How to Format an APA Paper

Academic Writing Style Guide

What is “Referencing Style” and Why You Need It?

In most cases, academic writing depends significantly on the formatting and citation of the sources and the ideas extracted from other scholars’ works. A referencing style is crucial and necessary, as it promotes uniformity in the whole paper and may be mandatory in your academic institution. Any student is aware that it is always important to cite the references properly if one is trying to secure a good grade for the paper or essay in question.

The APA style of writing is one of the most commonly used referencing styles in disciplines such as Psychology, Sociology, Business, and Education. It is also known as the author-date method since it involves citing the author of the source and the date it was published within the text. The sources are also listed at the end of the paper.

This guide aims to help students access credible information to answer the “What is APA format?” question in detail. However, students should always check the specific rules and regulations with their teachers or colleagues before writing an essay.

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Everything You Need to Know About APA Format

The APA style is revised periodically, and the most up-to-date norms are found in the 6th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Several fields of study where the APA style is frequently applied include psychological, social science, education, and business fields.

What is the importance of referencing styles such as APA in academic institutions? Here are three key reasons:

Professional Presentation:

Proper citation of the ideas borrowed from authors makes a difference in that it enhances professionalism in writing by adding a particular finish to the overall document.

Clear Communication:

The APA citation format also helps the reader follow some sources while maintaining continuity and interrupting the flow of the information you present in your essay, which enables the provision of precise details in a highly concise manner.

Plagiarism Prevention:

In this way, if you intend to incorporate an author’s ideas into your project, you should cite the author properly to eliminate the potential of plagiarism. Please do so to avoid severe consequences, such as receiving a failing grade in the given assignment or the entire course and struggling with originality. You should try applying for APA writing services with us.

Therefore, proper citation helps avoid plagiarism and strengthens the body of your arguments in the essay.

General APA Format Rules: From Formatting to Proper References

Essential tips and guidelines for APA writing include the following aspects of creating papers: Professors who go through multiple papers can quickly identify documents that do not use APA format correctly, meaning proper spacing, margins, font size, and headings should always be followed.

• Text Formatting:

Properly space your text and ensure that you use 1-inch margins. A wide margin helps provide feedback and possible corrections. The font of choice is Times New Roman, and the chosen font size is 12.

• Structure of an APA Paper:

Every APA paper follows a similar structure, typically including:

The specific sections in your paper will depend on your assignment requirements and the arguments you wish to present. However, it is essential to note that these five components are crucial in any APA format paper. Now, let us discuss these parts in greater depth for better understanding.

Cover Page for an APA Style Paper

The cover page is the first and may be the only page a reader comes across before reading your work. Some universities may have guidelines for this or offer specific templates, so consult your department.

An APA title page typically includes the following:

• A running head is a shortened version of the paper’s title that should appear at the top of every page.
• The title of the paper
• Your name
• Your affiliation with an institution
• The page number

First of all, let us define what the Running Head is and where it should be placed in the work:

Some institutions demand that there should be a running head on each page. The running head is the abbreviated version of the paper’s title and should be placed on the cover page. Another thing that most students do wrong is they forget to put the running head on the title page.

The running head cannot be more than 50 characters, including spaces, so the title has to be shortened in the aforementioned manner.

APA Headings and Subheadings: Levels of Division

This heading format follows the APA heading style, subdividing the text into sections based on headings and subheadings. APA has five heading levels, each with precise formatting requirements. Thus, it is possible to notice that every section is divided into smaller subsections with the help of subheadings to make reading more accessible.

Heading Level Styles:

Examples of APA Headings

For instance, in a paper discussing the use of APA in academic writing, your headings might look like this:

Heading 1:
What is APA and How to Use It
(APA is a widely used citation style in the social sciences…)

Heading 2:
History of APA
(The APA referencing style was first introduced…)

Heading 3:
In-text Citations for Books
(When citing a book in APA format, you should…)

Heading 4:
In-text Citations for Online News Articles
(When citing online news articles, make sure to include…)

Preparing a Proper APA Outline

An outline is a brief structure of your text that serves two purposes:

1. To the writer, it clarifies how to approach the task and how best to plan the workload.
2. It enables the reader to know the essential aspects that will be highlighted.

In this way, a correctly developed outline minimizes confusion and ensures the text’s structure remains clear. Here’s an example of an outline for an APA-format paper:

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Introduction to APA

General Rules of APA:

a. Title Page

b. Headings

c. Citations

Critical Components of an APA Paper:

a. Abstract

b. Main Body

c. Conclusion

Examples of APA Style Papers

What Is an APA Abstract?

An abstract is a brief summary of your paper, which should not be more than 250 words, although 150 words is recommended. This structure should include an introduction to the research question, an overview of the study’s methods, major results, and the overall conclusion. An abstract is valuable since it enables readers to get a gist of your paper without the need to read the entire paper.

Place the abstract in a separate section on a new page titled “Abstract.” The abstract may not be indented, and this is the only section of the work where the text should not be separated into paragraphs.

Writing the Main Body in APA Format

The main body contains the information, arguments, and analyses which support the thesis statement and objective of the given paper. They usually consist of four main sections: introduction, methods, results, and discussion or conclusion.

All segments are marked by meaningful titles, which contribute to the division of the material. For instance, in a policy report, sections may consist of a review of the policy framework, considerations of policy issues, and the study’s policy conclusion.

Here are two examples of APA paper structures for different disciplines:

Example 1: Quantitative Research Paper

• Introduction: Contraceptive use and its effectiveness on the rate of HIV transmission.
• Methods: HIV and contraception Regression analysis of HIV and conception statistics in developing countries.
• Results: High levels of condom use and increased contraceptive usage may help lower the incidence of HIV infection.
• Discussion: Understanding how contraceptives reduce HIV prevalence in some countries.

Example 2: Policy Report of Political Science

• Introduction: The social impacts of excessive drinking.
• Policy Framework: An evaluation of strategies that have been implemented in other countries to address the issue of alcoholism.
• Analysis: What policies are most likely to succeed in country X?
• Recommendations: Of the two strategies under consideration, Approach A is the most appropriate for tackling alcohol consumption.

Writing a research paper involves adhering to specific writing guidelines, known as format, and APA format is one of the most commonly used formats today.

Here’s a quick guide on how to format your paper in APA:

Paper Formatting:

• It is recommended that one use a standard writing paper size of 8.5 x 11 inches with one-inch margins on all sides.
• Choose a font that is easy to read, like Times New Roman, preferably size 12.

Title Page:

• Add a running head and page number.
• Align the title, author, and affiliations at the centre of the page.

Abstract:

• Begin on a new page.
• Provide a summary of your paper in 150–250 words.

Body:

• Use sections such as Introduction, Procedure/Methodology and Results/Findings.
• Be straightforward, as it is better to avoid idiomatic expressions or colloquialisms if you are still determining the general understanding of such terms.

Citations:

• Include in-text citations written in the author and the year format.
• Finally, include a References page after writing the term paper.

Tables and Figures:

• When numbering them, make sure to do so continuously and also give clear headings to each one.
• State how each fits into the text.

Some of the essential guides when writing in APA include the following:

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