An APA format cover page (called a “title page” in official APA style) is the first page of your paper, and it follows a specific layout depending on whether you’re writing a student paper or a professional manuscript. The 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual defines two distinct versions, each with its own required elements. Here’s exactly what goes on each one and how to format it.
Student Title Page Elements
Most people searching for this are writing a class assignment, so the student version is likely what you need. A student title page includes these elements, centered on the page and double-spaced throughout:
- Paper title: Bold, centered, and positioned about three or four lines down from the top margin. Use title case, meaning you capitalize the first letter of major words. If the title runs longer than one line, keep it double-spaced.
- Author name(s): Listed one double-spaced line below the title. Use your first name, middle initial (if desired), and last name. No titles or degrees (skip “Dr.” or “Ph.D.”).
- Author affiliation: The name of your university or college, placed on the next line below your name.
- Course number and name: For example, “PSY 301: Research Methods.” This goes on the next line.
- Instructor name: Use the format your professor prefers, such as “Dr. Jane Smith” or “Prof. Jane Smith.”
- Assignment due date: Written in the month, day, year format your instructor expects (e.g., “October 15, 2025”).
- Page number: The number “1” appears in the top-right corner of the header.
Student papers do not include a running head unless your instructor or institution specifically asks for one. This is a change from the 6th edition, which required running heads on all papers.
Professional Title Page Elements
If you’re submitting a manuscript for publication in a journal, the professional title page has a different set of requirements:
- Paper title: Bold, centered, positioned in the upper half of the page. Same title case rules as the student version.
- Author name(s): Centered below the title, with no titles or degrees.
- Author affiliation(s): Each author’s institutional affiliation appears below their name. When authors share the same affiliation, list it once. When they have different affiliations, use superscript numerals to link each author to the correct institution.
- Author note: A section in the bottom half of the title page that can include the author’s ORCID identifier, any changes in affiliation, disclosures or conflicts of interest, and contact information. The label “Author Note” is bold and centered, with the content below it formatted as indented paragraphs.
- Running head: A shortened version of your title, typed in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, aligned to the left margin in the page header. It must be no more than 50 characters, including spaces and punctuation. Do not type the label “Running head:” before it. The running head appears on every page of the paper in the same format.
- Page number: The number “1” in the top-right corner, on the same line as the running head.
Formatting the Page in Your Word Processor
Regardless of student or professional format, the entire title page uses the same base formatting as the rest of your APA paper. Set your document to 1-inch margins on all sides, double-space everything, and use a readable font such as 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Calibri, or 11-point Arial. APA 7 accepts several font options, so check with your instructor if you’re unsure which to use.
Center all title page text horizontally. The title block (title, author name, affiliation, and either course details or the author note) should start roughly three or four blank lines below the top margin, placing it in the upper third to upper half of the page. Don’t manually center the text vertically using your word processor’s vertical alignment feature. Instead, just add a few blank lines above the title to push it down from the top.
To insert the page number, open your word processor’s header area and use the automatic page-numbering function. Set it to display in the top-right corner. For professional papers, type the running head in the same header area but aligned to the left, so the running head sits on the left and the page number sits on the right of the same line.
Writing a Strong Title
Your title should summarize the main idea of your paper in about 12 words or fewer. APA recommends keeping it concise and specific. Avoid filler phrases like “A Study of” or “An Investigation Into,” which add length without adding meaning. A good title names the key variables or central topic directly. For example, “Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Working Memory in College Students” is more useful than “A Study About Sleep and Memory.”
The title appears in bold and in title case. In title case, you capitalize the first word, the first word after a colon, and all major words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs). You lowercase minor words like “and,” “of,” “in,” and “the” unless they start the title.
Quick Checklist Before You Submit
Before turning in your paper, scan your title page for these common errors:
- Page number missing or in the wrong spot: It should be in the top-right corner, and the title page is always page 1.
- Title not bold: APA 7 requires the paper title on the title page to be bold. This is easy to forget.
- Running head on a student paper: Unless your instructor asked for one, leave it off. Including one isn’t technically wrong, but it signals you may be following outdated guidelines.
- “Running head:” label included: If you do need a running head for a professional paper, type only the shortened title in all caps. The 6th edition required the label “Running head:” on the first page, but the 7th edition dropped it entirely.
- Extra or missing elements: Student papers need the course name, instructor, and due date. Professional papers need the author note and running head. Mixing up which elements belong on which version is a common mistake.
Double-check your formatting against the version your assignment requires, and you’ll have a clean, correctly formatted APA title page ready to go.