Skip to Main Content

Macdonald DeWitt Library at SUNY Ulster

Microsoft Word: Formatting Your Paper

An overview of what you need to know to type your paper in Microsoft Word 2013.

Typing Your Paper

Microsoft Word has default settings that are NOT what you want for an MLA, APA, or Chicago Style Paper. This guide shows you how to format your paper properly.

You have to change the settings for font, font size, paragraph spacing, indents, and headers. This guide attempts to clarify how to do this. If you have questions, ask a librarian!

Note: This guide uses images from Microsoft Word 2013, but the instructions are still applicable to newer versions of the software.

Sample Papers