APA 7 paper structure: parts and order

Before you organize the parts of your paper

Paper structure determines which parts the document contains and the order in which they appear. Not every APA paper needs the same sections. A short essay, a research report, and a journal manuscript serve different purposes.

An APA student paper usually includes at least a title page, page numbers, the main text, and a reference list. An instructor or institution may also require an abstract, a table of contents, appendices, or other parts.

Before copying the structure of another document, identify the kind of paper you are preparing and read the assignment instructions.

Find the guide you need

• Student and professional papers: distinguish the elements normally included in each type of document.
• Order of pages: arrange the title page, abstract, text, references, and end matter.
• Abstract and keywords: learn when they are required and how to format them.
• Body of the paper: organize the opening, main sections, and conclusion of a student paper.
• Method, Results, and Discussion: understand the common sections of a research report.
• Footnotes: add a brief clarification without interrupting the main argument.
• Supplemental materials: distinguish online files from appendices included in the paper.

Basic structure of a student paper

This sequence covers most class assignments:

1. Title page: identifies the paper, author, institution, course, instructor, and due date.
2. Main text: begins on a new page and develops the purpose of the paper.
3. Reference list: identifies the works cited and begins on another page.

The title page is page 1, and every page is numbered. If the paper includes an abstract, it appears between the title page and the text.

Tables, figures, and appendices are added only when they help present or complete the information. Review the guide to visual elements and related formats before adding them.

Parts that depend on the assignment

These elements are not required in every student paper:

Element	When it may appear
Abstract	When requested by the instructor, institution, or type of paper
Keywords	When requested by a journal, program, or institution
Table of contents	When required by institutional guidelines
Footnotes	When a brief clarification strengthens the discussion
Tables and figures	When they present information more clearly
Appendices	When useful material would distract from the main text
Supplemental materials	Primarily with professional articles published online

A table of contents, dedication, or a section called “Development” may be required by an institution, but APA Style does not require them for every paper.

Structure of a research report

A quantitative research paper commonly organizes its text into Method, Results, and Discussion. A qualitative paper may use Findings instead of Results or select headings that fit its approach.

Do not add these labels automatically to every essay. Use them when they accurately describe the section. The headings guide explains how to show the hierarchy.

Review the structure before writing

Ask these questions:

• Do you know whether the paper is student or professional?
• Does the assignment require an abstract, contents page, or another element?
• Does every section serve a different purpose?
• Do the pages begin in the correct order?
• Do ideas from sources have in-text citations?
• Does every cited work appear in the reference list?

Defining the structure at the beginning prevents you from moving pages and rebuilding headings after the paper is finished.