How to Format a Professional Style Title Page - Tutorial
Unless you are requested by your instructor to write your paper in the Professional Style of APA, use the Student Style format. If you are unsure which style to use, ask your instructor for clarification.
Professional style title pages require:
Page Number:
Page number included in the header, in the top right corner. Ensure it is the same font as the rest of your paper.
Running Head:
How to Include a Running Head - Tutorial
The running head is an abbreviated version of the paper title that appears in the header at the top of every page to identify it for readers.
- Consists of a maximum of 50 characters, counting letters, punctuation, and spaces between words.
- If the title is less than 50 characters, the full title can be used.
- Avoid using abbreviations.
- The ampersand symbol (&) may be used rather than the word “and.”
- In the header, in the top left corner.
- In all capital letters.
- Ensure it is the same font as the rest of your paper.
- Use the same running head on every page of your paper.
- Do not use the label “Running head” to identify the running head on any page.
Title of Paper:
- Bold and centre aligned.
- Title Casing (see Title Casing rules in the box to your left Title Page - Student Paper).
- 3-4 lines down from the top margin of the page.
- Double spaced.
- Put a double-spaced blank line between the title and the author(s) names. This is the only additional line space in your paper.
- The paper title also appears at the top of the first page of your paper (formatted as a Level-1 heading)
Author Name(s):
- Should be centred and one double-spaced blank line beneath the title.
- In the format of first name and last name (e.g. John Doe).
- Do not include titles, honorifics, or degrees.
- If your instructor requires your student number, it will be centred and one double-spaced blank line beneath the author name.
Multiple authors:
- Order the names of authors based on their contributions (i.e. the one that did the most work should be listed first).
- Write all of the names on the same line (flowing onto additionally lines if needed).
- If your instructor requires a student number, it will go in parentheses after each student (author) name.
- For example, John Doe (J123456), Ann Student (J246898)
Author Affiliation:
- Centre aligned and beneath the author(s) names.
- Identify where they worked or studied when the paper was written.
- Include the name of the institute in full (“Justice Institute of British Columbia”)
- Include the department and/or program of study (e.g. “Bachelor of Law Enforcement Studies”)
Author Note:
An author note provides additional information about authors, study registration, data sharing, disclaimers or statements regarding conflict of interest, and help or funding that supported the research. The author note is written in the style of paragraphs.
Students using the professional style of formatting should use the author note to include:
- Course Information
- Instructor
- Advisors and/or Sponsors
- Due Date
- Word Count (if requested)
The author note may be arranged in separate paragraphs to maintain organization of ideas. For example, students may choose to keep course information, due dates, and word counts together in one paragraph and instructors, advisors, and/or sponsors in a second paragraph.
Formatting the Author Note:
- Begin the author note in the bottom half of the title page.
- Leave at least one blank line between the affiliation and the author note label.
- Centre the label “Author Note” written in bold font.
- Left align and indent each paragraph of the author note.
- Do not label the paragraphs of the author note. For example, do not include the label "Instructor" in front of the instructor's name.
See Additional Resources for more.