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Why do we use APA? We use APA because it is a standardized form of writing that enforces uniformity and consistency, and following the standards allows students and professionals to present ideas while crediting published sources.
Rules for handling works by a single author or multiple authors that apply to all APA-style references in your reference list, regardless of the type of work (book, article, electronic resource, etc.)
- Basic Setup
- Title Page Setup
- Text Setup
- Tables and Figures Setup
- Reference List Setup
- Final Checks
- About The Author
The guidelines for basic setup apply to the entire paper. Perform these steps when you first open your document, and then you do not have to worry about them again while writing your paper. Because these are general aspects of paper formatting, they apply to all APA Style papers, student or professional. Students should always check with their assi...
Title page elements
APA Style has two title page formats: student and professional (for details, see title page setup). Unless instructed otherwise, students should use the student title page format and include the following elements, in the order listed, on the title page: 1. Paper title. 2. Name of each author (also known as the byline). 3. Affiliation for each author. 4. Course number and name. 5. Instructor name. 6. Assignment due date. 7. Page number 1 in the top right corner of the page header. The format...
Title page line spacing
Double-space the whole title page. Place the paper title three or four lines down from the top of the page. Add an extra double-spaced blank like between the paper title and the byline. Then, list the other title page elements on separate lines, without extra lines in between.
Title page alignment
Center all title page elements (except the right-aligned page number in the header).
Text elements
Repeat the paper title at the top of the first page of text. Begin the paper with an introduction to provide background on the topic, cite related studies, and contextualize the paper. Use descriptive headings to identify other sections as needed (e.g., Method, Results, Discussion for quantitative research papers). Sections and headings vary depending on the paper type and its complexity. Text can include tables and figures, block quotations, headings, and footnotes.
Text line spacing
Double-space all text, including headings and section labels, paragraphs of text, and block quotations.
Text alignment
Center the paper title on the first line of the text. Indent the first line of all paragraphs 0.5-in. Left-align the text. Leave the right margin ragged.
Tables and figures are only included in student papers if needed for the assignment. Tables and figures share the same elements and layout. See the website for sample tables and sample figures.
Reference list elements
The reference list consists of the “References” section label and the alphabetical list of references. View reference examples on the APA Style website. Consult Chapter 10 in both the Concise Guide and Publication Manualfor even more examples.
Reference list line spacing
Start the reference list at the top of a new page after the text. Double-space the entire reference list (both within and between entries).
Reference list alignment
Center the “References” label. Apply a hanging indent of 0.5-in. to all reference list entries. Create the hanging indent using your word-processing program; do not manually hit the enter and tab keys.
Check page order
1. Start each section on a new page. 2. Arrange pages in the following order: 1. Title page (page 1). 2. Text (starts on page 2). 3. Reference list (starts on a new page after the text).
Check headings
1. Check that headings accurately reflect the content in each section. 2. Start each main section with a Level 1 heading. 3. Use Level 2 headings for subsections of the introduction. 4. Use the same level of heading for sections of equal importance. 5. Avoid having only one subsection within a section (have two or more, or none).
Check assignment instructions
1. Remember that instructors’ guidelines supersede APA Style. 2. Students should check their assignment guidelines or rubric for specific content to include in their papers and to make sure they are meeting assignment requirements.
Hayley S. Kamin, PhD, is a content development manager with the APA Style team of the American Psychological Association. She started working at APA in 2018 and was part the team responsible for writing and updating the seventh edition Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association and Concise Guide to APA Style, contributing her know...
Feb 8, 2023 · Below, we explain everything you need to know about how to write a paper in APA, including formatting guidelines, style choices like whether to use the Oxford comma, and how to cite sources. We also give plenty of APA citation examples.
Nov 6, 2020 · APA provides guidelines for formatting the references as well as the page itself. Creating APA Style references. Play around with the Scribbr Citation Example Generator below to learn about the APA reference format of the most common source types or generate APA citations for free with Scribbr’s APA Citation Generator.
A process analysis essay explains how to do something, how something works, or both. The process analysis essay opens with a discussion of the process and a thesis statement that states the outcome of the process.
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This resource, revised according to the 6th edition, second printing of the APA manual, offers examples for the general format of APA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the reference page.