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APA 7th Edition Style Guide

Correctly cite and reference resources in APA (7th Edition) Style.

General Elements

The sequence of the pages of your paper should be arranged in the following order:

  • Title page
  • Abstract
  • Main Body / Text
  • References

Title Page

  1. Page Header: At the top of every page, include a page header with the page number right-aligned.
  2. Paper Title: Place the title in the upper half of the page, centered and bolded. Use both upper and lower case letters (Title Case).
  3. Author Information: Below the title, include the author's name (without titles or degrees) and institutional affiliation. If there are multiple authors, double-space between names.
  4. Author Note: (Optional) Provide an author note at the bottom of the title page, detailing ORCID iD, changes in affiliation, disclosures, contact information, and acknowledgments.

Abstract

  1. Page 2: Start the abstract on a new page.
  2. Heading: The word "Abstract" should be centered and bolded at the top of the page.
  3. Content: Write a brief summary of the key points of your paper, including the research topic, research questions, participants, methods, results, data analysis, and conclusions. It may also include possible implications. The abstract should be between 150-250 words and be written as a single paragraph without indentation.

Main Body

  1. Introduction: Start the main body on a new page titled with the paper title (centered and bolded).
  2. Headings: Use APA style headings to organize the content:
    • Level 1: Centered, Bold, Title Case Heading
    • Level 2: Left-aligned, Bold, Title Case Heading
    • Level 3: Left-aligned, Bold Italic, Title Case Heading
    • Level 4: Indented, Bold, Title Case Heading, Ending with a Period.
    • Level 5: Indented, Bold Italic, Title Case Heading, Ending with a Period.
  3. Paragraphs and Indentation: Indent the first line of each paragraph by 0.5 inches. Use double-spacing throughout the text.

References

  1. Starting Page: Begin the references on a new page with the title "References" centered and bolded at the top of the page.
  2. Formatting Entries: Use a hanging indent for each reference entry. The first line of the reference should be flush left, with subsequent lines indented by 0.5 inches. Entries should be double-spaced.
  3. Order: Alphabetize the references by the surname of the first author of each work.
  4. Style: Follow specific APA guidelines for formatting different types of sources (books, articles, websites, etc.).
  1. Numbering: Number figures and tables separately in the order they are mentioned in the text.
  2. Title: Provide a brief title for each figure or table.
  3. Source: If the figure or table is borrowed or adapted, include a citation directly beneath it.

When including figures and tables in your APA-styled document, ensure they are referred to within the text to guide readers to them for relevant information.

Figure Example

Figure 1

Title: Annual Revenue of XYZ Corporation (2015-2020)

A line graph showing the annual revenue of XYZ Corporation from 2015 to 2020. The x-axis represents the years from 2015 to 2020, and the y-axis represents revenue in millions of dollars. The graph shows a steady increase in revenue over the six years.

Note. From "The Growth of XYZ Corporation: A Five-Year Review," by A.B. Smith and C.D. Jones, 2021, Journal of Business Studies, 58(4), p. 204. Reprinted with permission

Notes
  • Numbering: Figures are numbered using the format "Figure X" where X is the figure number.
  • Title: The title is italicized and placed directly below the figure number. It should be concise and explain what the figure is about.
  • Image Description: In a real paper, the image would be visible, and the description would not be necessary. However, accessibility guidelines recommend providing a detailed description for visual elements.
  • Note: Any additional information about the figure, including citations for sources from which the figure was adapted or reproduced, is provided in a note below the figure.

Table Example

Table 1

Title: Demographic Characteristics of Participants

Note. Participants were recruited from online forums and social media platforms. The total number of participants was 200.

Notes
  • Numbering: Tables are numbered using the format "Table X" where X is the table number.
  • Title: The title is placed directly above the table and describes the content. It is not italicized.
  • Headings: Use bold for column headings to differentiate them from the data.
  • Data: Align numbers in the table to facilitate comparison (e.g., right alignment for numerical data).
  • Note: Additional explanations, including the sampling method or any abbreviations used, are provided in a note below the table.

The 7th edition of the American Psychological Association (APA) style manual provides specific guidelines for formatting elements such as fonts, line spacing, margins, and other aspects of document presentation. These guidelines ensure consistency, readability, and a professional appearance for academic and professional papers.

Font Type

The APA Manual recommends using a legible font that ensures clear distinction between regular and italicized text. Preferred fonts include:

  • 11-point Calibri
  • 11-point Arial
  • 12-point Times New Roman
  • 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode
  • 11-point Georgia

Line Spacing and Margins

The entire document should be double-spaced, including the title page, abstract, text, quotes, references, footnotes, and figure captions.

  • Margin size: Use 1-inch margins on all sides of every page.

Additional Elements

Lists and Seriation: Use bullets or numbers to indicate a list within the text. For numbered lists that denote a sequence or hierarchy, use Arabic numerals followed by a period.

Spacing after Punctuation: Use one space after periods and other punctuation marks, unless specified otherwise.

Numbers: Spell out numbers one through nine and use numerals for numbers 10 and above, following specific APA rules for statistical and mathematical copy.