Dissertation Formatting Guide: APA 7th Edition Complete Setup

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What Is APA 7th Edition Formatting for Dissertations?

APA style (American Psychological Association) is the dominant formatting standard for dissertations in the social sciences, education, business, psychology, health, and many interdisciplinary fields. The current version is the 7th edition, published in 2019, which replaced the previous APA 6th edition.

APA 7th edition sets standards for everything from margin width and font choice to the placement of page numbers and the formatting of your reference list. For a dissertation — which can range from 100 to 500+ pages — consistency is not just a style preference. It’s a grading criterion.

Examiners notice formatting issues immediately. A poorly formatted title page or inconsistent headings often creates a negative first impression before the content is even read. Formatting is typically part of the overall assessment criteria at the Master’s and PhD level.

This guide walks you through every formatting element of an APA 7th edition dissertation, with worked examples you can apply directly.

APA 7th edition is the current standard for dissertation formatting in social sciences, education, business, and health disciplines.
Your dissertation must follow a specific page order: title page, abstract, preliminary pages, main body chapters, references, and appendices.
Common mistakes include incorrect title page capitalization, inconsistent heading levels, wrong et al. rules, and missing DOI formatting in references.
Always check your institution’s specific guidelines — many universities add requirements on top of APA style (binding margins, signature pages, front matter order).
Using Word’s built-in heading styles instead of manual formatting prevents TOC errors, spacing inconsistencies, and last-minute chaos.

Step 1: General Formatting Rules (Fonts, Margins, Spacing)

Font Requirements

APA 7 allows several readable fonts, with a preference for fonts that are accessible to all readers. The approved options include:

Serif fonts: 12-point Times New Roman (most common), 11-point Georgia, 10-point Computer Modern
Sans-serif fonts: 11-point Arial, 11-point Calibri, 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode

APA Style itself does not mandate a single font. Your university or department may require a specific font — always check the graduate school dissertation handbook first.

Margins

Standard: 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all four sides
Exception: Many universities require a 1.5-inch left margin to allow room for binding holes in printed dissertations
Always verify with your institution’s template before finalizing

Line Spacing

Double-spacing throughout the entire document, including the title page, abstract, body text, headings, tables (when embedded), reference list, and notes
No extra spacing between paragraphs unless required by your institution

Alignment and Indentation

Text alignment: Left-aligned (ragged right) rather than fully justified
Paragraph indentation: 0.5-inch first-line indent for every paragraph (use the “first line indent” setting in Word, not the tab key)
Page numbers: Top-right corner of the header

Step 2: The Dissertation Title Page

The title page is often the first page examiners see. APA 7 provides a specific format for professional papers (which includes dissertations) and a separate format for student papers. For dissertations, use the professional paper title page format.

Required Elements (in order)

Title — centered in the upper half of the page, bold, title case, usually three or four lines maximum
Author name — your full legal name, centered, on the next line
Institutional affiliation — your department or program and university
Degree information — e.g., “Dissertation submitted for doctoral degree” or the specific degree program name
Supervisor/chair — name of your dissertation chair or committee chair
Date — month and year of submission

Example: Correct APA 7 Dissertation Title Page

The Impact of Remote Learning on Student Performance in Undergraduate Education

Sarah J. Thompson

Department of Education, University of California, Riverside

Dissertation submitted for doctoral degree

Chairperson: Dr. Michael K. Ellis

June 2026

Common Title Page Mistakes

❌ Using all capital letters for the title (incorrect capitalization)
❌ Adding academic titles like “Dr.” or “PhD” before your name
❌ Placing the title too low or too high on the page (title should be centered vertically in the upper half)
❌ Forgetting the supervisor/chair name or degree information
❌ Using bold or italics on elements that should be plain text

Pro tip: If your university provided a template, verify it against the APA 7 Publication Manual. Many institutional templates haven’t been updated since APA 6 and may still include outdated requirements (like a running head).

Step 3: The Abstract

Begin a new page
Bold the word “Abstract” on the first line (no italics, no quotation marks)
The abstract itself is a single paragraph, double-spaced, with no paragraph indent
Length: typically 150–350 words for Master’s, 250–350 words for PhD (check your institution’s requirements)
Keywords (if required by your department): Include after the abstract text, with a line break and italicized “Keywords:” label followed by keywords separated by commas

Example Abstract Format

Abstract

This mixed-methods study examines the impact of remote learning modalities on student engagement and academic performance in undergraduate education programs. Using data from three public universities (N = 1,247), the study found significant differences in completion rates between synchronous and asynchronous modalities. Qualitative interviews with 32 students revealed that self-regulated learning strategies moderated the relationship between modality type and course success. Results suggest that structured online frameworks improve persistence compared to purely asynchronous formats.

Keywords: remote learning, student engagement, online education, mixed methods, academic performance

Note: APA does not require dissertation keywords in all institutions, but many graduate schools request them for indexing purposes.

Step 4: Table of Contents

The APA Publication Manual does not specify exact formatting for the table of contents (TOC), but university graduate schools typically follow these conventions:

TOC Formatting Rules

Heading: “Table of Contents” centered, bold, on a new page
Include: All level-1 and level-2 headings from your dissertation
Alignment: Left-aligned, plain text (no bold or italics on entry lines)
Level-2 entries: Indented (typically 0.5 inch)
Punctuation: Page numbers right-aligned, dotted leaders (dots) between heading text and page number
Use Word’s automated TOC generator — do not type page numbers manually

Example Table of Contents Structure

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT ........................................................................ iii
LIST OF TABLES .................................................................... v
LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................... vi
DEDICATION ........................................................................ vii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................. viii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION .................................................... 1
    1.1 Background of the Study ........................................... 1
    1.2 Statement of the Problem .......................................... 5
    1.3 Research Questions ............................................... 8
    1.4 Significance of the Study ........................................ 10

CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................... 15
    2.1 Historical Context ............................................... 15
    2.2 Theoretical Framework ............................................ 22
    2.3 Empirical Evidence ............................................... 30

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ................................................. 45
    3.1 Research Design .................................................. 45
    3.2 Participants ..................................................... 50
    3.3 Instruments ..................................................... 55
    3.4 Data Collection Procedures ...................................... 60
    3.5 Data Analysis ................................................... 65

REFERENCES .................................................................... 78
APPENDICES .................................................................... 85

Step 5: Page Order and Front Matter

An APA 7th edition dissertation follows a standard page sequence. Here is the typical order:

Page	Element	Numbering
Title Page	(no page number displayed)	—
Abstract	—	Page 1 (or follows Title)
Dedication (if included)	—	Lowercase Roman numeral (ii, iii, etc.)
Acknowledgments (if included)	—	Lowercase Roman numeral
Table of Contents	—	Lowercase Roman numeral
List of Tables	—	Lowercase Roman numeral
List of Figures	—	Lowercase Roman numeral
Chapter 1: Introduction	—	Arabic numeral (1, 2, 3…)
Chapter 2: Literature Review	—	Continues Arabic
Chapter 3: Methodology	—	Continues Arabic
References	—	Continues Arabic (new page)
Appendices	—	Continues Arabic

Front matter (Roman numeral) vs. Main body (Arabic numeral): Many universities use lowercase Roman numerals for preliminary pages and switch to Arabic numerals when Chapter 1 begins. Section breaks in Word are essential for this transition.

Step 6: Heading Levels and Structure

APA 7th edition uses a five-level heading hierarchy. Do not skip heading levels and do not use different styling (e.g., underline, all caps) beyond what APA specifies.

Level	Format	Example
Level 1	Centered, Bold, Title Case	Methodology
Level 2	Flush Left, Bold, Title Case	Participants
Level 3	Flush Left, Bold Italic, Title Case	Research Design
Level 4	Indented, Bold, Title Case, ending with period. Paragraph text follows on the same line.	Demographics. This section describes the participant pool.
Level 5	Indented, Bold Italic, Title Case, ending with period. Paragraph text follows on the same line.	Additional Notes. Text follows immediately.

Common Heading Mistakes

❌ Using ALL CAPS for headings (e.g., “CHAPTER ONE”)
❌ Skipping from Level 1 to Level 3
❌ Using different capitalization styles (e.g., “Introduction” vs “INTRODUCTION”)
❌ Numbering headings (APA does not number headings — it uses styling to show hierarchy)
❌ Using underlines or italics for heading levels that aren’t Level 3

In dissertation writing, you will typically use only Level 1 (chapter titles) and Level 2 (sub-sections). Levels 3–5 are rarely used but may appear in methodological sub-sections.

Step 7: In-Text Citations

APA 7th edition requires consistent in-text citations. Every factual claim, data point, or quoted idea in your dissertation must be attributed.

Format for Different Citation Types

Same source, one paragraph:

Research on online learning has demonstrated significant effects on student outcomes (Thompson & Lee, 2021). Thompson and Lee (2021) further found that engagement drops significantly in purely asynchronous courses.

Same source, multiple paragraphs:

Cite the source at the end of the first paragraph. No need to repeat in subsequent paragraphs unless the source is no longer being discussed.

Multiple authors:

One or two authors: Use ampersand in parentheses or “and” in narrative: (Smith & Jones, 2020) / Smith and Jones (2020)
Three or more authors: Use “et al.” for every in-text citation, including the first one: (Smith et al., 2020)
Four+ authors in APA 6: “et al.” only after the third citation. APA 7 changed this — use “et al.” immediately.

Direct quotes: Always include a page number:

“Self-regulated learning strategies significantly moderate academic outcomes in online environments” (Garcia, 2019, p. 42).

Step 8: The Reference List

The reference list is one of the most error-prone sections of a dissertation. APA 7 has specific rules for how references must be formatted.

General Rules

Heading: “References” — centered, bold, on a new page (no level-1 heading styling; just bold and centered)
Order: Alphabetical by the first author’s last name
Indentation: Hanging indent — first line flush left, subsequent lines indented 0.5 inches (use Word’s “hanging indent” setting)
Line spacing: Double-spaced (no extra space between entries)
Capitalization: Sentence case for article and book titles (capitalize only the first word, the first word after a colon, and proper nouns). Title case for journal names and standalone books.

Reference Examples by Source Type

Journal Article:

García, M. L., & Chen, W. (2021). Online learning modalities and student persistence: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 113(4), 789–805. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000234

Book:

Cohen, J. (2020). Statistical power analysis for the social sciences (4th ed.). Routledge.

Edited Book Chapter:

Patel, R., & O’Brien, K. (2019). Theoretical frameworks in educational research. In D. S. Wong (Ed.), Handbook of educational research methods (pp. 145–162). Routledge.

Dissertation (Unpublished):

Johnson, T. W. (2023). Community engagement and civic identity in rural secondary schools [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of Michigan.

Dissertation (Published via ProQuest):

Richardson, K. A. (2019). Digital literacy in higher education: A multi-institutional study (Publication No. 123456) [Doctoral dissertation, University of Washington]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.

Web Source:

American Psychological Association. (2019). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://apastyle.apa.org

Step 9: Tables and Figures

Tables

Each table must be numbered sequentially (Table 1, Table 2, etc.)
Table number in bold, above the table
Table title in italicized title case, below the table number (double-spaced)
Table should be placed in-text (near first mention) or at the end of the document on separate pages
All lines except column headings should be removed (APA 7 uses a simplified table format)

Example Table Format

Table 1
Student Completion Rates by Modality Type

Modality Type N Completion Rate Mean Days to Complete

Synchronous 412 78% 4.2

Asynchronous 387 61% 8.7

Hybrid 448 72% 5.1

Modality Type	N	Completion Rate	Mean Days to Complete
Synchronous	412	78%	4.2
Asynchronous	387	61%	8.7
Hybrid	448	72%	5.1

Note: Many students miss the table number, use sentence case instead of italicized title case for the table title, or place tables too far from their first mention in the text.

Step 10: Appendices

Appendices are labeled with capital letters: Appendix A, Appendix B, etc.
Each appendix starts on a new page
Every appendix must be mentioned in the text where it’s first relevant
Use clear, descriptive labels that indicate the content (e.g., “Appendix A: Survey Instrument”)

Common Appendix Mistakes

❌ Forgetting to reference the appendix in the main text
❌ Using inconsistent labels (e.g., “Appendix 1” instead of “Appendix A”)
❌ Including appendices without alphabetical labeling

Common APA Formatting Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Based on reviews of dissertation submissions across multiple universities, here are the most frequent APA formatting errors students make:

1. Incorrect Title Page Capitalization

Using all caps or random capitalization instead of APA title case. Fix: Capitalize the first letter of every major word (except short prepositions and articles unless they start the title).

2. Wrong “et al.” Usage

Using “et al.” only after the third citation (APA 6 rule). APA 7: Use “et al.” immediately for sources with three or more authors. Fix: Always use “et al.” from the first citation.

3. Missing DOI in References

Forgetting to include DOIs for journal articles where they exist. Fix: Every journal article with a DOI should include it as a hyperlink: https://doi.org/xxx.

4. Inconsistent Heading Styles

Switching between manual bold text and Word heading styles. Fix: Use Word’s built-in Heading 1 and Heading 2 styles throughout, then generate your TOC automatically.

5. Incorrect Page Numbering

Starting Arabic numbers too early or using Roman numerals for the main body. Fix: Use section breaks to switch from Roman to Arabic numerals at Chapter 1.

6. Wrong Capitalization in References

Using title case for article titles. Fix: Use sentence case for article and book titles, but title case for journal names.

7. Missing In-Text Citations for Paraphrased Ideas

Citing only direct quotes. Fix: Every factual claim, statistic, or paraphrased idea from a source needs a citation.

8. Incorrect Table Formatting

Missing table numbers, missing italicized titles, or not referencing tables in the text. Fix: Every table must have a number, italicized title, and text reference.

Institution-Specific Requirements vs. APA Style

Here is the critical reality: APA sets the baseline, but your university sets the final standard.

Many universities add requirements on top of APA 7th edition:

Signature approval pages with faculty signatures
Specific front matter order (e.g., abstract before dedication)
1.5-inch left margin for binding
Specific font requirements (e.g., “Times New Roman only”)
Page limits per chapter
Required preliminary pages beyond APA standards
File submission requirements (PDF, Word, both)

Always download and follow your department’s official dissertation template. The APA Style website even states this clearly: “Students should follow the guidelines and requirements of their instructor, department, and/or institution when writing papers.”

APA 7 vs. APA 6: What Changed for Dissertations?

If you’re referencing older dissertation templates from before 2019, here are the key differences that matter:

Element	APA 6	APA 7
Running head	Required for all papers (shortened version, all caps, left-aligned)	Not required for student papers or most professional papers
et al. rule	Use first at third citation, then always	Use at first citation for 3+ authors
DOI format	`doi: xxx-xxxx`	`https://doi.org/xxx` (no “doi:” prefix)
Publisher location	Include city and state (e.g., New York, NY)	Omit publisher location
“Retrieved from”	Used before URLs	Omit “Retrieved from” unless content is unstable
Title page	Student and professional formats more differentiated	Merged into single format; abstract not required for student papers

Your Final Formatting Checklist

Run through this checklist before submission:

[ ] Title page follows APA 7 professional format with all required elements
[ ] Title uses correct title case capitalization
[ ] Author name is correct; no academic titles added
[ ] Institutional affiliation includes department and university
[ ] Font is 12-point Times New Roman (or your university’s approved font)
[ ] Margins are 1 inch (or 1.5-inch left if required by institution)
[ ] Line spacing is double throughout the entire document
[ ] All headings follow APA 7th edition styling (no skipping levels)
[ ] In-text citations include publication year and page numbers for quotes
[ ] “et al.” is used correctly at the first citation
[ ] Reference list is alphabetized, uses hanging indent, and sentence case for article titles
[ ] All journal articles include DOIs formatted as hyperlinks
[ ] Tables are numbered, have italicized titles, and are referenced in the text
[ ] Appendices use alphabetical labels (A, B, C)
[ ] Page numbering transitions correctly from Roman to Arabic numerals
[ ] Table of Contents is generated automatically (not typed manually)
[ ] Abstract is a single paragraph with no indent and follows “Abstract” heading
[ ] Your document matches your university’s specific template and handbook

Bottom Line: Formatting Matters

A dissertation isn’t just evaluated on content. Formatting is a signal of academic rigor, attention to detail, and professional competence. Students who invest time in correct APA formatting from the start — not as a last-minute rush — typically avoid the most common revision requests.

The good news is that APA formatting is systematic. Once you set your Word document correctly (fonts, margins, heading styles, hanging indent settings), the formatting mostly takes care of itself. The hardest work is knowing the rules before you start.

If you’re unsure about any formatting element or overwhelmed by the process, professional editing and formatting services can review your document against APA 7 standards and catch errors before your committee sees them.

Related Resources

APA Style Official Website — Official APA Style 7th edition guidelines, sample papers, and formatting tools
Purdue OWL APA Format — Comprehensive APA formatting guide with annotated samples
University of Michigan Dissertation Formatting Guide — Detailed Word-based dissertation formatting instructions
APA Sample Papers — Downloadable annotated Word files you can use as templates
Our Dissertation Editing Service — Professional formatting review and proofreading
Our Dissertation Proofreading Service — Comprehensive proofreading for academic papers
Our Dissertation Formatting Service — Expert formatting review and correction
Order Your Dissertation Today — Start your custom dissertation project

Looking for discipline-specific formatting examples? Browse our graduate-level article examples or contact our academic support team for personalized formatting guidance.