To format a paper in APA Style, writers can typically use the default settings and automatic formatting tools of their word-processing program or make only minor adjustments.

Oct 8, 2025 · The basic setup directions apply to the entire paper. Annotated diagrams illustrate how to set up the major sections of a student paper: the title page or cover page, the text, …

The professional title page includes the paper title, author names (the byline), author affiliation (s), author note, running head, and page number, as shown in the following example.

The following example shows the proper format of an APA Style reference list. Follow these directions for an APA Style reference list: Start the reference list on a new page after the text. …

These sample papers demonstrate APA Style formatting standards for different professional paper types. Professional papers can contain many different elements depending on the …

Follow these guidelines to include a running head in an APA Style paper: Type the running head in all-capital letters. Ensure the running head is no more than 50 characters, including spaces …

If you use Microsoft Word to write your APA Style papers, use the Styles menu to format headings. Follow these headings directions from Microsoft to customize the heading formats …

To set up an APA Style appendix, begin each appendix on a separate page at the end of the paper. Write the appendix label at the top of the page in bold and centered.

The in-text citation appears within the body of the paper (or in a table, figure, footnote, or appendix) and briefly identifies the cited work by its author and date of publication.

APA Style includes guidelines for paragraph alignment and indentation to ensure that papers are formatted in a consistent and readable manner. All writers should follow these guidelines.