In APA 7th edition, student papers do not require a running head. This is one of the most important changes from APA 6th edition, where running heads were mandatory for all papers. Under the current rules, running heads are only required for manuscripts being submitted for publication in a journal.
Do You Need a Running Head?
| Paper type | Running head required? | Page number required? |
|---|---|---|
| Student paper (course assignment) | No | Yes — top right of every page |
| Professional/manuscript for publication | Yes | Yes — top right of every page |
| Dissertation or thesis | Check institutional guidelines | Yes |
Source: APA Publication Manual, 7th Edition, Section 2.8.
If you are a student submitting a course paper, skip the running head. Add only a page number in the top-right corner of the header. If your professor specifically requires a running head, follow their instruction — instructor requirements override the APA default.
Running Head Format for Professional Papers
When a running head is required, it must follow these rules precisely:
| Element | Rule |
|---|---|
| Content | Shortened version of the paper title |
| Maximum length | 50 characters including spaces and punctuation |
| Capitalization | ALL CAPS |
| Position | Left-aligned in the header |
| Page number position | Right-aligned in the same header line |
| First page | Running head appears on the title page and every subsequent page |
| Font | Same font as the paper body |
Example
Full title: The Effect of Social Media Use on Academic Performance in Undergraduate Students
Running head: SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE (47 characters — within the 50-character limit)
APA 6 vs APA 7: What Changed with Running Heads
| Rule | APA 6th edition | APA 7th edition |
|---|---|---|
| Student papers | Running head required on all pages | Running head NOT required |
| Title page label | «Running head: TITLE IN CAPS» on page 1 | No label — just the shortened title in caps |
| Professional papers | Running head required | Running head required (unchanged) |
| Max characters | 50 characters | 50 characters (unchanged) |
| Capitalization | ALL CAPS | ALL CAPS (unchanged) |
In APA 6, the title page header read: Running head: SHORTENED TITLE HERE — with the label «Running head:» included. APA 7 removed that label entirely. If you are updating an APA 6 paper to APA 7, delete the «Running head:» prefix and remove the running head from student papers altogether.
How to Add a Running Head in Microsoft Word
- Double-click the top of any page to open the header area.
- Make sure the header is active (you’ll see a dashed border and «Header» label).
- Check the Different First Page option in the Header & Footer Tools Design tab — this is not needed for APA 7 professional papers, since the running head appears identically on all pages including the title page.
- Type your running head in ALL CAPS on the left side.
- Press Tab twice to move to the right side of the header.
- Insert a page number: go to Header & Footer → Page Number → Current Position → Plain Number.
- Double-click back into the document body to close the header.
Important: Do not type the page number manually. Use Word’s automatic page number field so it updates as your document changes.
How to Add Only a Page Number (Student Papers)
For student papers without a running head:
- Go to Insert → Page Number → Top of Page → Plain Number 3 (right-aligned).
- This inserts an auto-updating page number in the top-right corner of every page.
- Close the header area by double-clicking in the document body.
Running Head in Google Docs
- Go to Insert → Headers & footers → Header.
- Type your running head in ALL CAPS on the left.
- Press Tab to move right, then go to Insert → Page numbers → choose top-right position.
- Click outside the header to close it.
Google Docs does not have a two-tab header layout like Word, so you may need to use a right-aligned tab stop. Go to Format → Paragraph styles → Borders and shading is not the right path — instead, place your cursor after the running head text, set the paragraph alignment to right, insert the page number, then manually adjust if the running head and page number end up on different lines.
Common Running Head Mistakes
| Mistake | Problem | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Including «Running head:» label in APA 7 | This was APA 6 format; APA 7 does not use the label | Delete the label, keep only the ALL CAPS title |
| Adding running head to a student paper | Not required in APA 7 student papers | Remove it; keep only the page number |
| Running head longer than 50 characters | Exceeds the character limit | Shorten the title further; count spaces and punctuation |
| Mixed case instead of ALL CAPS | Format violation | Select running head text, press Shift+F3 to cycle to ALL CAPS |
| Running head missing from one or more pages | Inconsistent header | Do not type it manually — use Word’s header feature so it repeats |
Frequently Asked Questions
My professor said to include a running head. What do I do?
Follow your professor’s instruction. Instructor requirements take precedence over APA defaults. Format it as described above: ALL CAPS, left-aligned, maximum 50 characters, no «Running head:» label (that was APA 6).
Does the running head appear on the title page?
Yes — in APA 7, the running head appears on every page including the title page, with no difference between the title page and the body pages. This is different from some other style guides that suppress the header on page 1.
Can the running head be a completely different phrase from the title?
It should be a shortened version of the actual title, not an entirely different phrase. If your title is long, abbreviate by keeping the most informative keywords. Do not create a running head that would confuse a reader about which paper they are looking at.
For the complete APA 7th edition formatting guide including margins, fonts, and title page structure, see the APA Format Guide.