paper, the MLA in-text citation begins with an abbreviated version of the title (as shown here ), e.g. ( Oth. 1.2.4). Each play should have its own  Works Cited entry (even if they all come from the same collection).

If you cite only one Shakespeare play in your paper, you should include a Works Cited entry for that play, and your in-text citations should start with the author’s name , e.g. (Shakespeare 1.1.4).

No, do not use page numbers in your MLA in-text citations of Shakespeare plays . Instead, specify the act, scene, and line numbers of the quoted material, separated by periods, e.g. (Shakespeare 3.2.20–25).

This makes it easier for the reader to find the relevant passage in any edition of the text.

When an article (e.g. in a newspaper ) appears on non-consecutive pages (e.g. starting on page 1 and continuing on page 6), you should use “pp.” in your Works Cited entry, since it’s on multiple pages, but MLA recommends just listing the first page followed by a plus sign, e.g. pp. 1+.

In an MLA style Works Cited entry for a newspaper , you can cite a local newspaper in the same way as you would a national one, except that you may have to add the name of the city in square brackets to clarify what newspaper you mean, e.g. The Gazette [Montreal].

Do not add the city name in brackets if it’s already part of the newspaper’s name, e.g. Dallas Observer .

MLA doesn’t require you to list an author for a TV show . If your citation doesn’t focus on a particular contributor, just start your Works Cited entry with the title of the episode or series, and use this (shortened if necessary) in your MLA in-text citation .

If you focus on a particular contributor (e.g. the writer or director, a particular actor), you can list them in the author position , along with a label identifying their role.

It’s standard to list the podcast’s host in the author position , accompanied by the label “host,” in an MLA Works Cited entry. It’s sometimes more appropriate to use the label “narrator,” when the podcast just tells a story without any guests.

If your citation of the podcast focuses more on the contribution of someone else (e.g. a guest, the producer), they can be listed in the author position instead, with an appropriate label.

MLA recommends citing the original source wherever possible, rather than the source in which it is quoted or reproduced.

If this isn’t possible, cite the secondary source and use “qtd. in” (quoted in) in your MLA in-text citation . For example: (qtd. in Smith 233)

If a source is reproduced in full within another source (e.g. an image within a PowerPoint  or a poem in an article ), give details of the original source first, then include details of the secondary source as a container. For example:

When you want to cite a PowerPoint or lecture notes from a lecture you viewed in person in MLA , check whether they can also be accessed online ; if so, this is the best version to cite, as it allows the reader to access the source.

If the material is not available online, use the details of where and when the presentation took place.

In an MLA song citation , you need to give some sort of container to indicate how you accessed the song. If this is a physical or downloaded album, the Works Cited entry should list the album name, distributor, year, and format.

However, if you listened to the song on a streaming service, you can just list the site as a container, including a URL. In this case, including the album details is optional; you may add this information if it is relevant to your discussion or if it will help the reader access the song.

When citing a song in MLA style , the author is usually the main artist or group that released the song.

However, if your discussion focuses on the contributions of a specific performer, e.g. a guitarist or singer, you may list them as author, even if they are not the main artist. If you’re discussing the lyrics or composition, you may cite the songwriter or composer rather than a performer.

When a source has no title , this part of your MLA reference is replaced with a description of the source, in plain text (no italics or quotation marks, sentence-case capitalization).

Whenever you refer to an image created by someone else in your text, you should include a citation leading the reader to the image you’re discussing.

If you include the image directly in your text as a figure , the details of the source appear in the figure’s caption. If you don’t, just include an MLA in-text citation wherever you mention the image, and an entry in the Works Cited list giving full details.

In MLA Style , you should cite a specific chapter or work within a book in two situations:

• When each of the book’s chapters is written by a different author.
• When the book is a collection of self-contained works (such as poems , plays , or short stories ), even if they are all written by the same author.

If you cite multiple chapters or works from the same book, include a separate Works Cited entry for each chapter.

If a source has no author, start the MLA Works Cited entry with the source title . Use a shortened version of the title in your MLA in-text citation .

If a source has no page numbers, you can use an alternative locator (e.g. a chapter number, or a timestamp for a video or audio source) to identify the relevant passage in your in-text citation. If the source has no numbered divisions, cite only the author’s name (or the title).

If you already named the author or title in your sentence, and there is no locator available, you don’t need a parenthetical citation:

• Rajaram  argues that representations of migration are shaped by “cultural, political, and ideological interests.”
• The homepage of The Correspondent describes it as “a movement for radically different news.”

If a source has two authors, name both authors in your MLA in-text citation and Works Cited entry. If there are three or more authors, name only the first author, followed by et al.

You must include an MLA in-text citation every time you quote or paraphrase from a source (e.g. a book , movie , website , or article ).

MLA Style  is the second most used citation style (after APA ). It is mainly used by students and researchers in humanities fields such as literature, languages, and philosophy.

If information about your source is not available, you can either leave it out of the MLA citation or replace it with something else, depending on the type of information.

• No author : Start with the source title.
• No title : Provide a description of the source.
• No date : Provide an access date for online sources; omit for other sources.

A standard MLA Works Cited entry  is structured as follows:

Only include information that is available for and relevant to your source.

Yes. MLA style uses title case, which means that all principal words (nouns, pronouns , verbs, adjectives , adverbs , and some conjunctions ) are capitalized.

This applies to titles of sources as well as the title of, and subheadings in, your paper. Use MLA capitalization style even when the original source title uses different capitalization .

The title of an article is not italicized in MLA style , but placed in quotation marks. This applies to articles from journals , newspapers , websites , or any other publication. Use italics for the title of the source where the article was published. For example:

Use the same formatting in the Works Cited entry and when referring to the article in the text itself.

In MLA style , book titles appear in italics, with all major words capitalized. If there is a subtitle, separate it from the main title with a colon and a space (even if no colon appears in the source). For example:

The format is the same in the Works Cited list and in the text itself. However, when you mention the book title in the text, you don’t have to include the subtitle.

The title of a part of a book—such as a chapter, or a short story or poem in a collection—is not italicized, but instead placed in quotation marks.

In MLA style citations , format a DOI as a link, including “https://doi.org/” at the start and then the unique numerical code of the article.

DOIs are used mainly when citing journal articles in MLA .

The MLA Handbook is currently in its 9th edition , published in 2021.

This quick guide to MLA style  explains the latest guidelines for citing sources and formatting papers according to MLA.

The fastest and most accurate way to create MLA citations is by using Scribbr’s MLA Citation Generator .

Search by book title, page URL, or journal DOI to automatically generate flawless citations, or cite manually using the simple citation forms.

To create a correctly formatted block quote in Microsoft Word, follow these steps:

• Hit Enter at the beginning and end of the quote.
• Highlight the quote and select the Layout menu.
• On the Indent tab, change the left indent to 0.5″.

Do not put quotation marks around the quote, and make sure to include an MLA in-text citation after the period at the end.

To format a block quote in MLA:

• Introduce the quote with a colon and set it on a new line.
• Indent the whole quote 0.5 inches from the left margin.
• Place the MLA in-text citation after the period at the end of the block quote.

Then continue your text on a new line (not indented).

In MLA style , if you quote more than four lines from a source, use MLA block quote formatting .

If you are quoting poetry , use block quote formatting for any quote longer than three lines.

An MLA in-text citation should always include the author’s last name, either in the introductory text or in parentheses after a quote .

If line numbers or page numbers are included in the original source, add these to the citation.

If you are discussing multiple poems by the same author, make sure to also mention the title of the poem (shortened if necessary). The title goes in quotation marks .

In the list of Works Cited , start with the poet’s name and the poem’s title in quotation marks. The rest of the citation depends on where the poem was published.

If you read the poem in a book or anthology, follow the format of an MLA book chapter citation . If you accessed the poem online, follow the format of an MLA website citation .

Only use line numbers in an MLA in-text citation if the lines are numbered in the original source. If so, write “lines” in the first citation of the poem , and only the numbers in subsequent citations.

If there are no line numbers in the source, you can use page numbers instead. If the poem appears on only one page of a book (or on a website ), don’t include a number in the citation.

To quote poetry in MLA style , introduce the quote and use quotation marks as you would for any other source quotation .

If the quote includes line breaks, mark these using a forward slash with a space on either side. Use two slashes to indicate a stanza break.

If the quote is longer than three lines, set them off from the main text as an MLA block quote . Reproduce the line breaks, punctuation, and formatting of the original.

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How to Make an Essay Appear Longer Than It Is

Last Updated: February 2, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Jake Adams . Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,773,412 times.

You are writing a paper and the deadline is approaching, but you are nowhere near the page limit. Many students find themselves in this position. Luckily for you, you can lengthen your paper by using a few tricks. Increasing the font size, adding a lengthy header, and manipulating the spacing between lines are just a few strategies you can use to make your essay appear longer. However, be aware that breaking your teacher’s guidelines may result in a lower grade.

Playing with the Font

• Don’t pick a very large font like Arial Black or Lucida Handwriting. Your teacher will notice that you are trying to make your essay longer by choosing a larger font.

Manipulating Spacing and Margins

• If the increase is too noticeable, then try 1.15 or 1.1 instead.
• Because all documents are left justified, avoid increasing the left margin. Adjusting the left margin will produce a noticeable change that your teacher will detect.

Adjusting the Header and Footer

Expanding the Content

• Additionally, if you are quoting or paraphrasing research or literature, make sure to cite it properly. Citations can add extra length to a paper as well.

• Expand your introductory paragraph with an attention-getting statement to hook the reader in.

• However, try to avoid being descriptive when it is unnecessary since this may cause your paper to appear embellished or sound verbose.

Community Q&A

• Copy and paste your paper into a new document. Make these changes to the new document. Then compare and contrast the document with the changes to the original document. Remove any adjustments that seem obvious. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Use a thesaurus to find longer synonyms to use in place of shorter ones. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Spell out abbreviations; for example, write out “United States" instead of using "US." Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Be aware that breaking your teacher’s guidelines may be considered cheating, which may result in a lower grade or even a zero. Thanks Helpful 11 Not Helpful 1
• Don't be redundant. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.paperhelp.org/blog/how-to-make-a-paper-longer.html
• ↑ https://www.jakebinstein.com/blog/how-to-make-an-essay-look-longer/
• ↑ https://studentshare.org/study-guides/how-to-make-your-essay-look-longer
• ↑ http://www.seventeen.com/life/school/advice/a27491/tricks-you-try-to-make-your-school-paper-longer/
• ↑ https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-make-paper-longer-793288

About This Article

To make an essay appear longer than it is, pick a font that's slightly larger than Times New Roman, like Arial, Courier New, or Cambria. If you're required to use 12-point font, try increase the font to 12.1 or 12.2 to gain some extra length without the font looking noticeably larger. Then, press on Control and the F key at the same time to activate the find and replace function, and replace all of the commas and periods with 14-point font. If the essay still isn't long enough, increase the line spacing by 0.1 or 0.2 and make the right margin 0.1-0.2 inches larger. For tips on adjusting the header and footer or adding more content to your essay, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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