APA Guidelines in General Your essay should be double-spaced and typed on standard-sized paper (8.5" x 11"), with 1 inch margins on both sides. At the top of each page, include a page header (also known as the "running head"). This comprises the title of your document and the page number for a professional paper. The running head should be centered at the top of the page above the first paragraph on that page.
When writing an essay in APA style, follow these steps: Start with a clear objective or question. Research the topic extensively using various sources. Develop your argument about the topic. Use appropriate formatting (such as bold/italic type and bullet points) to make your work read more easily. Provide support for your arguments with relevant examples from literature, history, or life. Review your work for grammar and spelling mistakes before you submit it for assessment.
The goal of your essay is not just to express yourself but also to persuade others that you are right. To achieve this goal, you need to supply evidence to support your arguments and conclusions. Use facts and statistics where they can help clarify your ideas and enhance your writing style. Avoid using jargon words if you cannot explain what they mean; instead, define them when you use them. For example, instead of saying "postmodernism involves a rejection of traditional values," say "Postmodernism views traditional values as outdated."
Finally, proofread your work carefully before you submit it for assessment.
In General, the APA Guidelines Your essay should be double-spaced and typed on standard-sized paper (8.5" x 11"), with 1 inch margins on both sides. You should select a clean, easily visible typeface. The running head is a condensed form of your paper's title that cannot be more than 50 characters long, including spacing and punctuation. It appears at the beginning of each section of your essay, and is used to help readers find information in the text.
The reference list should be printed in the footer, or attached as a separate file. Only references cited in the text itself can be included in the reference list; materials used for class discussion or research papers can be referenced but not included in the list. The reference list should not include DOI or URL links because these types of links will not remain active once the article has been published or presented.
Authors are required by law to give credit to other people's work when they use it during their own writing process. This practice is called "fair use" and it allows others to build upon your ideas without asking you permission first. Using other people's words without giving them credit is known as plagiarism. Plagiarism is cheating and it destroys trust between authors and readers. Although some writers may feel uncomfortable acknowledging other people's work, understanding how important it is to provide proper credit for others' ideas is part of becoming a credible writer.
Your essay should be double-spaced and typed on standard-sized paper (8.5" x 11"), with 1 inch margins on both sides. The APA recommends using a font size of 12 point Times New Roman. This section of the essay should contain the title of the essay, the name of the student authoring the essay, the date, and the class or course number.
The body of the essay should be divided into several paragraphs. Each paragraph should have a topic sentence that gives the focus to that paragraph and includes a clear reference or quotation that supports its significance. The remaining sentences should develop that quote or reference further. End each paragraph with a question mark or an exclamation point followed by a full stop.
The introduction should provide a brief overview of the topic being discussed. It should state your position on the issue at hand while referring to relevant examples from history. Avoid introducing facts about the topic itself; let their significance become evident during the discussion of various issues surrounding it. Use appropriate language and formal style throughout your essay.
Include references and citations according to your school's or employer's specifications. (Some schools and employers may require a copyright symbol be included with each reference.) A bibliography is required for any material not originally published in print form.
The following table shows you the proper page margins for different types of papers:
Type of Paper Page Margins Double-Spaced 1 inch Single-Spaced 5/8 inch Notes or Reviews 3 inches by 5 inches or less 8 inches by 11 inches or more Meeting Minutes or Protocol Papers 2 pages plus margin 4 pages plus margin
For a typical paper in APA style, you need to leave 1 inch margins at the top and bottom and another 1 inch margin inside the body of the paper. This makes a total of 2 inches between the edges of the paper. You can find sample policies here: http://www.apa.org/pubs/authors/sample-policies.aspx.
When writing an academic paper, it is important to follow specific guidelines or your paper will not be accepted by most publishers.
Do not use italics or underlining.
The Introduction The introduction should provide the reader with a brief overview of the topic that includes the following elements:
• A statement of the problem or issue addressed by the paper.
• An explanation of how previous research has dealt with this problem/issue.
• A statement of the specific questions being addressed by the paper.
• An indication of any gaps in our knowledge about the problem/issue addressed by the paper.
• An outline of some potential directions for future research.
• A short conclusion stating what we have learned from this study and why it is important to know more about this topic.
• Reference citations for information used in the paper.
Doing Research The best way to learn anything new is by doing. So, before you write about something, try to find out what others have said about it. Look at examples of good writing on the topic.
Copyright © 2020 - 2023 Authors Cast Inc.
