Basic apa research paper elements

APA STYLE

• Created by Denise Regeimbal and Amanda Rutstein, 2012

BASIC APA RESEARCH PAPER ELEMENTS

• Structure and content
• Clear and concise organization
• Mechanics of style
• Tables and figures
• Parenthetical citations
• References

GETTING STARTED GENERAL DOCUMENT FORMATTING

• Setting up a Word document
• Select Font/Font Size
• Times New Roman
• Font Size 12
• 1” margins all around
• Left justified with right ragged edge
• Double spaced
• All paper elements should be double spaced except in-text table/figure notation
• Indent the first line of all paragraphs

TITLE PAGE ELEMENTS

• Header
• Running head and paper title
• Page numbers
• Title page body
• Paper Title
• Your Name
• Institution
• The university pledge
• APA sample title page

BASIC APA ELEMENTS OF A RESEARCH PAPER

• Abstract
• Sample APA style research paper
• Basic Elements of a Research Paper
• Introduction
• Body of paper
• In-text citations
• Parenthetical    
• Tables and figures
• Conclusion
• References
• Reference page format
• Order of source information for each resource
• Order of all sources on reference page (alphabetized)
• Hanging indent-5 spaces

HEADING LEVELS

QUOTATION RULES

• Frame all quotes
• Punctuation goes inside quotation marks
• Block quotes:
• Any quote longer than four lines of text (or at the professor’s discretion)
• Indent each line of the quote
• Omit quotation marks
• Single space

EXTRAS

• Following the professor’s specific instructions
• Using the MS Word References tab or other formatting software
• Whole numbers under 10 are spelled out while whole numbers over 10 are numerical.
• Use full name of source the first time and then refer to source by last name in subsequent references
• Article titles are not framed with quotation marks in the reference list
• When there are more than three sources in a parenthetical citation, replace all but the first name with “et al.” after the first use of that citation
• Do not cite Wikipedia…just don’t

WRITING CENTER INFORMATION

• Fredericksburg Campus Writing Center
• (540) 654-1036
• Located in Trinkle 107A
• Monday-Thursday 10-5 and Friday 10-3
• Stafford Campus Writing Center
• (540) 286-8109
• Located in the lobby of the South Building
• Monday-Thursday 4-8
• *Handouts regarding APA Style guidelines and punctuation rules are available at both the Fredericksburg and Stafford Writing Centers

WHERE TO GO FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Sixth Edition of APA Publication Manual
• Purchase highly recommended
• Stafford Writing Center website
• Stafford Writing Center website
• Fredericksburg Writing Center website
• Fredericksburg Writing Center website
• APA website
• APA website
• The Purdue Online Writing Lab (Purdue Owl)
• Purdue Owl