APA Style — Paper format (7th edition)
At a glance
APA is widely used in the social sciences and prioritizes a consistent, reviewable research-paper presentation (standardized title pages and heading levels, plus a clearly formatted References section) rather than a venue-specific production layout.
This page focuses on Word (.docx) layout you can apply and check: page setup, paragraphs, title page elements (student vs professional), running head rules, heading levels, and the reference-list block layout.
How to format / how to check formatting
- 1Click “Format using this template” to open the tool with this APA template pre-selected.
- 2Upload your .docx: optionally run “Check formatting” first to get a score and issues, then format.
- 3Download the result and verify key rules using the summary, self-check notes, and the cleaned original guideline below.
Key notes & self-check
Quick parameters (APA 7 paper format — layout)
Quick params| Item | Typical APA 7 expectation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Paper size | US Letter (8.5" × 11") | |
| Margins | 1 inch on all sides | |
| Line spacing | Double-spaced throughout | Includes title page, headings, references (with limited exceptions for some elements) |
| Alignment | Left-aligned, ragged right | Do not fully justify |
| Paragraph indent | 0.5 inch first-line indent | Use paragraph settings, not spaces/tabs |
| Fonts (allowed) | Several options permitted | e.g., 12 pt Times New Roman, 11 pt Calibri/Arial/Georgia, etc. |
| Page number | Top right header on every page | Starts on title page |
| Running head | Professional papers only | Student papers usually do not use a running head |
| Headings | APA 5-level heading system | Consistent styles per level |
| References layout | New page, "References" as a Level-1 heading | Entries typically use hanging indent |
Common APA layout mistakes (high-impact + easy to verify)
Top mistakesTool-detectable / style-related
- Fully justified text (APA expects left-aligned, ragged right).
- Missing page numbers in the header (APA expects page numbers on every page).
- Paragraphs not using a 0.5" first-line indent (or using spaces/tabs instead of paragraph settings).
- Extra blank lines between paragraphs (spacing should come from the document settings).
- "References" page not starting on a new page or not formatted as a Level-1 heading.
Manual but important (depends on paper type)
- Using a running head in a student paper (or missing it in a professional paper when required).
- Student vs professional title page elements mixed (course/instructor vs author note).
- Headings not following one consistent APA heading level style across the paper.
Submission self-check (actions, not parameters)
Checklist- Paper type: confirm whether you are formatting a student paper or a professional paper (this changes title page + running head rules).
- Header: verify page numbers appear on every page; check running head only if required.
- Style sanity check: pick 3 body paragraphs and confirm indentation and spacing come from styles (not manual spaces/blank lines).
- Headings sanity check: headings consistently match APA’s heading level rules throughout.
- References sanity check: "References" starts on a new page and the list uses consistent hanging indent/spacing.
What this page covers (and what it does not)
ScopeCovers: page setup and layout (margins, spacing, fonts), title pages (student vs professional), page header rules, heading levels, and the References section layout.
Does not cover: full APA writing guidance, in-text citations, or the detailed formatting of each reference entry (those belong to the APA Publication Manual and APA citation pages).
Official files / 原始格式要求
Attachments- DownloadThesis Sample En (DOCX)DOCX • 42.5 KB
