What Is a Running Head in APA Style?

If you've ever stared at an APA-formatted paper wondering what that line of text at the very top of the page is, you're not alone. The running head is one of the more misunderstood elements of APA Style, and getting it right matters, especially if you're submitting work for professional publication.

What Is APA Style?

APA Style is a standardized system for formatting academic papers and citing sources, developed by the American Psychological Association. It's widely used in the social sciences, including psychology, sociology, anthropology, and education, though many other disciplines have adopted it as well.

The guidelines cover a broad range of formatting decisions: how to structure in-text citations, how to format a reference page, and physical layout requirements like standard 8.5" x 11" paper with 1" margins. One of those layout elements is the running head, which appears at the top of every page. For the full overview of how APA works across in-text citations, references, the title page, and document formatting, see Editor World's complete APA citation guide.

What Is a Running Head?

A running head is an abbreviated version of your paper's title, or the full title if it's short enough, and appears in the header at the top of each page. Its main purpose is to help journal editors and peer reviewers identify which manuscript they're reading when handling multiple papers at once.

Not every paper requires one. Under the current APA guidelines (7th edition), whether you need a running head depends on the type of paper you're writing.

Running Head in Student Papers

For student papers written for a class, a running head is generally not required. Unless your instructor specifically asks for one, you only need to include a page number in the header. The page number should be placed at the top-right of every page, including the title page, unless your professor instructs otherwise.

This is a common point of confusion, so when in doubt, check your course syllabus or ask your instructor directly. The student paper format was introduced in APA 7th edition (2019) to simplify formatting requirements for coursework. APA 6th edition required a running head on every paper, including student work.

Running Head in Professional Papers

For professional papers, such as manuscripts submitted to an academic journal for peer review, a running head is required. Here's how to format it correctly:

• Type the running head in all capital letters (e.g., TITLE OF YOUR PAPER)
• Keep it to 50 characters or fewer, including spaces and punctuation
• Left-align the running head and right-align the page number
• Use the same format on every page, including page 1
• Do not write "Running Head:" before the title. That practice was retired in APA 7th edition.
• Avoid abbreviations where possible, though you may substitute "&" for "and"

Getting these details exactly right is the kind of thing that's easy to overlook when you're focused on the content of your paper. Editor World's academic editing services include a formatting review that catches running head errors alongside any grammar or clarity issues before you submit.

Student vs Professional Papers: A Quick Comparison

How to Insert a Running Head in Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word handles APA running heads through the header feature. The same steps work in Word 2016, Word 2019, Word 2021, and Microsoft 365.

1. Open the header. Double-click at the top of any page, or go to Insert > Header > Edit Header.
2. Type your running head. Type the abbreviated title in all capital letters at the left margin. Keep it to 50 characters or fewer.
3. Add a tab and insert the page number. Press Tab twice to move to the right side of the header. Go to Insert > Page Number > Current Position > Plain Number. Word inserts the page number at the cursor position.
4. Set the alignment. The default tab stops in Word place the page number at the right margin. If your page number doesn't align right, click on it and use Ctrl+R (or Cmd+R on Mac) to right-align.
5. Verify the title page. Click on page one and confirm the header shows the same running head and page number "1" as the rest of the document. Under APA 7th, the running head is identical on every page including the title page.
6. Close the header. Double-click in the body of the document, or go to Design > Close Header and Footer. The header appears on every page automatically.

If you previously used APA 6th in Word, your template may include a "Different First Page" setting that gave page one a different running head. Under APA 7th, this setting should be off. Go to Design > Different First Page and uncheck the box if it's checked.

How to Insert a Running Head in Google Docs

Google Docs handles APA running heads similarly to Word, though the menu paths are different.

1. Open the header. Go to Insert > Headers & footers > Header. Google Docs creates a header region at the top of the page.
2. Type your running head. Type the abbreviated title in all capital letters at the left margin. Keep it to 50 characters or fewer.
3. Insert the page number. Press Tab twice to move to the right side of the header. Go to Insert > Page numbers, and select the option that places the page number in the header on every page.
4. Verify the alignment. The page number should be right-aligned. If it isn't, click on it and use the right-align button in the toolbar (or Ctrl+Shift+R).
5. Check that all pages match. Scroll through the document to confirm the running head and page numbering work correctly across pages.
6. Click outside the header. Click in the body of the document to exit the header editing mode.

Google Docs does not have an exact equivalent of Word's "Different First Page" toggle, so the header automatically applies to every page, which matches the APA 7th requirement.

Examples of Good and Bad Running Heads

The 50-character limit and the all-caps requirement are where most writers go wrong. The examples below show how to handle the most common situations.

Example 1: Short title (no abbreviation needed)

Paper title: Working Memory in Adolescents

Running head: WORKING MEMORY IN ADOLESCENTS

The full title is 29 characters with spaces, well under the 50-character limit. The running head is just the full title in all capitals. No abbreviation needed.

Example 2: Long title (abbreviation required)

Paper title: A Longitudinal Study of Working Memory Development in Adolescents With and Without ADHD

Bad running head: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF WORKING MEMORY DEVELOPMENT IN ADOLESCENTS WITH AND WITHOUT ADHD

This is 89 characters, far over the limit. The full title doesn't fit.

Good running head: WORKING MEMORY AND ADHD IN ADOLESCENTS

This is 37 characters, under the limit, captures the topic of the paper, and reads as a natural abbreviated version of the full title. The running head doesn't have to use the same words as the full title; it just has to identify the paper to a reader who is also handling other manuscripts.

Example 3: Using an ampersand to save characters

Paper title: Stress and Coping in Caregivers of Children With Chronic Illness

Running head with "and": STRESS AND COPING IN CAREGIVERS OF CHRONICALLY ILL CHILDREN (60 characters, too long)

Running head with "&": STRESS & COPING IN CAREGIVERS OF ILL CHILDREN (47 characters)

APA allows the ampersand in the running head to save characters. This is the one place in APA writing where the ampersand is an acceptable substitute for "and" outside of a reference list entry.

Example 4: Common errors to avoid

Wrong: Running head: WORKING MEMORY IN ADOLESCENTS

Right: WORKING MEMORY IN ADOLESCENTS

The "Running head:" label prefix was used in APA 6th edition on the title page only. APA 7th edition removed it entirely. If your template includes it, delete it.

Wrong: Working Memory in Adolescents

Right: WORKING MEMORY IN ADOLESCENTS

The running head must be in all capital letters in APA 7th. Title case is incorrect.

When You Need Expert Help With APA Formatting

The running head is a small but meaningful part of APA formatting, and the rules differ depending on whether you're writing as a student or a professional. For most students, the only header element you need to worry about is a right-aligned page number. For those preparing work for publication, the running head requires a bit more care, but once you know the rules, it's straightforward to apply.

If you want peace of mind that your paper meets all APA Style requirements before it goes out, it's worth having a second set of expert eyes on it. Editor World's journal article editing, dissertation editing, and academic editing services include formatting review at the citation, reference list, title page, running head, and document-formatting level.

Frequently Asked Questions About APA Running Heads

Published by Editor World. Editor World, founded in 2010 by Patti Fisher, PhD, graduate of The Ohio State University, provides professional editing and proofreading services for academic researchers, graduate students, businesses, and authors worldwide. BBB A+ accredited since 2010 with 5.0/5 Google Reviews and 5.0/5 Facebook Reviews. More than 100 million words edited for over 8,000 clients in 65+ countries. No AI tools are used at any stage.