Buy or borrow an APA Manual. Libraries often have a reference copy available. This book will be your best resource for writing an accurately APA-formatted paper. While there are plenty of websites providing tips or displaying sample APA papers that can be helpful, the information available may not always be up-to-date, pertain to your written scenario or be all-inclusive. Having the official manual will make you confident in knowing you will be effective in your efforts.
Check the edition of the manual you are using. The most recent edition in 2010 included revisions. Most notably, "Times New Roman" is now the only type face that is allowed. You can find additional changes on the Aug.edu website.
Study the manual. While you do not need to memorize everything in the manual, it will be extremely helpful to have a general idea and familiarity for identifying an APA-formatted paper. You will also save time later when you have a general idea of where to find specifics in the manual.
Write your paper according to the APA guidelines. Include an abstract if applicable. Make sure you create a running head. Check the formatting on your cover page, properly format all of your in-text citations and make sure all of your references are formatted correctly. The format for your references will depend on what kind of sources they are. Make sure you use the correct format for the source type. Pay attention to your headings and make sure you do not capitalize words in your reference section that APA does not call for, and check your reference entries indentation.
Double-check your paper. To be effective at any task, you will want to ensure its accuracy. Check your paper for spelling errors, grammatical problems, use of homophones and other quick-to-fix problems. Then double-check your formatting. Compare your paper with examples of APA papers online and with the manual. If you are unsure about any aspect of formatting, ask someone. Many colleges and universities have a writing center or other resource where students can ask for proofreading and writing help. By having someone experienced with APA proof your paper, you can turn your paper in with confidence knowing you have effectively used APA.