How to Use Footnotes in a Paper APA Style

Most papers pertaining to the social sciences are written using American Psychological Association (APA) format. It is not generally recommended that writers incorporate footnotes into their APA-style documents, because footnotes are difficult for publishers to print. Nonetheless, footnotes are sometimes necessary. Two types of footnotes sometimes appear in APA-style papers: content footnotes and copyright footnotes. Content footnotes provide readers with brief, supplemental information on a topic, while copyright footnotes indicate that an author has formal permission to use more than 500 words of another text.

Instructions

  1. Content Footnotes

    • 1

      Insert a number in the form of a superscript following the text that will correspond with your footnote. Superscripts should follow punctuation marks except in the case of hyphens, which they should precede. If a sentence is contained within parentheses, the superscript should be inside of the parentheses.

      Microsoft Word 2007 users can insert a footnote superscript by clicking the Insert Footnote icon under the References tab.

    • 2

      Scroll to the bottom of the page to type your footnote. Microsoft Word 2007 users should see a small number separated from the rest of the document by a line, next to which they can type their footnote.

    • 3

      Type a brief footnote that is no more than one paragraph in length and focuses on only one topic. Either provide your readers with information that further expands upon a concept mentioned in your paper or names a source he can access to learn more about a topic.

      A sample copyright footnote that points to a different source should adhere to the following format: "See Author's Name (Publication year), particularly chapters one and two, for more information on X topic."

    • 4

      Repeat Steps 1 to 3 for each additional content footnote.

    Copyright Footnotes

    • 5

      Complete Step 1 and 2 under Content Footnotes.

    • 6

      Type your footnote using the following basic format: "Note. From "Article Title," by Author(s) Name, Publication Year, Journal Title, Issue Number, p. Page Number. Copyright Year by Copyright Holder. Reprinted with permission."

    • 7

      Attach a copy of a letter from the author of the work you are quoting saying you have permission to quote his material.

    • 8

      Repeat steps 1 to 3 for each additional copyright footnote.

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