In the APA format, structure matters. That’s where headings come in.
Headings are labels you can add to your paper to help organize your content. They’re especially helpful in longer papers with multiple sections or supporting points.
Just to be clear – headings are not the same as the header at the top of each page. Headings live in the body of your paper and at the beginning of each section of your paper. They’re almost like mini-titles for the different parts of your paper and give your reader an idea of the content they’re about to read.
What this article covers
How heading levels work
Formatting for Levels 1–5
Planning tips that prevent confusion
A quick checklist for final review
How Headings Work
APA gives us five levels of headings. They’re called – helpfully – Heading 1 through Heading 5. You’ll probably only use one or two of them in most papers, but here's what you need to know:
- Always start with Heading 1 for your main sections.
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Each heading level is a subdivision of the level above it.
Only move to Heading 2 if you need to divide the content inside a Heading 1 section into multiple smaller parts. The same rule continues down – don’t use Heading 3 unless you’re dividing a Heading 2 section. -
Don’t use just one heading of any level.
If you need a Heading 2, you should have at least two of them under the same Heading 1. -
Try to keep headings at the same level similarly phrased.
For example, if one heading is “Types of Cryptids,” the others should follow a similar pattern. Similarly phrased headings may be “Characteristics of Bigfoot” or “History of Sightings.” Dissimilar headings would be “Bigfoot species” or “Sightings and History.”
How to Format Each Heading
Here’s how each level should look in the APA format:
Heading 1
Centered, bold, and uses Title Case (capitalize major words). It goes on its own line.
Heading 2
Bold, flush left-aligned (not indented), and in Title Case. Also on its own line.
Heading 3
Bold and italicized, flush left-aligned, and in Title Case. Also on its own line.
Heading 4. The paragraph starts here...
Bold, indented ½ inch, ends with a period, and uses Title Case. The paragraph text starts right after the heading on the same line.
Heading 5. The paragraph starts here...
Bold and italicized, indented ½ inch, ends with a period, and uses Title Case. The paragraph text starts right after the heading on the same line.
Unless you’re writing a thesis or a very complex research paper, you’ll probably only need Heading 1 and maybe Heading 2.
If you’re using PERRLA, our Text & Headings Styles panel lets you apply all of these formats automatically – no manual formatting needed.
FYI: The paper title at the top of the first body page functions as the default introduction heading – bold and centered – so a separate “Introduction” heading is often unnecessary.
Planning tips
Draft a quick outline of main points and supporting points.
Map outline levels to heading levels (Level 1 for main points, Level 2 for subsections, etc.).
Check for balance – no single headings at any level.
Keep similar section headings parallel in form, such as “Causes of Sightings,” “Locations of Sightings,” “Evidence from Tracks.”
Quick checklist
▢ Levels increase only when subdividing the level above
▢ No single headings at any level
▢ Title Case used for all headings
▢ Level formatting matches APA 7 rules
▢ Parallel wording across headings at the same level
With PERRLA
PERRLA applies APA 7 heading styles automatically. Pick a level and the correct bolding, alignment, and run-in formatting appear without manual tweaks.
Learn how to use PERRLA's Text & Heading Styles feature with Microsoft Word here. Or, see how it works in PERRLA Online.
Download PERRLA's APA 7 Checklist
It's a lot to remember all the rules, and if you aren't letting PERRLA do the formatting for you, use our brief checklist for your next APA 7 paper. Click here to get your copy now!
Next Article: Using Block Quotes
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Note for instructors & students: This article follows APA 7 student paper conventions; section naming and depth may vary by course.