The first heading of student papers is the title of the paper, which should appear at the top of the first page of the text of the paper, centered and bold. All major section labels (Abstract, References, Appendix/Appendices, etc.) are centered, title case, and bold.
Headings are used within APA-style documents to promote organization and flow. Each section of the paper should start with the highest heading level and, when necessary, include subordinate heading levels. Always use the headings in order, beginning with level 1. Do not skip any heading levels. However, multiple headings of the same level may be used.
Table 1 (below) depicts how to format each heading level. Note that the number of levels used in a paper will vary depending on its complexity, but the average paper typically uses up to level 3.
Table 1
Heading Level Formatting
| Level | Format |
| 1 |
Centered, Bold, Title Case Heading Text begins indented as a new paragraph. |
| 2 |
Flush Left, Bold, Title Case Heading Text begins indented as a new paragraph. |
| 3 |
Flush Left, Bold, Italic, Title Case Heading Text begins indented as a new paragraph. |
| 4 |
Indented, Bold, Title Case Heading, Ending with a Period. Text begins on the same line and continues as a regular paragraph. |
| 5 |
Indented, Bold, Italic, Title Case Heading, Ending with a Period. Text begins on the same line and continues as a regular paragraph. |
APA instructions for headings can be viewed by clicking here and is summarized in Table 1 above. For an explanation of the type of content that falls under each heading, consult the documents below to view how heading levels are formatted and organized.
For more information on heading level requirements, consult section 2.27 (p. 47) of the APA Manual (2020).