How to Format a Paper for APA Style
The American Psychological Association (APA) first set guidelines to help its members write research papers in 1929. The intention of the guidelines was to help simplify scientific writing. Years later, the APA style became popular in academic disciplines outside of psychology, especially within the social sciences. APA style helps students and academics by providing a standard method of formatting, writing and researching papers.
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Instructions
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Set up a 8.5 x 11 document with one-inch margins all the way around. Set the font as double-spaced, 10- or 12-point Times New Roman. To be consistent with APA style, use one space after punctuation including commas, colons and semi-colons. However, use two spaces after a period that ends a sentence.
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Create a running head that will display on every page of the paper, including the title page. On the title page, the running head includes the word "Running head," followed by a colon, a capitalized and condensed version of the title and the page number. The condensed title is typed flush left. The page number is typed flush right.
The condensed version of the title should be no more than 50 characters. For every page after the title page, the running head includes only the condensed version of the title and the page number.
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Format the title page. The title page is the first page of the paper. Other than the running head, all text appears centered.
Type the title of the paper. On the next line, type the author's name. Type the name of the institution where the research was conducted on the last line.
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Format the abstract. The abstract is the second page of the paper. This section is a one-paragraph summary of the paper and is typically written last.
Type "Abstract" on the first line below the running head and center it in the page. Begin typing the abstract on the next line, using block format and no indents.
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Format the body of the paper. Type the title on the first line below the running head and center it on the page. Indent each new paragraph five spaces except in the case of block quotations, titles and headings.
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Format the references section of the paper. Type "References" on the first line below the running head and center it in the page. Type references in alphabetical order, beginning each new reference with a hanging indent.
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References
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Comments
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I like this; I really need this, the APA format.
