APA 7 Format Checklist for Student Papers
APA 7th edition has a separate, simpler setup for student papers. Run down this list before you submit — these are the exact things professors dock points for.
Page formatting
- Margins: 1 inch on all sides.
- Font: an approved one — 12-pt Times New Roman, 11-pt Calibri, 11-pt Arial, or 11-pt Georgia.
- Spacing: double-spaced throughout, with no extra space between paragraphs.
- Indent: first line of every body paragraph indented 0.5 inch.
- Alignment: left-aligned (ragged right) — not justified.
- Page numbers: top-right corner of every page.
- Running head: student papers do not use one (that's professional papers only) — here's why.
Title page (student version)
- Title in bold, centered, in the upper half of the page.
- Your name, course, instructor, and due date — each on its own centered line.
- See the full APA 7 title page format, with an example.
References
- Starts on a new page with a bold, centered heading: References.
- Double-spaced, with a 0.5-inch hanging indent.
- Alphabetical by the first author's last name.
- Each entry formatted correctly — see APA reference examples.
Want to know which of these your paper gets wrong?
Check my APA paper — free →FAQ
Do APA student papers need an abstract?
Usually no — only if your instructor asks for one.
Which APA edition do I use?
APA 7th edition is the current standard.