APA format template (7th edition)

Quick answer

APA 7th edition format uses 1 inch margins, 12 pt Times New Roman (or another approved font), double spacing, a page number in the top right, a title page, a repeated centered bold title on page 2, and a References page with a 0.5 inch hanging indent. This template has all of it set up.

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Most class papers. Title page, no abstract.

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Free. No sign-up. Updated October 2026. Google Docs opens the blank template.

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Template preview

1
[Title of Your Paper in Title Case]
[Your Full Name]
[Department, University Name]
[Course Number: Course Name]
[Instructor Name]
[Assignment Due Date: Month Day, Year]
[Title of Your Paper in Title Case]
[Introduction paragraph. Indent the first line 0.5 inch. State the topic, give brief context, and finish with your thesis or purpose. Do not label this section "Introduction"; the title serves as the heading.]
[Level 1 Heading: Centered, Bold, Title Case]
[Body paragraph. Support your point and cite sources in the text, for example (Author, Year) or Author (Year). For a direct quote, add the page number: (Author, Year, p. 12).]
[Level 2 Heading: Flush Left, Bold, Title Case]
[Body paragraph.]
[Level 3 Heading: Flush Left, Bold Italic, Title Case]
[Body paragraph.]
[Level 1 Heading: for example, Conclusion]
[Conclusion paragraph. Restate the main point and what follows from it.]
References
[Last name, F. M., & Last name, F. M. (Year). Title of article in sentence case. Title of Journal in Title Case, volume(issue), page range. https://doi.org/xxxxx]
[Last name, F. M. (Year). Title of book in sentence case (Edition if not first). Publisher.]
[Last name, F. M. (Year, Month Day). Title of webpage in sentence case. Site Name. https://url]

Before you submit

Starting from a blank document? Set it up yourself

In Microsoft Word

  1. Open a new document. Go to Layout, Margins, Normal (1 inch).
  2. Go to Home and set the font to Times New Roman, size 12.
  3. Select all (Ctrl+A or Cmd+A). Go to Home, Line and Paragraph Spacing, and choose 2.0. Set Spacing Before and After to 0 pt.
  4. Go to Insert, Page Number, Top of Page, Plain Number 3 to put the number in the top right.
  5. Type the title page lines, centered, with the title in bold. Press Ctrl+Enter to start page 2.
  6. For the References page, press Ctrl+Enter, type References (centered, bold), then paste your entries. Select the entries, open Paragraph, set Special to Hanging, By 0.5”.

In Google Docs

  1. Open a new document. Go to File, Page setup and confirm margins are 1 inch.
  2. Set the font to Times New Roman, size 12, using the toolbar.
  3. Select all. Go to Format, Line and paragraph spacing, and choose Double. Then choose Remove space before paragraph and Remove space after paragraph if they are listed.
  4. Go to Insert, Page numbers, and choose the top right option with the number on the first page.
  5. Type the title page lines, centered. Go to Insert, Break, Page break to start page 2.
  6. For References, insert a page break, type References (centered, bold), paste the entries, select them, then go to Format, Align and indent, Indentation options, Special indent: Hanging, 0.5”.

Filled-in example

Sample content for illustration. Do not cite.
Filled-in example

a short sample paper on sleep duration and exam performance, with a title page, headings, a direct quote with a page number and a References page. The sources are invented.

Download the example
1
How Sleep Duration Affects Exam Performance in First-Year Students
Jordan Rivera
Department of Psychology, Northfield University
PSYC 101: Introduction to Psychology
Dr. Amara Okafor
October 14, 2026
How Sleep Duration Affects Exam Performance in First-Year Students
First-year students often trade sleep for study time, yet research suggests the trade may backfire (Smith & Lee, 2022). Many students believe an extra hour of review does more for an exam score than an extra hour of sleep. This paper reviews evidence on sleep duration and exam performance and argues that consistent sleep before an exam predicts better results than added study hours.
Sleep and Memory Consolidation
Sleep supports the storage of new information. Smith and Lee (2022) tested recall in 400 first-year students and found that "students who slept seven hours or more scored higher on recall tasks" (p. 214). Similar patterns appear in classroom settings, where students with regular sleep schedules report fewer lapses in attention during exams (Nguyen, 2020).
Study Time Versus Sleep Time
The trade-off between study time and sleep is hard to measure, because students who study longer often sleep less for other reasons as well. Even so, studies that track both find that the benefit of extra study hours levels off, while the cost of lost sleep keeps growing (Nguyen, 2020; Smith & Lee, 2022).
Limits of the Evidence
Most studies rely on self-reported sleep and come from a single university, so the findings may not apply to every student population.
Conclusion
The evidence suggests that protecting sleep before an exam is a better use of time than late-night study. Future work should use objective sleep measures across more institutions.
References
Nguyen, T. (2020). Sleep schedules and attention during university exams. Journal of Educational Psychology Research, 12(3), 88-101. https://doi.org/10.0000/example.1
Smith, J. A., & Lee, K. (2022). Sleep duration and recall in undergraduates. Journal of Student Learning, 18(2), 205-220. https://doi.org/10.0000/example.2
Note: the sources above are invented for illustration. Do not cite them.

How to use this template

  1. Download the Word file or choose Copy to Google Docs to get your own editable copy.

  2. Replace each bracketed placeholder on the title page. Delete the lines of guidance in brackets once you have written your own text.

  3. Write your body text under the repeated title. Keep the first line of each paragraph indented 0.5 inch and leave no extra space between paragraphs.

  4. Add headings only where your paper has distinct sections, and use them in order: Level 1, then Level 2 under it, and so on.

  5. Cite each source in the text as you use it, then add the full entry to the References page.

  6. Check the paper against the rules table below, then confirm any instructor requirements such as an abstract or a different font.

Rules at a glance

Element

APA 7th edition student paper

Margins

1 inch on all sides

Font

Times New Roman 12 pt, or another accepted font such as Calibri 11 pt, Arial 11 pt, Georgia 11 pt

Spacing

Double spaced throughout, including references. No extra space between paragraphs

Paragraph indent

First line 0.5 inch

Page numbers

Top right of every page, starting on the title page

Title page

Title, author, affiliation, course, instructor, due date

Abstract

Only if your instructor asks for one

Running head

Not required for student papers unless your instructor asks

In-text citation

(Author, Year); add p. number for quotes. Three or more authors: (First Author et al., Year)

Reference list

New page, “References” bold and centered, alphabetical, hanging indent 0.5 inch

Block quote

40 words or more: indent the whole quote 0.5 inch, no quotation marks

Heading levels

Level

Format

1

Centered, bold, Title Case. Text starts on a new line.

2

Flush left, bold, Title Case. Text starts on a new line.

3

Flush left, bold italic, Title Case. Text starts on a new line.

4

Indented 0.5 inch, bold, Title Case, ends with a period. Text continues on the same line.

5

Indented 0.5 inch, bold italic, Title Case, ends with a period. Text continues on the same line.

Common mistakes

  • Adding a running head to a student paper. APA 7 only requires one in professional papers, so use a page number alone unless told otherwise.

  • Labelling the first section “Introduction”. In APA, the paper’s title is the heading for the opening section.

  • Single spacing the reference list. Everything, including references, is double spaced.

  • Forgetting the hanging indent on references. Select the entries and set a 0.5 inch hanging indent rather than pressing Tab.

  • Using “and” in parenthetical citations. Use an ampersand inside the brackets (Smith & Lee, 2022) and “and” in running text.

  • Putting article titles in italics or Title Case. Article and book titles use sentence case; only the journal name uses Title Case and italics.

  • Missing page numbers on direct quotes. Paraphrases need an author and year; quotes also need a page or paragraph number.

Frequently asked questions

What is APA format?

APA format is the style from the American Psychological Association used for papers in psychology, education, nursing and other social sciences. It sets rules for the title page, headings, in-text citations and reference list. This template follows the 7th edition.

Do I need an abstract in an APA student paper?

Not unless your instructor asks. If you need one, put it on its own page after the title page, with “Abstract” centered and bold, a single paragraph with no indent, usually 150 to 250 words.

Do I need a running head?

Student papers do not need a running head under APA 7. Professional papers submitted for publication do, so follow your instructor or journal instructions.

What font does APA 7 use?

APA accepts several fonts, including Times New Roman 12 pt, Calibri 11 pt, Arial 11 pt and Georgia 11 pt. Use whichever your instructor specifies, and use the same one throughout.

How do I double space and add a hanging indent in Google Docs?

For double spacing, select all text, then go to Format, Line and paragraph spacing, Double. For a hanging indent, select the references, go to Format, Align and indent, Indentation options, and set Special indent to Hanging at 0.5 inch.

Can I use this template for APA 6?

The layout is close but not identical. APA 6 required a running head and a different title page. If your instructor still uses the 6th edition, ask for their requirements before submitting.

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Follows the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition. Last reviewed October 2026.

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