Creating a winning title page of an APA format research paper

Let's be honest–people do judge a book by it's cover, and so do professors reading your APA format research paper. It only takes a few minutes to create a winning title page, so there really is no excuse for getting this wrong. And the upside is huge, as a nice title page can score for you even before the first word of your paper has been read.

While there are APA standards in place, you also want to check with your supervisor or your faculty; they might have their own requirements.

1. Running head

The running head is the short version of your title. It must not exceed 50 characters in lengths, including spacing and punctuation. Place the running head at the top left of the page and capitalize all letters here. The best way to create a running head is by using the header function available in MS Word.

2. Page number

Like the running head, the page number is best added to the header section using MS Word. The number has to be right aligned. Make sure to add 5-7 characters of space between the running title and the page number.

3. The title

Your title is the most important part of the title page and should be placed about halfway down the page with center alignment. APA requires you to not use abbreviations in your title. Also, the title should not exceed the APA-recommended maximum length of 12 words. It’s important to omit needless words here, as the title should be concise and describe precisely what the research paper is about.

4. Personal details

Write the author’s name beneath the title. Always write the full name and leave out all academic titles. In case of two authors use an ‘and’ to separate the individual’s name.

5. The name of the institution

The name of the institution is placed right underneath the personal details. Always make sure to spell out the entire name of the institution. This part is the most variable of the title page and it’s recommended to check with your supervisor, as some might want to be mentioned here.

Final Remarks

Creating a winning title page is simple and you can give yourself a head start by making it look good. After all, all the hard work and time deserves to be presented in a favorable way. There is nothing else to add here. Just follow the steps presented above.