The American Psychological Association (APA) style guide is commonly used for writing research papers in social science disciplines like psychology, sociology, education, political science, business, and criminology. Papers formatted according to APA style include key structural and formatting elements. While specific requirements may vary depending on the assignment or source of the guidelines, typical APA research paper sections and their order include:
Title Page: The title page should contain a running head (a shortened version of the main title in all caps that displays on each page of the paper), the full title of the research in title case (capitalizing only the first letter of the first word of the title and subtitle, if applicable), the author’s name, and the institutional affiliation. The page number for the title page is page 1, but the number is not physically displayed on the page.
Abstract: The abstract is a short summary of the entire paper, typically ranging between 150-250 words. It briefly describes the problem or issue being addressed, how the study was carried out, the main results or findings, and the primary conclusions. The running head and page number are displayed on this page.
Introduction: The introduction section introduces the general topic or problem addressed in the paper. It includes a thesis statement conveying the overall purpose or main point of the paper. Background information is provided on the key issues and relevant previous research to establish context and significance. The introduction ends with an explicit statement of the goal or purpose of the presented study.
Method: The method section describes in detail how the presented study was conducted or executed. It typically includes subsections addressing the research design, participants, materials or equipment used, procedures followed, and type of analysis used. Enough information is provided to allow for replication of the study. Ethical considerations are also addressed.
Results: The results section presents the analysis and findings of the study without interpretation. Tables and figures are embedded in the text and included when appropriate to display statistical results. Information and data are arranged in a logical sequence.
Discussion: In the discussion section, the implications and importance of the results are addressed. The results are interpreted and explained in relation to the original research questions or hypotheses and prior literature. The discussion section also considers limitations of the study, implications for future research, and practical applications or recommendations based on the findings and conclusions.
References: A references page displays all sources cited in the body of the paper formatted according to APA style. Only sources directly referred to in the manuscript are included. All references are arranged alphabetically by the first author’s surname. More recent changes to the 7th edition of APA style also require a references list instead of a bibliography.
Additional Sections: While the above sections form the typical core components of an APA research paper, individual assignments or disciplines may require some variation or additional sections. For example, in a thesis or dissertation longer works may include subsections or an additional chapter reviewing literature. Empirical studies may also include appendices displaying supplemental materials like questionnaires, interview protocols, or raw data.
APA specifies exact formatting rules for things like citations, reference list entries, page headers, tables and figures, headings, abbreviations, numbers and statistics, bias-free language, and other elements of academic writing. Key formatting guidelines to keep in mind include:
Double spaced paragraphs throughout manuscript with no extra spaces between paragraphs or sections.
1-inch margins on all sides of 8.5 x 11 inch page size.
12-point Times New Roman or similar font preferred.
Citations embedded in text include author(s) last name(s) and year of publication in parentheses.
In-text citations include page or paragraph number when referencing a direct quote with 40 words or more.
Reference list includes hanging indent layout for each reference with a uniform style.
Page numbers display in upper right header for all pages beginning with title page.
Section headings are centered, boldfaced, and title case in levels using top-level, second-level, etc. formatting.
Tables and figures are embedded close to first text reference instead of separately listed at end.
Writing style is concise, clear, and formal objective academic language avoiding bias, slang terms, contractions, or personal pronouns when possible.
Maintaining consistent and accurate APA formatting helps ensure research papers and manuscripts are presented in a clear, logical way that facilitates review. Adhering to essay structure, reference, and style guidelines of the publication or academic department requirements is key to successful APA research paper writing and formatting.