How to Apply Headers & Page Numbers in APA Writing Style
APA style is a set of rules that allows students and professionals alike to create essays and other nonfiction literary works based on the rules set forth by the style. Papers must be double spaced and have a title page as well as a separate summary (abstract) before the main body of the paper begins. Following all of this are the references. The document contains citations to works that the author used to create the paper spread throughout various pages. All APA-styled documents must have properly formatted headers and page numbers.
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Instructions
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Open the word processing file that contains your APA document.
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Place the cursor at the beginning of the document.
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Insert a header into the document by clicking on the "Insert" function of your word processing program. Choose "Header." Some word processing programs do not have this option; instead, you must find it by choosing "Edit" and then "Header." This will open the headers on all the pages.
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Insert page numbers by clicking "Page Numbers" and then choosing the proper position. For APA style, page numbers need to be flush right. Then, finish the header by typing the title of the paper in all capital letters flush left inside the header.
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Close the header, and the changes you made will be available on all the pages in your document.
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Tips & Warnings
Most word processing software uses a combination of menu items and icons to navigate the user properly to the functions they seek. Typically, the words "insert" and "header" are used to help the user add and edit headers and page numbers. The header can be easily changed by editing it once it has been created.
Whenever possible, use a software's automated or built-in options to create and edit the header and page number features of an APA-styled document. They are meant to simplify the job of producing an APA style document and to reduce the chances of user error when it comes to formatting rules. If you use a manual typewriter, be especially careful to keep the margins and page numbers spaced consistently and accurately so as not to violate APA style rules.
