Headings

APA headings follow a complex hierarchy, with provision
for up to five levels. These come, in descending order, as levels 5, 1, 2, 3, 4.
But, if one, two, or three levels of headings are required in a paper, use
levels 1, 3, and 4, in that order. If four levels are required, interleave level
2 between levels 1 and 3. If five levels are required, start with level five and
work down the remaining hierarchy in order (5, 1, 2, 3, 4). Confused? Most
papers will need no more than three levels. To avoid confusion these are labeled
A, B, and C below (APA levels 1, 3, and 4 respectively) (see APA, 2001, pp.
114ñ115)

 

Level A Headings are Centered and Set in Heading Caps

Level B: Flush with Left Margin, Italicized, Set in Heading
Caps

         Level C headings: Indented, italicized, sentence caps, end
with a period. These headings are sometimes referred to as
paragraph or run-in headings. Although they end with a period (or
other punctuation) they need not be complete sentences or grammatically correct.

 

 

Use headings in the order presented. If you need just two levels, use Level A
and Level B headings. Level A and B headings do not end with punctuation except
to add emphasis with an exclamation point or question mark. Do not begin a paper
with the heading Introduction. It is understood that all papers begin
with an introduction.