A formatting guide for creating a paper, with tips about margins, double spacing, titles, subtitles, and font styles. It shows an example layout with labels and instructions on spacing, including a title, author name, course details, instructor name, and due date, along with various annotations on how to structure and style the document.

Title Page & Abstract

Infographic titled 'Abstract Helpful Tips' with sections on 'Formatting' in a blue box and 'Content' in a purple box. The formatting section provides guidelines on indentation, spacing, margins, word count, italics, and keyword placement. The content section lists questions to consider when writing a report or essay, such as purpose, issues, approaches, results, implications, and conclusions.

Title Page & Abstract FAQs

  • Your paper title should describe the topic, the method, the sample, and the results of your study goes here

  • It is recommended that the title remains under 60 characters long. APA states that titles should not be longer than 12 words. The title can take up to 2 lines.

  • Purpose: What is the nature of your topic/study and why did you do it?

    Methods: What did you do, and how?

    Results: What were your most important findings?

Headings

A diagram explaining heading levels and styles in a document. Blue boxes highlight Level 1 and Level 3 headings, indicating they are 'centered' and 'aligned left' respectively. Yellow boxes detail Level 4 and Level 5 headings, showing their indentation, bold, and italicized styles, with Level 5 also italicized. The central column contains example text for different heading levels and subheadings.
Text on black starry background asking, "Are you seeking a template?" with a call to action, "CLICK HERE TO EXPLORE," and an illustration of two people at a desk with charts and graphs.

Table of Contents

A colorful diagram explaining heading levels in a document, with annotations in different colored boxes. The green box describes Level 1 heading, the red box details Level 2 heading, and the purple box explains Level 3 heading. A blue box provides tips for other document types. The table of contents is in the center, listing sections and page numbers.
A diagram showing examples of hierarchy levels in documents, divided into three colored sections for Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 headings, with text in black, gray, and light brown backgrounds.

Video: Table of Contents How To

Table of Contents: FAQs

  • Yes. It is helpful if you are using the headings under the ‘Home’ tab to create a table of contents more quickly.

  • APA 7 formatting does not require a table of contents. However, your professor or teacher may require one. If your teacher does not require one, it is up to your discretion about including one.

  • APA 7 formatting requires two heading levels in a Table of Contents. The maximum amount of level headings is five. The goal is to create headers based on the content of your paper.

  • In most dissertations, the table of contents is placed after the abstract, dedication, or acknowledgments sections but before your introduction.

    In other papers, the table of contents is placed after the abstract or after the title page, if an abstract is not required.

  • The table of contents is the blueprint or roadmap for your paper. It tells the audience a brief overview of what your paper will cover.

Animated graphic with abstract blue, black, and white background, featuring two cartoon characters looking at a smartphone and text prompting to take a second look at your paper, with a call to action button.

Data Tables

Diagram of a layered table with columns and headings. Top section shows a table with student grade levels, number of boys and girls owning pets, titled 'Table One' with a note clarifying the date. Middle section includes another table with grades, boys, and girls owning pets in school, titled 'Table Two' with column spanning label. Bottom section displays a table with additional pet ownership data, with column headers 'With' and 'Without' for boys and girls, labeled as 'Table Three.' Yellow labels point out key elements like table number, title, notes, column span, stub heading, column heading, and table body.

Data Table FAQs

  • Number: The table number (e.g., Table 1) appears above the table in bold (no italics, no period ending)

    Title: The table title is one double spaced line below the table number, using non-bolded italic Title Case.

    Headings: All tables should include column headings, including a heading for the leftmost column (sub heading)

    Body: The table body includes all the rows and columns of a table. The body may be single space, one and a half space, or double spaced. Limit the use oN borders or line in a table ti those needed for clarity. Do not use vertical borders to separate data

    Note: A note can appear below the table to describe the contents of the table that cannot or would not be easily understood from the table title or body alone (e.g., definitions of abbreviations, copyright attribution). Notes are double-spaced and aligned left. Not all tables include table noes.

  • APA 7 does not require you to include a lis of tabes or a list of figures. It is recommended to include tables or figures if your txt is long enough to feature a table of contents or if your instructor advises it.

  • Tables are numerical values or text displayed in rows and columns

    Figures are any type of illustration (e.g., charts, graphs, photograph, or drawing maps).