Running Heads (2.8)

New in the seventh edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (the Publication Manual), student essays and assignments do not have a running head, unless specifically required by the instructor or the institution (2.2). Students should check with their instructor and review their assignment rubrics to make sure that they are meeting the requirements of all assignments. If an instructor requires a running head, students should follow the instructions below. If your instructor has not specifically asked for a running head, do not include one.

What is a running head? (2.8)

A running head is a shortened version of the title of the essay or assignment, and it appears at the top of every page of the essay or assignment.

How is a running head formatted? (2.8)

A running head has no more than 50 characters, including letters, punctuation, and the spaces between letters. Abbreviations are not used in a running head. However, APA Style does allow for the use of the ampersand symbol (&) in place of the word “and” if the writer wishes to do so. The running head appears in the page header, located in the upper left corner, in all-capital letters. Do not include the label “RUNNING HEAD”.

How do I create a running head in my assignment?

The process for creating a running head will depend on the kind of word processing software the writer is using. To add a running head in Microsoft Word, follow the instructions below:

1. Go to the first page of the document.
2. Go to Insert and choose Header from the Header & Footer section. Then, choose Edit Header.
3. Click Page Number, choose Top of Page, and then choose Plain Number 3. This will insert a page number on the right side of the header.
4. Type the title of the essay in all capital letters.
5. Click the Tab key twice. This will move the running head to the left side of the header while keeping the page number on the right side of the header.
6. Click Close Header and Footer, and remember to save your work.
7. After you’ve completed your title page, press the enter key until you come to the very top of a new page to start writing.
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Sources

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association: The official guide to APA style. (7th ed.).

Thompson Rivers University Writing Centre. (n.d.). How to create a running head (APA). https://www.tru.ca/__shared/assets/how-to-create-a-running-head36845.pdf