APA 7 Paper Format

Student vs. Professional Papers

APA 7 distinguishes between two title page formats: one for students submitting work to instructors, and one for papers destined for peer review or publication. The difference is significant enough to affect your entire front matter.

Student Papers

No running head required (unless your instructor or institution explicitly requests one). Your title page should include your paper title, your name, your institution name, your course number and title, your instructor's name, and the due date—arranged as shown in the diagram below. The page number "1" appears in the top right corner.

Professional Papers

Running head required on every page. A running head is a shortened version of your title (up to 50 characters) in all capitals that appears in the header at the top left of every page. Your title page also includes an "Author Note" section in the bottom half describing your institutional affiliation, any funding acknowledgments, and a contact email. Professional papers are for manuscripts submitted to journals or conferences.

Title Page Setup

The title page is the first impression of your work. APA 7 places elements in a deliberate order, centered vertically and horizontally. Here is the layout for a student paper:

Student Paper Title Page Elements (in order)

1. Paper title. Bold, centered. Begin 3–4 lines from the top of the page. If the title spans more than one line, double-space between lines.
2. Author name. Centered below the title, one blank line down. Use your full name as you want it to appear in academic contexts.
3. Institutional affiliation. Your college or university name, centered below your name.
4. Course information. Course number and title (e.g., "PSY 401: Research Methods"), centered. On the next line, centered, your instructor's name prefixed with "Dr." or "Prof." as appropriate.
5. Due date. Centered at the bottom half of the page. Format as "Month Day, Year" (e.g., "December 15, 2024").
6. Page number. "1" in the top right corner, using the header position (same for all pages).

Professional Paper Title Page (differences)

A professional paper's title page adds an "Author Note" section below the institutional affiliation, which includes department affiliation, disclosure of any grants or funding, and corresponding author contact information. The running head appears in the top left of every page, including the title page.

Page Setup: Margins, Fonts & Spacing

Margins

APA 7 requires 1-inch margins on all four sides (top, bottom, left, right) of every page. This includes the title page, abstract, body, and reference list. The only exception is if your graduate school requires a larger left margin for binding (e.g., 1.5 inches)—in that case, follow your institution's ETD template.

Font

APA 7 permits several fonts to ensure readability and flexibility. You must use the same font throughout your paper (exceptions: code listings, figures, and special symbols may use different fonts). The official permitted fonts and their required sizes are:

Choose one of these fonts and stick with it throughout your paper. Times New Roman remains the most common choice in academic settings, and it is always acceptable.

Line Spacing

Double-space everything: your title page, abstract, body text, block quotations, table and figure numbers with their titles, notes, and reference list. Do not add extra blank lines before or after paragraphs—let the word processor's double-spacing handle all vertical spacing. The exception is footnotes, which follow your word processor's default (usually single-spaced).

Paragraph Indentation

Indent the first line of every paragraph 0.5 inches (one tab stop in most word processors). Block quotations (more than 40 words) are indented 0.5 inches from the left margin instead. Use automatic indentation via your word processor's "Increase Indent" or paragraph formatting, not manual tabs or spaces.

Page Numbers & Headers

Place the page number in the top right corner of every page in your running head. For a student paper, use only the page number (right-aligned). For a professional paper, include your running head (a short title, up to 50 characters, all capitals) on the left, and the page number on the right.

Text Alignment & Hyphenation

Use flush-left (rag-right) alignment for all text, meaning the left edge is aligned and the right edge is ragged. Do not justify text (forcing both edges to align), as justified text can create awkward spacing between words. Do not enable automatic hyphenation; if a word is too long for a line, move the entire word to the next line.

Heading Levels 1–5

APA 7 defines five levels of headings, each with distinct formatting. You must use heading levels in order—never skip a level (e.g., do not jump from Level 1 directly to Level 3). Below is the official format for each level, followed by a visual example.

Visual Example of All Five Levels

Use Levels in Order

Do not skip heading levels. If your paper has one main section, that should be Level 1. If you need to subdivide it, use Level 2. If you subdivide a Level 2, use Level 3, and so on. Skipping levels (e.g., Level 1 to Level 3) breaks the document hierarchy and confuses readers and automated tools.

Most student papers use only Levels 1 and 2, sometimes Level 3. Professional dissertations and theses may use all five.

Abstract Page & Keywords

If your instructor or journal requires an abstract, it appears on its own page after the title page. Format it as follows:

1. Page heading. On a new page, center the word "Abstract" in bold (Level 1 heading format). Do not add quotation marks.
2. Abstract text. Below the heading, on a new line, begin your abstract as a single paragraph with no indentation on the first line. The abstract should be 150–250 words, double-spaced, summarizing the purpose, method, results, and implications of your study.
3. Keywords. Below the abstract, on a new line, type "Keywords:" in italics, followed by a comma-separated list of 3–5 keywords. Indent the first line of the keywords paragraph 0.5 inches.

Body Text Conventions

Block Quotations

A quotation longer than 40 words must be formatted as a block quotation. Indent the entire quotation 0.5 inches from the left margin, double-spaced, without quotation marks. Place the in-text citation (author and year) after the final punctuation of the quotation.

Numbers

APA 7 requires that numbers zero through nine be spelled out as words ("one," "two," "three") when they appear in the body of your text, except in these contexts:

• Numbers 10 and above: always use numerals (10, 23, 156).
• Measurements: always use numerals (5 mm, 3.2 seconds, 12%).
• Times: use numerals (8:00 AM, 2:30 PM).
• Page numbers in citations: use numerals (p. 45).
• Statistical results: use numerals (M = 5.2, SD = 1.3).

Tables and Figures

Every table and figure must have a numbered title and caption. Tables appear with the label centered above (e.g., "Table 1"). Figures appear with the label centered below (e.g., "Figure 1"). Both should be double-spaced and use a sans-serif font for labels. A table note (explaining abbreviations or data sources) appears below the table in smaller type.

Emphasis

Use italics (not underlining) to emphasize words, foreign phrases, and the titles of books, journals, and movies. Avoid using bold for emphasis in the body text; reserve bold for headings and labels.

Reference List

Your reference list appears on its own page at the end of your paper. Format it as follows:

1. New page. Start your reference list on a blank page after your paper ends.
2. Heading. Center the word "References" in bold at the top of the page (using Level 1 heading format).
3. Alphabetical order. List all sources in alphabetical order by the author's last name. If a source has no author, alphabetize by the first word of the title (ignoring "A," "An," or "The").
4. Hanging indent. The first line of each reference is flush left; all subsequent lines are indented 0.5 inches. This is called a hanging indent and is set via your word processor's paragraph formatting.
5. Double spacing. Double-space the entire reference list, including between entries.
6. Font. Use the same font as the rest of your paper (e.g., Times New Roman 12pt).

The specific format for each type of source (book, journal article, website, etc.) is detailed in the APA Style Publication Manual. Common templates include author (year). Title of work. Publisher or journal information.

Thesis-Specific Caveat: Follow Your Graduate School Template

This is the most important section in this guide.

If you are writing a thesis or dissertation for a graduate degree, your university or graduate school almost certainly publishes its own Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD) template or style guide. This template will override APA Style in these areas:

• Margins. Many schools require a larger left margin (1.5 inches) for binding.
• Front matter order and format. Title page, approval/signature page, abstract, acknowledgments, table of contents—the order and styling may differ from APA.
• Page numbering. The rules for numbering front matter (Roman numerals vs. Arabic) may differ.
• Line spacing. Some institutions still permit single-spacing in certain sections.
• Running head. Your school may have its own header/footer requirements.

If your school has no published template or you are writing an honors thesis, then APA 7 applies in full. But if a template exists, it takes precedence.

Pre-Submission Checklist

Run through this 12-point checklist before you submit your paper. Print it out or open it on a second monitor.

• Margins. All four sides are 1 inch (or your institution's required size).
• Font. Consistent throughout (e.g., Times New Roman 12pt). No decorative fonts or changes.
• Line spacing. Entire paper is double-spaced, including title page, abstract, body, and references. No extra blank lines between sections.
• Paragraph indentation. First line of every paragraph is indented 0.5 inches (set via word processor, not manual tabs).
• Page numbers. Appear in the top right corner on every page, starting from page 1 on the title page.
• Title page. Includes title (bold), your name, institution, course info, and due date—all centered and double-spaced.
• Heading levels. Used in order (no skipping). Formatted according to the table above.
• Block quotations. Quotations over 40 words are indented 0.5 inches with no quotation marks.
• Tables and figures. Numbered, titled, and captioned. Labels use sans-serif font. Each appears on its own page if it fills the page.
• Reference list. On a new page, alphabetized, with hanging indent, double-spaced. Follows APA format for each source type.
• Citations. In-text citations use author (year) format. All sources cited in the text appear in the reference list.
• No hyphenation. Automatic hyphenation is disabled. Long words wrap to the next line rather than being split.