General Format
General format for papers written in APA style is covered
in the first chapter of the Publication Manual, starting on page
ten. What follows are some general guidelines for formatting. For more
information about how to format a manuscript, see the many links in our
additional resources section, available at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/hypertext/APA/resources.html#formatgeneral.
What should my paper look like?
- Your paper should be typed and double-spaced on standard-sized
paper (8.5 X 11 inches).
- The margins of your paper should be set to 1 inch on all sides.
- Your paper should include a title page.
- Your paper should include a running manuscript head in the upper
right hand corner of each page that offers a short version of the
title and a page number.
- The pages of your paper should be numbered consecutively, beginning
with the title page, as part of the manuscript header in the upper
right corner of each page.
- There should also only be one space after punctuation marks such
as a period. This allows editors to conserve space in their journals.
What sections should I include in my paper?
There are standard sections that are used to organize your
paper. Which sections you use will depend on your particular writing project.
Your paper should include whatever sections are appropriate for that type
of writing, each of which should begin on a separate page (except where
noted).
Standard sections for some of the more common types of papers
are discussed below. If your paper type is not included in this list,
follow the general guidelines, consult your teacher, or consult the Publication
Manual.
Literature Review
Generally, when you are asked to write a paper for a class,
this is what your professor has in mind. A literature review is just your
summary of what the scientific literature says about your specific topic
or question. How long this should be and how many sources you will need
will vary from course to course and instructor to instructor.
A literature review contains the following sections:
- title page
- introduction section
- list of references
Some instructors may also want you to write an abstract
for a literature review, so be sure to check. Annotated bibliography writers
can visit APA Format for Annotated Bibliographies at http://www.lesley.edu/library/guides/citation/apa_annotated.htmlfor
information about writing annotated bibliographies in APA style.
Experimental Report
When you have designed and conducted an experiment, you
need to write up your paper using a structure that is more complex than
that used for just a literature review.
This structure follows the scientific method and makes your
paper easier to follow. You need to tell the reader:
-
why the topic is important (covered in your introduction)
-
what the problem is (also covered in your introduction)
-
what you did to try to solve the problem (covered
in your methods section)
-
what you found (covered in your results section)
-
what you think your findings mean (covered in your
discussion section)
An experimental report includes the following sections:
- title page
- abstract
- introduction
- method
- results
- discussion.
- references
- tables and/or figures (if necessary)
- Appendixes (if necessary)
Make sure to check the guidelines for your assignment or
any guidelines that have been given to you by an editor.
Other Papers
If your paper is not a literature review nor an experimental
report, make sure that you follow the guidelines for the assignment or
the editorial guidelines given to you by the journal, and include as many
sections as you think are applicable to presenting your material. Annotated
bibliography writers might also want to visit APA Format for Annotated
Bibliographies, available at http://www.lesley.edu/library/guides/citation/apa_annotated.html.
More Resources
For more about formatting an APA style paper, consult the
publication manual, visit APA Style Essentials (http://www.vanguard.edu/faculty/ddegelman/index.cfm?doc_id=796),
or view a Sample APA Report (http://www.thewritesource.com/APA/APARESEARCH.HTM)or
a APA Simulated Journal Article (http://www-distance.syr.edu/apa5th.html).
(Additional formatting resources, including Microsoft Word templates,
are available in our additional resources section at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/hypertext/APA//resources.html#formatemplates.)
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