🎓 APA Format Generator: Build a Title Page and Reference
By Shihab Mia · Reviewed by ToolNimba Editorial Review, academic writing and style · Updated 2026-06-27
This APA formatter arranges the details you enter into APA 7 layout; it does not verify your source information or look up citations for you. Always check your reference details against the original source and your instructor or institutional style guide. Apply italics and the hanging indent in your own word processor.
Page number and running head
Student papers need a page number in the top right of every page (start at 1 on the title page). A running head with a short title is not required for student papers, only for professional papers.
APA 7 formatting checklist
- Double spaced throughout
- 12pt Times New Roman or 11pt Calibri
- 1 inch margins on all sides
- Title page on its own page
- References begin on a new page
- Hanging indent on every reference
This APA formatter turns a handful of plain fields into a correctly ordered APA 7 student title page and a clean reference entry you can paste straight into your document. Type your paper title, name, institution, course, instructor, and due date, and the tool lays them out in the exact APA 7 order, then builds a reference from the author, year, title, source, publisher, and URL. Everything runs in your browser, so nothing you type is uploaded anywhere.
What is the APA Format Generator?
APA 7 (the seventh edition of the American Psychological Association style) is the citation and layout standard for most psychology, education, nursing, and social science courses. An APA formatter helps with the two parts students get wrong most often: the title page and the reference list. The title page for a student paper has a specific stacked order, the paper title in bold and centered in the upper half of the page, followed by the author name, institutional affiliation, course number and name, instructor, and due date, each on its own line. Getting that order and spacing right is worth easy marks, and this tool prints it for you so you can copy it into Word or Google Docs.
The second job of an APA formatter is the reference entry. Every APA 7 reference follows the same skeleton: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of the work. Source. The author goes first because APA is an author-date style, the year sits in parentheses, the title comes next, and the source (the journal, website, or publisher) finishes the entry. Our tool assembles these pieces in order and adds the right punctuation between them, including the rule that a reference ending in a URL or DOI takes no final period. You still apply italics yourself in your word processor, since the journal title or book title should be italicized, but the structure and punctuation are done.
Good APA formatting is also about the document settings around the text, and this is where a checklist matters. APA 7 papers are double spaced throughout, set in an accessible font such as 12 point Times New Roman or 11 point Calibri, with 1 inch margins on every side. The title page sits on its own page, the references start on a fresh page titled References, and every reference uses a 0.5 inch hanging indent so the first line is flush left and later lines are indented. The checklist built into this APA formatter keeps those rules in front of you while you write, so the layout matches what your instructor expects.
A note on what this tool is and is not. It is a fast, free way to lay out a title page and structure a single reference correctly, ideal when you already know your sources and just need the formatting handled. It is not a database that looks up articles for you, and it does not invent citation details. You enter the facts, it arranges them in APA 7 order. That keeps you in control of accuracy, which is exactly what graders and academic integrity policies care about, and it means the APA formatter works for any source type, even unusual ones a lookup tool would miss.
When to use it
- Building a correct APA 7 student title page in seconds before submitting an essay or lab report.
- Structuring a single reference entry in the right order when you already have the source details.
- Double checking that your title page lines are in the official APA 7 sequence.
- Keeping the APA formatting rules (spacing, font, margins, hanging indent) visible while you write.
- Teaching or tutoring students the difference between a student and professional APA title page.
- Quickly producing copy-paste text for a references page without installing any software.
How to use the APA Format Generator
- Open the Title page tab and fill in your paper title, name, institution, course, instructor, and due date.
- Copy the generated title page block and paste it onto the first page of your document, centered.
- Switch to the Reference entry tab and enter the author, year, title, source, and any URL or DOI.
- Copy the reference and paste it on your References page, then apply a 0.5 inch hanging indent.
- Use the on-screen checklist to confirm double spacing, font, margins, and page numbers.
Formula & method
Worked examples
A student needs an APA 7 title page for a psychology essay due October 14, 2026.
- Enter the title "The Effects of Sleep on Memory Consolidation".
- Enter author "Jane A. Smith" and institution "University of Example".
- Enter course "PSYC 101: Introduction to Psychology" and instructor "Dr. Alex Brown".
- Enter the due date "October 14, 2026".
- Copy the stacked block and center it in the top half of page one.
Result: The Effects of Sleep on Memory Consolidation\n\nJane A. Smith\nUniversity of Example\nPSYC 101: Introduction to Psychology\nDr. Alex Brown\nOctober 14, 2026
A journal article with a DOI needs to become an APA 7 reference entry.
- Enter author "Smith, J. A." in Last, Initials form.
- Enter year "2024" and the article title "Sleep and the consolidation of memory".
- Enter the source "Journal of Cognitive Science, 18(3), 211-229" (italicize the journal name in your document).
- Paste the DOI "https://doi.org/10.1000/example"; note no period follows it.
Result: Smith, J. A. (2024). Sleep and the consolidation of memory. Journal of Cognitive Science, 18(3), 211-229. https://doi.org/10.1000/example
APA 7 student title page, in order from top to bottom
| Line | What goes here | Formatting |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paper title | Bold, centered, upper half of page |
| 2 | Author name | Centered, normal weight |
| 3 | Institution | Centered (your school) |
| 4 | Course number and name | Centered (for example PSYC 101) |
| 5 | Instructor name | Centered (with title, such as Dr.) |
| 6 | Due date | Centered (Month Day, Year) |
Reference order and punctuation for common APA 7 source parts
| Part | Example | Punctuation after |
|---|---|---|
| Author | Smith, J. A. | Period |
| Year | (2024) | Period |
| Title | Sleep and the consolidation of memory | Period |
| Source | Journal of Cognitive Science, 18(3), 211-229 | Period |
| Publisher | Academic Press | Period |
| URL or DOI | https://doi.org/10.1000/example | No period |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Adding a running head to a student paper. In APA 7, the running head (a short title in the page header) is only required for professional papers submitted for publication. Student papers need only a page number in the top right corner. Adding a running head is a common over-correction that can cost easy formatting marks.
- Forgetting the hanging indent on references. Every APA 7 reference uses a 0.5 inch hanging indent, the first line flush left and all following lines indented. Copying the text is only half the job; you still set the hanging indent in your word processor (Format, Paragraph, Special, Hanging).
- Putting a period after a URL or DOI. When a reference ends in a URL or DOI, APA 7 omits the final period so the link is not broken by a trailing dot. This tool already leaves it off; do not add one back when you paste.
- Single spacing the title page or references. The entire APA 7 paper, including the title page and the references page, is double spaced. Students often single space the references to save room, which is not APA 7 and is easy for graders to spot.
Glossary
- APA 7
- The seventh edition of the American Psychological Association publication manual, the current standard for APA formatting and citations.
- Title page
- The first page of an APA paper carrying the title, author, institution, course, instructor, and due date, centered in the upper half.
- Running head
- A short version of the title in the page header, required only for professional APA papers, not student papers.
- Hanging indent
- A paragraph style where the first line is flush left and every later line is indented 0.5 inches, used for each reference entry.
- Reference entry
- A single item on the References page, structured as Author, A. A. (Year). Title. Source.
- DOI
- A Digital Object Identifier, a permanent link to a source, written as a URL such as https://doi.org/... with no period after it.
Frequently asked questions
What does an APA formatter actually do?
An APA formatter arranges the details you provide into the correct APA 7 layout. This one builds a student title page in the official line order and assembles a reference entry as Author, A. A. (Year). Title. Source. It handles the order and punctuation; you supply the facts and apply italics and the hanging indent in your document.
Do I need a running head for a student paper?
No. In APA 7, a running head is required only for professional papers intended for publication. Student papers need just a page number in the top right corner of every page, starting at 1 on the title page. Leaving the running head off is correct, not a mistake.
What order do the lines go in on an APA 7 title page?
From top to bottom, centered in the upper half of the page: the paper title (bold), then the author name, the institution, the course number and name, the instructor, and the due date. Each item sits on its own double spaced line. This APA formatter prints them in exactly that order.
Why is there no period after the URL in my reference?
APA 7 deliberately omits the final period when a reference ends in a URL or DOI, because a trailing dot can be mistaken for part of the link and break it. The tool leaves it off on purpose. Every other part of the reference (author, year, title, source) still ends with a period.
How do I add the hanging indent the tool mentions?
Copy the reference text, then in Word or Google Docs select the reference, open the paragraph settings, and choose a hanging indent of 0.5 inches. In Word it is Format, Paragraph, Special, Hanging. In Google Docs use the ruler or Format, Align and indent, Indentation options.
What font and spacing does APA 7 require?
APA 7 accepts several fonts; the most common choices are 12 point Times New Roman and 11 point Calibri. The whole paper is double spaced, including the title page and references, with 1 inch margins on all four sides. The checklist on this page keeps those settings in view.
Sources
- Student Paper Setup Guide (APA Style) , American Psychological Association
- Reference Examples and Elements , American Psychological Association