APA Essay Format Rules: 7th Edition Student Guide
Standard APA Essay Format Rules
Standard apa essay format rules require a title page, 1 inch margins on all sides, and double-spacing throughout the entire document. Use a highly legible font like 12 point Times New Roman or 11 point Arial. Every page must include a page number in the top right corner of the header.
APA 7th Edition Formatting Requirements
| Element | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Margins | 1 inch on all sides |
| Font | 12pt Times New Roman, 11pt Calibri, or 11pt Arial |
| Spacing | Double-space all text, including references |
| Alignment | Flush-left (ragged right edge) |
| Indentation | 0.5 inches for the first line of every paragraph |
| Page Numbers | Top right corner of every page |
| Title Page | Required for all student papers |
Student Title Page Components
The student version of the APA title page is simplified. Place the following elements centered in the upper half of the page:
- Paper Title: Bolded, title case, three to four lines down from the top.
- Author Name: Your full name, one double-spaced line below the title.
- Affiliation: The department and university name.
- Course: The course number and name (e.g., PSY 101: Introduction to Psychology).
- Instructor: Your professor's name.
- Due Date: Written as Month Day, Year.
APA Heading Structure
APA uses five levels of headings to organize content. Most student essays only require levels 1 through 3: - **Level 1**: Centered, Bold, Title Case Heading - **Level 2**: Flush Left, Bold, Title Case Heading - **Level 3**: Flush Left, Bold Italic, Title Case Heading Text begins as a new paragraph below each of these headings.
Formatting Tip
Always use the 'Paragraph' settings in your word processor to set indents to 0.5 inches and line spacing to 'Double' rather than hitting the spacebar or enter key manually. This ensures your formatting remains consistent even if you change fonts or font sizes.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the 7th edition APA style rules no longer require a running head for student papers unless specifically requested by the instructor. Only professional papers submitted for publication require the running head.
APA format requires 1 inch margins on all sides of the page (top, bottom, left, and right). This is the default setting in most word processors like Microsoft Word and Google Docs.
APA 7 allows several accessible fonts including 11 point Calibri, 11 point Arial, 10 point Lucida Sans Unicode, 12 point Times New Roman, and 11 point Georgia.
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