APA 7th sets a distinct format for student papers: no running head, no abstract unless requested, and a title page carrying the paper title, your name, department and institution, course, instructor and due date. Everything is double-spaced with one-inch margins and a half-inch first-line indent.
The Student Title Page
Seven elements, centred, in this order, starting three or four lines from the top:
- Paper title in bold title case
- Blank line
- Your name
- Department and institution, separated by a comma
- Course number and name
- Instructor name
- Due date, written out (September 4, 2026)
No running head and no page-header title. That is the professional-paper format, and using it on a student paper is the single most common APA 7th error.
Page numbers still appear — top right, starting at 1 on the title page. It is the running head that student papers drop, not pagination.
The Five Heading Levels
- Level 1: Centered, Bold, Title Case, text on a new line
- Level 2: Flush Left, Bold, Title Case, text on a new line
- Level 3: Flush Left, Bold Italic, Title Case, text on a new line
- Level 4: Indented, Bold, Title Case, ending with a period. Text follows on the same line.
- Level 5: Indented, Bold Italic, Title Case, ending with a period. Text follows on the same line.
The word "Introduction" is not used as a heading — the paper title at the top of page two serves that function.
Page Setup
- One-inch margins on all sides
- Double spacing throughout, including the reference list, with no extra space between paragraphs
- First line of each paragraph indented half an inch
- An accessible font: 12pt Times New Roman, 11pt Calibri, 11pt Arial or 12pt Georgia
- Left-aligned text, not justified
Reference List Rules
- Starts on a new page, with "References" centred and bold
- Hanging indent of half an inch on every entry
- Alphabetical by first author surname
- Up to 20 authors listed; with 21 or more, list the first 19, an ellipsis, then the final author
- DOIs as full links: https://doi.org/10.xxxx, with no "doi:" prefix and no period after
- "Retrieved from" only where content is designed to change
- Publisher location removed — no more "New York, NY:"
In-Text Citation Changes From APA 6th
The one that catches everyone: three or more authors use et al. from the first citation. APA 6th listed all authors on first use, and reference managers configured for 6th still do.
Two authors: (Kotler & Keller, 2022) in parentheses; Kotler and Keller (2022) in the text.
Three or more: (Smith et al., 2023) every time, including the first.
What Instructors Notice First
A running head on a student paper, single spacing, missing hanging indents, and "Introduction" used as a heading. None costs many marks individually, but together they signal a paper formatted from an outdated template — and instructors read that as carelessness before they read your argument.
Frequently asked questions
Does an APA 7th student paper need a running head?
No. Running heads are required only for professional papers submitted for publication. Student papers omit them but still carry page numbers in the top right corner, starting at 1 on the title page.
What goes on an APA 7th student title page?
Seven centred elements: the paper title in bold title case, a blank line, your name, your department and institution, the course number and name, your instructor’s name, and the due date written out in full.
When do I use et al. in APA 7th?
For three or more authors, from the very first citation. This changed from APA 6th, which required all authors to be listed on first use, and reference managers still configured for the sixth edition often get it wrong.
Do I need an abstract for a student paper?
Only if your instructor asks for one. APA 7th does not require abstracts on student papers by default, which is a change many course templates have not caught up with.
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