The second page of an APA formatted research paper is where things begin to differ slightly from the title page. While the title page has a very specific format prescribed by APA style, the second and subsequent pages involve some consistent elements as well as incorporating the content of your paper. Let’s break down what should be included on the second page and beyond in your research paper according to APA style guidelines.
The header is one of the elements that remains consistent on every page. The header is simply a shortened version of your paper’s title, all caps, and flushed left at the top of each page. The header should not exceed 50 characters including spacing. This shortened header title allows readers to easily identify your paper’s content as they scroll through longer manuscripts or published works.
Unlike the title page which omits a running head, the second page header should contain the shortened title followed by a page number flushed right. The running head identifying line is not included on subsequent pages the way it would be on a title page. So on the second page the header simply contains “SHORTENED TITLE” flushed left and “2” flushed right without any other text or labeling for the running head. This quick and consistent identification at the top of each page is important for navigating longer works.
Below the header on the second page is where you would begin including the content and body of your research paper. No additional text of any kind should precede the body paragraphs on page two or beyond. The second page body text immediately follows the page header with no extra spacing or text. Here you would pick up where you left off from the first page with the introduction, literature review, or other initial sections.
Some key formatting aspects to keep in mind within the body paragraphs on subsequent pages include:
Body text is double spaced throughout with no extra empty lines between paragraphs. Each new paragraph is indented five spaces using the tab button.
In-text or parenthetical citations occur after any quoted or paraphrased information and consist of the author’s last name, year of publication, and page number if relevant – (Smith, 2020, p. 17). These are included within or at the end of the sentence.
Direct quotes that are over 40 words in length are formatted as a block quotation and indented half an inch from the body text on both the left and right margins without quotation marks.
Headings style levels (e.g. Level 2, Level 3) specified in the paper’s outline are used to organize lengthy sections and must be flush left, bolded, and with one empty line of spacing above and below.
Any tables, figures, or images are inserted in the text near where they are first mentioned and consist of a number (e.g. Table 1) and title flush left above. The actual visual content is placed below centered underneath the title.
References are listed on a separate page at the end of the document titled “References” centered and not bolded. Reference entries are formatted with a hanging indent and double spaced like body text.
Other aspects of APA formatting remain consistent on the second page and beyond such as one inch margins all around, 10-12 point Times New Roman font, and page numbers positioned at the top right corner half an inch from the top. While citations, headings, figures, and references may change content from page to page, the formatting rules stay the same in order to maintain consistency and logical flow for readers through the entirety of your work.
Some other key things to keep in mind with subsequent APA pages include avoiding widows and orphans (having the first/last lines of a paragraph appearing alone at the top/bottom of a page), breaking up especially long paragraphs into multiple shorter ones for readability, and using section breaks or page breaks when shifting to a new major part in your paper such as transitioning from the literature review to the methodology.
Always check that text is flush left with no spaces at the beginning or end of paragraphs. Word can sometimes introduce unintended spacings while formatting so it’s important to proofread carefully. Also verify that any tables, figures, or images inserted in your document have their captions positioned flush left with the visual content below centered as specified in APA formatting rules. Caption wording and numbering should match identically between the in-text insertion location and actual visual element for clarity.
With consistency in properly implementing these APA elements on the second and subsequent pages of a research paper, the logical and standardized flow of information will be maintained throughout the manuscript. This establishes the writer as having command of academic formatting protocol while also creating an organized written work that enhances readability and supports effective communication of content for the intended scholarly audience and purpose. Maintaining identical formatting throughout lends credibility and professionalism to student papers or published reports in journals adopting these style guidelines.