Formatting points are the cheapest ones on the paper to lose
Nothing here requires you to understand your subject. It is a set of mechanical rules, worth a surprising share of the grade on most rubrics, and it can all be fixed in an afternoon once you know what the rules actually are.
Page setup, which takes about five minutes
One-inch margins on all four sides. Double spacing throughout, with no additional space before or after paragraphs. First line of every paragraph indented half an inch, made with the paragraph indent setting rather than the tab key. Page number in the top right of every page including the title page. Text left-aligned with a ragged right edge, not justified.
That last one surprises people. Justified text produces uneven word spacing that APA considers harder to read, so the right margin should stay ragged.
The student title page
APA 7 introduced a separate, simpler title page for student papers. There is no running head and no author note.
Student title page, all centered, all double spaced
Reading Load and Examination Performance in Licensure Candidates
Amara B. Okafor
Department of Nursing, State University
NURS 640: Evidence-Based Practice
Dr. C. Raine
September 14, 2026
The title is bold and in title case, positioned in the upper half of the page, usually three or four lines down. Everything below it is in regular weight.
Headings, and how to choose a level
APA 7 has five heading levels. Most student papers use two or three. The rule is that you cannot skip a level: you cannot go from a Level 1 to a Level 3.
| Level | Format |
|---|---|
| 1 | Centered, Bold, Title Case, text begins on a new line |
| 2 | Flush Left, Bold, Title Case, text begins on a new line |
| 3 | Flush Left, Bold Italic, Title Case, text begins on a new line |
| 4 | Indented, Bold, Title Case, Ending With a Period. Text runs on. |
| 5 | Indented, Bold Italic, Title Case, Ending With a Period. Text runs on. |
The title of your paper at the top of the first body page is formatted as a Level 1 heading. Do not add a heading called Introduction: the opening section is understood to be the introduction, and labeling it is a common and easily avoided error.
Tables and figures
Both follow the same structure: a number, then a title, then the thing itself, then any notes.
Table structure
Table 1
Pass Rates by Candidate Type, 2025
[the table, with horizontal borders only]
Note. Data from NCSBN (2026).
The number is bold on its own line. The title is italic in title case on the next line. Tables use horizontal rules only, with no vertical lines and no shading. Figures follow the identical pattern, with the word Figure in place of Table, and figures are numbered in their own sequence.
Every table and figure must be referred to in the text by its number, as in “Table 1 shows”, rather than “the table below”. The two run on separate numbering sequences, so a document can contain both a Table 1 and a Figure 1.
Document order
References, then footnotes if you use any, then tables, then figures, then appendices. This applies if you are grouping tables and figures at the end. If you have embedded them in the text instead, the order is simply references, then appendices.
Appendices are labeled Appendix A, Appendix B and so on, each starting on a new page. A single appendix is labeled just Appendix with no letter.
The five-minute check before submitting
Margins one inch on all sides. Double spacing with no extra space between paragraphs. Page numbers top right on every page. No running head on a student paper. No heading called Introduction. Every table and figure numbered, titled and mentioned in the text. Reference list starting on its own page with a hanging indent.
Every one of those is mechanical, every one is worth points on most rubrics, and none of them requires you to know anything about your subject.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. APA 7 removed the running head requirement for student papers, which is one of the clearest changes from APA 6. Professional papers submitted for publication still use one. Student papers need a page number in the top right and nothing else in the header.
APA 7 allows several, including 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial and 11-point Georgia. Any of them is acceptable as long as it is used consistently throughout. Your institution may specify one, and if so that overrides the choice.
Yes, including the title page, block quotations, the reference list and table notes. The exceptions are inside tables and figures, where you may use single spacing if it aids readability. Do not add extra space between paragraphs or between reference entries.
Level 1 is centered, bold, title case. Level 2 is flush left, bold, title case. Level 3 is flush left, bold italic, title case. Levels 4 and 5 are indented, bold or bold italic, ending with a period, with the text running on from the same line. Most student papers need only the first two or three.
Only if your instructor asks for one. Many student papers do not require an abstract, and adding one that was not requested is not penalized but is not rewarded either. Where required, it is usually 150 to 250 words on its own page.
Either embedded in the text after the paragraph that first mentions them, or grouped at the end after the reference list. APA 7 permits both. Choose one approach and apply it to every table and figure in the document rather than mixing.
The title in bold title case, positioned in the upper half of the page, then your name, your department and institution, the course number and name, your instructor, and the due date, each on its own line and all centered and double spaced.
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