The American Psychological Association (APA) style guide is commonly used for citing sources and formatting research papers and manuscripts in the social sciences. When writing a research paper, it is important to properly cite any sources or ideas that are not your own using the APA format. This article will cover the essential elements of writing research papers in APA style and provide examples of proper in-text citations and reference list entries.
The APA style was created by the American Psychological Association and is comprised of guidelines for formatting essays and research papers across a variety of subjects. Key areas addressed by APA style include paper elements and format, in-text citations, formatting references and resource entries, graphics, numbers, and statistics. Following the APA format ensures consistency and academic integrity as well as supports the claims and findings in your paper.
Title Page and Format
The title page is the first page of a research paper or manuscript. On the title page, the running head appears flush left at the top of the page and the full title, author name, and school affiliation are centered on the page. A header appears on every page with the page number flush right and the running head on the left. The entire paper should be written in Times New Roman font, double-spaced on standard-sized paper (8.5″ x 11″) with 1″ margins on all sides.
In-text Citations
When directly quoting or paraphrasing a source, an in-text citation must be included. In-text citations typically include the author’s last name and year of publication only. If quoting directly, always include the page number or paragraph number as well. If providing the name of the author(s) in the sentence, only include the year in parentheses:
According to Smith (2020), bullying among adolescents has declined in recent years.
If not including the author’s name, parentheses containing the last name and year of publication are inserted:
Bullying among adolescents has declined in recent years (Smith, 2020).
When directly quoting from a source, the page or paragraph number is included along with the year:
“Bullying dropped significantly between 2010 to 2015” (Jones, 2018, p. 42).
APA guidelines provide that if there are two authors, both should be included: (Smith & Jones, 2019). For three to five authors, all authors are included on the first in-text citation, thereafter only the first author’s last name followed by “et al.” is used. For six or more authors, only the first author’s name followed by et al. is used.
Reference List Entries
All sources cited in the text must appear in the reference list at the end of the paper. The reference list should be double spaced and entries should be alphabetized by the first author’s last name. References should follow hanging indent format – meaning the first line of each entry is flush with the left margin while subsequent lines are indented.
Book Citations
Last name, F. M. (Year of publication). Title of work. Publisher.
Journal Article Citations
Last name, F. M., & Last name, F. M. (Year). Article title. Periodical Title, Volume(Issue), pages. https://doi.org/xx.xxx/yyyyy
Webpage Citations
Last name, F. M. (Year, Month Day). Title of webpage article. Name of Website. https://www.nameofwebsite.com/fullurl
When citing classic works or the Bible, paraphrasing is preferred to quoting directly to avoid cluttering the text. The general guidelines allow for flexibility based on the type of source being cited. The reference list should include all works cited in the text, videos, datasets, interviews, or other non-standard media. Correct citations support arguments and assure readers the research is accurate and original.
APA format requires adherence to rules of grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure. An APA formatted research paper should be typed, double-spaced on standard sized paper, use readable fonts, and have 1-inch margins on all sides. Page headers on every page include the page number flush right and a short version of the title flush left. Ordering items numerically or alphabetically ensures logical flow. Figures, images, tables, and other visuals are numbered, titled, and cited properly. Page numbers continue from one page to the next without repetition.
References are a crucial part of APA style papers. Not including in-text citations or reference list entries can result in plagiarism. Properly citing all sources used throughout the research process, whether directly quoted or paraphrased, is legally and ethically required. Consistency in APA format allows readers to easily understand how findings were reached and referenced sources. Following the APA manual closely ensures research papers are well structured and formatted in accordance with scholarly standards. Mastering the APA style takes practice but ensures strong academic writing.
This article has outlined the key elements of writing research papers in APA style. Key elements discussed included paper formatting, in-text citations, and reference list entries. Proper use of APA style gives credit to original sources, avoids plagiarism, and supports claims and findings in the paper. Although it takes practice, following APA style guidelines will result in cohesive, scholarly research papers and manuscripts to be proud of. Learning APA format provides a crucial skill for college coursework and future academic or professional careers.
Andrew Stroud