The American Psychological Association (APA) style guide is commonly used for academic papers and journal articles within the social sciences field. For students writing research papers, it’s important to properly format their papers according to APA style guidelines. While APA format can seem intricate, understanding the fundamentals can help students organize their papers correctly and achieve a polished, professional appearance.
To begin, APA style research papers must include four major sections — the title page, abstract, main body, and references page. Students should be sure their papers are double-spaced using 12-point Times New Roman font for the entirety of the document. Each section serves an important purpose and directs the reader through supporting evidence and conclusions reached in the paper.
The Title Page
The title page should contain a running head label, page number, title of the paper, name of the student, and affiliation. The title should be concise but informative and limited to less than 12 words. The page number on the title page is the short version, “Running head:” followed by the abbreviated title in all caps. On subsequent pages, only the shortened title appears in all caps without a running head label.
The Abstract
The abstract provides readers with a short, 150-250 word summary of the key elements in the paper. It should describe the purpose, methodology, results or findings, and conclusions of the paper. Students should avoid first-person pronouns and lengthy literature reviews in the abstract and keep the style concise yet informative. The Abstract appears on page two and is labeled as such centered at the top.
The Main Body
The main body consists of multiple sections ordered as the introduction, method, results, and discussion and/or conclusions. Headings in APA style follow an 8 heading level format but student papers typically use headings 1-3.
Level 1 Center title in title case
Level 2 Left align title in title case
Level 3 Indent and italicize title ending with a period in sentence case
Section content follows consistent paragraph styles containing full sentences and vocabulary appropriate for an academic audience. Results, tables, and figures are properly labeled and referenced in text. Figures and tables are placed at the end of the paper after the reference list.
The References Page
References cited in the text and discussed are listed alphabetically by author’s last name on a new page labeled “References.” This section contains full bibliographic information needed to find each source. APA has specific guidelines for formatting book, journal, website, and various media source citations. Citations should contain the author, year, title, and publication information. Citations are single spaced within each entry and double spaced between entries.
Following APA style formatting guidelines helps students write organized, flowing research papers that adhere to standard practices. Understanding how to construct each section and apply proper heading styles and in-text citations allows students to effectively communicate their research in an academic manner. Consistency is key, so checking references and formatting ensure polished final papers that impress readers in any discipline requiring APA style. With practice, students can master nuances to present research clearly using this widely accepted documentation format.