A running head is an abbreviated version of the title of a paper, and it appears at the top of every page to identify it for readers, especially readers of a print copy of a published article. The running head is only required for professional manuscripts intended for publication, not student papers (unless instructed otherwise) . If a running head is required, it should be typed in all-capital letters and be no more than 50 characters, including spaces and punctuation. The running head should be left-aligned and appear on all pages, including the title page. It is not necessary to put the label "Running head" in front of the title. The running head should be aligned to the left margin of the page header, across from the right-aligned page number. To set up a running head in an APA Style paper, follow these guidelines:

• Type the running head in all-capital letters.
• Ensure the running head is no more than 50 characters, including spaces and punctuation.
• Avoid using abbreviations in the running head; however, the ampersand symbol (&) may be used rather than "and" if desired.
• The running head appears in the same format on every page, including the first page.
• Do not use the label "Running head:" before the running head.
• Align the running head to the left margin of the page header, across from the right-aligned page number.

It is important to note that APA Style does not require student papers to have a running head. However, if an instructor or institution requires a running head for student papers, then it should be included following the same guidelines as for professional manuscripts.