If using the web (online) or a newer version of Word, accessible through your student/employee email, it might look slightly different than what you see in the screenshots below. We recommend using the client/desktop version of your paper for these steps, rather than using the web-based version, because it is easier to verify your changes (the web version truncates updates to headers). Learn how to download Office in this FAQ.
> We also recommend you do the following to your document as a last step, rather than before you have multiple pages to work with.
To create your running head and number your pages in Microsoft Word, follow these steps:
1. Go to the Cover Page (or first page) of your document.
2. Choose the Insert menu.
3. Select the Page Number drop down, then, if in the client version of Word select Top of Page (Choose Plain Number 3 from the list of header options) or in the web version, via the images where you want the number to show up (top right hand side option). The page number will now show up in the header:
If in the client version, place your cursor right in front of the page number in your header and type the abbreviated title of your paper in ALL CAPS just in front of the page number. Press the tab key (about 3 times) until the abbreviated title is justified to the left. The page number will remain at the right.
If in the web version, a table will appear where you can type the title:
4. For the client version: While still keeping your cursor in the header area, click the Header & Footer Tool's Design menu tab. Note: this may already be selected.
For the web version: select the Options dropdown:
8. Check or select Different First Page. You will now see a blank header on your cover page. This allows you to have a different header on your cover page than you will have on the rest of your paper. This is what it looks like in the client version:
9. Type Running Head: YOUR PAPER TITLE. This will appear at the left side of your header. The paper title should be typed in ALL CAPS.
The subsequent pages of your paper will have only the abbreviated title and the page number in the header, while the cover page will now have the Running Head and no page number.
You will need to manually type the number 1 back into Running Head page. This is what it looks like in the client version:
10. Check the font size and style of your headers. They should be 12 pt. Arial or Times New Roman.
See below for a file template you can paste your paper into. The Writing Center site also has sample and example formatting documents.
Do you have other general writing questions?
TCC has Writing Centers at each campus where writing tutors are available .