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APA 7th edition does not define a table of contents format. Three college library guides say so directly, and they point to your instructor or graduate school for the rules that apply. This page explains what that means for a student paper, a thesis or dissertation, and a journal manuscript, and how to build a clean table of contents in Word when one is required. Checked against the sources below in November 2026.
Does APA 7 require a table of contents?
No. APA 7th edition gives no formatting rules for a table of contents. The Conestoga College Library guide states that “APA 7th Edition provides no guidelines for formatting a Table of Contents” and explains that the style is used mainly for journal article manuscripts, where tables of contents are not required. St. Catherine University Library puts it as: “APA provides no guidance for creating a table of contents. This is a technical/software issue; not an aspect of APA Style.” Regis College Library says the Publication Manual “does not have an official stance on formatting a Table of Contents page” and that “Most APA papers do not require a Table of Contents (TOC).”
The practical consequence: any indentation, heading levels, dot leaders or page placement you see in an “APA table of contents” example come from an instructor, department or university template, not from the Publication Manual itself.
Purpose of the table of contents
A table of contents lists the headings of a long document with their page numbers so a reader can find a section quickly. That is why it appears in theses, dissertations and other long reports, and why it is usually unnecessary in a short student paper or a journal manuscript. Because APA sets no layout for it, the purpose is served by whatever format your instructor or department asks for.
Who decides: student paper, thesis, or journal manuscript
| Document | Table of contents? | Who sets the format | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical APA student paper | Usually not required | Your instructor | Regis College Library; Conestoga College Library |
| Dissertation or scholarly practice project | You may be asked to include one | Your academic department or its official template | Regis College Library |
| Journal article manuscript | Not required | The journal’s author instructions | Conestoga College Library |
Conestoga’s guide adds that “it is the instructor’s responsibility to make formatting expectations clear to students” and advises you to “always consult your instructor for specific guidelines regarding the Table of Contents for your assignments.” Regis advises checking with your department for an official dissertation template.
Table of contents APA format and the 7th edition
Searches for “table of contents APA format” and “APA table of contents 7th edition” tend to expect a single APA-defined layout. For the 7th edition there is none, so the safe order of authority is: written assignment instructions, then the department or graduate school template, then your own consistent layout built from real heading styles. For the front-matter pages that APA does describe, see title page and APA format page numbers.
Structure: how to build a table of contents in Word
When you are told to include one, an automatic table of contents is easier to keep correct than a typed one. The steps below are from Microsoft Support, “Insert a table of contents” (read November 2026).
- Apply heading styles to the headings you want listed: select the heading text, go to Home, Styles, and choose Heading 1 (or another heading level).
- Click where the table of contents should go.
- Go to References, Table of Contents, and choose an automatic style. Microsoft cautions against the manual styles because Word cannot build those from your headings.
- After you edit headings or move content, right-click the table and choose Update Field (on Mac, Update Table of Contents).
Because the table is generated from heading styles, it reflects whatever heading structure your paper uses. How many heading levels to show is a choice for your instructor or template, not an APA rule. For APA’s own heading levels in the body, see APA format for body paragraphs.
A short annotated example
This is an illustrative layout only, not an APA-defined format. It shows how an automatic table of contents built from heading styles typically reads. Your instructor’s or department’s template overrides it.
Table of Contents
Introduction ........................ 1 (Heading 1)
Method .............................. 3 (Heading 1)
Participants .................... 3 (Heading 2, indented one level)
Procedure ....................... 4 (Heading 2)
Results ............................. 6 (Heading 1)
Discussion .......................... 9 (Heading 1)
References .......................... 12 (Heading 1)
- Each entry is generated from a heading style, so the text and page number update together.
- Indentation reflects heading level; how many levels to show is set by your instructor or template.
- Dot leaders and right-aligned page numbers are Word defaults, not APA requirements.
Common mistakes
- Assuming an example from a library or tutorial is an official APA layout. Those examples are local conventions.
- Typing the entries and page numbers by hand instead of generating them from heading styles, so they drift out of date after edits.
- Choosing Word’s manual table of contents style, which Microsoft notes cannot be built from your headings.
- Adding a table of contents to a journal manuscript, where one is not required.
- Skipping the department template for a thesis or dissertation. See thesis structure and example outline and dissertation page numbers for the surrounding front-matter questions.
Checklist
- Is a table of contents mentioned in the assignment brief or program template? If not, ask before adding one.
- Did you use real heading styles for every heading you want listed?
- Did you insert an automatic table of contents and update the field after your final edit?
- Does the depth of headings listed match what your instructor or template asks for?
- For a journal submission, did you follow the journal’s instructions instead (see manuscript format for journal submission)?
FAQ
What is the APA table of contents format?
APA 7th edition does not specify one. Follow your instructor’s or department’s instructions; if none are given, use an automatic table of contents built from your heading styles.
Does a student paper need a table of contents in APA?
Usually not. Regis College Library states that most APA papers do not require one; ask your instructor if unsure.
Do dissertations need a table of contents?
You may be asked to include one. Regis College Library recommends checking with your academic department for an official dissertation or scholarly practice project template.
Is there an official APA table of contents example?
Not in the Publication Manual’s 7th edition, according to the library guides cited here. Examples online reflect individual institutions’ conventions.
Sources
- Conestoga College Library, “Table of Contents – APA Paper Format” (APA 7th edition): lib.conestogac.on.ca/apa-paper-format/toc, read 2026-11-07.
- St. Catherine University Library, APA Style 7th Edition Resource Guide, Paper Formatting: libguides.stkate.edu/apaguide/paperformatting, read 2026-11-07.
- Regis College Library, Dissertation & SPP Formatting, APA Style 7th edition: libguides.regiscollege.edu/APA7/dissertation, read 2026-11-07.
- Microsoft Support, Insert a table of contents: support.microsoft.com, read 2026-11-07.
