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APA Style (7th Edition) Citation Guide: Introduction

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Who Should Use APA Style?

APA style is used by social science disciplines such as communication studies, economics, education, psychology, and sociology; it is also used by business and nursing.

What is APA Style?

APA style was created by the American Psychological Association. It is a set of rules for publications, including research papers.

In APA, you must cite sources that you have paraphrased, quoted or otherwise used to write your research paper. Cite your sources in two places:

  • In the body of your paper where you add a brief in-text citation .
  • In the References list at the end of your paper where you give more complete information for the source.
  • APA 7th ed. Sample Paper
  • APA Style Paper template (Microsoft Word)

You might find the American Psychological Association's page of Handouts and Guides helpful, notably

  • APA 7th. ed. Journal Article Reference Checklist
  • APA 7th. ed. Student Paper Checklist

APA Style Guide (7th Edition)

apa style introduction for research paper

Four Elements of a Reference

A reference generally has these four elements: author, date, title, and source. Each element answers a question and is listed in your citation in the following order:

  • author : Who is responsible for this work?
  • date : When was this work published?
  • title : What is the work called?
  • source : Where can I retrieve this work?

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How to Write a Research Paper in APA Format — A Complete Guide

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Completed your research experiments and collated your results? Does it feel like you have crossed a major hurdle in your research journey? No, not even close! What lies next is — publishing your research work for it to reach the science world! The process of publishing a research paper is so intricate, if you miss one aspect, you could end up struggling with revisions and reworks or getting a rejection! Thus, there is a necessity of following an exceptional mode of writing. The APA style research format comes to a researcher’s rescue.

This article discusses how to effortlessly write an APA style research paper and how it is necessary to understand the basic elements of APA style research paper in order to write an article in APA style research format.

Table of Contents

What Is APA Style?

The APA format is the official style of American Psychological Association (APA) and is commonly used to cite sources in psychology, education and social sciences. APA research paper format is widely used in the research publishing industry.

Students and researchers usually get confused with various research paper writing formats and are unclear about the requirements from the research publication journals. Therefore, the best way to deal with beginning to write a research paper is to first know the journal’s requirement and then follow the guidelines accordingly.

Though the reference section may change over the course of time, the information related to the other sections in APA research paper format is similar and could be referred to, for writing an exemplary research paper.

Guidelines for APA Style Paper (7th edition)

An APA style research format is different as compared to a term paper, a creative writing paper, a composition-style paper, or a thought paper. Throughout the paper you need to apply these guidelines while writing the paper –

Page Layout:

Type the content and keep double-space on standard-sized paper (8.5” x 11”), with 1” margins on all sides.

You should indent the first line of every paragraph 0.5 inches

Include a page number on every page.

You could use an accessible font like Times New Roman 12pt., Arial 11pt., or Georgia 11pt.

APA Research Paper Sections

The APA research paper format is based on seven main components: title page, abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, and references. The sections in APA-style paper are as follows:

1. Title Page

As per the APA research paper format, the title should be between 10-12 words and should reflect the essence of the paper. After writing the title, write your name followed by name of the college. Furthermore, create a page header using the “View Header” function in MS Word and on the title page include a running head — a short title that appears at the top of pages of published articles (flush left) and page number on the same line (flush right). The running head should not exceed 50 characters, including punctuation and spacing. Moreover, you could use the toolbox to insert a page number, so that it automatically numbers each page.

APA research paper format

2. Abstract

Abstract should contain no more than 120 words , and should be one paragraph written in block format with double spacing. Additionally, state the topic in a sentence or two. Also, provide overview of methods, results, and discussion.

APA research paper format

APA Style – Abstract in APA Style

3. Introduction

An introduction of APA research paper format is the most difficult section to write. A good introduction critically evaluates the empirical knowledge in the relevant area(s) in a way that defines the knowledge gap and expresses your aim for your study and why you conducted it. However, the challenge here is to keep the reader’s interest in reading your paper.

A good introduction keeps readers engaged with your paper. For writing an interesting introduction, researchers should introduce logical flow of ideas which will eventually lead to the research hypothesis . Furthermore, while incorporating references into your introduction, do not describe every single study in complete detail. Summarize the key findings from the article and do not quote from the articles, instead paraphrase the content .

The method section in APA research paper format is straightforward. However, the protocol and requirements should be mentioned precisely. The goal of this section is to describe your study and experiments in detail, so that there is no issue in reproducibility of results and other researchers could duplicate your methods effectively.

This section includes Materials and/or Apparatus and Experiments/Procedures/Protocols. Furthermore, keep the procedures brief and accurate, and make sure to read through so as to not repeat the steps or avoid redundancy.

In this section, you could describe how you analyzed the data and explain your findings. If your data analyses are complex, then break the section into subsections, ideally a subsection for each hypothesis and elaborate the subsections by using statistical analysis and including tables or figures to represent results visually. Most importantly, do not share interpretation of the results here. You can interpret and explain the results in the discussion section.

6. Discussion

Results are interpreted and understood in this section. Discussion section helps understand the research hypothesis better and places the results in the broader context of the literature in the area. This section is the reversal of introduction section, wherein you begin with the specifics and explain the general understanding of the topics.

In discussion, you start with a brief of your main findings, followed by explaining if your research findings support your hypothesis. Furthermore, you could explain how your findings enhance or support the existing literature on the topic. Connect your results with some of the literature mentioned in the introduction to bring your story back to full circle. You could also mention if there are any interesting or surprising findings in your results. Discuss other theories which could help you justify your surprising results.

Explain the limitation of your study and mention all the additional questions that were generated from your study. You could also mention what further research should be conducted on the topic and what are the knowledge gaps in the current body of research. Finally, mention how your results could relate to the larger issues of human existence and highlight “the big picture” for your readers.

7. References

Provide an alphabetical listing of the references. Do not keep extra spaces between references and double-space all the references. The second line of each reference should be intended. You could refer to the examples (mentioned below) to know how to format references correctly.

I. Journal Article:

Only first letter of the first word of the article title is capitalized; the journal name and volume are italicized. If the journal name had multiple words, each of the major words are capitalized.

Example: Ebner-Priemer, U. W., & Trull, T. J. (2009). Ecological momentary assessment of mood disorders and mood dysregulation. Psychological Assessment, 21 , 463-475. doi:10.1037/a0017075

II. Book Chapter:

Only the first letter of the first word of both the chapter title and book title are capitalized.

Example: Stephan, W. G. (1985). Intergroup relations. In G. Lindzey & E. Aronson (Eds.), The handbook of social psychology (3rd ed., Vol. 2, pp. 599-658). New York: Random House.

Example: Gray, P. (2010). Psychology (6th ed.). New York: Worth

There are various formats for tables, depending upon the information you wish to include. So, be thorough and provide a table number and title (the latter should be italicized). Tables can be single or double-spaced.

Be sure to mention x- and y-axes clearly. Underneath the figure provide a label and brief caption. The figure caption typically includes variables and units of measurements. Also, include error bars in your bar graphs, and note what the bars represent in the figure caption – Error bars represent one standard error above and below the mean.

VI. In-Text Citation:

  • Mention the authors’ names and publication date while citing sources in your paper.
  • When including the citation as part of the sentence, use AND: “According to Jones and Smith (2003), the…”
  • When the citation is written in parentheses, use &: “Studies have shown that priming can affect actual motor behavior (Jones & Smith, 2003; Kiley, Bailey, & Hammer, 1999). The studies in parentheses should appear alphabetically by first author’s last name, and separate it with semicolons.
  • You should avoid quoting directly, but in case you do – along with the name and date, include the page number.
  • For sources with three or more authors, once you have listed all the authors’ names, you may write “et al.” on subsequent mentions: “Klein et al. (1999) found that…”.
  • Meanwhile, when source has six or more authors, the first author’s last name and “et al.” are used every time the source is cited.

VII. Secondary Source:

It is a term used to describe material that is cited in another source. Avoid using secondary sources in your papers. Try to find the primary source and read it before citing in your work. However, if you must mention a secondary source, refer to the APA style paper example below:

Primary source author’s last name (as cited in secondary source author’s last name, year) argued that…

7 Tips for Writing an Error-free APA Style Research Paper

APA research paper format

  • Although there are exceptions, minimize using first person while writing.
  • Avoid including personal statements or anecdotes.
  • Although there are exceptions, use past tense while writing.
  • Do not use contractions. (e.g., “it does not follow” rather than “it doesn’t follow”)
  • Avoid biased language – Be updated with appropriate terminologies, especially if you are writing a paper that includes gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc.
  • Be certain to cite your sources.
  • Try to paraphrase as much as possible, and do not directly quote from source articles.

This article contains only a few aspects of an APA research paper format. There are many APA style rules which can be explored before you begin to write an APA style research paper. Many of the APA research paper format rules are dynamic and subject to change, so it is best to refer to 7 th edition (latest) of the APA Publication Manual and be thorough with every section’s format before writing a research paper.

Have you used an APA research paper format to write your article? Do write to us or comment below and tell us how your experience writing an APA style paper was?

Frequently Asked Questions

The APA format is the official style of American Psychological Association (APA) and is commonly used to cite sources in psychology, education and social sciences.

APA stands for the American Psychological Association. It is a professional organization that focuses on the field of psychology and related disciplines.

Citing sources in APA format involves specific guidelines for different types of sources. In-text Citations: For a paraphrased or summarized idea from a source, include the author's last name and the publication year in parentheses. Example: (Smith, 2021) Reference List Entry for a Journal Article: Only first letter of the first word of the article title is capitalized; the journal name and volume are italicized. If the journal name had multiple words, each of the major words are capitalized. Example: Ebner-Priemer, U. W., & Trull, T. J. (2009). Ecological momentary assessment of mood disorders and mood dysregulation. Psychological Assessment, 21, 463-475. doi:10.1037/a0017075

The APA (American Psychological Association) style is primarily used by researchers, scholars, and students in the social sciences, including psychology, sociology, education, and related fields. However, the APA style is not limited to these disciplines and is also used in other academic and scientific fields when writing research papers or scholarly articles.

As per the 7th edition of APA citation (published in 2020), the last name and first/middle initials for all authors (up to first 20 authors) are mentioned in the bibliography. If there are 21 or more authors, an ellipsis (but no ampersand) is used after the 19th author, and then the final author’s name is added. Generic format: Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, Volume # (issue number), Pages. https://doi.org/xx.xxx/yyyy Example: Ebner-Priemer, U. W., & Trull, T. J. (2009). Ecological momentary assessment of mood disorders and mood dysregulation. Psychological Assessment, 21, 463-475. doi:10.1037/a0017075

When quoting in APA format, you need to properly incorporate and cite direct quotations from sources. Introduce the Quote: Begin with a signal phrase or an introductory statement to lead into the quote. This helps provide context and relevance for the quotation. Provide In-text Citation: Immediately after the closing quotation mark, include an in-text citation that provides the author's last name, publication year, and, if applicable, page number(s) of the quoted material. Example: (Smith, 2021, p. 25) Cite the Source in the Reference List: Include a corresponding entry in the reference list for the source you are quoting. The format for the reference list entry depends on the type of source being quoted (e.g., book, journal article, website).

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Master of Science in Nonprofit Management: APA Style - 7th Edition

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American Psychological Association's APA Style 7th Edition is widely used by students and researchers in the social and behavioral sciences.

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APA Reference Examples

apa style introduction for research paper

  • APA Common Reference Examples APA's common reference examples.
  • Sample APA Student and Professional papers Purdue OWL has provided both student and professional paper samples. The "track changes" features is used to make comments in the margins that explain the formatting and directions for writing an APA paper.

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A Step-by-Step Guide for APA Style Student Papers

Academic Writer Tutorial: Basics of 7th Edition APA Style

  • Academic Writer Tutorial: Basics of Seventh Edition APA Style "This tutorial is designed for writers new to APA Style. Learn the basics of seventh edition APA Style, including paper elements, format, and organization; academic writing style; grammar and usage; bias-free language; mechanics of style; tables and figures; in-text citations, paraphrasing, and quotations; and reference list format and order."

APA 7th Edition Changes

Credit: Scribbr (2019)

Intro - 0:00 ​

1. citing sources - 0:25 ​, 2. inclusive & bias-free language - 2:01 ​, 3. apa paper format - 2:52 ​, 4. mechanics of style - 3:56 ​, 5. when to start using the apa 7th edition - 4:11, formatting the reference page.

Credit: Scribbr (2020)

Intro to the reference page - 00:00 ​

Font, line spacing, margins - 00:35 ​, creating references - 1:16 ​, hanging indent - 1:59 ​, annotated bibliography - 2:43, reference list.

Arrange references alphabetically by the author's last name.

Double space the entire reference list.

Begin each entry on the left margin and indent a 1/2 inch from  the second line  onwards.

  • Hanging indent in Google Docs
  • Hanging indent in Microsoft Word
  • Hanging indent in Word Online

See  APA  Publication Manual 7th  Edition ,  pages 39-40 .

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Literature reviews for medical sciences.

  • Introduction
  • Headings and subheadings

The following adheres to APA Style Guidelines:

  • Begin on a new page
  • Restate your assignment title as a Level 1 Heading* (do not use "Introduction" as your heading)
  • Indent and double space
  • Use paragraph breaks or subheadings to break up the text*
  • Running header in top left for all pages in the remainder of the assignment
  • Page numbers in the top right in ascending order for the remainder of the assignment

*For more information on subheadings and when to use them, click on the tab that says Headings and Subheadings

apa style introduction for research paper

The introduction will be similar to the abstract but more complex. It will seek to:

  • Introduce your reader to the topic
  • Provide any background or context on the subject
  • Identify important information on the scope of your paper (main points, structure, etc)
  • Highlight important themes and subthemes
  • Cover any intentional exclusions in the literature (ex: date ranges, source material)
  • Include a topic sentence or a thesis
  • << Previous: Abstract
  • Next: Body >>
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How to Write an APA Style Paper

Last Updated: February 14, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Noah Taxis . Noah Taxis is an English Teacher based in San Francisco, California. He has taught as a credentialed teacher for over four years: first at Mountain View High School as a 9th- and 11th-grade English Teacher, then at UISA (Ukiah Independent Study Academy) as a Middle School Independent Study Teacher. He is now a high school English teacher at St. Ignatius College Preparatory School in San Francisco. He received an MA in Secondary Education and Teaching from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education. He also received an MA in Comparative and World Literature from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a BA in International Literary & Visual Studies and English from Tufts University. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 331,100 times.

The American Psychological Association's (APA) method of citation is one of the most widely used styles for writing scientific and research papers, particularly in fields like psychology, sociology, business, economics, and medicine. This style can seem intimidating, but it’s mostly a matter of dividing your paper into the right sections and following basic formatting guidelines. Give your paper a strong intro, then follow up with the methods, results, and discussion sections. Include references, an abstract, and any relevant tables or figures, and you’re good to go!

APA Style Paper Outline

apa style introduction for research paper

Formatting the Title Page and Abstract

Step 1 Set the basic layout parameters.

  • For instance, a title like “Age, Health, and Cities” is too short and vague.
  • ”Age-Based Influences on the Perception of Access to Healthcare in Cities” is more informative.
  • Center the title on the page.

Step 3 Include your name and institution below the title.

  • Age as an Influence on Perceived Access to Healthcare in Cities
  • Rohanda Jenkins
  • University of Toledo

Step 4 Make use of the page header.

  • For example, “AGE AND PERCEIVED ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE”

Step 5 Set the page number in the upper right.

Creating the Main Body

Step 1 Introduce your paper.

  • Your introduction should summarize your topic, it’s relevance to other research, and how you arrived at your hypothesis.
  • Keep things interesting. Avoid boring your readers with lists like “Schmidt concluded in 2009 that…. As Donaldson conferred in 2011…. In 2013, Pavlov then argued…”
  • Instead, write in terms of ideas: “Scholars such as Schmidt and Donaldson have proven that there is widespread variability in access to healthcare. The role of age in creating this variability has not been adequately considered. Knowledge of health care options among the elderly is an important starting point that Pavlov’s research explores, but a more comprehensive study of age-based influences is needed.”

Step 2 Label the methods section.

  • Title each subsection (“Participants,” “Materials,” “Procedures”) in bold print, and set the subsection titles all the way to the left. Begin each paragraph on the next line.
  • If it is necessary to describe the equipment you used, you can also include an “Apparatus” section instead of or in addition to the “Materials” section.
  • The goal of the methods section is to show other researches how to replicate the study, if they wanted to.

Step 3 Share your results.

  • Refer to the APA manual or your specific field for precise information on how to format statistics.
  • Make references to any supplementary materials you have in your paper (charts, images, graphs, tables, etc.). For example, you might write something like “As Figure 1 indicates…”

Step 4 Tell readers the significance of your work in the discussion section.

  • For example, your discussion might say something “Although this study indicated that teens perceive health care as being less accessible than adults over 35, additional research is needed to explore this topic among 18-35 year olds.”

Applying the Finishing Touches

Step 1 Tack on the references section.

  • List the references alphabetically, according to the first author’s last name.
  • Don’t put an extra space between each reference. Regular double spacing is all you need.
  • Use hanging indentation for the reference entries.
  • Make sure to also include APA style in-text citations if you cite a reference in the body of your essay.

Step 2 Include any tables or figures you created.

  • If you are a student, however, your instructor may ask you to incorporate tables or figures into the body of your paper. Always ask if you aren’t sure.

Step 3 Devote a separate page to the abstract.

  • Put the word “Abstract” centered in regular type on the line above the paragraph.
  • You should write the abstract after you’re finished with the paper, put position it on its own page just after the title page.

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apa style introduction for research paper

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about academic writing, check out our in-depth interview with Noah Taxis .

  • ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa6_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html
  • ↑ https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/title-page
  • ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html
  • ↑ https://www.canadacollege.edu/htpcommittee/docs/GUIDELINES%20FOR%20RESEARCH%20PAPER%20S14.pdf
  • ↑ https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/discussion-phrases-guide.pdf
  • ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_basic_rules.html
  • ↑ https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/tables-figures/figures
  • ↑ https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/abstract-keywords-guide.pdf

About This Article

Noah Taxis

To write an APA-style paper, use a 12-point font size, double spacing, and 1-inch margins all around. You should also include a title page with the title of your paper and your name and institution. Also, include a page header at the top of every page that gives a brief synopsis of your paper's title in under 50 characters. At the end of your paper, make a "References" page that contains all of the sources you used in alphabetical order according to the author's last name. To learn how to write and format the body of an APA-style paper, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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APA Style 7th edition: Introduction

  • Introduction
  • Avoiding Bias
  • Citation Tools

APA (American Psychological Association) style is commonly used in academic writing within the disciplines of science, psychology, nursing, and education.  The manual does not just provide information on how to cite sources, but also includes a stylistic writing component.  Consistency is important in academic writing.  This research guide will attempt to address some of the common errors writers make when trying to write in APA style.  

In 2022, APA published the revised 7th edition of the  Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. 

Apa 7th Edition Format & Citations (Word) -- 2023 . (2021). YouTube . Retrieved January 6, 2023, from https://youtu.be/-V-zLpTxIWA =2s

APA Style Manual 7th ed.

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Sample Student Paper

Examples & Setup guide for an annotated student paper shown in the APA 7th Edition format..

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APA Style Citation Format Guide

  • APA Citation Style Guide Click link for pdf of Citation Guide

Remember:  These examples are single spaced for the purpose of saving space. All sources on your reference page will need to be doubled spaced, Times New Romans, 12 font.

apa style introduction for research paper

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APA Publication and Style Manual: Introduction

Introduction, links to useful resources, tips & templates, apa publication & style manual introduction.

The APA Publication Manual is the official manual of style of the American Psychological Association. Developed to provide guidance and information  for those writing and publishing, it is currently in its sixth edition.

The APA Publication Manual is used extensively by students, faculty, researchers, and professionals who write and publish in the fields of Psychology,  Education, Business, Law and Justice, Journalism, Linguistics, Nursing, Medicine, although other styles are also used.  

Which style guide should you use?  The one your professor requires, so be sure to ask.  If you plan to submit a paper for publication, be sure to confirm the correct style. Nearly all publications will identify and give some direction about how manuscripts should be submitted for publication. If not in the publication, guidance will be offered on publishers' websites, or the websites of the organization for whom the journal title is published, if relevant. 

Consult a librarian

Make an appointment for a consultation with a librarian who specializes in your subject area using our Request a Consultation form or visit the  Subject Librarians  page for a list of librarians and their email and phone contact information. 

Items in the Library and Available Online

apa style introduction for research paper

A copy of the APA Publication manual is also kept on Reserve. Ask at the Circulation Desk. 

apa style introduction for research paper

Links to Helpful Resources

Apa academic writerl       new & recommended.

The Legacy version will soon disappear so we recommend you use the new Refworks. RefWorks is a Citation and Bibliographic Management tools, which the library provides to students and faculty at no cost. Complete the short easy registration once and access. To take full advantage of the range of tools available, we recommend you open YouTube, search for RefWorks and watch the tutorials. You'll be an expert in no time. A few minute to set up and learn to use RefWorks will save you hours of frustration and make you look brilliant.

Purdue OWL - Online Writing Lab

"The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, and we provide these as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue. Students, members of the community, and users worldwide will find information to assist with many writing projects. Teachers and trainers may use this material for in-class and out-of-class instruction." (source: website)

EasyBib Blog

Bibme.org/apa.

apa style introduction for research paper

Government Sources

Government Sources come in a vast array of types, so citing them can be confusing.

  • Naval Postgraduate School guide to citing government sources Provides examples for about 30 types of documents.

Two versions of a citation builder from Chegg Study

Citation machine for apa, purdue online writing lab.

The Purdue OWL site is nearly everyone's favorite Go-To website for help with writing and examples of the APA style are very clear.

American Psychological Association (APA) Style Guide from OWL

The Purdue Online Writing Lab website offers two tutorials on APA style.

  • OWL: APA Overview and Workshop
  • OWL: Formatting and Style

Sample Paper in APA Style from OWL

Apa style sample paper.

Citing Dictionary entries

Citing Encyclopedia entries

Citing Online Databases

Citing Interviews

Citing Photographs

Citing Sheet Music

Citing Websites

Citing Blogs

Citing Magazines

Citing Newspapers

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Generate accurate APA citations for free

  • Knowledge Base
  • APA Style 7th edition
  • APA headings and subheadings

APA Headings and Subheadings | With Sample Paper

Published on November 7, 2020 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on October 24, 2022.

Headings and subheadings provide structure to a document. They signal what each section is about and allow for easy navigation of the document.

APA headings have five possible levels. Each heading level is formatted differently.

APA headings (7th edition)

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Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

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Table of contents

Additional guidelines for apa headings, how many heading levels should you use, when to use which apa heading level, section labels vs headings, sample paper with apa headings, using heading styles in word or google docs.

As well as the heading styles, there are some other guidelines to keep in mind:

  • Double-space all text, including the headings.
  • Use the same font for headings and body text (e.g., Times New Roman 12pt.).
  • Don’t label headings with numbers or letters.
  • Don’t add extra “enters” above or below headings.

Scribbr Citation Checker New

The AI-powered Citation Checker helps you avoid common mistakes such as:

  • Missing commas and periods
  • Incorrect usage of “et al.”
  • Ampersands (&) in narrative citations
  • Missing reference entries

apa style introduction for research paper

Depending on the length and complexity of your paper, you may not use all five heading levels. In fact, shorter student papers may have no headings at all.

It’s also perfectly fine for some sections in your paper to go as deep as five levels, where others use only heading level 1.

Heading level 1 is used for main sections like “ Methods ”, “ Results ”, and “ Discussion ”. There is no “ Introduction ” heading at the beginning of your paper because the first paragraphs are understood to be introductory.

Heading level 2 is used for subsections under level 1. For example, under “Methods” (level 1) you may have subsections for “Sampling Method” and “Data Analysis” (level 2). This continues all the way down to heading level 5.

Always use at least two subheadings or none at all. If there is just one subheading, the top-level heading is sufficient.

In addition to regular headings, APA works with “section labels” for specific parts of the paper. They’re similar to headings but are formatted differently. Section labels are placed on a separate line at the top of a new page in bold and centered.

Use section labels for the following sections in an APA formatted paper :

  • Author note
  • Paper title
  • Reference page

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

APA heading example (7th edition)

Instead of formatting every heading individually, you can use the “Styles” feature in Word or Google Docs. This allows you to save the styling and apply it with just a click.

The first time you use APA Style, you need to update the default heading styles to reflect the APA heading guidelines. Click here for the instructions for Microsoft Word and Google Docs .

An added benefit of using the “Styles” feature is that you can automatically generate a table of contents .

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Streefkerk, R. (2022, October 24). APA Headings and Subheadings | With Sample Paper. Scribbr. Retrieved March 5, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-style/apa-headings/

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Other students also liked, apa title page (7th edition) | template for students & professionals, creating an apa style table of contents, apa format for academic papers and essays, scribbr apa citation checker.

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PHP 998 - Integrating Seminar (UNH Manchester): APA Style

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Online APA Resources

  • APA Style "APA Style provides a foundation for effective scholarly communication because it helps writers present their ideas in a clear, precise, and inclusive manner."
  • APA Style Blog
  • Excelsior Online Writing Lab: APA Style
  • OWL at Purdue: APA Style "These OWL resources will help you learn how to use the American Psychological Association (APA) citation and format style."
  • Student Paper Setup Guide
  • Zotero "Zotero is a free, easy-to-use tool to help you collect, organize, annotate, cite, and share research."
  • ZoteroBib ZoteroBib helps you build a bibliography instantly from any computer or device, without creating an account or installing any software.
  • How to cite ChatGPT in APA Style
  • APA Style PowerPoint

DOI Lookup Tool

  • Crossref Free DOI Lookup This form is a guest query interface to the Crossref system for individual DOI retrieval.

APA Style Manual

Cover Art

Introduction to the APA 7th Edition

CSUDH Library (2019, October 29). Introduction to citation styles: APA 7th ed.  [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fVv2Jt0o18

Licensed by Creative Commons .

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Additional support for the writing and research process can be found in the Learning Resource Center Libguid e .

You can also always reach out to a Library specialist for individual research assistance or connect with campus tutoring services through the MyIvy QuickLink:

apa style introduction for research paper

APA 7th Edition Starting Points

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  • APA Style Index

apa style introduction for research paper

Conducting Academic Research: Questions & Answers

Q. Why am I being asked to write a research paper?

A. Because research allows you to dive deeply into a topic to learn more about it.  Research shows you what is known about a subject, but it also shows where there are gaps in knowledge that additional research can fill.

Research also provides you the opportunity to use critical thinking and detail-oriented skills, which most employers indicate are necessary to excel in the workplace.

Q.   My instructor has required the use of  "scholarly " or : "peer reviewed" sources. What does that mean? How do I find scholarly sources? Why can't I use newspapers, magazines, websites, etc.?

A.  Scholarly or peer-reviewed material indicates the source originated with experts on the topic. These types of sources are typically published in journals that specialize in the subject matter, while the internet offers more generalized information that can't always be validated.

Database search engines and other search tools offer filters for locating scholarly material within the aggregate. To narrow your search to scholarly articles, look for these filters and select them as shown in this example:

apa style introduction for research paper

In addition, here is a helpful video regarding how to use filters via the Discover search engine located on the Library main page.

APA Student Paper Formatting

apa style introduction for research paper

APA style papers require certain formatting of MS Word documents.  It is highly recommended that formatting be set up BEFORE beginning to write the paper.

To learn more about APA style formatting, as well as the writing and research process in general, please visit these Library resources:

  • Learning Resource Center - APA Style Guide
  • Academic Writing Process

Understanding Cross-Referencing

1. An in-text citation , which is an abbreviated form of the source citation included in the essay portion of the project

2. A full citation , which is included at the end of the project on an APA style References list (or whatever type of research format is required for the assignment).

One of your roles as a researcher and writer is assuring this cross-referencing technique is in place and has been used correctly so your readers have a very clear picture of where your research was derived, who provided the research, and how readers can follow your research trail to explore the source material themselves.

Here is an example of cross-referencing in APA 7th edition style:

According to Jones (2022), "Student researchers prefer APA to MLA at a rate of 4 to 1" (p.24).

This in- text citation tells readers that Jones made this statement in source material published in 2022. But the in-text citation also guides readers to the APA References list at the end of the essay for more information regarding the source material:

apa style introduction for research paper

Because this source was fully cross-referenced, readers know that the quote from Jones came from this article on page 24 of the publication. And the article can be located using the information provided in the References list citation.

Comparing APA to MLA Style

Occasionally, students might be switching from classes that required MLA to classes that use APA style.  It's helpful to know how these two research formats differ as this transition is made.

Because of the career fields utilizing APA format, APA is more concerned with WHO and WHEN   regarding citations, on the References list and in-text.

Here are examples of an APA Reference list entry and an APA in-text citation for the source.

On the References page:

MLA places more emphasis on WHO and WHERE the cited material can be located within the source.  Here is an example of the same resource in MLA style, both on the Works Cited page and in-text.

On the Works Cited page:

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

APA Headings and Seriation

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Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Note:  This page reflects the latest version of the APA Publication Manual (i.e., APA 7), which released in October 2019. The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style  can be found here .

APA Style uses a unique headings system to separate and classify paper sections. Headings are used to help guide the reader through a document. The levels are organized by levels of subordination, and each section of the paper should start with the highest level of heading. There are 5  heading levels  in APA. Regardless of the number of levels, always use the headings in order, beginning with level 1. The format of each level is illustrated below:

Thus, if the article has four sections, some of which have subsections and some of which don’t, use headings depending on the level of subordination. Section headings receive level one format. Subsections receive level two format. Subsections of subsections receive level three format. For example:

Method  (Level 1)

Site of Study  (Level 2)

Participant Population  (Level 2)

Teachers  (Level 3)

Students  (Level 3)

Results  (Level 1)

Spatial Ability  (Level 2)

Test One  (Level 3)

     Teachers With Experience.  (Level 4)

     Teachers in Training.  (Level 4)

     Teaching Assistants .  (Level 5)

Test Two  (Level 3)

Kinesthetic Ability  (Level 2)

In APA Style, the Introduction section never gets a heading and headings are not indicated by letters or numbers. For subsections in the beginning of a paper (introduction section), the first level of subsection will use Level 2 headings — the title of the paper counts as the Level 1 heading. Levels of headings will depend upon the length and organization of your paper. Regardless, always begin with level one headings and proceed to level two, etc.

Special headings called section labels are used for certain sections of a paper which always start on a new page.

  • Paper title
  • Appendix A (and so on for subsequent appendices)

These labels should be positioned on their own line at the top of the page where the section starts, in bold and centered. 

APA also allows for seriation in the body text to help authors organize and present key ideas. For lists where a specific order or numbered procedure is necessary, use an Arabic numeral directly followed by a period, such as:

On the basis of four generations of usability testing on the Purdue OWL, the Purdue OWL Usability Team recommended the following:

  • Move the navigation bar from the right to the left side of the OWL pages.
  • Integrate branded graphics (the Writing Lab and OWL logos) into the text on the OWL homepage.
  • Add a search box to every page of the OWL.
  • Develop an OWL site map.
  • Develop a three-tiered navigation system.

Numbered lists should contain full sentences or paragraphs rather than phrases. The first word after each number should be capitalized, as well as the first word in any following sentence; each sentence should end with a period or other punctuation.

For lists that do not communicate hierarchical order or chronology, use bullets:

In general, participants found the user-centered OWL mock up to be easier to use. What follows are samples of participants' responses:

  • "This version is easier to use."
  • "Version two seems better organized."
  • "It took me a few minutes to learn how to use this version, but after that, I felt more comfortable with it."

Authors may also use seriation for paragraph length text.

For seriation within sentences, authors may use letters:

On the basis of research conducted by the usability team, OWL staff have completed (a) the OWL site map; (b) integrating graphics with text on the OWL homepage; (c) search boxes on all OWL pages except the orange OWL resources (that is pending; we do have a search page); (d) moving the navigation bar to the left side of pages on all OWL resources except in the orange area (that is pending); (e) piloting the first phase of the three-tiered navigation system, as illustrated in the new Engagement section.

Authors may also separate points with bullet lists:

On the basis of the research conducted by the usability team, OWL staff have completed

  • the OWL site map;
  • integrating graphics with text on the OWL homepage;
  • search boxes on all OWL pages except the orange OWL resources (that is pending; we do have a search page);
  • moving the navigation bar to the left side of pages on all OWL resources except in the orange area (that is pending);
  • piloting the first phase of the three-tiered navigation system, as illustrated in the new Engagement section.

If your bulleted list is part of the sentence and is not preceded by a colon, treat the bullets like a part of the sentence, adhering to standard capitalization and punctuation. This option is helpful for complex or longer bulleted sentences that may be more difficult to read without the aid of punctuation. For items in a bulleted list that are phrases rather than sentences, no punctuation is necessary.

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Communication 101: Introduction to Interpersonal Communication

  • How Do I Search?
  • Selecting Sources

Learning Activity

What is a citation, online resources, end-of-text references (6th ed.), in-text references (7th ed.).

►Task 3:  Create a bibliography in the Learning Activity document using your articles from task 2 and the APA Citation Style tools.

A citation or reference is the information given in a bibliography or a database about a particular title, which often includes:

  • article title or chapter title
  • periodical title or book title
  • author(s) or editor(s)
  • place of publication
  • date of publication
  • publisher name
  • volume/issue (articles) or edition (books)
  • medium of publication
  • electronic access (URL or DOI)
  • date accessed

Citations give credit to those whose ideas have contributed to your research and give your readers enough information to locate the sources you used. There are many ways to format citations. The style you choose depends on your field and the requirements set by your professor or publisher.

  • Purdue OWL: APA A comprehensive guide to APA formatting and citation
  • APA Documentation Guide UW-Madison provides an orientation to APA formatting.

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year of Publication). Title of article: Capital after colon. Title of Journal, Volume (Issue), Page Range. URL or DOI

Print Article

Ellery, K. (2008). Undergraduate plagiarism: A pedagogical perspective. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 33 (5), 507-516.

Online Article

Herbst-Damm, K. L., & Kulik, J. A. (2005). Volunteer support, marital status, and the survival times of terminally ill patients. Health Psychology, 24, 225-229. doi: 10.1037/0278-6133.24.225

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year of Publication). Title of book: Capital for subtitle. (Edition ed.) . Place of Publication: Publisher Name.

Chapter in an edited book

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year of Publication). Title of chapter. In A. A. Editor (Ed.). Title of book. (Page Range). Place of Publication: Publisher Name.

Shields, C. J. (2006). Mockingbird: A portrait of Harper Lee. New York, NY: Henry Holt.

Multiple authors

Anson, C. M., Schwegler, R. A., & Muth, M. F. (2000). The Longman writer's companion. (4th ed). New York: Longman.

Smith, P. M. (2006). The diverse librarian. In E. Connor (Ed.). An introduction to reference services in academic libraries. (pp. 137-140). Binghampton, NY: Haworth Press.

Any time a source is directly quoted or paraphrased it needs to be cited within the text, in addition to appearing in the list of references.

Direct Quote : You will need to include the author, year of publication, and page number of the quote.

  • Tilley (2001) describes the process of apprenticeship as "watching and learning, then coaching followed by hands-on practice" (p. 205).
  • She stated, "watching and learning, then coaching followed by hands-on practice" (Tilley, 2001, p. 205), is the best process for effective apprenticeship.

Paraphrasing:  APA requires that, with paraphrasing, the author and year of publication be included in the in-text citation. The inclusion of the page number is not required but is encouraged.

  • Muddiman (1995) points out that with new emerging technologies there is a shift from knowledge to skills within librarianship.
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IMAGES

  1. How to Write a Research Paper in APA Format

    apa style introduction for research paper

  2. Apa format paper examples

    apa style introduction for research paper

  3. Example Of An Introduction For A Research Paper Apa : Writing a

    apa style introduction for research paper

  4. How to Write a Research Paper in APA Format

    apa style introduction for research paper

  5. How to write an introduction for an essay apa

    apa style introduction for research paper

  6. APA Format for Academic Papers and Essays [Template]

    apa style introduction for research paper

VIDEO

  1. APA style research paper parts

  2. LESSON 78

  3. How to Format Papers in APA 7th Edition

  4. How to Write Research Questions and Hypotheses for Research Studies

  5. PRACTICAL RESEARCH 1

  6. How to Write an APA Research Paper

COMMENTS

  1. PDF Student Paper Setup Guide, APA Style 7th Edition

    Indent the first line of every paragraph of text 0.5 in. using the tab key or the paragraph-formatting function of your word-processing program. Page numbers: Put a page number in the top right corner of every page, including the title page or cover page, which is page 1. Student papers do not require a running head on any page.

  2. APA Style Introduction

    APA (American Psychological Association) style is most commonly used to cite sources within the social sciences. This resource, revised according to the 7 th edition of the APA manual, offers examples for the general format of APA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the reference page.

  3. APA Sample Paper

    Note: This page reflects the latest version of the APA Publication Manual (i.e., APA 7), which released in October 2019. The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style can be found here. Media Files: APA Sample Student Paper , APA Sample Professional Paper This resource is enhanced by Acrobat PDF files. Download the free Acrobat Reader

  4. Sample papers

    These sample papers demonstrate APA Style formatting standards for different student paper types. Students may write the same types of papers as professional authors (e.g., quantitative studies, literature reviews) or other types of papers for course assignments (e.g., reaction or response papers, discussion posts), dissertations, and theses.

  5. How to Write an APA Research Paper

    The introduction of an APA-style paper is the most difficult to write. A good introduction will summarize, integrate, and critically evaluate the empirical knowledge in the relevant area(s) in a way that sets the stage for your study and why you conducted it. The introduction starts out broad (but not too broad!) and gets more focused toward ...

  6. Writing a Research Paper Introduction

    Table of contents. Step 1: Introduce your topic. Step 2: Describe the background. Step 3: Establish your research problem. Step 4: Specify your objective (s) Step 5: Map out your paper. Research paper introduction examples. Frequently asked questions about the research paper introduction.

  7. A step-by-step guide for creating and formatting APA Style student papers

    This article walks through the formatting steps needed to create an APA Style student paper, starting with a basic setup that applies to the entire paper (margins, font, line spacing, paragraph alignment and indentation, and page headers). It then covers formatting for the major sections of a student paper: the title page, the text, tables and ...

  8. APA format for academic papers and essays

    Throughout your paper, you need to apply the following APA format guidelines: Set page margins to 1 inch on all sides. Double-space all text, including headings. Indent the first line of every paragraph 0.5 inches. Use an accessible font (e.g., Times New Roman 12pt., Arial 11pt., or Georgia 11pt.).

  9. PDF Publication Manual, 7th Edition Student Paper Checklist

    This checklist corresponds to the writing and formatting guidelines described in full in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Refer to the following chapters for specific information: paper elements and format in Chapter 2. writing style and grammar in Chapter 4. bias-free language in Chapter 5.

  10. APA Style (7th Edition) Citation Guide: Introduction

    In APA, you must cite sources that you have paraphrased, quoted or otherwise used to write your research paper. Cite your sources in two places: In the body of your paper where you add a brief in-text citation. In the References list at the end of your paper where you give more complete information for the source. APA 7th ed. Sample Paper.

  11. How to Write a Research Paper in APA Format

    The sections in APA-style paper are as follows: 1. Title Page. As per the APA research paper format, the title should be between 10-12 words and should reflect the essence of the paper. After writing the title, write your name followed by name of the college.

  12. Research Guides: Master of Science in Nonprofit Management: APA Style

    Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association by American Psychological Association The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition is the official source for APA Style. With millions of copies sold worldwide in multiple languages, it is the style manual of choice for writers, researchers, editors, students, and educators in the social and ...

  13. PDF Introduction to APA-Style

    Organizing Formal Research Papers If you are writing a formal research paper, the following elements are usually used. Introduction Introduce the research question and explain the background of the issue you are researching. Review of Literature Synthesize background research on the topic. Methodology Explain your experiment/research process.

  14. Introduction

    The following adheres to APA Style Guidelines: Begin on a new page; Restate your assignment title as a Level 1 Heading* (do not use "Introduction" as your heading) Indent and double space; Use paragraph breaks or subheadings to break up the text* Running header in top left for all pages in the remainder of the assignment

  15. How to Write an APA Style Paper: 12 Steps (with Pictures)

    Creating the Main Body. Download Article. 1. Introduce your paper. The first section of an APA style paper will be the introduction, but it doesn't have to be labeled. Just write the title of your paper (in regular type) on the start of the next page, then begin writing your introduction on the line below it.

  16. Introduction

    Consistency is important in academic writing. This research guide will attempt to address some of the common errors writers make when trying to write in APA style. In 2022, APA published the revised 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

  17. APA Formatting and Style Guide (7th Edition)

    Basic guidelines for formatting the reference list at the end of a standard APA research paper Author/Authors Rules for handling works by a single author or multiple authors that apply to all APA-style references in your reference list, regardless of the type of work (book, article, electronic resource, etc.)

  18. PDF How to Write APA Style Research Papers

    Use one-inch margins on all sides of the paper. 3. The text should be left-justified (a straight line), and the right side should be "ragged" (do not justify on both sides) 4. Paragraphs should be indented at the beginning (please use paragraphs!) 5.

  19. Introduction

    Call Number: BF76.7 .P83 2010. ISBN: 9781433805615. Publication Date: 2010-01-01. In addition to providing guidance on grammar, the mechanics of writing, and APA style, this manual offers an authoritative reference and citation system. It also covers the treatment of numbers, statistical and mathematical data, tables and figures.

  20. APA Headings and Subheadings

    There is no " Introduction " heading at the beginning of your paper because the first paragraphs are understood to be introductory. Heading level 2 is used for subsections under level 1. For example, under "Methods" (level 1) you may have subsections for "Sampling Method" and "Data Analysis" (level 2). This continues all the way ...

  21. APA Research Paper

    Psychology/Neuroscience 201 How to Write an APA Style Research Paper. An APA-style paper includes the following sections: title page, abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion, and references. Your paper may also include one or more tables and/or figures. Different types of information about your study are addressed in each of the ...

  22. Paper format

    Paper Format. Consistency in the order, structure, and format of a paper allows readers to focus on a paper's content rather than its presentation. To format a paper in APA Style, writers can typically use the default settings and automatic formatting tools of their word-processing program or make only minor adjustments.

  23. PHP 998

    Develop a Research Question and Outline; APA Style; Online APA Resources. APA Style "APA Style provides a foundation for effective scholarly communication because it helps writers present their ideas in a clear, precise, and inclusive manner." ... Introduction to the APA 7th Edition. CSUDH Library (2019, October 29).

  24. Ivy Tech Libraries: Criminal Justice

    1. An in-text citation, which is an abbreviated form of the source citation included in the essay portion of the project. 2. A full citation, which is included at the end of the project on an APA style References list (or whatever type of research format is required for the assignment).. One of your roles as a researcher and writer is assuring this cross-referencing technique is in place and ...

  25. PDF ELEMENTS & FORMAT Sample Papers

    APA_PM7_Ch2-BLueline.indd 51 8/1/19 7:01 PM Sample Papers • 51 Sample Professional Paper (continued) Level 2 heading in the introduction, 2.27, Table 2.3, Figure 2.4 narrative citation, 8.11; paraphrasing, 8.23 parenthetical citation of a work with one author, 8.17 parenthetical citation for works with the same author and same date, 8.19

  26. APA Headings and Seriation

    In APA Style, the Introduction section never gets a heading and headings are not indicated by letters or numbers. For subsections in the beginning of a paper (introduction section), the first level of subsection will use Level 2 headings — the title of the paper counts as the Level 1 heading. ... On the basis of research conducted by the ...

  27. APA Citation Style

    Any time a source is directly quoted or paraphrased it needs to be cited within the text, in addition to appearing in the list of references. Direct Quote: You will need to include the author, year of publication, and page number of the quote.. Tilley (2001) describes the process of apprenticeship as "watching and learning, then coaching followed by hands-on practice" (p. 205).

  28. PDF Sample Student Paper

    Sample Student Paper paper title, 2.4, 2.27, Table 2.1, Figure 2.4 parenthetical citation of a work with two authors, 8.17 parenthetical citation of a work with one author, 8.17 group author, 9.11 use of first person, 4.16 italics to highlight a key term, 6.22 narrative citation in parenthetical running text, 8.11 repeated citation needed, 8.1

  29. Headings

    Because the first paragraphs of a paper are understood to be introductory, the heading "Introduction" is not needed. Do not begin a paper with an "Introduction" heading; the paper title at the top of the first page of text acts as a de facto Level 1 heading. It is possible (but not required) to use headings within the introduction.