FORMATTING AN APA PAPERA QUICK GUIDE TO APA 7TH EDITION

STEP 1: SET UP YOUR PAPER

WHAT THE PAPER SHOULD LOOK LIKE

¡ An APA Paper Should:

¡ Be double spaced

¡ Be 12 pt. Times New Roman font through the whole paper

¡ Should have page numbers in the top right-hand side of the page (no need for a running head anymore)

¡ Should have 1-inch margins on all sides

¡ Indent the first line of each paragraph one-half inch.

THE TITLE PAGE

ABSTRACTS

¡ Your professor might have asked you to include an abstract in your paper. If you do include an abstract, it should be:

¡ Double Spaced

¡ 12-pt. Times New Roman font

¡ Flush with the margins (no indent on the first line)

¡ The 2nd page of your document

STEP 2: CITE YOUR IN-TEXT SOURCES AND REFERENCES PROPERLY

APA USES THE AUTHOR – DATE SYSTEM¡ Every quotation you use or source you refer to will need to have a reference after it in the (author,

date) format.

¡ When you quote directly, make sure you also include the page number the quotation comes from.

¡ If your work has two authors, use both authors last names in your parenthetical citation.

¡ If it has three or more authors, use the first author’s last name, and then add “et al.” (and others) to account for the other author names.

¡ If you work has no author, cite part of the title in the parentheses so your readers know what work you’re drawing from:

¡ “Source material goes here” (“Title of Document,” 2002)

¡ If your document has an organizational author, cite the name of the organization:

¡ “Source material goes here” (American Psychological Association [APA], 2002)

STEP 3: FORMAT YOUR REFERENCE PAGE PROPERLY

APA REFERENCE LISTS:

¡ Should start on a fresh page

¡ Have entries listed in alphabetical order

¡ Have hanging indents

¡ Have the same font/font size as the rest of your essay

¡ List all the authors of the works you’ve referenced.

WHAT NEXT? ¡ Watch our video on formatting your Reference list!

¡ For more help, contact a writing tutor at the SSC, or send your paper to writing@uregina.ca! Our website also has APA resources.