How to Format a Paper in APA Style (7th Edition)

APA Style papers follow a consistent structure: title page, abstract (for professional papers), main body, and references, with 1-inch margins, double spacing, and a page number in the top-right corner of every page. The official site, apastyle.apa.org, is the authoritative source for these rules and provides free tutorials, sample papers, and quick-reference guides. This guide covers the general format most instructors expect; always check your assignment or journal guidelines, since some requirements (like whether an abstract is needed) vary by course and publication type.

Paper structure

A standard APA Style paper has four parts, in this order:

1. Title page — page number, paper title, author name(s), affiliation, author note (professional papers), and running head (professional papers only).
2. Abstract — a single paragraph summary, typically 150–250 words. Required for professional papers; usually optional for student papers unless your instructor asks for one.
3. Main body — the text of your paper, starting on a new page with the title repeated at the top, centered and bold.
4. References — a new page listing every source cited in the text, formatted with hanging indents.

General formatting details

These settings apply to the whole document:

Headings

APA Style uses five heading levels. The level you use depends on how deeply your sections nest:

• Level 1: Centered, Bold, Title Case
• Level 2: Flush Left, Bold, Title Case
• Level 3: Flush Left, Bold Italic, Title Case
• Level 4: Indented, Bold, Title Case, Ending With a Period. Text begins on the same line.
• Level 5: Indented, Bold Italic, Title Case, Ending With a Period. Text begins on the same line.

You do not have to use all five levels — start with Level 1 for your main sections and move down only when you need subsections.

In-text citations

Every source you paraphrase or quote needs an in-text citation. The two common forms are:

• Parenthetical: The results supported this claim (Smith, 2020).
• Narrative: Smith (2020) found that the results supported this claim.

For a direct quotation, add the page or paragraph number: (Smith, 2020, p. 45). For works with three or more authors, use the first author's name plus "et al." from the first citation onward: (Smith et al., 2020).

Reference list

The reference list starts on a new page with the word References centered and bold at the top. Entries are:

• Alphabetized by the first author's last name.
• Formatted with a hanging indent (first line flush left, subsequent lines indented 0.5 in.).
• Double-spaced, with no extra blank line between entries.

A journal article reference follows this pattern:

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Journal, volume(issue), page–page. https://doi.org/xxxx

A book reference follows this pattern:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of the work. Publisher.

Where to verify details and get help

Because exact rules vary by source type (websites, reports, social media, datasets), confirm specifics on the official site rather than relying on memory:

• apastyle.apa.org hosts the style guidelines, a blog, and free tutorials.
• The site offers sample papers you can download and use as a formatting template.
• The APA Style Monthly newsletter and merchandise sections are also available on the site, though these are not needed for formatting a paper.

If your instructor's requirements conflict with the general guidelines above, follow your instructor — course and journal instructions take precedence over the default rules.