After all the intellectual heavy lifting of research and analysis, the last thing you want to worry about is whether your margins are right or your headings are in the correct format. Yet APA dissertation formatting is a non-negotiable part of the process.
Getting the formatting right from the start can save you hours of tedious work later. APA feels like a complex puzzle at first, but it is really just a set of rules. Once you have a system in place, it becomes much more manageable.
Here is a simplified guide to the key APA formatting requirements every doctoral student should know.
Start With the Basics: Margins, Font, and Spacing
Before you do anything else, set up your document correctly:
- Margins: Set to 1 inch on all sides (top, bottom, left, right).
- Font: Use a consistent, accessible font like 12-point Times New Roman or 11-point Arial.
- Spacing: Double-space the entire document, including the reference list and block quotes. Do not add extra space between paragraphs.
- Page numbers: Place page numbers in the top-right corner of every page.
These four settings take about five minutes to configure and prevent a long list of small problems later.
APA Dissertation Formatting Uses a Clear Hierarchy of Headings
APA uses a system of five heading levels. Most dissertations only use the first three or four:
- Level 1 (centered, bold): Used for main sections like “Methodology” or “Results.”
- Level 2 (left-aligned, bold): For subsections within a main chapter.
- Level 3 (left-aligned, bold, italic): For sub-points within a Level 2 section.
Setting these up correctly creates a clear roadmap for your reader and, just as importantly, for your committee.
Build a Reference List That Actually Follows the Rules
The reference list is often the most feared part of formatting. The key is consistency.
- Title: The word “References” should be centered and bolded at the top of a new page.
- Alphabetical order: Entries are alphabetized by the author’s last name.
- Hanging indent: The first line of each reference sits flush left, and all following lines indent by 0.5 inches.
A reference manager like Zotero or Mendeley will handle most of this for you, but a final manual check before submission is always worth the time.
Treat Formatting as Professional Packaging
Think of APA formatting as the professional packaging for your research. It signals to your committee that you are a careful, thorough scholar. Sloppy formatting, even with strong content, sends the opposite message.
If you would rather hand the APA dissertation formatting work to someone who lives and breathes APA 7, our team offers APA formatting services for dissertations, theses, and journal manuscripts.
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Our APA editors review your document line by line for formatting, citations, and style compliance. Reach out to us at Dissertation Editor to learn how our APA dissertation editing services can help.