How to Format Papers Using APA

If you’re new to writing in APA Style (or just a bit rusty), the first few papers can be daunting. This article provides APA formatting tips and guidelines to make the process easier.

What Is APA Style?

APA stands for American Psychological Association, the leading professional organization of psychologists in the U.S. In 1929, a group of psychologists, anthropologists, and business managers started developing a set of writing standards to “establish a simple set of procedures, or style guidelines, that would codify the many components of scientific writing to increase the ease of reading comprehension.”

Over time, this evolved into APA Style as we know it today, one of the most popular and comprehensive guidelines for writing academic and professional papers. APA can be the style of choice for many disciplines and universities (including Purdue Global), but traditionally, APA is most frequently used by writers and students in:

• Psychology
• Sociology
• Linguistics
• Economics
• Criminal justice
• Business
• Nursing
• Communications
• Engineering

The current edition of the APA style guide is the 7th edition. To begin, let’s examine how to create a title page in APA Style.

APA Title Page

There are two ways to format a title page, depending on who you are — a student writing an academic paper or a professional publishing original work. Let’s look at the student example.

APA Student Title Page

Everything is centered on the title page, and one double-spaced blank line goes between each component (title, author name, etc.), according to the APA.

The paper title: Bold font; capitalize major words; there's no maximum length, but keep it focused.

Author name(s): Every name should appear on its own line; if there are two authors, use “and” between names; if there are three or more authors, separate their names using a comma, and use a serial comma.

Author affiliation: List your department name and the name of the college, university, or other institution, separated by a comma.

Course number and name: Include course number, followed by a colon, followed by the course name.

Instructor name: Use the format the instructor uses on their materials.

Assignment due date: Spell the month out.

Page number: Use the automatic page-numbering function of your document to insert page numbers in the top right corner of the page header. The title page is 1.

See a title page example from the APA.

APA Abstract

The next page is the abstract (if your instructor requires it, so check with them first). This is a brief but comprehensive summary of your paper, and it helps the reader decide whether to keep reading. Limit your abstract to 250 words.

For more details, visit the APA Abstract and Keywords Guide.

APA Body Format

For a basic student paper in APA 7th edition style:

Margins: Use 1-inch margins on all sides.

Font: Any legible font is acceptable, including 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, 12-point Times New Roman, and 11-point Georgia.

Line spacing: Use double-spacing for the entire paper. Do not add extra spacing between paragraphs.

Paragraphs: Align paragraphs to the left margin and leave the right margin jagged. Indent the first line of every paragraph by .5 inches (or use the tab key or the paragraph-formatting function of your document).

Page numbers: Put a page number in the top right corner of every page, including the title page.

For more details, visit the APA Student Paper Setup Guide.

APA Header and Footer

For student papers, the page header consists of the page number only — there’s no running head used in student works, according to APA Style. The page number goes in the top right corner of every page.

APA Tables and Figures

APA suggests using tables to represent numerical and/or textual information (e.g., lists of stimulus words, responses from participants). Arrange information in columns and rows.

A figure is any information that’s demonstrated graphically as opposed to in a table (e.g., chart, graph, photo, drawing, plot, infographic, or illustration).

APA Appendices

Appendices aren’t required, so check with your instructor.

Appendices can be text, tables, figures — anything that supplements the paper but would be distracting or inappropriate to include in the text itself.

Read APA's guidance on proper appendices setup.

APA Reference Page

References have detailed formatting instructions, including:

• Start listing references on a new page after the main paper’s conclusion.
• Double-space the whole list. Don’t add extra space between references.
• Write “References” at the top of the page, bold and centered.
• Type each reference as a single paragraph, justified to the left.
• Alphabetize references according to the first word of the reference (usually the last name of the first author).
• Margins on the references page: Each new reference gets a .5-inch indent; any subsequent lines get indented an additional .5 inches.

See a reference page example from the APA.

Final Checks

Page Order

Each section begins on a new page. Arrange pages as such:

• Title page (page 1)
• Text (starts on page 2)
• Reference list (starts on a new page after the text)

Headings

• Headings accurately reflect the content in each section.
• Each main section starts with a Level 1 heading.
• Then use Level 2 headings for subsections, using the same level of heading for sections of equal importance.
• Don’t have only one subsection within a section; either have two or more, or none.

Finally, Check the Assignment Instructions

Instructors’ guidelines always supersede APA Style.

Purdue Global: 175+ Online College Degrees & Certificates

Designed with working adults in mind, Purdue Global offers more than 175 online degree programs and certificates. Purdue Global is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and many of our programs have received programmatic accreditation from various agencies.

See how Purdue Global can help you meet your career goals, and request more information today.