The American Psychological Association (APA) style is commonly used for medical research papers. Proper APA formatting is essential for a research paper to be taken seriously by medical professionals and for publication. Here are the key components of an APA formatted medical research paper.
Title Page
The title page should contain a running head, title, author name, and institutional affiliation. Align the running head flush left in all capital letters. Below this, center the full title in title case (only the first letter of the first word capitalized unless it is a proper noun/name). Below the title, center the byline, which lists the author’s name. Finally, center the institutional affiliation (e.g. name of medical school or hospital).
Abstract
The abstract immediately follows the title page. The heading “Abstract” should be centered and not bolded, underlined or italicized. The abstract is a single paragraph, no longer than 250 words, that briefly describes the purpose, methods, results and conclusions of the research study. It allows readers to quickly review the key elements of the paper.
Introduction
The introduction section opens with the heading “Introduction” centered without formatting. Introduce the research topic and provide necessary background information to orient the reader. Explain why the research study was conducted, describe gaps or limitations in previous research, and explain how your study addresses these issues. End with a clear thesis statement that explains the purpose and goals of the study.
Method
The methods section details how the study was conducted so that other researchers can potentially replicate it. The heading “Method” is centered without formatting. Begin with participants, design and setting descriptions. Provide information on the number of participants, how they were selected and any relevant demographic data. Explain the research design, procedures and measures that were used. Discuss the Independent and Dependent variables. Include Institutional Review Board or ethics approval information.
Results
The “Results” heading is centered without formatting. Present the study findings in a logical sequence using complete sentences and paragraphs. Report descriptive or inferential statistics as appropriate and explain the meaning of the statistical results. Do not interpret the results or compare them to other studies. Display statistical results in-text or in tables and figures, which are each on a separate page. Figures are not included in the overall character count limit.
Discussion
The “Discussion” heading is centered without formatting. First, summarize the main results and relate them to the study objectives. Interpret the findings and explain whether they support or contradict prior research. Discuss limitations and explain how it may have affected the results. Suggest future research directions based on the study findings and limitations. Conclude by considering implications of the findings for medical science and clinical practice.
References
The “References” heading is centered without formatting. Include a reference list of all sources cited in the paper. Only include works that are actually cited in-text and do not include any uncited works. List references alphabetically by authors’ last names without formatting. For more than one work by an author, list works chronologically by publication date. See the 7th edition of the APA manual for the proper reference format for different types of sources like journal articles, books, websites, etc.
The APA formatting guidelines ensure medical research papers are consistently presented which facilitates sharing of the scientific knowledge. Key elements like running heads, section headings and in-text citations provide readers with structure and context. Uniform reference lists document the sources of facts and ideas, allowing for verification and further exploration. Following these standards can help researchers effectively communicate their contributions to further advancing medical science and practice