APA Formatting and Style Guide (7th Edition): A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction

The American Psychological Association (APA) style is one of the most widely used formats for writing academic papers, particularly in the fields of psychology, education, and other social sciences. The 7th edition of the APA Manual, published in October 2019, brought several changes to the previous edition’s guidelines. This comprehensive guide will cover the key aspects of the 7th edition of the APA format and style guide, providing clear instructions and examples to help scholars and students correctly format their academic papers and cite sources.

General Format Guidelines

APA style papers should be typed, double-spaced on standard-sized paper (8.5″ x 11″) with 1″ margins on all sides. Use a clear font, such as 12-pt Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri. Include a page header at the top of every page. For student papers, this usually consists of the page number alone. For professional papers, the page header also includes a running head.

An APA-style paper typically includes four main sections: the title page, abstract, main body, and references. The title page should contain the title of the paper, the author’s name, and the institutional affiliation.

Title Page and Abstract

The title page should be formatted with the title of the paper centered and in bold, followed by the author’s name and institutional affiliation. The abstract, on a separate page, should be a single paragraph of 150-250 words, and it should provide a brief summary of the paper. The word “Abstract” should be centered and bolded at the top of the page.

Main Body

The main body of an APA paper varies depending on the type of paper. In general, it should start on the third page of your paper. The main body should be divided into sections and subsections, each with a title that is bolded and aligned to the left. The introduction does not carry the heading “Introduction”; rather, the title of the paper is used at the start of the main body.

For empirical studies, the main body typically includes sections like Method, Results, and Discussion. Each section provides specific information – the Method section details how the study was conducted, the Results section presents the findings, and the Discussion section interprets the results.

In-Text Citations

In-text citations are essential in APA format to credit sources within the paper. The basic format for APA in-text citation is (Author’s Last Name, Year of Publication). For direct quotations, include the page number as well, like: (Author’s Last Name, Year, p. Page Number).

When citing a source with two authors, use “&” between the authors’ names within the parenthesis and “and” outside it. For sources with three or more authors, use et al. after the first author’s name (e.g., Smith et al., 2020).

Reference List

The reference list should begin on a new page after the main body of the paper. The word “References” should be centered and bold at the top of the page. Entries should be listed alphabetically by the last name of the first author of each work.

The basic format for a book reference is: Author, A. A. (Year of Publication). Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle. Publisher.

For journal articles: Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical, volume number(issue number), pages.

Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) or URLs should be included for all works that have them.

Tables and Figures

Tables and figures should be integrated into the paper near where they are first mentioned. Each table and figure should have a brief explanatory title, with tables numbered consecutively (e.g., Table 1, Table 2) and figures as well (e.g., Figure 1, Figure 2). Below each table or figure, provide a brief explanation or any necessary information.

Appendices

If your paper has supplementary material (like questionnaires or detailed information), you can include it in an appendix. Each appendix should be labeled with a capital letter (Appendix A, Appendix B) and should have a title. Reference them in the main text as needed.

Additional Style Points

Numbers: In the text, spell out numbers below 10 and use numerals for numbers 10 and above.

• Headings: Use bold for all headings. Level 1 headings should be centered, Level 2 left-aligned, and so forth.
• Lists: Use bullet points or numbered lists for clarity when listing items.

Online Tools to Assist with APA Formatting

Navigating APA formatting can be challenging, especially for those new to this style guide. Fortunately, several online tools and resources are available to assist with APA formatting, making it easier to adhere to the standards of the 7th edition of the APA Manual. Here’s a look at some valuable online tools that can help with various aspects of APA formatting, from citation generation to comprehensive formatting assistance.

Citation Generators

1. Zotero (www.zotero.org): Zotero is a free, easy-to-use tool to help you collect, organize, cite, and share research. It’s great for managing references and can automatically format them in APA style.
2. CiteThisForMe (www.citethisforme.com): This tool provides a straightforward way to generate citations and bibliographies in APA format. It also offers a guide on how to cite different types of sources.
3. Mendeley (www.mendeley.com): Mendeley is a reference manager and academic social network that can help you organize your research, collaborate with others online, and discover the latest research. It provides tools for generating citations and bibliographies in APA format.

Comprehensive Formatting Tools

4. Purdue OWL (owl.purdue.edu): The Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL) offers extensive resources on APA format. It provides guidelines on the general format of APA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the reference page.
5. APA Style Central (apastyle.apa.org): Developed by the American Psychological Association, this is a comprehensive and authoritative resource on all things APA. It includes tutorials, quick guides, self-quizzes, sample papers, and more.
6. Grammarly (www.grammarly.com): While primarily known for grammar checking, Grammarly also offers checks for consistency in citation styles, including APA. It’s a great tool for ensuring that your writing is not only grammatically correct but also adheres to APA standards.

Utilizing these online tools can significantly streamline the process of APA formatting, ensuring that your academic writing meets the required standards. From citation generators to comprehensive formatting guides, these resources offer valuable assistance to students and researchers alike, making the task of adhering to APA guidelines more manageable and less time-consuming. Remember, while these tools are helpful, it’s always good to have a solid understanding of APA guidelines to ensure the accuracy of your work.

Conclusion

In conclusion, mastering the APA formatting style is a crucial aspect of academic writing, especially for students and professionals in psychology, education, and other social sciences. While the APA style has specific and detailed guidelines, understanding and adhering to these rules ensures that academic papers are presented in a clear, consistent, and professional manner. The proper use of APA style not only lends credibility to a paper but also facilitates clear communication, allowing readers to focus on the content without distractions caused by irregular formatting. As such, investing time and effort in learning APA style and utilizing available resources, including citation generators and formatting guides, is highly beneficial. It is important to remember that while tools and resources are available to assist with APA formatting, a thorough understanding of the guidelines remains essential for accurate and effective academic writing.