What are the steps to formatting a paper in APA Style?
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
To format a paper in APA Style, you can follow these steps:
1. Set the Document Format:
- Open a new document in a word processing software like Microsoft Word.
- Set the margins to 1 inch on all sides.
- Choose a readable font, such as Times New Roman or Arial, with a font size of 12.
2. Set the Page Header:
- Insert a page header at the top of every page, by clicking on "Insert" > "Header" > "Edit Header".
- Type the title of your paper in all uppercase letters, known as the "Running Head", followed by a colon and a shortened version of your title (maximum 50 characters).
- On the first page only, include the words "Running head:" before your running head.
3. Title Page:
- Create a separate title page, by pressing "Enter" several times after the page header.
- On the top center of the first page, write the title of your paper (centered and in title case).
- Then, on the next line, write your name, followed by your institutional affiliation (centered).
- Add a new page after the title page to begin the body of your paper.
4. Sections and Headings:
- Use APA Style headings to organize the sections of your paper.
- Start with Level 1 Heading, centered, bold, and in title case, to indicate major sections (e.g., Introduction, Method, Results, Discussion).
- Use Level 2 Heading for subsections within the major sections, aligned to the left, bold, and in title case.
- If needed, use Level 3 Heading for further subsections, indented, bold, and ending with a period.
5. In-text Citations:
- When referencing sources within the text, use parenthetical in-text citations.
- Include the author's last name and the publication year, separated by a comma, within parentheses.
- For direct quotations, also include the specific page number after the year, preceded by "p." for a single page or "pp." for multiple pages.
6. References:
- Create a separate page titled "References" at the end of your paper.
- List all the sources you cited in your paper in alphabetical order by the author's last name.
- Follow the APA Style guidelines to format different types of sources (books, articles, websites, etc.) correctly.
These steps should help you format your paper according to APA Style. Remember to consult the official APA Style manual or use online resources for specific formatting rules or additional requirements.