Adding MLA Format Page Numbers to a Word Document

Step 1 – Open the Header Scroll to the second (or third, etc.) page of your document. Any page except the first page will do. Double click in the top margin to open the header OR Click on the “Insert” tab and select “Header.” Choose the “blank” option. This little label will appear Select this option if double-clicking doesn’t work

Step 2 – Keeping the Page Number Off the First Page Once your header is open, make sure that you have selected “Different First Page.” Double-check that you are not about to start creating your header on the first page of the document. This box should be checked.

Step 3 – Align Right Your header will automatically default to align left. To change it to align to the right, click on the “Home” tab and change your alignment just as you would in the body text of your document. You can also achieve this by double-clicking in the right corner. Click here… …and your cursor should move here.

Step 4 – Creating the Header Text First, change your header font to match your body text font. Do this under the “Home” tab. Type your last name and HIT SPACE! Go back to the “Header and Footer Tools” tab and click on the “Page Numbers” icon. Select “Current Position” and “Plain Number.” Same font as the body text! Leave a space before the page number. Select your page number style – make sure it is “current position” so it always follows your last name, and “plain number” so you don’t get any weird lines.

Step 5 – Double Check That Everything Worked Scroll to the first page and look at the header – there should be nothing there. If there is something there, go back to your header tools and make sure you selected “Different First Page”, as in Step 2. Look at your header. Does your name appear as Smith2 or Smith 2? If there is no space, re-open your header, put your cursor in between the end of your name and the page number, and hit space. Scroll to the third or fourth page. The third page header should show your last name followed by “3”, the fourth page should show your last name followed by “4”, etc. If all the pages show the same page number, you probably just typed in a number rather than using the “Page Number” function. Go back to Step 4.