Your APA Title Page Made Simple
You’ve finished your research paper, your references are perfectly formatted, and your arguments are airtight. Now, you’re staring at a blank document, unsure how to start the very first page. Creating an APA title page can feel like a final, frustrating hurdle. The rules seem precise, and getting them wrong can make your otherwise excellent work look unprofessional before a professor or journal editor even reads the first sentence.
This guide cuts through the confusion. We’ll walk through the exact steps to build a flawless APA 7th edition title page, explain why each element matters, and show you how to avoid the most common mistakes. By the end, you’ll be able to create a polished title page that meets all formatting requirements in minutes.
Understanding the APA Title Page
The title page is more than just a cover. In APA style, it serves a specific purpose: to provide key information about your paper in a standardized format. This allows readers, instructors, or journal staff to immediately identify the work’s title, author, institutional affiliation, course details, and submission date. A correctly formatted title page signals that you understand academic conventions and have paid attention to detail.
The American Psychological Association updated its style guide to the 7th edition in 2019, which introduced some significant changes to title page formatting. The most notable change was the removal of the “Running head:” label for student papers. If you’re following older guides or templates, you might be including elements that are no longer required. This guide focuses exclusively on the current 7th edition standards for student and professional papers.
What You Need Before You Start
Gathering a few pieces of information before you open your word processor will make the process smoother. You should have your paper’s final title ready, your full name, the name of your university or institution, the course number and name (for student papers), your instructor’s name, the assignment’s due date, and, if applicable, the name of the author note for professional papers. Double-check the spelling of all names and institutional details.
Step-by-Step: Building Your Title Page
We’ll break down the title page into its core components, working from the top of the page to the bottom. The general rule is to use double-spacing throughout the entire title page and the rest of your paper. Set your word processor to use 1-inch margins on all sides and a standard, readable font like 12-point Times New Roman, Calibri, or Arial.
Inserting the Page Number
The first element you should place is the page number. In the header of the document, flush right, insert the number 1. This page is the first page of your manuscript, so it gets page number 1. For student papers, this is the only element that should appear in the header. Do not write “Running head:” or any other text in the header of a student paper in APA 7th edition.
Formatting the Paper Title
The title of your paper belongs in the upper half of the page. To position it, press Enter until your cursor is approximately 3-4 lines down from the top margin. The title should be centered horizontally.
Write your title in bold font. Use title case, which means you capitalize the first letter of major words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns). Do not capitalize articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or), or prepositions (of, in, on) unless they are the first or last word of the title. The title itself should be concise, ideally no more than 12 words, and clearly reflect the content of your paper.
If your title runs onto a second line, double-space between the lines and center the text. Avoid using abbreviations in the title unless they are widely known.
Adding Author Information
After the title, press Enter twice (creating one double-spaced blank line) and then add the author’s name. Center the text. For a single author, simply write your full first name, middle initial (if used), and last name. Do not include titles like “Dr.” or “Ms.”
For multiple authors, list each name on its own double-spaced line, centered. The order of authors should reflect their contribution to the work, with the lead author first. Use the word “and” before the final author’s name if you are not using an ampersand.
Including Your Institutional Affiliation
Press Enter twice after the last author’s name. On the next line, centered, add the institutional affiliation. This is the university, college, or organization where the research was conducted or the author is enrolled. For a student paper, this is typically your university’s name (e.g., “University of California, Los Angeles”).
If multiple authors have different affiliations, list each author’s name followed by a superscript number, and then list the corresponding affiliations below, each preceded by the same superscript number.
Completing the Course Details (For Student Papers)
Student papers require three additional lines of information below the affiliation. Each piece of information goes on its own separate, double-spaced line, centered.
First, list the course number and name (e.g., “PSYC 101: Introduction to Psychology”). On the next line, list the instructor’s name (e.g., “Professor Jane Smith”). On the following line, list the due date of the assignment written in month, day, year format (e.g., “June 1, 2026”). Spell out the month completely.
Professional Paper vs. Student Paper Format
It’s crucial to know which type of paper you are writing, as the requirements differ. A student paper is typically a course assignment, dissertation, or thesis submitted for a grade. A professional paper is one being submitted to a journal for publication.
The main differences are in the header and the bottom section of the title page. A professional paper includes a running head, which is a shortened version of the paper’s title in all capital letters, flush left in the header. The page number remains flush right. The label “Running head:” is not used in the 7th edition, even for professional papers. Simply put the shortened title in all caps.
Additionally, a professional paper includes an “Author Note” section at the bottom of the title page, below the due date line (or affiliation if no course details). The Author Note is left-aligned and can include information like author affiliations, acknowledgments, and contact information. Student papers do not include an Author Note.
Common APA Title Page Mistakes to Avoid
Even with a guide, it’s easy to make small errors. Here are the most frequent mistakes students and researchers make, so you can check your work against them.
Using the wrong header. The number one mistake is including “Running head:” on a student paper. In APA 7th edition, only the page number belongs in the header for student work.
Incorrect title case. Remember, it’s not all caps, and not every word is capitalized. Follow the title case rules for major words only.
Wrong date format. The due date should be in the Month Day, Year format (June 1, 2026), not the Day/Month/Year or other numerical formats common elsewhere.
Forgetting to double-space. The entire title page, including the lines between the title, name, affiliation, and course details, must be double-spaced.
Using an old template. Always verify that any template you download or use is updated for the APA 7th edition (2020) guidelines, not the 6th edition.
Tools and Templates for Perfect Formatting
You don’t have to build every title page from scratch. Most major word processors have built-in support or readily available templates that can automate much of the formatting.
In Microsoft Word, you can search for “APA” in the template search bar when creating a new document. Official templates from the APA website are also available, though they may require slight adjustment. Google Docs has several excellent APA 7th edition template add-ons available in the Workspace Marketplace. These can insert a properly formatted title page with clickable fields.
Dedicated citation management software like Zotero, EndNote, or Mendeley often includes word processor plugins that can help format your entire paper, including the title page, as you write. While these tools are helpful, always do a final visual check against the official guidelines, as automated formatting can sometimes be slightly off.
What to Do If Your Instructor Has Specific Requirements
Always, without exception, prioritize your instructor’s or journal’s specific guidelines over general APA rules. Some departments or professors may have modified requirements, such as asking for a specific cover sheet, additional information, or slightly different spacing. If your assignment prompt includes title page instructions, follow those exactly. The APA style guide itself states that publisher or instructor requirements take precedence. When in doubt, ask for clarification.
Your Action Plan for a Flawless Title Page
Start by setting up your document correctly: 1-inch margins, double spacing, and a standard 12-point font. Insert the page number “1” in the header, flush right. Center your bolded, title-case paper title about 3-4 lines down from the top. Add your name, affiliation, and (for student papers) your course, instructor, and due date on separate, double-spaced, centered lines below.
Review your work against the common mistakes list, paying special attention to the header and date format. If you are submitting a professional paper, remember to add the running head (short title in all caps, flush left) and the author note section at the bottom. Finally, save a copy of this correctly formatted document as a personal template for your next APA-style paper. With this process, you can transform a blank page into a perfectly formatted title page that makes a strong, professional first impression every time.
