Setting up the 6th Edition APA Paper
Before typing your APA paper using Microsoft Word, it is important to set the correct formatting
for line spacing, font face, font size and margins by completing the following steps:
Note: It is important to complete the steps in the exact order they are given.
Line Spacing, Font Selection and Margin Settings
1. Set Line Spacing to Double Spacing
 On the Home tab, in the Styles group, click on the No Spacing style button
(changes line spacing style from Word 2007 to Word 2003)
 On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click on the Line Spacing button
and then click on 2.0 line spacing
2. Set Font Face
 On the Home tab, in the Font group, click the Font Face list button and choose
Times New Roman
3. Set Font Size
 On the Home tab, in the Font group, click the Font Size list button and choose
12 points
4. Set Margins
 On the Page Layout tab, in the Page Setup group, click on Margins
 Default margins for Word 2007 should be set for 1 inch top, bottom, left, and
right. If margins need to be changed, click on the Normal setting.
Title Page Header – Running Head and Page Number
After setting the correct format options, create a Header that includes the Running head and a
page number for your paper by completing the following steps:
1. Create a Header
 On the Insert tab, in the Header & Footer group, click on the Header button and
choose Blank header
2. Create the Running Head and Page Number
 In the Header area and at the left margin, type the running head in the following
format: Running head: TITLE OF YOUR PAPER IN ALL CAPS (no more than
50 characters including spaces)
 Press the Tab key to move to the right margin
 In the Header & Footer group click on the Page Number button
 Point to Current position and click on Plain Number
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Close the Header & Footer window
3. Enter the text for the Title Page and press the Enter key one time only. Make sure the
insertion point (cursor) is on the title page. Then continue with the following steps.
Header for the Remaining Pages After the Title Page
Format the Running Head for the remainder of the paper by completing the following:
1. Create a Section Break
 On the Page Layout tab, in the Page Setup group, click on Breaks
 Under Section Breaks, click on Next Page
 Page 2 displays
2. Modify the Header on Page 2
 On the Insert tab, in the Header & Footer group, click on the Header button
 Click on Edit Header
 On the Header Design tab, in the Navigation group, click on the Link to
Previous button to turn off this option
NOTE: It is important to turn off the Link to Previous button before deleting the
words, “Running head:”
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Delete the words, “Running head:” in the header
Close the Header & Footer window
The remainder of your pages should only contain the title of your paper and the page number in
the header area.
Format the References Page
The following instructions explain how to set up and format your References page in Word,
using the APA Writing Style. For instructions on how to cite different works in the reference page, use
the table of contents for Chapter 7 (pp. 193-198) of the APA Manual Sixth Edition.
1. Insert a Page Break
 After typing the final paragraph of your research paper, complete the following to
create a new blank page by inserting a Page Break
 On the Insert tab, in the Pages group, click on Page Break
Note: Do not repeatedly press the Enter key to create a new page as this may cause
your paper to include a blank page(s).
2. Enter the word, References, centered and at the top of the page
3. Begin typing the list of your sources using a block (all lines beginning at the left
margin) paragraph format. Continue to double-space line spacing on the References
page. Do not press the Enter key at the end of each line. Only press Enter at the end
of each source. The hanging indent feature will not work correctly if you press Enter
at the end of each typed line. Following is a sample of the appearance of your
References page at this point:
4. Create a Hanging Indent
Sources should be formatted using the hanging indent – the first line of each source
aligned at the left margin and all following lines of the source indented one-half inch.
This is easily accomplished by typing all sources in the format described previously,
then selecting all sources, and setting a hanging indent using the following
instructions.
 Select/highlight all sources – do not select “References” at the top of the page
 Click on the Hanging Indent option button on the Ruler and drag the Hanging
Indent option button to one-half inch on the Ruler. Release the mouse and all
sources will be formatted with a Hanging Indent.
Note: If your Ruler is not displayed below the Ribbon, click on the View tab
and then click on Ruler in the Show/Hide group or click on the View Ruler
button above the scroll bar at the right side of the window.
5. Sort the Sources Alphabetically
 Select/highlight all sources – do not select “References” at the top of the page
 On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click on the Sort button.
Sort Button
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The Sort Text dialog box displays
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Choose the following – Sort by: Paragraphs, Type: Text, and Ascending order
Click OK
Your References will be displayed in alphabetical order
6. The final References page should display in the following format:
Any questions you have related to Word formatting may be directed to Dr. Lucia Vanderpool at
lucia.vanderpool@bchs.edu.