The APA (American Psychological Association) citation style is one of the most widely used citation styles for writing scientific and research papers, especially in psychology, sociology, business, mathematics, economics, nursing, and criminal justice. While this citation style can often be daunting, here are some basic guidelines when you need to write an APA style paper.
Step
Method 1 of 4: General Guide
Step 1. Get a copy of the APA Manual Publications
Copies of these can be found at your local bookstore, library or online. This copy includes detailed information on writing APA style papers and current editions including sections on printing ethics, internet resources, tables and graphs.
There are several different editions – it's better to keep up to date and look for the newest edition; sometimes, the standard changes
Step 2. Check your word processing program for APA templates or citation guides
Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, and EasyOffice have built-in features that automatically set the reference format, endnote, footnote, and citation style based on the APA citation style.
If you're not completely sure that your computer has this format, don't second-guess. You're better off setting the format yourself than hoping that your computer actually has this format
Step 3. Know the format of the script you will write
Formatting your paper in APA citation style means paying attention to mechanical details such as typeface, line spacing, margins and page headings. To get a perfect score in your assignment, you must meet all of these conditions.
- Use a 12-size serif typeface, such as Times New Roman, for your manuscript text. Use a sans serif typeface, such as Arial, for image labels.
- Use double spaces throughout the text. Use double spacing between lines of body text and headings, headings, and block quotes. Use double spacing in reference lists and short descriptions of images.
- Make the lines of each paragraph indent by 1/2 inch (2.54 cm).
- Write the test according to the left margin, making the right margin "uneven".
Step 4. Sort everything properly
Each page should be numbered, in a specific order, and separated from the rest. When you submit your manuscript, the page numbers are sequentially starting from page 1.
- Page 1 is your title page.
- Page 2 is your abstract.
- Page 3 is the beginning of your main text.
- References start on a new page after the main text.
- Each table starts on a new page after the reference.
- Each figure starts on a new page after the table.
- Each appendix starts on a new page.
Method 2 of 4: Title Page
Step 1. Start your title page
Prepare your title page by aligning it, approximately one third from top to bottom. The title should not exceed 12 words. Press " Return " or " Enter " and then type your name. Under your name, enter your university or institution of study.
- All must be double-spaced and centered. Your title must not contain filler words or abbreviations.
- If you have an "Author's Note" section, put it at the bottom of this page. This section may contain information about assistance received or where correspondence should be written.
Step 2. Enter " running head " at the top of your title page
This "head" or running head is a shortened version -- no more than 50 characters -- of your title page. Capital words RUNNING HEAD: [INSERT YOUR TITLE HERE] should appear as headers on the first page and left-aligned.
You need headings on every page. After the title page, do not enter "RUNNING HEAD". Only the title of your work is required. The right-aligned section is the page number in each page
Method 3 of 4: Abstract and Main Body
Step 1. Write your abstract
Abstract must be 150 to 250 words and on a new page. An abstract is a description of your paper that focuses on the objectives, process, results, and conclusions. Abstract must be written on its own page, right after the title page with the heading "Abstract", centered at the top. No need to bold, italicize, or underline.
- Don't forget your header! For this page, the heading is your title and page number.
- In your abstract, be sure to include all additional information: your research topic, questions asked, information about the participants, methods, results, data analysis, and part of your conclusions. You may also find it interesting to include implications; what is the next work on the topic that you feel is very important?
- You may also want to include a list of keywords from your paper in your abstract. Type Keywords: as if it were the beginning of a new paragraph and after that, write down your keyword list. This will allow researchers (or vice versa) to look up material topics about your work in a database.
Step 2. Begin your body of work
In short, this is your paper. The rest is formatting the simple things you need. In this section (on a new page, right after the abstract), enter the same heading and page number, rewrite your title, and begin your work.
- Again, everything must be double-spaced and the paragraph is indented on the first line.
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There are four main sections of the body of the paper in the APA style: introduction, methods, results, and discussion. Give the title of each section in bold, centered; but that doesn't include the introduction – the title of the introduction is the title of your paper, in plain text. Your professor should outline the basics of these sections. Each subject will have different provisions.
- For the method, make Method centered anywhere on the page. Enter Participants, Materials & Procedures, and Correlation (and any appropriate subheadings) as left-aligned and bolded subheadings.
- For the results section, make Results centered anywhere on the page. There is no need to give subheadings or sections.
- For the discussion section, make discussion centered anywhere on the page. There is no need to give subheadings or sections.
Method 4 of 4: References & Tables, etc
Step 1. Arrange your references on a separate page, after the last page of the text
The word "Reference" should be centered at the top. Arrange the entries alphabetically by author's surname. In cases where the names of the authors are not given, arrange the entries according to the first word in the title. A word processing program with built-in APA citation style features will automatically format your references.
Follow the author-date citation style when citing in-text references. This is done by entering the author's last name and year of publication, for example (Smith, 2010), with all references listed in the "References" section
Step 2. Learn how to cite in APA citation style
For different types of sources, there are slightly different rules. Sometimes, the terms change – check with your professor if you need to use the newest terms.
While the APA manual provides many examples of how to cite commonly used types of sources, it does not provide rules on how to cite all types of sources. Thus, if you have a source that doesn't fall under APA, APA recommends that you find an example that most closely resembles your source and use that format
Step 3. Attach any tables, figures or notes
If you have information that supports your work, but it contains too many or too many words, include that information after the pages of your paper. Also, include any tables or graphs that illustrate your research.
Make long explanations a footnote by placing a small number at the top (superscript) just above the text in question. A separate page entitled "Notes" should be added at the end of the paper
Step 4. Review your work
As you reread your finished paper, you should monitor several things: fluency and clarity, punctuation, spelling and structure, and if all APA guidelines have been met. Reread your paper three times, concentrating on a different aspect of each rereader.
Take the stress out of yourself by having a friend read your paper and review your punctuation, spelling, and structure. You only need to think about the format and content of the paper
Tips
- "Running Head" appears only on the title page.
- There are many examples of papers scattered on the internet. If any explanation leaves you confused, just take a sample paper and copy it (from the official website).
