title page for an essay apa

APA Title Page (Cover Page) Format, Example, & Templates

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In APA Style (7th edition), the cover page, or title page, should include:

• A running head (professional papers only) and page number
• The title of the paper
• The name of the author(s)
• The institutional affiliation
• An author note; optional (professional papers only)
• A student paper should also include course information

Note : APA 7 provides slightly different directions for formatting the title pages of professional papers (e.g., those intended for scholarly publication) and student papers (e.g., those turned in for credit in a high school or college course).

Professional paper APA title page

Student paper APA title page

Formatting an APA title page

Note : All text on the title page should be double-spaced and typed in either 12-point, Times New Roman font. In the 7th edition, APA increaded the flexibility regarding font options: which now include Calibri 11, Arial 11, Lucida Sans Unicode 10, Times New Roman 12, or Georgia 11. All words should be centered, and capitalize the first letter of important words.

Running Head

In the 7th edition of the APA style manual, running heads are only required for professional papers that are being submitted for publication (student papers do not require a running head, but still need a page number).

Your title page should contain a running head that is flush left at the top of the page and a page number that is flush right at the top of the page.

Place the running head in the page’s header:

• The running head is the abbreviated title of the paper (IN UPPERCASE LETTERS) aligned left on the page header of all pages, including the title page. APA (7th edition) guidelines require that running heads be a maximum of 50 characters (spaces count as characters).
• The “Running head:” label used in the APA sixth edition is no longer used.
• Place the page number in this same header, but align right, beginning with page number 1 on the title page.
• This header should be 1 inch from the top. Some instructors allow for 1/2 inch, too, but the default is 1 inch.

Paper Title

Position the title of the paper in the upper half of the page. The title should be centered and written in boldface, and important words should be capitalized.

The APA recommends that your title should be a maximum of 12 words and should not contain abbreviations or words that serve no purpose.

Author Name(s)

Institutional affiliation.

Position the school or university’s name below the author(s) name, centered.

A student paper should also include the course number and name, instructor name, and assignment due date.

Further Information

• APA Student Title Page Guide
• APA Referencing
• How to Write a Lab Report
• Essay Writing Guide for Psychology Students
• APA Style Citations & References
• Example of an APA Formatted Paper

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Lab Report Format: Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

APA Guide: 7th Edition

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Student Paper Example

• Student Paper Example This is a student paper example from the 7th Edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

Professional Paper Example

• Professional Paper Example This is a professional paper example from the 7th Edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

Student Title Page Elements

The title page includes the following elements: Page number, Paper title, Author, Author Affiliation, Course, Instructor, and Due Date .  Remember, your instructor can include other requirements for your assignment.  Refer to their instructions carefully.

Your title page and paper is double-spaced. Use 1-inch margins. 

Acceptable Fonts:

• 11-point Calibri 
• 11-point Arial
• 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode 
• 12-point Times New Roman
• 11-point Georgia
• 10-point Computer Modern 1 
• Should summarize the main idea in a succinct way .
• Include strong keywords so that readers can find your work in a database or by using a search engine.
• Avoid using abbreviations in a title.
• The title should be provided in title case .  This means that all major words are capitalized. 
• Be bolded, centered, and begin 3-4 lines down from the top margin of the paper.
• Put a double-spaced blank line between the title and the byline.
• The paper title also appears at the top of the first page of your paper.

Author Name(s) (Byline)

• Beneath the title, type the  author's or authors' full name(s) .
• Do not use titles or degrees.
• ​Order the names of authors based on their contributions.
• Write all of the names on the same line.
• Center the names in a standard font.
• Smith and Doe
• Smith, Doe, and Jones

Author Affiliation

• Identify where you worked or studied when the body of work was completed.
• Include no more than two affiliations for each author.
• Example:  College of Nursing and Health Innovation, University of Texas at Arlington
• Include the department or division.
• Include the name of the institution.
• Include the location of the institution.
• Example:  Hematology/Oncology, Cook Children's Medical Center, Fort Worth, Texas, United States
• Include the location.

Locations should include the city, state, province, and country.

Course Name

• Put the course number and name below the Author Affiliation.
• Check with your instructor on the preferred name.
• Place the month, date, and year after the Instructor(s) name(s).

See the example title page below:

All content on this guide comes from the 7th edition of the  Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association and from the APA Style Blog.

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association ( 7th ed.).  https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000  

American Psychological Association. (2020, October). Blog .  https://apastyle.apa.org/blog

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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / APA Format / Formatting an APA title page

Formatting an APA title page

The title page is a requirement for all APA papers. The primary role of the title page is to present just that: the title. But that’s only the beginning of what is actually required for a properly formatted APA title page. This is the first chance a writer has to truly engage with the reader.

For students, the title page also lets people know which class, professor, and institution the text was written for. For professional authors, the title page is an opportunity to share any affiliations or conflicts of interest that might be present.

APA Style recognizes two different ways to format a title page. One is for student papers and the other is for professional papers. This guide will examine the difference and provide real-life examples of both.

The information provided below comes from the 7 th edition of the APA’s Publication Manual . You can read more about title page elements in Sections 2.1 – 2.8.

Here’s a run-through of everything this page includes:

The difference between a professional title page and a student title page in APA

Elements of an apa style title page, apa formatting title page example, conclusion: formatting a title page in apa 7.

Both student and professional title pages require a title, author, and an affiliation. Both types of title page also require the same basic formatting, including 1-inch indentations on all sides and a page number in the top right corner.

The primary difference is that professional title pages also require an author note and a running head. However, some professors do ask that you provide some of these elements in student papers. It’s a good idea to know how to format them just in case.

Student title page APA

An APA title page for any paper being submitted for a class, degree, or thesis is all about the basics. Here are the elements that should be included in a student title page :

• Title of your paper
• Byline (author or authors)
• Affiliation (department and university)
• Course name and course number
• Instructor name

Page number

Your professor or institution might have their own formatting requirements. When writing a paper for a class, the first rule is to always pay attention to the instructions.

Professional title page APA

A professional title page skips the class info and due date, but it includes:

• Affiliation (division and/or organization)
• Author note
• Running head

The author note and running head are generally only required for professional papers. However, some professors might ask that you include one or both of them. Be sure to check the assignment instructions before submitting.

The title of your paper is really important. This is where the author needs to simultaneously inform and engage the reader without being overly wordy.

An effective title will:

• Engage the reader
• Concisely explain the main topic of research
• Concisely explain any relevant variables or theoretical issues

The paper title should be placed three or four lines down from the top margin of the page. It should be presented in bold, title case, and centered on the page.

Author/Byline

The correct way to display the author’s name is first name, middle initial, and last name. The most important thing is to prevent the possibility of mistaken identity. After all, there are a lot of papers published every year, and it’s possible that someone else has the same name as you do.

For all author bylines in APA, all licenses and degrees are omitted (e.g., Dr., Professor, PhD, RN, etc.).

If your paper has multiple authors, then they should all be listed in the same way, in order of their contributions. All authors should be on the same line, unless more lines are required.

Here’s an example of a properly formatted byline for a paper with two authors:

Cassandra M. Berkman and Wilhelm K. Jackson

Affiliation

The affiliation element is where you identify the place where the work was conducted or who it was conducted for. This is almost always a university or institution. In some cases, there are multiple affiliations for one author, or multiple authors with different affiliations.

Academic affiliations

Academic affiliations include schools, universities, and teaching hospitals. The affiliation line should include the specific department followed by the name of the institution. There is no need to include a location for academic affiliations.

Here is an example of what a basic academic affiliation line should look like:

Department of Psychology, Colorado State University

Non-academic affiliations

Non-academic affiliations are anything that isn’t a school or university, which could be a hospital, laboratory, or just about any type of organization. The affiliation line for a non-academic organization should include the department or division, followed by the name and location of the organization. All elements should be separated by commas.

Here’s how it looks when put to use:

Vidant Health, Greenville, NC, United States

Course number and name (Student only)

Use the course number and course name as they appear on official university materials. Examples:

• ENG 204: Modern English Literature
• PSYC 2301: Research Methodology

Instructor name (Student papers only)

It’s important that you display your instructor’s name in their preferred way. With academics who have multiple degrees and positions, this isn’t something that you should guess at.

It is generally safe to use the course syllabus to see how they prefer to be listed. For example, some use the word “Professor” as their prefix, and many will have PhD, RN, or other type of professional designation.

Due date (Student papers only)

The due date should be presented in the day, month, and year format that is standard to your country.

The page number goes at the top right-hand side of the paper. This is one of the only elements that appears on every single page.

You can add running page numbers to your paper by double-clicking the header portion of the document or clicking the “Insert” tab. It will automatically insert page numbers into the rest of the document.

Author note (Professional papers only)

The author note is usually only required for professional papers. This is where additional data, disclaimers, conflicts of interest, and statements about funding are placed. In some cases, the author statement can be several pages long.

The author note is generally split into four paragraphs, including:

• ORCID iD (a scientific/academic author ID)
• Changes of Affiliation
• Disclosures and Acknowledgments
• Contact Information

Section 2.7 of the Publication Manual has even more information on how to structure these elements for a professional paper.

Running Head (Professional papers only)

While some student papers might require a running head, this is something that is typically only for papers being submitted for publication. This is an abbreviated version of your title that appears at the top of every page to help readers identify it. The running title is particularly useful especially in print versions of journals and publications.

The running head does not have to use the same words as they appear in your title. Instead, try to re-work your paper’s main idea into a shortened form.

For example, if your paper’s title is:

“A Mystery of Style: Exploring the Formatting Mechanics of the Running Head According  to APA Style 7th Edition”

Then your abbreviated title can be something like:

“RUNNING HEAD IN APA 7”

“FORMATTING THE RUNNING HEAD”

The idea is to convey only the most important aspects of your title. The running head should be entered in the page header, flush left against the margin, and presented in all-capital letters.

The APA suggests a maximum length of 50 characters (including spaces and punctuation) for a running head. If your title is already 50 characters and under, then you can use the whole thing as the running head.

Next, let’s have a look at an example of what a real APA title page looks like when it’s all put together.

Student title page formatting example

Professional title page formatting example

All papers written according to APA Style should have a properly formatted title page. Making sure that the title page elements are accurate and informative will help people access your work. It is also the first opportunity that you have as the author to establish credibility and engage the reader.

For more information on the basic elements of an APA paper, check out Chapter 2 of the Publication Manual or our guide on APA format .

Published October 28, 2020.

APA Formatting Guide

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• View all APA Examples

An APA title page provides the details of the paper, such as the title of the paper, author name, and author affiliation. APA title pages have two formats—one for professional papers and one for student papers.

The elements to be added on the title page of a professional paper (in order of appearance) are:

• Page number and running head: These elements appear in the header section. The page number appears at the top-right corner, whereas the running head appears at the top-left corner. If the title is too long, the running head is shortened to less than 50 characters.
• Title of the paper: It provides information about the paper. It is aligned center and set in bold.
• Names of the authors: It gives the names of the contributors to the paper and is aligned center.
• Affiliations of the authors: It gives the department and university details of the authors.
• Author note: It gives extra information about the authors.

In a student paper, the following details are included on the title page:

• Page number: This appears in the top-right corner of the header section.
• Title of the paper: It gives the reader an idea of the information in the paper. It appears in title case and bold. It is center-aligned.
• Names of the authors: The names of the contributors are added here. This field is also called the by-line.
• Affiliations of the authors: It includes the names of the authors’ departments and universities.
• Name of the course: The name of the course for which the paper is written is included in this field.
• Name of the instructor: Unlike the professional paper, the instructor’s name is included in a student paper.
• Due date of the assignment: The due date of the assignment is added here. The format is “Month Day, Year” (e.g., August 22, 2017).

The title page information for APA is different for a professional paper and a student paper. As a student, you need to include the following details in the same order on the title page of your student paper.

• Page number: This appears in the header section. Set the page number in the top-right corner of the header.
• Title of the paper: Set it in title case and bold. Align it to the center.
• Names of the authors: Provide the names of the contributors. This field is also called the by-line.
• Affiliations of the authors: Include your department and university name.
• Name of the course: Provide the name of the course and course number for which the paper is written.
• Name of the instructor: Add the instructor’s name. There is no rigid rule on how to set the instructor’s name. You can set it according to the instructor’s preference.
• Due date of the assignment: Add the due date of the assignment. The format should be “Month Day, Year” (e.g., August 23, 2021).

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Basic Format

The title page of the document is the first page in your paper, and it needs to contain the following items, in order:

• Title of the Paper
• Author’s Name (that’s you!)
• Institutional Affiliation (i.e., American National University or National College)

The title page should also include a page header and page numbers .

• The page header on your title page should read, "Running Head: TITLE OF YOUR PAPER"
• The running head should be in the upper left-hand corner of the paper, and the page numbers should be in the upper right-hand corner.

Basic Format:

• Title, author's name, and institutional affiliation should be centered in the top half of the page .
• Text should be double spaced .
• Title: no more than 12 words long.
• Author: Include your first name, middle initial, and last name.
• For students at ANU campuses located in Tennessee, the institutional affiliation will read “National College.”
• For all other ANU students, the institutional affiliation will read “American National University.”
• How to Format Your Header A brief guide to formatting your page headers in Microsoft Word according to the APA style requirements.
• Sample APA Title Page

Sample Title Page

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How to Write an Essay in APA Format

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Emily is a board-certified science editor who has worked with top digital publishing brands like Voices for Biodiversity, Study.com, GoodTherapy, Vox, and Verywell.

What Is APA Format?

Apa essay format basics.

• Steps to Follow

Frequently Asked Questions

If your instructor has asked you to write an APA format essay, it might at first seem like a daunting task, especially if you are accustomed to using another style such as MLA or Chicago. But you can master the rules of APA essay format, too.

An essay is one type of paper that can be written in APA format; others include lab reports, experimental reports, and case studies. Before you begin, familiarize yourself with some of the basic guidelines for writing a paper in APA format. Of course, it will also be important to follow any other formatting instructions that are part of your assignment.

How do you write an essay in APA format? The basic elements you need to include are:

• A title page
• An abstract
• An introduction, main body, and conclusion
• A reference section
• Proper APA formatting with regard to margins, layout, spacing, titles, and indentations

This article discusses how to write an essay in APA format, including the basic steps you should follow and tips for how to get started.

Whether you’re taking an introductory or graduate-level psychology class, chances are strong that you will have to write at least one paper during the course of the semester. In almost every case, you will need to write your paper in APA format, the official publication style of the American Psychological Association . It is also used for academic journals.

Such rules are generally the same whether you are writing a high school essay, college essay, or professional essay for publication.

APA format is used in a range of disciplines including psychology , education, and other social sciences. The format dictates presentation elements of your paper including spacing, margins, and how the content is structured.

Most instructors and publication editors have strict guidelines when it comes to how your format your writing. Not only does adhering to APA format allow readers to know what to expect from your paper, but it also means that your work will not lose critical points over minor formatting errors. 

While the formatting requirements for your paper might vary depending on your instructor's directions, writing APA essay format means you will most likely need to include a title page, abstract, introduction, body, conclusion, and reference sections.

Your APA format essay should have a title page . This title page should include the title of your paper, your name, and your school affiliation. In some instances, your teacher might require additional information such as the course title, instructor name, and the date.

• The title of your paper should be concise and clearly describe what your paper is about.
• Your title can extend to two lines, but it should be no longer than 12 words.

An abstract is a brief summary of your paper that immediately follows the title page. It is not required for student papers, according to APA style. However, your instructor may request one.

If you include an abstract , it should be no more than 100 to 200 words, although this may vary depending upon the instructor requirements.

Your essay should also include a reference list with all of the sources that were cited in your essay,

• The reference section is located at the end of your paper.
• References should be listed alphabetically by the last name of the author.
• References should be double-spaced.
• Any source that is cited in your paper should be included in your reference section.

When writing in APA essay format, the text will include the actual essay itself: The introduction, body, and conclusion.

• There should be uniform margins of at least one inch at the top, bottom, left, and right sides of your essay.
• The text should be in Times New Roman size 12 font or another serif typeface that is easily readable.
• Your paper should be double-spaced.
• Every page should include a page number in the top right corner.
• The first word of each paragraph in your paper should be indented one-half inch.

For professional papers (usually not student papers), every page of the essay also includes a running head at the top left. The running head is a shortened form of the title, often the first few words, and should be no more than 50 characters (including spaces).

Steps to a Successful APA Format Essay

In addition to ensuring that you cite your sources properly and present information according to the rules of APA style, there are a number of things you can do to make the writing process a little bit easier.

Choose a Topic

Start by choosing a good topic to write about. Ideally, you want to select a subject that is specific enough to let you fully research and explore the topic, but not so specific that you have a hard time finding sources of information.

If you choose something too specific, you may find yourself with not enough to write about. If you choose something too general, you might find yourself overwhelmed with information.

Research Your Topic

Start doing research as early as possible. Begin by looking at some basic books and articles on your topic to help develop it further. What is the question you are going to answer with your essay? What approach will you take to the topic?

Once you are more familiar with the subject, create a preliminary source list of potential books, articles, essays, and studies that you may end up using in your essay.

Remember, any source used in your essay must be included in your reference section. Conversely, any source listed in your references must be cited somewhere in the body of your paper.

Write Your Rough Draft

With research in hand, you are ready to begin. Some people like to create an outline to organize their argument prior to drafting. You may want to start with a very rough outline, and then add details.

Once you have a detailed outline, the next step is to translate it from notes to complete sentences and paragraphs. Remember, this is a first draft. It doesn't have to be perfect.

As you write your paper in APA essay format, be sure to keep careful track of the sources that you cite.

How do you start an APA paper? Your paper should begin with an introduction that includes a thesis statement that presents your main ideas, points, or arguments. Your introduction should start on the third page of your paper (after the title page and abstract). The title of your paper should be centered, bolded, and typed in title case at the top of the page.

Review and Revise

After you have prepared a rough draft of your essay, it's time to revise, review, and prepare your final draft. In addition to making sure that your writing is cohesive and supported by your sources, you should also check carefully for typos, grammar errors, and possible formatting mistakes.

When citing information or quotations taken from an interview, APA format requires that you cite the source, how the information was collected, and the date of the interview. They should not be included in the reference section, however, because they are not something that can be located by a reader in any published source or searchable database.

Instead, the information should be cited parenthetically in the main body of the text. For example: “There was an increase in the number of college students who screened positive for depression/anxiety” (R. Heathfield, personal communication, May 9, 2021).

If the essay is in a chapter of a book, edited collection, or anthology, APA format states that you should cite the last name, first name, title of essay, title of collection, publisher, year, and page range. For example: Smith, John, "The Light House," A Book of Poems , editing by Peter Roberts, Allworth Press, 2005, pp. 20-25.

According to APA format, a two-part essay is formatted the same as an essay, however, you'll need to create two title pages.

If you're including a short direct quote in your APA-format essay, you will need to cite the author, year of publication, and page number (p.) or page number span (pp.). Quotations longer than 40 words should omit the quotation marks and be put in the text using block quotation formatting, on its own line and indented 1/2 inch from the left margin.

The cover page or "title page" in APA essay format should always include the title of your paper, your name, and school affiliation as well as the course title, instructor name, and date, if requested by your teacher.

Nagda S.  How to write a scientific abstract.   J Indian Prosthodont Soc.  2013;13(3):382-383. doi:10.1007/s13191-013-0299-x

American Psychological Association.  Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association  (7th ed.). Washington DC: The American Psychological Association; 2019.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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Title Capitalization for Your Essays [For Students]

Many of us have experienced moments of confusion when unsure about which words to capitalize and which to leave lowercase, leading to questions about the underlying principles of title capitalization especially when you have a style guide to follow. If you are given the task of writing an essay, then you must know what to capitalize and how to capitalize the words for your headings. Title capitalization must be taken seriously because ultimately it is part of the formatting that you have to follow. I will show you how to do title capitalization for students and most importantly, what to capitalize and what you should keep in mind while title capitalization.

Challenges of Getting the Titles Right for Your Essays

Your concern regarding the title format typically revolves around capitalization accuracy. Here's a quick guide:

1.Confused About When to Use a Certain Type of Capitalization:

If you've got your title ready but find yourself unsure about what to capitalize and what not, remember these points:

Sentence case : This capitalization style capitalizes only the first letter of the first word in a sentence, along with any proper nouns or other words that are typically capitalized in English sentences. It's commonly used in writing sentences, paragraphs, and headings.

Title Case : Title Case is commonly used for titles, headings, and subtitles, where the first letter of most words is capitalized. Students are often provided with guidelines based on specific style manuals such as APA, MLA, or Chicago style, dictating how titles should be capitalized according to the rules of each style.

For example, in APA style, the first word of the title, the first word after a colon, and proper nouns are capitalized, while the rest of the words are in lowercase. In contrast, MLA style capitalizes the first letter of every major word in the title.

Uppercase : Uppercase formatting is typically used for abbreviations, acronyms, or initialisms to ensure clarity and consistency. On the other hand, lowercase formatting is generally used for regular text to maintain readability and conformity with standard writing conventions.

Lowercase :  Students may use lowercase formatting when entering URLs, file paths, or coding snippets in their assignments or projects. This ensures that the text remains in the correct format, especially in technical or computer science-related fields.

2.Unsure About Which Words to Be Capitalized and Which Not:

One of the challenges of getting the titles right for your essays is understanding the grammar rules associated with capitalization. Students often grapple with deciding which words to capitalize and which to leave in lowercase, as there are specific conventions to follow depending on the context and style guide.

For instance, while proper nouns and the first word of a sentence are typically capitalized, the rules become more nuanced when dealing with titles and headings. There are specific guidelines outlined in style manuals such as APA, MLA, or Chicago style, which dictate the capitalization of titles based on the type of words used and their position within the title.

Also, certain words like articles (e.g., "a," "an," "the"), conjunctions (e.g., "and," "but," "or"), and prepositions (e.g., "of," "in," "to") are often left in lowercase unless they are the first or last word of the title. This can lead to confusion and uncertainty among students when creating titles for their essays or academic papers.

General Rules for Capitalizing the Titles of Your Essays

The rules for capitalization can be simplified using an easy technique. One effective method I've discovered for fixing these rules in my mind is by categorizing them into two distinct groups: what to capitalize and what not to capitalize. This approach allows for clear differentiation and easier retention of the capitalization rules.

Now, I'll demonstrate how I apply this technique, particularly when working on my thesis and adding headings.

In the title I’ve referenced from my paper, the capitalization follows the rules I have previously outlined. The first and last words, "Leader" and "Individual," are capitalized because they are nouns. Meanwhile, the words "as" and "an" in between are not capitalized, as they are a conjunction and an article, respectively.

The heading follows a similar pattern where two nouns are sandwiched between a conjunction like "and," the same capitalization rule applies. The nouns at the beginning and end of the title should be capitalized, while the conjunction "and" and any other non-capitalized words in the middle should not be capitalized.

Here a heading and subheading needs proper capitalization and it's done as such:

1.Reflection on Concepts and Theories

In this heading, "Reflection," "Concepts," and "Theories" are all nouns and should be capitalized according to the capitalization rule for nouns. "On" is a preposition and should not be capitalized.

Therefore, the correct capitalization for this heading would be: "Reflection on Concepts and Theories".

2.Hersey-Blanchard Situational Leadership Theory

In this heading, "Hersey-Blanchard" is a proper noun and should be capitalized. "Situational", "Leadership", and "Theory" are also nouns and should be capitalized. The hyphens between "Hersey" and "Blanchard" should not affect the capitalization.

Therefore, the correct capitalization for this heading would be: "Hersey-Blanchard Situational Leadership Theory".

If you're seeking a clear-cut capitalization rulebook to assist you in adhering to the style guide you're following, we've outlined the capitalization rules for APA, MLA, and Chicago below, ensuring you won't go wrong:

Title Capitalization Rules from Different Style Guides

The styles of APA, MLA, and Chicago are designed to provide clear guidelines for writing and formatting academic papers, articles, and other scholarly works. While they share common principles, such as the importance of clarity, accuracy, and professionalism, their differences become apparent in how they handle specific elements, particularly in terms of capitalization in titles.

1.Title Capitalization in APA Style

APA offers two clear-cut capitalization methods: title case and sentence case. Let's review the rules of title capitalization for APA style to ensure we adhere to the style correctly.

Title Case: Capitalizing the Important Stuff

Title case is all about highlighting the key words in your titles and headings. Here's what gets a capital letter:

The first word, even if it's a minor word like "a" or  "the."

The first word of a subtitle.

The first word after a colon, em dash, or ending punctuation in a heading.

Major words, including nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, and any word with four or more letters.

The second part of hyphenated major words (e.g., "Self-Report").

Sentence Case: Keeping It Simple

Sentence case is a more relaxed approach, capitalizing only the first word and proper nouns. While rarely used for titles or headings, it might appear in certain instructions or figure captions.

When to Use Title Case

Now that you're equipped with the capitalization tools, let's explore where to use them:

Titles of essays, research papers, dissertations, and thesis.

Headings within your work (Levels 1-5, typically bolded or bold italicized).

Titles of referenced works (books, articles, reports) mentioned in your text.

Titles of tests or measures (e.g., Beck Depression Inventory–II).

Table and figure titles (italicized, along with axis labels and legends).

Knowing title capitalization in APA style is particularly handy when formatting titles in academic papers, articles, essays, reports, and other scholarly works. It's essential for headings and citations alike. APA capitalization guidelines ensure consistency and professionalism in presenting titles within the context of academic writing.

2.Title Capitalization in MLA Style

MLA uses title case for all major words within a title, regardless of whether it's a source you're citing or the title of your own work.

What Gets a Capital Letter?

The first word of the title, always.

All major words, including nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, and any word with four or more letters (e.g., "The" and "After" are capitalized, while "a" and "to" are lowercase).

The second part of hyphenated major words (e.g., "Long-Term Effects").

Italics vs. Quotation Marks

MLA uses two methods to present titles within your text and Works Cited list, depending on the type of source:

Italics : Used for complete works like books, films, journals, or websites.

Book : To Kill a Mockingbird

Film : The Shawshank Redemption

Journal : Journal of Applied Psychology

Website : Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Quotation Marks : Surround titles that are part of a larger work, such as chapters in a book, articles in a journal, or webpages.

Chapter in a Book : "The American Dream" in The Great Gatsby

Article in a Journal : "Climate Change and Its Impacts" in Nature

Webpage : "How to Create a Budget" on Investopedia

Remember, the capitalization rules remain the same regardless of italics or quotation marks.

Whether you're referencing a groundbreaking novel like "To Kill a Mockingbird" or citing a captivating news article titled "The Future of AI", MLA title capitalization ensures consistency and clarity in your writing.

3.Title Capitalization in Chicago Style

Chicago Style, a popular choice in various fields, uses a specific approach to title capitalization that might differ from what you're used to. But worry not! Let's break down the rules to ensure your essay titles and headings shine with clarity.

A Headline Approach

Chicago Style follows a headline-style capitalization method, making your titles stand out and grabbing the reader's attention. Here's what gets a capital letter:

The last word of the title, even if it's a minor word like "a" or "the".

All major words in between, including nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs (including phrasal verbs like "play with"), adverbs, and subordinate conjunctions (e.g., "because," "although").

Keeping It Lowercase:

While major words get the spotlight, some words take a backseat in Chicago Style:

Articles (a, an, the)

Coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, for, nor, so, yet)

Prepositions (regardless of length), so even longer prepositions like "throughout" stay lowercase.

The second word after a hyphenated prefix (e.g., "Mid-term Exam," "Anti-government").

The "to" in an infinitive (e.g., "Learning to Code").

By following these Chicago Style capitalization guidelines, you'll ensure your titles are both informative and visually distinct, adding another layer of professionalism to your academic work.

APA vs. MLA vs. Chicago

The major differences in title capitalization among the style guides—APA, Chicago, MLA, and AP—lie in their treatment of certain words and expressions:

Titles of Works:

Chicago and MLA : Capitalize the first and last words and all other important words, regardless of length.

APA : Capitalize any word in a title, even a preposition, with five or more letters.

Internet Terms:

Chicago, APA, and MLA prefer "Internet" and "World Wide Web" but use "web" and "website".

Color Words for Race:

Chicago, and MLA recommend lowercase for "black" and "white" when referring to race, with Chicago allowing authors to capitalize them if preferred.

APA suggests capitalizing "Black" and "White".

Using WPS Writer for Effective Headings

WPS Office is widely recognized as the best suite for students for numerous reasons, and one of its standout features is its capability to simplify the process of capitalizing text. With WPS Office, capitalizing text can be made significantly easier through a few simple steps as such:

Step 1 : Open your thesis or dissertation in WPS Writer and navigate to a heading that needs capitalization correction.

Step 2 : Use your cursor to select the heading or title in your document.

Step 3 : Go to the Home tab and click on the " Change Case " icon represented by "Aa".

Step 4 : Users can now choose from five different options. Remember to consider the capitalization rules discussed in the article before making your selection, then click "OK" to proceed.

Step 5 : I decided to proceed with the "Capitalize Each Word" option to change the capitalization of my headings according to my academic requirements.

I find WPS Office the most user-friendly option for students, especially when it comes to capitalizing all letters in a word. Not only is it straightforward to follow formatting styles thanks to the intuitive features of WPS Office, but it's also incredibly easy to use. With just a simple click, WPS Office provides us with options on how to capitalize a title or word, making the process effortless.

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WPS AI: Your Smart Writing Assistant

WPS Office is a student-friendly suite, primarily due to its accessibility—it's free of cost and offers all the essential features students might require. Its compatibility extends across all major operating systems and devices, ensuring seamless usage regardless of the platform. However, the latest addition to the WPS package is what truly sets it apart: the AI spell check feature. This innovative tool goes beyond traditional spell checking, as it not only identifies spelling errors but also corrects tone, fixes title capitalization, and enhances overall coherence and readability of documents.

Furthermore, AI plays a significant role in the AI Writer tool integrated into WPS Office. This tool serves as a valuable aid in composing articles by offering suggestions for improvement and ensuring clarity of expression. Additionally, it facilitates translation tasks by assisting in translating works into the target language, further enhancing the versatility and usability of WPS Office for students and professionals alike. With these AI-powered features, WPS Office provides a comprehensive solution for students' academic and writing needs, empowering them to create polished and professional documents effortlessly.

Converting Your Essays to PDF Without Losing Format

After completing your essay or thesis, which likely spanned a significant amount of time, the final step of converting it to PDF can be frustrating. Many PDF converters either demand payment or, worse yet, disrupt the carefully crafted formatting, which is key to your essay's presentation. However, WPS Office offers the best solution in this regard. It's free, and WPS PDF ensures that your formatting remains intact, sparing you the hassle and ensuring a seamless transition to PDF format.

Here's an easy way for students to change their papers to PDF using WPS Writer:

Step 1 : Open your paper in WPS Writer and click on the Menu button in the top-left corner.

Step 2 : Next, choose the "Export to PDF" option from the Menu.

Step 3 : In the Export to PDF dialog box, select "Common PDF" from the "Export Type" dropdown menu, and then click "Export to PDF" to convert your Word document to PDF .

FAQs About Title Capitalization

Q1. which words do you not capitalize in a title.

Certain words are not capitalized in titles, regardless of the writing style, such as AP Style, APA, Chicago Manual of Style, or MLA. These include:

Articles (a, an, the): These are not capitalized unless they are the first word of the title.

Prepositions: Most prepositions (such as "in," "on," "of," "by," "with," etc.) are not capitalized unless they are the first or last word of the title.

Conjunctions: Conjunctions (like "and," "but," "or," "nor," "for," "yet," and "so") are typically not capitalized unless they are the first or last word of the title.

Q2. Is “not” capitalized in a title?

The word "not" is capitalized in titles according to all style guides because it functions as an adverb.

Q3. How can I batch-change all the capitalizations on my reference page?

Yes, changing all the capitalizations on your reference page can easily be accomplished using the AI spell check feature in WPS Writer:

Step 1 : Open the document in WPS Writer.

Step 2 : Navigate to the Review tab and click on the "AI Spell Check" feature in the review ribbon.

Step 3 : The AI spell check feature will open on the right side of the WPS Writer interface. Click on the "Set Goals" button on the AI Spell Check window.

Step 4 : Now, set some goals by selecting the "Academic" option under "Domain".

Step 5 : Once you've chosen "Academic”, select the format you're following, such as "APA",  "MLA", "Chicago", or "Other". After selection, WPS AI spell check will highlight all headings with incorrect capitalization.

Effortless Capitalization: Simplify Your Writing with WPS AI

The rules of title capitalization for students are simple to grasp. However, it's natural to forget these rules over time. WPS AI serves as an invaluable tool in this regard. Even if you happen to forget the rules, WPS AI remembers them for you. The AI checker meticulously scans through your text, ensuring that your capitalization adheres to the formatting standards you're employing. With WPS Office and its AI capabilities, you can streamline your work processes more effectively, eliminating the need to stress over title capitalization and other formatting nuances. Get WPS Office today to enhance your productivity and streamline your workflow effortlessly.

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