Text begins as a new paragraph.
Text beings as a new paragraph.
Adapted from American Psychological Association. (2009). Format for Five Levels of Heading in APA Journals. Publication manual of the American psychological association (6th ed., p. 62) Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
Headings, sections, subsections, or levels of subordination are a style of dividing your research paper into major parts, then minor subsections. Most college papers do not need headings, especially if you are only producing two to five pages. However, if your professor requests you use headings or your are writing an especially long or detailed paper, then use headings to help readers navigate your text. Follow the APA style rules for creating the correct level of heading. Always start with a level one heading and drill down to the last subsection possible (five) in order as seen below. Instructions and examples for headings are available on p. 47- 49 of the new APA 7th Edition manual.
1 |
Text begins as new paragraph. |
2 |
Text begins as new paragraph. |
3 |
Text begins as new paragraph. |
4 | Text begins on the same line. |
5 | Text begins on the same line. |
Proper title case is using both uppercase and lowercase letters in a title. It calls for the major words to be capitalized while any small conjunctions are made smaller, i.e.,
The Title of this Paper is Lengthy
Lowercase paragraph heading calls for the first word to be capitalized along with any proper nouns contained within the heading, i.e.,
The title of this heading is much shorter and all lowercase except for the first word.
Heading level templates for student and professional papers.
Headings are used to help guide the reader through a document. There are five levels of headings in APA. Always use the headings in order, beginning with level 1. Only use as may headings as are needed to differentiate between sections of a paper. Headings are not necessary if your paper doesn't have separate sections.
See more guidance below.
Level | Format |
---|---|
1 | Centered, Bold, Title Case Heading Text begins as a new paragraph. |
2 | Flush Left, Bold, Title Case Heading Text begins as a new paragraph. |
3 |
Text begins as a new paragraph. |
4 | Indented, Bold, Title Case Heading, Ending With a Period. Text begins on the same line and continues as a regular paragraph. |
5 | Text begins on the same line and continues as a regular paragraph |
Note. In title case, most words are capitalized.
Chapter 7 of the APA manual provides guidance about creating tables and figures. Please consult the manual or the abbreviated guidance located on the APA Style website.
Table and figures can be presented either in the text of the paper or after the reference list on separate pages.
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How to Format Headings - Tutorial
Headings in your paper help organize your argument and signal to your reader what type of information is in each section.
APA provides 5 levels of headings and sub-headings. Most student papers are not long enough to use all five levels.
Use the chart and image below to understand how to format headings.
Level | Format |
---|---|
1 |
Text begins as a new paragraph. Indent the first line of the new paragraph. |
2 |
Text begins as a new paragraph. Indent the first line of the new paragraph. |
3 |
Text begins as a new paragraph. Indent the first line of the new paragraph. |
4 | Text begins on the same line and continues as a regular paragraph. |
5 | Text begins on the same line and continues as a regular paragraph. |
Headings, section labels, and titles in APA Style follow Title Casing.
See Mechanics of Style for more information .
Labels separate the different parts of a paper. They are formatted the same as level-1 headings but are not headings. Each section of a paper begins on a new page. Start each new section with a label at the top of a new page. Common sections include:
See Additional Resources for more.
Paragraph begins here, on the line after the heading. This example is singled spaced, but should be double-spaced as all text in the paper. | |
Paragraph begins here, on the line after the heading. This example is singled spaced, but should be double-spaced as all text in the paper. | |
Paragraph begins here, on the line after the heading. This example is singled spaced, but should be double-spaced as all text in the paper. | |
Paragraph begins here, on the same line as the heading. This example is singled spaced, but should be double-spaced as all text in the paper. | |
Paragraph begins here, on the same line as the heading. This example is singled spaced, but should be double-spaced as all text in the paper. |
Collaboration, information literacy, writing process, apa headings and subheadings.
APA headings and subheadings refers to the rules for formatting sections of documents in the 7th Edition of the American Psychological Association’s Publication Manual .
A research paper written in APA style should be organized into sections and subsections using the five levels of APA headings.
Related Concepts:
Notice how sections contain at least two smaller subsections in the example below:
Participants. , demographics..
Characteristics.
Limitations
Starting with the first level of heading, the subsections of the paper should progressively use the next level(s) of heading without skipping any levels. Major sections of the paper’s main body, including the Method, Results, and Discussion sections, should always be formatted with the first level of heading. However, keep in mind that the Introduction section, which is preceded by the full title of the paper, should be presented in plain type. Any subsections that fall under the major sections are formatted with the next level of heading.
Note that all paragraphs of the main body, including those that fall under subsections of a larger section, still maintain the pattern of indentation, use Times New Roman font, 12 pt., and are double-spaced. There are no extra lines or spaces between paragraphs and headings.
Format each of the five levels of APA-style headings as demonstrated in the example below. Note that while the example features headings titled “First Level,” “Second Level,” and so on, each heading in your paper should be named according to the section it describes.
First level
The first level of heading is bolded and centered, and the first letter of each word in the heading is capitalized. The paragraph text should be typed on the following line and indented five spaces from the left.
Second level
The second level of heading is bolded and situated flush left, and the first letter of each word in the heading is capitalized. The paragraph text should be typed on the following line and indented five spaces from the left.
Third level
The third level of heading is bolded, indented five spaces from the left, and followed by a period. Capitalize only the first letter of the first word in the heading and of proper nouns. The first paragraph following this heading should be typed on the same line as the heading.
Fourth level
The fourth level of heading is bolded, italicized, indented five spaces from the left, and followed by a period. Capitalize only the first letter of the first word in the heading and of proper nouns. The first paragraph following this heading should be typed on the same line as the heading.
Fifth level
The fifth level of heading is italicized, indented five spaces from the left, and followed by a period. Capitalize only the first letter of the first word in the heading and of proper nouns. The first paragraph following this heading should be typed on the same line as the heading.
Method (1st level)
Design (2nd level)
Participants (3rd level)
Demographics. (4th level)
Age Group. (5th level)
Limitations (2nd level)
Suggested edits.
Explore the different ways to cite sources in academic and professional writing, including in-text (Parenthetical), numerical, and note citations.
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Published on November 6, 2020 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on January 17, 2024.
The 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual provides guidelines for clear communication , citing sources , and formatting documents. This article focuses on paper formatting.
Throughout your paper, you need to apply the following APA format guidelines:
Our APA formatting experts can help you to format your paper according to APA guidelines. They can help you with:
How to set up apa format (with template), apa alphabetization guidelines, apa format template [free download], page header, headings and subheadings, reference page, tables and figures, frequently asked questions about apa format.
References are ordered alphabetically by the first author’s last name. If the author is unknown, order the reference entry by the first meaningful word of the title (ignoring articles: “the”, “a”, or “an”).
Why set up APA format from scratch if you can download Scribbr’s template for free?
Student papers and professional papers have slightly different guidelines regarding the title page, abstract, and running head. Our template is available in Word and Google Docs format for both versions.
In an APA Style paper, every page has a page header. For student papers, the page header usually consists of just a page number in the page’s top-right corner. For professional papers intended for publication, it also includes a running head .
A running head is simply the paper’s title in all capital letters. It is left-aligned and can be up to 50 characters in length. Longer titles are abbreviated .
The AI-powered APA Citation Checker points out every error, tells you exactly what’s wrong, and explains how to fix it. Say goodbye to losing marks on your assignment!
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APA headings have five possible levels. Heading level 1 is used for main sections such as “ Methods ” or “ Results ”. Heading levels 2 to 5 are used for subheadings. Each heading level is formatted differently.
Want to know how many heading levels you should use, when to use which heading level, and how to set up heading styles in Word or Google Docs? Then check out our in-depth article on APA headings .
The title page is the first page of an APA Style paper. There are different guidelines for student and professional papers.
Both versions include the paper title and author’s name and affiliation. The student version includes the course number and name, instructor name, and due date of the assignment. The professional version includes an author note and running head .
For more information on writing a striking title, crediting multiple authors (with different affiliations), and writing the author note, check out our in-depth article on the APA title page .
The abstract is a 150–250 word summary of your paper. An abstract is usually required in professional papers, but it’s rare to include one in student papers (except for longer texts like theses and dissertations).
The abstract is placed on a separate page after the title page . At the top of the page, write the section label “Abstract” (bold and centered). The contents of the abstract appear directly under the label. Unlike regular paragraphs, the first line is not indented. Abstracts are usually written as a single paragraph without headings or blank lines.
Directly below the abstract, you may list three to five relevant keywords . On a new line, write the label “Keywords:” (italicized and indented), followed by the keywords in lowercase letters, separated by commas.
APA Style does not provide guidelines for formatting the table of contents . It’s also not a required paper element in either professional or student papers. If your instructor wants you to include a table of contents, it’s best to follow the general guidelines.
Place the table of contents on a separate page between the abstract and introduction. Write the section label “Contents” at the top (bold and centered), press “Enter” once, and list the important headings with corresponding page numbers.
The APA reference page is placed after the main body of your paper but before any appendices . Here you list all sources that you’ve cited in your paper (through APA in-text citations ). APA provides guidelines for formatting the references as well as the page itself.
Play around with the Scribbr Citation Example Generator below to learn about the APA reference format of the most common source types or generate APA citations for free with Scribbr’s APA Citation Generator .
Write the section label “References” at the top of a new page (bold and centered). Place the reference entries directly under the label in alphabetical order.
Finally, apply a hanging indent , meaning the first line of each reference is left-aligned, and all subsequent lines are indented 0.5 inches.
Tables and figures are presented in a similar format. They’re preceded by a number and title and followed by explanatory notes (if necessary).
Use bold styling for the word “Table” or “Figure” and the number, and place the title on a separate line directly below it (in italics and title case). Try to keep tables clean; don’t use any vertical lines, use as few horizontal lines as possible, and keep row and column labels concise.
Keep the design of figures as simple as possible. Include labels and a legend if needed, and only use color when necessary (not to make it look more appealing).
Check out our in-depth article about table and figure notes to learn when to use notes and how to format them.
The easiest way to set up APA format in Word is to download Scribbr’s free APA format template for student papers or professional papers.
Alternatively, you can watch Scribbr’s 5-minute step-by-step tutorial or check out our APA format guide with examples.
APA Style papers should be written in a font that is legible and widely accessible. For example:
The same font and font size is used throughout the document, including the running head , page numbers, headings , and the reference page . Text in footnotes and figure images may be smaller and use single line spacing.
You need an APA in-text citation and reference entry . Each source type has its own format; for example, a webpage citation is different from a book citation .
Use Scribbr’s free APA Citation Generator to generate flawless citations in seconds or take a look at our APA citation examples .
Yes, page numbers are included on all pages, including the title page , table of contents , and reference page . Page numbers should be right-aligned in the page header.
To insert page numbers in Microsoft Word or Google Docs, click ‘Insert’ and then ‘Page number’.
APA format is widely used by professionals, researchers, and students in the social and behavioral sciences, including fields like education, psychology, and business.
Be sure to check the guidelines of your university or the journal you want to be published in to double-check which style you should be using.
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
Streefkerk, R. (2024, January 17). APA Formatting and Citation (7th Ed.) | Generator, Template, Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved June 30, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-style/format/
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This page contains sample papers formatted in seventh edition APA Style. The sample papers show the format that authors should use to submit a manuscript for publication in a professional journal and that students should use to submit a paper to an instructor for a course assignment. You can download the Word files to use as templates and edit them as needed for the purposes of your own papers.
Most guidelines in the Publication Manual apply to both professional manuscripts and student papers. However, there are specific guidelines for professional papers versus student papers, including professional and student title page formats. All authors should check with the person or entity to whom they are submitting their paper (e.g., publisher or instructor) for guidelines that are different from or in addition to those specified by APA Style.
The following two sample papers were published in annotated form in the Publication Manual and are reproduced here as PDFs for your ease of use. The annotations draw attention to content and formatting and provide the relevant sections of the Publication Manual (7th ed.) to consult for more information.
We also offer these sample papers in Microsoft Word (.docx) format with the annotations as comments to the text.
Finally, we offer these sample papers in Microsoft Word (.docx) format without the annotations.
These sample papers demonstrate APA Style formatting standards for different professional paper types. Professional papers can contain many different elements depending on the nature of the work. Authors seeking publication should refer to the journal’s instructions for authors or manuscript submission guidelines for specific requirements and/or sections to include.
Sample papers are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Chapter 2 and the Concise Guide Chapter 1
View all instructional aids
These sample papers demonstrate APA Style formatting standards for different student paper types. Students may write the same types of papers as professional authors (e.g., quantitative studies, literature reviews) or other types of papers for course assignments (e.g., reaction or response papers, discussion posts), dissertations, and theses.
APA does not set formal requirements for the nature or contents of an APA Style student paper. Students should follow the guidelines and requirements of their instructor, department, and/or institution when writing papers. For instance, an abstract and keywords are not required for APA Style student papers, although an instructor may request them in student papers that are longer or more complex. Specific questions about a paper being written for a course assignment should be directed to the instructor or institution assigning the paper.
Although published articles differ in format from manuscripts submitted for publication or student papers (e.g., different line spacing, font, margins, and column format), articles published in APA journals provide excellent demonstrations of APA Style in action.
APA journals began publishing papers in seventh edition APA Style in 2020. Professional authors should check the author submission guidelines for the journal to which they want to submit their paper for any journal-specific style requirements.
Quantitative professional paper template: Adapted from “Fake News, Fast and Slow: Deliberation Reduces Belief in False (but Not True) News Headlines,” by B. Bago, D. G. Rand, and G. Pennycook, 2020, Journal of Experimental Psychology: General , 149 (8), pp. 1608–1613 ( https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0000729 ). Copyright 2020 by the American Psychological Association.
Qualitative professional paper template: Adapted from “‘My Smartphone Is an Extension of Myself’: A Holistic Qualitative Exploration of the Impact of Using a Smartphone,” by L. J. Harkin and D. Kuss, 2020, Psychology of Popular Media , 10 (1), pp. 28–38 ( https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000278 ). Copyright 2020 by the American Psychological Association.
Mixed methods professional paper template: Adapted from “‘I Am a Change Agent’: A Mixed Methods Analysis of Students’ Social Justice Value Orientation in an Undergraduate Community Psychology Course,” by D. X. Henderson, A. T. Majors, and M. Wright, 2019, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology , 7 (1), 68–80. ( https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000171 ). Copyright 2019 by the American Psychological Association.
Literature review professional paper template: Adapted from “Rethinking Emotions in the Context of Infants’ Prosocial Behavior: The Role of Interest and Positive Emotions,” by S. I. Hammond and J. K. Drummond, 2019, Developmental Psychology , 55 (9), pp. 1882–1888 ( https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000685 ). Copyright 2019 by the American Psychological Association.
Review professional paper template: Adapted from “Joining the Conversation: Teaching Students to Think and Communicate Like Scholars,” by E. L. Parks, 2022, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology , 8 (1), pp. 70–78 ( https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000193 ). Copyright 2020 by the American Psychological Association.
These papers came from real students who gave their permission to have them edited and posted by APA.
APA headings and subheadings give your paper the structure it needs to differentiate and separate sections – much like how we’ve structured this article. Sounds simple, right? Not exactly.
Like a reference list, in-text citations, footnotes, and abstract, APA headings require correct formatting. More so since the American Psychological Association (APA) released the 7th edition of their style guide.
In this article, we’ll go through the different APA heading levels and their formats. You will also have access to APA headings examples and insight on APA capitalization rules so you can nail APA heading formatting without breaking a sweat.
Table of Contents
As mentioned earlier, APA headers separate and differentiate your paper’s sections. They are crucial in scholarly works because:
The APA headers are divided into five levels (more on this later!).
Before diving down to APA’s unique headings system, let’s talk about the elephant in the room – the style guide edition. And, we hate to break it to you. There are a lot of changes between the APA 6th edition vs. 7th edition, but since we’re only talking about headings, we’re not going to outline all the differences.
Luckily for you, there are not a lot of changes in the APA style 7th edition headings.
To better understand these changes, you can refer to the table below.
In addition to these formatting changes, the 7th APA style guide also dictates that student papers do not need a running head.
Now that you know what APA headings are and the difference between the headings of APA 6th and 7th editions, let’s talk about the levels.
APA headings levels are divided into five – Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Level 4, and Level 5. In a hurry? You can check the comparison table below.
1 | Centered | Yes | None | Begins as new paragraph |
2 | Flush left | Yes | None | Begins as new paragraph |
3 | Flush left | Yes | None | Begins as new paragraph |
4 | Indented | Yes | Yes | Same line as regular paragraph |
5 | Indented | Yes | Yes | Same line as regular paragraph |
Expert Insight: Title case means capitalizing the first letter of words with at least four or more letters. These words are typically proper nouns, pronouns, adverbs, nouns, and adjectives. However, keep in mind that the first word in a header is always in upper case, even if the first word is an article like “ the” or “a.”
Level 1, or the first level of heading, represents the main section of your paper. For instance, if your paper topic discusses the effects of social media platforms on university students, the header “Method” should be in level 1.
In a 7th APA style, the structure should be:
The text after Level 1 will be a new paragraph and not on the same line as the heading.
Expert Insight: Does the Level 1 format look familiar? That’s because it has the same structure as the Paper Title element (APA 7 title page) in the APA cover page format.
What if the next portion of your paper discusses the sampling method you’ve used? In that case, the first level of subsection should be the second level of headings or simply Level 2. Why? This is because the “sampling method” is a cluster of the main level “Method.”
The structure of a Level 2 header is, however, different. Instead of having the “Sampling Method” centered, you’ll flush it to the left. A Level 2 header will be in bold, and the paragraph will start in a new line.
Here’s how a Level 2 APA is formatted:
Tip: When in doubt, remember that APA sub-headings or subsections should be related to the subsequent header.
The third level of headings, or Level 3, further expounds the information you’ve shared in Level 2 or “Sampling Method.” In this case, your level 3 will be “Procedure.”The formatting of Level 2 and Level 3 are pretty similar.
As a matter of fact, there is one key difference a Level 3 header will be in bold italic. The alignment, boldface, and title case will remain the same.
You should format a Level 3 APA header like this:
You will need to use the fourth level of headings or Level 4 if there are other details from the Level 3 “Sampling Method” that you need to discuss further. In our APA example, that Level 4 will be the “Participant Recruitment.”
The format of Level 4 is distinct from levels 1, 2, and 3 because:
To better understand an APA Level 4 heading format, here is an example:
You’ve probably caught on that Level 5 is a subheading of Level 4, and you are correct! If “Participant Recruitment” warrants more information, you can use the fifth level of headings for either “Tools” or “Compensation.”
The formatting of Level 5 is a bit similar to Level 4; the only difference is that you’ll use a boldface italic. Other elements like indent and period will remain the same.
If you combine the levels, your paper should look like this:
With five levels to choose from, selecting which one you should use for your paper can be daunting. Here are some tips:
Now that you are familiar with all the five-level headings in APA 7. The question now is, how do you arrange them? The rule of thumb for organizing APA 7 headers is to always start with Level 1, followed by subsequent headings of equal importance.
Does that mean that the levels should only be used once? Not technically. You can have all the number of levels in a section as long as you follow the progression, wherein Level 1 always comes first.
Tip: Don’t mistake section labels and APA headings or vice versa. Section labels or special headings are different from regular headings. Not only are they formatted differently, but they also appear at the top section of the paper, below the pagination or page number. You will always find them at the start of a new page.
On top of the format or structure of the level headers, you should also watch out for the following:
How to create table of contents in apa format.
In APA 7th edition, it is not required to have a table of contents, but in case your adviser requires one, you can easily do so whether you are using Google docs or Microsoft Word.
In Google Docs:
Note: Keep in mind that APA 7th style guide dictates that the headings and text should have the same font size and typeface. So, after printing the table of contents, make sure to revert the levels to the correct size.
In Microsoft Word:
Tip: Ensure you set the levels in the correct format before creating the table of contents. All levels no longer have a lower case heading. The only thing you should watch out for is the alignment, boldface, italics, and period.
No, you don’t have to use all five APA headers in your paper. The headers and the number of subsections will highly depend on your writing style and subject matter.
No, there isn’t an “introduction heading.” This is because the first paragraphs of a paper are already understood as the introduction section.
The format of APA headings and subheadings can be confusing at first. But remember, APA capitalization rules for the 7th APA edition mean using title case for all heading levels; no more uppercase and lowercase headings. And you can distinguish the third, fourth, and fifth-level headings through italicization, period, and indentation. As for the text after the heading, only levels 4 and 5 will have the paragraph in line with the headings.
Don’t forget that running headers are no longer required in student papers! But just to be on the safe side, make sure to always ask your instructor.
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Sample papers.
You can find sample papers from Purdue OWL's website, APA 7th edition Publication Manual, or APA style website.
Follow these guidelines throughout your paper:
The 7th edition Publication Manual for APA introduced the student and professional papers. The major difference between these two types of papers is found on the title page. Please, see the guidelines below for formatting the title page of your document. Also note, follow your professors' guidelines for formatting the title page.
Follow this format for headings (see 2.27 of the Publication Manual for additional details):
Level 1 headings are written in bold title case and aligned to the center. The text begins as a new paragraph.
Level 2 headings are written in bold title case and aligned flush to the left. The text begins as a new paragraph.
Level 3 headings are written in bold, italicized title case, and aligned flush to the left. The text begins as a new paragraph.
Level 4 headings are written in bold title case, indented from the left, and end with a period. The text begins after the period and continues like a regular paragraph.
Level 5 headings are written in bold, italicized title case, indented from the left, and end with a period. The text begins after the period and continues like a regular paragraph.
The following are guidelines for formatting your reference list:
2
Use APA formatted headings and subheadings to organize the sections of your paper and to help your reader transition from section to section. A suggestion is to use headings that are in the order of the assignment and evaluation criteria or rubric so your instructor can easily see you have fulfilled each part of the assignment’s content requirements. The first heading level is centered, boldface, uppercase and lowercase lettering. Do not start a new page for each heading.
Subheadings are formatted flush left, boldface, uppercase and lowercase lettering. |
This sample will give you an example of heading levels used in the body of the paper
The APA Style Blog offers a short sample paper describing level headings and how to properly use headings within a paper. Click this link to see the Heading Levels Template Student Paper
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Need editing and proofreading services, apa headings & subheadings | formatting guidelines & examples.
APA headings and subheadings provide a clear structure to your document and make it easy to navigate through. This is especially beneficial when it comes to longer documents.
The APA format makes use of headings and subheadings to indicate a hierarchy. But what is an APA paper heading and how do you customize it? We will answer all these questions with the help of concrete examples and templates.
Let’s start off with understanding the basics of how to customize these APA format headings and subheadings.
There are five APA heading levels that can be used as per the latest APA guidelines. You can decide which level of heading to use, depending on the length and complexity of your document.
Here are the formatting guidelines for the APA heading formats for the 7th edition:
Let’s take a look at how to format each of these APA heading levels in more detail.
As stated above, the APA Style guide consists of 5 levels of headings. Each level heading should be bolded and in some cases italicized . Here are the guidelines for the five APA format headings:
The level 1 heading for an APA paper is the main heading in an APA-style paper. It is used for all the significant sections of the paper such as “Methods”, “Results”, and “Discussion”.
Do NOT include the Introduction in the level 1 heading. The heading of your paper present in the APA title page serves as a de facto heading for your introduction.
Here are the formatting guidelines for an APA level 1 heading:
Here is the APA heading format example:
APA Level 1 Heading
The text is indented and begins on a new line.
A section label is used to indicate specific parts of your paper including. It is similar to a level 1 heading but is formatted slightly differently. It is bolded and centrally aligned but is placed in a separate line at the top of a new page.
A level 2 heading is a subsection that is included under the level 1 heading. For instance, subheadings such as “Test Sample” are included under the main heading “Method”. Make sure that there are two or more subheadings present under each main heading.
The level 2 APA subheading format is as follows:
Here is a level 2 APA heading example:
APA Level 2 Heading
Level 3 APA subheadings are used to further categorize characteristics included under the level 2 subheading. For instance, the level 2 subheading “Test Sample” may further be divided into sample groups such as “Preteens”, “Adolescents”, and “Adults” .
Here are the formatting guidelines for an APA level 3 heading:
Here is a level 3 APA heading example:
APA Level 3 Heading
The level 4 APA subheadings are rarely used when it comes to school papers. They’re more often used in more complex and detailed papers such as postgraduate or professional research papers. It is used to further categorize information included in the level 3 heading. For instance, the sample group of “Preteens” can further be divided into categories such as “Children (6–8 years)” and “Children (9–12 years)”.
Following are the formatting guidelines for an APA level 4 heading:
Here is a level 4 APA heading example:
APA Level 4 Heading. The text begins in the same line.
The level 5 heading is the final heading included under the APA formatting guidelines. It is used to further categorize information included under the level 4 heading. For instance, the category “Children (6–8 years)” can be further divided into “Boys” and “Girls”.
Following are the formatting guidelines for an APA level 5 heading:
Here is a level 5 APA heading example:
APA Level 5 Heading. The text begins in the same line.
When you put all of the headings together, it should look something like this:
APA Level 5 Heading . The text begins in the same line.
Things get much easier when it comes to formatting APA headings in MS Word and Google Docs. Instead of individually inserting each heading, you can simply make use of the “styles” feature. This allows you to select a heading of your choice with a single click.
Make sure to edit your heading as per the APA formatting guidelines, since these default settings are not available in MS Word or Google Docs.
To understand how the APA levels are structured, let’s take a look at an APA format for headings. The following research paper outline highlights the methods used to collect the effect of coffee on preteens and young adults.
Here’s how the headings and text should be structured in the following example.
If you think formatting is not your strong suit and you want to make things easier, consider working with professional editing services . These professionals not only correct structural errors and content flow but also rectify all proofreading errors.
Need help with formatting your paper? Here are a few more articles you can refer to:
When should i use each level of heading, how are headings numbered in apa style, can i use more than five levels of headings in apa style.
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Resources on using in-text citations in APA style
Resources on writing an APA style reference list, including citation formats
This page contains information on the style and format of papers according to APA 7th edition using the Concise Guide to APA Style: The Official APA Style for Students .
APA Style papers should have the same style and size of font throughout the text of the paper (title page to reference page). APA considers the following fonts acceptable: 11- point Calibri, 11-point Arial, 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode, 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Georgia, or 10-point Computer Modern. It is recommended that you check with your instructor to see if they have a preferred font style.
(See section 1.18 of the Concise Guide to APA Style )
The first line of every paragraph in the text of your paper and every reference on your reference page is indented (hit the tab key once). The remaining lines are left flush with the left-hand margin of the paper (this is known as a "hanging indent").
Page numbers : Title page through reference pages are numbered using Arabic numerals; place each number in the top right corner of the page.
Running heads: Are NOT required in student papers, but you should still check with your instructor to see if they wish them to be used.
Dashes: APA uses em dashes (long dash) and en dashes (short dash). See section 4.6 of the Concise Guide to APA Style for more information.
APA Style papers should have double-spaced text throughout the entire paper (including quotations and references). To make your paper double-spaced in Microsoft Word, highlight the text you want double-spaced, and then click Layout . Next, click on the arrow to the right of the word Paragraph (a pop-up appears). From the drop-down menu under Line Spacing , select Double (default choice is Multiple ) and click OK .
APA Style papers use 1 inch margins all around (top to bottom and left to right). Margins in Microsoft Word are set to 1 inch by default. If you are unsure, you can check your margins by clicking Layout, and clicking Margins. Once the drop-down menu appears, make sure Normal is selected to ensure you have 1 inch margins all around your paper.
(See sections 1.20 and 1.21 of the Concise Guide to APA Style )
APA Style recommends ONE space after a period when the period ends a sentence, separates parts of a reference list entry, or follows initials in names (J.B. Jones).
Do NOT put a space after a period when the period is part of an internal abbreviations (U.S. or a.m.)
Do NOT use periods for the abbreviation of state, province, or territory names (AZ; KS; BC); capital letter abbreviations and acronyms (APA, AMA, EPA); for abbreviations of academic degrees (PhD, MD, DO); or for abbreviations of metric and nonmetric measurements (cm, hr, kg,). Note: Use a period when abbreviating "inch" or "inches" (in.) or else it could be misread.
(See sections 4.1 and 4.2 of the Concise Guide to APA Style )
Sentence case is where most words in a sentence are going to be lower case.
The EXCEPTIONS are the first word in a title, heading, or sub-title ; proper nouns ; the first word after an em dash, semi-colon, or end punctuation; and any noun followed by a letter or number.
Title case is where major words are capitalized while minor words are lower case.
In APA style, major words are nouns, verbs, adjectives, pronouns, adverbs, or any word that is four letters or longer.
Minor words are articles, short prepositions, and conjunctions that are three letters or less.
(See section 5.7 of the Concise Guide to APA Style )
Refers to restating someone else's ideas or findings into your own words. Paraphrasing allows you to summarize information from one or more sources, compare and contrast information from multiple sources, and focus on the most important information from each source.
It is BEST to paraphrase information whenever possible rather than using direct quotations.
Paraphrased information must be cited in-text with either a parenthetical or narrative citation.
(See sections 8.23 and 8.24 of the Concise Guide to APA Style)
Reproduce words EXACTLY as written from another work (including your own). Quotations are best used in papers for when you want to reproduce an exact definition, when an author of a work has said something memorable, or when you want to respond to the exact wording (something someone said) from an author in your paper.
When not using a quotation for one of the above reasons, it is best to paraphrase information. Additionally, you should check with your instructor to see if they limit the number of quotations you are allowed to use.
Quotations must be cited in-text with either a parenthetical or narrative citation.
Short quotations consist of 40 words or less and should be incorporated into the text of your paper with quotation marks.
Long quotations consists of 40 words or more and do not use quotations marks. Instead, they should be incorporated into your paper as a block quotation. Block quotations begin on a new line, are double-spaced, and are indented 0.5 inches from the left hand margin of your paper.
(See sections 8.25 - 8.33 of the Concise Guide to APA Style)
Heading Levels or "headings" are a way to organize information in APA papers and convey it clearly ( think of headings as "sections" and "subsections"). There are five levels of headings in APA Style, although for undergraduates it is rare to need to go past a Level 2 headings. If you are unsure if you need to use headings, check with your instructor.
Levels | Format | Text |
1 | Text begins as a new paragraph. | |
2 | Text begins as a new paragraph. | |
3 | Text begins as a new paragraph. | |
4 | Text begins on the same line and continues as a regular paragraph. | |
5 | Text begins on the same line and continues as a regular paragraph. |
Note: Do NOT label an introduction as "Introduction" in APA papers. The title of your paper acts as a de facto Level 1 Heading.
(See section 1.26 of the Concise Guide to APA Style)
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
There are five levels of heading in APA Style. Level 1 is the highest or main level of heading, Level 2 is a subheading of Level 1, Level 3 is a subheading of Level 2, and so on through Levels 4 and 5. The number of headings to use in a paper depends on the length and complexity of the work. If only one level of heading is needed, use Level 1.
Headings and subheadings provide structure to a document. They signal what each section. is about and allow for easy navigation of the document. APA headings have five possible levels. Each heading level is formatted differently. Note: Title case simply means that you should capitalize the first word, words with four or more letters, and all ...
Title of Paper. Begin your paper with the paper title at the top of the first page of text. The paper title acts as a de facto Level 1 heading: It is centered and in bold title case font. Do not use the heading "Introduction"; text at the beginning of the paper is assumed to be the introduction. APA Style headings have five possible levels.
Headings are used to help guide the reader through a document. The levels are organized by levels of subordination, and each section of the paper should start with the highest level of heading. There are 5 heading levels in APA. Regardless of the number of levels, always use the headings in order, beginning with level 1.
Media Files: APA Sample Student Paper , APA Sample Professional Paper This resource is enhanced by Acrobat PDF files. Download the free Acrobat Reader. Note: The APA Publication Manual, 7 th Edition specifies different formatting conventions for student and professional papers (i.e., papers written for credit in a course and papers intended for scholarly publication).
Indent the first line of every paragraph of text 0.5 in. using the tab key or the paragraph-formatting function of your word-processing program. Page numbers: Put a page number in the top right corner of every page, including the title page or cover page, which is page 1. Student papers do not require a running head on any page.
Center, Bold, Title Case Heading. Text begins as a new paragraph. 2: Flush Left, Bold, Title Case Heading Text beings as a new paragraph. 3: Flush Left, Bold Italic, Title Case Heading Text begins as a new paragraph. 4 Indented, Bold, Title Case Heading, Ending With a Period. Text begins on the same line and continues as a regular paragraph. 5
2. Flush Left, Bold, Upper and Lowercase Heading. Text begins as new paragraph. 3. Flush Left, Bold, Italics, Upper and Lowercase Heading. Text begins as new paragraph. 4. Indent, Bold, Uppercase and Lowercase Heading with a Period at the End. Text begins on the same line.
Headings. Use headings when necessary to differentiate distinct parts of a long or complex paper. Student papers may not require headings. There are five levels of headings used in APA Style. Use only the number of headings needed to differentiate parts of your paper. Just like an outline, avoid having only one subsection within a section.
Headings are used to help guide the reader through a document. There are five levels of headings in APA. Always use the headings in order, beginning with level 1. Only use as may headings as are needed to differentiate between sections of a paper. Headings are not necessary if your paper doesn't have separate sections. See more guidance below.
Indent the first line of the new paragraph. 3. Flush Left, Bold & Italic, Title Case Heading. Text begins as a new paragraph. Indent the first line of the new paragraph. 4. Indented, Bold, Title Case Heading, Ending With a Period. Text begins on the same line and continues as a regular paragraph. 5.
In this sample paper, we've put four blank lines above the title. Commented [AF3]: Authors' names are written below the title, with one double-spaced blank line between them. Names should be written as follows: First name, middle initial(s), last name. Commented [AF4]: Authors' affiliations follow immediately after their names.
5 Levels of Headings. Heading.Level. Heading.Format. 1. Centered, Bold, Title Case. Paragraph begins here, on the line after the heading. This example is singled spaced, but should be double-spaced as all text in the paper. 2. Flush Left, Bold, Title Case.
Definition. APA headings and subheadings refers to the rules for formatting sections of documents in the 7th Edition of the American Psychological Association's Publication Manual. A research paper written in APA style should be organized into sections and subsections using the five levels of APA headings. Related Concepts:
Throughout your paper, you need to apply the following APA format guidelines: Set page margins to 1 inch on all sides. Double-space all text, including headings. Indent the first line of every paragraph 0.5 inches. Use an accessible font (e.g., Times New Roman 12pt., Arial 11pt., or Georgia 11pt.).
These sample papers formatted in seventh edition APA Style show the format that authors should use to submit a manuscript for publication in a professional journal and that students should use to submit a paper to an instructor for a course assignment. ... Student Paper (PDF, 257KB) Heading Levels Template: Professional Paper (PDF, 213KB) Other ...
Set the headers in the correct header size. Click the "Normal Text" dropdown and choose Header 1 for Level 1 APA headings, Header 2 for Level 2, and so on. Go to Insert>Table of Contents. Note: Keep in mind that APA 7th style guide dictates that the headings and text should have the same font size and typeface.
Use the same font type and size throughout the paper (exceptions for figure images, computer code, and footnotes - see 2.19 in APA Manual) Margins: 1 inch on all sides. Left align paragraphs and leave ragged (uneven) margins on the right. Indention: use 0.5 inch indention for the first line of every paragraph (use tab key for consistency)
Sample Paper APA 7th ed. Our APA sample paper shows you how to format the main parts of a basic research paper. APA 7th Sample Papers from Purdue Owl << Previous: Block Quotations; Next: Government Documents and Legal Materials >> Last Updated: May 3, 2024 2:22 PM;
The first heading level is centered, boldface, uppercase and lowercase lettering. Do not start a new page for each heading. Subheadings. Subheadings are formatted flush left, boldface, uppercase and lowercase lettering. This sample will give you an example of heading levels used in the body of the paper. The APA Style Blog offers a short sample ...
Here is a level 3 APA heading example: APA Level 3 Heading. The text is indented and begins on a new line. APA level 4 heading. The level 4 APA subheadings are rarely used when it comes to school papers. They're more often used in more complex and detailed papers such as postgraduate or professional research papers.
Guidelines on writing an APA style paper In-Text Citations. Resources on using in-text citations in APA style ... Basic guidelines for formatting the reference list at the end of a standard APA research paper Author/Authors Rules for handling works by a single author or multiple authors that apply to all APA-style references in your reference ...
APA Style papers should have the same style and size of font throughout the text of the paper (title page to reference page). APA considers the following fonts acceptable: 11- point Calibri, 11-point Arial, 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode, 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Georgia, or 10-point Computer Modern. It is recommended that you check with your instructor to see if they have a preferred ...
Optional Paper Sections. Headings - APA 7 Style Guide. Accessible Use of Colors in APA 7. Figures - APA 7. The basics of figure setup, including figure components, principles of figure construction, and placement of figures in a paper. Tables - APA 7.