The fundamental rule for margins in APA Style (7th edition) is consistent and simple: every side of the page—top, bottom, left, and right—must have a 1-inch (2.54 cm) margin. While many word processors default to these settings, certain academic requirements or document types, such as dissertations intended for binding, may necessitate adjustments.

Maintaining the correct margins is not merely a matter of following arbitrary rules; it ensures readability, provides space for instructor feedback, and maintains a professional aesthetic required for academic publishing.

Standard APA Margin Requirements

According to the American Psychological Association (APA) Publication Manual, 7th Edition, the page setup must be uniform throughout the entire document. This includes the title page, the abstract (if required), the main body of the text, tables, figures, and the reference list.

  • Top Margin: 1 inch (2.54 cm)
  • Bottom Margin: 1 inch (2.54 cm)
  • Left Margin: 1 inch (2.54 cm)
  • Right Margin: 1 inch (2.54 cm)

The text should be left-aligned, leaving the right margin "ragged" or uneven. Do not use full justification (where text is stretched to touch both the left and right margins), as this creates irregular spacing between words and can impair reading speed.

Page Size Considerations

Margins are dependent on the paper size. In the United States and Canada, the standard is Letter size paper (8.5 x 11 inches). If you are using A4 paper (8.27 x 11.69 inches), which is common in Europe and other regions, you must still ensure that the 1-inch margin is maintained on all four sides. When converting a document from Letter to A4, always double-check your margins, as the change in paper dimensions can sometimes cause software to automatically adjust margin widths.

Setting APA Margins in Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word is the most common tool for academic writing. While the "Normal" margin setting is usually 1 inch on all sides, it is essential to verify this before submission.

How to Apply Margins on Windows

  1. Open your document and click on the Layout tab in the top ribbon.
  2. Click the Margins button located in the Page Setup group.
  3. Ensure Normal is selected (which shows 1" for Top, Bottom, Left, and Right).
  4. If you need to verify specific measurements, click Custom Margins at the bottom of the dropdown menu.
  5. In the Page Setup dialog box, confirm the settings under the "Margins" tab. Ensure the "Gutter" is set to 0 to avoid adding extra space to the left margin unless specifically requested for binding.
  6. Set the "Apply to" option to Whole document.

How to Apply Margins on macOS

  1. Navigate to the Layout tab.
  2. Select Margins.
  3. Choose Normal.
  4. Alternatively, go to the top menu bar, select Format > Document, and enter 1" in the Top, Bottom, Left, and Right boxes.

In our experience, students often accidentally enable "Mirror Margins," which is intended for double-sided printing in books. Ensure that the "Pages" dropdown in the Page Setup dialog is set to "Normal" rather than "Mirror margins" to keep the 1-inch standard consistent on every single page.

How to Configure APA Margins in Google Docs

Google Docs has become a staple for collaborative academic work. Its default settings generally align with APA standards, but it is easy to confirm or adjust them.

  1. Open your Google Doc.
  2. Go to the File menu and select Page setup.
  3. In the dialog box, ensure the "Apply to" setting is set to Whole document.
  4. Under Margins (inches), set Top, Bottom, Left, and Right to 1.
  5. If your account is set to a region that uses the metric system, enter 2.54 for each field.
  6. Click OK.

You can also click Set as default in this menu. This is highly recommended for students who primarily write in APA Style, as it ensures every new document you create will automatically feature the correct 1-inch margins.

The Relationship Between Margins and Headers

A common point of confusion is whether the page header (which contains the page number and, for professional papers, the running head) is part of the 1-inch margin.

The APA Style guidelines specify that the page number should appear in the top right corner of the header. The header itself sits within the 1-inch top margin. Specifically:

  • The top edge of the page header should be approximately 0.5 inches from the top of the page.
  • The first line of text in the body of the paper begins at the 1-inch mark from the top.

This means that the 1-inch margin is the "safe zone" where the main body text does not enter, but the page numbering system resides inside that space to maximize the usable area of the page.

Running Heads in APA 7th Edition

In the 7th edition, student papers typically do not require a running head unless instructed otherwise by a professor. Only professional manuscripts intended for publication require a running head (an abbreviated version of the paper title in all caps) in the header, flush left, alongside the page number, which is flush right. Regardless of whether a running head is present, the 1-inch margin remains unchanged.

Internal Margins: Indentation and Paragraph Alignment

While the outer margins are fixed at 1 inch, APA Style uses "internal margins" in the form of indentations to structure the hierarchy of the text.

Paragraph Indentation

The first line of every paragraph in the body of the paper should be indented 0.5 inches from the left margin.

  • Use the Tab key or the paragraph formatting function in your word processor.
  • Do not use the space bar to create indents, as this leads to inconsistent alignment.

Block Quotations

If you are quoting more than 40 words, you must use a block quotation. Block quotations have different margin rules:

  1. Start the quotation on a new line.
  2. Indent the entire block 0.5 inches from the left margin.
  3. The right margin remains at 1 inch (do not indent the right side).
  4. If the block quotation contains multiple paragraphs, the first line of the second and subsequent paragraphs should be indented an additional 0.5 inches (totaling 1 inch from the left margin).

Reference List Hanging Indents

The reference list at the end of the paper also utilizes a unique margin structure called a hanging indent.

  • The first line of each reference entry is flush with the 1-inch left margin.
  • All subsequent lines of the same entry are indented 0.5 inches from the left margin. This allows the reader to easily scan the alphabetical list of authors.

Exceptions for Dissertations and Theses

While the standard APA margin is 1 inch, the APA Manual explicitly states that institutional requirements take precedence. If you are writing a dissertation or a master's thesis, your university's graduate school may have specific "binding margins."

Usually, this involves increasing the left margin to 1.5 inches. This extra half-inch accommodates the physical binding process, ensuring that the text is not "swallowed" by the spine of the book when it is opened. Always consult your university’s specific style guide before finalizing your document setup for a thesis.

Common Margin Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even with simple rules, errors occur. Based on our review of academic submissions, here are the most frequent margin-related mistakes:

  1. Gutter Margins: Some users accidentally add a "gutter" margin in Word. A gutter adds extra space to the side of the page to allow for binding. If your left margin looks wider than your right margin, check your Page Setup and ensure the Gutter is set to 0.
  2. Section Break Errors: If you insert a section break (e.g., to change page orientation for a large table), Word may reset the margins for only that specific section. Always select "Apply to: Whole Document" when checking your margins.
  3. Visual "Inflation": Some students attempt to increase margins to 1.25 inches to make a paper appear longer to meet page count requirements. Professors are highly trained to recognize these visual discrepancies. Always stick to the 1-inch standard to maintain academic integrity.
  4. Extra Spacing After Paragraphs: While not strictly a "margin" issue, adding extra blank lines between paragraphs can distort the visual margin of the page. APA Style requires double-spacing throughout with no extra lines between paragraphs.

Summary of APA Margin Rules

Element Requirement
Top Margin 1 inch (2.54 cm)
Bottom Margin 1 inch (2.54 cm)
Left Margin 1 inch (2.54 cm)
Right Margin 1 inch (2.54 cm)
Paragraph Indent 0.5 inches from the left margin
Block Quote Indent 0.5 inches for the whole block
Reference Indent 0.5-inch hanging indent
Header Position 0.5 inches from the top edge (inside the margin)

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the margins for APA 7th edition?

The margins for APA 7th edition are 1 inch on all four sides of the page. This applies to every page in the document, including the title page and the references list.

Can I use 1.25-inch margins for APA?

No, the standard APA margin is 1 inch. While older versions of Word sometimes defaulted to 1.25 inches, the current APA 7th edition guidelines require exactly 1 inch. Only follow different measurements if specifically instructed by your university or professor.

How do I set 1-inch margins in Microsoft Word?

Go to the Layout tab, click Margins, and select Normal. This will automatically set all four sides to 1 inch.

Does the page number count as being in the margin?

Yes, the page number is located in the header, which sits within the top 1-inch margin area. The actual body text starts exactly 1 inch from the top of the paper.

Are margins different for student and professional papers in APA?

No, the margin requirements are identical for both student and professional papers. Both must use 1-inch margins on all sides.

How do I fix margins that are only changing on one page?

This usually happens because of a section break. To fix it, go to Layout > Margins > Custom Margins, set all sides to 1 inch, and ensure "Apply to" is set to "Whole document" before clicking OK.

Should I use a gutter margin for my APA paper?

In most cases, no. A gutter margin should only be used if you are preparing a document for physical binding, such as a formal thesis. For standard class assignments, set the gutter to 0.

By adhering to these margin guidelines, you ensure your paper meets the professional standards of the American Psychological Association. Proper formatting allows the focus to remain on your research and ideas rather than the layout of the page. Always perform a final "Print Preview" check before submitting to ensure that no software glitches have altered your 1-inch boundaries.