If you’ve written an essay and are about to format the final touches, you may have found yourself asking a specific question: Should the date on an essay be the due date?, the last revision date?, or the completion date? As much as this may seem to be a trivial factor, the date on an essay could be very relevant.
In the short term, the date of any essay must be the date of the completion or the date of the submission, in most cases. Nevertheless, normally, this norm can be sometimes changed according to the context and requirements of the instructor.
The article will consider common practices, developed standards such as the rule of MLA, and situational factors that will help address this question confidently.
General Ideas when Dating Essays
Submission or Completion date
Most academic essays work in the majority rule where the author puts the date on which the essay was written or submitted. This indicates the actual time serial of the work completion.
The reader, by reading the completion date or the date of submission, can estimate the currency of the work and place it on the timeline of the assignment, especially when it is to be analyzed by instructors and other reviewers.
Some websites like the Proofed.co.uk state that this approach is crucial to clarity, consistency and professionalism when writing academic papers.
In the case of essays which are done at a certain school term, the date of completion also helps show that you actually did the homework at the right time, not backdating it or having a foresight on when to submit the paper.
The importance of This Norm
- Transparency: The date range when the submission will be finalised indicates the true picture of the submission process thus making records easy to manage.
- Professionalism: it helps to express professionalism as precise reporting of the date is a sign of attention to detail which is a sign of good student work.
- Avoid Mix-ups: The fact that a particular date is used bringing it in line with your work schedule minimizes any possible mix-ups concerning when the essay was done or completed.
Guidelines on date formats of essays using MLA
Their advice is clear in case you are using one of the most popular modern academic style guides, the Modern Language Association (MLA) format.
As mentioned in style.mla.org, the date you have completed the essay is normally what you are expected to add as in the MLA. The date is typed out and placed on the first page with the alignment kept on the upper left hand corner.
The Way the MLA Format is Used
- The date is used as a timestamp of finalizing the work.
- Its format should be day-month-year format (e.g. 20 October 2023).
- It is always important to check with the preferences of your instructor; you should always consult the MLA guidelines; at times,
individual instructors might have their preferences.
To find more MLA format guidelines on placement and structure, you may look at the trusted sources of official MLA information or references such as Proofed.co.uk, which is a valid academic proofreading resource.
Alternative Perspectives
Even though you may use either completion or due date of the essay, the former is more widely recognized. This point is rational to become the favourite because:
Organizational Reasons: The due date may prove helpful to instructors that need to schedule submissions.
Conformity with Deadlines: Some teachers may desire that the date on the essay be the same as it is in their files of when the essay was due.
Never disregard the particular directives presented by your teacher or professor. In all cases of doubt refer to institutional or class-specific regulations.
Customization to Tastes
In case the learners know that the due date is the required format (asked by the instructor), make sure that clarity has been added though comments/notes taken where they are needed. Other, in case of absence of instructions, the completion/submission date may be considered as the default practice.
Essays: Date Formats to Put into Considerations
Regional and Instructions on Formats
The American format, MLA: Day-Month-Year (e.g. 20 October 2023)
The APA/Chicago Style: Month-Day-Year (e.g. may 6, 2025)
The International Format: Year-Month-Day (e.g. 2025-5-20)
Prediction is the Name of the Game
No matter what kind of format is used or demanded, it is important to be consistent all over the essay. The application of the various sections to refer to different date standards might seem to be unprofessional and this can cause confusion to the readers.
The necessity of revision dates in some situations
In case of essays or a technical document where there may be several revisions to be done it may be appropriate to add a last-revision date. The given practice is most valuable in terms of:
Technical or scientific reports: It is important to make sure that readers can access the most lined-up version.
Group works: Assisting co-workers to monitor work.
Pro tip on answers.com Automating and simplifying the process may be possible by using metadata functions of your word processor (e.g. setting a last modified date field).
Closing Remark on Essays on Dating
Finally, the rule of academic writing is to follow the date the paper is completely done or submitted unless a teacher commands differently.
This practice represents professional standards, MLA standards and general academic practices. Still, being flexible to any particular likes and preferences and clear in formatting is also important.
No matter which:
Based on your institution rules of formatting.
Enquire with your teacher of definite preferences.
Make sure that date format is consistent throughout the essay and throughout other coursework on which it may depend.
The practices ensure professional and clear thoughts as you will become more noticeable in your ideas without interference.