apa format in research

Purdue Online Writing Lab College of Liberal Arts

General Format

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Please use the example at the bottom of this page to cite the Purdue OWL in APA.

You can also watch our APA vidcast series on the Purdue OWL YouTube Channel .

General APA Guidelines

Your essay should be typed and double-spaced on standard-sized paper (8.5" x 11"), with 1" margins on all sides.   Include a page header (also known as the “ running head ”) at the top of every page. For a professional paper, this includes your paper title and the page number. For a student paper, this only includes the page number. To create a page header/running head , insert page numbers flush right. Then type "TITLE OF YOUR PAPER" in the header flush left using all capital letters. The running head is a shortened version of your paper's title and cannot exceed 50 characters including spacing and punctuation.

The 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual requires that the chosen font be accessible (i.e., legible) to all readers and that it be used consistently throughout the paper. It acknowledges that many font choices are legitimate, and it advises writers to check with their publishers, instructors, or institutions for guidance in cases of uncertainty.

While the APA Manual does not specify a single font or set of  fonts for professional writing, it does recommend a few fonts that are widely available. These include sans serif fonts such as 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, and 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode as well as serif fonts such as 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Georgia, 10-point Computer Modern.

Major Paper Sections

Your essay should include four major sections: the Title Page , Abstract , Main Body , and References .

Note: APA 7 provides slightly different directions for formatting the title pages of professional papers (e.g., those intended for scholarly publication) and student papers (e.g., those turned in for credit in a high school or college course).

The title page should contain the title of the paper, the author's name , and the institutional affiliation . A professional paper should also include the author note . A student paper should also include the course number and name , instructor name , and assignment due date .

Type your title in upper and lowercase letters centered in the upper half of the page. The title should be centered and written in boldface. APA recommends that your title be focused and succinct and that it should not contain abbreviations or words that serve no purpose. Your title may take up one or two lines. All text on the title page, and throughout your paper, should be double-spaced.

Beneath the title, type the author's name : first name, middle initial(s), and last name. Do not use titles (Dr.) or degrees (PhD).

Beneath the author's name, type the institutional affiliation , which should indicate the location where the author(s) conducted the research.

A professional paper should include the author note beneath the institutional affiliation, in the bottom half of the title page. This should be divided up into several paragraphs, with any paragraphs that are not relevant omitted. The first paragraph should include the author’s name, the symbol for the ORCID iD, and the URL for the ORCID iD. Any authors who do not have an ORCID iD should be omitted. The second paragraph should show any change in affiliation or any deaths of the authors. The third paragraph should include any disclosures or acknowledgements, such as study registration, open practices and data sharing, disclosure of related reports and conflicts of interest, and acknowledgement of financial support and other assistance. The fourth paragraph should include contact information for the corresponding author.

A student paper should not include an author note.

Note again that page headers/page numbers (described above for professional and student papers) also appear at the top of the title page. In other words, a professional paper's title page will include the title of the paper flush left in all capitals and the page number flush right, while a student paper will only contain the page number flush right.

Student APA title page

Title page for a student paper in APA 7 style.

Professional paper APA title page

Title page for a professional paper in APA 7 style.

Begin a new page. Your abstract page should already include the page header (described above). On the first line of the abstract page, center and bold the word “Abstract” (no italics, underlining, or quotation marks).

Beginning with the next line, write a concise summary of the key points of your research. (Do not indent.) Your abstract should contain at least your research topic, research questions, participants, methods, results, data analysis, and conclusions. You may also include possible implications of your research and future work you see connected with your findings. Your abstract should be a single paragraph, double-spaced. Your abstract should typically be no more than 250 words.

You may also want to list keywords from your paper in your abstract. To do this, indent as you would if you were starting a new paragraph, type Keywords: (italicized), and then list your keywords. Listing your keywords will help researchers find your work in databases.

Abstracts are common in scholarly journal articles and are not typically required for student papers unless advised by an instructor. If you are unsure whether or not your work requires an abstract, consult your instructor for further guidance.

APA Abstract Page

Abstract page for a student paper in APA 7 style.

Please see our Sample APA Paper resource to see an example of an APA paper. You may also visit our Additional Resources page for more examples of APA papers.

How to Cite the Purdue OWL in APA

Individual resources.

The page template for the new OWL site does not include contributors' names or the page's last edited date. However, select pages  still include this information.

In the absence of contributor/edit date information, treat the page as a source with a group author and use the abbreviation "n.d." for "no date":

Purdue Online Writing Lab. (n.d.).  Title of resource.  Purdue Online Writing Lab. http://Web address for OWL resource

Purdue Online Writing Lab. (n.d.).  General Writing FAQs. Purdue Online Writing Lab. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/general_writing_faqs.html

The generic APA citation for OWL pages, which includes author/edit date information, is this:

Contributors' names. (Last edited date).  Title of resource . Site Name. http://Web address for OWL resource

Note:  This page reflects the latest version of the APA Publication Manual (i.e., APA 7), which released in October 2019. The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style  can be found here .

APA Style (7th ed.)

Full research@uww search box, research@uww.

• Cite: Why? When?
• Book, eBook, Dissertation
• Article or Report
• Business Sources
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools
• In-Text Citation
• Format Your Paper

Format Your Paper

Download and use the editable templates for student papers below: .

• APA 7th ed. Template Document This is an APA format template document in Google Docs. Click on the link -- it will ask for you to make a new copy of the document, which you can save in your own Google Drive with your preferred privacy settings.
• APA 7th ed. Template Document A Microsoft Word document formatted correctly according to APA 7th edition.
• APA 7th ed. Annotated Bibliography template A Microsoft Word document formatted correctly for an annotated bibliography.

Or, view the directions for specific sections below:

Order of sections (section 2.17).

• Title page including Title, Author, University and Department, Class, Instructor, and Date
• Body (including introduction, literature review or background, discussion, and conclusion)
• Appendices (including tables & figures)

Margins & Page Numbers (sections 2.22-2.24)

• 1 inch at top, bottom, and both sides
• Left aligned paragraphs and leave the right edge ragged (not "right justified")
• Indent first line of each paragraph 1/2 inch from left margin
• Use page numbers, including on the title page, 1/2 inch from top and flush with right margin

Text Format (section 2.19)

• Times New Roman, 12 point
• Calibri, 11 point
• Arial, 11 point
• Lucinda Sans Unicode, 10 point
• Georgia, 11 point
• Double-space and align text to the left
• Use active voice
• Don't overuse technical jargon
• No periods after a web address or DOI in the References list.

Tables and Figures In-Text (chapter 7)

• Label tables and figures numerically (ex. Table 1)
• Give each table column a heading and use separating lines only when necessary
• Design the table and figure so that it can be understood on its own, i.e. it does not require reference to the surrounding text to understand it
• Notes go below tables and figures

Title Page (section 2.3)

• Include the title, your name,  the class name , and  the college's name
• Title should be 12 words or less and summarize the paper's main idea
• No periods or abbreviations
• Do not italicize or underline
• No quotation marks, all capital letters, or bold
• Center horizontally in upper half of the page

Body (section 2.11)

• Align the text to the left with a 1/2-inch left indent on the first line
• Double-space
• As long as there is no Abstract, at the top of the first page, type the title of the paper, centered, in bold , and in Sentence Case Capitalization
• Usually, include sections like these:  introduction, literature review or background,  discussion, and conclusion -- but the specific organization will depend on the paper type
• Spell out long organization names and add the abbreviation in parenthesis, then just use the abbreviation
• Spell out numbers one through nine and use a number for 10 or more
• Use a number for units of measurement, in tables, to represent statistical or math functions, and dates or times

Headings (section 2.26-2.27)

• Level 1: Center, bold , Title Case 
• Level 2: Align left, bold , Title Case
• Level 3: Alight left, bold italics , Title Case
• Level 4: Indented 1/2", bold , Title Case, end with a period. Follow with text. 
• Level 5: Indented 1/2", bold italics , Title Case, end with a period. Follow with text. 

Quotations (sections 8.26-8.33)

• Include short quotations (40 words or less) in-text with quotation marks
• For quotes more than 40 words, indent the entire quote a half inch from the left margin and double-space it with no quotation marks
• When quoting two or more paragraphs from an original source, indent the first line of each paragraph a half inch from the left margin
• Use ellipsis (...) when omitting sections from a quote and use four periods (....) if omitting the end section of a quote

References (section 2.12)

Begins on a new page following the text of your paper and includes complete citations for the resources you've used in your writing.

• References should be centered and bolded at the top of a new page
• Double-space and use hanging indents (where the first line is on the left margin and the following lines are indented a half inch from the left)
• List authors' last name first followed by the first and middle initials (ex. Skinner, B. F.)
• Alphabetize the list by the first author's last name of of each citation (see sections 9.44-9.49)
• Capitalize only the first word, the first after a colon or em dash, and proper nouns
• Don't capitalize the second word of a hyphenated compound
• No quotation marks around titles of articles

Appendices with Tables, Figures, & Illustrations (section 2.14, and chapter 7)

• Include appendices only to help the reader understand, evaluate, or replicate the study or argument
• Put each appendix on a separate page and align left
• For text, do not indent the first paragraph, but do indent the rest
• If you have only one appendix, label it "Appendix"
• If you have two or more appendices, label them "Appendix A", "Appendix B" and so forth as they appear in the body of your paper
• Label tables and figures numerically (ex. Table 1, or Table B1 and Table B2 if Appendix B has two tables) and describe them within the text of the appendix
• Notes go below tables and figures (see samples on p. 210-226)

Annotated Bibliography

Double-space the entire bibliography. give each entry a hanging indent. in the following annotation, indent the entire paragraph a half inch from the left margin and give the first line of each paragraph a half inch indent. see the template document at the top of this page..

• Check with your professor for the length of the annotation and which elements you should evaluate.

These elements are optional, if your professor or field requires them, but they are  not required for student papers: 

Abstract (section 2.9).

• Abstract gets its own page
• Center "Abstract" heading and do not indent the first line of the text
• Summarize the main points and purpose of the paper in 150-250 words maximum
• Define abbreviations and acronyms used in the paper

Running Head (section 2.8 )

• Shorten title to 50 characters or less (counting spaces and punctuation) for the running head
• In the top margin, the running head is aligned left, with the page number aligned on the right
• On every page, put (without the brackets): [SHORTENED TITLE OF YOUR PAPER IN ALL CAPS] [page number] 

More questions? Check out the authoritative source: APA style blog

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Home » APA Research Paper Format – Example, Sample and Writing Guide

APA Research Paper Format – Example, Sample and Writing Guide

Table of Contents

The APA (American Psychological Association) format is a widely used citation and formatting style for academic writing, particularly in the social sciences, psychology, education, and related fields. It provides a structured framework for organizing research papers, ensuring consistency and clarity. This guide will cover the essentials of the APA research paper format, provide examples, and offer a comprehensive writing guide to help you create a polished paper.

APA Research Paper Format

APA format is a standardized style for structuring academic papers, including in-text citations and references. The latest version, APA 7th Edition , is the most commonly used format today. It specifies rules for document structure, font usage, headings, citations, and reference lists.

Key Components of an APA Research Paper

An APA research paper typically consists of the following sections:

Introduction

• (Optional) Appendices, Tables, and Figures

Formatting Guidelines for APA Research Paper

• Standard size: 8.5 x 11 inches (Letter).
• Margins: 1 inch on all sides.
• Recommended: 12-point Times New Roman or 11-point Arial.
• Consistent font throughout the document.
• Double-spaced throughout the paper, including title page and references.
• Insert page numbers in the top right corner.
• Use a structured system with five levels of headings.
• Indent the first line of each paragraph by 0.5 inches.
• Use a hanging indent for all reference entries.

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing an APA Research Paper

1. title page.

The title page includes the following elements:

• Title: Centered and bold, written in title case.
• Author Name(s): Your full name, with no titles or degrees.
• Institutional Affiliation: The name of your university or organization.
• Course Information (for student papers): Include course name, instructor, and date.

Example of Title Page:

Impact of Social Media on Academic Performance Jane Doe University of Learning PSY 101: Introduction to Psychology Dr. John Smith November 12, 2024

2. Abstract

• A concise summary of your research, typically 150–250 words.
• Include key aspects: research problem, methodology, results, and implications.
• Written in a single paragraph, no indentation.

Example Abstract:

This study explores the relationship between social media usage and academic performance among college students. Using a survey methodology, data were collected from 200 participants. Results indicate a significant negative correlation between excessive social media use and GPA. Implications for educators and policy-makers are discussed.

3. Main Body

• Introduce the topic, research problem, and purpose of the study.
• Include a brief literature review to contextualize the research.
• End with a clear thesis or research question.

Social media has become an integral part of daily life, influencing various aspects of behavior, including academic performance. Prior studies have shown conflicting results regarding its impact, necessitating further investigation. This study examines the correlation between time spent on social media and student GPA.

• Describe the research design, participants, data collection methods, and procedures.
• Include sufficient detail for replication.

Participants: The study involved 200 college students aged 18–24, recruited from three universities. Design: A cross-sectional survey design was employed. Procedure: Participants completed a 20-item questionnaire assessing social media habits and academic performance.

• Present the findings using text, tables, or figures.
• Avoid interpretation; focus on presenting data clearly.

Results indicated that students who spent more than 4 hours daily on social media had an average GPA of 2.8, compared to 3.5 for those with less than 2 hours of usage (see Table 1).

• Interpret the results and relate them to the research question and prior studies.
• Address limitations and suggest areas for future research.

These findings suggest that excessive social media use negatively affects academic performance. This supports earlier research by Smith and Taylor (2020). However, the study is limited by its reliance on self-reported data, which may introduce bias. Future research should explore experimental designs to confirm causality.

4. References

List all sources cited in the paper, following APA guidelines.

Example References in APA Format:

Smith, J., & Taylor, R. (2020). Social media and academic performance: A comprehensive review. Journal of Educational Psychology, 112(4), 345-360. https://doi.org/10.1234/jep.2020.34567 Brown, T. (2018). Understanding digital distractions in education. Academic Press.

5. Tables and Figures (Optional)

• Tables: Present numerical data concisely. Label above the table (e.g., Table 1).
• Figures: Use for graphs, charts, or images. Label below the figure (e.g., Figure 1).

Example Table:

Sample APA Research Paper Outline

• Background and context.
• Research question or hypothesis.
• Participants.
• Research design.
• Descriptive statistics.
• Key findings.
• Interpretation of results.
• Limitations.
• Future research.

Tips for Writing an APA Research Paper

• Start Early: APA formatting can be detailed; give yourself time to revise.
• Use Tools: Use citation management tools like Zotero or EndNote to organize references.
• Proofread: Double-check for APA-specific details like spacing, font, and citation format.
• Refer to Guidelines: Always consult the latest APA Manual for updates and clarifications.
• Leverage Technology: Use Microsoft Word or Google Docs’ built-in APA formatting templates.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Incorrect Citations: Ensure all in-text citations have corresponding references.
• Inconsistent Formatting: Maintain uniformity in font size, spacing, and headings.
• Ignoring Guidelines: Follow journal or instructor-specific requirements in addition to APA rules.
• Overloading Abstracts: Keep your abstract concise and relevant.

Mastering the APA format is essential for writing clear, structured, and professional research papers. By adhering to the guidelines for formatting, structure, and citations, you can produce a paper that communicates your findings effectively and adheres to academic standards. Whether you are a student or a seasoned researcher, following this guide will streamline your writing process and enhance the quality of your work.

• American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.).
• Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL). (2023). APA Style Introduction . Retrieved from https://owl.purdue.edu
• Houghton, P. M. (2019). Guide to APA Writing Standards . Academic Press.
• Creswell, J. W. (2018). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches . Sage Publications.
• Springer, K. (2022). Writing Research Papers in APA Style . Harper Academic.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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