The American Psychological Association (APA) style guide is commonly used for writing research papers and citing sources in various scientific and social science fields. Learning how to format an APA style paper properly takes time to fully understand and apply. Here are some key APA research paper examples that can help students and researchers create their documents confidently and correctly following the APA style guidelines.
Cover Page
The cover page is the first element of an APA style paper. Students must include a running head and page number on the cover page, as well as a title that summarizes the manuscript in a concise way. The cover page should also contain the author’s name, institutional affiliation, and author note if needed. A good example cover page for an APA style paper is clean, clear, and simple, using 12-point Times New Roman font.
Abstract
The abstract appears immediately after the title page and provides a brief overview of the key elements in the paper, such as the purpose, variables or groups examined, methods used, findings or trends observed, and conclusions that can be drawn. The abstract text is center aligned, not bolded, uses 12-point Times New Roman font, and is between 150-250 words for most manuscripts. An effective abstract should be readable as a standalone document allowing readers to quickly understand the essence of the research.
Body Text
The body of the paper begins on the page following the abstract page. The body is where the main arguments, ideas, theories, or research findings are expanded upon from the abstract in a clear and logical manner using evidential support. Key sections in a research paper body include an introduction that provides context and defines the research question or hypothesis, method that explains data collection, results that objectively interpret findings, and discussion that analyzes implications. Headings, citations, figures, and tables are additional important elements that can be included in body text. A few key structural tips for the body include leaving one-inch margins all around, using 12-point Times New Roman font consistently, and including page numbers in the top right header on each page after the title page. Paragraphs are usually single-spaced, while reference citations in the text are indicated with the author’s last name followed by year of publication either as part of a sentence or in parentheses.
References Section
The reference section is where students provide full bibliographic details for every source cited in-text throughout the paper. References use a hanging indent format where the first line of each citation is flush with the left margin and subsequent lines are indented five to seven spaces. References are listed alphabetically by author’s last name or by title for sources with no author provided. All reference citations must have a corresponding in-text citation, while not all in-text citations need to have a full reference. Providing reliable and well-formatted reference citations demonstrates careful research and allows readers to easily locate each source included. An example APA references page shows references using 12-point Times New Roman font double spaced between citations.
Additional Sections
While the abstract, introduction, method, results, and discussion sections following by a conclusion are common for many research papers, additional APA sections may be included if relevant. Some examples include an acknowledgements page thanking individuals who supported the work, an appendix that presents supplementary information or details, footnotes or endnotes, tables or figures not yet integrated into the body text, headings and subheadings to structure lengthy papers, and multimedia content descriptions or transcripts. The key is to format any extra sections consistently with the core paper structure in APA style.
Sample Paper
Putting together all the APA style formatting elements into one complete research paper example can be a strong learning tool. Here is a potential outline for a sample APA paper:
Cover page including the running head, title, author name and affiliation
Abstract (150-250 words)
Introduction discussing background and rationale for the study
Method section explaining participants, materials, procedures, and design
Results section presenting findings with statistics and visual aids
Discussion interpreting results, limitations, and ideas for future research
Conclusion summarizing key takeaways
References page listing all in-text citations
Appendix with supplemental material
Studying example APA papers and consulting the official APA Publication Manual can help students and researchers become well-versed in writing their own manuscripts. Applying the style guidelines correctly makes information easy for readers to follow and demonstrates professional competence as an academic writer. With practice using APA formatting on sample papers, citations, headings, and other elements seen in this overview, budding scholars can create strong research projects using APA style.