APA headings: all five levels
APA 7 heading levels show the structure of your paper at a glance. Select a level to see its format applied to a real outline, with your own text if you like.
Double-spaced paragraph text begins on the next line, indented half an inch.
Double-spaced paragraph text begins on the next line, indented half an inch.
Double-spaced paragraph text begins on the next line, indented half an inch.
Double-spaced paragraph text begins on the next line, indented half an inch.
Double-spaced paragraph text begins on the next line, indented half an inch.
Subsections of a Level 2 section.
The format table
| Level | Format |
|---|---|
| 1 | Centered, Bold, Title Case |
| 2 | Flush Left, Bold, Title Case |
| 3 | Flush Left, Bold Italic, Title Case |
| 4 | Indented, Bold, Title Case, Ending With a Period. |
| 5 | Indented, Bold Italic, Title Case, Ending With a Period. |
Rules that are easy to miss
- Do not label the introduction; the repeated title does that job.
- Do not number or letter headings (“1. Method”) unless your instructor asks for it.
- Use headings in order and never skip a level on the way down.
- Abstract, References and appendix labels are section labels: centered and bold, but they are not counted as Level 1 headings.
Headings use APA title case, where words of four letters or more are capitalised, so “With” and “Between” get capitals. The title case converter applies the rule for you.
Questions
How many heading levels does APA 7 have?
Five. Most student papers need two or three. Use them in order: a Level 3 heading must sit under a Level 2 heading, and each level should have at least two subsections if it has any.
Is “Introduction” used as a heading in APA?
No. The paper title, repeated at the top of the first page of text, serves as the introduction heading. Do not write “Introduction”.
Are APA headings in title case?
Yes, all five levels use title case: capitalise major words and words of four letters or more. Levels 4 and 5 end with a period and run into the paragraph text.
Did APA 7 change headings from APA 6?
Yes. APA 6 used sentence case and centered Level 1 headings in both bold and plain styles; APA 7 uses title case at every level and makes Level 3 flush left bold italic.