How to Describe APA Format

APA format is used for research papers in the social sciences.

APA format is a style of writing research papers for the social sciences, as championed by the American Psychological Association. The APA format is used when publishing in APA format journals or publications. It highlights proper paper layout, what sections are included in the paper and what the paper should cover for all topics. APA is also used as a guide for citing references and determining the authorship of a paper. An APA publication manual is available from the American Psychological Association.

Instructions

1. Format the paper so that the margins are 1 inch on all sides. Set the font for 12 point Times New Roman. Double space the paper. Paragraphs are indented 5 to 7 spaces.

2. Set page 1 as the title page. Include the paper title, the author's name, the institution associated with the paper and any author's notes, such as department affiliation, where financial support came from and the mailing address.

3. Set page 2 as the abstract. Write a one-paragraph summary of the important elements of the article. Word limit is generally between 150 and 250 words.

4. Write an introduction to the paper outlining what is covered in further detail later. Set forward the argument and what you are trying to prove.

5. Label subsequent headings in support of your thesis as: Method, Results, Discussion and References. Method describes the methodology used to test the argument. Results outline what the conclusion of the methodology was. Discussion includes further points in support of the results. References outline what papers and sources where used throughout the paper.

6. Add references in the body of the text by first stating the name of the author then the details of the citation, for example, "Mitchel and Webb found that baloney was disgusting." Cite references at the end of the paper by naming the author, then date, followed by the title of the article, then the journal in which it appeared and the pages used.

Tips & Warnings

• Use active voice in a research paper at all times.

• Visit the APA format website for the latest rules and guidelines.

References

• The Arthur C. Banks Library: A Guide for Writing Research Papers based on Styles Recommended by The American Psychological Association
• Purdue Online Writing Lab: General Format
• Vanguard University: APA Style Essentials; Douglas Degelman

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• APA Style