APA Style Research Paper Format: An Overview
The American Psychological Association (APA) style format is one of the most widely accepted formats for writing academic papers, particularly in the social sciences. While specific requirements may vary depending on your intended field of study or the professor assigning the paper, an APA research paper typically includes:
A title page with a running head and page number
An abstract
The body of the paper in section headings
A reference list
This paper provides a general overview of some key aspects of APA paper formatting to use as a reference when writing research papers. It’s recommended that you consult the latest APA Publication Manual for thorough and up-to-date rules on formatting.
Title Page
The title page introduces the paper’s topic and provides attribution credits to avoid plagiarism. It includes:
The title of the paper in capital letters, centered near the top of the page
The author’s name
The name of the institution affiliated with the author
Additionally, a shortened version of the title is placed in the header aligned left with the page number aligned right. This running head helps readers easily identify the topic being discussed on subsequent pages. APA recommends the title be no more than 50 characters, including spaces and punctuation.
Abstract
Directly following the title page is the abstract, a 150-250 word summary of the key aspects of your research paper. It concisely communicates the purpose, methodology, results or findings, and implications or conclusions. As theAbstract is rarely more than one paragraph, avoid citing references or using undefined abbreviations within it.
Paper Sections
The body of the paper should be divided into sections by headings in the following order:
Introduction
Provide context and background on your topic and state the specific problem or research question being addressed. End with your thesis statement.
Method
Describe the methodology in sufficient detail that other researchers could understand and potentially replicate your study. Include a description of the participants or materials, procedures, and type of design or analysis used.
Results
Report the statistical analysis and key findings of your study without interpretation. Use tables and figures when appropriate for concise communication.
Discussion
Interpret and analyze the results in context of the research question. Discuss how your findings relate to previous literature and theories, address limitations and implications, suggest future research directions.
Conclusion
Briefly summarize your main findings and conclusions without introducing new information. Restate the overall implications and importance of your study.
References
Citations should be arranged alphabetically by the last name of the first author at the end of the paper. Include all sources referenced in-text and only those sources. Consult the latest APA manual for formatting specific types of sources from books to websites.
Formatting
Follow these general formatting guidelines for APA papers:
Use standard font such as Times New Roman, 12pt size
Double-space all text including headings, block quotes, references
One-inch margins all around
Include page numbers on every page in the header aligned right
Number headings using levels 1-5 in order of importance
Align text left and do not justify or hyphenate
Indent the first line of each paragraph 0.5 inches using the tab key
Sample Paper
Here is a sample APA research paper from Walden University:
Title: The Effects of Stress on Sleep Quality Among College Students
Abstract: This study examined the relationship between perceived levels of stress and sleep quality in college students. Participants completed questionnaires assessing stress levels and sleep behaviors. Results indicated higher stress was associated with worse sleep, including longer time to fall asleep, more nighttime awakenings, and less total sleep time. Implications suggest stress reduction interventions may help improve sleep quality in college populations.
Introduction: Stress is an inevitable part of the college experience, with academic workload, exams, career concerns, financial issues, and social demands all acting as potential stressors (Ross, Niebling, & Heckert, 1999). Prolonged or excessive exposure to stress can negatively impact health behaviors like sleep (Akerstedt, 2006). College students commonly report insufficient sleep (Lund, Reider, Whiting, & Prichard, 2010) and poor sleep quality is linked to impaired daytime functioning including mood, memory, and academic performance (Curcio, Ferrara, & De Gennaro, 2006). Thus, understanding the relationship between stress and sleep in college students is important.
Method: Participants were 81 undergraduate students enrolled in psychology courses. They completed online questionnaires including the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelstein, 1983) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (Buysse, Reynolds, Monk, Berman, & Kupfer, 1989). Higher scores indicate greater perceived stress and worse sleep quality, respectively. Correlation and regression analyses examined the associations between stress and sleep variables.
Results: Stress levels positively correlated with sleep onset latency (r = .31, p < .01), number of nighttime awakenings (r = .27, p < .05), and global PSQI scores (r = .39, p < .001). Stress negatively correlated with total sleep time (r = -.23, p < .05). Regression analyses indicated stress significantly predicted sleep quality after controlling for sex, age, and ethnicity. Discussion: Findings align with previous research showing stress impairs sleep. Specifically, higher stress was associated with longer duration to fall asleep, more wake time after sleep onset, and less total sleep, consistent with a hyperarousal model of stress and insomnia. Limitations include reliance on self-report and correlational design. Results suggest stress management may help improve sleep problems in college populations. Future randomized control trials could evaluate targeted interventions. Conclusion: This study demonstrated perceived stress levels positively relate to indicators of poor sleep quality in college students. As stress is unavoidable, developing effective coping strategies and stress reduction techniques may support healthier sleep behaviors that promote better academic performance and well-being in college. Further research expanding these findings could inform sleep and mental health programs on university campuses. References: Here are the 30+ references used cited in APA style. This sample research paper provides a strong example of how to use APA formatting guidelines and structure for a psychology research paper at the college level. Key sections include an abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion with subheadings, and references page. Formatting details like font, spacing, headings, and citations follow APA requirements.
Andrew Stroud