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APA Title Page (Cover Page) Format, Example, & Templates

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In APA Style (7th edition), the cover page, or title page, should include:

• A running head (professional papers only) and page number
• The title of the paper
• The name of the author(s)
• The institutional affiliation
• An author note; optional (professional papers only)
• A student paper should also include course information

Note : APA 7 provides slightly different directions for formatting the title pages of professional papers (e.g., those intended for scholarly publication) and student papers (e.g., those turned in for credit in a high school or college course).

Professional paper APA title page

Student paper APA title page

Formatting an APA title page

Note : All text on the title page should be double-spaced and typed in either 12-point, Times New Roman font. In the 7th edition, APA increaded the flexibility regarding font options: which now include Calibri 11, Arial 11, Lucida Sans Unicode 10, Times New Roman 12, or Georgia 11. All words should be centered, and capitalize the first letter of important words.

Running Head

In the 7th edition of the APA style manual, running heads are only required for professional papers that are being submitted for publication (student papers do not require a running head, but still need a page number).

Your title page should contain a running head that is flush left at the top of the page and a page number that is flush right at the top of the page.

Place the running head in the page’s header:

• The running head is the abbreviated title of the paper (IN UPPERCASE LETTERS) aligned left on the page header of all pages, including the title page. APA (7th edition) guidelines require that running heads be a maximum of 50 characters (spaces count as characters).
• The “Running head:” label used in the APA sixth edition is no longer used.
• Place the page number in this same header, but align right, beginning with page number 1 on the title page.
• This header should be 1 inch from the top. Some instructors allow for 1/2 inch, too, but the default is 1 inch.

Paper Title

Position the title of the paper in the upper half of the page. The title should be centered and written in boldface, and important words should be capitalized.

The APA recommends that your title should be a maximum of 12 words and should not contain abbreviations or words that serve no purpose.

Author Name(s)

Institutional affiliation.

Position the school or university’s name below the author(s) name, centered.

A student paper should also include the course number and name, instructor name, and assignment due date.

Further Information

• APA Student Title Page Guide
• APA Referencing
• How to Write a Lab Report
• Essay Writing Guide for Psychology Students
• APA Style Citations & References
• Example of an APA Formatted Paper

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The 7th edition of the APA title page (introduced in 2019) has separate formatting guidelines for student and professional research papers. It replaced the APA 6th edition, which was introduced in 2009. The APA 7 formatting guidelines allow for more flexibility when it comes to font size and style. 

If you have questions about how to format your cover page, this article is for you. We will be taking a look at the formatting guidelines for the APA style cover page for students as well as professional papers. In order to help you create an appropriate cover page, we’ve also included an APA 7 title page template and plenty of APA cover page examples. 

What is the title page for an APA paper?

The APA title page is the first page of your academic paper that provides information on the title, author(s), professors, and institutions affiliated with your research paper. There are separate APA cover page formats for student and professional papers.

An APA 7 title page consists of the following components:

Student paper

• Page number*
• Title of the paper
• Name of author(s)
• Institutional affiliation
• Name and number of the course
• Name of professor(s)
• Date of submission

*A running head (shortened version of the title) is generally not required for student papers unless explicitly stated by the professor.

Professional paper

• Page number 
• Running head 
• Institutional affiliation(s)
• Author note (Author’s ORCID iD, affiliation changes, disclosures of conflicts of interest, and the author’s contact information)

Now that we’ve gotten a gist of the APA title page format, let’s understand how to construct cover pages for both these versions in detail.

How to construct an APA title page

Before you start formatting the APA first page, there are a few ground rules you must consider. Here are the rules for formatting an APA title page:

• Leave a one-inch margin for all pages. 
• Use double spacing throughout your cover page.
• Maintain consistency in font size and style. 
• Avoid using any titles (Dr, Prof) or degrees (MA, PhD).
• Include the running header and the page number on the top left and right corners respectively. (Simply include the page number for student papers.)
• After leaving 4–5 lines, input and centrally align the title of your paper.
• Include the first, middle, and last name(s) of the author(s) respectively, exactly below the title.
• Include the name of the affiliated university/universities below the names of the authors involved.
• For student papers, include the name of the course professor and the due date below the affiliated university. 
• For professional papers, include the author note a few lines below the affiliated university/universities.
• The author note should be bolded and centrally aligned.
• Details such as the author’s ORCID iD, contact information, affiliation changes, and disclosures of conflicts of interest should be right aligned and placed under the author note.  

The APA 7 format is pretty flexible when it comes to the font style. You can use any of the following font styles in your paper:

• 12-point Times New Roman 
• 11-point Calibri
• 11-point Arial
• 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode  
• 11-point Georgia  
• 10-point Computer Modern  

Now, let’s take a closer look at how to construct the individual elements of both student and professional versions of APA 7th edition title pages:

The following APA cover page examples will help you locate the exact position of each component. These examples cover both, student and professional papers and will guide you in constructing your own cover page. We’ve labeled each of these components and will guide you on how to format them.

Here are the main components of the above APA title page examples:

1. Page number

The page number in an APA style title page should be present on the top right corner of each page and the title page should always be considered page number “1”.

Follow these steps to correctly format the page number in Microsoft Word: 

• Activate the header by double-clicking on the top of the page.
• Click on the “Insert” tab.
• Select the “Page numbers” option.
•  Hover over “Top of Page” and select “Plain Number 3”.

Once this process is complete, you should have a page number for all your sheets.

2. Running head

A running head consists of the title of your paper in all caps. It is compulsory when it comes to professional research papers, but is generally not mandatory for student papers.  

The running head should be in line with the page number, left aligned, and under 50 characters long (including spaces). If your title is longer, you’ll have to shorten it so it can fit the character count of the running head. Make sure to include the main idea of the title here and exclude the less important parts.

Here’s an example of an APA format title along with the running head:

Passing the Genetic Torch: Examining the Mechanisms of Genetic Variation

EXAMINING THE MECHANISMS OF GENETIC VARIATION

3. APA title

The title of your APA cover page must be succinct, informative, and eye-catching. It should also contain the relevant keywords of your paper, essentially providing a gist of your paper. Although not mandatory, it is a good idea to limit your title to under 12 words.

Here’s how to create your APA format title as per the specified guidelines:

• Position your title 4–5 lines from the top of your page.
• Select your title to centrally align and bold it.
• Use the title case* while creating your heading.

*Capitalize the first letter of each word apart from articles and prepositions.

4. Name of the author(s)

After adding your title, mention the name of the authors under the title of the paper (leave a blank line in between). The APA formatting guidelines for the names of authors are different for student and professional papers.

Take a look:

Student papers

Student papers only include the names of authors involved in the process of writing the paper.

• Make sure to include the first, middle, and last names of the authors in precisely this order.
• In the case of two authors, separate the names with an “and”.
• In the case of three or more authors, separate each name with a comma and input the last name with an Oxford comma as well as an “and”.
• Don’t mention titles such as “Dr” and “Prof” or degrees such as “MA” and “PhD”.

Professional papers  

The names of authors in professional papers follow similar guidelines to those of student papers. However, they do include a few additional elements.

• In the case of multiple affiliated institutions, use superscript numbers after the names of the authors. 

5. Institutional affiliations

An author’s institutional affiliation is placed below their name on an APA cover page.

• Add the department and university name, separated by a comma. 
• In the case of multiple affiliations, mention the institutions corresponding to each author in the order of their names.
• Add a superscript number before the name of each institution to indicate the corresponding author.

6. Name and number of the course

It’s mandatory to include the name and number of the course for student papers . 

• Align the information centrally and place it below the institutional affiliation. 
• Write the course number in all caps followed by the course name and separate them by a colon. (For example: HISTORYLIT303: Historical Writing)
• Write the name of your course professor below the course name and number and align it centrally.
• Include the designation as well as the first and last name of your professor. 

7. Author note

Professional papers often contain an author note.

• Place the “Author Note” label at the bottom half of the page, bolded and aligned centrally.
• Add an indent of 0.5 inches for all entries in the author note and align them to the left.
• Follow the author’s names with their ORCID iDs.
• Mention any changes in the authors’ affiliation.
• Disclose any conflicts of interest.
• Add the authors’ contact information.

8. Date of submission

The date of submission for the paper is only to be included for student papers and should be placed below the professor’s name. 

• Centrally align the date of submission using the “Month, Day, Year” format. 
• Spell out the month and avoid abbreviating it. 
• Include the complete year instead of just the last two digits.

Here’s an example: October 02, 2023

APA 7 title page template

Our expertise in providing superior paper editing services has helped us create an APA 7 title page template for students and research professionals. These templates are written using the 12-point Times New Roman font. They also follow all the guidelines for an APA 7 cover page that we’ve highlighted above.  

  APA 7 Title Page Template for Students

APA 7 Title Page Template for Professionals

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Title page in MLA style

Published October 22, 2020. Updated November 14, 2021.

A title page, or cover page, is like a book cover for your assignment. It provides the most basic details about your assignments, especially those which aid in identification. In that sense, a title page sets the stage for your writing and is related to the overall presentation of your paper.

A title page is not a compulsory element of the MLA system and is only added when specifically required. This means that in most cases, you will not create an MLA title page. You only create one if your instructor or institution requests a title page and specifies the format requirements.

For help writing your essay, research paper , or other project, check out these writing tips .

Title page vs. MLA heading

You should not confuse an MLA title page with the MLA heading. The MLA heading appears at the top of the first page of an MLA formatted paper and contains similar information to a title page: your name, instructor’s name, class or course name, and date. Both also come before the main paper copy.

The main difference between a title page and an MLA heading is where and how it is formatted. A title page is on its own page before the main paper copy, centers the text, and spreads the text throughout the title page. An MLA heading appears on the same page on which the main paper copy starts, the heading is aligned to the left, and it only appears at the top of the page.

For more information on how to create headings, refer to the MLA heading guide .

MLA title page format

Although the MLA system does not have a set format for creating title pages, there are certain basic rules and format settings that you can use to create a title page.

The title page will follow much of the same paper formatting rules that the rest of the paper follows. This includes the following:

• 1–inch margins around the page
• Your last name along with the page numbers on the top right corner (Running head)
• 12 pt. font that is easy to read
• Double-spaced lines
• Center-aligned text on the title page (the rest of the paper is left aligned)

The following details are presented on a title page, mentioned in order from top to bottom:

• University Name
• Title of Paper
• Course name and number
• Instructor’s name

University name

The university name is mentioned at the top of the title page. If the university name isn’t available, you can leave it out because this is an optional element (unless instructed otherwise).

If your affiliation is not with a traditional university/academic institution, you can simply write the organization where the following document is going to be submitted or the organization that the document represents.

Title of paper

This is the key element of the title page. It is placed around the middle of the page, about one-third of the way below the university name.

Ideally, the title should be short and crisp – it should directly address the topic and concern of the paper. The first letter of each word is capitalized, barring the small words, which are usually articles (a, an, the) and short prepositions (of, on, in, to, etc.).

The title uses the same font and font size as the rest of the paper. It should not be bold, italicized, or underlined. There is no need to add quotation marks around the title. However, if your title contains quotes, then only that part needs to be inside double quotes. Similarly, if your title contains the name of a body of work or text, that part needs to be in italics.

Adding a witty title to your paper instantly improves engagement. However, these might not provide sufficient information about the paper. In this case, the title is followed by a subtitle, written directly below it.  In the example below, note that the main title is a quote from the book:

“Dorothea Is Not Always Consistent”:

Analyzing Dorothea’s Changing Desires in George Eliot’s Middlemarch.

Place your name about 4-7 lines below your title. It is presented near the bottom of the page, above the rest of the details. Write your full name, first and last (and middle initial, if you like). Do not present any other details.

The course name and number follow your name. You need not present the full course name; the official abbreviations can be used.

• Intro to Psychology
• American History

Instructor’s Name

Place their name after the course name and number. Use your instructor’s preferred name designations (Mr., Ms., Dr., Professor, etc.) and use their full name. If you’re unsure, check your class syllabus or ask them what they prefer.

Finally, the due date is written below the instructor’s name. This can either be the due date for submitting the paper or the date of submission. Write in the following format:

• Day Month Year
• 7 September 2016

Keep in mind that the title page, or cover page, is only a single page. Arrange the details in a manner that none of the details run over to the next page. You can start numbering your assignment from this page onwards. At the end you will find a Sample Title page, created using the MLA system. The details and format settings for a title page can vary, as it is not a traditional element of the MLA system. So be sure to ask for specifications.

Template:  

MLA heading

Usually, the MLA format presents these details on the first page of the paper as a heading.

From the top left corner, write the following in order, each on its own line:

• Your instructor’s name

Starting with the first line of the paper, indent half an inch from the left margin. There are examples below to help.

After the due date, on another line, write the title of the paper and center it. The title should be plan and not be bold, underlines, or italicized.

On the next line after the title, begin your paper. The text should be left-aligned. The first line of each paragraph should be indented by 1/2 and inch.

Also, these two points apply to the entire paper:

• The font should be standard font size and type throughout the entire paper. Example, 12-point, Times New Roman.
• Double-space all lines, including the MLA heading and paper title.

For formatting information for a Works Cited page, see this MLA works cited guide .

MLA Style Guides

MLA Format: Annotated bibliography | Abstract | Block Quote | Headings | MLA 8 vs. 9 | Outline | Page Numbers | Sample paper | Title page

Citing Sources: In-text citations | Works cited | Footnotes | Citing Multiple Authors | Citing Sources with No Authors | Using et al

MLA Citation Generator: Article | Book | Image | Interview | Journal | Movie | PDF | Textbook | Website | YouTube

Published July 14, 2021.

MLA style does not recommend using a title page. Instead, it suggests using a header. The header is the first page of a paper. It is also called a cover page. It includes the following elements:

The author’s name

The instructor’s name (or instructors)

The course name

The course number

The paper’s submission date

The title, centered on a new double-spaced line (in regular font without quotation marks)

Continue the paper’s text on the same page after the above-mentioned information. However, if you are instructed to use a title page instead of a header, create one by moving the paper’s text to the next page.

The title page in MLA style provides information about the paper such as the author’s name, the instructor’s name, the course’s name and number, the date of submission, and the paper’s title. An MLA title page looks like this:

Sathya Wilson

Professor Angela Thomas

Humanities 124

1 October 2021

Grandfather to Grandson (but center the title)

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• Writing Tips

How to Format an APA Title Page

• 3-minute read
• 16th April 2022

There are various styles and formats that colleges and universities prescribe for use in articles, essays, and dissertations . The rules and requirements for each guide vary according to the institution you attend. Irrespective of the version you’re using, there are typically many common requirements.

In this article, we’re looking specifically at the APA style. Students writing an academic paper using this style are required to have a title page , which is the APA style ’s name for a title page. Keep reading to learn how to complete your essay with an exceptional title page that satisfies all APA requirements.

APA Title Page Requirements

Unless you’ve been instructed otherwise by your lecturers or course facilitators, the following are the basic requirements for a student’s title page :

This means you’d only capitalize the first word of the title and any nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and words longer than four letters.

• Should be centered
• Use bold font
• Three to four lines down the title page
• Title case capitalization

This means you’d only capitalize the first word of the title and any nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.

• Optional: Add the subtitle (if applicable) on a separate, double-spaced line
• No prescribed length 
• Include keywords
• Must be related to the assignment or subject

2. Author’s Name

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• Leave a double-spaced line after the title
• Two authors: add the word and between the names
• Three or more authors: add a comma between the names; add the word and before the final name

3. Author Affiliation

• Include your college or university and the relevant department name
• Separate the institution and the faculty name with a comma

4. Course Name and Number

• Use your essay guidelines or instructions to add these details
• Add the course number 
• Add the course name
• Separate the two with a colon

5. Instructor’s Name

• Add in your facilitator’s name

6. Due Date of Assignment 

• Enter the due date of your paper or essay
• Format the date as per the style regularly used in your country

7. Page Number 

• The title page should always be page 1
• Include page numbers in the top right corner of the header

And that’s a wrap! Simple enough, right? If you’re writing a paper using the APA style, consider submitting a free sample to our expert editing team. We can help ensure it’s clear, concise, error-free, and meets the APA style requirements. 

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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / APA Format / Formatting an APA title page

Formatting an APA title page

The title page is a requirement for all APA papers. The primary role of the title page is to present just that: the title. But that’s only the beginning of what is actually required for a properly formatted APA title page. This is the first chance a writer has to truly engage with the reader.

For students, the title page also lets people know which class, professor, and institution the text was written for. For professional authors, the title page is an opportunity to share any affiliations or conflicts of interest that might be present.

APA Style recognizes two different ways to format a title page. One is for student papers and the other is for professional papers. This guide will examine the difference and provide real-life examples of both.

The information provided below comes from the 7 th edition of the APA’s Publication Manual . You can read more about title page elements in Sections 2.1 – 2.8.

Here’s a run-through of everything this page includes:

The difference between a professional title page and a student title page in APA

Elements of an apa style title page, apa formatting title page example, conclusion: formatting a title page in apa 7.

Both student and professional title pages require a title, author, and an affiliation. Both types of title page also require the same basic formatting, including 1-inch indentations on all sides and a page number in the top right corner.

The primary difference is that professional title pages also require an author note and a running head. However, some professors do ask that you provide some of these elements in student papers. It’s a good idea to know how to format them just in case.

Student title page APA

An APA title page for any paper being submitted for a class, degree, or thesis is all about the basics. Here are the elements that should be included in a student title page :

• Title of your paper
• Byline (author or authors)
• Affiliation (department and university)
• Course name and course number
• Instructor name

Page number

Your professor or institution might have their own formatting requirements. When writing a paper for a class, the first rule is to always pay attention to the instructions.

Professional title page APA

A professional title page skips the class info and due date, but it includes:

• Affiliation (division and/or organization)
• Author note
• Running head

The author note and running head are generally only required for professional papers. However, some professors might ask that you include one or both of them. Be sure to check the assignment instructions before submitting.

The title of your paper is really important. This is where the author needs to simultaneously inform and engage the reader without being overly wordy.

An effective title will:

• Engage the reader
• Concisely explain the main topic of research
• Concisely explain any relevant variables or theoretical issues

The paper title should be placed three or four lines down from the top margin of the page. It should be presented in bold, title case, and centered on the page.

Author/Byline

The correct way to display the author’s name is first name, middle initial, and last name. The most important thing is to prevent the possibility of mistaken identity. After all, there are a lot of papers published every year, and it’s possible that someone else has the same name as you do.

For all author bylines in APA, all licenses and degrees are omitted (e.g., Dr., Professor, PhD, RN, etc.).

If your paper has multiple authors, then they should all be listed in the same way, in order of their contributions. All authors should be on the same line, unless more lines are required.

Here’s an example of a properly formatted byline for a paper with two authors:

Cassandra M. Berkman and Wilhelm K. Jackson

Affiliation

The affiliation element is where you identify the place where the work was conducted or who it was conducted for. This is almost always a university or institution. In some cases, there are multiple affiliations for one author, or multiple authors with different affiliations.

Academic affiliations

Academic affiliations include schools, universities, and teaching hospitals. The affiliation line should include the specific department followed by the name of the institution. There is no need to include a location for academic affiliations.

Here is an example of what a basic academic affiliation line should look like:

Department of Psychology, Colorado State University

Non-academic affiliations

Non-academic affiliations are anything that isn’t a school or university, which could be a hospital, laboratory, or just about any type of organization. The affiliation line for a non-academic organization should include the department or division, followed by the name and location of the organization. All elements should be separated by commas.

Here’s how it looks when put to use:

Vidant Health, Greenville, NC, United States

Course number and name (Student only)

Use the course number and course name as they appear on official university materials. Examples:

• ENG 204: Modern English Literature
• PSYC 2301: Research Methodology

Instructor name (Student papers only)

It’s important that you display your instructor’s name in their preferred way. With academics who have multiple degrees and positions, this isn’t something that you should guess at.

It is generally safe to use the course syllabus to see how they prefer to be listed. For example, some use the word “Professor” as their prefix, and many will have PhD, RN, or other type of professional designation.

Due date (Student papers only)

The due date should be presented in the day, month, and year format that is standard to your country.

The page number goes at the top right-hand side of the paper. This is one of the only elements that appears on every single page.

You can add running page numbers to your paper by double-clicking the header portion of the document or clicking the “Insert” tab. It will automatically insert page numbers into the rest of the document.

Author note (Professional papers only)

The author note is usually only required for professional papers. This is where additional data, disclaimers, conflicts of interest, and statements about funding are placed. In some cases, the author statement can be several pages long.

The author note is generally split into four paragraphs, including:

• ORCID iD (a scientific/academic author ID)
• Changes of Affiliation
• Disclosures and Acknowledgments
• Contact Information

Section 2.7 of the Publication Manual has even more information on how to structure these elements for a professional paper.

Running Head (Professional papers only)

While some student papers might require a running head, this is something that is typically only for papers being submitted for publication. This is an abbreviated version of your title that appears at the top of every page to help readers identify it. The running title is particularly useful especially in print versions of journals and publications.

The running head does not have to use the same words as they appear in your title. Instead, try to re-work your paper’s main idea into a shortened form.

For example, if your paper’s title is:

“A Mystery of Style: Exploring the Formatting Mechanics of the Running Head According  to APA Style 7th Edition”

Then your abbreviated title can be something like:

“RUNNING HEAD IN APA 7”

“FORMATTING THE RUNNING HEAD”

The idea is to convey only the most important aspects of your title. The running head should be entered in the page header, flush left against the margin, and presented in all-capital letters.

The APA suggests a maximum length of 50 characters (including spaces and punctuation) for a running head. If your title is already 50 characters and under, then you can use the whole thing as the running head.

Next, let’s have a look at an example of what a real APA title page looks like when it’s all put together.

Student title page formatting example

Professional title page formatting example

All papers written according to APA Style should have a properly formatted title page. Making sure that the title page elements are accurate and informative will help people access your work. It is also the first opportunity that you have as the author to establish credibility and engage the reader.

For more information on the basic elements of an APA paper, check out Chapter 2 of the Publication Manual or our guide on APA format .

Published October 28, 2020.

APA Formatting Guide

APA Formatting

• Annotated Bibliography
• Block Quotes
• et al Usage
• In-text Citations
• Multiple Authors
• Paraphrasing
• Page Numbers
• Parenthetical Citations
• Reference Page
• Sample Paper
• APA 7 Updates
• View APA Guide

Citation Examples

• Book Chapter
• Journal Article
• Magazine Article
• Newspaper Article
• Website (no author)
• View all APA Examples

An APA title page provides the details of the paper, such as the title of the paper, author name, and author affiliation. APA title pages have two formats—one for professional papers and one for student papers.

The elements to be added on the title page of a professional paper (in order of appearance) are:

• Page number and running head: These elements appear in the header section. The page number appears at the top-right corner, whereas the running head appears at the top-left corner. If the title is too long, the running head is shortened to less than 50 characters.
• Title of the paper: It provides information about the paper. It is aligned center and set in bold.
• Names of the authors: It gives the names of the contributors to the paper and is aligned center.
• Affiliations of the authors: It gives the department and university details of the authors.
• Author note: It gives extra information about the authors.

In a student paper, the following details are included on the title page:

• Page number: This appears in the top-right corner of the header section.
• Title of the paper: It gives the reader an idea of the information in the paper. It appears in title case and bold. It is center-aligned.
• Names of the authors: The names of the contributors are added here. This field is also called the by-line.
• Affiliations of the authors: It includes the names of the authors’ departments and universities.
• Name of the course: The name of the course for which the paper is written is included in this field.
• Name of the instructor: Unlike the professional paper, the instructor’s name is included in a student paper.
• Due date of the assignment: The due date of the assignment is added here. The format is “Month Day, Year” (e.g., August 22, 2017).

The title page information for APA is different for a professional paper and a student paper. As a student, you need to include the following details in the same order on the title page of your student paper.

• Page number: This appears in the header section. Set the page number in the top-right corner of the header.
• Title of the paper: Set it in title case and bold. Align it to the center.
• Names of the authors: Provide the names of the contributors. This field is also called the by-line.
• Affiliations of the authors: Include your department and university name.
• Name of the course: Provide the name of the course and course number for which the paper is written.
• Name of the instructor: Add the instructor’s name. There is no rigid rule on how to set the instructor’s name. You can set it according to the instructor’s preference.
• Due date of the assignment: Add the due date of the assignment. The format should be “Month Day, Year” (e.g., August 23, 2021).

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APA Guide: 7th Edition

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Student Paper Example

• Student Paper Example This is a student paper example from the 7th Edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

Professional Paper Example

• Professional Paper Example This is a professional paper example from the 7th Edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

Student Title Page Elements

The title page includes the following elements: Page number, Paper title, Author, Author Affiliation, Course, Instructor, and Due Date .  Remember, your instructor can include other requirements for your assignment.  Refer to their instructions carefully.

Your title page and paper is double-spaced. Use 1-inch margins. 

Acceptable Fonts:

• 11-point Calibri 
• 11-point Arial
• 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode 
• 12-point Times New Roman
• 11-point Georgia
• 10-point Computer Modern 1 
• Should summarize the main idea in a succinct way .
• Include strong keywords so that readers can find your work in a database or by using a search engine.
• Avoid using abbreviations in a title.
• The title should be provided in title case .  This means that all major words are capitalized. 
• Be bolded, centered, and begin 3-4 lines down from the top margin of the paper.
• Put a double-spaced blank line between the title and the byline.
• The paper title also appears at the top of the first page of your paper.

Author Name(s) (Byline)

• Beneath the title, type the  author's or authors' full name(s) .
• Do not use titles or degrees.
• ​Order the names of authors based on their contributions.
• Write all of the names on the same line.
• Center the names in a standard font.
• Smith and Doe
• Smith, Doe, and Jones

Author Affiliation

• Identify where you worked or studied when the body of work was completed.
• Include no more than two affiliations for each author.
• Example:  College of Nursing and Health Innovation, University of Texas at Arlington
• Include the department or division.
• Include the name of the institution.
• Include the location of the institution.
• Example:  Hematology/Oncology, Cook Children's Medical Center, Fort Worth, Texas, United States
• Include the location.

Locations should include the city, state, province, and country.

Course Name

• Put the course number and name below the Author Affiliation.
• Check with your instructor on the preferred name.
• Place the month, date, and year after the Instructor(s) name(s).

See the example title page below:

All content on this guide comes from the 7th edition of the  Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association and from the APA Style Blog.

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association ( 7th ed.).  https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000  

American Psychological Association. (2020, October). Blog .  https://apastyle.apa.org/blog

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• The Complete Guide to APA Format in 2020

APA Title Page / Cover Page

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Details to include

The title page (also known as the cover page) is the front page of your paper. It should contain:

• The running head , a header at the top of the page.
• The first page number .
• The title of the paper
• The institution for which you writing.

Running head

The running head should be in the top-left corner of the page in uppercase. It should include a shortened title of your paper. On the front page only, it should also be prepended with "Running head:".

First page number

The first page number -- generally page 1 -- should be in the top-right corner of the page. Both the page number and the running head should be a half inch from the top of the page.

The title of the paper can contain upper and lowercase letters, and ideally should be no more than 12 words in length. It should be direct, and should not contain abbreviations or other unnecessary words. It should not span longer than 2 lines. The first letter of each word should be uppercase, except for articles (a, an, the), and conjunctions (and, but, for, or, yet).

Underneath the title should be your name (or the author's name if you're not the author). It should be displayed as the first name , middle initial , and last name . Do not add titles (such as Dr.) to the beginning, or qualifications (such as PhD) to the end of an author's name.

Your institution

Finally, underneath the author's name, state the full name of the institution or school you're writing the paper for.

The font for all text on the title page should be Times New Roman, size 12pt, with double line-spacing.

A correct title page will look like the below image:

After completing your title page you will move on to writing an abstract of your paper.

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Basic Format

The title page of the document is the first page in your paper, and it needs to contain the following items, in order:

• Title of the Paper
• Author’s Name (that’s you!)
• Institutional Affiliation (i.e., American National University or National College)

The title page should also include a page header and page numbers .

• The page header on your title page should read, "Running Head: TITLE OF YOUR PAPER"
• The running head should be in the upper left-hand corner of the paper, and the page numbers should be in the upper right-hand corner.

Basic Format:

• Title, author's name, and institutional affiliation should be centered in the top half of the page .
• Text should be double spaced .
• Title: no more than 12 words long.
• Author: Include your first name, middle initial, and last name.
• For students at ANU campuses located in Tennessee, the institutional affiliation will read “National College.”
• For all other ANU students, the institutional affiliation will read “American National University.”
• How to Format Your Header A brief guide to formatting your page headers in Microsoft Word according to the APA style requirements.
• Sample APA Title Page

Sample Title Page

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• Thesis & Dissertation Title Page | Free Templates & Examples

Thesis & Dissertation Title Page | Free Templates & Examples

Published on May 19, 2022 by Tegan George . Revised on July 18, 2023.

The title page (or cover page) of your thesis , dissertation , or research paper should contain all the key information about your document. It usually includes:

• Dissertation or thesis title
• The type of document (e.g., dissertation, research paper)
• The department and institution
• The degree program (e.g., Master of Arts)
• The date of submission

It sometimes also includes your dissertation topic or field of study, your student number, your supervisor’s name, and your university’s logo.

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Table of contents

Title page format, title page templates, title page example, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions.

Your department will usually tell you exactly what should be included on your title page and how it should be formatted. Be sure to check whether there are specific guidelines for margins, spacing, and font size.

Title pages for APA and MLA style

The format of your title page can also depend on the citation style you’re using. There may be guidelines in regards to alignment, page numbering, and mandatory elements.

• MLA guidelines for formatting the title page
• APA guidelines for formatting the title page

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We’ve created a few templates to help you design the title page for your thesis, dissertation, or research paper. You can download them in the format of your choice by clicking on the corresponding button.

Research paper Google Doc

Dissertation Google Doc

Thesis Google Doc

A typical example of a thesis title page looks like this:

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The title page of your thesis or dissertation should include your name, department, institution, degree program, and submission date.

Usually, no title page is needed in an MLA paper . A header is generally included at the top of the first page instead. The exceptions are when:

• Your instructor requires one, or
• Your paper is a group project

In those cases, you should use a title page instead of a header, listing the same information but on a separate page.

The title page of your thesis or dissertation goes first, before all other content or lists that you may choose to include.

In most styles, the title page is used purely to provide information and doesn’t include any images. Ask your supervisor if you are allowed to include an image on the title page before doing so. If you do decide to include one, make sure to check whether you need permission from the creator of the image.

Include a note directly beneath the image acknowledging where it comes from, beginning with the word “ Note .” (italicized and followed by a period). Include a citation and copyright attribution . Don’t title, number, or label the image as a figure , since it doesn’t appear in your main text.

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George, T. (2023, July 18). Thesis & Dissertation Title Page | Free Templates & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved July 30, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/title-page/

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APA Title Page

Ai generator.

We know the most common formats like the APA format and the MLA format . There is also the Chicago format, AP format, parenthetical citation  format and BB format, just to name the other few. Of course, when we are tasked to submit projects, research paper summary or even thesis papers , professors tend to task us to use the APA title page format.

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What Is an APA Title Page?

An APA title page is a type of format as the term itself is a kind of  APA title   outline format . This kind of formatting for your title page is often used in writing professional papers like research papers, academic papers and even thesis papers when they are published. 

How to Make the APA Title Page Format

To understand the format of an APA title page is important. Especially when you are tasked to use the format in your research paper, in your title pages and even for academic papers. Understanding the use and the format is necessary and to understand the difference that it makes as well. Making the APA title page format is easy, with the following steps below.

Step 1. The Main Words Have to Be Capitalized

Starting with the main words in your title page, they must be capitalized. The first letter of your main words have to follow the capitalization format. Of course, because it is a title, it is expected to be capitalized, but not necessarily all. Only the main point of your title. This follows the exact format of your APA title.

Step 2. Use Double Space Lines for the Main and Sub Title in Your Page

You may have heard of double spacing the main title and your sub title. This is also part of the format, and this must only be done if it is necessary. However, it does not mean that for all your main titles, you will also need to double space lines for your sub titles.

Step 3. Focus Mainly on Your Title

Apart from writing anything in your title, your main focus should be about your main title. How you are going to be writing it must follow the exact format. Any tiny detail should also be looked at. The format like the font size should be 12, the font should be Times New Roman unless told otherwise. Your main title is the most important part of your paper.

Step 4. Remember to Follow the APA Format

Remember, when you are making your title format using the APA title, always check whether or not the format you are using is the same as the APA title format. Since there are a lot of kinds of title formats to use, it is nothing short of being careful whether to see to it that the APA format of your title page fits the exact APA title format.

What is an APA title format?

An APA title format is a type of format that is used for making titles for your academic writing, research papers or even for technical writing. Of course, even student papers can use this kind of formatting for their title page. The difference between the APA title page and the  MLA title page  is that, the APA title page still follows the APA format of writing even if it is for the title page.

What purpose does an APA title format have?

The purpose of an APA title format is to make sure that the main title in your page is clear, concise and is the main point.

What is the standard font of an APA title?

The most standard font of an APA format is Times New Roman. But you may also use Tahoma or Arial. Any other font is often unheard of and should not be used when using the APA title.

Students and scholars know that when it comes to writing papers and writing titles to the papers, there is no denying that there are a lot of ways to do it. It is understandable that it can get confusing which format to use. The most basic of all is using the APA title format.

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30 Editable Title Page Templates (APA Formats)

Can you judge an essay or paper by its title page? Perhaps not but the title page template has something to say about your character as a writer. One of the main functions of this page is to allow the reader to identify your work easily while making your written assignments look more professional.

• 1 Title Page Templates
• 2 Importance of a title page template
• 3 APA Title Page Formats
• 4 What is the difference between a cover page and title page?
• 5 How do you create a title page?
• 6 Cover Page Templates
• 7 Other formatting tips

Title Page Templates

Importance of a title page template.

When submitting your essay, the first thing that your teacher would notice is the title page template. You may consider this as a simple part of the process of writing an essay but it can have an important effect on your instructor’s opinion.

For instance, if you submit an essay with an incomplete title page or one that doesn’t follow the proper APA title page format, your teacher might assume that you didn’t put any effort into the rest of your paper either. Writing this page only takes a few minutes including the proper formatting.

With a well-crafted page, you can make a memorable first impression that will get carried over to the rest of your essay. Sometimes though, you might not even need this page. If you aren’t sure, ask your teacher first.

For APA style papers, this page is a requirement and there are both professional and student versions of the title page. The version you use depends on your teacher’s instructions.

• Student Version This version includes the title of your paper, your name as the author, your affiliation, course name, and number for which you’re submitting the paper. Also, include the name of your instructor, the due date of your paper, and the page number.
• Professional Version This version includes the title of your paper, your name as the author, your affiliation, author note, page number, and running head.

APA Title Page Formats

What is the difference between a cover page and title page.

Title and cover pages are often mistaken as having the same purpose. Although they have some similar aspects, there are some distinct differences too. A cover page template usually involves a picture, a title, and a hard surface – like the cover of a book.

A title page template just includes a title and other important information. It is usually the page right after a book’s hardcover page.

How do you create a title page?

The APA 7 manual provides instructions with slight differences in the formatting of APA title page examples of professional papers. But there are general guidelines for this. In the 7th edition of the APA style manual, the title page template should include the following:

• Running Head The 7th edition of the APA style states that running heads are only needed only for professional papers that you submit for publications. You should include a running head that you flush left at the top of the page along with a page number flush right on the same line. This is the abbreviated title of your paper and you would typically type it using upper case letters only. Aligned the running head on the left of page header of all of the pages, including the title. As stipulated in the guidelines of the 7th edition of APA, running heads shouldn’t exceed the 50 characters, which is the maximum. You should place the page number on the same header, but you should align it should right, starting with page number “1” on the template. You should position the header 1-inch from the top. However, some instructors allow measurement of 1/2-inch.
• Paper Title You should place the title of your paper at the upper half of this page. You should center the title and use boldface. Capitalize all of the important words in your title. The APA guidelines recommend that the title should not exceed 12 words it shouldn’t contain abbreviations or words don’t serve a purpose.
• Author Name(s) Position the author’s name (or names) underneath the paper title, double-spaced, and centered. No need to use degrees or use titles. If a paper has more than one author, place commas between each name, and the word and right before the name of the last author.
• Institutional Affiliation Position the name of your university or school right underneath the names of the authors. Align this at the center. If you’re writing a student paper, you should also include your course number, course name, the name of your instructor, and the due date of your assignment.

Cover Page Templates

Other formatting tips.

Generally, the title page template is the first cover page of a paper or book and usually includes a running head, the title of your work, and your affiliation. Any research paper needs a lot of concentration in the creation of the title page because of its importance.

After all, it is the very beginning and the APA front page of your paper. The page contains the heading, together with your name, and your organizational or institutional affiliation. When making this page, consider these formatting tips:

• In the 7th edition, the APA style guidelines have increased flexibility in terms of font options. Now, you can use Arial 11, Calibri 11, Times New Roman 12, Georgia 11 or Lucida Sans Unicode 10.
• You should center all of the words, and capitalize the first letters of the most important words.
• Remember that the running head in APA format involves the abbreviated form of a title that always appears on all of the pages in the header. So, don’t forget to include a header along with the page number.
• Always pay special attention to the font size, alignment, and the number of characters you use, especially for the running head.
• Sometimes, students use capital letters for all the words they used in the title. However, this is not correct, especially if you’re required to follow the APA format. You should only capitalize the first letters of select words.
• If the title of your work contains a colon or a dash, you need to capitalize the very first letter of the word right after the punctuation.
• If you have created a research paper in a group activity or in collaboration with another student, use an ampersand, which is the & symbol.

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