The American Psychological Association (APA) citation style is a widely used referencing system to help you acknowledge others' ideas and research used in your work. An APA-formatted paper should be typed and double-spaced, with 1-inch margins on all sides, and should include a title page, abstract, main body, and references section.
To begin formatting your paper in APA style, you should first set up your document with the appropriate margins, font, and line spacing.
Margins: Set your margins to 1 inch on all sides.
Font: Use a 12-point font, such as Times New Roman or Arial.
Line Spacing: Use double-spacing throughout the paper, including the title page, abstract, main body, and references section.
Next, you will need to create a title page for your paper. The title page should include the title of your paper, your name, and the name of your institution. The title should be centered on the page and written in title case, with the exception of prepositions and conjunctions, which should be in lower case.
After the title page, you should include an abstract. The abstract is a brief summary of your paper, typically around 150-250 words, which should be placed on its own page immediately after the title page. The abstract should provide a concise overview of the main points of your paper, as well as any conclusions you have drawn.
The main body of your paper should be organized into sections, with headings and subheadings used to help guide the reader through the content. When citing sources in the main body of your paper, be sure to use in-text citations and a reference list at the end of your paper. In-text citations should include the author's last name and the year of publication, while the reference list should include the full citation for each source used in your paper.
Finally, you should include a reference list at the end of your paper. The reference list should include all of the sources you have cited in your paper, listed in alphabetical order by the last name of the first author. Each source should be listed in a specific format, depending on the type of source (e.g., book, journal article, website).
Overall, formatting your paper in APA style requires careful attention to detail and a thorough understanding of the rules and guidelines set forth by the American Psychological Association. By following these guidelines and properly citing your sources, you can help ensure that your paper is professional, well-organized, and easy to read.