Formatting an APA Title Page

The title page is the first thing a reader sees when they pick up your research paper. It provides essential information about the paper they’re about to read, such as its title and author.

The APA style suggests two slightly different formats for the title page, one for the student papers and professional papers. 

This blog shows you how to format an APA title page with examples. So whether you’re a student or a professional writer working with APA, dive in to format your title page accurately!

General Rules for APA Title Page

Before going into the specifics, you need to format the title page. Here’s how to do it:

• Set line-spacing to Double-spaced
• Start your text four lines down from the top with your paper title.
• All text should be center-aligned
• Add a page number on the top-right corner
• Keep 1-inch margins on all sides
• Text size should be 12-pts
• Use Times New Roman

Title Page Format: Student Papers Vs. Professional Papers

According to the guidelines of the APA 7th edition, the information you need to include in your title page depends on whether you’re writing as a student or professional. 

Here the common and different information that is required in two title page formats:

Here are APA title page examples for student and professional paper side by side:

In short, the student title page contains the following information:

• Title of the paper
• Full name of the author
• University and department
• Name of the course 
• Instructor’s name
• Due date for paper submission

On the other hand, the APA recommends to include this information in a professional title page:

• Title of the paper
• Full name of the author
• Institutional affiliation
• Author Note
• Running head

Let’s see how to format the title page information:

Title of the Paper

The first and the most essential information provided in the title page is the title of the paper. The title serves as a concise introduction to your work, telling the reader what it is about. 

Here’s how to write the paper title in the APA title page:

• Write the title four lines below from the first line.
• Center-align the title and use bold font.
• Use title case. That is, capitalize the first letter of all proper nouns. Do not capitalize helping verbs. 
• Keep the title less than 12 words and avoid unnecessary words or abbreviations. Keep it focused, clear, and relevant
• If the title has a subtitle, separate it from the main title by a colon (:).

Author Name

Leave a blank line below the title, and write the author’s full name in the next line. The full name would include the first name, middle initial, and the last name. 

Multiple Authors

In case the paper is written by more than two authors, separate each name of their names by commas, and use an “and” before the last author.

For example: 

If there are just two authors, add an “and” between their names. For instance, 

Institutional Affiliation

In the next line, after the authors, write the affiliations of the author. The institutional affiliation is the name of the institution or organization that the author or authors are associated with.

For Student Papers 

In the case of students, their affiliation is the university and the department where they’re enrolled. 

For example 

For Professional Papers

For professional writers, you should include the name of the institution or organization that the authors are employed by or affiliated with. This could include university departments, research institutions, or any other relevant academic affiliation.

If there are multiple authors, use superscript numbers to link each author's name to their corresponding affiliation in the next lines. 

Here’s an example:

Header

The header is the text that appears at the top of the title page. According to the APA guidelines, the information you need to include in the title page header differs depending on whether you're writing as a student or professional.

For Student Papers

The student title page, you only need to add the page number in the header. Start page numbering with “1” and add it in the top-right corner of the page.

For Professional Papers

For professional papers, the header should include a running head and a page number. A running head is a shortened version of the title of the paper.

Add the running head in the top-left corner, while the page number should appear at the top-right.

Course Name & Course No. (Student Papers)

For student papers, provide the course name and number below the institutional affiliation. This information helps contextualize your work within the academic setting.

Use the official name and number of the course, and do not include any abbreviations or acronyms, unless they are well-known and widely used. 

Instructor’s Name (Student Papers)

After the course information, you should include the name of the instructor who assigned or is supervising the paper. Use the full name of the instructor, and include any titles or degrees, such as Dr., Ph.D., etc., if applicable.

Due Date for Paper Submission (Student Papers)

Moreover, you should add the due date or the date of submission beneath the instructor’s name. This information specifies the assignment that you’re submitting. Use the date format that is preferred by your instructor or institution, such as month-day-year, day-month-year, or year-month-day.

Author Note (Professional Papers)

For professional papers, the author note provides readers with additional information about the author or authors. This information may include contact details, acknowledgments, disclosures, or funding sources, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the work.

Follow these guidelines for formatting your author note:

• Placement and Heading:

Place the author note after a few lines of the information at the bottom of the title page. Use the heading "Author Note" in bold. Start the author note on a new line.

• Formatting:

Use double-spacing throughout the author note. Implement a first-line indent for each paragraph. That is, indent the first line by 0.5 inches. Maintain the same font as the rest of your paper.

To Conclude,

With this simple guide, you are all set to create an accurate APA title page. Remember, the title page guidelines differ for student and professional papers. 

So make sure which category your paper falls into before setting out to create your title page. Stick to the student format if you’re writing for a course, and follow the professional style if you're writing for a journal. 

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