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Buena Vista University

APA Citations (7th ed.)

This guide will help you learn how to properly format and cite your research in APA style.

Student Paper Required Elements

Students papers should include, at minimum:

  • title page (a student-specific version)
  • Page numbers
  • Text
  • reference list

Student papers may also include:

  • Tables and/or figures
  • Appendices

Student papers typically do not include a running head, an author note, or an abstract, unless requested by an instructor.

Title Page

The Student Title Page includes:

  • The title of the paper (a student-specific version)
  • Page number
  • Author name and affiliation
  • Course number and name
  • Instructor name
  • Assignment due date

The title should summarize the main idea of the paper in a simple, concise manner. Include essential terms in the title to increase findability. The title should be in title case, bold, centered, and positioned in the upper half of the title page.

The page number should be included in all papers, flush right, in the header on every page. The title page is page number 1.

The author name should be written as first name, middle initial(s), and last name. Omit all professional titles (e.g., PhD, EdD, MD, MA, RN, MSW). The author names should follow the paper title on the title page. Include one blank double-spaced line between the paper title and the author names.

Below the author name, enter the affiliation for the author, which is often the university attended.

Below the affiliation, include the course number and name for which the paper is being submitted. Use the format shown on institutional materials.

The instructor name should follow the course number and name. Check with your instructor for the preferred form.

Finally, include the assignment due date, written in month, date, and year format use in your country, with the month spelled out.

Sample Student Title Page