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How To Format An APA Style Research Paper

When you begin to write a research paper you will no doubt be confused about a number of issues. Which topic should I choose? How Do I do the research? Will I have enough time to complete the paper? These and many more questions will be on your mind, particularly if you have not written a paper of this magnitude before.

Amidst all of these issues, it is very common for the student to forget about one of the most importance parts of the project; that is how to correctly format the research paper. Typically most papers will be expected to follow the APA or American Psychological Association style of formatting. This article aims to provide an insight in to what should be included in an APA style paper.

The Basic Guidelines

The good news is that once you become familiar with the APA formatting then you are set. Each time you start a new research paper you will be able to begin writing already knowing the format. Essentially all APA style papers must be typed on standard A4 white paper.

The text has to be double spaced and the font needs to be Times New Roman 10 or 12 pt. Each page needs to include a header in the top right hand corner, then you need to type the first couple of words of the main title and then make five spaces before entering the page number.

The Title Page

This is fairly simple to complete. At the top underneath the header insert a "running head". Enter the words running head followed by a colon and then the first fifty characters of your research paper's main title. Next in the upper part of the page you need to enter the full title, your name and the University that you are affiliated to.

The Abstract

On the first line underneath the header enter the word "Abstract". This needs to be centered and with no bold, italics or underlining. Next, you need to write the summary of the research in less than 120 words. The text needs to be double spaced and should consist of one paragraph only.

The Main Body

When you write the main part of the research proposal you really need to focus on in-text citation. The APA style demands that any mention of another author's work should follow exactly the same format throughout the paper.

The basic rule is to include the author's surname and the year of publication in the main text and the full details of the book should then be included in the reference list at the end of the paper. All nouns and names should be capitalized as should any word longer than four letters in the title of the resource.

The Reference List

The reference list is designed so that anyone reading the paper can find the same sources for their own interest or research. The list should appear at the end of the paper after the main discussion. There are a few basic rules when writing the list.

Firstly, the author's surname should be written at the start of the entry. If there are more than six authors it is acceptable to use the phrase "et al". Secondly, the list should be constructed in alphabetical order. Thirdly, in situations where there is more than one work by the same author or authors, always list them chronologically with the most recent included last.

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