APA 7 Title Page: Formatting Guidelines & Examples

A blank page with a title you’re unsure about—bold or not, running head needed—can stall your paper before you start. The APA 7th edition has clear rules, and getting them right can mean the difference between a paper that looks professional and one that gets flagged. This guide walks through every element, with official sources and examples, so you can format your title page with confidence.

Running head (student papers): Not required ·
Running head (professional): Required ·
Title font style: Bold, 12pt Times New Roman ·
Margins: 1 inch on all sides

What are the required elements of an APA 7 title page?

Student title page elements

For student papers, the APA Style official style guide mandates: paper title, author names (byline), author affiliation (department and university), course number and name, instructor name, and due date. No running head appears on a student title page, as confirmed by the Scribbr academic resource.

Professional title page elements

Professional papers require the same title and author information, plus a running head, an author note, and a page number. Course and instructor details are omitted. The running head is an abbreviated title in all caps, ≤50 characters, flush left on every page (Purdue OWL writing lab).

Differences between student and professional

• Running head: student – none; professional – required.
• Author note: student – none; professional – included below affiliation.
• Course/instructor: student – included; professional – excluded.
• Due date: student – included; professional – excluded.
• Page number: both require page 1 in top-right header.

The implication: mixing formats is the #1 error. A student submission with a running head signals confusion, while a journal article missing it will be rejected outright.

How to format an APA 7 title page step by step

Set up margins and font

Start with 1-inch margins on all sides (APA Student Paper Setup Guide official PDF). Use Times New Roman 12pt or another serif font. Double-space the entire page. No extra spacing before or after paragraphs – set line spacing to exactly 2.0.

Add page number

Insert page number 1 flush right in the header. On a student paper, that’s the only header text. For professional papers, add the running head flush left, all caps, with “Running head:” label only on the title page (Hawaii Pacific University LibGuide academic guide).

Add title

Place the title in the upper half of the page, about 3–4 lines from the top. Center it, bold, in title case. If the title has a subtitle, place it on a separate double-spaced line (CT State Library guide academic guide). No maximum length, but keep it focused and avoid abbreviations.

Add author information

Below the title, add one blank double-spaced line (for professional papers only – Hawaii Pacific University LibGuide academic guide). Then list author names: first name, middle initial(s), last name. Affiliation includes department and university, separated by a comma. For professional papers, add a running head all caps ≤50 characters left-aligned, and an author note flush left at the bottom.

Add course and instructor (student papers)

For student papers only, add the course number and name, instructor name, and due date in month-day-year format. The Regis College LibGuide academic guide notes that instructors’ guidelines always supersede APA rules, so check your syllabus first.

What font size and style should I use for an APA 7 title page?

Font requirements

APA 7 requires a serif font: Times New Roman 12pt, Georgia 11pt, or Computer Modern. Sans-serif fonts like Arial or Calibri are acceptable only for figure labels, not the title page (APA Style official style guide).

Title formatting

• Bold – yes, for the title only.
• Italics – no. Underlining – no. All caps – no.
• Font size for title – same 12pt as the rest of the page. No larger or smaller.
• Title case: capitalize major words (nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, subordinating conjunctions).

The catch: many students instinctively enlarge or italicize the title. APA 7 explicitly forbids that – keep it consistent with the body text.

Does an APA 7 title page include a running head?

Student papers vs professional papers

No for students, yes for professionals. The APA Student Paper Setup Guide official PDF states: “Student papers do not include a running head.” For professional manuscripts (journal submissions, dissertations), the running head appears on every page, including the title page.

When to use a running head

• Student assignments, theses reviewed by faculty: no running head unless your instructor requests it.
• Journal submissions, grant proposals, conference papers: running head required.
• Running head format: all caps, ≤50 characters including spaces, flush left. On the title page only, precede it with “Running head:” – subsequent pages use just the abbreviated title.

Why this matters: a running head on a student paper is a dead giveaway that you used an old APA 6 template. In APA 6, running heads were required for all papers; APA 7 simplified it. Using the wrong version can make your paper look outdated.

Where can I find APA 7 title page examples and templates?

Official APA Style website

The APA Style official style guide provides sample papers (PDF) that show exact student and professional title pages. Also available: the APA Style blog with real-life corrections.

Purdue OWL

Purdue OWL writing lab offers a step-by-step guide with screenshots, covering every element from margins to the author note.

Scribbr

Scribbr academic resource has a free downloadable template for Word and Google Docs, plus a video tutorial.

Microsoft Word built-in templates

In Word 365/2021, search “APA 7th edition” in the template gallery. It includes pre-formatted title pages for student and professional papers, though double-check the running head placement – some built-in templates still follow APA 6.

The pattern: official sources are free and reliable; third-party templates save time but verify against the APA manual to catch any version drift.

Three key differences, one pattern: student pages carry course context, professional pages carry publication metadata, and the running head is the biggest tell.

Six formatting specs, one key takeaway: consistency matters more than creativity – the title is bold but same font size; the page number is flush right but no running head for students.

“The student title page includes the paper title, author names (the byline), author affiliation, course number and name for which the paper is being submitted.”

APA Style official style guide

“Type your title in upper and lowercase letters centered in the upper half of the page. The title should be centered and written in boldface.”

Purdue OWL writing lab

For students and professionals alike, the path to a polished paper starts with a perfectly formatted title page – and skipping the running head on a student paper is the easiest fix. The next time you open a blank document, you already know: bold the title, double-space everything, and check whether your instructor expects the running head. Get that right, and the rest of the paper flows much more smoothly.