The RulesFor help on all aspects of formatting your paper in APA Style, see The Essentials page on the APA Style website. Show
Paper ElementsStudent papers generally include, at a minimum:
Student papers may include additional elements such as tables and figures depending on the assignment. So, please check with your teacher! Student papers generally DO NOT include the following unless your teacher specifically requests it:
Page OrderFor complete information on the order of pages, see the APA Style website. Number your pages consecutively starting with page 1. Each section begins on a new page. Put the pages in the following order:
Sample Papers With Built-In InstructionsTo see what your paper should look like, check out these sample papers with built-in instructions. Published on November 6, 2020 by Raimo Streefkerk. Revised on August 23, 2022. The 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual provides guidelines for clear communication, citing sources,
and formatting documents. This article focuses on paper formatting. Throughout your paper, you need to apply the following APA format guidelines:
How to set up APA format (with template)APA alphabetization guidelinesReferences are ordered alphabetically by the first author’s last name. If the author is unknown, order the reference entry by the first meaningful word of the title (ignoring articles: “the”, “a”, or “an”). Let an expert format your paper
Our APA formatting experts can help you to format your paper according to APA guidelines. They can help you with:
Learn more APA format template [Free download]Why set up APA format from scratch if you can download Scribbr’s template for free? Student papers and professional papers have slightly different guidelines regarding the title page, abstract, and running head. Our template is available in Word and Google Docs format for both versions.
In an APA Style paper, every page has a page header. For student papers, the page header usually consists of just a page number in the page’s top-right corner. For professional papers intended for publication, it also includes a running head. A running head is simply the paper’s title in all capital letters. It is left-aligned and can be up to 50 characters in length. Longer titles are abbreviated. Headings and subheadingsAPA headings have five possible levels. Heading level 1 is used for main sections such as “Methods” or “Results”. Heading levels 2 to 5 are used for subheadings. Each heading level is formatted differently. Want to know how many heading levels you should use, when to use which heading level, and how to set up heading styles in Word or Google Docs? Then check out our in-depth article on APA headings. Title pageThe title page is the first page of an APA Style paper. There are different guidelines for student and professional papers. Both versions include the paper title and author’s name and affiliation. The student version includes the course number and name, instructor name, and due date of the assignment. The professional version includes an author note and running head. For more information on writing a striking title, crediting multiple authors (with different affiliations), and writing the author note, check out our in-depth article on the APA title page. AbstractThe abstract is a 150–250 word summary of your paper. An abstract is usually required in professional papers, but it’s rare to include one in student papers (except for longer texts like theses and dissertations). The abstract is placed on a separate page after the title page. At the top of the page, write the section label “Abstract” (bold and centered). The contents of the abstract appear directly under the label. Unlike regular paragraphs, the first line is not indented. Abstracts are usually written as a single paragraph without headings or blank lines. Directly below the abstract, you may list three to five relevant keywords. On a new line, write the label “Keywords:” (italicized and indented), followed by the keywords in lowercase letters, separated by commas. Table of contentsAPA Style does not provide guidelines for formatting the table of contents. It’s also not a required paper element in either professional or student papers. If your instructor wants you to include a table of contents, it’s best to follow the general guidelines. Place the table of contents on a separate page between the abstract and introduction. Write the section label “Contents” at the top (bold and centered), press “Enter” once, and list the important headings with corresponding page numbers. Reference pageThe APA reference page is placed after the main body of your paper but before any appendices. Here you list all sources that you’ve cited in your paper (through APA in-text citations). APA provides guidelines for formatting the references as well as the page itself. Creating APA Style referencesPlay around with the Scribbr Citation Example Generator below to learn about the Formatting the reference pageWrite the section label “References” at the top of a new page (bold and centered). Place the reference entries directly under the label in alphabetical order. Finally, apply a hanging indent, meaning the first line of each reference is left-aligned, and all subsequent lines are indented 0.5 inches. Tables and figuresTables and figures are presented in a similar format. They’re preceded by a number and title and followed by explanatory notes (if necessary). Use bold styling for the word “Table” or “Figure” and the number, and place the title on a separate line directly below it (in italics and title case). Try to keep tables clean; don’t use any vertical lines, use as few horizontal lines as possible, and keep row and column labels concise. Keep the design of figures as simple as possible. Include labels and a legend if needed, and only use color when necessary (not to make it look more appealing). Check out our in-depth article about table and figure notes to learn when to use notes and how to format them. Frequently asked questions about APA formatWho uses APA Style? APA format is widely used by professionals, researchers, and students in the social and behavioral sciences, including fields like education, psychology, and business. Be sure to check the guidelines of your university or the journal you want to be published in to double-check which style you should be using. Cite this Scribbr articleIf you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
Is this article helpful?You have already voted. Thanks :-) Your vote is saved :-) Processing your vote... What does APA 7th edition format look like?Your manuscript should be typed, double-spaced on standard-sized paper (8.5 X 11 inches), with 1 inch margins on all sides. Do not align the right margin. Double-space text throughout the paper, and indent all paragraphs one tab (½ inch). Put one space between sentences (see APA 6.1).
What does APA 7 inIn-text citations include the last name of the author followed by a comma and the publication year enclosed in parentheses: (Smith, 2007).
How do you do APA 7 referencing?When referencing using APA7, each reference will have a corresponding “in-text citation”. These citations will always follow the same format. In brackets, include the author's surname and the year of publication.. (Jones, 2021).. (Piaf & Montgomery, 2020). (McKenzie et al., 2019). |