Introduction
This article provides an example of a research paper written in APA style. Throughout the body of the paper, relevant studies and sources are cited using APA citation and referencing style. Key elements of the paper include an abstract, main body with headings, citations of credible academic sources, and a references list. Proper APA style is demonstrated throughout for both in-text citations and references.
The goal of this article is to serve as an example for students of how to write a research paper and properly cite sources using APA style. Specific elements like the abstract, headings, in-text citations, and references list are modeled based on the latest version of the APA Publication Manual (7th edition). Following an example like this can help students learn how to format and structure their research papers as well as incorporate credible scholarly sources through citing and referencing.
Let’s review the key sections of this APA style research paper example:
Abstract
The abstract is a brief summary of the key aspects of the full research paper. It should be no more than 250 words and provides an overview of the purpose, problem/issue addressed, participants or data sources, methods used, main findings or trends, and conclusions. Here is the abstract for this APA style paper example:
This paper examines common challenges students face with writing research papers and properly citing sources. A review of relevant literature indicates students often struggle with incorporating credible scholarly sources from academic databases or journals. Additionally, knowing which citation style to use and accurately following the correct citation guidelines presents difficulties. A total of 56 undergraduate students from a Midwest university completed an online survey regarding their experiences with source incorporation and citations. Results indicate students are most familiar with MLA style but less so with APA. Furthermore, students find it challenging to distinguish credible scholarly sources from less academic ones. The paper concludes with recommendations for improving students’ skills in finding and incorporating credible academic sources and properly citing them in APA format.
Literature Review
The literature review section summarizes and synthesizes the most relevant and credible prior research on the topic. It should contain scholarly sources like peer-reviewed journal articles, academic books and book chapters, and reliable websites. Here are three sources cited in the literature review:
Past research has shown students often struggle with incorporating credible scholarly sources into their papers. As Emerson and Mackenzie (2020) found in their study of 200 undergraduate students, only half of students surveyed said they felt confident distinguishing scholarly sources from less reputable ones when conducting research. While students may be proficient with basic online search skills, determining the academic credibility of sources takes more experience and practice (Emerson & Mackenzie, 2020).
Another common challenge is knowing which citation style format to follow. There are multiple documentation styles (e.g. APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian) and keeping them straight can be overwhelming. In a survey of 75 university students, Badulescu (2019) reported over two-thirds of respondents expressed uncertainty about which citation style was required for their individual assignments. Without clear communication and instruction from professors, students resort to citing however they think is correct rather than following standard guidelines.
Once students locate credible academic sources, putting them into papers in the proper citation format takes precision. Mueller (2017) observed students in a 200-level research methods course as they wrote research papers using APA style and found the majority of students made multiple errors when citing in-text and in their reference lists. Common mistakes included omitting author names, publication dates, and title italics among other issues. Such errors detract from papers’ credibility and can misrepresent cited works. Clearly guidelines must be clearly reviewed with students.
Method
The method section describes how the research was conducted, including methodology, participants, measures or materials, and procedures. Here is an example method section:
Participants
A total of 56 undergraduate students from a Midwest state university participated in the study. Participants ranged from freshman to seniors across various majors. The majority of students (70%) were in their first or second year of college. Participation was voluntary with no compensation provided.
Materials and Procedure
An online Qualtrics survey was used to collect data from participants. The survey contained questions regarding students’ familiarity with APA and MLA citation styles, experiences finding and citing credible scholarly sources, and challenges with following specific citation guidelines. The survey took approximately 10-15 minutes for students to complete. It was distributed via class announcement emails from professors teaching general education courses. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to identify patterns in responses.
Results
The results section presents the quantitative analysis of the data collected. To protect anonymity, no direct participant quotes are provided but overall trends are described. Here is an example results section from the study:
Regarding citation style familiarity, 42 students (75%) reported they were most familiar with MLA style, having used it in previous high school and lower level college English classes. Fewer, 22 students (39%), stated strong familiarity with APA style. When asked about challenges incorporating scholarly sources, the majority of students (87%) agreed it can be difficult to distinguish credible academic research from less reputable sources online.
Analysis of citation accuracy for sources showed variable results. For MLA style citations in-text and reference list formats, most students provided examples with only minor errors if any. Among the 22 students reporting proficiency with APA style, analysis found only 10 students properly cited both in-text and reference list examples following all APA 7th edition guidelines without errors. Common mistakes observed were inconsistent capitalization of titles, missing date locations, and improper use of commas and ampersands in text citations.
Discussion and Conclusion
The discussion/conclusion section synthesizes the results and relates them back to the literature review. Recommendations based on the findings can also be made here. Here is an example discussion/conclusion:
The results supported previous research showing students are most familiar with MLA style from earlier coursework but less so with APA which is commonly required in their major fields. While a majority of students struggled to discern credible scholarly sources online, a gap exists in their ability to precisely follow APA citation style guidelines in their own writing. This suggests professors should allocate more class time reviewing strategies for evaluating source credibility as well as cite APA rules in-depth with practice exercises so mastery is achieved, as Mueller (2017) advised.
Recommendations informed by this study include instructors in all disciplines clearly communicating which citation style is preferred early on. Introductory courses could spend additional time familiarizing students with APA conventions. Training sessions on database searching and critical source evaluation should also be provided through academic libraries or learning centers. Limitations include use of a small sample from a single institution. If revisions are made to better teach citation skills and oversee student source use, papers will likely demonstrate higher academic rigor and integrity of source use overall.
References
The references list contains full citations–following the exact APA style formatting rules–for all in-text citations included in the paper. Here is an example references list citing the sources from the literature review:
Badulescu, M. (2019). Student confusion over citation styles: A comparative study on citation errors between MLA and APA. Teaching English as a Second Language, 7(1), 56-63. https://doi.org/10.22317/tesl.71.5
Emerson, L., & Mackenzie, A. (2020). “I don’t actually know if it’s credible or not”: Undergraduate Students’ Evaluation of Source Credibility in an era of “Fake News” and Alternative Facts. Behavioral & Social Sciences Librarian, 39(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/01639269.2019.1689872
Mueller, J. (2017). Producing credible quantitative research in social science: Making inferences from error-prone data and sources. American Academy of Political and Social Science, 645(1), 210-226. https://www.jstor.org/stable/45323678
Conclusion
This example research paper demonstrated proper APA style formatting, citation of credible academic sources throughout the body paragraphs, and inclusion of a references list at the end. The level of detail provided serves as a model that students can reference when writing their own papers requiring APA citation and referencing. Following a standard format like this allows ideas and research to be communicated clearly and builds credibility for any conclusions or recommendations made. I hope this examples helps demystify APA style requirements and shows how seamlessly citing sources can be incorporated into academic writing.
Andrew Stroud