Instructions: If you want to add the content below to your course, use this HTML code. Here is a link to those needing a refresher on using the HTML view in the Rich Content Editor.

Overview:

The APA format is the writing style created by the American Psychological Association and is used primarily in the social sciences. It standardizes source citations in academic papers by incorporating author names and publication dates in the text (in-text citations) and including a reference list at the end. It ensures proper citation of sources in research writing.

APA Formatting:

Use this guide to format a student paper in the 7th edition of APA Style.

Margins: Leave one-inch margins at the text's top, bottom, and sides. Note: One-inch margins may be the default setting in MS Word.

Double-Spaced: The entire document is double-spaced with no extra spacing between paragraphs. The only exception to this rule is an extra double-spaced line on the title page between the title of the paper and the author's name.

Student Header - Page Number: Number all pages consecutively throughout the research paper. Insert the page number in the upper right-hand corner of the header, half an inch from the top, and flush with the right margin.

Text Formatting: 12-point Times New Roman is a font style acceptable to instructors. Other fonts and sizes acceptable to APA include 11-point Calibri and 11-point Arial.

First Page – Student Title Page:

Type the paper's title three to four lines down from the top of the page. The title should also be in title case, centered, and bolded.
Place one double-spaced blank line between the paper title and the author's full name. Then, centered, not bolded, add the author's name(s).
Add the affiliation on a new double-spaced line that is centered and not bolded. The affiliation is the institution where the student attends school. EX: Lake Sumter State College
On a new double-spaced line, centered, not bolded, add the course number, followed by the name of the course. EX: ENC1101: College Composition I
On a new double-spaced line, centered, not bolded, add the instructor's full name for the course - e.g., Instructor Smith, Professor Smith, Dr. Smith
Add the assignment's due date in month-day, year format on a new double-spaced line, centered, not bolded. EX: August 18, 2024

Second Page – Text Elements:

Repeat the paper title at the top of the second page. The Level I heading title should also be centered and bolded using the same font and style size on the title page.

Watch:

Watch the first 3:00 minutes of the 9:46-minute YouTube video to format your student paper if you're using MS Word.

APA Formatting 7th Edition

Watch this 7:54-minute closed-caption YouTube video if you're using Google Docs to format your paper in APA 7^th edition.

How to set up a paper in APA style using Google Docs