Determine the format that you will need to use to type your paper. Different disciplines require different formats as do the professors who make the assignments. Common styles include the MLA and APA format, but many disciplines in the humanities use the "Chicago Manual of Style" guide or its abbreviated version known as Turabian (so-named for its author, Kate L. Turabian).
Create an outline for your paper from which you can work as you type your essay. Avoid handwriting the entire essay before you begin as this will only increase the amount of work that you need to do. Research your paper topic thoroughly and obtain a firm grasp of the material. Type your essay from the outline that you develop.
Format your paper properly by setting the margins according to the style required for your paper. Most styles require a 12 point font. Line spacing for college papers should be set to double-spacing, and headers should be used if necessary.
Create a title page with the required information for your paper style. The title of the paper, your name, the class, the date and the professor's name are common elements on most title pages.
Type the abstract and body of the paper. The abstract is a one-paragraph summary of what the paper is about. It is usually formatted differently than the rest of the paper, so check the style manual for whichever type of paper you are writing. The body of the paper is the main content of the paper that supports your thesis. It is the part of the paper that provides the reader with the "meat" of any arguments you make on behalf of the paper's main thesis or idea.
Create the bibliography or works-cited page, whichever is required. A bibliography includes the specific and general works that you may have consulted in writing your paper, whereas a works cited page only includes works that you cited within the course of your paper. Check specific formatting rules for your paper style as these vary among the different style guides.