This document provides guidelines for formatting a paper in APA style. It discusses the typical sections of an APA paper including the title page, abstract, main body, and references. It provides formatting details like margins, font, and page numbering. It also explains how to format headings, citations, quotations, and references according to APA style.

1. APA Style
6th Edition
Kate Behan, MSW, PhD
1

2. Why?
• To avoid plagiarism -- credibility
• Accountability
• Readers find sources easily
• Organize paper
2

3. Parts of the Paper
• Four main sections:
1. Title page
2. Abstract (should include keywords, if
required)
3. Main Body
4. References
3

4. General Formatting
• Set margins at 1” all around
• Left justification
• 12 pt. font
• Double space EVERYTHING
– Title page, block quotes, reference list,
abstract (if required)
• Page number on each page including
the title page
• Paragraph indentations are 5-7 spaces
4

5. Title Page
• Information Needed:
– Running Head
– Page Number
– Title
– Name
– Institutional Affiliation
5

6. 6
Running head: SHORT TITLE ALL CAPS IN HEADER 1
Full Title of Paper: Title Case, Centered Left to Right
Name of Author
Author’s Affiliation
.

7. Abstract
7

8. Literature Review Papers
• Literature review type papers contain:
• Title page
• Introduction
• Main Body
• List of references 8

9. Introduction
• Type title of manuscript at top center
– Use title capitalization
– Opens the body of the paper as a
summarization of relevant arguments, data,
and information
– Is 1-2 paragraphs in length
– Presents the specific problem under study
– Describes the research statement
– Is never labeled because it is clearly
identified by its position in the paper 9

10. Headings
• APA Style uses a heading system to
organize and separate paper sections
• 5 section headings but student papers
rarely go beyond 2 or 3 headings
• Headings are hierarchal – always start
with heading level one
10

11. Headings
11
Level of heading Format
1 Centered, Boldface, Upper and Lowercase Heading
2
Flush Left, Boldface, Uppercase and Lowercase
Heading
3
Indented, boldface, lowercase paragraph ending
with a period.

12. 12
First level
Second
level
Third level
First level

13. Paraphrasing
• The overwhelming majority of your
paper will be paraphrasing others’
ideas
• Book reviews will focus on summarizing
13

14. In-text Citations
• As compared to the culture of Western countries,
Eastern tradition generally emphasizes the welfare of
the collective over the individual (Kong, 1996). Notice
the period is outside the parentheses.
• Kong (1996) indicated that when compared to the
culture of Western countries, Eastern traditions
generally emphasize the welfare of the collective over
the individual.
• According to Kong (1996), compared to the culture of
Western countries, Eastern traditions generally
emphasize the welfare of the collective over the
individual.
14

15. Multiple Authors
• For 1-2 authors, cite both names every
time.
• For 3-5 authors, cite all authors the
first time; use just the first last name
with “et al.” in subsequent citations.
• For 6 or more, cite only the first author
with “et al.” every time.
15

16. And or &????
• & = Ampersand
– If citing two or more authors within the narrative of
your text, then you use the word “and”
– If parenthetically citing after the narrative at the
end of the sentence use &
Examples:
• Braun and Clark (2006) contended there are
six phases in thematic analysis.
• There are six phases in thematic analysis
(Braun & Clark, 2006). Notice the period is
outside the parentheses. 16

17. Quotations
• Use minimally!!!
• Quotes of 40 words or more (more than 5
lines) are indented and double-spaced
• Example of a short quote:
17
The American Psychological Association (1996) stated,
“No one theory adequately accounts for all family
violence and abuse” (p. 17).

18. 18
Also problematic is that prior cognitive function testing and baseline data
typically do not exist. Selzter and Luchterhand (1994) stated:
Unfortunately, many persons with Down syndrome who are 45 or
older…have not had previous cognitive testing, and if they have, the
specific test scores need for comparison of past and present performance
are unavailable. Because many persons with Down syndrome show “floor
effects” when tested with a standardized instrument, the test scores often
do not show decrements in cognitive functioning over time (pp. 125 –
126).
Example of a long quote -- notice no quotation
marks:

19. Reference Page(s)
• Starts on a new page with a heading
stating ‘References’ in bold
– Not ‘Works Cited’
• List your sources by first last name
alphabetically listed on the article,
book, etc.
• Use a hanging indent if your reference
is more than one line of text
19

20. Reference Page(s)
• Within a reference, list the authors in
the same order they are listed in the
article (do not alphabetize)
• Journal titles are in title case while
journal articles and books are in in
sentence case
• The titles of journals and books are in
italics
• Do not rely on library database citation
programs as they are usually incorrect!
20

21. 21

22. PERIODICALS
22

23. 23
Single author
Heise, L. L. (1998). Violence against women: An integrated,
ecological framework. Violence Against Women, 4(3), 262.
doi:10.1177/1077801298004003002
Two authors
Little, L., & Kantor, G. K. (2002). Using ecological theory to
understand intimate partner violence and child
maltreatment. Journal of Community Health Nursing,
19(3), 133-145. doi: 10.1207/153276502760242332
Three to six
Authors
Dankoski, M. E., Keiley, M. K., Thomas, V., Choice, P., Lloyd, S.
A., & Seery, B. L. (2006). Affect regulation and the cycle of
violence against women: New directions for
understanding the process. Journal of Family Violence,
21(5), 327-339. doi:10.1007/s10896-006-9028-0
Seven or more
authors
Burger, J., Gochfeld, M., Jeitner, C., Burke, S., Stamm, T.,
Snigaroff, R., ... Weston, J. (2007). Mercury levels and
potential risk from subsistence foods from the Aleutians.
Science of The Total Environment, 384, 93-105.
doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2007.05.004

24. 24
Proquest
Heise, L. L. (1998). Violence against women: An integrated,
ecological framework. Violence Against Women, 4(3), 262-
290. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.er.lib.k-
state.edu/docview/221464884?accountid=11789
PsycINFO
Little, L., & Kantor, G. K. (2002). Using ecological theory to
understand intimate partner violence and child
maltreatment. Journal of Community Health Nursing,
19(3), 133-145.
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/153276502760242332
Academic
Search Premier
Dankoski, M. E., Keiley, M. K., Thomas, V., Choice, P., Lloyd,
S. A., & Seery, B. L. (2006). Affect Regulation and the
Cycle of Violence Against Women: New Directions for
Understanding the Process. Journal Of Family Violence,
21(5), 327-339. doi:10.1007/s10896-006-9028-0
Incorrect Database Citations
Missing
doi

25. ONLINE
PERIODICALS
25

26. Online Periodical
26
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. Title
of Online Periodical, volume number (issue number if available).
Retrieved from http://www.someaddress.com/full/url/
Bernstein, M. (2002). 10 tips on writing the living Web. A List Apart: For
People Who Make Websites, 149. Retrieved from
ttp://www.alistapart.com/articles/writeliving

27. BOOKS
27

28. 28
Single author
Austin, J. H. (1998). Zen and the brain: Toward an
understanding of meditation and consciousness.
Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Multiple
authors
Calarco, M., & Atterton, P. (2009). Animal philosophy:
Essential readings in continental thought. New York:
Continuum.
Edited Book
Ickes, W. (Ed.). (1998). Empathic accuracy. New York:
Guilford Press.
Group or
corporate
author
World Bank. (2004). Gender and development in the
Middle East and North Africa: Women in the public
sphere. Washington, DC: Author.
Article from a
reference book
Herrmann, R. K. (2002). Linking theory to evidence in
international relations. In W. Carlsnaes, T. Risse, & B.
A. Simmons (Eds.), Handbook of international
relations (pp. 119-136). London: Sage.
Chapter or essay
in book
Chen, J. Q. (2003). Intelligence: Multiple intelligences. In
J. Guthrie (Ed.), Encyclopedia of education (pp. 1198-
1201). New York: Macmillan.