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APA Guide

This guide contains information to help you cite your sources in APA format.

APA Formatting for Word 2016

Use the following directions to format your Microsoft Word document in APA format. You can also check out our APA sample paper for more guidance.

In the 7th edition of APA, they have separate format for "student papers" that doesn't require a full header. Instead, it only requires the page number to appear in the top-right corner of each page.

Title Page

A common characteristic of APA style papers is to include a title page. Check with your instructor to confirm if you should include a title page for your assignment.

  1. On the "Home" tab, select your font and size from the dropdown menu. Acceptable fonts for your title page include size 12 Times New Roman or size 11 Calibri.

Image of Microsoft Word's home" tab with "Times New Roman" selected

  1. On the "Home" tab, click the arrow that expands "Paragraph Settings." Under "Line Spacing," choose "Double" and make sure "Before" and "After" are set to 0 pt.

Image of Microsoft Word's "Home" tab and an arrow that expands "Paragraph Settings"

  1. On the "Page Layout" tab, click "Margins," and select "Normal" (1" on all sides). This is usually the standard setting in Microsoft Word.

Image of Microsoft Word's "page layout" tab with "margins" selected and "Normal" (1" on all sides).

  1. Click on the "Insert" tab, then click on "Page Number." Choose "Top of Page," then "Plain Number 3."

Image of Microsoft Word's "Insert" tab

  1. Highlight the page number to adjust the font to match the font of your paper. Click out of your header to move your cursor back to the main body of your paper.
  2. Under the "Home" tab, click the "Justify Center" icon to center your cursor. 

Arrow pointing to the justify center icon in Microsoft Word

  1. Hit the "Enter" key on your keyboard 3-4 times.  
  2. Type in the title of your paper. Your title should have all the major words capitalized and should be in bold. 
  3. Hit "Enter" twice on your keyboard to start a new line and to give space between your title and the next line. Turn off bold. Type in your name.
  4. Hit "Enter" on your keyboard to start a new line. Type in the name of the department you are in and the name of your college.
  5. Hit "Enter" on your keyboard to start a new line. Type in the name of the course you are taking. Include both the course code and the full name of the course (example: NUR 120: Basic Nursing Concepts).
  6. Hit "Enter" on your keyboard to start a new line. Type in your instructor's name and their academic credentials (if you know them).
  7. Hit "Enter" on your keyboard to start a new line. Type in the due date of your assignment.

Sample title page in APA format.

Body of Paper

  1. After completing your title page, click the "Insert" tab and choose "Blank Page" to add a new page to your document. Your header with your page number should appear in the top right corner of your page.

Inserting a new page into Microsoft Word by clicking "Insert" then "Blank Page."

  1. Type the title of your paper at the top of your page. Your title should be justified center (like your title page) and bolded.
  2. Hit "Enter" on your keyboard to start a new line.
  3. Change the text alignment over to left.

Align text left icon in Microsoft Word.

  1. Hit "Tab" your keyboard to start a new paragraph.
  2. If you have multiple section titles, each section title should be centered and bolded.

To learn about formatting a References Page, check out the library's Formatting Your Reference Page in Word guide.

APA Formatting for Word Online

Use the following directions to format your Word Online document in APA format. You can also check out our APA sample paper for more guidance.

Title Page

A common characteristic of APA style papers is to include a title page. Check with your instructor to confirm if you should include a title page for your assignment.

  1. On the "Home" tab, select your font and size from the dropdown menu. Acceptable fonts for your title page include size 12 Times New Roman or size 11 Calibri.

Microsoft Word Online homepage with Home and font Times New Roman, size 12 outlined in red boxes.

  1. On the "Home" tab, click on the three dots (found next to "Designer") to expand the menu. Select "Paragraph Options." 

Microsoft Word Online Version homepage with three dots outlined in a red box with a red arrow pointing to them.

  1. Under "Paragraph," look under "Spacing" and change the "Line Spacing" to "Double." 

Microsoft Word online version with Line Spacing outlined in a red box with a red arrow pointing to it; Line Spacing 2 outlined in a red box with a red arrow pointing to it; and Remove Space After Paragraph outlined in a red box with a red arrow pointing to it.

  1. Under "Layout," click "Margins" and confirm that "Normal" (1"  margins on all sides) is selected. This should be the default option in Word Online.

Microsoft Word online version with "Layout" tab outlined in a red box with a red arrow pointing to it. The "Margins" option is also outlines with a red box and has a red arrow pointing to it.

  1. Click on the "Insert" tab, then click on "Page Numbers." Choose the option that has the page number in the top right corner of your page.

Microsoft Word online version with the "Insert" tab outlined in a red box and a red arrow pointing to it. The "Page Numbers" option is also outlined with a red box and has a red arrow pointing to it.

Microsoft Word online version with the page number option that puts the page numbers on the far right side of the document outlined in a red box with a red arrow pointing to it.

  1. The page number will pop up in the top right corner like this: < # >. Click on the "Home" tab, then highlight the page number icon. Change the font and size to match the font you will use for your paper. 
    • Note: Once you click out of the header with your page numbers, it will disappear from your page. Click the "Header" tab at the top of the page to see your page numbers again or to edit your header.

Microsoft Word online version with the page numbers inserted in a red outlined box with a red arrow pointing to it.

  1. Under the "Home" tab, click the "Text Alignment" icon. On the dropdown menu, click "Align Center" to center your cursor.

Microsoft Word online version with alignment icon outlined in a red box with a red arrow pointing to it; Align Center is also outlined in a red box with a red arrow pointing to it.

  1. Hit the "Enter" key on your keyboard 3-4 times.
  2. Type in the title of your paper. Your title should have all the major words capitalized and should be in bold.
  3. Hit "Enter" twice on your keyboard to start a new line and to give space between your title and the next line. Turn off bold. Type in your name.
  4. Hit "Enter" on your keyboard to start a new line. Type in the name of the department you are in and the name of your college.
  5. Hit "Enter" on your keyboard to start a new line. Type in the name of the course you are taking. Include both the course code and the full name of the course (example: NUR 120: Basic Nursing Concepts).
  6. Hit "Enter" on your keyboard to start a new line. Type in your instructor's name.
  7. Hit "Enter" on your keyboard to start a new line. Type in the due date of your assignment.

Sample Title Page in APA format in Word Online

Body of Paper

  1. After completing your title page, click the "Insert" tab. Then click "Page Break" to add a new page. 
    • Note: When using "Page Break" Word Online will seemingly remove all of the blank space on the previous page and start the next page. If you print out or upload your document to D2L, the blank space will remain on the page as normal. Word Online is trying to save space for your view by removing the blank space.

Adding a new page in Word online by going to the Insert tab, then clicking Page Break.

  1. Type the title of your paper at the top of your page. Your title should be justified center (like your title page) and bolded.
  2. Hit "Enter" on your keyboard to start a new line.
  3. Under "Home," click "Text Alignment" and change to "Align Left."

Microsoft Word online version; alignment icon outlined in red with a red arrow pointing to it and "Align Left" outlined with a red box around it.

  1. Hit "Tab" on your keyboard to start a new paragraph.
  2. If you have multiple section titles, each section should be centered and bolded.

To learn about formatting a references page, check out the library's Formatting Your Reference Page in Word Online guide.