Grammar, Usage, and Style Guide: SparkNotes Ultimate Style: Margins

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The margins are the white space that surround the text on a page.

Justification

Left-hand margins should be justified (each line should start at the same place). Right-hand margins need not be justified.

Margin Measurement

Left- and right-hand margins are usually 1.25 inches wide. Margins at the top and bottom of the page are usually 1 inch high. Margins smaller than 1 inch are undesirable.

Setting Margins

In Microsoft Word, set margins by clicking on File and choosing Page Setup.

Note to students: don’t bother stretching your four-page paper into five pages by messing with the margins. Sure, it’s easier than actually writing another page, but your teachers have seen a few papers in their day. They’ll sense desperation and laziness as soon as they set eyes on those two-inch expanses of white bracketing your prose.

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