Format is typically one of the last things on a writer’s checklist before they turn in the final draft. 

It involves making sure the font, margins, and spacing are all meeting the standards. What are the standards? Well, sometimes the person assigning the paper (or the editor in charge of the newspaper or magazine) will give you a list of formatting requirements. 

Other times, you’ll just be told to put your paper in “MLA style” or “APA style” and be expected to know what that means. 

Still other times, you might not get any direct instruction at all, but your teacher probably still has a specific format in mind. 

So how are you supposed to read minds and know what the paper is supposed to look like? This resource is about figuring that out. 

Check out these resources for more details on formatting: 

• MLA General Format (from Purdue OWL)
• APA General Format (from Purdue OWL)