Every academic paper causes correct formatting under the style guide. Some writing websites point out that a mismatch between the standard and the text arrangement performed by the student will reduce. If you don’t want to lose points for your work because of poor formatting, learn how to write in APA format.
The formatting standards and requirements can be intimidating and tough if you’ve never written an APA paper.
You may be used to writing papers in a different format, such as MLA or Chicago style, so getting the hang of writing in APA format may take some time. Getting familiar with some fundamentals is an exceptional way to start.
Table of contents
What Is APA Style?
The American Psychological Association (APA) style (also known as the American Psychological Association format) is a writing style and format for academic works, such as journal articles and books published by the American Psychological Association.
They frequently use it to cite sources in the behavioral and social sciences. They describe it in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, a style guide published by the American Psychological Association (APA).
What Are The APA Format Guidelines?
Although your course, institution, or publisher may have additional formatting requirements, you should be aware of the following general rules. These are some of them:
- Use normal white 8.5 × 11–inch paper for this project.
- Set all page margins to one inch on all sides.
- Double-space your paper after typing it. No extra space should be added before or after paragraphs.
Fonts: A wide range of accessible fonts are permitted. Sans serif fonts (such as 11-point Calibri and 11-point Arial) and serif fonts are also acceptable options (such as 12-point Times New Roman).
Every publication page has a page header that appears within the top margin. The page number, which is displayed in the top right corner of each page, is the only part of the page header for student papers.
The page number and running head are included in professional paper headers (top left corner).
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What Are The Sections Of An APA Format Paper?
Depending on the type of paper they have requested you to write, the structure of your paper will differ slightly. A lab report, for example, maybe formatted differently from a case study or critique piece.
It can be even more difficult to submit a paper for publication in a journal because each study type and journal has its unique format you must follow. 1
However, regardless of the type of APA paper you’re creating, there should be four major sections: a title page, an abstract, the main body of the paper, and a reference section.
Title Page
The title page of your APA format document is the first page. The title page’s purpose is to convey the title, as the name implies. Without being overly wordy, this is where you may inform and engage your reader.
The following elements should be included on the title page:
- The paper’s title
- All authors’ names
- connections with academic institutions
- Note from the author and the running head (for professional papers only)
- The course number and name, the instructor’s name and the due date for the assignment (for student papers only).
Abstract
The abstract is a succinct (150-250 words) but thorough description of your paper. This summary aids your reader in determining whether or not reading the rest of the work is worthwhile.
An APA abstract appears on its own page, immediately following the title page. The following important components of your paper are frequently included:
- The objective of your paper as a whole
- Hypotheses that are clearly expressed
- Details about the process and participants can be found here.
- The most important findings
- Conclusions
- Consequences/importance of your results
Abstracts are usually essential for professional papers which are submitted for publication, although they are not normally called for student papers. If you’re not so sure, check with your professor to see if an abstract is required for your paper.
Body
Depending on the type of paper you’re writing, the format of this part may differ. An introduction, a method section, a results section, and a discussion part, for example, will be included in the main body of a lab report.
For further information on what to include in the main body of your APA paper, consult your instructor or the publication standards.
References
The reference section of your paper is where you’re meant to make provision for detailed information about all of the references you made use of. This section ought to begin on a new page, with the term “References” in the upper left corner.
Each reference’s initial line should be flush left, and subsequent lines should be indented.
Double-spacing is required for all references.
All references should be arranged alphabetically by the first author’s last name.
You should list any books or materials the same author(s) wrote in chronological sequence, beginning with the oldest and ending with the most current.
Use the source’s capitalization and punctuation, even if it isn’t “normal.”
The titles of books and journals ought to be italicized.
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Tips For Writing An APA Paper
While writing an APA paper may appear difficult or perplexing at first, break it down into smaller steps to make it more doable.
While writing an APA paper may appear difficult or perplexing at first, break it down into smaller steps to make it more doable.
- Preparation: Start by conducting research. Making an outline and a working bibliography as you begin your research might help you arrange your paper and keep track of all the sources you use.
- Abstract: Because your abstract is short and comes in the opening portion of your article, it may be tempting to begin with it. It should, however, be written last to ensure that it accurately summarizes the paper. Only compose the abstract section of your paper once you’ve finished the rest of the paper.
- Body: Throughout an empirical research article, you make use of the past tense (e.g., “was,” “said”), or the past perfect or present perfect tense (e.g., “had been,” “have shown”) as a general rule. Also, avoid contractions (for example, “it does not follow” instead of “it does not follow”).
- References: Make a thorough note of all of your references. Using a citation tool is an excellent method to keep track of, organize, and properly credit your sources.
Edit your completed APA paper to make sure the wording, citations, and formatting are all correct.
Consider getting your copy of the APA publication manual if you require further assistance with APA format.
Learn also, how to write an email to a professor.
What Are Those Common Mistakes In APA Style – And How You Can Fix Them
You’ve nailed the content. Now all you have to do is proofread and change your work. You’ll have to double-check your grammar and punctuation. Ensure that your spelling is correct and that your paragraphs are well-structured. You’ll also want to double-check the APA format.
It may appear that adhering to the APA Style is a minor requirement. It is critical. They require APA Style in higher education circles, much as a boss or client may want a specific format for a proposal or report.
There’s a lot to know about APA Style, including the paper sections, in-text citation style, and punctuation.
It’s possible that you won’t always get it right. We may, however, learn from our mistakes.
These are the common five mistakes students make regarding the use of APA Style; also, here are easy ways you can fix them.
1. INCORRECT HEADER
The running header in the opening set of words in a publication contains a title page. It’s an essential initial step, but it’s also one that’s frequently overlooked.
According to research published in 2013 by the Journal of European Psychology Students (JEPS), 86 percent of all papers examined lacked a running head or had an incorrectly designed running head.
That’s a lot of initial lines that aren’t there.
You might wonder why the complete title is published on the title page. However, just as a resume offers an employer the first impression of you, your title page does the same for your paper.
Let’s have it. In 12 point Times New Roman font, the running head should feature a shortened version of your full title: justified left, page numbers justified right, and a shortened version of your full title justified left. Include the label “Running head” ONLY on the title page.
You might wish to set up your paper’s headers before you write the key text. The way you won’t forget or overlook that critical running head.
2. ERRORS IN IN-TEXT CITATIONS
You’ve spent countless hours researching and reading material for your paper. It’s finally time to give credit where it’s due. For many students, in-text citations are a source of frustration.
JEPS discovered that in-text citation issues were present in 84 percent of all publications assessed during their research.
In-text citations must include the author’s last name and the year of publication, according to APA Style. If you include a quote, include page numbers from the original source as well.
If the author’s name appears in the sentence, follow it with the year, as in:
According to Smith (2017), the first set of students had higher reading scores.
If you don’t, end the phrase with the author’s name and the year, as in The pupils in the first group had higher reading scores (Smith, 2017).
There are a few more crucial rules to remember for in-text citations:
- The reference page at the end of the paper must include all sources used in the in-text citations.
- Place last names in alphabetical order when citing many sources in a single phrase.
- If you can’t find an author, use a condensed version of the title instead.
- Use “n.d.” if no date can be established.
3. IN-TEXT CITATIONS DON’T MATCH THE REFERENCE LIST
You may be an expert at citing sources in the text, but you’ll also need to incorporate them in a reference list. Students sometimes neglect to include an in-text citation source in the reference list, or the reference list source isn’t available in the paper.
APA Style does not require consulting sources to be included in the reference list, unlike some other style guidelines. A source is in the reference list if they cite it in the paper. if it is in the reference list, it is cited in the paper.
Comparing all in-text sources with those identified in the reference list is a simple technique to correct this problem. Make sure they’re all the same and that the author’s name and year are the same.
4. INCORRECT QUOTATIONS
You must specify the page number when directly quoting or paraphrasing from a source.
But, with so many online resources, what if the source doesn’t include a page number? Here are some alternatives to consider:
- The number of paragraph.
- A broad heading with a paragraph number.
- In quotations, abbreviated header and paragraph number.
Direct quotations or paraphrases from reliable sources give your paper more worth and credibility. Maintain credibility by properly citing sources.
5. CITING WITH MULTIPLE SOURCES
You already know you need the author’s last name and publication year for an in-text citation. But what happens if there are multiple authors?
Another common APA Style mistake students make is not correctly citing a single source with several sources. Students sometimes cannot add both names, or they forget to use a comma, or they put the year in the incorrect spot.
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How Do You Fix It:
- TWO AUTHORS
In the signal phrase, name both authors, using “and” between their names; end with the year: According to Smith and Doe (2017) reports…
Use last names separated by “&” in the parenthesis at the end of the sentence; finish with a comma and the year: …according to the report (Smith & Doe, 2017).
- AUTHORS: THREE TO FIVE
List all the authors in the initial reference, either in the signal phrase or in parentheses. Use commas until the last two games, then add “&” and finish with a comma and the year: (Smith, Doe, Berry & Lee, 2017).
Only use the first author’s last name in subsequent references, followed by “et al.” (Smith and colleagues, 2017).
Only use the first author’s last name in subsequent references, followed by “et al” (Smith et al., 2017).
- AUTHORS: SIX OR MORE
Occasionally, a work will have a large number of authors. Use the first author’s last name, followed by “et al.” in these circumstances (Smith et al., 2017).
What Are The Basic APA Essay-Paper Outlines?
The preparation for producing APA texts is similar to that for writing any other academic text.
- You think of an interesting topic.
- Get the information you need from reputable and relevant sources.
- Conduct the investigation
- Transform the findings into a written report.
- Creating an outline at this stage will help streamline the process and save time and effort. When you’re planning your paper, keep this broad outline in mind:
- The first section is as follows: a thesis statement in a nutshell paragraph
- The text’s body consists of three paragraphs, each having a distinct idea supported by solid evidence.
- The conclusion is the paragraph that closes up the text and answers/rebuts the thesis statement.
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What Is the APA Essay Format?
The American Psychological Association (APA) essay format is extensively used in fields that are closely related to:
Education
Social Sciences
Psychology
Sociology, Political Science, Linguistics, Nursing, and other disciplines are among those that frequently need the use of APA citation requirements. Consulting your teacher is still a good idea if the required essay writing format is not defined in the work.
Why is it so crucial to arrange the paper according to the rules? It is not an additional option for the teacher to scribble on the page.
This method acknowledges the ideas and findings of studies undertaken by notable figures in the selected sector.
Suppose the requirements of APA citation are disregarded in an essay. In that case, any referenced line will be considered plagiarism, and the entire document will be rejected, with all the consequences that entail.
APA 7th Edition Website Citation
Web Page
Author(s). After each author’s last name and initials, write Author, A. A., Author, B. B., and Author, C. C. (Year, Month, and Day)
More information on date formats can be found on the APA Style page. … the title of a page or a section.
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Conclusion
It can be a lot overwhelming to write your first APA format paper, but grasping some of the essential APA style guidelines will assist. Always refer to your instructor’s or publication’s instructions before proceeding.
References
- grademiners.com- how to write in APA format
- verywellmind.com – how to write an apa format paper
- bellevue.edu- apa faqs
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