The APA has recommendations for formatting essays. APA essays should include four main sections -- the title page, abstract, body and reference list. The title page needs to include the title of your paper, which should be no longer than 12 words, your name and institution. The abstract is a summary with the key points to be addressed within your paper that alerts the reader to the topic importance. The paper should be written in Times New Roman in 12-point font on double-spaced lines with 1-inch margins. Include a page header that has the page number in the right-hand corner and the title of your page on the left.
The standard in-text format for APA style lists the last name of the author first, followed by the publication date. If there are between two and six authors, list all of the authors in the first use. Use the last name of the first author followed by "et. al." for all subsequent uses. For references with more than six authors, list only the first author followed by "et. al." for all uses. Cite the entire source in the reference list.
The in-text citations are be placed at the beginning, middle and end of a paraphrased fact. For example, Williams (2001) found that roosters crow. The date is always placed directly after the authors' name. The author name can also follow an amended sentence in the same manner. After the end of the study, Williams (2001) found that roosters crow. These styles give the sentence authority. Alternatively, the author may be left out of the main part sentence entirely and placed at the end, before the period for a stronger sentence, written without interruptions. Each version has its benefit and is chosen based on writers' preference.
In the APA style the source can be separated from the direct quote, as long as it is properly cited. Brown (1999) reported that the "farmland must be tended to immediately" (p. 87). The quote may also be directly attached to the author -- The mayor reported that the "farmland must be tended to immediately" (Brown, 1999, p. 87). If there is no page number, note all relevant information, such as the section in which the information can be found and the paragraph number.