All APA papers or essays should by typed, double-spaced on standard (8.5" x 11") paper. Include 1-inch margins on all sides. APA format suggests using 12 point, Times New Roman font.
You must have a page header at the top of every page along with page numbers. For the page header, type in "TITLE OF PAPER" flushed to the left. Page numbers must be flushed to the right.
Your paper must include the following four sections: Title Page, Abstract, Main Body, and References.
Your Title Page is separate from your initial essay. It must contain the following information flushed centered: Your paper's title, your name underneath as author and your college affiliation underneath that. Your page header on the Title Page will appear differently than in the rest of your paper. On the Title Page, your page header should appear as follows: "Running head: TITLE OF YOUR PAPER"
All pages after the Title Page should have a page header that appears as follows:
"TITLE OF YOUR PAPER"
To view a sample APA Title Page, click: owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
An abstract is a general synopsis of your paper or essay. To write yours, simply begin a new page after your Title Page, and center the word "Abstract" at the top of the page, taking care not to underline, italicize or put quotation marks around it. Abstracts should be one paragraph long and should not contain more than about 250 words. Include your research topic, research questions, testing methods, participants, analysis of data and your conclusions. To view a sample abstract, click: owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
This section generally must include your hypothesis, your test methods, test conclusions and overall synthesis of your research. Write in a fashion that focuses on the research, not the researchers. Shy away from writing in the first person. It is advisable to write in the first person only when describing your test methods. Write clearly and concisely, and don't use figurative or poetic language.
This should appear at the end of your paper. It gives readers the necessary information to find and retrieve any sources that you cite in the main body of your paper. Each source you cite in the paper should appear in your Reference Page in alphabetical order; likewise, each listed source in the Reference Page must be cited in your text using "in-text citations." For further Reference Page guidelines, click: owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/05/
APA format requires you to cite any source you use for information within the body of your paper. Essentially, whenever you use an idea that is not your own, it must be cited. APA uses an author-date system for efficient citing. You must include the name(s) of the author(s) -- last name followed by first name -- and the date of publication. You must do this after you quote or paraphrase someone else's work. In-text citations come in many diverse and complex forms. To view sample citations, click: owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/03/