How to Format Title Page in APA

• Tomas Elliott (Ph.D.)
• Published on 02/20/2024

For every paper in APA style, there should be a title page. This page comes before the main text on its own sheet of paper. 

There are specific rules for the title pages of student essays and professional papers. Here’s how to format each.

STUDENT TITLE PAGE

Start with the title of your essay. It should be centered and in bold, positioned three to four double-spaced lines down from the top of the page. Capitalize major words. If there’s a subtitle, put it on the next line, also centered.

Skip a line and then write your full name in the center, but not in bold. If you co-wrote the paper, use “and” between your name and your co-author’s name. If there are three or more authors, separate their names with commas, and use “and” before the final name.

Then, list the following information centered (not in bold) over the next four lines:

The Name of Your Department or School, The Name of Your College
Course Number: Course Title
Professor’s Name
Assignment Due Date

In the top right corner, put the page number (“1”). Do this for all subsequent pages.

Consistency is Key: Ensure that the formatting of your title page remains consistent throughout your document. This includes using the same font style, font size, and alignment for all elements such as the title, author names, affiliations, and page numbers. Keep it Concise: While it’s important to include necessary information such as the title, author names, affiliations, and other details, avoid including excessive or irrelevant information on the title page. Stick to the essentials to maintain a professional and tidy appearance. Double-Check Guidelines: Before finalizing your title page, carefully review the specific formatting requirements provided by your instructor, institution, or publisher. APA guidelines may be updated or vary slightly between different sources, so it’s crucial to ensure compliance with the latest standards.

PROFESSIONAL TITLE PAGE

Professional papers, like those submitted to academic journals, have a bit more detail:

Follow the same rules for formatting the title and author names. If authors have different affiliations (like being from different colleges), use superscript figures to connect them. Affiliations are then listed beneath the authors’ names on separate lines with corresponding superscript figures.

First Author Name¹, Second Author Name², Third Author Name¹, and Fourth Author Name^3,4 
1First and Third Author’s Department, First and Third Author’s Institution
²Second Author’s Department, Second Author’s Institution
³Fourth Author’s Primary Department, Fourth Author’s Primary Institution
⁴Fourth Author’s Secondary Department, Fourth Author’s Secondary Institution  

If all authors share the same affiliation, simply list it below their names without using superscript figures.

Beneath the affiliations, include an “Author Note” centered and in bold. Below this, left-justify the author’s note, which can include:

• ORCID iDs for any authors who have them.
• Changes in author affiliations or if any authors have passed away.
• Disclosures or acknowledgments, such as conflicts of interest or funding declarations.
• Contact information for the corresponding author.

Include a running head with a shortened version of the title in all-capital letters in the top left corner. Also, put the page number in the top right corner. Both should be on every subsequent page of the paper.

STUDENT AND PROFESSIONAL TITLE PAGES COMPARED

	Student Paper	Professional Paper
Paper title	Three to four lines from top. Subtitle on second line. Centered, bold.	Three to four lines from top. Subtitle on second line. Centered, bold.
Author name(s)	Miss a line.  Full name(s) of contributor(s). Centered, not bold.	Miss a line.  Full name(s) of contributor(s). Centered, not bold. Superscript numbers for multiple affiliations.
Author affiliation(s)	The department and institution where the student attends school. Centered, not bold.	The institution where the researcher(s) work, linked by superscript numbers. Centered, not bold.
Course number, name, and instructor name	Course number: Course title. Instructor Name. Centered, not bold.
Due date	Cenered, not bold.
Author note(s)		“Author Note” title, centered, bold. Left-justified notes, not bold.
Running head		Shortened title. Top left corner, all capitalized.
Page number	Top right corner, not bold.	Top right corner, not bold.