The essentials of APA Style (7th edition) for student papers — title page, headings, citations, reference list, and page setup, explained plainly. Every rule below links to its official APA Style source.
APA Style is the citation and formatting system published by the American Psychological Association. The 7th edition, released in 2019, is the current standard and is used most often in the social sciences, education, business, and nursing. This guide covers the format for a typical student paper; professional papers follow the same rules with a few extra elements (see the comparison below).
Official source: APA Style — official website (apastyle.apa.org)
A student paper needs a title page with the paper title, your name, your school affiliation, the course name and number, your instructor's name, and the due date — all on separate double-spaced lines, centered in the upper half of the page. The title is bold and in title case.
Official source: APA Style · Title page (student vs professional)
APA 7th uses five heading levels. Most student papers need only Levels 1–2. Level 1 is centered and bold; Level 2 is left-aligned and bold. Use headings to show the structure of your paper, not to decorate it.
| Level | Format |
|---|---|
| 1 | Centered, bold, title case |
| 2 | Left-aligned, bold, title case |
| 3 | Left-aligned, bold italic, title case |
| 4 | Indented, bold, title case, ends with a period |
| 5 | Indented, bold italic, title case, ends with a period |
Official source: APA Style · Headings and heading levels
APA uses the author–date method: cite a source in the text as (Author, 2020) for a paraphrase or (Author, 2020, p. 24) for a direct quotation, placing the period after the closing parenthesis. Include all sources you cite in the reference list, and list every reference you cite.
Official source: APA Style · In-text citations
The reference list starts on a new page titled "References," centered and bold at the top. Entries are double-spaced and ordered alphabetically by the author's last name, with a hanging indent (the first line starts at the margin, following lines indent). A book looks like: Author, A. A. (2020). Title of work. Publisher. A journal article adds the journal name, volume, issue, and DOI.
Official source: APA Style · Reference list
Use 1-inch margins on all sides, double-spacing throughout (including the reference list), and a readable font at the recommended size — 12 pt Times New Roman, or 11 pt Calibri, Arial, or Georgia. Left-align the body text (do not justify it), and indent the first line of each new paragraph by 0.5 inch.
Official source: APA Style · Paper format (margins, font, spacing, alignment)
The biggest differences are on the title page and in running heads. The table below shows what each type requires.
| Element | Student paper | Professional paper |
|---|---|---|
| Title page | Required (title, author, affiliation, course, instructor, due date) | Required (title, author, affiliation, author note) |
| Running head | Not required | Optional (short title in the header) |
| Author note | Not required | Required |
| Abstract | Only if your instructor asks | Often required |
Official source: APA Style · Title page (student vs professional)
These common templates follow APA 7th. Use them as a starting point and check the official reference guide for less common source types.
| Source | Format |
|---|---|
| Book | Author, A. A. (2020). Title of work. Publisher. |
| Journal article | Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (2020). Title of article. Journal Name, 10(2), 123–145. https://doi.org/xxxx |
| Webpage | Author, A. A. (2020, Month 1). Title of page. Site Name. URL |
Official source: APA Style · Reference list
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No. The 7th edition removed the running head requirement for student papers. Professional papers may still include a short title in the header, but it is optional.
Use 12 pt Times New Roman, or 11 pt Calibri, Arial, or Georgia. The rule is a readable font at the stated size; the exact typeface is flexible.
Yes. Student papers need a title page with the title, author name, school affiliation, course, instructor, and due date.
Start on a new page titled "References," use a hanging indent, double-space, and order entries alphabetically by the first author's last name.
This guide summarizes APA Style 7th edition. For the complete, authoritative rules, consult the official APA Style pages (all links verified live):
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