Special section headers like “References” and “Appendices” in a paper should be centered, with the title word bolded. In cases where block quotes include multiple paragraphs, indent the first line of the second, third, and following paragraphs another 0.5 inches (so the first line of these paragraphs is indented one full inch). If you’re including a block quotation, indent the entire quote (not just the first line) 0.5 inches from the left margin.

Instead, the title and related information (like the byline and author affiliations) should be centered on the page. For example, you don’t need to follow these paragraph indent formatting requirements on title pages of professional or student papers. That said, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Create this indentation by using the Tab key on the keyboard, not by using multiple spaces with the keyboard’s space bar. The first line of each paragraph should be indented by one-half inch. The right margin shouldn’t be justified (i.e., it should be left uneven). The American Psychological Association (APA) Styleįor paragraph alignment and indentation, the American Psychological Association (APA) Style Guide recommends aligning the text to the left margin.

How to use first line indent in word