APA Outline Format: Templates and Examples for APA 7 Papers

No. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition) covers paper format, headings, citations and references, but it doesn't set an outline layout. University library guides say the manual gives no formal guidance on outlines and points students to general paper formatting instead.

What instructors mean by APA outline format

So when an assignment asks for APA outline format, it usually means two things: a standard outline structure, and a page typed with APA paper settings. The structure comes from general writing practice, the alphanumeric and decimal systems described below. The page settings come from APA 7: double spacing, 1-inch margins, a legible font such as 12-point Times New Roman or 11-point Calibri, and a page number at the top right.

Start faster

If you want a head start, the free Essay Outline Generator builds a section-by-section plan from your topic and thesis. You can then number it and set the page in APA style using this guide.

Two numbering systems cover almost every outline in APA format, and every APA outline example you'll find online uses one of them. Purdue OWL's page on types of outlines calls the alphanumeric outline the most common type, and describes the decimal outline as the same structure with decimal numbers.

The alphanumeric outline

Main points take Roman numerals, then capital letters, then Arabic numerals, then lowercase letters. Purdue OWL adds that deeper levels can use Arabic numerals and lowercase letters in parentheses, (1) and (a), though few student outlines go that deep.

The decimal outline

Each subpoint repeats its parent's number and adds a decimal: 2, then 2.1, then 2.1.1. The Texas A&M Writing Center shows the pattern and notes that each level is indented under its parent. Decimal outlines suit long research papers and science courses, because each line shows exactly where it belongs.

Which one should you use?

If the prompt doesn't say, use the alphanumeric system; it's what most US high school and college instructors picture when they say APA outline format. Whichever you choose, stay with it from the first line to the last.

Outlines also differ in what each line holds. Purdue OWL describes a full-sentence outline as following the alphanumeric structure with every level written as a complete sentence. A topic outline uses short phrases instead.

Topic outline

In APA outline format, topic lines are quick to write and easy to rearrange: "II. Sleep and memory," "A. Consolidation studies." Use one for brainstorming or when the assignment is a short essay.

Full-sentence outline

In APA outline format, full sentences force you to state each claim: "II. Sleep strengthens memory in college students." Many instructors ask for this type in a research course, because each line can become a topic sentence in the paper.

Don't mix them

A common mistake is writing some lines as phrases and others as sentences. Pick one type for the whole outline in APA format, unless your instructor allows sentences only for the thesis.

Because APA has no outline rules, the page follows the same APA 7 settings as a student paper. The guide to APA format guidelines explains each one in detail; here is what matters for an outline in APA format.

When your instructor wants a title page

Some instructors want the outline in full APA paper format, which means a title page first. In a student paper it shows the bold, centered title three or four lines down, then your name, school, course, instructor and due date. The APA Title Page Generator builds that page and downloads a Word file with the margins, font and page number already set.

Running head

Student papers in APA 7 need only a page number in the header. If your instructor asks for a running head, use the professional format: a shortened title in all capital letters, 50 characters or fewer, at the top left.

This APA research paper outline fits an empirical paper in APA outline format with the usual sections. Copy this APA outline format template, then replace the bracketed text. For a review or argument paper, use the templates in the next section.

APA outline format template you can copy

[Paper Title in Title Case]

Thesis: [one sentence stating your main claim or research question]

I. Introduction
    A. Hook and background on the topic
    B. Why the topic matters
    C. Thesis or research question
II. Literature Review
    A. Theme 1 with sources (Author, Year)
    B. Theme 2 with sources (Author, Year)
    C. Gap your study addresses
III. Method
    A. Participants
    B. Materials or measures
    C. Procedure
IV. Results
    A. Main finding
    B. Secondary finding
V. Discussion
    A. What the results mean
    B. Limitations
    C. Future research
VI. Conclusion

References

An APA format research paper outline sample

Here is an APA outline example: the same template filled in for a PSYC 2301 project, using real sources: "II. Literature Review / A. Sleep and memory (Walker, 2017) / B. Fast and slow thinking under fatigue (Kahneman, 2011)." The reference list then holds these entries:

• Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
• Walker, M. (2017). Why we sleep: Unlocking the power of sleep and dreams. Scribner.

To format the rest of your sources, paste a link or DOI into the APA Citation Machine.

The APA research paper outline above suits a study. Two other assignments come up often in APA classes, and each has its own shape.

Argumentative paper outline

I. Introduction: hook, background, thesis
II. Reason 1 with evidence (Author, Year)
III. Reason 2 with evidence (Author, Year)
IV. Reason 3 with evidence (Author, Year)
V. Counterargument and rebuttal
VI. Conclusion: restate the thesis and call to action

An APA outline example for an English Composition II class might argue that colleges should push back 8 a.m. classes, with sleep research as reason 1 and attendance data as reason 2.

APA format literature review outline

Organize a literature review by theme, not by source, even in an APA research paper outline. A common outline in APA format for a review looks like this:

I. Introduction: topic, scope and purpose
II. Theme 1: what studies agree on
III. Theme 2: where studies disagree
IV. Theme 3: methods and their limits
V. Gaps in the research
VI. Conclusion and directions for future work

Under each theme, list two or more sources with their APA citations, so you can see where the evidence is thin before you start writing.

A good outline in APA format becomes the skeleton of your paper. Your Roman numeral sections usually turn into Level 1 headings, and capital-letter subpoints into Level 2 headings. The outline numbers themselves disappear: APA headings are not numbered or lettered.

Don't label the introduction

APA doesn't use an "Introduction" heading. The paper's title, repeated in bold at the top of the first page of text, does that job. The guide to APA format guidelines shows all five heading levels, and if your paper includes data, the guide to APA table format covers tables.

Both programs can number the levels of an APA outline format automatically, so the levels stay in order when you move points around.

Microsoft Word

1. On the Home tab, open the Multilevel List menu and choose a style that starts with I., A., 1. If none fits, choose Define New Multilevel List and set the number style for each level.
2. Type a main point and press Enter for the next line.
3. Press Tab to move a line down a level and Shift + Tab to move it back up.
4. Set line spacing to 2.0 under Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing.

Google Docs

1. Click the Numbered list arrow in the toolbar, or go to Format > Bullets & numbering > Numbered list, and pick a style with Roman numerals and letters, or set one in List options.
2. Use Tab and Shift + Tab to change levels.
3. Set Format > Line & paragraph spacing to Double.
4. Add a page number with Insert > Page elements > Page number.

Decimal numbering

Word can show 1.1 and 1.1.1 with a multilevel list style that uses decimals. In Google Docs, the built-in list styles may not include full decimal numbering, so some students type the numbers by hand.

These are the problems instructors mention most when they grade an outline in APA format.

Calling a convention a rule

Don't tell a classmate that APA requires Roman numerals. It doesn't; the numbering is a convention. Your instructor's prompt is the real rule.

One subpoint under a heading

If you have an A, many writing guides say you should also have a B. A single subpoint usually belongs in the line above.

Uneven detail

Some sections get six subpoints and others none. Balance the outline so each main point has roughly equal support.

No sources

Outlines for research papers should show where your evidence comes from. Add the in-text citation next to each piece of evidence, and list the full references at the end.

Forgetting the page format

An outline in APA format still needs the page settings: double spacing (unless your instructor accepts single), 1-inch margins, one font and a page number.

Once your outline is approved, write one paragraph per lowest-level point, turn the Roman numeral sections into headings, and add each citation as you go. Use the free Essay Outline Generator to restructure a plan quickly, then come back to this guide to set the APA outline format before you submit.

When the paper is done, the APA citation generator formats the reference list. If you also write in MLA for an English class, the guide to the MLA heading shows that style's first page, and you can browse every topic on the student writing guides page.