A research paper format and template is the standard sequence of sections — title page, abstract, introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, conclusion and references — that every academic paper follows, adjusted to the referencing style your university or journal requires. This guide gives you a ready-to-use template you can copy, a side-by-side comparison of APA, MLA and Chicago formatting rules, a fully worked example of a filled-in title block and abstract, and answers to the questions students ask most. Use it as a touchstone, then shape each section to match your own brief.
Students hunting for a research paper template usually start with one worry: there seems to be no single “correct” structure to copy. That is half true. Different universities and journals do prefer different referencing styles — some require MLA, others APA, others Chicago or Harvard — and each sets its own rules for fonts, margins and how the reference list is laid out. But underneath those surface differences, the skeleton of a research paper is remarkably stable. Master the skeleton once and you can re-style it for any format in minutes.
Below you will find the universal template, the formatting rules that actually change between styles, a worked example you can mirror, and a clear explanation of how the methodology, results and discussion sections fit together. If you have never written one before, it also helps to be clear on what is meant by a research paper before you start filling in the sections.
What Is a Research Paper?
A research paper is a structured document that presents the findings of an original inquiry, investigation or analysis carried out on a defined topic. It is usually written by one or more authors to address a gap in existing knowledge, and its arguments are supported throughout by evidence — data, quotations and the published work of other scholars — cited so that any reader can trace and verify each claim.
That definition matters because it shapes the template. Every section exists to answer one question for the reader: what did you set out to find, how did you go about it, what did you discover, and why does it matter? The eight or nine standard sections simply walk through those questions in a logical order.
Research Paper Format: The Standard Structure
Here is the generic research paper format used by researchers worldwide. The order is the part that almost never changes; only the styling (font, spacing, citation layout) shifts between APA, MLA and Chicago. Treat the template below as your master copy and adapt the section labels to your brief — many science disciplines, for example, split a single “Findings” heading into separate Results and Discussion sections.
Title Page
The title of the study, then the author or authors’ names, the name of your supervisor or instructor, your institution or course, and the date — formatted to your journal’s or university’s standards.
Abstract
A precise 150–250 word summary of the whole study: the problem, your method, your key findings and what they mean. Written last, but placed first.
Introduction
Background and context, an overview of the key concepts, the research gap you are filling, and a clear thesis statement or research question that the rest of the paper answers.
Literature Review
A critical summary of what has already been published, using correctly cited quotations and findings from books, journals and other credible sources to position your study and keep your work free of plagiarism.
Methodology
The research methodology approach you used — qualitative or quantitative — and the data collection techniques you applied, such as random or snowball sampling, interviews, questionnaires, structured or unstructured observation, or focus groups. See our fuller guide on writing the methodology section of a research paper.
Results / Findings
A neutral, factual report of what your analysis produced — tables, figures and statistics — without interpreting them yet.
Discussion
Where you interpret the results against your research aims, compare them with earlier studies, and acknowledge limitations.
Conclusion
A recap of your main arguments and findings, plus implications and recommendations for future research.
References / Works Cited
A complete, alphabetised list of every source cited, formatted in your required style so anyone can locate the originals.
Appendix (if required)
Supplementary material — graphs, charts, maps, raw questionnaires — that supports the paper but would interrupt the flow if placed in the main text.
The figure below shows how those parts stack from title page to references, and which question each one answers.
Is There One Defined Structure for a Research Paper?
No single structure is mandatory, because requirements vary from format to format — MLA, APA, Chicago, Harvard and others each have their own conventions. What stays constant is the logical flow above; what changes is presentation. Before you submit, always read your referencing guide so your in-text citations and reference list match the style your marker expects, since formatting errors are one of the easiest ways to lose marks.
The template in this guide is deliberately generic so it works whichever style you are assigned. Use it as the underlying frame and restyle the surface details to suit your institution or journal.
APA vs MLA vs Chicago: Formatting Rules Compared
The quickest way to see how these three styles differ is side by side. The table summarises the rules students get wrong most often — font, margins, spacing, title page and how sources are cited in the text.
| Element | APA (7th ed.) | MLA (9th ed.) | Chicago (Turabian) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Font | 12pt Times New Roman or 11pt Arial | 12pt Times New Roman | 12pt Times New Roman |
| Margins | 1 inch all sides | 1 inch all sides | 1 inch or larger |
| Line spacing | Double | Double | Double |
| Paragraph indent | ½ inch | ½ inch | ½ inch |
| Title page | Required (running head on each page) | Not required — header block on first page | Optional (Turabian title page) |
| In-text citation | Author–date: (Smith, 2021) | Author–page: (Smith 42) | Notes-and-bibliography or author–date |
| Reference list title | References | Works Cited | Bibliography |
| Page number | Top right | Top right, with surname | Top right or bottom centre |
How to Format a Research Paper in APA
APA (American Psychological Association) style is the default across the social sciences, psychology and many business courses. The core rules are:
- Use 12pt Times New Roman or 11pt Arial throughout the body text.
- Indent the first line of every new paragraph by ½ inch.
- Keep double line spacing across the whole document, including the reference list.
- Set page margins to 1 inch on all sides.
- For publication, insert an APA running head on every page.
APA Heading Levels
APA uses five heading levels, each formatted differently so the reader can see the hierarchy at a glance.
| Level | APA heading style (7th ed.) |
|---|---|
| 1 | Centred, Bold, Title Case — text begins on a new line (first line indented). |
| 2 | Left-aligned, Bold, Title Case — text begins on a new line (first line indented). |
| 3 | Left-aligned, Bold, Italic, Title Case — text begins on a new line (first line indented). |
| 4 | Indented, Bold, Title Case, ending with a period. Text begins on the same line. |
| 5 | Indented, Bold, Italic, Title Case, ending with a period. Text begins on the same line. |
APA Reference Page
List sources alphabetically on a dedicated page headed “References”. Every in-text citation must include the author surname and year, and every cited work must appear in the list. A free APA style citation generator can build correctly formatted entries quickly, though you should always double-check the output against the manual. If you are unsure whether your paper is correctly formatted, our expert writers can review it against the exact APA requirements.
How to Format a Research Paper in MLA
MLA (Modern Language Association) style dominates English, literature and the humanities. The essentials are:
- Use a readable 12pt font such as Times New Roman.
- Set all page margins to 1 inch.
- Use double line spacing throughout.
- Indent the first line of each new paragraph by ½ inch.
- Apply title case consistently to titles and headings.
First-Page Header Block
MLA has no separate title page. Instead, a four-line header block sits at the top left of the first page, above the title:
- Author’s full name
- Supervisor’s or instructor’s name
- Course code or number
- Due date of submission
Page Header and Works Cited
Place your surname and the page number in the top-right header of every page. Every borrowed idea needs an in-text citation, and all sources appear in full on a dedicated “Works Cited” page at the end of the document.
How to Format a Research Paper in Chicago
Chicago style (also called Turabian) is common in history and some humanities and business courses. Its rules largely echo APA and MLA, with a few differences:
- Use a standard 12pt Times New Roman font for body text.
- Set margins to 1 inch or larger.
- Use double line spacing for readability.
- Indent every new paragraph by ½ inch.
- Place the page number top right or bottom centre.
Chicago Title Page
A title page is not strictly required, but you may include a Turabian-style one if you wish. For layout ideas you can adapt, see these tips on writing the title page.
Bibliography or Reference List
Chicago offers two citation systems. The notes-and-bibliography system uses footnotes or endnotes alongside a bibliography — favoured in history. The author–date system places the author and year in brackets in the text alongside a reference list — favoured in the sciences. Choose one system and apply it consistently; do not mix them.
Worked Example: A Filled-In Title Block and Abstract
Seeing the template populated removes most of the guesswork. The box below shows what the opening of an APA-formatted student paper looks like once the title page and abstract are filled in.
Title: The Effect of Remote Working on Employee Productivity in UK SMEs
Author: A. Student
Institution / course: Department of Management, University of Example (BUS3041)
Supervisor: Dr J. Marker
Date: 14 May 2026
Abstract. This study examines whether remote working affects self-reported productivity among employees of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the United Kingdom. Using a quantitative survey of 184 employees across 30 firms, productivity scores were compared between fully remote, hybrid and office-based staff. Results indicate that hybrid workers reported the highest productivity, while fully remote staff reported greater autonomy but more difficulty collaborating. The findings suggest that hybrid arrangements, rather than fully remote ones, best support SME productivity, with implications for post-pandemic workplace policy.
Keywords: remote working, productivity, SMEs, hybrid work, United Kingdom
Notice how the abstract mirrors the paper’s structure in miniature — problem, method, results, implication — in four sentences. That is the test of a good abstract: a reader should grasp the whole study without turning the page.
How the Methodology, Results and Discussion Fit Together
These three sections are where most marks are won or lost, and students often blur them. Keep their jobs distinct. The methodology explains how you gathered and analysed evidence, in enough detail that another researcher could repeat your study. The results section reports what you found, neutrally, using tables and figures without interpretation. The discussion then explains what it means — interpreting results against your aims, comparing them with the literature, and stating limitations.
“The most common structural error we see is students interpreting their data inside the results section. Report the numbers there; save the meaning for the discussion. Keeping the two apart instantly makes a paper read like serious scholarship.” — ResearchProspect academic team
If you would like deeper, section-specific guidance, we have dedicated walkthroughs for the results section and the discussion section, and you can browse finished Samples to see the structure applied across subjects.
Common Research Paper Formatting Mistakes to Avoid
Even a strong argument loses marks when the formatting slips. Watch for these:
- Mixing two referencing styles in one paper — pick one and apply it everywhere.
- Citing sources in the text that never appear in the reference list, or vice versa.
- Interpreting results before the discussion section.
- Inconsistent heading levels that break the visual hierarchy.
- Forgetting the running head (APA) or surname-plus-page header (MLA).
- Single spacing the reference list when the rest of the paper is double spaced.
Choosing a Reference Manager
Once a paper cites more than a handful of sources, managing them by hand becomes error-prone. Reference managers such as Mendeley and EndNote store your citations, insert them in your chosen style and rebuild the reference list automatically if you switch from APA to MLA. They will not catch every formatting quirk, so a final manual check against your style guide is still wise — but they remove most of the drudgery and the risk of an uncited source slipping through.
Conclusion
A research paper template is the fastest route to a well-organised paper, provided you treat it as a starting frame rather than a rigid rule. Keep the universal structure — title page through references — and adjust only the styling to match the APA, MLA, Chicago or Harvard rules your university or journal sets. Build the skeleton first, populate each section with the question it answers, and run a final formatting check before you submit.
If your deadline is close and you are only part-way through, a second pair of expert eyes can make the difference between a pass and a strong mark. Browse the menu of support on offer to see how we can help.
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