I. Document Setup:
* Font: Times New Roman, 12-point.
* Spacing: Double-spaced throughout the entire document (including title page, abstract, body, references, etc.).
* Margins: 1-inch margins on all sides (top, bottom, left, and right).
* Pagination: Page numbers in the upper right-hand corner, starting with the title page.
* Header: Running head (abbreviated title, in all caps) on the left of the header on the title page only; page number on the right. From page 2 onward, the running head is shortened to about 50 characters.
II. Essay Structure:
1. Title Page:
* Your title (concise and informative)
* Your name
* Your institution
* Course name and number (if applicable)
* Instructor's name
* Date
2. Abstract (Usually for longer papers): A brief summary (150-250 words) of your essay, including the purpose, methods, results, and conclusions. This is on a separate page.
3. Introduction:
* Briefly introduce the topic and provide necessary background information.
* State your thesis statement clearly and concisely. This is your main argument.
4. Body Paragraphs:
* Each paragraph should focus on a single idea or aspect of your argument.
* Use topic sentences to introduce the main point of each paragraph.
* Provide evidence (quotes, paraphrases, statistics, etc.) to support your claims. Always cite your sources!
* Use transitions to connect your paragraphs smoothly.
5. Conclusion:
* Summarize your main points.
* Restate your thesis statement in a new way.
* Offer concluding thoughts or implications. Don't introduce new information here.
6. References:
* This is a separate page titled "References."
* List all sources cited in your essay in alphabetical order by the first author's last name.
* Use a hanging indent (the first line is flush left, subsequent lines are indented).
* Follow APA style for citing different source types (books, articles, websites, etc.). See examples below.
III. In-Text Citations:
Use in-text citations to give credit to your sources within the body of your essay. Generally, this includes the author's last name and the year of publication. For direct quotes, include the page number as well.
* Example 1 (Paraphrase): Recent research suggests that climate change is accelerating (Smith, 2023).
* Example 2 (Direct Quote): Smith (2023) argued that "climate change is a significant threat to global stability" (p. 15).
* Example 3 (Two authors): (Jones & Brown, 2022)
* Example 4 (Three or more authors): (Garcia et al., 2021)
IV. Reference Examples:
* Journal Article:
Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article. *Title of Periodical*, *volume*(issue), pages–pages. https://doi.org/xx.xxx/yyyy
* Book:
Author, A. A. (Year). *Title of work*. Publisher.
* Website:
Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). *Title of page*. Site name. URL
V. Using APA Style Guides and Tools:
* Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association: This is the official guide, but can be expensive.
* Online APA Style Guides: Many universities and online resources offer free guides and tutorials. Search for "APA style guide" on Google.
* Citation Management Software: Zotero, Mendeley, and EndNote are popular tools that can help you manage your sources and create citations and bibliographies automatically.
Important Notes:
* Consistency: Maintain consistency throughout your essay in terms of formatting, citation style, and tone.
* Accuracy: Double-check your citations and references carefully to avoid plagiarism.
* Proofreading: Proofread your essay thoroughly before submitting it to catch any errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Following these steps and consulting reliable APA style guides will help you write a well-formatted and properly cited essay. Remember to check your institution's specific requirements as they might have slight variations.