Writing a research paper is an essential aspect of academics and should not be avoided due to one’s anxiety. This article provides a sample research paper written in accordance with American Psychological Association (APA) style, with explanations provided along the way. Understanding these guidelines and having a sample paper to work with can be very helpful for students who are new to writing research papers.
The APA style was created by the American Psychological Association and is most commonly used in the social sciences, including psychology, anthropology, education, and nursing. The main goal of the style is to achieve uniformity and consistency in scholarly writing. Besides formatting guidelines, it encompasses rules for citing references both in-text and in the reference list. The APA format requires brief in-text citations that correspond to full bibliographic citations listed in the reference list.
The basic structure of a research paper written in APA style includes:
Title Page: The title page should contain a running head, the title of the paper, the author’s name, and the institutional affiliation. The running head is a short version of the title in all caps. The page header is inserted on all subsequent pages.
Abstract: The abstract is a brief (150-250 words) paragraph that summarizes the key points of the paper, including the focus of the study and main findings or conclusions. It should be written in a concise, direct style and present the most important aspects of the study.
Introduction: The introductory section should accomplish several goals. First, it should establish the topic and provide relevant background information so the reader understands why the topic warrants further exploration. Second, it should state the purpose and significance of the study by specific hypotheses or research questions. The introduction ends with a brief thesis statement highlighting the main findings or purpose of the research.
Method: This section should provide detailed information on the research methodology used in the study in a clear, logical manner. It describes how the research was conducted and should allow other researchers to replicate the study or build upon it. Key aspects include the research design, participants, materials/apparatus/instruments used, and procedures followed.
Results: The results section condenses and presents the data that was collected. This may involve descriptions, charts/tables, statistics, and data analysis. The information should be organized and described, not interpreted. Results that are statistically significant are specifically noted.
Discussion: This concluding section interprets and discusses the meaning of the findings in relation to the research questions and hypotheses. Findings are summarized and conclusions are drawn about the significance of the results. The discussion also considers alternative explanations, limitations of the study, and directions for future research. Connections to past literature and theories are explored.
References: This page alphabetically lists the complete citations for all references cited in the text. Citations follow APA formatting guidelines for books, journal articles, websites, and other media. The hanging indent makes the citations easy to read.
Here is a sample research paper written in APA style:
Running head: EFFECTS OF SLEEP ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
Effects of Sleep on Academic Performance
[Author Name]
Central University
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between sleep quality and quantity with academic performance in college students. Participants were 123 undergraduate students who completed two self-report questionnaires about their sleep patterns and grades from the previous semester. Results showed students who reported sleeping less than 7 hours per night earned significantly lower GPAs than students who slept 7-9 hours. Students who reported poor sleep quality and daytime sleepiness had lower GPAs than other participants. The findings support the importance of adequate and high-quality sleep for optimal academic functioning in college students. Implications and future directions are discussed.
Effects of Sleep on Academic Performance
Getting adequate, quality sleep is essential for physical and mental health, well-being, and daytime functioning. For college students in particular, sleep plays an important role in academic success. Yet many college students report poor or insufficient sleep (Hershner & Chervin, 2014). The current study examined the relationship between self-reported sleep habits and academic performance in undergraduate students. Based on previous literature, it was hypothesized that less sleep quantity, poorer sleep quality, and more daytime sleepiness would correlate with lower grade point averages (GPAs).
Method
Participants
This study included 123 undergraduate students (75 females, 48 males) recruited from a large public university. Their ages ranged from 18 to 24 years (M = 20.3, SD = 1.8).
Materials and Procedure
After providing informed consent, participants completed two self-report questionnaires during an in-class session. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI; Buysee et al., 1989) assessed sleep quality and disturbances over the past month. It contains 19 items rated on a 0-3 Likert scale, with global scores ranging from 0 to 21 and higher scores indicating poorer sleep quality. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS; Johns, 1991) measured daytime sleepiness, with total scores from 0 to 24 and higher scores reflecting greater daytime sleepiness. Participants also reported their average hours of sleep per night and their cumulative GPAs from the previous semester.
Results
A series of Pearson correlations were computed to assess the relationships between sleep variables and GPA. There was a significant positive correlation between hours of sleep and GPA, r(121) = .23, p = .01, such that more hours of sleep associated with higher GPAs. PSQI global scores correlated negatively with GPA, r(121) = -.19, p < .05, indicating that poorer sleep quality related to lower grades. In addition, greater daytime sleepiness on the ESS significantly correlated with lower GPAs, r(121) = -.17, p < .05.
To further explore these relationships, participants were divided into groups based on PSQI and ESS cut-off scores as well as average hours of sleep. Two one-way between-subjects ANOVAs found significant group differences for GPA based on sleep quantity [F(2,120) = 4.27, p = .02, ηρ2 = .07] and PSQI scores [F(2,120) = 3.10, p = .05, ηρ2 = .05]. Post-hoc comparisons using Tukey HSD tests showed students sleeping less than 7 hours had significantly lower GPAs (M = 3.00, SD = 0.50) than those sleeping 7-9 hours (M = 3.30, SD = 0.60), with no difference from those sleeping more than 9 hours. Students with "poor" global PSQI scores (over 5) had marginally significantly lower GPAs (M = 3.10, SD = 0.70) than those with "good" scores. No significant group differences emerged for GPA based on ESS scores.
Andrew Stroud