APA Formatting Guide

Overview

This lecture provides a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to APA formatting for academic papers, covering general setup, title page elements, section headings, citations, and references as per the 7th edition.

General Formatting and Paper Setup

• Set 1-inch margins on all sides (default in MS Word: Layout > Margins > Normal).
• Use double spacing throughout the document (Paragraph > Line Spacing > 2.0).
• Remove extra space after paragraphs for consistent spacing.
• Insert page numbers in the top right corner, using Times New Roman 12-point font.
• Set the entire document's font to Times New Roman, size 12.
• Use page breaks to separate the title page, main body, and reference list.

Title Page Elements

• Center all title page elements.
• Title: Bold, centered, main keywords of the paper, optional subtitle below.
• Name: Centered, not bolded, formatted as First name, middle initial, last name.
• Affiliation: Department and University, e.g., Department of Psychology, XYZ University.
• Course Information: Course code, colon, then course name.
• Instructor Name: Write as it appears in course material (e.g., Dr., Professor).
• Due Date: Format according to country standards.

Main Body and Reference List Formatting

• After the title page, use a page break before the main text.
• Start the main body with the paper title, centered and bold (no "Introduction" heading).
• Use another page break before the reference list.
• Reference list title: "References," centered and bolded.
• Apply hanging indent (0.5 inch) to all references (Paragraph > Indents > Hanging).

Section Headings

• Use section headings to organize content; APA has five heading levels.
• Level 1: Bold, centered (main sections); Level 2: Bold, left-aligned (subsections).
• For most student papers, use Level 1 and Level 2 headings.
• Headings reflect assignment criteria or paper sections, making papers clearer.

APA Citations and References

• Always cite sources to avoid plagiarism; provide full reference list entries and in-text citations.
• Reference entries need four elements: Author, Date, Title, Source.
• Works that stand alone (books, reports) italicize the title; works part of a whole (journal articles) italicize the source.
• In-text citations have the author and year; add a locator (e.g., page number) for direct quotes.
• In-text citations can be parenthetical (in parentheses) or narrative (embedded in the sentence).

Reference Examples and Variations

• One Author: Last name, Initials. (Year, Month Day). Title. Source. URL/DOI if online.
• Group Author: Use organization name as author; omit duplicate website names.
• Two Authors: List both, separated by ampersand (&).
• Three or More Authors: Use the first author then "et al." in in-text citations.
• 20+ Authors: List first 19, ellipsis (...), then last author.
• Missing Author: Use the title in the author position, italicized in in-text citations.
• Multiple Sources in one Citation: Separate citations with semicolons.
• Same Author, Same Year: Use "a", "b", etc., after the year (e.g., 2020a, 2020b).

Key Terms & Definitions

• APA Formatting — Style guide for academic writing, currently in its 7th edition.
• In-text Citation — Brief credit (author, year) in the body of the paper.
• Reference List — Comprehensive list of all sources cited, at the end of the paper.
• Hanging Indent — All lines after the first in a reference are indented 0.5 inches.
• Paraphrase — Restating source ideas in your own words; most common citation type.
• Direct Quote — Using another's exact words; includes quotation marks and locator.
• Parenthetical Citation — Citation placed in parentheses, usually at the end of a sentence.
• Narrative Citation — Author's name used as part of the sentence.

Action Items / Next Steps

• Download the free APA reference PDF from the provided link.
• Practice formatting a sample paper using these guidelines.
• Review assignment instructions for specific heading or formatting requirements.