Running Head in APA Format: What It Is, When You Need It, and How to Write It

A running head is a shortened version of your paper's title that appears in the header at the top of every page of a manuscript. It identifies which paper a page belongs to if it becomes separated from the rest of the document during editorial review. In APA style, the running head appears flush left in the page header in all capital letters, with a page number flush right on the same line. Under APA 7th edition, running heads are required only for manuscripts submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals. Student papers no longer need one unless an instructor specifically requires it.

What Is a Running Head in APA Format?

A running head is a navigational element used in manuscript submissions. It runs across the top of every page of a document, flush left in the header area, so that editorial staff, peer reviewers, and printers can identify which manuscript a page belongs to if pages become separated or reordered during handling. The running head is an abbreviated version of the paper's full title, converted to all capital letters, and limited to 50 characters including spaces and punctuation.

In APA style, the running head is not a label like "Running head:" followed by the title. Under APA 7th edition, it is the abbreviated title itself in uppercase, with nothing else on the left side of the header. The page number appears flush right on the same line. The running head is a manuscript submission convention, not a reading aid for the finished document, which is why its requirements changed when APA updated its guidelines to reflect the different needs of student papers versus journal submissions.

APA 7th Edition vs. APA 6th Edition: What Changed?

The APA 7th edition, published in 2019, made a significant change to running head requirements. Many writers are still applying outdated 6th edition rules without realizing it. The table below shows the key differences between the two editions.

When Do You Need a Running Head in APA Style?

Whether you need a running head depends entirely on the type of document you're submitting and which edition of APA style applies to your submission.

• Journal manuscript submissions. A running head is required. Journals use it for blind review and page identification during the editorial process. Always check the target journal's author guidelines as some journals have their own header requirements that differ from the APA default.
• Student papers under APA 7th edition. A running head is not required. The APA Publication Manual explicitly states that running heads are required only for manuscripts submitted for publication. Student papers need only a page number in the upper right corner unless an instructor specifies otherwise.
• Student papers under APA 6th edition. A running head is required. It appears with the "Running head:" label on the title page and as the abbreviated title alone on all subsequent pages.
• Doctoral dissertations and master's theses. Requirements vary by institution. Some graduate programs follow APA 7th edition and waive the running head requirement. Others maintain their own style requirements that include it. Always check your institution's thesis and dissertation formatting guide before finalizing your document.
• Conference papers and working papers. Check the submission guidelines for each conference or series. Running head requirements are not standardized outside of journal manuscript submissions.

When in doubt, check with your instructor or consult the submission guidelines directly. A running head added when it isn't required is a minor formatting error. A running head omitted when it is required is a more significant one.

How to Format a Running Head in APA Style: Step by Step

If your paper requires a running head, here is how to format it correctly under current APA 7th edition guidelines.

Step 1: Shorten the title if necessary

The running head must be no more than 50 characters, including spaces and punctuation. Count carefully. A common mistake is counting words rather than characters. If your full title fits within 50 characters, you can use it exactly after converting to all capitals. If it doesn't fit, shorten it to capture the core meaning of the paper. Remove articles, prepositions, and any subtitle after a colon. For example, a title like "The Effects of Social Media Use on Self-Esteem and Body Image in Adolescent Girls Aged 13 to 17" could become SOCIAL MEDIA SELF-ESTEEM AND ADOLESCENT GIRLS, which communicates the paper's subject clearly and falls within the character limit.

Step 2: Convert the title to all capitals

The running head appears in all uppercase letters regardless of how the title is formatted on the title page. This applies to every word, including short words like "and," "the," and "of." There are no exceptions. Writing the running head in title case or sentence case is a formatting error under both the 6th and 7th editions.

Step 3: Place it in the page header, flush left

The running head goes in the document header, not in the body of the text. In Microsoft Word, access the header by double-clicking at the top of any page or by going to Insert, then Header, then Blank or Edit Header. The abbreviated title appears flush left. The page number appears flush right. Both appear on the same line at the top of every page.

Step 4: Apply it to every page including the title page

The running head appears on every page of the manuscript, including the title page. Under APA 7th edition, the header looks identical on every page. There is no variation between the title page header and the headers on body pages. Under APA 6th edition, the title page is the only page with the "Running head:" label. Every subsequent page shows the abbreviated title alone.

Step 5: Match the font to the rest of the paper

APA style requires consistent font use throughout the document. The running head should use the same font and size as the body text. APA 7th edition recommends 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, or 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode, among other accessible fonts listed in the Publication Manual.

Running Head Format: A Practical Example

Here is what correctly formatted APA 7th edition manuscript headers look like across the full document:

Common Running Head Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

These are the errors that appear most frequently in manuscripts submitted for journal review and in student papers where an instructor has specifically required a running head.

• Using the "Running head:" label in APA 7th edition papers. This label was eliminated in the 7th edition. If your paper follows current APA guidelines, the header contains only the abbreviated title in capitals. Including the label is a formatting error under the current edition.
• Exceeding 50 characters. Count characters including spaces and punctuation before finalizing your running head. A title that sounds short may still exceed the limit. "PSYCHOLOGY OF HUMAN DECISION MAKING IN HIGH STAKES ENVIRONMENTS" is 62 characters including spaces and must be shortened.
• Using title case instead of all capitals. "Social Media and Adolescent Anxiety" is incorrect. "SOCIAL MEDIA AND ADOLESCENT ANXIETY" is correct. This applies to every word in the running head without exception.
• Forgetting the running head on interior pages. In Microsoft Word, if "Different First Page" is checked in the Header and Footer Design tab, the header on page one is independent from the headers on subsequent pages. If you added the running head to the title page only and have "Different First Page" enabled, every other page will have a blank header. Check that the header appears consistently across the full document before submitting.
• Placing the running head in the body of the text. The running head lives in the header area above the body text margin. It does not appear as the first line of body text on each page.
• Confusing the running head with the paper title on the title page. The title page contains both the full paper title (in the body of the page) and the running head (in the header area). They are separate elements with separate placements. The running head in the header is not a repetition of the title below it.
• Using different abbreviated titles on different pages. The running head must be identical on every page of the manuscript. If you've revised the paper's title after initially setting up the header, check that the header still reflects your current abbreviated title consistently throughout.

Running Head vs. Page Header: What's the Difference?

The terms "running head" and "page header" are sometimes used interchangeably in style guides, but they refer to slightly different things. The running head is the abbreviated title text itself. The page header is the entire header area at the top of the page, which contains the running head flush left and the page number flush right. Submission guidelines may refer to either or both. When a journal's author guidelines say "include a running head," they mean the abbreviated title in the header. When they specify formatting for the "page header," they're describing the full header area including both the running head and the page number.

How to Add a Running Head in Microsoft Word

Adding a running head in Microsoft Word is straightforward once you know where to look. These steps apply to Microsoft Word 2016 and later versions.

1. Open the header area. Double-click at the top of any page, or go to Insert in the ribbon and select Header, then choose Blank or Edit Header.
2. Type the running head. Type your abbreviated title in all capitals. It will appear flush left by default in Word's header area.
3. Add the page number flush right. Press Tab once to reach the center tab stop, then Tab again to reach the right tab stop. Go to Insert, then Page Number, then Current Position, and select the plain number format. This places the page number flush right on the same line as the running head.
4. Check the "Different First Page" setting. In the Header and Footer Design tab, check whether "Different First Page" is selected. Under APA 7th edition, the header should be identical on all pages including the title page, so this option should be unchecked. If it is checked and you want the same header throughout, uncheck it and verify the header appears correctly on page one.
5. Verify across all pages. Scroll through the entire document to confirm the running head appears consistently on every page, including the title page, abstract, body, and references.
6. Close the header. Double-click in the body of the document or click Close Header and Footer in the ribbon.

In Google Docs, go to Insert, then Headers and Footers, then Header. Type your running head flush left. For the page number flush right, use Insert, then Page Numbers, and choose the top-right position. Google Docs handles the positioning automatically when you select the correct option.

Does a Student Paper Need a Running Head?

Under APA 7th edition, no. The APA Publication Manual explicitly states that running heads are required only for manuscripts submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. A standard student paper under the 7th edition needs only a page number in the upper right corner of the header. No abbreviated title, no all-caps formatting, no label of any kind is required in the header of a student paper under current APA guidelines.

If your instructor asks for a running head on a student paper, that is an instructor-specific requirement beyond the APA 7th edition default. Follow your instructor's guidance and format it according to the edition of APA they specify. If they haven't specified an edition, ask before formatting — applying 6th edition rules to a 7th edition paper produces specific errors that your instructor will notice.

Frequently Asked Questions About APA Running Heads

Get Expert Help with APA Formatting

APA formatting requirements have a way of catching writers off guard, particularly when edition changes mean that advice found online may no longer apply. Editor World's academic editing service includes formatting review by editors who work with APA 7th edition requirements every day. For journal manuscript submissions where both language quality and formatting compliance matter, see our journal article editing service. For doctoral students preparing dissertations, our dissertation editing service covers both language and institution-specific formatting requirements. You can also read our related guides on the APA style title page for a complete picture of how the running head fits into the broader structure of a correctly formatted manuscript.

Page last reviewed: May 2026. Content reviewed by Editor World editorial staff. Information in this article is based on the APA Publication Manual, 7th edition (2020) and the APA Publication Manual, 6th edition (2010). For the most current APA formatting guidance, consult the official APA Style website at apastyle.apa.org.