How to Write a Paper in APA Format
Last updated
Last updated
The is a set of citation and formatting guidelines developed by the , or APA. These guidelines are documented in the "Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association" and are used by students and professionals in a variety of disciplines, including business, economics, nursing, and, of course, psychology. It also provides fairly comprehensive guidelines for an about how to order, structure, and format a paper, as well as practical writing and grammar tips.
If you’ve never written an APA paper before, the formatting rules and guidelines can seem daunting and difficult at first. You might be used to writing papers in another format such as MLA or Chicago style, so it might take some time to get the hang of writing in APA format. You can also take help from sites like . Familiarizing yourself with some of the basics is a great place to start.
Although your instructor, institution, or publisher may have other specific formatting requirements for you to follow, there are some general guidelines you should know. These include:
Paper size: Use standard, white, 8.5 x 11–inch paper.
Margins: Set page margins to 1-inch on all sides.
Line spacing: Type and double-space your paper. Do not add extra space before or after paragraphs.
Font: A variety of accessible fonts are allowed. Acceptable choices include sans serif fonts (such as 11-point Calibri and 11-point Arial) and serif fonts (such as 12-point Times New Roman).
Page header: The page header appears within the top margin of every page of the paper. For student papers, the page header only consists of the page number, which is located in the top right corner of each page. Professional paper headers consist of the page number and running head (top left corner).
The exact structure of your paper will vary somewhat depending upon the type of paper you have been asked to write. For example, a might be structured a bit differently than a or . Sometimes submitting a manuscript for publication in a journal can be even more complex because each study type and journal has its own format you must adhere to. But no matter what type of APA paper you are writing, you should include four key sections: a title page, an abstract, the main body of the paper, and a reference section.
The title page should include the following components:
Title of the paper
Names of all authors
Institutional affiliations
Author's note and running head
Course number and name, instructor name, and assignment due date (for student papers only)
An APA abstract is found on its own page, directly after the title page. It usually includes the following major aspects of your paper:
The overall purpose of your paper
Clearly stated hypotheses
Information regarding the method and participants
Main findings
Conclusions
Implications/significance of your findings
Most professional papers that are submitted for publication require an abstract, but abstracts are usually not required for student papers. If you are not sure, please ask your instructor if an abstract is required for your paper.
Check with your instructor or publication guidelines for more specific information on what to include in the main body of your APA paper.
The first line of each reference should be flush left, with additional lines of the reference indented.
All references should be double-spaced.
All references should be listed alphabetically by the last name of the first author.
Any books or materials written by the same author(s) should be listed in chronological order from oldest to most recent
Use whatever capitalization and punctuation are used by the source, even if not "standard."
Book titles and journal titles should be italicized.
The first line of each reference should be flush left, with additional lines of the reference indented.
All references should be double-spaced.
All references should be listed alphabetically by the last name of the first author.
Any books or materials written by the same author(s) should be listed in chronological order from oldest to most recent
Use whatever capitalization and punctuation are used by the source, even if not "standard."
Book titles and journal titles should be italicized.
Writing your first APA format paper can be a little intimidating, but learning some of the basic rules of APA style can help. Always remember, however, to consult the directions provided by your instructor or publication.
Useful Links:
The is the cover page of your APA format paper. As its name suggests, the goal of the title page is to present the title. This is where you can inform and engage your reader without being too wordy. You can also find support from an .
The is a brief (around 150 to 250 words) but comprehensive summary of your paper. This summary helps your reader decide whether it is worth their time to read the rest of the paper. If you need assistance, contact an .
The exact format of this section can vary depending upon the type of paper you are writing. For example, if you are writing a lab report, the main body will include an , a , a , and a discussion section.
The is where you provide detailed information about all the references you used throughout your paper. This section should begin on a new page, with the word “References” centered at the very top of the page. Referencing your APA paper can be difficult, you can get samples about how to add references in APA format by any service.
The is where you provide detailed information about all the references you used throughout your paper. This section should begin on a new page, with the word “References” centered at the very top of the page.
The APA also offers for students who need accommodations for a disability. This includes changes to aspects of a paper including typography, headings, URLs, and the use of color.
