6 ways to make a cover

Many professional and academic documents require a cover page, but the information it requires varies according to the nature of the document. Some covers, like the ones you would send along with a resume, are actually letters. Others, like those used for academic essays, are actually covers. For all cover letters, it is recommended that you use a standard font, such as Times New Roman, no smaller than twelve points.

Steps

Method 1 of 6: Format a cover for a resume

Step 1. Limit the letter to a single page

The cover of a resume should be in the form of a professional letter and should fit on a single page.

• The document should be single-spaced, but each paragraph of the letter should be separated by a blank line.
• Normally, you should use margins of 2.5 cm (1 inch), but you can use margins up to 1.8 cm (0.7 inches), as long as you use them at all ends of the document.
• Also, the entire document should be aligned to the left side of the page.

Step 2. Include contact information in the upper left corner

Fill in your full name, address, phone number, and email address.

• Each of these data must go on a separate line.
• If you have a fax number, you must include it below your phone number and above your email address.
• The purpose of including a phone number, fax number, and email address is to make it easier for potential employers to contact you.

Step 3. Write the full date below the contact information

If you are in the United States, write the date in the format month, day, year. Most other western countries use the day, month, year format, while China and Japan use the year, month, day format.

• Write the full name of the month, instead of abbreviating it with a number. For example, instead of writing 1/1/2016, you would write January 1, 2016.
• Leave a blank line above and below the date.

Step 4. Specify the name and address of the recipient

Provide the name of the specific contact to whom you are sending your resume, along with their title and company address.

• The name and title of the recipient must be indicated on the same line, separated by a comma. The name of the company should be written under the name of the contact and below the address of the company should be placed.
• Note that you do not need to include your business email address, phone number, or fax number.
• If you don't know the name of the specific contact at the company, omit that information.

Step 5. Address the recipient by name

Address the reader formally with the word "dear." Whenever possible, you should address the letter to a particular person. However, when you can't get a specific name, you can address the letter to: "dear hiring manager," "dear hiring team," or "dear selection committee."

• When you know if the recipient is male or female, drop their first name and address it as "Mr." or "Mrs.", as appropriate. For example: "dear Mrs. Pérez" or "dear Mr. López".
• If you don't know if the recipient is male or female, omit the title and use their full name; for example: "Attention: Jesús Reyes".
• Leave a blank line before and after the vocative.

Step 6. Write an introduction

The introduction should be brief and include basic and essential information. If you previously had contact with the recipient or the company, specify it in the introduction.

• If you are a student, indicate which university you attend and what degree you are studying.
• Indicate which position you are applying for and how you found out about the vacancy.
• You could also mention the name of a professional or academic contact that you know has a positive connection to the recipient or the company.

Step 7. Use one to three paragraphs to highlight your skills

Use the body of the letter to explain what your qualifications are for the position and what good you could bring to the company. Be sure to include some specific examples that prove your point.

• Review the job posting and note the specific qualities the employer requests. Mention those qualities in the body of the letter.
• List any special projects, awards, or accomplishments that have a clear connection to the skill set the employer is requesting.

Step 8. Conclude the letter briefly

Write a short final paragraph that expresses your enthusiasm for the position.

• You could also request an interview or indicate that you plan to contact the recipient in the following weeks.
• You can also include your phone number and email address, but it's not entirely necessary as that information is included in the header.

Step 9. Finish the letter formally

Write a polite farewell, such as "thank you" or "sincerely"; then four lines down, write your full name.

• Handwritten signature in the space between the farewell and the name.
• Always use black ink to sign formal documents.

Method 2 of 6: Make a fax cover

Step 1. Put your name and address in the header

Use a formal letterhead, if you have one; otherwise, write your full name and the address of your company or institution in the center of the upper part of the sheet.

• Include your phone number and fax number below the name and address.
• Leave at least two blank lines between the header and the rest of the document.

Step 2. Divide the cover into two columns

Both your contact information and that of the recipient should be indicated at the top of the page. The two columns must be double-spaced.

• It is a good idea to save your document as a template for later use with another fax, as the general format will be the same.
• The most important feature of the fax cover is that it must be clear and easy to read.

Step 3. In the left column, enter the date, the recipient's name, the sender's name, and their phone number

Each informational element must be labeled, and each label must be written in capital letters and followed by a colon.

• Label the date with "DATE:", the recipient's name with "TO:", your name with "FROM:" and your phone number with "PHONE:".
• In the United States, the date is written in the format "month, day, year," while in most other countries it is written in the format "day, month, year."

Step 4. Enter the time, both fax numbers and your email address in the right column

Each informational element must be labeled, and each label must be written in capital letters and followed by a colon.

• Label the time with "TIME:", the recipient's fax number with "FAX:", your fax number with "FAX:" and your email address with "EMAIL:".
• Note that you must put the recipient's name and fax number on the same horizontal line. Also, you should put your name and your fax number on the same horizontal line.

Step 5. Indicate the number of pages

The number of pages the fax contains is indicated just below the information in the left column.

• Present the information with a phrase such as: "number of pages, including cover:"
• Note that you do not have to capitalize this sentence.

Step 6. Include a short message

The message should not exceed a few lines. Clearly state what kind of document you are faxing and why you are faxing it to the recipient.

• If, in relation to the content of the fax, you had a previous contact with the recipient, indicate it.
• Present the message with the label "MESSAGE:"
• Below the message, ask the recipient to confirm receipt of the document by calling the indicated phone number or writing to the email address provided.

Step 7. If necessary, write a disclaimer

If the information is confidential, it clearly indicates that it is for the intended recipient's use only and that its use by another recipient is strictly prohibited.

• Includes a request to be contacted in case the fax is not received in full or if it is received accidentally; that is, if you send it to the wrong fax number.
• Specific privacy guidelines for transmitting protected confidential information may vary. If you work for a healthcare provider, you may need to follow additional guidelines to protect client privacy.

Method 3 of 6: Format a Manuscript Cover Sheet

Step 1. Include contact information

Write your full name, address, phone number, and email address in the upper left corner of the cover page. While you can choose to include the title of the manuscript on the cover page, it is a different document than the title page.

• Use your real name. If you are submitting the manuscript under a pseudonym, you can place it after your real name. Present your pseudonym with "alias" or "(pseudonym: Juan Pérez)".
• If you are presenting the work in a context in which it will be judged anonymously, include the contact information on the cover, but omit it on the title page.

Step 2. Indicate the number of words

The approximate word count should be placed in the upper right corner. If you're presenting it in a context where word counts are strict, be sure to follow the guidelines or your work will be automatically disqualified.

• You do not need to use an exact word count. For example, if the manuscript is 63,472 words, round them to 63,000 or 63,500.
• Indicate the number of words with the phrase: "approximately ______ words."

Step 3. Include the title of the manuscript

In the middle of the page, center the full title of the manuscript. The length of the title should never be longer than one line.

• You do not have to capitalize the title, although it is a fairly common practice.
• You also don't have to underline the title or write it in bold or italic letters.

Step 4. Finish with the author's name

On the line below the title, write the name under which you would like your work to be published. It can be your real name or a pseudonym.

• You do not have to include any indication about the copyright, as your work will be protected automatically.
• Never bind or bind the manuscript pages in any way. The cover, as well as the other pages of the manuscript, should be loose and inside an envelope or box.

Method 4 of 6: Use the APA style on a cover

Step 1. Use a standard font and margin

Unless your teacher indicates otherwise, you should use the 12 point Times New Roman font for the cover.

• You should use a standard 2.5 centimeter (1 inch) margin at all ends of the cover.
• The cover text should be double spaced.

Step 2. Place a title in the upper left corner

The title is a heading that is repeated on all pages of the document. The title must include an abbreviated form of the title.

• Presents the title with the label "title", followed by a colon.
• The title must be written all in capital letters.
• The title must not exceed fifty characters, including spaces and punctuation marks.

Step 3. Include the page number in the upper right corner

Since this is the first page of the essay, it will be "1".

• The page number and title must be aligned horizontally and evenly.
• Use Arabic numerals, not Roman numerals or written numbers.

Step 4. Center the title

The title should be placed approximately at the height of the top third of the page. Typically, this will place the title approximately two inches (five centimeters) below the heading line.

• Capitalize only the initial of the first word; for example: How to make a cover.
• Do not write the title in bold or italic letters, or underline it.

Step 5. Put your name under the title

Include your first name, your middle initial, and your last name on the line just below the title.

• If other students participated in the study or trial, their names are also indicated.
• Separate the names with commas.

Step 6. Include the name of the institution

You must indicate the name of the institution to which you belong, on the line just below the name. The first letter of each important word must be capitalized.

• For example, if you are submitting the paper for a class you took at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, you should include this information on the line just below the author's name (that is, your name and the names of the co-authors).
• Check with your teacher for additional guidelines.

Method 5 of 6: Use the MLA style for the cover

Step 1. Use a standard font and margins

Use a 12-point Times New Roman font and leave a 1-inch (2.5-centimeter) margin at each end of the page.

• Keep in mind that the entire page should be aligned to the center.
• Note that the covers are not standard in MLA format, but some teachers may request them.

Step 2. Center the title

The title should be placed approximately at the height of the top third of the page. If you have a subtitle, place it below the title.

• Only the initial of the first word must be capitalized; for example: How to make a cover.
• Do not write the title or subtitle in bold or italic letters, or underline them.

Step 3. Write your full name

Leave several blank lines under the title and be sure to include your first and last name. If other people collaborated with you on that document, also include their names.

• You must write your name with the same type size and font with which you write the other words on the cover.
• Don't try to use a cute or nifty font anywhere on the cover, as teachers don't notice that.

Step 4. Enter the name of the recipient of the document

Under your name, write the teacher's name, the name of the class, and the date. Each of these items must appear on a separate line. Make sure each line is double-spaced.

• Treat your teacher as a "doctor" when appropriate. If you can't give him this treatment, at least treat him as a "teacher"; for example: "Dr. Juan Pérez" or "Prof. Juan Pérez".
• Include both the course name and number.

Method 6 of 6: Use the Chicago Style for the Cover

Step 1. Use a standard font and margins

Most teachers prefer that a 2.5 centimeter (1 inch) margin be used on all sides and that the font be 12 point Times New Roman. The cover should be aligned to the center.

• In the Chicago style, the cover and title page are the same.
• Your teacher may have other requirements. Make sure to use the ones he prefers for his course.

Step 2. Enter the title first

The title must be written at the height of the first upper third of the page and must be centered.

• The initial of the first word must be capitalized; for example: How to make a cover.
• Alternatively, some style guides suggest that the title be written in all capital letters.
• Do not write the title in bold or italic letters, or underline it.
• If you have a subtitle, put a colon after the title and write the subtitle on the next line.

Step 3. Write your full name

Leave several blank lines below the title and write your first and last name. If other authors contributed to you, be sure to include their names as well, separated by commas.

• You must write your name in three quarters of the page.
• Use the same font and size that you used on the rest of the cover.

Step 4. In the last section of the cover, specify the subject, the teacher and the date

Note that this section must be double-spaced and each item must be on a separate line.

• Include the name and number of the course.
• Write the full name and title of the teacher. Use "Dr." only when appropriate; for example: "Dr. Juan Pérez" or "Prof. Juan Pérez".