The American Psychological Association (APA) Style Guide is a widely used format for academic writing, particularly in the social sciences, education, and business fields. This guide provides a standard set of rules for formatting papers, citing sources, and presenting data. Understanding What Is Apa Style Guide and its proper application is crucial for students, researchers, and professionals aiming to produce clear, consistent, and credible scholarly work.
General APA Guidelines
APA style dictates specific formatting guidelines to ensure consistency across documents. All papers should be typed and double-spaced on standard-sized paper (8.5″ x 11″) with 1-inch margins on all sides. A page header (also known as the “running head”) is required at the top of every page. For professional papers, this includes a shortened version of the paper title (no more than 50 characters) and the page number. Student papers only require the page number. The running head should be in all capital letters for professional papers.
Font
The 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual emphasizes accessibility and consistency in font choice. While it doesn’t mandate a specific font, it recommends options that are widely available and easy to read. Suitable sans serif fonts include 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, and 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode. Serif fonts like 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Georgia, and 10-point Computer Modern are also acceptable. Always check specific requirements from publishers, instructors, or institutions when in doubt.
Major Paper Sections
A standard APA-style essay consists of four major sections: the Title Page, Abstract, Main Body, and References.
Title Page
The title page format differs slightly between professional and student papers.
- Professional Papers: Include the paper’s title, the author’s name, the institutional affiliation, and the author note.
- Student Papers: Include the paper’s title, the author’s name, the institutional affiliation, the course number and name, the instructor’s name, and the assignment due date.
The title should be centered in the upper half of the page in boldface, using upper and lowercase letters. It should be concise and focused, avoiding abbreviations and unnecessary words. The author’s name (first name, middle initial(s), and last name) is placed beneath the title, followed by the institutional affiliation.
Professional papers include an author note in the bottom half of the title page, divided into paragraphs containing the author’s ORCID iD, any changes in affiliation or deaths of authors, disclosures and acknowledgments, and contact information for the corresponding author. Student papers do not include an author note.
Title page for a student paper in APA 7 style.
Abstract
The abstract begins on a new page, following the title page. Center and bold the word “Abstract” at the top of the page. The abstract itself is a concise summary (typically no more than 250 words) of the key points of your research, including the research topic, questions, participants, methods, results, data analysis, and conclusions. It should be a single, double-spaced paragraph without indentation.
Optionally, you can include keywords from your paper in the abstract to improve its visibility in databases. Indent as if starting a new paragraph, type Keywords: (italicized), and list your keywords.
Abstracts are commonly required for scholarly journal articles but are often optional for student papers. Always consult your instructor for specific guidelines.
Abstract page for a student paper in APA 7 style.
Main Body
The main body of the paper contains the core content, including the introduction, methods, results, and discussion sections. Each section should be clearly labeled with appropriate headings.
References
The references section provides a complete list of all sources cited in the paper. This section begins on a new page with the centered and bolded heading “References”. Each entry should follow the APA citation format, including the author’s name, publication year, title of the work, and source information. Proper citation is essential to give credit to the original authors and avoid plagiarism.
Citing the Purdue OWL in APA
The Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab) is a valuable resource for learning and applying APA style. To cite a specific page from the Purdue OWL, use the following format:
Purdue Online Writing Lab. (n.d.). Title of resource. Purdue Online Writing Lab. http://Web address for OWL resource
For example:
Purdue Online Writing Lab. (n.d.). General Writing FAQs. Purdue Online Writing Lab. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/general_writing_faqs.html
When contributor and edit date information are available, use this format:
Contributors’ names. (Last edited date). Title of resource. Site Name. http://Web address for OWL resource
In conclusion, understanding what is APA style guide involves mastering its formatting guidelines, citation rules, and structural components. Adhering to these guidelines ensures clarity, consistency, and credibility in academic writing, facilitating effective communication of research findings and scholarly ideas.
