The APA 7th edition title page format differs substantially between student and professional submissions. Understanding the precise placement of elements—including paper title, author affiliations, course details, and running heads—is essential to avoid manual formatting errors on paper submissions.

This guide outlines the exact line spacing, bolding, and institutional metadata rules for both student and professional APA title pages.

Student vs Professional Title Page Geometry

The title page is the first thing your reader sees, so small mistakes show up immediately. APA 7th edition keeps the layout simple, but it still expects the right spacing, alignment, and page context.

Use The Ultimate APA 7th Edition Formatting Guide and How to Format an APA Abstract Page (7th Edition) to keep the front matter aligned, then review Formatly features for the faster workflow.

Establishing precise title page geometry signals methodological rigor before an evaluator examines the empirical body of the paper. Adhering strictly to APA 7th edition specifications eliminates formatting deductions and ensures seamless institutional compliance across student and professional submissions.

Student Paper Title Page

Student papers require:

1. Paper title (bold, centered, 3-4 lines from the top).
2. Author name (first name, last initial).
3. Institutional affiliation (university name).
4. Course name and number.
5. Instructor name.
6. Assignment due date.

No running head is required for student papers under APA 7th edition rules.

Professional Paper Title Page

Professional manuscripts require:

1. Paper title (bold, centered).
2. Author names (first name, middle initial, last name).
3. Institutional affiliation.
4. Author note (includes ORCID, changes of affiliation, and acknowledgments).
5. Running head (max 50 characters, aligned left in the header).
6. Page number (aligned right in the header).

Common Title Page Errors

• Title too long (APA recommends 12 words or fewer).
• Missing institutional affiliation.
• Student papers with unnecessary running heads.
• Incorrect capitalization of the title.
• Wrong formatting of author names.

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