Introduction to APA Research Paper Format
This article provides an overview of key aspects of APA format required for research papers including in-text citations, end references, aligning text, and constructing an APA title page. Following the style guide of the American Psychological Association (APA) is important for research papers in many academic fields especially in the social sciences which includes psychology, anthropology, education, and many more. Adopting APA guidelines helps establish the author’s credibility by demonstrating an understanding of standard conventions in research writing.
APA Format Title Page
The title page introduces the paper and establishes key components of your research. It should include the title of the paper, author’s name, and name of the institution. The title page is page number 1 and is a separate page from the main body. Center and double space all lines on the title page including the page header. The page header is a shortened title no more than 50 characters including spaces. The title should be concise yet descriptive of the topic and variables. Consider keywords that would be relevant in electronic database searches on your topic.
APA Format Basic Text Styles
The basic text should be consistently double spaced throughout with 1 inch margins on all sides. Use 12-point Times New Roman or similar font. The first word in the sentence of a paragraph should not be indented, while the first line of subsequent paragraphs are indented 0.5 inches. Align text to the left margin and avoid justifying right margins. Page numbers are placed in the top right header 0.5 inches from the top with the page number. Header text should be left aligned. Reference pages are also numbered consecutively beyond the body.
In-Text Citations
APA style uses parenthetical or in-text citations to acknowledge sources and avoids footnotes or endnotes. Citations are placed in parentheses and include the last name of the author and year of publication. For direct quotes, also include a page number. If the author is named in the text, only include the year in parentheses. When a work has two authors, always cite both names every time the reference occurs. For three to five authors, cite all authors the first time and thereafter include only the first author followed by “et al.”
Reference Page
References are organized alphabetically by the last name of the first author and consistently follow APA style guidelines. Multiple works by the same author are ordered by publication date, with earliest first. All references cited in text must appear in the Reference List. Personal communications and unpublished works appear only in-text. Digital object identifiers (DOIs) are included if available. The Reference List begins on a new page with the centered title “References” without formatting such as italics or bold. List entries have a hanging indent of 0.5 inches.
Elements of a Reference
Each reference contains standard elements such as author surname(s) and initials, year of publication, title of work, and publication details depending on the type. A book reference includes author surname(s), initials, date of publication in parentheses, book title in italics, place of publication, and publisher. A journal reference includes author surname(s) and initials, date of publication in parentheses, article title not in italics, journal title in italics, volume, and page numbers. Websites include author/organization name, date of website publication/update in parentheses, title of webpage not in italics, URL, and date accessed. Consult the APA style manual for variations in citing dissertations, conference papers, or media types.
Organizing the Main Body
The introduction, body, and conclusion sections form the main component of a research paper. The introduction presents the research problem and provides context, while the body develops ideas with supporting data from academic sources. Each new idea forms a new paragraph with a topic sentence at the start. Paraphrase and summarize key studies avoiding extensive quotes. Discuss and interpret results with in-text citations, avoiding excessive direct quotes. The conclusion revisits the research hypothesis and reiterates key findings and implications. Numbered and titled headings and subheadings help organize large amounts of information. APA adheres to a five heading outline for empirical research papers.
Formatting Figures, Tables and Footnotes
Tables and figures are self-contained and placed near the text reference. They are numbered consecutively with titles supplied above or below in sentence case. Footnotes are used sparingly for additional information and explanations and appear at the bottom of the page identified by superscript Arabic numbers. Provide a detailed caption and label all tables, charts and images with a number and brief description. Citations for material from other sources are provided in the body or caption. Consult the APA manual for additional details on formatting figures, tables and footnotes.