APA format for academic papers and essays

Published on November 6, 2020 by Raimo Streefkerk. Revised on September 28, 2021.

This article reflects theAPA 7th edition guidelines. Click here for APA 6th edition guidelines.

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:

  • Set page margins to 1 inch on all sides.
  • Double-space all text, including headings.
  • Indent the first line of every paragraph 0.5 inches.
  • Use an accessible font (e.g., Times New Roman 12pt., Arial 11pt., or Georgia 11pt.).
  • Include a page number on every page.

APA format (7th edition)

How to set up APA format (with template)

APA alphabetization guidelines

References 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").

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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.

  • Student paper: Word | Google Docs
  • Professional paper: Word | Google Docs

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.

APA running head (7th edition)

Headings and subheadings

APA 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.

APA headings (7th edition)

Title page

The 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.

APA title page - student version (7th edition) APA title page - professional version (7th edition)

Abstract

The 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.

APA abstract (7th edition)

Table of contents

APA 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 page

The 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 in-text citations). APA provides guidelines for formatting the references as well as the page itself.

Creating APA Style references

Play around with the Scribbr Citation Example Generator below to learn about the
APA reference format of the most common source types or generate APA citations for free with Scribbr's APA Citation Generator.


Formatting the reference page

Write 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.

APA reference page (7th edition)

Tables and figures

Tables 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.

APA table (7th edition) APA figure (7th edition)

Frequently asked questions about APA format

Who 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.

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