how to put your name on an essay apa

A step-by-step guide for creating and formatting APA Style student papers

The start of the semester is the perfect time to learn how to create and format APA Style student papers. This article walks through the formatting steps needed to create an APA Style student paper, starting with a basic setup that applies to the entire paper (margins, font, line spacing, paragraph alignment and indentation, and page headers). It then covers formatting for the major sections of a student paper: the title page, the text, tables and figures, and the reference list. Finally, it concludes by describing how to organize student papers and ways to improve their quality and presentation.

The guidelines for student paper setup are described and shown using annotated diagrams in the Student Paper Setup Guide (PDF, 3.40MB) and the A Step-by-Step Guide to APA Style Student Papers webinar . Chapter 1 of the Concise Guide to APA Style and Chapter 2 of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association describe the elements, format, and organization for student papers. Tables and figures are covered in Chapter 7 of both books. Information on paper format and tables and figures and a full sample student paper are also available on the APA Style website.

Basic setup

The guidelines for basic setup apply to the entire paper. Perform these steps when you first open your document, and then you do not have to worry about them again while writing your paper. Because these are general aspects of paper formatting, they apply to all APA Style papers, student or professional. Students should always check with their assigning instructor or institution for specific guidelines for their papers, which may be different than or in addition to APA Style guidelines.

Seventh edition APA Style was designed with modern word-processing programs in mind. Most default settings in programs such as Academic Writer, Microsoft Word, and Google Docs already comply with APA Style. This means that, for most paper elements, you do not have to make any changes to the default settings of your word-processing program. However, you may need to make a few adjustments before you begin writing.

Use 1-in. margins on all sides of the page (top, bottom, left, and right). This is usually how papers are automatically set.

Use a legible font. The default font of your word-processing program is acceptable. Many sans serif and serif fonts can be used in APA Style, including 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, 12-point Times New Roman, and 11-point Georgia. You can also use other fonts described on the font page of the website.

Line spacing

Double-space the entire paper including the title page, block quotations, and the reference list. This is something you usually must set using the paragraph function of your word-processing program. But once you do, you will not have to change the spacing for the entirety of your paper–just double-space everything. Do not add blank lines before or after headings. Do not add extra spacing between paragraphs. For paper sections with different line spacing, see the line spacing page.

Paragraph alignment and indentation

Align all paragraphs of text in the body of your paper to the left margin. Leave the right margin ragged. Do not use full justification. Indent the first line of every paragraph of text 0.5-in. using the tab key or the paragraph-formatting function of your word-processing program. For paper sections with different alignment and indentation, see the paragraph alignment and indentation page.

Page numbers

Put a page number in the top right of every page header , including the title page, starting with page number 1. Use the automatic page-numbering function of your word-processing program to insert the page number in the top right corner; do not type the page numbers manually. The page number is the same font and font size as the text of your paper. Student papers do not require a running head on any page, unless specifically requested by the instructor.

Title page setup

Title page elements.

APA Style has two title page formats: student and professional (for details, see title page setup ). Unless instructed otherwise, students should use the student title page format and include the following elements, in the order listed, on the title page:

• Paper title.
• Name of each author (also known as the byline).
• Affiliation for each author.
• Course number and name.
• Instructor name.
• Assignment due date.
• Page number 1 in the top right corner of the page header.

The format for the byline depends on whether the paper has one author, two authors, or three or more authors.

• When the paper has one author, write the name on its own line (e.g., Jasmine C. Hernandez).
• When the paper has two authors, write the names on the same line and separate them with the word “and” (e.g., Upton J. Wang and Natalia Dominguez).
• When the paper has three or more authors, separate the names with commas and include “and” before the final author’s name (e.g., Malia Mohamed, Jaylen T. Brown, and Nia L. Ball).

Students have an academic affiliation, which identities where they studied when the paper was written. Because students working together on a paper are usually in the same class, they will have one shared affiliation. The affiliation consists of the name of the department and the name of the college or university, separated by a comma (e.g., Department of Psychology, George Mason University). The department is that of the course to which the paper is being submitted, which may be different than the department of the student’s major. Do not include the location unless it is part of the institution’s name.

Write the course number and name and the instructor name as shown on institutional materials (e.g., the syllabus). The course number and name are often separated by a colon (e.g., PST-4510: History and Systems Psychology). Write the assignment due date in the month, date, and year format used in your country (e.g., Sept. 10, 2020).

Title page line spacing

Double-space the whole title page. Place the paper title three or four lines down from the top of the page. Add an extra double-spaced blank like between the paper title and the byline. Then, list the other title page elements on separate lines, without extra lines in between.

Title page alignment

Center all title page elements (except the right-aligned page number in the header).

Title page font

Write the title page using the same font and font size as the rest of your paper. Bold the paper title. Use standard font (i.e., no bold, no italics) for all other title page elements.

Text elements

Repeat the paper title at the top of the first page of text. Begin the paper with an introduction to provide background on the topic, cite related studies, and contextualize the paper. Use descriptive headings to identify other sections as needed (e.g., Method, Results, Discussion for quantitative research papers). Sections and headings vary depending on the paper type and its complexity. Text can include tables and figures, block quotations, headings, and footnotes.

Text line spacing

Double-space all text, including headings and section labels, paragraphs of text, and block quotations.

Text alignment

Center the paper title on the first line of the text. Indent the first line of all paragraphs 0.5-in.

Left-align the text. Leave the right margin ragged.

Block quotation alignment

Indent the whole block quotation 0.5-in. from the left margin. Double-space the block quotation, the same as other body text. Find more information on the quotations page.

Use the same font throughout the entire paper. Write body text in standard (nonbold, nonitalic) font. Bold only headings and section labels. Use italics sparingly, for instance, to highlight a key term on first use (for more information, see the italics page).

Headings format

For detailed guidance on formatting headings, including headings in the introduction of a paper, see the headings page and the headings in sample papers .

• Alignment: Center Level 1 headings. Left-align Level 2 and Level 3 headings. Indent Level 4 and Level 5 headings like a regular paragraph.
• Font: Boldface all headings. Also italicize Level 3 and Level 5 headings. Create heading styles using your word-processing program (built into AcademicWriter, available for Word via the sample papers on the APA Style website).

Tables and figures setup

Tables and figures are only included in student papers if needed for the assignment. Tables and figures share the same elements and layout. See the website for sample tables and sample figures .

Table elements

Tables include the following four elements: 

• Body (rows and columns)
• Note (optional if needed to explain elements in the table)

Figure elements

Figures include the following four elements: 

• Image (chart, graph, etc.)
• Note (optional if needed to explain elements in the figure)

Table line spacing

Double-space the table number and title. Single-, 1.5-, or double-space the table body (adjust as needed for readability). Double-space the table note.

Figure line spacing

Double-space the figure number and title. The default settings for spacing in figure images is usually acceptable (but adjust the spacing as needed for readability). Double-space the figure note.

Table alignment

Left-align the table number and title. Center column headings. Left-align the table itself and left-align the leftmost (stub) column. Center data in the table body if it is short or left-align the data if it is long. Left-align the table note.

Figure alignment

Left-align the figure number and title. Left-align the whole figure image. The default alignment of the program in which you created your figure is usually acceptable for axis titles and data labels. Left-align the figure note.

Bold the table number. Italicize the table title. Use the same font and font size in the table body as the text of your paper. Italicize the word “Note” at the start of the table note. Write the note in the same font and font size as the text of your paper.

Figure font

Bold the figure number. Italicize the figure title. Use a sans serif font (e.g., Calibri, Arial) in the figure image in a size between 8 to 14 points. Italicize the word “Note” at the start of the figure note. Write the note in the same font and font size as the text of your paper.

Placement of tables and figures

There are two options for the placement of tables and figures in an APA Style paper. The first option is to place all tables and figures on separate pages after the reference list. The second option is to embed each table and figure within the text after its first callout. This guide describes options for the placement of tables and figures embedded in the text. If your instructor requires tables and figures to be placed at the end of the paper, see the table and figure guidelines and the sample professional paper .

Call out (mention) the table or figure in the text before embedding it (e.g., write “see Figure 1” or “Table 1 presents”). You can place the table or figure after the callout either at the bottom of the page, at the top of the next page, or by itself on the next page. Avoid placing tables and figures in the middle of the page.

Embedding at the bottom of the page

Include a callout to the table or figure in the text before that table or figure. Add a blank double-spaced line between the text and the table or figure at the bottom of the page.

Embedding at the top of the page

Include a callout to the table in the text on the previous page before that table or figure. The table or figure then appears at the top of the next page. Add a blank double-spaced line between the end of the table or figure and the text that follows.

Embedding on its own page

Embed long tables or large figures on their own page if needed. The text continues on the next page.

Reference list setup

Reference list elements.

The reference list consists of the “References” section label and the alphabetical list of references. View reference examples on the APA Style website. Consult Chapter 10 in both the Concise Guide and Publication Manual for even more examples.

Reference list line spacing

Start the reference list at the top of a new page after the text. Double-space the entire reference list (both within and between entries).

Reference list alignment

Center the “References” label. Apply a hanging indent of 0.5-in. to all reference list entries. Create the hanging indent using your word-processing program; do not manually hit the enter and tab keys.

Reference list font

Bold the “References” label at the top of the first page of references. Use italics within reference list entries on either the title (e.g., webpages, books, reports) or on the source (e.g., journal articles, edited book chapters).

Final checks

Check page order.

• Start each section on a new page.
• Arrange pages in the following order:
• Title page (page 1).
• Text (starts on page 2).
• Reference list (starts on a new page after the text).

Check headings

• Check that headings accurately reflect the content in each section.
• Start each main section with a Level 1 heading.
• Use Level 2 headings for subsections of the introduction.
• Use the same level of heading for sections of equal importance.
• Avoid having only one subsection within a section (have two or more, or none).

Check assignment instructions

• Remember that instructors’ guidelines supersede APA Style.
• Students should check their assignment guidelines or rubric for specific content to include in their papers and to make sure they are meeting assignment requirements.

Tips for better writing

• Ask for feedback on your paper from a classmate, writing center tutor, or instructor.
• Budget time to implement suggestions.
• Use spell-check and grammar-check to identify potential errors, and then manually check those flagged.
• Proofread the paper by reading it slowly and carefully aloud to yourself.
• Consult your university writing center if you need extra help.

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How to Write an Essay in APA Format

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Emily is a board-certified science editor who has worked with top digital publishing brands like Voices for Biodiversity, Study.com, GoodTherapy, Vox, and Verywell.

What Is APA Format?

Apa essay format basics.

• Steps to Follow

Frequently Asked Questions

If your instructor has asked you to write an APA format essay, it might at first seem like a daunting task, especially if you are accustomed to using another style such as MLA or Chicago. But you can master the rules of APA essay format, too.

An essay is one type of paper that can be written in APA format; others include lab reports, experimental reports, and case studies. Before you begin, familiarize yourself with some of the basic guidelines for writing a paper in APA format. Of course, it will also be important to follow any other formatting instructions that are part of your assignment.

How do you write an essay in APA format? The basic elements you need to include are:

• A title page
• An abstract
• An introduction, main body, and conclusion
• A reference section
• Proper APA formatting with regard to margins, layout, spacing, titles, and indentations

This article discusses how to write an essay in APA format, including the basic steps you should follow and tips for how to get started.

Whether you’re taking an introductory or graduate-level psychology class, chances are strong that you will have to write at least one paper during the course of the semester. In almost every case, you will need to write your paper in APA format, the official publication style of the American Psychological Association . It is also used for academic journals.

Such rules are generally the same whether you are writing a high school essay, college essay, or professional essay for publication.

APA format is used in a range of disciplines including psychology , education, and other social sciences. The format dictates presentation elements of your paper including spacing, margins, and how the content is structured.

Most instructors and publication editors have strict guidelines when it comes to how your format your writing. Not only does adhering to APA format allow readers to know what to expect from your paper, but it also means that your work will not lose critical points over minor formatting errors. 

While the formatting requirements for your paper might vary depending on your instructor's directions, writing APA essay format means you will most likely need to include a title page, abstract, introduction, body, conclusion, and reference sections.

Your APA format essay should have a title page . This title page should include the title of your paper, your name, and your school affiliation. In some instances, your teacher might require additional information such as the course title, instructor name, and the date.

• The title of your paper should be concise and clearly describe what your paper is about.
• Your title can extend to two lines, but it should be no longer than 12 words.

An abstract is a brief summary of your paper that immediately follows the title page. It is not required for student papers, according to APA style. However, your instructor may request one.

If you include an abstract , it should be no more than 100 to 200 words, although this may vary depending upon the instructor requirements.

Your essay should also include a reference list with all of the sources that were cited in your essay,

• The reference section is located at the end of your paper.
• References should be listed alphabetically by the last name of the author.
• References should be double-spaced.
• Any source that is cited in your paper should be included in your reference section.

When writing in APA essay format, the text will include the actual essay itself: The introduction, body, and conclusion.

• There should be uniform margins of at least one inch at the top, bottom, left, and right sides of your essay.
• The text should be in Times New Roman size 12 font or another serif typeface that is easily readable.
• Your paper should be double-spaced.
• Every page should include a page number in the top right corner.
• The first word of each paragraph in your paper should be indented one-half inch.

For professional papers (usually not student papers), every page of the essay also includes a running head at the top left. The running head is a shortened form of the title, often the first few words, and should be no more than 50 characters (including spaces).

Steps to a Successful APA Format Essay

In addition to ensuring that you cite your sources properly and present information according to the rules of APA style, there are a number of things you can do to make the writing process a little bit easier.

Choose a Topic

Start by choosing a good topic to write about. Ideally, you want to select a subject that is specific enough to let you fully research and explore the topic, but not so specific that you have a hard time finding sources of information.

If you choose something too specific, you may find yourself with not enough to write about. If you choose something too general, you might find yourself overwhelmed with information.

Research Your Topic

Start doing research as early as possible. Begin by looking at some basic books and articles on your topic to help develop it further. What is the question you are going to answer with your essay? What approach will you take to the topic?

Once you are more familiar with the subject, create a preliminary source list of potential books, articles, essays, and studies that you may end up using in your essay.

Remember, any source used in your essay must be included in your reference section. Conversely, any source listed in your references must be cited somewhere in the body of your paper.

Write Your Rough Draft

With research in hand, you are ready to begin. Some people like to create an outline to organize their argument prior to drafting. You may want to start with a very rough outline, and then add details.

Once you have a detailed outline, the next step is to translate it from notes to complete sentences and paragraphs. Remember, this is a first draft. It doesn't have to be perfect.

As you write your paper in APA essay format, be sure to keep careful track of the sources that you cite.

How do you start an APA paper? Your paper should begin with an introduction that includes a thesis statement that presents your main ideas, points, or arguments. Your introduction should start on the third page of your paper (after the title page and abstract). The title of your paper should be centered, bolded, and typed in title case at the top of the page.

Review and Revise

After you have prepared a rough draft of your essay, it's time to revise, review, and prepare your final draft. In addition to making sure that your writing is cohesive and supported by your sources, you should also check carefully for typos, grammar errors, and possible formatting mistakes.

When citing information or quotations taken from an interview, APA format requires that you cite the source, how the information was collected, and the date of the interview. They should not be included in the reference section, however, because they are not something that can be located by a reader in any published source or searchable database.

Instead, the information should be cited parenthetically in the main body of the text. For example: “There was an increase in the number of college students who screened positive for depression/anxiety” (R. Heathfield, personal communication, May 9, 2021).

If the essay is in a chapter of a book, edited collection, or anthology, APA format states that you should cite the last name, first name, title of essay, title of collection, publisher, year, and page range. For example: Smith, John, "The Light House," A Book of Poems , editing by Peter Roberts, Allworth Press, 2005, pp. 20-25.

According to APA format, a two-part essay is formatted the same as an essay, however, you'll need to create two title pages.

If you're including a short direct quote in your APA-format essay, you will need to cite the author, year of publication, and page number (p.) or page number span (pp.). Quotations longer than 40 words should omit the quotation marks and be put in the text using block quotation formatting, on its own line and indented 1/2 inch from the left margin.

The cover page or "title page" in APA essay format should always include the title of your paper, your name, and school affiliation as well as the course title, instructor name, and date, if requested by your teacher.

Nagda S.  How to write a scientific abstract.   J Indian Prosthodont Soc.  2013;13(3):382-383. doi:10.1007/s13191-013-0299-x

American Psychological Association.  Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association  (7th ed.). Washington DC: The American Psychological Association; 2019.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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What's the proper way to include my name in the format of a college application essay? Should I place it on the top left or somewhere else? Thanks in advance!

When formatting your college application essay, it's important to adhere to the guidelines provided by the college or use the standard MLA format if there are no specific instructions. Generally, you would want to include your name in the header of your essay, along with other important information. Here's a simple example:

1. In the top-left corner of the first page, include your full name, your high school, your guidance counselor, and the submission date (each on a separate line).

2. After the date, leave one line blank and then insert the title of your essay, centered on the page, and make sure to use standard capitalization rules.

3. Double-space your text, and begin the essay one line below the title.

In some cases, colleges may ask you to include your name and a specific identifier such as your Common App ID or social security number in the header on each page. In that case, create a right-justified header containing your last name, identifier, and the page number. Make sure to double-check the submission guidelines of the specific college you're applying to for any specific formatting requirements. Always follow their instructions to ensure your essay is properly formatted and presented.

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13.4: An Abbreviated Guide to APA Style

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• Page ID 6548

• Steven D. Krause
• Eastern Michigan University

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Parenthetical Citation

APA style uses “parenthetical citation” to indicate quotations, summaries, paraphrases, and other references to evidence that supports your point. There should be enough information within the parenthetical citation to help your reader locate the complete bibliographic information on your “References” page.

In APA style, the general rule is to indicate the author of the evidence you are citing immediately followed by the date (in parentheses) when that evidence was published. Also, it’s best to try to “weave” the citation into the text of your essay instead of merely “dropping” quotes into place. See Chapter Three, “Quoting and Paraphrasing Your Research,” for suggestions on how to do this effectively.

Author in a phrase

To indicate a paraphrase, use the author’s last name followed immediately by the date of publication in parentheses.

Example \(\PageIndex{1}\):

Baase (1997) suggests that the appeals of living in smaller communities has been attractive to many information professionals.

When you are quoting directly from the author, you should still note the author’s last name followed by the date of publication in parentheses. In addition, at the end of the quotation, list the page number, preceded by “p.,” in parentheses.

Example \(\PageIndex{2}\):

Still, Baase (1997) indicates that many professionals “prefer city life for its vibrancy and career and social opportunities” (p. 296).

Author in the citation

When you don’t name the author in the sentence, you need to include it in the parenthetical citation.

Example \(\PageIndex{3}\):

The threat some believe the Internet represents a serious threat to community that needs to be regulated with laws (Baase, 1997).

Two authors

Use both author’s last names in all references. When naming the authors within the text of your essay, join their names with the word “and;” when noting them within the citation, use an ampersand (&).

Example \(\PageIndex{4}\):

Skinner and Fream (1997) found differences in attitudes about computer crime among men and women.

There are differences in attitudes about computer crime among men and women (Skinner & Fream, 1997).

Three to Five authors

Use all of the authors’ last names for the first reference. For each subsequent reference, use the first author’s last name and the phrase “ et al.”

Example \(\PageIndex{5}\):

Hawisher, LeBlanc, Moran, and Selfe (1996) point out that before 1980, the computer was for most English teachers “new and difficult territory” (p.48).

Hawisher et al. (1996) also state...

For six or more authors, use only the first author’s last name followed by the phrase “ et al.” on all references, including the first.

Group or corporate author

If the text is the product of a group, a committee, a corporation, etc., use the group or corporate author as you would an author name. If the name of the group is long, use the complete name on the first reference, followed by an abbreviation in brackets. Use the abbreviation on subsequent references.

Example \(\PageIndex{6}\):

According to the National Research Council (2001), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers often finds itself between those advocating for commerce and those wanting to protect the environment.

Unknown author

Use the title of the work or a shortened version of it instead of the author’s name.

Example \(\PageIndex{7}\):

Famous personalities have become an important tool in direct to consumer (DTC) drug marketing (“DTC Marketing: Special Report,” 2002).

Two or more sources in the same parenthetical citation

Writings in APA style commonly use multiple sources in one parenthetical citation when the writer is summarizing evidence. In instances like this, list the works alphabetically by the author’s last name and separate each entry by a semi-colon.

Example \(\PageIndex{8}\):

However, hackers might also be considered “good” and helpful in preventing computer crime as well (Neighly, 2000; Palmer, 2001).

For multiple works by the same author, note the author’s last name and the years of the works, separated by a comma.

Author of two or more pieces of evidence in your project

It’s not uncommon to cite different works from the same author in an essay. APA style makes clear which piece of evidence you are referring to by the year of publication—for example, (Markoff, 2000), (Markoff, 2001).

If the year is the same, attach the suffix “a,” “b,” “c,” and so forth after the year. The suffixes are then assigned to specific articles in the reference list—for example, (Markoff, 2000 a), (Markoff, 2000b).

Work in an anthology or chapter in a book

When you quote a work that is reprinted in an anthology, use the name of the author of the work (not the name of the editor) and the page numbers from the anthology. In your References page, you will note the name of the editor and the anthology or book.

Example \(\PageIndex{9}\):

Lehan (2000) connects the character Gatsby with other myths of man-god figures, both as seen through his eyes and the eyes of other characters.

Indirect source

An indirect quote is when you quote from a piece of evidence where that writer is quoting someone else. Note the source of the quote as you would with any other parenthetical citation, but make it clear in the sentence that your source is quoting someone else.

Example \(\PageIndex{10}\):

According to Naughton (2000), Steve Miller said “I have no financial incentive to kid you about anything” (p. 24).

A work without a date (including Web sites)

For a web site or any other document that doesn’t have a date of publication, note “n.d.” for “no date” in the parentheses.

Example \(\PageIndex{11}\):

“The Term Hacker,” according to Susan Brenner’s web site Cybercrimes.net (n.d.), “also tends to connote membership in the global community defined by the net.”

Personal Communications

In APA style, you should include parenthetical references to any personal communications within your essay. This would include things like letters, email correspondence, personal interviews, and the like. APA style also discourages including this sort of evidence on a “Reference” page. See the discussion about including Email messages, interviews, and lecturers or speeches in the next section.

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APA Style Essay: Formatting Rules

Oh, this long-awaited moment when you finish writing the last sentence of your essay and put the last full stop. You are absolutely sure that you followed all the structure rules, you have spent several hours in order to provide your paper with pertinent facts, examples, and references, and your conclusion is truly impeccable. However, what about formatting? What if your academic assignment is APA style essay, and now you need to think about all the requirements for this format. After all, sometimes it's exactly the formatting that might affect the grades, and no one wants their paper to be a C or B- grader. The biggest mistake here is that many students don't pay enough attention to such aspect of the assignment as the necessary formatting. So, what are the peculiarities of APA style essay format? Is it really so important to know? Is it complicated to follow? How to make your APA essay entirely correct? Let's relax and meet the challenges step by step. Be sure that, with our professional advice, you will forget about any worries concerning these three letters - APA.

How to write an APA style essay

Before getting to the APA essay, you are to understand what are you going to deal with. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA for short) is the style guide published by the American Psychological Association. It is specifically designed for social and behavioral sciences, but it is also commonly used in other disciplines, particularly nursing. Like other style guides, it covers a broad range of topics, including research paper formatting, tables, and figures, citations, and grammar questions. Here are some points that are usually considered when you deal with essay writing in APA style:

• Margins. Use 1" margins on all four sides of the page.
• Indentation. Indent the start of a paragraph ½ inch from the left margin; indent block quotations 1/2 inch from the left margin as well.
• Font. Choose a standard and easy-to-read font like Times New Roman. Also, the APA requires the use of fonts without serifs. (Serifs are the little bars put at the end of the strokes of a letter. For example, Times New Roman has serifs, but Arial does not.)
• Size. Use 12 point font.
• Page numbers. Number pages consecutively in the upper right-hand corner starting with the title page. Do not include your name next to the page number.
• Spacing. Double space the entire paper, including block quotes (quotes longer than 40 words) and the references.
• Title page. The APA style essay title page should include the title of paper centered in the middle of the page, followed by your name and school affiliation, also centered and double-spaced. At the bottom of the page (also centered), you can include an author's note that gives specific information about the class or acknowledgments.
• Running heads. APA formatting requires a running head on every page. The running head is a short (less than 12 words) summary of your title that appears at the top of each page aligned left. The header on the title page should read "Running head: TITLE." All subsequent pages should list the running head in all caps aligned left.

How to write an APA style essay? There is a number of helpful guidelines you can use to improve your paper and facilitate your writing process.

• The first step is to pick an exciting topic for the future essay. You should be confident that it will draw the attention of the audience, and you will be able to convey and explore it in detail.
• Approach the research process thoughtfully. If your topic is quite specific, you are to be sure that you can find all the necessary and pertinent material to ground your ideas and evidence well.
• Keep in mind that your topic shouldn't be too broad or narrow; otherwise, you will be overwhelmed by all the information or won't find enough of it.
• Start your preparation in advance. Perhaps the search for some books, articles, interesting materials and their processing can require a lot of time.
• If you use any direct quotations, you are to format them appropriately, and don't forget to mention each of them (the source) in your References part.
• Draft your APA essay. It will help you avoid any possible mistakes. You will have an opportunity to proofread your text and make any adjustments immediately without the risk of getting a reduced grade.

There is one more step you are to make in order to prepare ideal writing is to create an APA style essay outline. It is important to see whether all the parts are equally informative, valuable and logically structured. We want you to look at our very generalized example to understand better what you are expected to do.

• Introduction with your thesis statement (depending on the essay type)
• First paragraph and its central idea
• Background source(evidence, an example from real life, etc.)
• Second paragraph and its central idea
• Background source
• Third paragraph and its central idea
• Conclusions with an answer to your introduction statement (or its paraphrasing)

Despite the fact that the APA essay format is demanding enough and you must be extremely attentive to the details, everything becomes much easier after you study each feature individually and follow all the instructions step by step. Take your time, be diligent, and your perfectly formatted essay will lead you to success in your academic performance.

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Citation Guide (including AMA)

Basic overview of apa style, citations in the paper's body.

• AMA Style: 11th edition
• Additional Resources
• Citation Formatting in Word 2016
• Quoting, Paraphrasing and Summarizing

Every time you quote or paraphrase someone else’s work, you must indicate:

• who wrote the work
• what is it called
• and where we (the reader) can find a copy.

You give us this information in two places:

• Author-Date Citation System
• Parenthetical versus Narrative In-Text Citation Options
• Creating an APA Style Reference List Guide (2-page handout)
• Sample Annotated Student Paper  (7-page handout)

When you  quote directly  or paraphrase  from a source (book, article, or webpage) in your paper, you need to insert an in-text citation . 

Check out the new APA In-Text Citation Checklist !

You have two format options: parenthetical and narrative

Parenthetical In-Text Citation

This citation typically consists of the author’s last name(s), year of publication, and page number in parentheses at the end of the sentence. The period goes after the closed parenthesis.

“This is a direct citation” (Chapman, 2019, p. 126).

When paraphrasing the idea in your own words, do not use quotation marks; page numbers are not required (Jackson, 1999).

Narrative In-Text Citation

Another option is to use the author’s name in the sentence, followed directly by the year in parentheses, with the page numbers in parentheses at the end of the sentence.

According to Chapman (2019), "This is a direct citation" (p. 216).

Jackson (1999) explains that when paraphrasing the idea in your own words, do not use quotation marks. Page numbers are not required.

Additional Resources from the Excelsior College Online Writing Lab :

• APA Citations in the Body of Your Paper : multiple examples
• APA Side by Side : Examples that "provide reference information and corresponding in-text citation information for common source types and situations you are likely to encounter while working with your sources". 
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• Next: MLA Style >>
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Writing last name of a person in an essay

I am writing a research paper where it talks a great deal about a particular individual. I have already introduced the full name in the essay, should I address him by his last name after there on after? For example, if I introduced a person named John Lee, should I refer to him as Lee throughout the essay? I am using MLA format by the way.

• academic-writing

• 1 I would think this is standard. What does the MLA Style Manual suggest? NB your question is probably off-topic on our site as you're asking for writing advice , but it would definitely be on-topic on our sister site Writing.se and would be more likely to get specific advice relevant to academic writing. I'll flag this post for moderator attention to consider migrating it there. :-) –  Chappo Hasn't Forgotten Dec 2, 2018 at 23:25

2 Answers 2

One website citing the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (New York: MLA, 1988) 46-47 says that you should use just the last name after the first time (with some exceptions):

In general, the first time you use a person's name in the text of your paper, state it fully and accurately, exactly as it appears in your source. Arthur George Rust, Jr. Victoria M. Sackville-West

If you wish to include a fuller title to give the weight of authority to your source, you may do so in the first reference: Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Venerable John Henry Newman.

In subsequent uses of the name, use the person's last name only (Sackville-West, King, Newman)—unless, of course you refer to two or more persons with the same last name—or give the most common form of the person's name (Michelangelo for Michelangelo Buonarroti; Surrey for Henry Howard, earl of Surrey).

Once you refer to them formally once, you just refer to them by their last name for the rest of your piece.

• 1 Hi Random! Welcome to Writing.SE! Thank you for your answer. Could you edit and expand it to include some source on what you're saying? –  Galastel supports GoFundMonica Dec 6, 2018 at 8:03
• 2 Hi Random. Adding to Galastel's comment above: Suppose someone else were to post an answer saying only "You need to refer to them formally every time you refer to them within your piece". In such a situation, how could one tell which answer is more likely to be correct? Adding some reference, citation or source for your claim greatly reduces this problem. –  user Dec 6, 2018 at 11:52

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Module 8: APA Citations

Apa title page formatting.

As the first major section of the document, the title page appears as the first page.

The title page is comprised of a few key elements:

• Page number
• Full title of the paper
• Author byline: first name(s), middle initial(s), and last name(s)
• Affiliated institution(s) or organization(s)
• Author note (optional)

Follow your instructor’s directives regarding additional lines on the title page. Some professors require further information, including the date of submission, course number or title, or name of the professor. The 7th edition of APA removed the need for student papers to include a running head, but your instructor might still want one.

General Format

Like the rest of the paper, the title page should be double-spaced and typed in Times New Roman, 12-point font. The margins are set at 1” on all sides.

How should the full title of the paper be formatted?

The full title of the paper is centered in the upper half of the page, and the first letter of each major word is capitalized. The paper’s title should be a maximum of 12 words and fill one or two lines; avoid using abbreviations and unnecessary words. Do not format the title with bold, italics, underlining, or quotation marks.

How should the author byline be formatted?

The author byline is comprised of the author’s or authors’ first name(s), middle initial(s), and last name(s); this line follows after the full title of the research paper. Note that two authors are separated by the word and , but more than two authors’ names are separated by commas, with ‘and’ before the last author’s name.

What should the institutional affiliation include?

Following the author byline is the institutional affiliation of the author(s) involved with the research paper. Include the name of the college or university you attend, or the name of the organization(s) that provided support for your research.

Any additional lines of information requested by your professor may be situated after the institutional affiliation. If your instructor requires you to include an author’s note, position it in the lower half of the title page.

• Revision and Adaptation. Authored by : Gillian Paku. Provided by : SUNY Geneseo. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Formatting the Title Page (APA). Authored by : Jennifer Janechek. Provided by : Writing Commons. Located at : http://writingcommons.org/open-text/writing-processes/format/apa-format/1139-formatting-the-title-page-apa . License : CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives
• APA Sample Paper. Authored by : Steven Wilder. Located at : https://youtu.be/tNuYwptSzP8 . License : All Rights Reserved . License Terms : Standard YouTube License

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Cite a Website

Don't let plagiarism errors spoil your paper, citing a website in apa.

Once you’ve identified a credible website to use, create a citation and begin building your reference list. Citation Machine citing tools can help you create references for online news articles, government websites, blogs, and many other website! Keeping track of sources as you research and write can help you stay organized and ethical. If you end up not using a source, you can easily delete it from your bibliography. Ready to create a citation? Enter the website’s URL into the search box above. You’ll get a list of results, so you can identify and choose the correct source you want to cite. It’s that easy to begin!

If you’re wondering how to cite a website in APA, use the structure below.

Author Last Name, First initial. (Year, Month Date Published). Title of web page . Name of Website. URL

Example of an APA format website:

Austerlitz, S. (2015, March 3). How long can a spinoff like ‘Better Call Saul’ last? FiveThirtyEight. http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-long-can-a-spinoff-like-better-call-saul-last/

Keep in mind that not all information found on a website follows the structure above. Only use the Website format above if your online source does not fit another source category. For example, if you’re looking at a video on YouTube, refer to the ‘YouTube Video’ section. If you’re citing a newspaper article found online, refer to ‘Newspapers Found Online’ section. Again, an APA website citation is strictly for web pages that do not fit better with one of the other categories on this page.

Social media:

When adding the text of a post, keep the original capitalization, spelling, hashtags, emojis (if possible), and links within the text.

Facebook posts:

Structure: Facebook user’s Last name, F. M. (Year, Monday Day of Post). Up to the first 20 words of Facebook post [Source type if attached] [Post type]. Facebook. URL

Source type examples: [Video attached], [Image attached]

Post type examples: [Status update], [Video], [Image], [Infographic]

Gomez, S. (2020, February 4). Guys, I’ve been working on this special project for two years and can officially say Rare Beauty is launching in [Video]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/Selena/videos/1340031502835436/

Life at Chegg. (2020, February 7) It breaks our heart that 50% of college students right here in Silicon Valley are hungry. That’s why Chegg has [Images attached] [Status update]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/LifeAtChegg/posts/1076718522691591

Twitter posts:

Structure: Account holder’s Last name, F. M. [Twitter Handle]. (Year, Month Day of Post). Up to the first 20 words of tweet [source type if attached] [Tweet]. Twitter. URL

Source type examples: [Video attached], [Image attached], [Poll attached]

Example: Edelman, J. [Edelman11]. (2018, April 26). Nine years ago today my life changed forever. New England took a chance on a long shot and I’ve worked [Video attached] [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/Edelman11/status/989652345922473985

Instagram posts:

APA citation format: Account holder’s Last name, F. M. [@Instagram handle]. (Year, Month Day). Up to the first 20 words of caption [Photograph(s) and/or Video(s)]. Instagram. URL

Example: Portman, N. [@natalieportman]. (2019, January 5). Many of my best experiences last year were getting to listen to and learn from so many incredible people through [Videos]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/BsRD-FBB8HI/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

If this guide hasn’t helped solve all of your referencing questions, or if you’re still feeling the need to type “how to cite a website APA” into Google, then check out our APA citation generator on CitationMachine.com, which can build your references for you!

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do I put my TA's name or prof's name on my essay title page?

SOSC course. TA's the one marking the essay so I'm leaning towards putting his name but I wasn't entirely sure what the standard is? If it matters, the format is APA.

Generate accurate APA citations for free

• Knowledge Base
• APA Style 7th edition
• APA Title Page (7th edition) | Template for Students & Professionals

APA Title Page (7th edition) | Template for Students & Professionals

Published on November 6, 2020 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on January 17, 2024.

APA provides different guidelines for student and professional papers. The student version of the APA title page should include the following information (double spaced and centered):

Paper title

• Author name
• Department and university name
• Course number and name
• Instructor name
• Due date of the assignment

The professional title page also includes an author note (flushed left), but not a course name, instructor name, or due date.

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Table of contents

Title page example (student and professional version), institutional affiliation, course information, author note, page header, including an image on the title page.

Scribbr Citation Checker New

The AI-powered Citation Checker helps you avoid common mistakes such as:

• Missing commas and periods
• Incorrect usage of “et al.”
• Ampersands (&) in narrative citations
• Missing reference entries

Write an informative, striking title that summarizes the topic of your paper. Try to keep the title focused and use relevant keywords.

Place the title three or four lines down from the top of the paper. Center align and bold it. Don’t forget to use title case capitalization (capitalize the first letter of each word, except small words such as articles and short prepositions).

Write the author’s name under the paper title (leave a blank line in between). Give their full names (first name, middle initial(s) and last name), but don’t include titles (Dr., Prof.) or degrees (Ph.D., MSc).

Multiple authors on the title page

List the authors in order of their contribution. If there are two authors, separate their names with the word “and”, like this:

If there are more than two authors, separate their names with a comma. Only write “and” before the last author, like this:

Write the author’s affiliation on the next line under the author names. Students should specify the department and institution where they’re attending school. Professional researchers should specify the department and institution where they conducted their research.

Multiple authors with different affiliations

Use superscript numbers on the author line to indicate which institution they’re affiliated with. Don’t use superscript numbers if all authors are affiliated with the same institution (and department).

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On a student title page, provide information about the course. List the following information on separate (double spaced) lines under the author’s affiliation:

• Instructor(s)
• Assignment’s due date

For professional papers, you may include an author note. This note may contain the author’s ORCID iD, affiliation changes, disclosures of conflicts of interest, brief acknowledgments, and contact information (in that specific order). Present this information in separate paragraphs.

Place the author note on the bottom half of the page. Center the label “Author note” and apply bold styling. The paragraphs in the author note are left-aligned. The first line of each new paragraph is indented.

For more information about formatting the author note, see section 2.7 of the APA Publication Manual.

For a student title page, the page header consists of just a page number in the top-right corner. There is no need for a running head (as was the case in APA 6th edition).

A professional title page does have a running head. The running head is an abbreviated version of the paper title in all capital letters. The maximum length is 50 characters (counting spaces).

Images are not usually included on an APA title page, and APA does not provide any guidelines for doing so. It’s usually viewed as unprofessional to include an image, since the title page is there to provide information, not for decoration.

If you do decide to include an image on your title page, make sure to check whether you need permission from the creator of the image. Include a note directly underneath the image acknowledging where it comes from, beginning with the word “ Note .” (italicized and followed by a period):

• If you found the image online or in another source, include a citation and copyright attribution .
• If it’s an image you created yourself (e.g., a photograph you took, an infographic you designed), explain this (e.g., “Photograph taken by the author.”).

Don’t give the image a label, title, or number. Only images within the text itself are labeled as figures .

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Streefkerk, R. (2024, January 17). APA Title Page (7th edition) | Template for Students & Professionals. Scribbr. Retrieved June 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-style/apa-title-page/

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Mentioning your name in an essay?

<p>In one of my essays (with a prompt that is open-ended), I find that mentioning my name allows me to develop the essay further, and I wish to include it (I don’t want to go in further detail about it because I don’t want to reveal the subject of my essay). However, I realized that including my name in the essay would give away my ethnicity, and obviously this plays a role in admissions. I suppose they may already know your ethnicity from other parts of the application, but is adding your name in the essay itself getting too personal?</p>

<p>I’m not exactly sure about etiquette in college admissions. I remember reading about one college that they assigned numbers to every applicant so admissions officers were not biased to select one applicant over another…</p>

<p>So, is it appropriate to include your name, or not?</p>

<p>If it is necessary in examples such as:</p>

<p>…My mom was calling my name out loud. “John Doe! Come here right now!”… </p>

<p>In that case, it is necessary. But if you don’t want to reveal your name in an essay, I’m sure you can find a way.</p>

<p>But I would recommend to add the name if it sensualizes your point. They already know your name. </p>

<p>Whether you decide to include your name or not in your essay, giving away your ethnicity should not be a factor in your decision. They already have your name on file when you submit it (all your records have your name on it), so I don’t see how including your name in the essay will make any difference.</p>

<p>Adding your name could make it more personalized, and thus they could be more likely to connect your name to the essay. At other times though, it could feel irrelevant. If you don’t want to emphasize your ethnicity in your essay, you could always just use your first name or leave it out altogether. But like mentioned above, your name will already be included on other parts of your application. How else would they be able to identify who they are going to be admitting?</p>

<p>So when they read an essay they know exactly whose it is already (e.g. “John Doe” vs applicant #3243 ) ? If that is the case then I should have no problem adding my name, correct?</p>

<p>I was just worried that the essays could be looked at separately from the rest of the application and given a score, and later, they would be attached back to the main file (as Wesleyan did in the book “The Gatekeepers”). </p>

<p>Also, has anyone else done this?</p>

<p>Bumpppppp</p>

<p>Please tell me I’m not the first soul to put my name in an essay…</p>

<p>i don’t put my name in the essay because I don’t have any sentences that would warrant it, but you shouldn’t be afraid of putting your name down. Your name will already be on the college application, transcript, score report, etc. It’s futile to try to hide it, especially if you have a name that’s particularly common (like Kim, Lee, Nguyen, etc.) </p>

<p>Yes they do know whose application it is when they read it. That is how they connect all the supplemental material together with your actual app. (Your submitted SAT score, supplemental submissions, financial aid forms, anything like that) You can see what is actually submitted to them after you complete the full app and click “preview submission.” It contains a 3-4 page document containing the entire application, including your name and your essay. Feel free to include it if your essay warrants it, but don’t feel pressure to put it in either.</p>

<p>The essays will not be read separately from the application. The admissions rep reading your application wants to put together a full picture of you by reading your application form, recommendations, activities and your personal essay. The essay will not be graded by someone else for your writing skills. There is absolutely no problem with putting your name in the essay; the reader already knows your name!</p>

<p>Alright that’s reassuring! Thanks!</p>

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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Should I include a professor's name in my paper to get it published?

I am a master's student and want to publish a paper in a specific subfield in mathematics. I have written the paper all by myself.

The problem is my advisor won't check my draft. He says he is busy and so he could not find time.

My question is:

When papers are submitted to reviewers and editors, do they see what are the names of the authors in the paper submitted?

If my professor co-authors a paper will it be easier to get published?

Should I include my professor's name with my name to get the paper published easier?

I really want to publish it with my name only. But I really don't know how this publication process works.

• publications
• mathematics
• paper-submission
• 3 In pure mathematics, I would say that the answer to your 3rd question (the one in the title) is a big NO. –  Yemon Choi Sep 1, 2018 at 2:52
• 3 If you advisor doesn't have time to advise you, he's sucking at his duties. –  user68958 Sep 1, 2018 at 7:05
• 1 I agree 100% with @corey979 (unless there are mitigating circumstances which require him to take leave, but that doesn't seem to be the case here) –  Yemon Choi Sep 1, 2018 at 12:46
• 2 @Karl Speaking as someone who has been supervising graduate students almost continually since 2010 (in pure maths), I do not agree with the attitude that you seem to condone. Maybe things work differently in lab sciences? –  Yemon Choi Sep 1, 2018 at 14:03
• 1 @Karl um, yes, it’s precisely somebody’s duty. It’s called advising students, and someone who regards it as a “waste” of their time shouldn’t be a professor. –  Dan Romik Sep 1, 2018 at 19:18

3 Answers 3

The much bigger issue here seems to be that you are in dire need of proper advising and mentorship, and your official adviser isn’t providing you with those things. You say “I really don't know how this publication process works.” Well, I don’t think anyone here can give you the sort of advice that you need - a few suggestions and rough ideas, maybe, but without getting very specific advice and feedback from someone who has actually reviewed your work and knows what it’s about, I fear your path to successful publication of your paper will be a very hard one indeed. So, I think you should set it as your goal to fix the situation of the neglectful advisor, whether by talking to other professors who are interested in what you’re working on and are willing to mentor you, complaining to the department chair, or by having an awkward but necessary conversation with your current advisor. It is a difficult problem and I don’t have an easy fix, but at the very least I think it’s important to recognize that this goes much deeper than just the question of who should be the author of the paper.

Coming back to your “official” question: no, you should absolutely not add your advisor’s name as a coauthor to your paper just to increase the paper’s chances of acceptance . There may or may not be some good reasons to have your advisor as a coauthor (for example, he may have proposed the research question, and that might be seen as a sufficient intellectual contribution to make someone a coauthor), but this particular one is most certainly not a good reason - in fact it is a blatantly unethical reason to make someone a coauthor.

• My advisor has not even posed the research question,I have chosen the question and done the answer all on my own –  user96599 Sep 1, 2018 at 10:12
• I only asked him to check the draft but he says I am busy,he makes me sit in his room for long hours and finally when he arrives he is busy with Facebook,Whatsapp,etc –  user96599 Sep 1, 2018 at 10:13
• @PureMathematics well, it sounds like he should not be a coauthor. Also remember that: 1) you’d need his permission to make him an author; 2) it’s very doubtful whether having him as a coauthor would make a substantial difference to the paper’s chances of acceptance. At least, the “name recognition” effect (to the extent it exists) is orders of magnitude weaker than people with no publication experience think it is. –  Dan Romik Sep 1, 2018 at 16:44
• 1 @PureMathematics in any case, I again strongly suggest that you focus your efforts on getting the department to provide you with proper mentoring. Until you have access to the guidance you need, I expect it will be an uphill struggle to make progress with publishing the paper. –  Dan Romik Sep 1, 2018 at 16:46

Unless the journal uses double-blind or triple-blind peer review (uncommon), editors and reviewers will see the names of the authors. You can check whether the journal uses double-blind or triple-blind peer review on the journal's website.

Not really. The prestige of the author does matter when publishing a book, but the impact in journals is much smaller. It's not non-existent - for example if one is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, it's relatively easy to get published in PNAS . But in general, plenty of professors get their papers rejected as well, and it's what's written in the paper that counts.

Warning: this is usually viewed as unethical. All authors should have contributed significantly to the paper to be listed. Some publishers explicitly list this as part of their policy, and violating it can get your paper retracted and you (+ your co-author) blacklisted. Here's an example from Elsevier . Quoting only the relevant part:

Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. All those who have made substantial contributions should be listed as co-authors.

Co-authorship could be for various reasons but usually all authors contribute to the manuscript in a way or another. Usually authorship is better discussed at the beginning of the project and whenever a new contributor join the team of people working on the paper.

The question is did you agreed with your supervisor that you together will be coauthoring the paper ? if not, then you have the option of be the sole author of the paper.

Do co-authoring the paper with another author who already have publishable work increase the chance of publishing ? usually yes. But that depends on the field, the journal and most importantly the submitted manuscript.

Discuss authorship with your supervisor first before doing anything else. if you think your supervisor have the experience and knowledge to contribute to your paper but is busy at the moment with other projects, simply invite him to coauthor the paper with you ( specify what you would like him / her to contribute to ) and ask him when he could have the time to go over the paper with you.

He may decline or suggest another professor or he may accept and define a schedule in the coming time.

• We did not discuss anything previously, I just did the paper because I wanted to do it and now after doing doing it,I dont know how to get it checked –  user96599 Sep 1, 2018 at 2:04
• do you think your advisor can contribute to the paper ? is it within his research field interests ? you can check that based on his published work and courses he / she teach. –  N00 Sep 1, 2018 at 2:07
• 1 But the problem is he does not seem interested at all in the project,whenever I ask him he makes me sit for long hours and then arrives and asks me to talk about the project and when I am talking he is busy in Whatsapp,facebok etc –  user96599 Sep 1, 2018 at 2:09
• this is really bad sign ! maybe you wanna ask him if he can suggest other professors. the question would be is how to take the paper further. maybe yo wanna wait a bit before mentioning publication and authorship. –  N00 Sep 1, 2018 at 2:11
• 1 Yes, of course! push forward meant collaboration and providing input. –  N00 Sep 1, 2018 at 3:10

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Do I have to cite a book if I'm only mentioning the title?

You can mention the title of a book without needing to cite it on the References page.

• Example: Dr. Seuss wrote many great children's books such as Green Eggs and Ham , The Cat in the Hat , and Horton Hears a Who .
• This does not need a citation.

However , if summing up (or paraphrasing) content or ideas from the book, cite the book and put it on the References page.

• Example:  Dr. Seuss wrote a great children's book, Green Eggs and Ham , that encourages children to eat foods that they have never tried because it could be good and they could like it (Seuss, 1960).
• The book would be listed as a source on the References page.

For examples of citations, go to the  APA Help  guide and click on APA Citation Examples - References & In-Text .

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• Last Updated Apr 14, 2023
• Views 26676
• Answered By Baker Librarians

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