Hey there! Let’s dive deep into the world of APA 7th edition formatting. I know, I know, it might sound like a dry, tedious topic, but trust me, it’s crucial if you want your academic papers to look polished and professional. Plus, I’ll make it as engaging and conversational as possible, promise!
First things first, let’s talk about why APA formatting even exists. The American Psychological Association (APA) created this style guide to establish consistency in scientific writing. When all academic papers follow the same formatting rules, it makes them easier to read, understand, and compare. Think of it as a secret code that scholars use to communicate clearly and efficiently.
Now, let’s start with the basics:
The general paper format. APA 7th edition requires your paper to be double-spaced, with 1-inch margins all around, and written in a legible font like Times New Roman (12 pt). But wait, there’s more! You’ll also need to include a running head (a shortened version of your paper’s title) at the top of every page. Don’t worry; I’ll show you how to do that in a bit.
Next up, the title page.
This is the first impression your paper makes, so you want to get it right. Center the title about one-third down the page, and make sure it’s bolded and in title case (capitalizing the first letter of each main word). Under the title, include your name, your institution’s name, and, if applicable, the course and instructor’s name.
Okay, now let’s talk about headings.
APA has five levels of headings, each with its own unique formatting. The main headings (level 1) should be centered and bolded, with the first letters of each main word capitalized. Level 2 headings are flush left, bolded, and use title case capitalization. Level 3 headings are flush left, bolded, and use a period at the end, with only the first word capitalized. Level 4 headings are indented, bolded, and use title case capitalization, with a period at the end. Finally, level 5 headings are indented, bolded, and italicized, with a period at the end and only the first word capitalized. Phew, that’s a lot of heading levels! But trust me, using them correctly will make your paper look super organized and easy to follow.
Now, let’s talk about in-text citations.
Whenever you quote, paraphrase, or refer to someone else’s work, you’ll need to include an in-text citation. The basic format is (Author’s Last Name, Year of Publication). If you’re quoting directly, include the page number(s) after the year, like this: (Author’s Last Name, Year, p. XX). If there are multiple authors, use (Author 1 & Author 2, Year) for two authors, and (Author 1 et al., Year) for three or more authors.
Here’s a trick for you: if you’re citing the same source multiple times in a row, you can use the shorthand citation after the first full citation. For example:
According to Smith (2020), blah blah blah (p. 42). She also states that blah blah blah (p. 45).
See how the second citation is just (p. 45)? Neat, right?
Okay, let’s move on to the reference list. This is where you’ll provide the full citation information for all the sources you cited in your paper. The references should be listed in alphabetical order by the author’s last name, with a hanging indent (the first line flush left, and subsequent lines indented). The format varies slightly depending on the type of source (book, journal article, website, etc.), but there are a few general rules:
- Author’s last name, initials.
- (Year of publication).
- Title (in sentence case for books, in sentence case and italicized for periodicals).
- Source information (publisher for books, journal name for articles, URL for websites, etc.).
Here’s an example of a book reference:
Gladwell, M. (2008). Outliers: The story of success. Little, Brown and Company.
And here’s an example of a journal article reference:
Krieger, N., & Bassett, M. T. (1986). The health of Black folk: Disease, class, and ideology in science. Monthly Review, 38(3), 74-85.
See how that works? The reference list is like a treasure map for your readers, helping them find the sources you used in your paper.
One last thing: APA formatting also has rules for tables, figures, and appendices. Tables and figures should be numbered consecutively (Table 1, Table 2, Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.) and given a descriptive title. Appendices should be labeled with letters (Appendix A, Appendix B, etc.) and included after the reference list.
Phew, that was a lot of information, but I hope I made it as painless as possible! Remember, practice makes perfect, so don’t get discouraged if it takes a few tries to get the hang of APA formatting. And if you ever get stuck, you can always consult the APA Publication Manual or ask your instructor for guidance.
Happy formatting, and may your papers be APA-perfect!
See videos below.