Formatting Issue in Microsoft Word for APA 7th Edition Level 4 and 5 Headings
When formatting Level 4 and Level 5 headings in Ms Word according to the APA 7th Ed guidelines, you can find a common issue: the normal text following the heading does not retain its intended style.



According to APA guidelines, Level 4 and Level 5 headings should:
Fourth Level. A level 4 heading is indented, bold, with internal capitalization, and ends with a period that separates it from the paragraph text.Fifth Level. A level 5 heading is indented, bold, italicized, with internal capitalization, and ends with a period that separates it from the paragraph text.
https://apastyle.apa.org/instruction...etup-guide.pdf

However, in MsWord, applying the heading style often causes the subsequent text to inherit the same formatting (bold and italic), rather than maintaining the "Normal" style.
Note that the NORMAL style only accepts the "Paragraph" style type. Therefore, I created a new "Normal for APA" style and defined "linked (paragraph and character)" as the "Style Type." However, that doesn't work either.
This disrupts document consistency and requires manual adjustments, which can be inefficient and error-prone.

This issue poses challenges for users who need to ensure compliance with APA formatting while maintaining structured and professional documents. A systematic solution is needed to prevent Word from automatically applying the heading style to the following text.

Please your help. With king regards Omar Vega

Hello Omar,

At this time, Word does not have APA 7th. This has been requested for years but does not seem to be a high priority for the designers.
See APA 7th edition (Word).
It is possible to download and add it from another user.

This is a user-to-user support forum. -- You can give feedback TO MICROSOFT designers and decision makers on Microsoft Word or other Microsoft Products using their feedback mechanisms, (not here). (This is a link to directions.)

Styles act in predictable ways, once you know how they work. That is not necessarily simple.

• Tips for Understanding Styles in Word by Shauna Kelly
• Understanding Styles in Microsoft Word
• Word Styles from the beginning – Office Watch

How the the next paragraph works depends greatly on how changes have been made and how the style is set up.


Could you save a sample document with the problem (an excerpt, perhaps, with meaningful text scrambled but with the styles that are causing problems) and attach it here so someone can look at it directly?
Attach a Sample File Demonstrating the Problem - Here's How


Some tools that can help include Reveal Formatting and the Style Inspector.

• Word's Reveal Formatting Codes
• Style Inspector

You can add these to your QAT if you want.

• Styles QAT Add-In (gives you access to many style features regardless of which ribbon tab is displayed)

Thanks Charles

Here a sample document with the problem

Attached Files

APA Formating Issue.docx (44.8 KB, 5 views)

It is not possible to achieve the results you want automatically. You need to apply changes manually, either by applying a linked style, or by using the style separator (see Use Style Separators with Level 3, 4 and 5 Heading Styles)

Take a look at Why Use Word's Built-In Heading Styles? by Shauna Kelly.

Your Titulo 4 paragraph uses the Heading 5 style, not 4.

Your Heading 5 style is set to be followed by the custom Normal Car style, which is what you get when you press Enter at the end of the paragraph.


Your Heading 4 style is based on the Normal style and set to be followed by the Normal style.

You can create separate custom styles to follow your different headings and modify those styles to suit what you need.


My free Add-In may help you deal with styles and formatting better by placing controls in your QAT.
Styles QAT Add-In (gives you access to many style features regardless of which ribbon tab is displayed)
StylesQATAdd-In05.png
Buttons from left to right:
[Quick] Styles Gallery | Legacy Drop-Down Menu | Styles Pane | Styles Organizer | Style Inspector | Style Separator | [Quick] Style Sets Gallery | Reveal Formatting

For level 4 and 5, to have following text on the same line, but in a different paragraph style, you would want to use a Style Separator.