Student vs. Professional Research Papers in APA 7 (Word Add-In)

The APA 7th Edition distinguishes between two different types of research papers: Student Research Papers and Professional Research Papers.

While most guidelines in APA 7th Edition can be applied to both, there are some differences between the two types of papers.

A tale of two title pages

The most noticeable difference between the two types of papers is their respective Title Pages.

The Title Page for a student paper can include:

• Paper title
• Student's or students' name(s)
• Student's or students' affiliation(s) (typically the name of your school)
• Course name and number
• Instructor's name
• Assignment due date
• Page number

In a change from the 6th Edition, the APA no longer requires a Running Head in a student paper. For professional papers, the Running Head is still mandatory; however, it no longer includes the words "Running head"  – instead requiring only a page number and the shortened paper title.

The Title Page for a professional research paper requires:

• Paper title
• Author's name(s)
• Author's affiliation(s)
• Author note
• Running head
• Page number

Whether you're writing a Student or Professional research paper, the PERRLA for Word Add-In can create them both!

Other changes

There are only a few other differences between a Student and Professional paper outside the title page.

Abstracts

A professional paper will include an Abstract by default (following the APA 7th Edition guidelines).  However, you can remove it from your paper if you don't need it.

You can still add an abstract to a student paper by using the Abstract icon in the PERRLA ribbon.

Running Head

As we mentioned, student papers no longer include a Running Head.  However, if your professor still wants you to have a traditional Running Head, you can add it on the Title Page panel inside PERRLA.

Professional papers still include a Running Head on every page.

Creating a student research paper

To create a student research paper:

1. Open a new Word document
2. Go to the PERRLA ribbon tab
3. Click New Paper in the ribbon
4. Select APA 7 Research Paper
   By default, it will open the Create Panel for a Student Research Paper.
5. Enter the paper's information in the side panel
6. Click Create Paper

Creating a professional research paper

To create a professional research paper:

1. Open a new Word document
2. Go to the PERRLA ribbon tab
3. Click New Paper in the ribbon
4. Select APA 7  Research Paper
   
5. Click the Professional tab at the top of the panel
6. Enter the paper's information in the side panel
7. Click Create Paper

That's it! Whether you're working on a student or a professional research paper, the PERRLA for Word Add-In will ensure your Title Page and paper meet all the APA 7th Edition formatting requirements.

Can I switch between paper types after starting a new paper?

No - once a paper has been started in one of the two formats (APA 6 or APA 7), PERRLA cannot convert that paper to the other. You would need to create a new paper in the format you need and then copy over the body of the paper.